Critical Mass - Rumor Notes 173

 Revelation 16

18 There were lightnings, sounds, and thunders; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since there were men on the earth, so great an earthquake, so mighty. 19 The great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. Babylon the great was remembered in the sight of God, to give to her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. 20 Every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. 21 Great hailstones, about the weight of a talent, came down out of the sky on people. People blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, for this plague is exceedingly severe.

There were lightnings, sounds, and thunders

These first two words come from the very same Greek word we saw in the previous verse translated as It is done, or it is finished. What is being described here are reverberations of this stunning fact, reinforcing the extreme significance of this pivotal point in history. Additionally this word is repeated 6 times here in verses 17-19 (highlighted here in blue), and all this is in reference to Babylon. Maybe this number is incidental or maybe it is not. But I find this a bit more than curious.

lightnings, sounds, and thunders

This collection of signs signal major points of transition pivotal to the flow of the story in this prophetic book. I refer to them as transition tabs to alert us to key junctures that need special attention in order to perceive the larger context of what is going on. In this instance we see the last of a sequence of 4 times this pattern shows up in Revelation, the following list being the first 3.

Out of the throne proceed lightnings, sounds, and thunders. There were seven lamps of fire burning before his throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. (Revelation 4:5)

The angel took the censer, and he filled it with the fire of the altar, and threw it on the earth. There followed thunders, sounds, lightnings, and an earthquake. (Revelation 8:5)

God's temple that is in heaven was opened, and the ark of the Lord's covenant was seen in his temple. Lightnings, sounds, thunders, an earthquake, and great hail followed. (Revelation 11:19)

In each transition we see another element added until we come to the current location where the same elements remain the same, only now with greater intensity of consequences than before. It is helpful to consider the context of each of these in order to appreciate this last instance better.

One more interesting point to consider here is to keep in mind that this last bowl was poured into the air while all the previous ones (with the exception of the 4^th one poured out on the sun) were locations on the earth. The effects of this last outpouring causes 3 reactions all taking place in the atmosphere, with the 4^th simultaneously affecting the whole earth itself. This again highlights the global nature and the cumulative effective of each of these bowls, now climaxing in what we are here studying.

there was a great earthquake, such as was not since there were men on the earth, so great an earthquake, so mighty

I saw when he opened the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake. The sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became as blood. The stars of the sky fell to the earth, like a fig tree dropping its unripe figs when it is shaken by a great wind. The sky was removed like a scroll when it is rolled up. Every mountain and island were moved out of their places. The kings of the earth, the princes, the commanding officers, the rich, the strong, and every slave and free person, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains. They told the mountains and the rocks, "Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of his wrath has come; and who is able to stand?" (Revelation 6:12-17)

The angel took the censer, and he filled it with the fire of the altar, and threw it on the earth. There followed thunders, sounds, lightnings, and an earthquake. (Revelation 8:5)

I heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, "Come up here!" They went up into heaven in the cloud, and their enemies saw them. In that day there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified, and gave glory to the God of heaven. (Revelation 11:12-13)

The twenty-four elders, who sit on their thrones before God's throne, fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying: "We give you thanks, Lord God, the Almighty, the one who is and who was; because you have taken your great power, and reigned. The nations were angry, and your wrath came, as did the time for the dead to be judged, and to give your bondservants the prophets, their reward, as well as to the saints, and those who fear your name, to the small and the great; and to destroy those who destroy the earth."

God's temple that is in heaven was opened, and the ark of the Lord's covenant was seen in his temple. Lightnings, sounds, thunders, an earthquake, and great hail followed. (Revelation 11:16-19)

Mount Sinai, the whole of it, smoked, because Yahweh descended on it in fire; and its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked greatly. (Exodus 19:18)

In my distress I called on Yahweh. Yes, I called to my God. He heard my voice out of his temple. My cry came into his ears. Then the earth shook and trembled. The foundations of heaven quaked and were shaken, because he was angry. Smoke went up out of his nostrils. Fire out of his mouth devoured. Coals were kindled by it. (2 Samuel 22:7-9)

He came there to a cave, and lodged there; and behold, the word of Yahweh came to him, and he said to him, What are you doing here, Elijah?

He said, I have been very jealous for Yahweh, the God of Armies; for the children of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and slain your prophets with the sword: and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.

He said, Go forth, and stand on the mountain before Yahweh. Behold, Yahweh passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains, and broke in pieces the rocks before Yahweh; but Yahweh was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but Yahweh was not in the earthquake: and after the earthquake a fire; but Yahweh was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. It was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entrance of the cave. Behold, there came a voice to him, and said, What are you doing here, Elijah? (1 Kings 19:9-13)

"Have you commanded the morning in your days, and caused the dawn to know its place; that it might take hold of the ends of the earth, and shake the wicked out of it?" (Job 38:12-13)

Then the earth shook and trembled. The foundations also of the mountains quaked and were shaken, because he was angry. (Psalms 18:7)

You mountains, that you skipped like rams; you little hills, like lambs? Tremble, you earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob, (Psalms 114:6-7)

Men shall go into the caves of the rocks, and into the holes of the earth, from before the terror of Yahweh, and from the glory of his majesty, when he arises to shake the earth mightily. In that day, men shall cast away their idols of silver, and their idols of gold, which have been made for themselves to worship, to the moles and to the bats; To go into the caverns of the rocks, and into the clefts of the ragged rocks, from before the terror of Yahweh, and from the glory of his majesty, when he arises to shake the earth mightily. (Isaiah 2:19-21)

Therefore I will make the heavens tremble, and the earth will be shaken out of its place in the wrath of Yahweh of Armies, and in the day of his fierce anger. (Isaiah 13:13)

She will be visited by Yahweh of Armies with thunder, with earthquake, with great noise, with whirlwind and storm, and with the flame of a devouring fire. The multitude of all the nations that fight against Ariel, even all who fight against her and her stronghold, and who distress her, will be like a dream, a vision of the night. It will be like when a hungry man dreams, and behold, he eats; but he awakes, and his hunger isn't satisfied; or like when a thirsty man dreams, and behold, he drinks; but he awakes, and behold, he is faint, and he is still thirsty. The multitude of all the nations that fight against Mount Zion will be like that. Pause and wonder! Blind yourselves and be blind! They are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink. For Yahweh has poured out on you a spirit of deep sleep, and has closed your eyes, the prophets; and he has covered your heads, the seers. (Isaiah 29:6-10)

It shall happen in that day, when Gog shall come against the land of Israel, says the Lord Yahweh, that my wrath shall come up into my nostrils. For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel; so that the fish of the sea, and the birds of the sky, and the animals of the field, and all creeping things who creep on the earth, and all the men who are on the surface of the earth, shall shake at my presence, and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground. (Ezekiel 38:18-20)

"Speak now to Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua, the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people, saying, 'Who is left among you who saw this house in its former glory? How do you see it now? Isn't it in your eyes as nothing? Yet now be strong, Zerubbabel,' says Yahweh. 'Be strong, Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land,' says Yahweh, 'and work, for I am with you,' says Yahweh of Armies.

This is the word that I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt, and my Spirit lived among you. 'Don't be afraid.' For this is what Yahweh of Armies says: 'Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, the earth, the sea, and the dry land; and I will shake all nations. The precious things of all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory, says Yahweh of Armies. The silver is mine, and the gold is mine,' says Yahweh of Armies. 'The latter glory of this house will be greater than the former,' says Yahweh of Armies; 'and in this place will I give peace,' says Yahweh of Armies." (Haggai 2:2-9)

"Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, 'I will shake the heavens and the earth. I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms. I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the nations. I will overthrow the chariots, and those who ride in them. The horses and their riders will come down, everyone by the sword of his brother. In that day, says Yahweh of Armies, will I take you, Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel,' says Yahweh, 'and will make you as a signet, for I have chosen you,' says Yahweh of Armies." (Haggai 2:21-23)

Jesus cried again with a loud voice, and yielded up his spirit. Behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom. The earth quaked and the rocks were split. The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection, they entered into the holy city and appeared to many. Now the centurion, and those who were with him watching Jesus, when they saw the earthquake, and the things that were done, feared exceedingly, saying, "Truly this was the Son of God." (Matthew 27:50-54)

Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. Behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from the sky, and came and rolled away the stone from the door, and sat on it. (Matthew 28:1-2)

When they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were gathered together. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness. (Acts 4:31)

But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone's bonds were loosened. (Acts 16:25-26)

These passages relating to earthquakes and the nature of why they happened sometimes relate to deliverance. While this one may be a shockwave, it is not the full deliverance, just as Paul and Silas remained in prison though already freed. This earthquake is God’s response to the defiance of Satan’s kingdoms of this world fully intent on eliminating God’s people from the planet.

Why is this earthquake the greatest, most powerful earthquake in the history of the world? Maybe its because the nature of this earthquake requires enough intensity to match the magnitude of the entrenched resistant powers of the great city. Everything in Revelation is to be viewed primarily as symbols, so this earthquake likely represents a shaking of spiritual and political powers with such overwhelming intensity that none of them will escape being shaken, exposed, unmasked. Everything must be shaken in order to accomplish a disruption of the very foundations of Satan’s empire of evil often represented as Babylon the great. This includes his total counterfeit methods of controlling social order, governments, religion and philosophies regardless of their labels.

See that you don't refuse him who speaks. For if they didn't escape when they refused him who warned on the Earth, how much more will we not escape who turn away from him who warns from heaven, whose voice shook the earth then, but now he has promised, saying, "Yet once more I will shake not only the earth, but also the heavens."

This phrase, "Yet once more," signifies the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that have been made, that those things which are not shaken may remain. Therefore, receiving a Kingdom that can't be shaken, let us have grace, through which we serve God acceptably, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire. (Hebrews 12:25-29)

The great city

When they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the abyss will make war with them, and overcome them, and kill them. Their dead bodies will be in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified. (Revelation 11:7-8)

This passage helps broaden our conception of what the great city actually represents.

Another, a second angel, followed, saying, "Babylon the great has fallen, which has made all the nations to drink of the wine of the wrath of her sexual immorality." (Revelation 14:8)

One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and spoke with me, saying, "Come here. I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who sits on many waters,

And on her forehead a name was written, "MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF THE PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH."

The woman whom you saw is the great city, which reigns over the kings of the earth." (Revelation 17:1, 5, 18)

After these things, I saw another angel coming down out of the sky, having great authority. The earth was illuminated with his glory. He cried with a mighty voice, saying, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, and she has become a habitation of demons, a prison of every unclean spirit, and a prison of every unclean and hateful bird! (Revelation 18:1-2)

The kings of the earth, who committed sexual immorality and lived wantonly with her, will weep and wail over her, when they look at the smoke of her burning, standing far away for the fear of her torment, saying, 'Woe, woe, the great city, Babylon, the strong city! For your judgment has come in one hour.' (Revelation 18:9-10)

For in an hour such great riches are made desolate.' Every shipmaster, and everyone who sails anywhere, and mariners, and as many as gain their living by sea, stood far away, and cried out as they looked at the smoke of her burning, saying, 'What is like the great city?' They cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and mourning, saying, 'Woe, woe, the great city, in which all who had their ships in the sea were made rich by reason of her great wealth!' For in one hour is she made desolate. "Rejoice over her, O heaven, you saints, apostles, and prophets; for God has judged your judgment on her." A mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and cast it into the sea, saying, "Thus with violence will Babylon, the great city, be thrown down, and will be found no more at all. (Revelation 18:17-21)

Many nations shall pass by this city, and they shall say every man to his neighbor, Why has Yahweh done thus to this great city? Then they shall answer, Because they forsook the covenant of Yahweh their God, and worshiped other gods, and served them. (Jeremiah 22:8-9)

The context of this passage is a message to the king of Judah, meaning that the city referenced here is Jerusalem. We must keep in mind the spiritual nature of all the symbols in this book in order to discern the far greater importance and expansiveness of what is being exposed here.

Insights from a parallel ‘great city’

Now the word of Yahweh came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, "Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach against it, for their wickedness has come up before me." (Jonah 1:1-2)

The word of Yahweh came to Jonah the second time, saying, "Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach to it the message that I give you." So Jonah arose, and went to Nineveh, according to the word of Yahweh. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, three days' journey across. (Jonah 3:1-3)

Yahweh said, "You have been concerned for the vine, for which you have not labored, neither made it grow; which came up in a night, and perished in a night. Shouldn't I be concerned for Nineveh, that great city, in which are more than one hundred twenty thousand persons who can't discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much livestock?" (Jonah 4:10-11)

At this juncture in the flow of Revelation, the symbol of Babylon the great is confronted directly by its nemesis, the power of the New Song that magnifies and glorifies the God whose reputation has been so viciously slandered, distorted and damaged by the matrix of lies embedded in both politics and all religions. Babylon is prophecy’s shorthand to an entire way of thinking, relating and how mind-control and manipulation is used on this planet in defiance of love, life, truth and freedom.

Satan’s system has been embraced by all the kingdoms of this world. This systemic problem is now confronted, exposed and challenged in light of the active work of demonic spirits to unite the world to eject God’s presence from the earth. They seek to consolidate it under the domain of Satan similar to how it was before the flood. God’s Spirit has been denied access by the whole world at this point, yet His true authority and glory has been vividly magnified on the whole planet by the outpouring of these 7 bowls of prayers, intercessions and praises that have exposed the true God now seen to be just like the Lamb, and also re-presented in the lives of His chosen remnant on earth.

This last outpouring is a pinnacle point, a critical mass that significantly alters the direction of the war initiated by Michael against the forces of darkness and tyranny at its outset. This critical mass closely links to the parallel pivot point when Christ, the true Lamb of God, died from identifying with the sins of the whole world, willingly allowing Himself to be cruelly executed by crucifixion on a cross. Yet in choosing this most unexpected route, Christ defeated death itself through embracing it rather than resisting it, thus gaining control by seizing the keys of death and hell.

Since then the children have shared in flesh and blood, he also himself in like manner partook of the same, that through death he might bring to nothing him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might deliver all of them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. (Hebrews 2:14-15)

We are therefore ambassadors on behalf of Christ, as though God were entreating by us. We beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For him who knew no sin he made to be sin on our behalf; so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:20-21)

The Lamb exposed and defeated the power of evil, fear and darkness in this world by focusing on joy and fixating His mind on God’s goodness rather than allowing His imagination to be captured by fear. In this parallel to that climactic event, these special ops forces of the Lamb follow His example in every respect (though not dying), thus re-demonstrating the same mindset and spirit as the Lamb that they follow chose to maintain. They love not their lives unto the death while unconditionally loving and freely forgiving their enemies in real time just like He did. They overcome through the power of the New Song, the song of the Lamb by praising and glorifying the true God that their Leader brought to view even in the face of abject darkness and evil.

They overcame him because of the Lamb's blood, and because of the word of their testimony. They didn't love their life, even to death. (Revelation 12:11)

Have this in your mind, which was also in Christ Jesus, who, existing in the form of God, didn't consider equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, yes, the death of the cross. (Philippians 2:5-8)

When they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely, who, having received such a charge, threw them into the inner prison, and secured their feet in the stocks. But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone's bonds were loosened. (Acts 16:23-26)

In this story, Paul and Silas unleashed the power of the New Song into their dire circumstances, overturning the schemes of the enemy to silence their witness. The reaction to their praise and magnifying the goodness of God, released His power to shatter everything that imprisoned them along with others with them. Now we see a similar event on a global scale. Only this time there is no jailor to repent, for this confrontation serves to solidify character on both sides, revealing to the universe there is nothing more God can do to save anyone because all have made their final choice.

Armeggedon - The Gathering Place - Rumor notes 172

 Revelation 16

16 He gathered them together into the place which is called in Hebrew, Megiddo/Armeggedon. 17 The seventh poured out his bowl into the air. A loud voice came forth out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, "It is done!"

He gathered them together into the place

I could be wrong, but in my simplistic view of the Greek from Strong’s concordance I see no word to be translated here as ‘he’. This could mean that this gathering is simply a fulfillment of verse 14.

for they are spirits of demons, performing signs; which go forth to the kings of the whole inhabited earth, to gather them together for the war of that great day of God, the Almighty. (Revelation 16:14)

Gathering people together into concentrated locations is what we know as cities. Throughout history in Scripture, the idea of cities is often linked to intensification of selfishness and sin. Cain the first murderer also built the first city. This was not merely coincidental, for the spiritual atmosphere of cities has usually degenerated over time into depravity, immorality, godless dissipation, wanton pleasure, pride, increased violence and tends to insulate people from experiencing the lessons of nature and its revelations about God.

Well-known examples of this problem that stand out in history are Sodom and its sister cities of the plain, and Babylon the great. These cities are repeatedly cited in Scripture as warnings of the consequences of living in cities and what they foster in the human psyche. Babylon figures prominently in prophecy as the epitome of pride while Sodom reveals the fruit of self-indulgence and rejection of God producing debauchery and distortion of God’s design through sexual perversion.

At the end of twelve months he was walking in the royal palace of Babylon. The king spoke and said, Is not this great Babylon, which I have built for the royal dwelling place, by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty? While the word was in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from the sky, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: The kingdom is departed from you: (Daniel 4:29-31)

References throughout the book of Revelation to Babylon warn us of our urgent need to come out of it. Babylon symbolizes our crisis about where we get our identity that lies at the heart of this war. In John’s day, old Jerusalem had become like Babylon only with a different name.

God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them, "Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth." (Genesis 9:1)

This problem of concentrating people in cities is highlighted shortly after the flood when people chose to seek complete control over the people of the world in defiance of God’s direct instructions to Noah to disperse They concentrated themselves to build a city that could bring God down to their level so they could control what He did, and also to make a name for themselves. This is the very essence of the spirit exhibited by Lucifer in heaven. It revealed they were not unwilling to live according to God’s instructions or live by the identity He created them to be. Thus the tower of Babel involved not merely a significant building but was a reestablishment of the city mentality that had previously led to the rampant world-wide wickedness that existed before the flood.

The whole earth was of one language and of one speech. It happened, as they traveled east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and they lived there. They said one to another, "Come, let's make bricks, and burn them thoroughly." They had brick for stone, and they used tar for mortar. They said, "Come, let's build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top reaches to the sky, and let's make ourselves a name, lest we be scattered abroad on the surface of the whole earth."

Yahweh came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men built. Yahweh said, "Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is what they begin to do. Now nothing will be withheld from them, which they intend to do. Come, let's go down, and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another's speech." So Yahweh scattered them abroad from there on the surface of all the earth. They stopped building the city. (Genesis 11:1-8)

I see this push to gather the whole world together to war against God’s will is a reassertion of these previous examples of open rebellion against the authority of heaven on earth. Like the despots of cities and nations throughout history, the author of these concepts is determined to make a final push to concentrate his control over every human being on earth and eliminate the presence God entirely from this planet so as to establish his own kingdom as supreme. This has been his objective from the very outset of his rebellion in heaven, to perfect his design of social order through complete control of society and prove his plans can succeed, making himself the primary focus of worship as source of all authority.

There is another kind of gathering that is also found in Scripture, where people are assembled for the purpose of clarifying between right and wrong, making the truth so clear that everyone must choose which side they will openly align with and who they will obey and serve as their God.

Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel to Mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred fifty, and the prophets of the Asherah four hundred, who eat at Jezebel's table. So Ahab sent to all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together to Mount Carmel. Elijah came near to all the people, and said, "How long will you waver between the two sides? If Yahweh is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him." The people answered him not a word. (1 Kings 18:19-21)

Shall the throne of wickedness have fellowship with you, which brings about mischief by statute? They gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous, and condemn the innocent blood. (Psalms 94:20-21)

This verse highlights one of the main contrasts between the design of creation that reflects how God intended us to live in freedom that is found only in cooperation with His design principles, and the design of Satan’s kingdom rooted in manipulation and control by artificial law that relies on fear and violence to maintain control and domination over others. This parallels what we are looking at here in Revelation 16 and touches on the core issues that underly this war. From this perspective, the following words of Jesus take on new significance.

Let both grow together until the harvest, and in the harvest time I will tell the reapers, "First, gather up the darnel weeds, and bind them in bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into my barn." (Matthew 13:30)

Finally, the gathering together of the kings of the whole earth through this demonic activity is a repeat of what we studied in verse 14, a consolidation to create a coalition of forces arrayed against God and His people. This also fits well into the chiasm found here, making the alert seen in verse 15 of highest priority.

which is called in Hebrew

Pilate wrote a title also, and put it on the cross. There was written, "JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS." Therefore many of the Jews read this title, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, in Latin, and in Greek. (John 19:19-20)

They have over them as king the angel of the abyss. His name in Hebrew is "Abaddon," but in Greek, he has the name "Apollyon." (Revelation 9:11)

Megiddo/Armeggedon

Armeggedon or Har-Magedon. Har indicates there is a mountain in view. Magedon resists translation but may refer to Meggido, a plain where Israel's armies would trap enemy forces up against Mt. Carmel to destroy them. Mt. Carmel symbolizes judgment and polarization. It comes from a root word that means to assemble together. This is far more cosmic in scope than a location on earth. It reverberates from Lucifer's original intent to take over the Mount of the Assembly as recorded in Isaiah, so this push likely involves yet another attempt to accomplish his aspirations.

You said in your heart, "I will ascend into heaven! I will exalt my throne above the stars of God! I will sit on the mountain of assembly, in the far north! I will ascend above the heights of the clouds! I will make myself like the Most High!" Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, to the depths of the pit. (Isaiah 14:13-15)

Now it happened on the day when the God's sons came to present themselves before Yahweh, that Satan also came among them. (Job 1:6)

Again it happened on the day when the God's sons came to present themselves before Yahweh, that Satan came also among them to present himself before Yahweh. (Job 2:1)

poured out his bowl into the air

God said, "Let there be an expanse in the middle of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters." God made the expanse, and divided the waters which were under the expanse from the waters which were above the expanse; and it was so. God called the expanse sky. There was evening and there was morning, a second day. (Genesis 1:6-8)

Before sin there was no double-mindedness of spirit or divided allegiance. There were natural differences of roles and functions creating diversity. The distortions Lucifer introduced brought confusion about these natural distinctions, leading to dissonance and resulting in distrust. Satan’s allegations induced confusion about God’s integrity and love, and he initiated an alternative government of balance between good and evil using rewards and punishments. This pseudo separation was an amalgamation, a co-mingling of good and evil that are incompatible concepts. This co-mingling of incompatibilities was actually a hallmark of Babylonian philosophy and religious systems. This is also seen in the amalgamated beasts found in the prophecies of Daniel and John in particular.

Waters symbolically represents peoples collectively, but it also represents chaos and confusion that has marked the condition of the people of this world since the insertion of Satan’s control. The separation of the waters above from those put below is highly symbolic and has to do with clarifying the issues that have confused beings all over the universe because of the rebellion that was already in full effect by the time of this world’s creation. Each day of creation involved God addressing various issues causing doubt and confusion. Right after introducing light to dispel the darkness on the first day, the very thing God did was to separate what was true from above, away from what is not true below. This was a main purpose for this world’s creation, to introduce a clarifying atmosphere filled with air (think Ruach, Holy Spirit) to separate and bring clarity about what is authentic from what is not.

You were made alive when you were dead in transgressions and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the powers of the air, the spirit who now works in the children of disobedience; among whom we also all once lived in the lust of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. (Ephesians 2:1-3)

For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world's rulers of the darkness of this age, and against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:12)

The pervasive waters present at creation represented the condition of confusion caused by Lucifer’s revolt. God separated light and darkness and the waters above from waters beneath to limit the pervasiveness of confusion. It was these spiritual issues that were being addressed by the Creator in answer to the confusion and doubts introduced after the fall of Lucifer.

After capturing dominion over this planet by inducing humans to embrace his version of God, Satan claimed the title of prince of this world. His identity as prince of the powers of the air resonates with the idea that air also symbolizes one of the names of the Holy Spirit – Ruach which means breath. In effect, the spirit angel who initiated the revolt in heaven against God and His original design, counters the work of Ruach who separated the waters during creation week. This led to even more confusion and many more amalgamations and distortions about God’s true design.

When viewed from this perspective, it makes sense that this last and final outpouring of the contents of the bowls released against Satan’s empire would be aimed directly at this symbol he had usurped at the fall of Adam. It is in the atmosphere of this world that he operates, exercising his tyrannical mind manipulation and deceptions of humanity who are designed to reflect God’s glory.

As mentioned in a previous bowl study, the targets identified in each outpouring are not random but rather focus God’s power on various strongholds of darkness and Satan’s kingdom. Just as in a military assault on enemy strongholds, the outer defenses have to be targeted and overcome in order to get past the layers of resistance until the core command and control center can be directly attacked and defeated. Each bowl has exposed various aspects of Satan’s counterfeit system as being ineffectual to discredit the intense light of the glory of God being released by these angels. Each increased revelation of God’s goodness through the praises and prayers of the saints has proven to not only have fallen on deaf ears, but has only resulted in intense resistance, defiance and even violent allergic reactions in the lives of those rejecting a love of the truth.

The reactions to this last bowl outpouring we will study later, indicate this last target does involve the command center that has come under direct fire. The cumulative effects of each bowl culminating in this last assault finally weakens Satan’s power structure so effectively that from here to the end of the book, it is can be seen as the pivotal tipping point of the war. The ensuing chapters describe the resulting collapse of Satan’s empire of evil, though there continues to be desperate attempts to cling to control all the way to the bitter end.

This seventh bowl being poured out is heaven’s response to the gathering together of forces bent on maintaining control of this world that wars against the agents of light and love. The demonic spirits in verse 14 organize this counter-assault in desperation to stay in power despite much light and truth that has been poured out from the previous bowls. The pinnacle of this chiasm is verse 15 where heaven’s alert encourages God’s people to complete this final push all the way to its conclusion. This is the final showdown for which each side has been preparing meticulously for millennia.

A loud voice came forth out of the temple of heaven

It shall be that when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall go up every man straight before him. (Joshua 6:5)

I heard a loud voice out of heaven saying, "Behold, God's dwelling is with people, and he will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. (Revelation 21:3)

from the throne

A voice came forth from the throne, saying, "Give praise to our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, the small and the great!" (Revelation 19:5)

It is done

This phrase is one word in the Greek – ginomai. It literally means to cause to be; to come into being, brought to pass; to be divided, ended, to fall, be fulfilled. In this chapter it involves a compelling pattern that is significant. This word is used 3 times in verses 2-4 to describe how the first three plagues come to be; 'it became...' It again appears 5 times in the next two verses that describe the reactions to this final outpouring. It lends support to the concept that these plagues are reactive rather than than being imposed by God. This fits with belief that the contents of these bowls being poured out is positive in nature. This corresponds with the true nature of judgment as defined by Jesus in John 3:19-21 that describes how people who love darkness react to light that unavoidably exposes what is lurking inside them. Finally it is used again in Revelation 21:6 where this axiom of reactive self-elimination find final fulfillment (Revelation 21:8,27; 22:11,15) eternally in all who despise the passionate love of heaven and have chosen irreversibly to reject mercy and living in God's presence.

This is the third of four significant 'finished.' This 'finished' initiates the final deliverance of God's people from domination by their enemies. It parallels the overcoming of the resistance of Pharaoh in Egypt, where plagues effectively broke his tyrannical control over God's chosen people.

The heavens and the earth were finished, and all their vast array. On the seventh day God finished his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. God blessed the seventh day, and made it holy, because he rested in it from all his work which he had created and made. (Genesis 2:1-3)

When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, "It is finished." He bowed his head, and gave up his spirit. (John 19:30)

The next two passages appear to be related to this event we are studying here.

The angel who I saw standing on the sea and on the land lifted up his right hand to the sky, and swore by him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things that are in it, the earth and the things that are in it, and the sea and the things that are in it, that there will no longer be delay, but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, then the mystery of God is finished, as he declared to his servants, the prophets. (Revelation 10:5-7)

I saw another great and marvelous sign in the sky: seven angels having the seven last plagues, for in them God's wrath is finished. (Revelation 15:1)

He said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give freely to him who is thirsty from the spring of the water of life. (Revelation 21:6)

One part of what is finished here is the full maturation of character on both sides: the complete and irreversible hardening of heart from final rejection of God's covering protection on the part of the resistors of His mercy, and also the finalization of the sealing of all who have chosen to fixate on the Lamb alone. This permanent maturation of character by both sides authorizes the power of Satan to devastate the earth that has now spurned the inhibiting presence of God's Spirit that has been rejected by all its inhabitants except for the 144,000.

To summarize the nature of these 4 major finishes in the history of the war between truth and lies, we briefly review each one.

Creation of this world is finished, celebrated by the introduction of Sabbath rest. Freedom to choose.

For he who has entered into his rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from his. (Hebrews 4:10) The main reason God rested in this first finishing was to respect the freedom of all the inhabitants of the watching universe to choose for themselves what to believe about God. This creation was in the context of a war that was in full force at that time, a war of slander against the credibility and integrity of the One on the throne of the universe. Lucifer’s insinuations, slanderous inferences and accusations were so subtle that it was impossible for lesser intelligent beings to fully discern the true nature of rebellion and the dangers involved in pursuing alternate ways to live outside trust and dependence on God. The creation of this world demonstrated God’s integrity rather than seeking to vindicate Himself verbally. Each day provided increasing evidence of God’s goodness that exposed and refuted Satan’s allegations against Him. Yet when enough evidence was available, it was necessary to cease presenting evidence in order to leave everyone free to decide for themselves with no pressure that could feel coercive to manipulate their choice.

Death of God’s Christ and our Christ. The ultimate reflection of God’s heart is finished.

When Christ cried out from the cross that it was finished, it again involved presenting even more evidence to refute the accusations and slander by God’s arch-enemy. Satan has asserted, and it is commonly believed by all the kingdoms of this world, that God is compelled by law to punish sin or in order to be respected as a God of justice. All humanity has been influenced by this lie, so God sent His Son to the very center of our reward/punishment system, taking upon Himself our weakness, even making Himself fully vulnerable to sinners to treat Him any way they chose. This exposed unequivocally the actual truth of God’s disposition towards sinners as well as revealing clearly how God would react if treated viciously and unfairly like we experience. The example of Jesus’ life demonstrated that nothing can separate anyone from God’s love, that His love is irrepressible and cannot be weakened in the slightest by even extreme attempts to disprove its authenticity.

This exposed the truly sinister character of Satan by contrast, for in orchestrating such a bold assault against the completely innocent Son of God, Satan’s duplicity and fraud was unmasked causing the loss of all lingering sympathies in the minds of the watching universe. He incriminated himself as the true villain, exposed by his own ‘justice’ system.

Re-demonstration by 144,000 who reflect the Lamb. The light is amplified exponentially.

This finish is identified both as the mystery of God (10:7) and as the wrath of God (15:1). We must understand the true nature of God’s wrath or this will be misinterpreted. When we also understand the nature of the contents of the bowls being poured out here, and that the angels pouring them out represents people reflecting the disposition of the Lamb, what has been a mystery since the inception of the war in heaven is demystified in the lives of these redeemed sinners who are motivated and transformed by the same Spirit that was in Christ.

As in the previous finished events, this provides even more compelling evidence that God’s government is based entirely on love and freedom alone and can maintain order, peace and coherence. This evidence corroborates the witness of the Lamb, but it goes further to refute Satan’s assertion that though it was possible for the Son of God to live in harmony with the law, it is still impossible for depraved sinners to be restored to living consistently in harmony with agape love. By repeating the reflection Jesus demonstrated, it now becomes clear that even sinners can be transformed into consistent saints and made safe to thrive in God’s fire with no fear or shame for all eternity, despite remaining free to always choose for themselves.

The war is finished and won by the Lamb and all who follow Him. Final finish!

"It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give freely to him who is thirsty from the spring of the water of life. (21:6)

The war is done, finished, all in the past. The Son of God/Son of Man has exonerated the integrity and trustworthiness of His Father while consistently leaving everyone free at all times to choose for themselves what they will do with the evidence they have been given. The Son is seen as consistently revealing the truth of who God is, from before creation to all the variables caused by the war and emerging as victor in the end with no change or variation.

Jesus as always, is willing and eager to share without price the water of life to anyone who recognizes their need for this water and is willing to receive it. This refutes entirely the false concepts of trading that was part of the cause of the war originally. In God’s kingdom everything is free and available for the asking. Commerce is exposed as a cheap imitation and is discarded forever. The redeemed have believed and embraced their true identity in Christ, and the entire universe celebrates the true value of freedom now restored to perfect synchronization with the principles of life. This is the final outcome God has been passionately looking forward to throughout history, and that we are invited to enjoy with Him.

This last outpouring called a plague, parallels the final plague that came upon Egypt that resulting in breaking the stranglehold of resistance by Pharaoh. The death of his first-born son caused by his defiance against repeated warnings from God, led to the entire collapse of his empire as ultimately his own death in the Red Sea. This finish involved his own son.

God sent His only begotten Son to this world and allowed evil forces, both supernatural and human, to do with Him as they desired. All the venom of evil was unleashed on this perfect Man who had done nothing to deserve any of the vicious cruelty, humiliation and violence imposed on Him. Yet through this act of self-denying, willing sacrifice without resistance, the true nature of evil was unmasked as well as the true power of agape love. When Christ gave His mighty cry on the cross, ‘It is Finished,’ it reverberated throughout all the realms of the universe like an irresistible shockwave altering forever the disposition of beings there. It was this striking contrast between true goodness and the shocking horror of pure evil hidden in the heart of the once former bearer of God’s light, that permanently eliminated every lingering sympathy any of them had for Satan’s insinuations against God and His methods of relating to His creatures.

This final outpouring similarly establishes an everlasting testimony that seals every human being in their disposition towards God, reinforcing the testimony of the True Witness who solidified the allegiance of heavenly intelligences 2,000 years ago. Just as the final plague of Egypt effectively broke through the stubbornness of Pharaoh to let God’s people leave his control, so too this final plague unnerves the powers of darkness to their foundations. This finish in turn precipitates a sequence of events outlined in the next chapters that describe the progressive collapse of the all world systems that have enslaved God’s people in bondage just as the Israelites were held as slaves in Egypt.

A key difference in this instance is that because Jesus has already won the victory and secured our freedom by identifying with our sin in exchange for assigning us His own identity as overcomer, we are already free inside as we choose to believe this reality and live free from the power of sin. We are not to wait to live in victory, imagining that we have to put up with bondage to fear and sin in our lives until the return of Christ to take us to heaven. As we join Christ in His victory over the world already accomplished, we are to also celebrate His victory as our own presently. This means the power of sin inside us is defeated, regardless of any external circumstances we may experience around us.

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who don't walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus made me free from the law of sin and of death. (Romans 8:1-2)

Now thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and reveals through us the sweet aroma of his knowledge in every place. For we are a sweet aroma of Christ to God, in those who are saved, and in those who perish; to the one a stench from death to death; to the other a sweet aroma from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things? For we are not as so many, peddling the word of God. But as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God, we speak in Christ. (2 Corinthians 2:14-17)

We are therefore ambassadors on behalf of Christ, as though God were entreating by us. We beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For him who knew no sin he made to be sin on our behalf; so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:20-21)