"Those who possess the knowledge will not be surprised"
THE WORKING MAN'S GUIDE TO THE BIBLE
We will have a weekly news section on the new entity as well as a live forum. Please contact us at the address listed and the end of study chapter 22.
This site is about what the Bible is really all about. The only way to live in a world as we do is to know the Bible. To know what God somewhat expects of you and to know somewhat of what you can expect from Him. Written for no-nonsense hard working people who need some spiritual facts by a team of Christian ministers.
Where is the best place to start learning the Bible in 2009? It is Revelation. We will teach you many of the books through this one.
Suggested Shortcuts for learning the Bible
What
type of people is this written for?
REVELATION IN A NUTSHELL
Let's start now by learning the last book in the Bible. And for those of you who need to catch up, this would be the best place to start. As we believe every word in Revelation is important, we also believe there is more importance in the fact that most people will put the book down when they start not to understand it or it "gets too long." So, to fix that, we've cut through the grease and inserted the answers, as a result of years of study, right between the text! Read it once, and understand it fast, so you don't throw the book down in frustration and give up on the idea of learning the Bible. That is our goal. Read On!
Revelation is the final book of the Bible, written by John the Apostle, "The one Jesus loved." It not only is the last book written in time (approx. 95-100 A.D.), Revelation also states that no further additions to the Bible can be added until Jesus Christ returns.
Revelation tells the end of the story of the Bible. It is the "cliffhanger" to over 33% of the Bible's total subject matter. Revelation is what we should consider the most important book of the Bible in this day and age. The Bible should be taken as literally as possible, and if you do that you should know that we are in this period of time mentioned in Revelation. Many things have happened; some are happening now, and some are yet to happen. It is sort of like reading the world news a few days ahead of time; just find the right place in the text. Our goal here is to help you understand Revelation in a very short period of time, and to keep your belief in God in a time for many where it looks like God has packed up and moved away. We will keep all matters of opinion away from this website and stick straight to the years of research of scripture from ancient as possible texts.
INTERPRETING PROPHECY STATEMENT
The book of Revelation is about several important things. One of which is what was to happen the day after John transcribed it to our present day and even a bit beyond.
Chapters 1-3
John interpreted Jesus
Jesus said, "I am the Alpha and the Omega." Jesus first came in humiliation. He will return in exaltation. He came the first time to be killed. He will return the second time to kill his enemies. He came the first time as a suffering servant. He will return as the conquering king.
Jesus told John to, "write all that I show you and spread this news to the world." There are seven churches. All but one angered Jesus. There were hundreds of Christian churches in that age (100 A.D.), but these seven were of great importance to Jesus. In order, they were the: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyratira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and the Laodecia churches. The reason Jesus named these is because they all stood for something. Each had different characteristics. Each one stood for a period of a time to come, from Jesus's time on Earth until His second coming. Each had very serious faults except the Philadelphian. Some had faults so great they housed Satan, according to Jesus. Most of these churches are still in existence today, but most of the churches you find in today's time are the Laodecian type. Here is a brief overview of the churches, their claim to fame, and their dominant period of existence:
EPHESUS 50-170 A.D. Original church, later took man-made "priestly"order.
SMYRNA 170-312 A.D. Some followed Caesar, pagan order.
PERGAMOS 312-606 A.D. Order of Constantine, church joined with state. Satan's seat.
THYRATIRA 606-1500 A.D. Papal church, false doctrine, man-made highly decorative.
SARDIS 1500-1750 A.D. Reform period of Papal church, later failed to carry out its duties. Spiritually dead.
PHILADELPHIA 1750-1900 A.D. Reformists gem. Finished product. Modest and caring.
LAODECIA 1900-present Church in denial, lukewarm. God will rebuke half. Uncaring, rich, laxed, liars, competitive, society based.
INTERPRETING PROPHECY STUDY LINK
Chapters 4 and 5
The Greatest Meeting in History
The most important meeting in the history of man is attended by John. 4:1 John saw a door opening and a voice saying "You must come up here and I will show you what must happen after these things." John was placed immediately in the Spirit. 4:3 John gives a brilliantly clear description of his surroundings.
At this meeting Jesus was appointed total power over the world by the 24 thrones of God overseeing the earth. Jesus has the power to open the Seven Seals. Verse 5:12, "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power, riches and wisdom, And strength, honor, glory and blessing." Jesus now will finally take control for all righteous beings.
Previous to chapter 6 and sometime before the first of the Seven Seals were opened, the Act of Rapture takes place. (see the study link titled "Rapture" at the end of the study.)
INTERPRETING PROPHECY STUDY LINK
Chapters 6 and 7
TRIBULATION BEGINS
John witnessed the opening of the Seven Seals. The first seal was a white horse. The rider was Satan. He is crowned as the chief ruler of the 10 federated kingdoms. The second seal is a red horse, meaning war. The third seal is a black horse, meaning famine. The fourth seal is a pale horse, the rider, death. The fifth seal was not a horse but are the "Souls of Martyrs" killed on Earth for their holy testimony (ch. 20). The sixth seal is physical change. Permanent raising of land and valleys formed through earthquakes, etc. Between the opening of the sixth and seventh seal there was a pause called for by an angel who entered from the east. The pause is possibly months of earth time when not a breath of wind will blow.
7:4 When the pause was over, 12,000 of each of the twelve tribes of Israel were chosen; the precedent set in Genesis. They will each have the seal saying "EMET" on their foreheads meaning the word "truth". These people now have God's blessing and will be saved during the final days of Earth. They will not bow to Satan and will not have to in order to keep their lives. See the study link for questions on why and who these 144,000 were.
7:9-17 "The Great Multitude" The special seats in heaven. See study link #1 under the help link.
Next, there will be a silence in Heaven. Seven angels will sound their trumpets.
Chapters 8, 9 and 10
The seventh seal is broken. There will be a half hour of silence in Heaven. Then seven angels will appear and blow their trumpets.
1st trumpet: Hail and lightning comes from Heaven to burn all green grass and one-third of all the earth's trees. A re-occurrence of the great Egyptian plague begins (Exodus 22).
2nd trumpet: Burning mountains fall to sea and sink one-third of all ships and kill one-third of all fish.
3rd trumpet: The star, "Wormwood," crashed to Earth and kills all who drink from rivers. The prophet Jeremiah warns of this time (Jeremiah 9:11-15).
4th trumpet: One-third of all the stars and light will be struck.
Then an angel announces, "woe to those inhabitants left on Earth, for there are three remaining trumpet blasts to follow." The fifth, sixth and seventh trumpets are also known as the first, second and third woes. Although the first four blasts are unimaginable, they will be nothing like the three to come.
5th trumpet: Bottomless pit is opened and "locusts come out with tails of scorpions." Here men seek death but cannot find it. Five months of torment.
6th trumpet: Four fallen angels will be loosed which were bound at the Euphrates. These four are the leaders of a 200-million man army. They will kill one-third of mankind.
The sounding of the seventh trumpet does not take place until much else is done. Revelation 10:5-6 is a statement from the Lord that indicates that this is the time the disciples have long anticipated, the last plagues of this day will be initiated. It gives closure to the people now who have always trusted in God, but have repeatedly asked, "God, why do you let this happen?" God will now stop the devil on Earth and take TOTAL control.
Revelation 10:7. The Sealed Blast. In these days of the sounding of the seventh angel, the mystery of God will be finished. John was ordered to seal the things the seven thunders uttered; to take the little book in the angel's hand and eat it. He was ordered to not reveal it until the time has come. "You must prophesy again to warn men about the bitter judgment in the seventh trumpet and the seven bowls," said the Lord to John.
INTERPRETING PROPHECY STUDY LINK
Chapter 11
John was told by the Angel to rise and measure the Temple of God. This signifies God's ownership of the temple, re-claiming this particular spot from the Muslims (Dome of the Rock). "And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy 1,260 days, clothed in sack cloth." (believed to be Elijah and Moses). They will turn millions into believers that will be saved. Then they will be murdered by the satanists very near to the same spot Jesus was crucified. The satanists (or the typical) will celebrate in the streets and drink for days. Three days later Elijah and Moses will rise again in human flesh just as Jesus did. There will be many witnesses.
INTERPRETING PROPHECY STUDY LINK
In that same hour there was a great earthquake. One-tenth of the city fell and 7 thousand lost their lives. The rest were afraid, turned to God and gave glory to him. Most likely, Jerusalem will be this last city standing. It was God's chosen from the very beginning. When a great number lost their lives, it was the rest of the people's last hour to see the situation for what it actually was; the Ark of the Covenant was shown, And there were lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake and great hail. This concludes the second woe.
7th trumpet: "Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven. The Kingdoms of the world have now become kingdoms of our Lord." The seventh trumpet or "third woe" is all of what takes place from here up to the opening of the seven vials in Ch. 19.
Copyright 2003 Working Man's Ministries
To All The Jews I Loved before