THE SEVEN ANGELS WITH THE SEVEN VIALS

I feel certain that the action of the seven vials are yet future for the following reason:
The seven angels (agents) come out of the TEMPLE that is built up of lively stone, Christ Jesus being the chief corner stone (1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19; 2 Corinthians 6:16; Ephesians 2:21-22; and 1 Peter 2:5).
These angels are clothed in pure and white linen which is the righteousness of Christ’s bride (Revelation 15:6; 19:8).
The seven vials full of the wrath of God are given to the angels by one of the living creatures (Revelation 15:7).
These vials contain the SEVEN LAST PLAGUES, for in them are FILLED UP (completed) the wrath of God  (Revelation 15:1).
Christ Jesus with his army (the saints) treadeth the winepress of the wrath of God (19:15) outside the city (14:20), i.e., the NEW JERUSALEM which signifies the NEW HEAVENS and EARTH (Revelation 21:1-2) the old heavens and earth having been dissolved with fervent heat - the Lake of Fire - which signifies the action of the seven vials.
It is evident that the seven angels and the army of white horses (chapter 19) belong to the body of Christ, his bride - as signified by the pure and white linen in which they were clothed (19:8).

Now in the 14th chapter are shown six angels taking part in two reapings after the Lamb and 144,000 are seen on Mount Zion. 
Angel #1 preaches the everlasting gospel to ALL PEOPLE
(verses 6 & 7; compare Matthew 24:14).
Angel #2 finds Babylon has fallen into degraded state (verse 8) i.e., the Laodician state. 
Angel #3 gives a warning to all people who worship the beast and his image and who receive his mark in their forehead or hand (verse 9 - 11).  Then the Revelator gives encouragement to those putting their trust in the Lord (verses 12 & 13).  Then John looks and sees a white cloud and one like unto the Son of Man sat thereon (compare Matthew 24:30) and in his hand was a sharp sickle (verse 14).

Angel #4 came out of the TEMPLE, crying to him on the white cloud to cast his sickle into the earth.  He did so and the earth was reaped (verses 15 & 16).  This is the gathering of NATURAL ISRAEL - since the saints are comprehended in the 144,000, the first fruits (verse 1).
Angel #5 came out of the TEMPLE, he also having a sharp sickle
(verse 17).
Angel #6 comes out from the ALTAR, which had power over fire.  He cries to Angel #5 to cast in his sickle and he cast in his sickle, which gathers the vine of the earth and cast it into the winepress of the wrath of God (verses 18-20).
Angel #7 is composed of SEVEN ANGELS who dispense the seven last plagues.  The winepress of God’s wrath is trod by him riding the white horse and his army, who are clothed in fine linen, clean and white (Revelation 19:14-15).
It is evident that these judgments are executed by Christ and his saints.  For authority to execute judgment in the earth has been given him by the Father
(John 5:22, 27;    See Jeremiah 23:5).  Also, this honour have all his saints, to execute the judgments written (Psalm 149:9) and to him that overcomes will be given power over the nations and he shall rule (judge) them with a rod of iron (Revelation 2:26-27).

It is disclosed that the world will be composed of three great systems which will oppose Christ Jesus when he comes.  They are:  the beast, the false prophet and the dragon.  These have been signified as:
The two horn beast arising from the EARTH, alias the woman riding the scarlet colored beast, alias the false prophet when opposing the Lamb, the true prophet.
The seven headed, ten horn beast that arose out of the SEA, alias the scarlet colored beast on which the woman rode, alias the beast that loaned his power to the false prophet against the Lamb.
The seven headed, ten horned dragon that stood before the woman with child, alias the dragon that was cast out of heaven and bound for 1000 years, alias the satan that deceived the nations in going up against the camp of the saints.


These systems have expanded throughout the world, entwining and intermingling with each other, yet retaining their separate and independent characteristics peculiar to each.  So the last plagues will extend throughout the world, taking 100% effect in each environment as revealed by the seven vials.
The first vial (chapter 16:2) is poured upon the EARTH - the environment out of which the two horned beast arose (chapter 13:11) - and effects those which have the mark of the beast (chapter 15:2).  This beast is identified as the false prophet by his deception and mark (chapter 13:16-17 with chapter 19:20).
The second vial (chapter 16:3) is poured upon the SEA (the environment out of which the seven headed, ten horned beast arose (chapter 13:1).  This beast became the scarlet colored beast upon which the woman rode (chapter 17:3) and is signified as many waters (chapter 17:1 and 17:15).  This beast makes war with the Lamb in alliance with the false prophet (Revelation 17:14).    That is why these two are cast simultaneously into the Lake of Fire  (Revelation 19:19-20) - the Fire of the Altar -
The Word of God.
The third vial (chapter 16:4) is poured upon the rivers and fountains of water (of false doctrines), as contrasted to the pure river of water of life which issues from the fountain of God and the Lamb that will be in the NEW JERUSALEM
(Revelation 22:1-2 with 21:2).  This group are those making claims in the name of Christ Jesus separately and independently of the beast and false prophet, yet they rightly belong in the same category (Christendom).  They are the remnant which is slain with the sword of him riding on the white horse (Revelation 19:21).  The Earth, Sea and Remnant typify the subject people (the Christendom systems) who are the FIRST to be effected by the Fire of the Spirit (the word of truth).  See pages 41 and 42 of the pamphlet relative to the Lake of Fire.
The fourth vial (chapter 17:8-9) is poured upon the SUN (the ruling authority of the foregoing systems) who will take action against their subjects when they realize that they are being robbed in their own house (environment) that is being converted to the Gospel promulgated from Mt. Zion (See Matthew 24:43 and Item 2, page 20 of pamphlet).


This will result in the fifth vial (chapter 16:10-11) being poured upon the Throne of the Beast.  The preceeding five plagues disclose the action of the Lake of Fire into which the beast and false prophet are cast (Revelation 19:20).  The fire is a spiritual process which leaves a residue that later connives with the dragon against the camp of the saints as shown under vial #6.
The sixth vial (chapter 16:12) is poured upon the RIVER EUPHRATES and the WATERS (faith of Islam) are dried up, that the way of the kings of the east (sun rising) might be prepared.  At this juncture the dragon, the old serpent, the devil and satan (paganism) deceives the nations in sending up their men of war against the camp of the saints (see page 46 of pamphlet).  They go up to the battle of God Almighty.
The seventh vial (chapter 16:17) is poured into the AIR, and a great voice out of the TEMPLE saying:  It is done and there were voices, thunders, lightnings and a mighty earthquake (See Isaiah 2:19).
“For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath have I [Yahweh] spoken.  Surely in that day there shall be a GREAT SHAKING in the Land of Israel.  So that the fishes of the sea and fowls of the heaven and the beast of the field and all creeping things that creep upon the earth, and ALL THE MEN upon the face of the earth shall shake at my presence ...” (Ezekiel 38:29-20).
The AIR (atmosphere) is the life supporting element of all mankind.
The effects of this vial permeates every environment of men.  Here the dragon (satan) is cast into the Lake of Fire where the beast and false prophet are (chapter 20:10).  This is the battle of Yahweh for his Holy Name’s Sake (Ezekiel 36:22) and is the grand finale, FOR IT IS DONE.
Then begins the 1000 years of Christ’s reign.

The SEVENTH SEAL

The connection of Revelation 7 with its preceding chapter is close and obvious. Instead of going on immediately to describe the opening of the Seventh Seal, the development of the prophecy pauses to answer the awe­ful question with which Seal Six concluded: “Who shall be able to stand?” 

The Chapter opens with And after these things [that is after 1948] I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds 

The apostle saw four angels at the four corners of the earth (or Land), controlling the four winds. These winds (the first four Trumpets: see especially ch. 8:7, 8) were not to go forth in destruction against the earth, sea or trees until a certain 144,000 had been sealed unto God.

SPIRITUAL ISRAEL

It is important before going any further to recognize that the 144,000 sealed out of the twelve tribes of Israel are to be taken as referring to Israel after the spirit, i.e. saints, and not to literal Jews. The reasons for this are copious enough.

Elsewhere in Revelation the symbolism of natural Israel is used to describe the saints; e.g. “the bride, the Lamb’s wife” is described also in terms of a city, “the holy Jerusalem,” upon the gates of which are “the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel’s (21:9‑12). And in Revelation 3:12 “the name of my God,” which is the Seal applied to the 144,000 (see ch. 14:1) is promised to the faithful in Philadelphia, most of who would clearly be Gentiles.

These blessed ones are described as “coming out of the great tribulation.” “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be” (Matthew 24:21).

In the Last Days, Jesus asserts, for his saints there will be a special deliverance from tribulation: “Immediately after the tribulation of those days ... shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven ... and he shall send his angels ... and they shall gather together his elect” (Matthew 24:29‑31.

Revelation chapter 8 begins: “And when he had opened the seventh seal ... I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given the seven trumpets.”

We must not forget that the "SEVENTH SEAL" includes all that happens during the sounding of the "Trumpets," and the pouring out of the "Vials," and so extends down to the ushering in of the Millennium. So the "Seventh" Seal includes the "Seven Trumpets," and the "Seventh" Trumpet includes the "Seven Vials."

The "seventh seal" is the last of the seals, and covers the period from 1948 to the end of the harvest

The "SILENCE" that followed the breaking of the "Seventh Seal" was preparing for what was to follow during the sounding of the "Trumpets," and the pouring out of the "Vials."

The suspense of the half hour of SILENCE in Heaven was intense. But why that half hour of silence? What did it mean? It was the period of silent preparation for the awful judgments that were to burst forth in the earth under the "Trumpets" and "Vials."

The run up to the final tribulation will provoke a “praying always, that ye may be accounted worthy... to stand before the Son of man" (Lk. 21:36). Perhaps this intense latter day praying of the faithful is what Rev. 8:1 refers to, in speaking of "silence in heaven" when the seventh seal was opened- for this is one of Revelation's allusions to the temple service: "In the Temple, when the incense was offered, the people retired from the court and prostrated themselves in silent prayer".

comparing Matthew 24 and Revelation 6

Bible Prophecy has a dual fulfilment application the first is short-term fulfilment which is now history that is a fulfilled prophecy which has happened in the past. Next is the future application or  the long-term fulfilment

When we come to the Book of Revelation most people do not understand that it has a dual application. The Continuous Historical interpretation understands the Book of Revelation as setting forth the major events of Christian history spanning the time of John until the second coming. Therefore the seals and trumpets have already been fulfilled in the past. 

However I believe that the seals and trumpets have also a  dual fulfilment to come to pass in the last days

John was told that the events of the seals "must take place". The Olivet prophecy uses the same phrase (Mt. 24:6; Lk. 21:9). The Olivet prophecy describes the events of both AD70 and our present last days, with special reference to the tribulation of God's people, both natural and spiritual. The connections between the Olivet prophecy and the seals would therefore indicate that the seals, and therefore much of Revelation, has a fulfilment in the last days. 

MATT. 24:4-5 4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. 5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.	1-SEAL FALSE CHRIST'S	REV. 6:1-2 AND I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see. 2 And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.
MATT. 24:6-7 6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these thingsmust come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:	2-SEAL WARS	REV. 6:3-4 3 And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see. 4 And there went out. another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.
p. 63
MATT 24:7 and there shall be famines,	3-SEAL FAMINES	REV. 6:5-6 5 And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. 6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.
MATT. 24:7-8      and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.	4-SEAL PESTILENCE AND DEATH	REV. 6:7-8 7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. 8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell fol. lowed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.
MATT. 24:9-13 9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. 10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. 11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. 12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. 13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.	5-SEAL MARTYRDOMS	REV. 6:9-11 9 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: 10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy, and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? 11, And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until . their fellow servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled:
MATT. 24:14 14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.		THE GOSPEL NOW BEING PREACHED IS THE "GOSPEL OF THE GRACE OF GOD": ACTS 20:24.
ANSWER TO THE SECOND QUESTION
MATT. 24:15 15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand,)		"THE SIGN" OF THE "DESOLATOR" DAN 9:27
p. 64
MATT. 24:16-22 16 Then let them which be in Judea flee into the mountains: 17 Let .him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: 18 Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his. clothes. 19 And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give. suck in those days! 20 But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath day:
21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.	<--- THE "GREAT TRIBULATION"
ANSWER TO THIRD QUESTION
MATT. 24:29-30 29 ¶ Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: 30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.	6-SEAL PHYSICAL CHANGES	REV. 6:12-17 12 And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; 1 And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. 14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. 15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bond man, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; 16 And said to 'the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: 17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?
THE "FIG-TREE" SIGN MATT. 24:32-35 32 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: 33 So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the floors.	6-SEAL PHYSICAL CHANGES
34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. 35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.	<-- JEWISH RACE

The seals, then, can be applied to our latter day tribulation. They are snapshots of the same scene from different angles. The seals and the repeated references to the tribulation period can be understood likewise; they are giving different aspects of information about the same basic scene. 

The sixth seal concludes with the great day of the Lamb coming, with the fig tree casting her immature figs (cp. the fig tree parable), and great changes in Heaven and earth. This must have some reference to the second coming. 

Revelation 7 then describes how the 144,000 are sealed to ultimately survive the persecution, and due to the accumulated intense prayer of the persecuted believers, the seventh seal of judgment is poured out on the world (8:3,4), resulting finally in the establishment of the Kingdom. 

SEVEN CLIMAXES OF THE APOCALYPSE

Revelation 1:1 to 1:9 - Opening and Salutation

Climax #1 - Revelation 1:10 to 4:11 - Seven letters to seven churches

Climax #2 - Revelation 5:1 to 8:1 - A book with seven seals

Climax #3 - Revelation 8:2 to 11:19 - Seven angels with seven trumpets

Climax #4 - Revelation 12:1 to 14:20 - Stories of beasts and harvests

Climax #5 - Revelation 15:1 to 16:21 - Seven angels with seven vials

Climax #6 - Revelation 17:1 to 19:21 - Harlot, beasts, true bride & groom

Climax #7 - Revelation 20:1 to 22:15 - Two "thousand years" periods

Revelation 22:16 to 22:21 - Closing and warnings to readers

John was shown seven different perspectives, or points of view, or history-to-come; how each climax coincided with the others, beginning at the time when John saw them - or near after - and ending at the judgement and kingdom of God; visions of the church (the true one and the false one), of certain groups of men, of the world governments, and their relationships to each other.

Revelation 6 The first 6 seals

On being opened, the seven-sealed scroll reveals the course of future events

1st seal from 33AD to 313AD

1 ¶  And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see.

Noise of thunder:

the voice of thunder the first living creature spoke with a voice of thunder a voice stands for an order or command a command of judgement. Now thunder implies a storm and storm symbolises political trouble (1sam 2:10 zech 9:13,14). So the thunder is a symbol of  storm judgement on the roman empire from 33AD to 313 when the paganism of Rome was suppressed in favour of Christianity

This thunder judgement was because of Roman persecution of the Jews and the Christians.

During this period the Roman Empire is afflicted with insurrection many of its emperors, died by violence murdered or assassinated.

The thunder of insurrection that developed in these events cleared the way for a change in human affairs

Next John sees a white horse and the rider has a bow and a crown and it goes forth conquering and to conquer. This is the first period of the church in the world when it went forth conquering and triumphant and the gospel message was carried over all the Roman empire until Christianity conquered the empire.

Christians usually assume this horseman is Jesus Christ because Christ also comes on a white horse. But Christ comes with a sword, not with a bow (Revelation 19:11-15).And when you see what this white horseman actually does, you realize that even though he looks like Christ, it isn’t Christ at all! This is a false Christ who has DECEIVED THE WORLD

The white horse is a symbol of Rome under the pace of Constantine he is the rider on the horse a rider of a horse is use for rulers of nations zech 10:5 and here denotes those who guide the destiny of Rome.

the rider on the horse is The Bishop of Rome, the embryo Pope, 6. The Man of Sin

The bow was arrowless now the bow is used for the word of god zech 9;13-14 psa 64;3  and symbolis the influence of Christianity conquering by the power of the word. Constantine in the year 313 issused a decree giving toleration to Christianity and shortly afterwards he declared himself a Christian. Thus after two and a half centuries of bitter persecution the  church had triumphed and the cross replaced the eagle on the standards of Rome.

2nd seal

the period is from around 313 to 800AD

John sees a red horse and power was given to the rider to take peace away from the earth. Soon after the Roman Empire officially accepted Christianity it began to fall into decay. corruption within, civil war and the barbarian tribes without gradually weakened the empire

The rider of the red horse which moved in from the west carried a great dagger, and was commanded to take peace from the earth, to cause men to slay one another. This is a clear an indication as one could want that civil war was to be God’s next judgement

The great dagger is not the same word in vs. 8  which is a sword of open war. Thus this sword is figurative of internal war which were fulfilled following the death of Constantine.

The legions were withdrawn from the outlying provinces as Rome weakened Europe fell into chaos. The Church moved into the power vacuum trying to manipulate the various rulers. peace was indeed taken away from the earth. The period continues to about the 8th century when Europe began to be dominated by the franks through whom the church began to wield power. In 800AD Charlemagne was crowned emperor of the holy Roman empire

3rd seal

the period is from around 800 to 1200AD

Balance joined with symbols denoting the sale of corn and fruits by weight, becomes the symbol of scarcity; bread by weight being a curse in Lev. 26:26 and in Ezek. 4:16,17. During this period the common people could have in their own tongue only a few words or verses of the Scriptures; and for these they were obliged to pay large sums to the clergy, who alone had the ability to translate from the dead languages, or even to read at all. As the services were in Latin the people were starved spiritually.

Famines in the period 927–928 Caused by four months of frost Byzantine Empire

1005 England

1016 Famine throughout Europe


4th seal

the period is from around 1200AD to 1500AD


The opening of this seal represents a truly terrible period. As in the letters to the churches of about this period the direction of the vision is changed from the professing christian church to the faithful few. One of the results of the assumption of power by the Roman Church was the denial of freedom of individual thought and the instrument designed to enforce this was the inquisition. it is impossible to tell how many people died under this system whilst it ruled without any organised opposition, but it is estimted that it was many times more than those who died under the earlier  persecution by again pagan Rome

during this same period there were endless wars in Europe as rival claims to thrones tried to establish themselves plague and pestilence followed in the wake of the wars  it is estimated that the black death took about a quarter of the population of Europe



5th seal

this period is from around 1500 to 1799


This period is parallel to the letter to philadelphia John sees the souls of those who had already been martyred in the preceding periods and they wanted to know how long it would be before God would come and judge the persecutors. they were told to wait a little longer until the number would be complete

it is the period following the reformation when man's consciousness arose against the wickedness of the Roman Church

6th seal

this period is from around 1799 to 1948

"Earthquake" the French revolution

And the sun became black as sackcloth of hair

dissolved on 6 August 1806, when the last Holy Roman Emperor Francis II (from 1804, Emperor Francis I of Austria) abdicated, following a military defeat by the French under Napoleon

And the stars of heaven [the Roman Church] fell unto the earth

Symbolically, the stars of the papal heavens (the pope) fell to the earth when Napoleon fined the Pope ten million dollars, organized the Papal territory into a republic and took the Pope prisoner

• The fallen starts  was the church in the French Revolution (1789). 

• Sword. Two world wars and the threat of global annihilation by nuclear and biological weapons

Even as a fig tree

The fig tree in this prophecy may be understood to signify the Jewish nation. (Matt. 24:32.) If so, it is being fulfilled; the Zionist movement, started in 1897, since that time Jewish nation was born in 1948 these buds have thrive.

CASTING her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. — threw off its immature show of character], it shall also throw off its immature show of character when surrounded in the very end by "Gog"

when she is shaken of a mighty wind [surrounded by the armies of Gog.









7th seal

A revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him Revelation 1:1

Revelation 1:1 A revelation by Jesus Christ, which God gave him, to show his slaves the things that must shortly take place. And he sent forth his angel and presented [it] in signs through him to his slave John,

“A revelation by Jesus Christ, which God gave him, to show his slaves the things that must shortly take place.” (Revelation 1:1a) So it was the resurrected Jesus Christ who received this important message from God.

Far from being part of a mystic Trinity, Jesus is here shown to be subject to his Father. In the same way, the “slaves” making up the Christian Churches are subject to Jesus Christ.

"Of Jesus Christ which God gave unto him" — This teaches that Jesus was dependent upon God for the knowledge that he passed on to "his slaves," and proves conclusively that he is not co-equal with the Father. Previously certain knowledge was hidden from the Lord (see Mark 13:32; Acts 1:7), but having "prevailed," and having been raised from the dead to life eternal, and elevated to the right hand of God, the; full revelation of the Father's purpose was given unto him (see Rev. 5:5). In turn, he passed this knowledge on to his servants over whom he has the preeminence (Col. 1:18).

“Stephen, filled with the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at God’s right hand. ‘I can see heaven thrown open,’ he said, ‘and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.’”—Catholic Jerusalem Bible.

Stephen saw a vision of God in heaven with Jesus standing next to Him. The Son was standing next to the One termed, not just “Father,” but “God,” one completely separate in identity from Jesus. And there was no third person involved in what Stephen saw. The holy spirit was not seen in heaven with Jesus and his Father.

That is similar to Revelation 1:1, which states: “This is the revelation given by God to Jesus Christ.” (The Jerusalem Bible) Again, the resurrected Jesus in heaven is shown to be entirely separate from God, and the holy spirit is not mentioned. If Jesus were the second person of a Trinity, knowing all things, how could he be “given” a revelation?

IF THE Trinity were true, it should be clearly and consistently presented in the Bible. Why? Because, as the apostles affirmed, the Bible is God’s revelation of himself to mankind. And since we need to know God to worship him acceptably, the Bible should be clear in telling us just who he is.

One like a son of man Revelation 1

What do the seven churches represent? The seven churches represent the faculties of the divine mind manifed in the believer.


One "like a son of man" walking in an area where there were seven golden lampstands. This would be a symbolic representation of spiritual illumination. The one “like unto a son of man” was a vision of the glorified body of Jesus after resurrection. It is also a description of what we shall be when we become like him in manifestation. 1 John 3:2 Which we will look at in another video


"dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest." Perhaps this was an indirect reference to the seamless robe mentioned in the Gospels. (See John 19:23.) Symbolically, this would represent wholeness, or completeness.


"Hair white as wool ... eyes like a flame of fire." The white hair was the well-known symbol of age and wisdom, while the flashing eyes emphasised the fact that age had not dulled the perceptive powers of the Christ.


"His feet were like polished bronze"—a reference to stability and understanding as relating to all affairs of life.


"In his right hand he held seven stars." Here, the author was apparently thinking of a scepter, as held by a monarch, symbolizing royal power. This would recall Jesus' own words: "All authority (power, A.V.) in heaven and on earth has been given to me" (Matt. 28:18).


"From his mouth issued a sharp two-edged sword." What is the two-edged sword? The Word of God.This would symbolize the power of the spoken word. The writer to the Hebrews states that "the word of God is ... sharper than any two-edged sword" (Heb. 4:12). It will be noticed that in Revelation Jesus is presented as a warrior, rather than as "Prince of Peace."


"First and last. . . alive for evermore ... have the keys of Death and Hades." All these phrases are reminiscent of the Isaiah's words: Isaiah 22:22 And the key of the house of David will I lay on his shoulder;