INTRODUCTION

 

It is often that many among us have no desire to delve into the complex symbolisms of Revelation prophecy.  That is understandable.  But the Lord DID put it there for our benefit, and once we let Him hold our hands and lead us through it, it becomes less of a frightening experience, and more of a relief and a revelation to our inquiring spiritual minds.

 

We are, in this article, focusing on a part of the 6th Plague prophecy of Revelation 16.  The "Seven Last Plagues" are, quite simply, a symbolized prediction of the historical events of the 20th Century and the first part of the 21st Century.  In that capacity, they are extremely helpful in that they provide the ONLY detailed tour of the sequencing of events of our day.  Consequently, they help us to know where we are in God's line-up     of final events as He weakens the old order to lead up to His promised peaceable kingdom. 

 

In these "Plagues," we find, among other things, such events as the two World Wars, the Russian Revolution, the Vatican II Church Council, and the wide-spread dissemination of information all over the world by way of the newly-invented and widely-available internet system.  

 

Indeed, the "information explosion" is one of the great social revolutions in man's history.  It has changed and continues to change the world in the most dramatic of  ways.  Indeed, the very structure of politics, economics, religion, and social norms     is being so altered by this phenomenon that politicians, financial barons, church hierarchies, and social institutions are "shaking in their boots" trying to invent ways of preserving the threatened old ways of doing things.  It is not pretty to see, and it will become increasingly difficult to live through.  But it is all a part of God's way of making mankind realize their need for His interventions and, soon, the take-over by His long-promised Kingdom when His will shall be done in earth as it is in heaven.  In other words, though few might seem to think so, the Plagues are very good things!

 

A CAUTION

 

There are always varying interpretations of prophecy and a multitude of ideas on how to interpret it.  While we cannot, any more than anyone else, tell you that this presentation is correct, we DO feel a confidence that good Biblical study based on careful comparisons of multitudes of Scriptures makes what we suggest quite likely correct in its concepts.  

 

We cannot, of course, here make reference to the plethora of background information and "proofs" that lead us to these conclusions.  That would take volumes of pages! But we present our conclusions regarding these verses with what we feel is the Lord's blessing on the accuracy of the concepts -- even if some of the detail might yet be found to be in need of clarification.  So, please read carefully and prayerfully.  The content is very important when looking forward to the next few years.

THE PROPHECY

 

Revelation 16 is devoted solely to the "Seven Last Plagues."  To our understanding, five of these historic events are now accomplished, and in our day (2026) we are living in Plague #6.  As we look at the 6th Plague in some detail, we will want first to summarize its context.

 

The structure of this plague is this:

 

(1) Revelation 16:12 states the entire 6th Plague.  The Plague is designed to affect the PEOPLE.  (Waters are a symbol of people.  And the Euphrates River, which ran through the ancient city of Babylon and supported its life, represents the support of the people which has given life and existence to symbolic "Babylon" -- the counterfeit church of Christ.)  The RESULT of this 6th Plague is that people will lose confidence and slacken support of the existing structures of society.  The recent explosion of information has caused and is causing this kind of skepticism and conspiracy-thinking which we see tearing society as we have known it to pieces.

 

(2) Verses 13-16 then show how the threat to the old order makes a strange combination of powers in a world-wide attempt to hold things together.  In other words, these verses show the world's REACTION to the "drying up of the Euphrates" -- the weakening of support for man's current social structure.  It is these verses which we will consider most particularly in this article.

 

(3) Verses 17-21 are a description of the 7th or final Plague.  We will not consider its details here.  But we will look at verse 17 in some detail.

 

THE TRIUMVIRATE

 

Because verse 12 succinctly summarized the Plague as the "drying up" of support among earth's population, we next see the arrival of a counter-force -- a three-part collaboration of powers intent on finding a way to hold things together under the circumstances.  We should note that verse 12 ends with the promise that the falling apart of society's support for the old world is for the PURPOSE of preparing the way for the "kings of the east."  This is a reference to the in-coming reign of The Christ -- Jesus and his faithful and glorified disciples who reign a thousand years.  (Revelation 20:6) They are "from the east" because the rising sun is a symbol of the beginning of a new day for this earth and its inhabitants.

 

Verse 13 introduces us in symbolic terms to a trio of powers which are shown to work together in their effort to reverse the trend of this Plague.  "Dragon" in Revelation is a symbol of a civil (political) power.  "Beast" (at least this one) is a symbol of a religious power which has dominated the western world for centuries.  It is the Church of Rome.

"False Prophet" (Revelation 19:20 -- with its reference to the "Two-Horned Beast" of

Revelation 13) represents the Church of England (earlier known by its then two supportive national powers -- "horns" -- as "The Church of England and Ireland.")

 

Thus we have the collaboration to begin a world-wide stability for our day under the stimulus of some unidentified government working with two prominent churches.

 

As the story begins, these three give a MESSAGE ("out of the mouth of") which they think will unify the chaotic hordes of the world.  These teachings (symbolized by "spirits") are said to be "unclean."  In simple terms, this means that God would not approve of them.  Under the Jewish Law, "unclean" things must not be eaten (i.e., digested and absorbed.)  Thus these are teachings which conscientious Christians should avoid.

 

Verse 14 explains that the invisible fallen angels (demons) are the powers behind this scheme.  It is THEIR invention implanted into the minds of these rulers.  These demons know that the establishment of God's kingdom will take away their powers -- and even their existence.  They have even more to lose than the humans involved in this scheme.  They will apparently augment the "legitimacy" of this triumvirate with some sort of rather spectacular "signs."

 

It is explained that these teachings go out to "the kings of the whole world."  The Greek is explicit.  "Whole world" refers to the entire earth -- regardless of religious, societal, and political variances.  This is an attempt at universal unity -- something which God does NOT WANT to be standing in the way of the changes He intends to bring in.

 

The triumvirate wants to "gather the kings together for the war of the great day of God, the Almighty."  This "battle" is not a war as such.  It is a stand-off between maintaining Satan's old way of doing things versus God's intent for His Kingdom to come to bless all the families of the earth HIS WAY!

 

Verse 15 is a parenthetical warning for the faithful disciples (yet humans) before their glorification to reign with Jesus.  It lets these saints know that Jesus is going to take the action     SOON of "shutting the door" of the Wise & Foolish Virgin Parable of Matthew 25.  It warns these disciples that this triumvirate of "unclean" teachings is the final threat     to the faithfulness of the saints before their glorification.

 

Verse 16 terminates the 6th Plague's description.  The work of the triumvirate  temporarily SUCCEEDS in gathering into one cooperative whole all of the powers of the earth.  But the Lord, by using the symbolism of the word "Armageddon," shows that it is only the most temporary of successes!  "Armageddon" basically means "the destruction of their kingdom."  In prophecy, places represent CONDITIONS.  Since Armageddon is here called "the PLACE," the verse is telling us that these world powers are now in a CONDITION for the destruction of their whole system of things. 

 

THAT ends plague #6.  We need to take in the beginning of Plague #7 to end the story. Plague #7 ends the world's troubles -- unfortunately in a terrible time of trouble.  As Revelation 15:1 says, these are called the 7 last Plagues "because in them the wrath of God is finished."  What a wonderful prospect!

 

The 17th verse of Chapter 16 shows us how and why the triumvirate falls apart and deteriorates into the "time of trouble such as has never been."  (Matthew 24:21; Daniel 12:1; Revelation 16:18)

 

Note that the aim of Plague #7 is "upon the air."  The air symbolizes the powers of the demons.  Satan, himself, is called "the prince of the power of the air."  (Ephesians 2:2) Now recall that the whole of the triumvirate's teachings were invented by and supported     by the demons.  When Plague #7 begins, it is aimed at THEM so that they LOSE CONTROL.  When they, the principal powers of the triumvirate, are disabled, the "unity" of the old world falls apart with them.

 

Then verse 17 subtly tells us that the true Church is fully glorified.  A voice -- a LOUD ONE (a very important piece of information -- but NOT heard by the world) --comes out of God's plan ("the temple").  Those who are the spirit-begotten ones yet on earth (the Great Multitude of Revelation 7) hear this message (voice) FROM THE THRONE (the authoritative message from God, Himself), and will understand that the Church is gone -- just as in the Wise & Foolish Virgin Parable of Matthew 25).  "It is Done!"  The Church is completed and glorified, and only the terrible events of the 7th Plague intervene before God proclaims (Psalm 46:10), "Be still!  And know I am God!  I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted in the earth.  And thus and there will be the visible answer to the ages-old prayer, "Thy Kingdom come; They will be done in earth as it is in heaven."

 

- - - - -

 

If we, indeed, have any interest in what the Lord is accomplishing in the earth in our day, it will be vital for us to watch for this manifestation of power trying to hold together earth's old institutions.  It will be an incredibly strong indication of our nearness to the final features of the troubles of this old world.  If we understand and appreciate the good which will come out of it all, we will have no fear concerning its nearness.