Brother Mike Ministries

The many days of Judgment Day began on May 21, 2011!  
***
ETERNAL LIFE: No Longer Possible!! ***

Whoso keeps the commandment shall feel no evil: and a wise man's heart discerns [will know] both time and judgment - Ec. 8:5

The Horsemen Of Revelation 9:12-21
The loosing of God's people which kills the people of
the Christian churches at the end of the world

By Brother Mike (10-2-11; 65 minutes) 



In
Part 1 and Part 2
 of my messages on the first half of Revelations 9, I have shown why the locusts cannot be a direct reference to the people of God, but these locusts are actually the very spiritual essence of what Judgment Day is all about. The locusts might be likened to a spiritual cloud of Judgment, which ever since May 21 , has now covered every nook and cranny on the planet we call earth, and has locked every unsaved human being into an unknowing state of complete spiritual hopelessness, which is a guaranteed eternal death soon to be revealed at the end of the world.

But in defining the locusts in this way, it does not exclude God's people from being a part of the judgment process. Although God's people are NOT the locusts themselves, they are, after all, closely associated to these locusts of judgment, for God's people are instruments of judgment as we read in 1Cor. 6:2, 

Do ye not know that the saints [that is, God's people] shall judge the world?  

And, we can see God's people being used in the judgment of the world in various portions of scripture; not only in Revelations 9, but especially in Revelations 16 where the 7 angels, who are symbolic of God's people, pour out the 7 last spiritual plagues of God's wrath upon this world. 

But the locusts are a much broader reality than that of God's people. If you can sort of see the locusts as the all comprehensive and all encompassing spiritual cloud of judgment, which is now covering every inch of this planet, then picture God's people as only a part of this all encompassing judgment, for they are not found in every inch of this planet, but they are only a small percentage of the entire world population of about 7 billion people. In fact, as we shall see in Revelations 9, they are the 200 million horsemen. Whether this number is to be taken literally, or spiritually, is not important at this juncture, but only that whether taken literally or spiritually, God's people are without question in the small minority of this world. They always have been, and they always will be until there is nothing but God's people manifest in the new heaven and earth once this world is destroyed in fire, and the new heaven and earth is created from the ashes thereof at the end of the world.

Now, in order to set the context of the timeline for the 2nd half of Revelations 9, I want to first go back to the beginning of Revelations, Chapter 8 where we read in verse 1 and 2, 

And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.
2 And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets

It was learned a long time ago that this silence in heaven took place beginning on May 22, 1988 when the Lord's judgment began upon the churches and continued through September 7, 1994 when the latter rain began outside of and completely independent of the local churches with a great multitude becoming saved outside of any church. Since this silence in heaven took place beginning on May 22nd, 1988, we can know that this is also, according to the scripture just read, when the 7th seal had been opened, and when John saw the seven angels, which were given seven trumpets. Remember what was read, 

And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.
2 And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets

Now as we continue reading in Revelations 8, we discover that these 7 angels who were given the 7 trumpets later on prepared themselves to sound. This preparation is declared down in verse 6, 

6 And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound. 

Then immediately after preparing to sound their trumpets, the first 4 angels sound first in order to bring about judgment against the 3rd part. It was learned long ago that this 3rd part represents all the people of the so-called Christian churches and denominations in the world. Here is what we read, 

7 The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.
8 And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood;
9 And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed.
10 And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters;
11 And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.
12 And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise. 

Notice the obviously clear reference to judgment upon the 3rd part over and over and over again in these verses. As I already mentioned, the 3rd part gives reference to the people of all the Christian churches and denominations, but let me take a moment to show why this is before going any further. 

Now the third part in the Bible either gives reference to God's eternally saved people, or to His non-eternal, external representation of His eternal people depending on the context. For instance, in Zechariah 13 we read, 

Zec 13:8 And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the LORD, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein.
9 And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God. 

These verses clearly use the terminology of the third part to represent God's very own eternal people; they are the only ones wherein it could be said of them, " And I will bring [you] the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God."

But the 3rd part can also give reference only to God's non-eternal, external representation of His people, who come under judgment as we read in Ezekiel 5, 

1 And thou, son of man, take thee a sharp knife, take thee a barber's razor, and cause it to pass upon thine head and upon thy beard: then take thee balances to weigh, and divide the hair.
2 Thou shalt burn with fire a third part in the midst of the city, when the days of the siege are fulfilled: and thou shalt take a third part, and smite about it with a knife: and a third part thou shalt scatter in the wind; and I will draw out a sword after them.
. . . .
4 Then take of them [that is, the pieces of hair] again, and cast them into the midst of the fire, and burn them in the fire; for thereof shall a fire come forth into all the house of Israel

Here Ezekiel was told by the Lord to cut his hair and beard, and to separate it into thirds. One third was to be burned, another third stabbed about with a knife, and another third scattered into the wind. Each third part represented God's external, non-eternal people - the entire house of Israel - who had come under the judgment of God with the Lord sending another nation to destroy them. 

Further down in the same chapter of Ezekiel 5, this third part under judgment is mentioned once again,

Eze 5:11
Wherefore, as I live, saith the Lord GOD; Surely, because thou hast defiled my sanctuary with all thy detestable things, and with all thine abominations, therefore will I also diminish thee; neither shall mine eye spare, neither will I have any pity.
12
A third part of thee shall die with the pestilence, and with famine shall they be consumed in the midst of thee: and a third part shall fall by the sword round about thee; and I will scatter a third part into all the winds, and I will draw out a sword after them. 

This judgment against the entire house of Israel is a picture of what the Lord would do to the New Testament churches and denominations who are the non-eternal, external representation only of God's people even as the Nation of Israel was this same representation in the Old Testament. So what we see is that the third part can either refer to God's eternal, spiritual people, who will never come under the judgment of God, or to God's noneternal, external representation of His people, who can and do come under the judgment of God.

Now getting back to the sounding of the first 4 angels in Revelations 8, it can be shown that this clear emphasis of judgment upon the 3rd part is all symbolic language testifying to God's completely spiritual judgment upon all the churches beginning in 1988 and ending on May 21, 2011. If you will remember, the silence in heaven began on May 22nd, 1988 when the 7th seal had been opened, and the 7 angels and trumpets were first seen. Then later on we read that these 7 angels prepared to sound their respective trumpets, and then in the following verses right after that, the first 4 angels sounded their trumpets as we had previously read. Therefore, the sounding of these 4 angels of Revelation, chapter 8 must have been sometime between May 22nd, 1988 when there was silence in heaven and Judgment Day on May 21, 2011. The only date in the biblical calendar which falls between May 21, 1988 and May 21, 2011 is September 7, 1994, so this must be the focal date in the sounding of the first 4 angels, which declare judgment upon all the so-called Christian churches and denominations in the world, for according to scripture, judgment had to have begun with the house of God (1Pet. 4:17). 

Now after the 4th angel sounds with its judgments against the 3rd part, or church, and in the transition from Revelations 8 to Revelations 9 when the 5th angel sounds, we read this in the last verse of Revelations 8, 

13 And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound

From this verse, we know that the sounding of the 5th, 6th, and 7th angels along with their respective woes must take place after the soundings of the first 4 angels, for we are told after the sounding of the first 4 angels, " Woe , woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound. That these last 3 angels are spoken of here as yet to sound means they have not sounded as yet, but will sound sometime after the sounding of the first 4 angels. This means that the sounding of the 5th angel must take place after September 7, 1994 since we have already concluded that the time for the sounding of the first 4 angels was centered on this date.

Now we read about the sounding of the 5th angel in the first verse of Revelations 9, 

And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.
2 And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.
3 And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. 

This sounding of the 5th angel in the verses just read is without question identified with May 21, 2011 as w as revealed in Part 1 and Part 2 of my previous messages entitled, "Who Are the Locusts of Revelation 9." This is when Judgment spiritually began upon the entire world; it announces the end of salvation, and the beginning of a period of great spiritual judgment and wrath upon the entire unsaved human race according to the timing of the biblical calendar of history. Everyone who was not saved on or before May 21 are now locked into the eternal destiny of death, which they all, in the Lord's perspective, so justly deserve, for the wages of sin is death, and all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. We are told two times in Revelations 9 that this period of Judgment beginning on May 21 would last for a spiritual (not literal) 5 months. First in verse 5 where we read, 

5 And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man.

And again in verse 10,

10 And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months

So we know that from the starting point of Judgment Day on May 21, 2011 , God's spiritual judgment upon the entire human race will last 5 spiritual (not literal) months, which starting from May 21 brings us to end of the world as being the end of the spiritual 5 month period sounded by the 5th angel and described in the 1st woe.

But now we have an apparent problem: The first half of Revelations 9 spoke of the sounding of the 5th angel with its corresponding 1st woe, which we have now learned is worked out in the spiritual 5 months from May 21 to End of the World . But beginning the 2nd half of Revelations 9 in verse 12 we read,

12 One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter.
13  And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God . . . 

Because, as was just read in verse 12, one woe is past; that is, the events which had to do with the sounding of the 5th angel described in the first half of Revelations 9 are completed. But, the events describing the 1st woe in the sounding of the 5th angel lasted 5 spiritual (not literal) months. This means the 2nd woe in the sounding of the 6th angel must come after the 5 spiritual months, for as the scripture said, " there come two woes more hereafter." That is, after the first woe that described the 5 spiritual months which came after the sounding of the 5th angel in the first half of Revelations 9, there must yet come the 2nd and 3rd woes after the soundings of the 6th and 7th angels, respectively. But how can this be? I mean the end of the spiritual 5 months is the end of the world , so how is it possible for both the 2nd and 3rd woes to take place after the spiritual 5 months? There just doesn't seem to be time enough for all this. 

Many have related the events which come after the sounding of the 6th angel described in the 2nd half of Revelations 9 to the spiritual 5 month period from May 21 to The End , but how could that be possible? The sounding of the 6th angel with its corresponding 2nd woe must come after the sounding of the 5th angel with its corresponding 1st woe according to what we read in verse 12, 

12 One woe is past [that is, the 1st woe is past]; and, behold, there come two woes [that is, the 2nd and 3rd woes] more hereafter

And because the 1st woe described in the 1st half of Revelations 9 is 5 spiritual (not literal) months in duration from May 21 to The End , the 2nd woe must begin after this on the last day of this world . This also means that the sounding of the 6th angel when the 2nd woe actually comes, and the sounding of the 7th angel when the 3rd woe actually comes must both take place on the last day of this world as well. But how can these both take place on the same last day of this world? 

In searching out an answer to this question, let's take a look first of all at the sounding of the 7th angel:  

Rev. 11:15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign forever and ever.
16 And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God,
17 Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned.
18 And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth

We also read of the sounding of this same 7th angel in chapter 10 of the book of Revelation, 

Re 10:7 But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets. 

From a comparison of these two passages, it is clear that the sounding of the 7th angel is at the very completion of the end of the world. But if this sounding of the 7th angel is at the very end of the world, and the sounding of the 5th angel with its corresponding 1st woe of 5 spiritual months described in the 1st half of Revelations 9 ends at the end of the world , where is there room and time for the sounding of the 6th angel? The only logical answer must be that the 6th angel with its corresponding 2nd woe must sound on the last day , which is the same day on which the 7th angel sounds with its corresponding 3rd and final woe since its sounding has to do with the very end and completion of everything pertaining to this world. In other words, it seems that the only logical conclusion is that both the 6th and 7th angels must sound at almost if not the exact same time at the very end of the world on October 21, 2011 immediately after the spiritual 5 month period from May 21 to the End . This means that the sounding of the 6th angel with its corresponding 2nd woe as described in the 2nd half of Revelation 9 must be a description of events which take place on the last day of this world With this in mind, let's now take a closer look at the 2nd half of Revelation 9 to begin to see how this all relates to the complete loosing of God's people from this world and the killing of all the churches and denominations at the End  by first of all reading the entire passage of Revelation 9:13-21:

13  And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God,
14 Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates.
15 And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men.
16 And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them.
17 And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone.
18 By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths. 19 For their power is in their mouth, and in their tails: for their tails were like unto serpents, and had heads, and with them they do hurt.
20 And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk: 21 Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts. 

The first thing we read in this passage is that the 6th angel sounded. We have already seen that this must take place at the end of the world on the last day

Then we read that John heard a voice from the 4 horns of the golden altar which is before God. Horns in the Bible are symbolic of strength or power, and that there are 4 horns means universal strength and power, or strength to the farthest extent since the number 4 in the bible is symbolic of universality or to the farthest extent (see the number 4). 

Now that these horns are of the golden altar is picturing the Old Testament altar on the top of which was 4 horns - one in each corner of the altar. The altar was a large table-like surface on which the old animal sacrifices took place. As most of you know, these animal sacrifices were pointing to the ultimate and final sacrifice of Jesus Christ for the sins of His people through death and resurrection, which ensures that all God's people will be resurrected in new immortal bodies as was their Lord on the last day of this world. So we might put all this symbolism of the horns and the altar together to mean something like this:
I heard a voice that came in all the universal strength and power involved in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the golden altar; that is, the pure and holy altar symbolized by the gold, which paid for all the sins of God's people, and guarantees their resurrection from the dead . When the voice John heard is put into this light of the symbolism, the voice can be none other than the mighty and all powerful Lord Jesus Christ Himself. 

Then we read of this voice that it is " saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates. And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men."  

In this verse, the 6th angel is told, " Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates."
The four angels symbolically refer to God's people worldwide because the number 4 symbolizes worldwide or to the farthest extent of whatever is in view in the Bible (see the number 4), and the plural word "angels" can also be legitimately translated "messengers," which depending on the context can refer to either God's people or to actual celestial angels. In this case, it refers to God's people as messengers as we shall see. 

Now the great river Euphrates was the eastern boundary line to the Promised Land in the Old Testament. In order to enter the Promised Land, also called the Land of Canaan, one had to cross over this river from the territory of Babylon. So we could say that the great river Euphrates separated the kingdom of Babylon from the kingdom of God. Spiritually speaking, this would be what separates the unsaved people, who are in the spiritual kingdom of Babylon, from the saved people, who are in the spiritual kingdom of God. So to be bound in the great river Euphrates is one and the same as still being bound in some way to the spiritual kingdom of Babylon or this world, but very close to the kingdom of God, right at the boundary line. 

But this leads to the question, how can God's people, who are represented by the 4 angels, be somehow bound and then loosed from the kingdom of Babylon on the last day of this world? Weren't God's people all loosed from the kingdom of Babylon or Satan when they were saved? Yes, they were, but not in every respect. Why? Because we, God's people, although we were loosed from the kingdom of Babylon, Satan, and sin when we were saved either on or sometime before May 21 , 2011 , we were not completely loosed or delivered at that time because we still have these sinful bodies, and we are still in this sinful world. These two things are what we still are to be completely loosed or delivered from, and this will take place on the last day . As we read in 1Cor. 15,

51  Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 

What can we conclude then? Remember how the verses read,

14 Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates.
15 And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men. 

This loosing of God's people is referring to the resurrection, bodily transformation and then immediate rapture of God's people out of this world on the last day of this world when all God's people will receive their new resurrected and sinless bodies, which no longer are bound to sinful flesh or to this world in any way. Although God's people were already loosed from the bondage of sin and Satan when they were first spiritually saved on or before May 21, and are, therefore, considered to be very close to and guaranteed to be completely loosed from all bondage - hence, they are bound at the very border of heaven in the great river Euphrates - they still have sin in their bodies and are still in this sinful world so that they are not yet completely released from all bondage into heaven. But when the Lord returns on the last day of this world, all God's people will finally be completely loosed and delivered from their sinful bodies by resurrection and transformation into perfect sinless bodies crafted to live forever in heaven on the new earth that will be created from the ashes of this earth immediately after the last events of this world.  

Notice that " the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men." In other words, the reason that God's people are being loosed from their earthly bodies simultaneous with their rapture is to slay or kill the third part of humankind. What is the third part of humankind referring to? Remember, it refers to all those who are still identified with being a part of an earthly Christian church or denomination. It refers to all those who are identified with Christ in an external way by normally being a part of a so-called Christian church or denomination, but they are not really saved. They did not obey the Lord's command to come out of all the churches beginning in 1988 when Satan was permitted to begin ruling over them all as judgment against them, for judgment must begin with the house of God (1Pet. 4:17), and they are those who think we as God's people are completely off base about end-time events, about the end of the church age in 1988, the doctrine of salvation and salvation ending on May 21 , and many other doctrines which are all firmly based upon the Word of God alone. By not believing so many truths of the Bible, they have revealed themselves to be false followers of Jesus Christ. 

Now we are told that the loosing of God's people from their earthly bodies and this world, which are typified by the great river Euphrates - the boundary zone which keeps God's people from fully experiencing the kingdom of God - would be for to slay or kill the third part of humankind. But how does the rapture of God's people bring about a killing of apostate Christianity? Can you imagine this; just think of all God's people being transformed into glorious new bodies and being literally taken up into the clouds in the sight of all humankind. Do you see how this would kill them, especially all those in the churches and denominations in the world who thought God's people to be wrong and to be false prophets? They will suddenly realize that they were the ones who were completely wrong, and that they can now look forward to nothing but death shortly after they are put to shame and tormented in their minds and emotions on that very same day. How terrible it will be for all those who thought they were following Christ, but will discover that they were actually following Satan who is the false Christ. They will be saying in spirit, 

24 Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I [the Lord] profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity (Matthew, Chapter 7).

In this time there will be great weeping and gnashing of teeth when the vengeance of God is satisfied upon all who have led astray and have done harm to His people, the prophets.

Lu 13:34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem [that is, O churches, churches], which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not! 

Now continuing on in the 2nd half of Revelations 9, we read,

16 And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them

Actually, this literally reads in the Greek that the number of the army of the horsemen, two 10,000s of 10,000s. Working this all out, this is 10,000 times 10,000, which equals 100,000,000 times 2, which equals 200,000,000 horsemen. And the Lord apparently wants us to know this number in that we read, " and I heard the number of them," which is placing special emphasis on the number 200,000,000. This number can be broken down into 2 x 100,000,000. The number 2 in the Bible is symbolic of those entrusted with God's Word, or God's people (see the number 2), and the number 100,000,000 is a factor of 10 or 1000, which is symbolic of completeness (see the number 10). So by focusing in on the number 200,000,000, the Lord wants us to certainly know that this number refers to the completeness of all God's people, which is just another way of saying the same thing that we learned already about the 4 angels loosed from the great river Euphrates: they are a picture of all God's people worldwide being loosed and raptured from the bondage of these sin-cursed bodies and this world, and it this event that brings judgment upon the third part who are all the false believers worldwide. It is possible that the 200,000,000 is a literal number of God's people, but I think what is most important is that it is a number that clearly is at least symbolic for the completeness of all God's people, which makes perfect contextual sense since all God's people are those who will be raptured on that last day.

Isn't it wonderful how the Lord teaches us things over and over with different terminology and from different angles so that we can be assured of being on the right track? And this is how the entire book of Revelation was written: it was written in what I will call a progressive parallelism - it is not chronological - so that after every so many paragraphs or chapters, the Lord brings us right back to teaching about things already mentioned but from a different angle and terminology; each time adding more information to expand our understanding and to insure us of being on the right path of truth. This is what I call progressive parallelism. In fact much of the Bible is written this way, especially throughout the prophets. You can find yourself reading about the same events in completely different sections, and it all adds to and expands or progresses our knowledge about particular events and things. It can require a lot of digging, but once dug, it paints a most beautiful Mona Lisa that could have never been painted more beautifully in any other way.

Now let's continue further in the 2nd half of Revelations 9 verse 17,

17 And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone.

Once again the Lord is focusing us in on God's people, for John says, " I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them." We first saw God's people pictured as the 4 angels loosed from the great river Euphrates; then pictured as the 200,000,000 horsemen of whom John heard the number of; and now the 200,000,000 horsemen that John not only heard, but saw as they sat on the horses. Obviously, the Lord wants us to focus in on God's people, which makes perfect sense since they will actually be the focal point in the rapture that brings death in judgment to the third part who are all the false believers and all the so-called Christian churches and denominations in the world. 

We read of those who sat on the horses " having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone." The breastplate immediately reminds me of that which the high priest wore in the Old Testament. It was a square looking plate worn over the heart, and in it were 4 rows of 3 stones each for a total of 12 different kinds of precious stones to represent all the children of Israel. This breastplate was meant to signify the high priest as being the representative or priest for all the children of God. We can deduce from this that the breastplate not only signified one as being the priest, but it also revealed who or what the priest stood for, namely the 12 stones which represented the 12 tribes of Israel. So in the passage at hand, that these horsemen had breastplates first of all signifies them to be priests, which all God's people are, and that the breastplates they wore were of fire, jacinth, and brimstone reveals what they represented. Because fire, jacinth and brimstone are all a description of God's judgment in the Bible, these horsemen, priests, are here representing the very judgment of God. It should also be noted that fire, jacinth, and brimstone is in a grouping of three - the fire, jacinth, and brimstone - to symbolize God's purpose (see the number 3); so what is seen in this symbolism is that it is God's purpose that His people, the priests, reveal His judgment in the rapture at the end of the world. 

Notice that John " saw the horses in the vision . . . and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone." In my message on the first half of Revelations 9, "Who Are the Locusts, Part 1," I concluded near its end that the horses, as the locusts, are both symbolic of the very essence of God's judgment based upon the fact that the locusts are always qualified by being "as" or "like" something just as the horses in the 2nd half of Revelations 9 are always qualified by being "as" or "like" something. For instance, the scripture says that the heads of the horses were "as" the heads of lions, and their tails were "as" or "like" unto serpents. This "as" or "like" terminology applied both to the locusts and the horses simply means that the judgment of God that is being symbolized by the locusts and the horses is "as" or "like" something else. It could not be this something else because it is only "as" or "like" this something else. What this means is that when the heads of the horses are said to be "as" the heads of lions, this simply means that the judgment of God, being symbolized by the heads of the horses, is "as" the heads of lions in some way. Since the heads of lions are programmed to capture and devour their prey, this is emphasizing that the judgment of God represented by the horses is out to devour its prey, which we have learned is the third part of humankind. I should also emphasize before going any further that all the horses mentioned in Revelations 9 are clearly painting a picture of battle. Therefore, when the scripture says that the heads of the horses were "as" the heads of lions, it might be expressed like this: The spiritual battle is being wrought, and the prey is being devoured, which is the third part of humankind who are all the false believers in Jesus Christ being killed as they see God's people being raptured and themselves left behind on that last day of the world.  

It is noteworthy to mention that although this Day of Judgment in the rapture is being portrayed as a battle - in fact, it can be shown that this is the battle of Armageddon of which I will not go into detail here - God's people themselves are not doing the fighting. They were just seen to have sat on the horses, and, since the horses are symbolic of the very essence of Judgment with an emphasis on battle, this means we, God's people, are being pictured here as having sat upon God's judgment. In other words, God's people have ruled over or won the battle over sin, the flesh, this world, and Satan as evidenced in being resurrected, transformed and raptured or loosed from any further bondage to this world right in the sight of all our enemies, who are all the unsaved of the world, especially those of the so-called Christian churches and denominations, the third part of humankind. This rapture of God's people is declared in Revelations 11 verse 12 where we read,

Re 11:12 And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them

So, if God's people are not fighting the battle, who or what is? Well, we have already learned that it is the horses with heads of lions that are fighting the battle, but let's set the context and then read on further to see if we can answer this question more completely. We read,

17 And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone.
18 By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.
19 For their power is in their mouth, and in their tails: for their tails were like unto serpents, and had heads, and with them they do hurt.

I already mentioned the horses with heads as lions, but now we discover that out of the mouths of these lions issued fire and smoke and brimstone. The fire and smoke and brimstone are all clearly symbolic of judgment in the Bible. Because these three are mentioned - the fire, smoke, and brimstone - and the number 3 in the Bible is symbolic God's purpose (see the number 3), it is the Lord's purpose to bring this judgment on the last day. And this is even mentioned again in the next verse,

18 By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths. 

By repeating these three symbols of judgment twice, the Lord could very well be emphasizing that this judgment at the end of the world is all established by God and will shortly come to pass, for this is what the doubling of something in the Bible can mean as is found in Exodus 41, 

Ge 41:32 And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice; it is because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.

Notice that this judgment of the fire, smoke, and brimstone issued out of their mouths. You might think that this is referring to the words of judgment coming directly from God's people's mouths, but that is not possible since the scripture tells us that it came from the mouths of the heads of the horses which were as the heads of lions - it did not come from the mouths of the ones on the horses who are the people of God being raptured - and we already concluded the horses to be a representation of the very essence of God's judgment with an emphasis on battle. Nevertheless, what we can deduce from this is that this judgment is identified with words going forth from a mouth, and this must be the very Word of God. In other words, judgment is being pronounced by the very spiritual Word of God itself, and this is why we read of the horses with heads as lions that their power is in their mouths because it is the all authoritative and powerful Word of God that is doing the judging, and coming from the very mouth of God Himself. 

We also read that " their power . . . is in their tails, for their tails were like unto serpents, and had heads, and with them they do hurt." What could this be teaching? We can begin to understand once we know how the Bible defines the word "tail." We learn of its definition in Isaiah 9 where we read,

15 The ancient and honourable, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail

Now we read that these tails are "like" or "as" serpents, so we can deduce from this that the judgment being spoken about is "similar to" or "like" that of the judgment of serpents. It is not a judgment of serpents, but it is "like" such a judgment. The question, then, that needs to be answered is this: how can God's judgment be a judgment like that of serpents? This question was actually answered in my first message of "Who Are the Locusts of Revelations 9," so let me quickly say here that God's judgment is "like" or "as" a judgment of serpents and false prophets because the message of judgment that will be brought on the last day when God's people are raptured is that of death just as is the message of false prophets or serpents. Just as the message of false prophets brings death, so also will the message of the Word of God in the events on the last day bring death. Indeed, it will bring great harm and death to the unsaved, especially to all those people of all the so-called Christian churches and denominations who thought they were on the right path to truth, but were deceived by the false Christ, Satan, and are surprised to discover they were wrong and are destined for death. " O Jerusalem , Jerusalem [that is, O churches, churches], which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!" (Lk. 13:34). 

Finally, but sadly, Revelations 9 is all ended like as declared in verses 20 and 21,

20 And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk:
21 Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.

To better understand what this is saying it is important to take a look at the word "plagues." This is the same word used to refer to the physical wounds inflicted on an individual like when having been whipped by many stripes (Lk. 10:30; 2Cor. 6:5; Acts 16:23). In fact, the word is normally translated as stripes and not as plagues. But the same word can be used to refer to spiritual and not physical wounds or stripes as well, which is how it is used in the book of Revelations when it is translated as plagues. It is the same word used for stripes when Jesus said in Luke 12, 

47 And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.
48 But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more. 

This all has application to "the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues [stripes]." The rest of the men who were not killed by these plagues in Revelations 9 are all those who have had no professed relationship with Jesus Christ. These are all those outside of the Christian churches in other religions or no religion at all. They are not the 3rd part of men, but they are everyone else. The reason they did not repent during the spiritual 5 months of spiritual plagues or stripes being inflicted is first of all because they were never chosen to be God's elect, and second of all, salvation during the spiritually plagued 5 months right on up to the end was not even possible. But I think what the Lord wants us to see here is that they will be beaten with few stripes while the third part who are all the people in the so-called Christian churches and denominations that do claim some relationship with the Lord will be beaten with many stripes or plagues. Why? Because the false followers of Christ claimed a relationship with the Lord Jesus, and have had available to them all His teachings to follow, while the rest never claimed such a relationship with the Lord, and so are not held as accountable. As the Lord said, " For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more."

Let me give you a better understanding of how all the false believers in Jesus Christ, the 3rd part, are and will be receiving more stripes or plagues than the general public. On the last day of this world, the 3rd part or false believers in Christ will suddenly find out that they are left behind in the rapture and so not saved at all. This will bring incredible mental and emotional anguish to them. They will be forced to realize that they were completely wrong, and perhaps all their hurtful words and actions they may have used against God's true people will painfully come to their remembrance, having said God's people are false prophets and standing up against them will now all be seen for what it really was, GREAT SIN, and they shall not escape.

The serious consequences of mocking and standing up against one of God's people and prophets can be seen in the Old Testament account when some kids mocked the prophet of the Lord, Elisha. The account is recorded in 2Kings 2,  

23 And he [Elisha] went up from thence unto Bethel: and as he was going up by the way, there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head.
24 And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the LORD. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them.

Yes, it is a serious matter to mock or think of one of God's people as a false prophet when they actually are not. You may have gotten away with it up until The End , but on that last day, you will certainly receive many stripes or mental anguish and torment along with weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see God's people taken up to heaven before your eyes, and you are left behind to suffer torment, anguish, and death

Ga 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 

Now in summary to this entire message, because the sounding of the 5th angel and 1st woe described in the first half of Revelations 9 plays out for 5 spiritual months from May 21 to  The End  according to scripture, and the sounding of the 6th angel and 2nd woe is said in scripture to come after this - remember what verse 12 says, " One woe is past [that is, the 1st woe]; and, behold, there come two woes [that is, the 2nd & 3rd woes] more hereafter" - we must conclude that the description of God's judgment and 2nd woe after the sounding of the 6th angel as described in the 2nd half of Revelations 9 must take place immediately after the spiritual 5 months in the last day of this world . This means that the loosing of the four angels from the great river Euphrates is symbolic language for God's people being loosed from these bodies of sin by resurrection, bodily transformation, and then rapture out of this world immediately after the spiritual 5 months at the end of the world . The resurrection, bodily transformation, and rapture of all God's people on this day will be a tremendous judgment against the third part of humankind, which are all those who are still involved in a so-called Christian church or denomination, or, quite simply, all the false followers of Jesus Christ in the entire world. They actually think they are saved or on the pathway to salvation, but, in reality, they are not saved at all, but have actually been following the false Christ all along, who is Satan, as a judgment against them. When they are left behind in the rapture to suffer judgment and death, this will first of all kill them spiritually, which is one and the same as silencing their false message, and then shortly thereafter on the same day they will be cast into the lake of fire and literally killed, which is the burning up of this earth wherein the elements shall melt with fervent heat. Therein all the false believers, Satan, and his demons will be destroyed and annihilated forevermore. All the rest of humankind who had no relationship with Jesus Christ will not have repented from their evil deeds through rebirth into Jesus Christ since salvation was not even possible from May 21 to the end of the world, and so will be cast into the lake of fire as well. They will not suffer as much torment as will the third part or false believers in Jesus Christ because they never thought they were saved, but the false believers, or third part, actually thought they were saved, or on the right path, so that when they find out they were actually not saved by being left behind in the rapture, their mental and emotional torment will be much greater than the rest of humankind. This is what our Lord meant when He said, 

Lu 12:47 And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will [these are the 3rd part, or all the people of the Christian churches and denominations in the world] , shall be beaten with many stripes.
48 But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes [these are everyone else in the world], shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.

Beloved, we not far from all this taking place, so diligently seek to please Him in all things; stay diligent in prayer, " look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh" (Lk. 21:28).

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