Yes, but Rev 22:2 is part of the linear narrative which starts in chapter 19 just before the end of the one 'seven' with the battle at Armageddon and goes on from there.
Chapter 22 is describing what the New Heaven and New Earth is like.
That happens after the Millennium, and after the second Resurrection.
A "linear narrative" is not really how I see our Lord Jesus layed out many of the events in His Revelation. Treating it as a type of linear narrative is how some wrongly derive support for their belief in a rapture prior to the great tribulation. As far as the events that happen in order we can be certain with the last three trumpets, because our Lord gave three woe periods along with those last three trumpets to show their events happen in order. The 7th trumpet - 3rd woe period reveals His return, the day of The Lord with His wrath upon the wicked, and rewards to His saints, and events of the Milennium timing.
You should also note that at the end of the seals there are lightnings, thunderings, voices, and an earthquake (Rev.8:5), as also at the end of the trumpets (Rev.11:19), and at the end of the vials (Rev.16:18). There's a great earthquake that reveals the 7th trumpet - 3rd woe, and a great earthquake on the 7th vial. Satan's host are shown still in operation on the 6th trumpet and the 6th vial. And per Rev.10 we're told when the seventh angel sounds (7th trumpet), the mystery God gave through His prophets should be finished. So what timing does all that reveal? It reveals the events of the 7th seal, 7th trumpet, and 7th vial all end at the same time.
Rev.22:14-15 we know is not new heavens and new earth timing, simply because it shows the wicked still existing outside the gates of the holy city. That's Milennium timing, although Milennium and new heavens and new earth events I believe are written together in both the Rev.21 and 22 chapters. Why is that?
Our Lord's Book of Revelation is written more like the Books of the OT prophets than like the NT Books. In the OT prophets we often see huge time jumps between verses. Sometimes even within a single verse (like Isaiah 61:2; first coming and second coming). We can not always treat the event order in Revelation chapters in a linear chronological fashion. Even within Rev.1 we're given events about Christ's second coming with every eye seeing His return. Yet that event of Christ's return is also covered in Rev.11, Rev.16, and Rev.19. Because of this, I look at the Revelation chapters progressively unfolding more and more, like peeling layers of an onion back, a little more revealed in each succeeding chapter. That requires us to pay more attention to the type of events given first, and then their proper order will be revealed. That's how many of the Books of the OT prophets are layed out also.
It is not germane to what I thought we were talking about which is the Temple in the Millennium, and the water flowing out from its foundation in a miraculous fashion (getting deeper as it goes) and supporting trees which help "bind" the wounds the Remnant and Meek who inherit the Earth after God's Desolations have utterly changed the whole face of the Earth.
Yes, that's what I was speaking of too, even with the Rev.22 example, for we know by the Ezek.47 example that River is indeed upon the earth during Christ's Milennium reign to begin with. The many trees are indeed the tree of life.
1. The Great Tribulation is only defined by Jesus in the Olivet Discourse.
- It begins with the (midpoint) abomination
- It ends whenever the Day of the Lord begins.
- It is shortened; i.e., it cannot last the whole of the second half of the one 'seven.'
- In Revelation, we can see it as the test which is going to come upon the whole world in 3:10
- Again in Revelation we can see the source for why the Great Tribulation will affect only Christians in the two laws which come with the midpoint talking image abomination: worship or die, and/or - take the mark or don't be able to make transactions (get your paycheck, buy food, pay your utilities, etc.).
The great tribulation events are especially mentioned in our Lord's Olivet Discourse, I agree. But that's not the only place in Scripture that gives the events of the tribulation. Rev.12:6-17 is about it, as is Rev.9 from the start of the 6th seal - 2nd woe through its end on the 7th trumpet of Rev.11:15. Even in Rev.16 on the 6th vial the tribulation hasn't ended at that point. Christ's return is what ends the tribulation upon God's people, His saints. 2 Thess.2 is also covering events of that just prior to Christ's return, as also in 1 Thess.5, and 2 Peter 3:10. Even Daniel 7 through 12 is covering some events during that tribulation period. And then there's the Book of Joel about the locust army God sends. There's actually quite a lot written throughout God's Word on the great tribulation our Lord Jesus mentioned. Maybe you just haven't discovered that yet?
The one 'seven' is never called the "Tribulation Time" in prophecy.
2. Now, I do not think the sixth Seal is "tricky" timewise. It comes in sequential order.
The Seals must all be broken before any of the desolations (Dan 9:26) stored on the Scroll can go forward. Daniel 9:26 says that 2500 years ago, that God had ordained "desolations." Now where are those desolations stored? On the Scroll. That is the evidence in the Bible. John does NOT record any world-wide desolation happening with the first Seal opening. In fact, the figure called out by the first Living Creature can be likened to a false Christ, and there are many types of false Christs in the world. It is not THE anti-Christ... but a "white knight" which makes war possible, and I would say on a scale never seen before - so much so that Daniel has nightmares about the end-times visions he has seen of these wars.The time of Christ's coming CANNOT be known; even Jesus doesn't know the Day. So for any of us to say it comes on the last day of the one 'seven,' means that EVERYBODY will know THAT is THE Day!
The last trump, or 7th of Rev.11:15 is about Christ's return. One only need to keep reading right after that Rev.11:15 verse to the end of the Rev.11 chapter to know that. You do realize that's the time of Christ gathering His saints to Him? That's the trump Apostle Paul was talking about in 1 Cor.15 and 1 Thess.4.
As for the rider on the white horse of the 1st seal, I see that as a type for the antichrist, especially since our Lord Jesus returns riding a white horse in Rev.19. The one on the 1st seal represents a fake Christ, the 'pseudo-Christ' our Lord Jesus was talking about in Matt.24:24 and Mark 13:22, translated as "false Christs" in the KJV. The Matt.24:23-28 verse context is actually about a singular false Christ working great signs and wonders on earth to cause the strong delusion Paul spoke of in 2 Thess.2. It's the same false one of the Book of Daniel, the "little horn" and "vile person". It's the "dragon" of Rev.13:11 forward who sets up an image of the beast for the whole world to worship.
No man knows the day or hour of Christ's coming, but per Paul in 1 Thess.5 we are to know the times and the seasons leading up to Christ's return. That's why Paul gave the "Peace and safety" event for the saints to watch. Rev.11 with God's two witnesses reveals an even smaller timeframe when to expect Christ's coming.
The "last day" that Jesus comes is the last day of the Church Age. It is whenever the Harvest is that gathers up the Elect remaining after the Great Tribulation has nearly wiped us out. It comes before God's Wrath begins on the second half of the Day of the Lord. Remember: the wheat is "led together" into the "barn" of Heaven, and THEN the tares are burned in the field, and there are THREE elements involved with OT Day of the Lord Wrath, and one of them is fire, and the another is blood: and both of those are supplied by the first Trumpet. In Revelation 14:17, we even see an Angel who assists in the blood shedding - woe to the occupying armies of the North in Israel.
I believe all seven trumpets happen in order, the last one being Christ's coming. I agree Christ's return will end today's so-called Church age.
Concerning the tares being cast into the fire, like Matt.13 declares, that's about the end of Christ's thousand years reign with the "lake of fire" event. Christ's thousand years reign on earth is part of this second earth age we are in now. The new heavens and new earth timing won't begin until after that, with no more need for a temple.
With God's consuming fire that comes at Christ's return to end this present age, I believe that will literally destroy man's works off the earth, like 2 Pet.3:10 shows. I believe because of it we all will be changed at the twinkling of an eye. I don't believe it will destroy the souls of the wicked. Isaiah 24 reveals the wicked high ones on high will be gathered as prisoners in the pit, and shut up in prison, and after many days will be visited. They won't be destroyed until the "lake of fire" event. As of now, only Satan and his angels have already been judged and sentenced to perish in the lake of fire. No one else has been judged yet. All must bow to Christ Jesus during His thousand years reign.
3. Now as to the earthquakes.
- The first earthquake of the sixth Seal is Haggai 2:6, and it "shakes things up."
- It comes before noon, when the sun is darkened at its brightest time.
- The second earthquake happens after the "evening becomes light" which is the second miraculous sign that God puts on the Day of the Lord sun/moon/star sign to let the ungodly know that this is no ordinary Day.
- Thus, the second earthquake happens some hours (at least) after the first.
- The second earthquake displaces mountains and islands. This same effect was seen in both the Indian Ocean earthquake which produced the Christmas tsunami, and the Argentinian earthquake of the last year; every point on the earth changed relative to each other - AND - the rotation of the Earth actually sped up a few microseconds!
- When the final earthquake of the one 'seven' - found in Revelation 11:13; 11:19; and 16:18-20 hits - it flattens the earth! Islands, once "displaced" now disappear! Mountain ranges are no more!
- This final earthquake is accompanied by a hailstorm of no ordinary variety.
- This final earthquake also reconfigures the Earth so that rain is not dependent upon lifting action: deserts will no longer be a function of geography. Instead, rain will be dependent upon heartfelt worship of Jesus.
I can't go with all that. I only see one "great earthquake" mentioned with Christ's return.
4. The sixth Trumpet follows the fifth, which follows the fourth, which follows the third, which follows the second, which follows the first - which follows the breaking of the seventh Seal.
I mostly agree, but not with the untimely figs metaphor given within the sixth seal. But if you'll compare events between the seals, trumpets, and vials, you'll see something deeper.
THAT is the evidence IN the Bible. It is one linear narrative and it begins in chapter 5 when the Scroll with its Seals is introduced. The focus of Revelation chapters 4-11 is on the Scroll once it is introduced in the Heavenly scene (Rev ch 4-11 exclusive of the sidebar account of the Temple and the Two Witnesses in 11:1-13).
I think I've covered that point enough above. The 5th trumpet - 1st woe happen together; the 6th trumpet - 2nd woe period happens together, and the 7th trumpet - 3rd woe period happens together, in that order. That begins at the end of Rev.8 and flows through to the end of Rev.11. Rev.10 serves as a pause, with a specific timing given about the seventh trumpet. On the sixth seal, notice the events of God's wrath is an event on the 7th trumpet and 7th vial also.
What I see are three groups of events, the seven seals, seven trumpets, and seven vials. And they have 'event' connections between them. Our Lord's coming is shown on the 7th trumpet and on the 7th vial, and 6th seal if we admit the time of His wrath spoken of there. But in order to explain all that, the layout appears like a linear narrative. But in reality, it is finished when the 7th trumpet and 7th vial events end at the same time. The 6th trumpet - 2nd woe events point to tribulation timing, simply becuse Christ's coming is shown right after that on the 7th trumpet - 3rd woe. The 6th vial shows Satan's host still in power on the earth, gathering the wicked for the coming battle of Armageddon. The 7th vial shows the time of wrath poured out upon them, which is also Christ coming to fight Armageddon with His angels, for that is the war of Rev.19:19.
The second Woe is NOT happening the same time as the sixth Seal... but happens months, and maybe even year or two afterward. It is separated by at least five months, and the second Woe can be read so as to understand that it lasts for just over thirteen months.
Right, the 2nd woe happens the same time as the 6th TRUMPET. Didn't I say that? The 6th trumpet - 2nd woe period happens all the way up to Christ's coming on the 7th trumpet - 3rd woe (events from Rev.9:12 through Rev.11:14). The start of the 6th trumpet - 2nd woe shows the locust army fully loosed upon the earth, coming to deceive (not Armageddon yet). I believe the 2nd woe - 6th trumpet is the 1260 day period of the last half of the "one week" of Dan.9:27. It's when God sends His two witnesses to prophesy in Jerusalem for 1260 days. It's the 42 months the dragon is given to work. That ends with Christ's coming on the 7th trumpet - 3rd woe.
To keep it from sounding like he was boasting???
I take Paul at his word. He said he would not boast of himself.
Then he speaks of a man in the third person.
You can believe what you like, but the evidence in the Bible is that he is not speaking of himself. You have to twist everything Paul says around to reach your conclusion, and I will not join you in it. On this, and possibly many other things, we will have to disagree.
Come on now, what did I say that set you off? Read the 2 Cor.12:7 verse. Paul admitted that to quell any possible high mindedness because of the deep revelations Christ had given him, he was given a thorn in the flesh. What Apostle Paul revealed in 2 Cor.12 was about someone who had a witness of Paradise, and lived to tell it. He did not name who it was. There is a possibility that Paul was that someone who was caught up to Paradise, and heard unspeakable words not lawful to utter. And the reason I think that is because Paul was once stoned and left for dead. Why does that scare you?
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However, it is helpful to see how we each reach our various conclusions about what we can each read in the Bible.
It helps me to compare how a person comes up with their eschatology so I can evaluate the premises with which I come to my conclusions.
I have 5 main precepts which guide my exegesis:
- The Bible is true, and figurative prophecy concerning Jesus' first Advent had a literal fulfillment, so I take a literal approach.
- The Bible tells stories in linear narratives. When I can find major end-time prophecies, likewise they come in a linear order; this happens, and then that happens.
- While there is nothing new under the sun as far as the nature of man is concerned - there are specific and unique events which are NEVER repeated like the Flood and the Cross.
- Certain prophetic events are so important that we get multiple witnesses to them. This means multiple accounts can describe the same event like Mt 24:31, 1Th 4:17 and Rev 14:14-16.
- The authors of the Bible use parallel construction to their linear narratives to give a broad overview and then focus in on a time of intense interest so as to add important detail. I discern the nature of parallel construction and parallel accounts when I see a change of scene and focus. One telling clue is the three repetitions of a specific and unique event like the final earthquake of the one 'seven' or the five repetitions of the half of the one 'seven' which happen in Revelation chapters 11-13.
Mark
Yeah, I pretty much agree with that too, except I think you and I have different definitions for the idea of "linear narrative". Some chapters, especially in the OT prophets, can jump back and forth in time between verse sections so much it would be a mistake to think each part occurs in the order they are written. I think our LORD did this so we'd have to focus more on understanding the meaning of events to rightly divide their timelines. I see verses within the OT prophets that never happenned in history given in-between verses that were history. And I see some events that keep repeating in history, which also have a pointer for the last days. Because of this, some calle God's Word The Living Word. The Holy Spirit only can reveal that, and not through man's systems of exegesis, though some of it might help.