THE RISE AND FALL OF THE SATANIC EMPIRE

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THE RISE AND FALL OF THE SATANIC EMPIRE

• A HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN ROME

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• A study of the Book of Revelation

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Handle With Care!

• For I testify unto every man that heareth the
  words of the prophecy of this book, If any man
  shall add unto these things, God shall add unto
  him the plagues that are written in this book
  and if any man shall take away from the words of
  the book of this prophecy, God shall take away
  his part out of the book of life, and out of the
  holy city, and from the things which are written
  in this book (Revelation 2218-19)

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Who Wants a Blessing From God?

• Blessed is he
• that readeth,
• and they that hear
• the words of this prophecy,
• and keep those things which are written therein
• for the time is at hand.
• Revelation 13

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A Book of Mystery

• When confronted with the Revelation, peoples
  reactions differ. Some react with
• Fear
• Dismay
• Confusion
• Disbelief
• Uncertainty
• How do you feel?

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A Book of Mystery

• Many often contend that its not essential for my
  salvation.
• Are we telling God that He wasted His time?
• The fact that it, along with all other scripture,
  can build our faith, could well make it essential
  to our salvation!

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A Book of Mystery

• All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and
  is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for
  correction, for instruction in righteousness
  That the man of God may be perfect, throughly
  furnished unto all good works (II Timothy 316-17
  ).

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Interpretations of Revelation

• Some take the point of view that Revelation does
  not symbolize anything.
• Others take the view that Revelation does indeed
  have meaning, but that it is concealed in such
  difficult images and figures that there is just
  no possible way man could ever understand it.

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Interpretations of Revelation

• 3. Still others, including some in the Church of
  Christ, take the view that Revelation was written
  specifically for Christians in the first century
  and its symbolism refers to the destruction of
  Jerusalem.

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Interpretations of Revelation

• Around the year A.D. 175 a Christian named
  Irenaeus wrote in a book entitled Against
  Heresies that
• it would have been announced by him who beheld
  the apocalyptic vision. For that was seen no
  very long time since, but almost in our day,
  towards the end of Domitians reign.1
• 1 Against Heresies, book 5, chapter 30, part
  3. Irenaeus

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Interpretations of Revelation

• Domitian was the Roman emperor from A.D. 81 to
  96.
• Therefore, John must have written the Revelation
  somewhere near A.D. 95.
• Irenaeus was a disciple of Polycarp who in turn
  had been a close associate of Johns for over
  fifty years.

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Interpretations of Revelation

• Christ dealt with the destruction of Jerusalem in
  Matthew 24.
• Revelation 20 describes the end of the world, not
  the destruction of Jerusalem.

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Interpretations of Revelation

• Premillennialism
• This doctrine contains the rapture, the
  tribulation, the antichrist, and the 1000
  year reign of Christ.
• Most of Revelation is still in the future.
• This doctrine is based on an accumulation of
  unrelated Old and New Testament scriptures.

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Interpretations of Revelation

• 5. Historical
• Revelation represents the major events to affect
  the Christian world during the Christian era.
• God has never been silent He spoke to Adam and
  Eve in the Garden, He spoke to Abraham, Noah, and
  others. He then spoke to his chosen people
  through prophets.

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Interpretations of Revelation

• When the prophets ceased, the Book of Daniel
  described the majors events during the 500 years
  of silence.
• After Christ and the inspired Apostles, the
  Revelation continues to demonstrates Gods
  foreknowledge and power.

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Symbolism

• Symbols are an everyday part of our world.
• No words are necessary if the meaning of the
  symbol is understood

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Symbolism

• And it shall come to pass in the last days, that
  the mountain of the Lord's house shall be
  established in the top of the mountains, and
  shall be exalted above the hills and all nations
  shall flow unto it. (Isaiah 22)
• What does mountain mean here?

18
Symbolism

• And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us
  in the house of his servant David. (Luke 169)
• What does horn mean?

19
Symbolism

• Why did not God simply say what he meant?
• This knowledge is reserved for true believers.
• God did not want believers trying to make
  prophesies come true.

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The Number Seven
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The Number Seven

• The week of creation was seven days, including
  the seventh day on which God rested (Genesis
  23).
• Noah took the animals on the ark two by two, but
  this was only for the unclean animals. The clean
  animals were taken by sevens. Of every clean
  beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male
  and his female and of beasts that are not clean
  by two, the male and his female (Genesis 72).
• After Noah loaded the animals it was seven days
  before it began to rain (Genesis 74).
• Noah sent the dove out to test for dry land every
  seven days (Genesis 810-12).

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The Number Seven

• Jacob served Laban seven years each for Leah and
  Rachel (Genesis 29).
• Pharaohs dream featured seven kine (Cattle) and
  seven ears of corn (Genesis 41).
• After leaving Egypt the Children of Israel had to
  eat unleavened bread seven days (Exodus 1215).
• The holy day for Israel was the Sabbath, or
  seventh, day (Exodus 352).
• Every seven years the Children of Israel had to
  allow their land to lie fallow (Leviticus 254).
• The year after seven seventh year Sabbaths was
  the year of Jubilee (Leviticus 258-10).

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The Number Seven

• In order to conquer Jericho the Children of
  Israel had to march around the city seven days,
  and seven times on the seventh day (Joshua
  63-4).
• Nebuchadnezzar was humbled for seven years by God
  (Daniel 4).
• There are hundreds more examples.
• Seven signifies completeness.

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11 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God
gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things
which must shortly come to pass and he sent and
signified it by his angel unto his servant John.

• The word Revelation is from the Greek
  apokalopsis, which Thayer defines as an
  uncovering properly a laying bare, making naked.
  A disclosure of truth, instruction, concerning
  divine things before unknown.
• Joseph H. Thayer, Greek-English Lexicon of the
  New Testament, (Grand Rapids, MI Zondervan
  Publishing House, 1989), s.v. ?p?????f??.

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11 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God
gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things
which must shortly come to pass and he sent and
signified it by his angel unto his servant John.

• God does know the future.
• Remember the former things of old for I am God,
  and there is none else I am God, and there is
  none like me, Declaring the end from the
  beginning, and from ancient times the things that
  are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall
  stand, and I will do all my pleasure. (Isaiah
  469-10)

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11 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God
gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things
which must shortly come to pass and he sent and
signified it by his angel unto his servant John.

• which God gave unto him.
• The book of Revelation originated with God, who
  gave it to Jesus Christ, who in turn related it
  to John through an angel.

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11 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God
gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things
which must shortly come to pass and he sent and
signified it by his angel unto his servant John.

• Notice also that this is A revelation and not
  several revelations.
• Many people incorrectly refer to this book as
  Revelations.

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11 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God
gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things
which must shortly come to pass and he sent and
signified it by his angel unto his servant John.

• things which must shortly come to pass
• This does not mean that all the prophesies of
  this book would be fulfilled soon after the book
  was written.
• Revelation 2011-15 refers to the judgment.
• What John meant was that soon after the book was
  written, the prophesies began to unfold. However,
  they will not all be fulfilled until the end of
  time.

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11 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God
gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things
which must shortly come to pass and he sent and
signified it by his angel unto his servant John.

• and he sent and signified it by his angel unto
  his servant John.
• After God had given the message to Christ, He in
  turn gave it to an angel who served as a
  messenger to deliver it to John.

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12 Who bare record of the word of God, and of
the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things
that he saw.

• John was chosen above all of the other apostles
  to receive and record this Revelation.
• Although there is no biblical proof of it, John
  was almost certainly the longest lived of the
  apostles.
• He no doubt kept John alive for this very purpose
  while all of the other apostles had met their
  deaths much earlier.

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12 Who bare record of the word of God, and of
the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things
that he saw.

• Just before His crucifixion the Lord indicated
  that John would live a long time.
• Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry
  till I come, what is that to thee? Follow thou
  me. Then went this saying abroad among the
  brethren, that that disciple should not die yet
  Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die but,
  If I will that he tarry till I come, what is
  that to thee? (John 2122-23).
• Even if John was only twenty when he met Jesus he
  would have been about eighty-nine when he
  received the Revelation.

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12 Who bare record of the word of God, and of
the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things
that he saw.

• bare record of the word of God, and of the
  testimony of Jesus Christ.
• The two clauses in this verse are really
  redundant.
• I and my Father are one (John 1030).

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13 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that
hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those
things which are written therein for the time is
at hand.

• Keep means to watch for the fulfillment of
  these prophesies and be ready to take action when
  needed.

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14 John to the seven churches which are in Asia
grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is,
and which was, and which is to come and from the
seven Spirits which are before his throne

• Why did John address himself only to seven
  churches in Asia?
• Should it be a great concern to us that he
  addressed this book to only seven churches?
• Does this mean that Revelation is not meant for
  anyone else?

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14 John to the seven churches which are in Asia
grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is,
and which was, and which is to come and from the
seven Spirits which are before his throne

• Acts was written to a man named Theophilus
• Romans, I II Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians,
  Philippians, Colossians, and I II Thessalonians
  were all written to the churches in the cities
  corresponding to the names of the books.
• I II Timothy, Titus, and Philemon were written
  to individuals.
• Hebrews and James were written to Jewish
  Christians.
• I Peter was written to those in Pontus, Galatia,
  Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia.
• III John was written to a man named Gaius.
• The only books that can be considered general are
  II Peter, I II John, and Jude.

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14 John to the seven churches which are in Asia
grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is,
and which was, and which is to come and from the
seven Spirits which are before his throne

• and from the seven Spirits which are before his
  throne
• The seven Spirits spoken of here are mentioned
  several times in Revelation.
• The number seven signifies completeness.
• The seven Spirits refers to the complete and
  all-encompassing power of Gods Spirit.
• There is only one Spirit of God (Ephesians 44).

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14 John to the seven churches which are in Asia
grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is,
and which was, and which is to come and from the
seven Spirits which are before his throne

• From him which is, and which was, and which is
  to come.
• This refers to God, and illustrates His eternal
  nature.
• He exists presently, He has always existed, and
  He always will exist.
• This cannot be said of any other person, place or
  thing that we know of.

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15 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful
witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and
the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him
that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his
own blood,

• Several items are used here to describe Christ.
• First He is the faithful witness.
• He described himself as a witness during His
  earthly ministry.

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15 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful
witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and
the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him
that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his
own blood,

• To this end was I born, and for this cause came
  I into the world, that I should bear witness unto
  the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth
  my voice. (John 1837)
• Jesus came to earth in the form of a man to bare
  witness to all mankind of the power, love, mercy,
  and many other attributes of God.

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15 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful
witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and
the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him
that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his
own blood,

• He is spoken of as the first begotten of the dead
  since He is at present the only person who has
  ever died and then been resurrected to die no
  more.
• He is also referred to here as the prince of the
  kings of the earth.
• Three times in the New Testament He is referred
  to as the Kings of kings and the Lord of lords (I
  Timothy 615 Revelation 1714, 1916).
• He is the greatest ruler and leader the world has
  ever seen.

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15 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful
witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and
the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him
that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his
own blood,

• Daniel described Christs kingdom this way
• And in the days of these kings shall the God of
  heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be
  destroyed and the kingdom shall not be left to
  other people, but it shall break in pieces and
  consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand
  for ever (Daniel 244).

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15 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful
witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and
the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him
that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his
own blood,

• Unto him that loved us.
• Of the fact that Christ loved man there can be
  little doubt.
• Greater love hath no man than this, that a man
  lay down his life for his friends (John 1513).

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16 And hath made us kings and priests unto God
and his Father to him be glory and dominion for
ever and ever. Amen.

• Christians will not be kings and priests in the
  literal sense here on the earth.
• Christ has made those who have been obedient to
  Him kings and priests unto God.

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16 And hath made us kings and priests unto God
and his Father to him be glory and dominion for
ever and ever. Amen.

• The Jews were expecting a messiah to come and
  restore the glory of the nation of Israel, but
  this was not Gods plan.
• My kingdom is not of this world if my kingdom
  were of this world, then would my servants fight,
  that I should not be delivered to the Jews but
  now is my kingdom not from hence (John 1836).
• By the worlds standard of greatness, Jesus life
  was a miserable failure.
• Since Christs kingdom is not of this world,
  neither is His reign.

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16 And hath made us kings and priests unto God
and his Father to him be glory and dominion for
ever and ever. Amen.

• Since the reign of Christians will be with
  Christ, their reign will not be of this world
  either.
• Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the
  first resurrection on such the second death hath
  no power, but they shall be priests of God and of
  Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand
  years (Revelation 206).

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16 And hath made us kings and priests unto God
and his Father to him be glory and dominion for
ever and ever. Amen.

• All Christians are considered priests, with
  Christ being their High Priest.
• Seeing then that we have a great high priest,
  that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of
  God, let us hold fast our profession (Hebrews
  414).
• This clearly shows that there must be more
  priests. How could Christ be a high priest if
  there are no other priests?
• The old Levitical priesthood was not abolished
  but rather changed.

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16 And hath made us kings and priests unto God
and his Father to him be glory and dominion for
ever and ever. Amen.

• For the priesthood being changed, there is made
  of necessity a change also of the law (Hebrews
  712).
• The system where only a few were priests was
  reformed to a system where all are priests.
• Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a
  spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up
  spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus
  Christ (I Peter 25).
• But ye are a chosen generation, a royal
  priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people
  that ye should shew forth the praises of him who
  hath called you out of darkness into his
  marvelous light (I Peter 29).

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16 And hath made us kings and priests unto God
and his Father to him be glory and dominion for
ever and ever. Amen.

• To him be glory and dominion for ever and
  ever.
• The sentiment expressed here is that Christ is
  worthy and deserving of continued glory and
  power.
• He has proven Himself faithful to the Father, and
  has shown His great love for mankind.
• He has humbled Himself and given Himself to be
  sacrificed for others.
• Therefore, He deserves to be lifted up and
  exalted above all others.

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17 Behold, he cometh with clouds and every eye
shall see him, and they also which pierced him
and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because
of him. Even so, amen.

• This refers to Christs return to the earth at
  the end of the world.
• At that time every person who has ever lived will
  see Him.
• He is to return with clouds this harmonizes with
  the statement made by an angel when Christ was
  taken back up into Heaven after His resurrection.

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17 Behold, he cometh with clouds and every eye
shall see him, and they also which pierced him
and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because
of him. Even so, amen.

• And when he had spoken these things, while they
  beheld, he was taken up and a cloud received him
  out of their sight. And while they looked
  steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold,
  two men stood by them in white apparel which
  also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye
  gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is
  taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in
  like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven
  (Acts 19-11).
• He left in clouds and so shall He triumphantly
  return.

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17 Behold, he cometh with clouds and every eye
shall see him, and they also which pierced him
and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because
of him. Even so, amen.

• They also which pierced him
• This can refer to those who actually took part in
  the crucifixion as well as those who voiced their
  consent to it.
• But it can also refer to those who have rejected
  His witness.
• Those who have, in effect, chosen to make His
  crucifixion worthless because they have failed to
  make use of the benefits it brought to mankind.

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17 Behold, he cometh with clouds and every eye
shall see him, and they also which pierced him
and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because
of him. Even so, amen.

• And all kindreds of the earth shall wail
  because of him.
• There are presently, as there always have been,
  many procrastinators, doubters, atheists, fools,
  and others who will suddenly come face to face
  with the reality that they are doomed.
• These people will wail when they realize that
  they have failed to listen to Christ and have
  forfeited their chance for salvation.
• When the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from
  heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire
  taking vengeance on them that know not God, and
  that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus
  Christ who shall be punished with everlasting
  destruction from the presence of the Lord, and
  from the glory of his power (II Thessalonians
  17-9).

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17 Behold, he cometh with clouds and every eye
shall see him, and they also which pierced him
and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because
of him. Even so, amen.

• There will also be many who claimed to be
  Christians but did not live up to their claim.
• They were too weak or too lazy or too unconcerned
  or too ignorant of His will to do as the Lord
  commanded.
• They will have to stand and hear a pronouncement
  of doom from Christ.
• Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord,
  shall enter into the kingdom of heaven but he
  that doeth the will of my Father which is in
  heaven. Many will say to me in that day, 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? And then will I
  profess unto them, I never knew you depart from
  me, ye that work iniquity (Matthew 721-23).

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17 Behold, he cometh with clouds and every eye
shall see him, and they also which pierced him
and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because
of him. Even so, amen.

• This verse tells us that ALL kindreds of the
  earth shall wail because of him.
• This does not mean that literally every person
  will view the coming of Christ with dread.
• In general this is true, since the majority of
  men will be lost (Matthew 713).
• Only a few scattered individuals will actually
  find joy at the return of their Lord.
• Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of
  righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous
  judge, shall give me at that day and not to me
  only, but unto all them also that LOVE his
  appearing (II Timothy 48).

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18 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the
ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was,
and which is to come, the Almighty.

• Alpha and Omega are the first and last letters of
  the Greek alphabet.
• ? a ? ß
• All things were made by him and without him
  was not any thing made that was made (John 13).

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18 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the
ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was,
and which is to come, the Almighty.

• the Almighty.
• This is a term that we normally think of as
  applying solely to God.
• This demonstrates the shared power between the
  Father and the Son.
• In chapter three Christ tells us that He and the
  Father both occupy the same throne.

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19 I John, who also am your brother, and
companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and
patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is
called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the
testimony of Jesus Christ.

• John now puts himself in perspective.
• He is not special in any way, and he is not to
  be revered or worshipped.
• He was just the fortunate one who was allowed to
  see this vision.

58
19 I John, who also am your brother, and
companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and
patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is
called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the
testimony of Jesus Christ.

• John also states that he is the companion of
  Christians in the Kingdom of Jesus Christ.
• This verse, along with numerous others, refutes
  the idea that the Kingdom of God is yet future.
• The Kingdom is the Church, and it was established
  on the day of Pentecost in A.D. 30.
• That the kingdom has already been established can
  be quite easily seen in the following passages.

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19 I John, who also am your brother, and
companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and
patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is
called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the
testimony of Jesus Christ.

• Verily I say unto you, There be some standing
  here, which shall not taste of death, till they
  see the Son of man coming in his kingdom
  (Matthew 1628).
• Do you know of any two-thousand year old men who
  are still alive and waiting for the Kingdom to
  come?
• Who hath delivered us from the power of
  darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom
  of his dear Son (Colossians 113).

60
19 I John, who also am your brother, and
companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and
patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is
called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the
testimony of Jesus Christ.

• John tells us he was on an island in the
  Mediterranean Sea called Patmos.
• It is a small, rocky island, one of the
  Sporades, in the Grecian Archipelago, and is now
  called Patino. It lies off the southwestern coast
  of Asia Minor about thirty miles south of Samos
  and is about fifteen miles in circumference, and
  generally barren.
• John D. Davis, Davis Dictionary of the Bible,
  (Nashville, TN Broadman Press, 1983), s.v.
  Patmos.

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19 I John, who also am your brother, and
companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and
patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is
called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the
testimony of Jesus Christ.

• The reason John gives for being on the island is
  for the word of God, and for the testimony of
  Jesus Christ.
• Because of Johns stand for Jesus he was forced
  from the mainland and caused to dwell on this
  island where he would be less of a disturbance to
  those who were seeking to quell the spread of
  Christianity.

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