XVII. Revelation 14, and Blood Flowing 184 Miles?

 In our study of Battle Two, on several pages we quoted from the book of Joel and its importance in prophesying the events in Daniel’s seventieth week.  In regards to God’s annihilation of the surrounding armies, we quoted God’s prophecy through Joel in chapter 3:13,14 “Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, go down; For the winepress is full, The vats overflow—for their wickedness is great. Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision.”  In verse 16a it says, “The Lord also will roar from Zion, and utter His voice from Jerusalem.”  Now you know the exact area the above verses refer to, where this battle takes place—the Jerusalem area.  For a New Testament comparison, let us now look at what Jesus prophesied through an angel to the apostle John in Revelation 14:18b-20, “Thrust in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe.  So the angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth, and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.  And the winepress was trampled ‘outside the city,’ and blood came out of the winepress, up to the horses’ bridles, for one thousand six hundred furlongs” (about 184 miles).  The preceding verse makes reference to ‘outside the city,’ which would be Jerusalem, in the Valley of Jehoshaphat, the Valley of Decision.  I am sure you immediately recognize the similarity of the two scriptures, and the conclusion is that they refer to the exact same event.  It is very important to understand just exactly what these scriptures are describing, so let us look at   Revelation Chapter 14 and see just what the significance of this chapter and the ‘two sickles’ events is.

For a little background, the events as described in Revelation 6:12 through 8:1 were apparently written chronologically, describing the events following the 6^th seal in Chapter 6 and preceding the 7^th seal in Chapter 8.  This establishes that the time period for all the events described in Revelation 14 would coincide with the time period describing the worldwide ‘Great Earthquake’ (Revelation 6:12,14,15), which is the same great earthquake we described several times in Battle Two in the Old Testament.  The Chapter 14 time period also coincides with the Heavenly upheaval (Revelation 6:12) when the sun, moon and stars stop their shining, and also with the rapture of the sleeping and living elect in Revelation 7:9,10.  Matthew also verifies this time frame when he quotes Jesus from His Mt. of Olives prophesying in Matthew 24:30-31, where Jesus said His gathering together (rapture) would take place immediately after the sun, moon and stars stop their shining, which was described in Matthew 24:29 (Heavenly upheaval).  This 14^th chapter time period is also just prior to God’s terrible Day of Wrath judgment as mentioned in Revelation 6:16,17 and also immediately precedes God’s seven trumpet judgments.

I do not remember of ever reading or hearing a similar presentation on these first 13 verses of Revelation 14, but this is what I believe Jesus, through an angel, was describing to the Apostle John.  Jesus addresses most of those still left on earth at this moment in future history and has a special message for six (6) specific Groups.  In verses 1-5, Group 1, He addresses the “firstfruits” of His chosen people and nation Israel, and His special relationship to them during and after Battle Two, which relationship we described to you in Battle Two. (Revelation 14:1-5, 1 Then I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His Father’s name written on their foreheads. 2 And I heard a voice from heaven, like the voice of many waters, and like the voice of loud thunder. And I heard the sound of harpists playing their harps. 3 They sang as it were a new song before the throne, before the four living creatures, and the elders; and no one could learn that song except the hundred and forty-four thousand who were redeemed from the earth. 4 These are the ones who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. They were redeemed from among men, being firstfruits to God and to the Lamb. 5 And in their mouth was found no deceit, for they are without fault before the throne of God.)  In verses 6-7, Group 2, He addresses, through His preaching angel, all those still on earth who are not Christians, but who never took on them the mark of the beast, and who still cling to the hope of a relationship with our Savior. (Revelation 14:6-7, 6 Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people—7 saying with a loud voice, “Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.”)  In verse 8, Group 3, He addresses all those in the whole world who are involved in the political, religious, or economic relationship with Antichrist and what happens to this system called Babylon. (Revelation 14:8 And another angel followed, saying, “Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.”)  In verses 9-11, Group 4, He addresses everyone on earth who has accepted the mark of the beast, and what their penalty will be during and after the Day of the Lord Wrath of God judgment as they are tormented with fire and brimstone, and the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever. (Revelation 14:9-11, 9 Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation.  They shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the Holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.  11 And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.”)  In verse 12, Group 5, He addresses all the New Testament elect, as they still exhibit their patience and endurance while they await the rapture God the Father promised. (Revelation 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.)  In verse 13, Group 6, He addresses a very unique group, those still on earth who, limited in number as they might be, refused to accept the mark of the beast, and who will finally accept the invitation of God’s preaching angel and become Christians after the rapture. (Revelation 14:13 Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’ ”)  Now let us look more specifically at what these six messages were.

The blessed Apostle John seems to take a short interlude from describing what he saw and heard in Heaven as described by the angel regarding the seven trumpet judgments, which climax in Revelation 11:15-19.  He gives additional details to some of the things he saw and heard that he must have felt were of great importance and he now needs to make them clearer.  Some of this he accomplishes in chapters 12-14.  In verses 1-5 (see above) of Revelation 14, Jesus’ message to Group 1, John writes additional information regarding the 144,000 which was not given in Revelation 7:3-8.  Note that John looked, and there before him was The Lamb (Jesus) standing on Mt. Zion (Jerusalem, on earth) with all the 144,000, having His Father’s name sealed and written on all of their foreheads.  This happens at the end of the Great Tribulation, which could be a dozen or more months after the mid-point of Daniels seven years, and just prior to the Day of the Lord wrath judgment.  No harm can come to these 144,000 throughout the seven trumpet judgments and the seven bowl judgments (all being the total of God’s Day of the Lord wrath) since they have the seal of the Father on their foreheads, and they follow the Lamb wherever He goes.  Likely the 144,000 remain in the Jerusalem area for the remainder of the last three and one-half years, the time of God’s wrath, and they could remain there to protect the ‘remnant’ of Israelites that God the Father is going to call out after Battle Two.  We studied this sealing of the 144,000 in great detail in chapter XI titled “The 144,000—Great Evangelists?” 

Immediately following his description of the 144,000, John tells us in Revelation 14:6,7, (see above) Jesus’ message to Group 2, of another angel he saw that flies in the midst of Heaven and preaches God’s message of His eternal gospel.  It is a love warning and invitation given one last time before His reaping (rapture) in verses 14-16, and the angel declares with a loud voice to everyone who dwells on the earth, “Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.” (Revelation 14:14-16, 14 Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat one like the Son of Man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle. 15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, “Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the time has come for You to reap (the Rapture), for the harvest of the earth is ripe.” 16 So He who sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped.)  In verses 6-7 quoted two paragraphs above, the term ‘His judgment’ further positively establishes that the time line for these verses is just before God’s Day of the Lord wrath judgment.  This preaching could be the fulfillment of Matthew 24:14 where we read “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all nations, and then the end will come.”  At this moment in time, there are still a minority number on earth, in addition to the elect, who have not bought into Antichrist’s economic plan and are struggling to not accept the mark of the beast.  So for one last time the gospel goes out to every nation, tribe, language and people (verse 6); one last invitation to all on earth who have not taken on the mark of the beast to accept Christ as their Savior.  If they make this decision before the rapture in verses 14-16 (see above), they will join and be a part of the elect as they are gathered by His angels and taken to Heaven.  This also occurs just before God’s terrible Day of Wrath trumpet and bowl judgments.

In verse 8 (see above), Jesus’ message to Group 3, John tells us of a second angel that followed who announces “Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.”  The term Babylon could refer to Antichrist’s entire worldwide religious, political and economic kingdom, but the reference to the ‘great city’ could mean Rome, from where I think the headquarters for Antichrist’s religious and banking systems will emanate.  In Revelation 17:9, it says the mystery of the woman, Babylon, and the ‘beast’ sit on seven mountains, which certainly suggests Rome. (Revelation 17:9 “Here is the mind which has wisdom: The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits.) Antichrist will take over control and ownership of all the properties owned by the Vatican at the midpoint of the seven years, together with every other church, synagogue, mosque and other places of worship over all the earth, and the only god to be worshipped worldwide will be Antichrist.  All of Satan’s economic, worship and political plans, described as Babylon, are now about to come apart and fall.  So the largest, wealthiest and most predominant real estate holder and business complex in the world by far, and the world’s greatest influence on earth’s people, the Catholic Church, comes to naught at this time.  The writing is on the wall that the days of Antichrist, the false prophet, and Satan himself are numbered. 

In verses 9-11 (see above), Jesus’ message to Group 4, John tells us of a third angel that followed who announces to the whole world that if anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand (which the vast majority on earth will have accepted by now, if not by conviction, then by hope of survivorship), he himself (those who have the mark) is soon to drink of the wine of God’s fury, poured out full strength into the cup of His Day of the Lord wrath, which Jesus will unleash within days all over the world.  The terrible penalty for this association, which penalty lasts forever and ever, is described in verses 10 and 11. 

In verse 12 (see above), Jesus’ message to Group 5, John writes that he was then told that at this moment, as all these events are taking place all over the earth, the New Testament elect, the born again believers on earth still awaiting the catching away to their master and bridegroom, should take courage.  They must endure these persecutions patiently, with steadfastness and perseverance, and remain firm to the end, obeying God’s commands and trusting in Jesus. Their reward will be their rapture, which is soon (in perhaps just days) to take place, and which is again described in Revelation 14:14-16. 

In verse 13 (see above), Jesus’ message to Group 6, John said he heard a voice from Heaven, which told him to write that “blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.”  “Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from all their labors, and their works follow them.”  If they accept Jesus as their savior and die after God’s rapture of His elect in Revelation 14:14-16, they will not go to Heaven but, while they will still remain on earth, they will rest from their labors (die) and their deeds will accompany, or follow them.  Since God gives no further description of their future, the likely assumption is that God the Father will breath life into them prior to His 1,000 year reign, as He does to all His committed God fearing Israelites and other God fearers from throughout history (not the elect), those whose names are written in God’s book of life, and they will all come to life and spend the millennium on earth with Jesus and His angels and His ‘remnant.’ (Revelation 20:4-6, 4 And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 6 Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.)

In verses 14-16, John looked and wrote that he beheld a cloud, and on it sat One like the Son of Man, Jesus. (Revelation 14:14-16, 14 Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat one like the Son of Man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle. 15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, “Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the time has come for You to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.” 16 So He who sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped.)  He had on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle—it was as though He was awaiting the final decision from God, the only one in the entire universe who could decide the exact moment this Rapture, reaping, should occur.  We have quoted this concept from scripture dozens of times throughout this presentation (Matthew 24:36).  Then John wrote that he saw another angel come out of the temple, the Throne Room of God Himself, the angel who apparently was chosen to pass on God’s momentous decision that the rapture moment had arrived, and he cried out with a loud voice to Jesus sitting on the cloud, “Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the time has come for You to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.”  So He who sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped.  There are many places in scripture where reference is made to harvesting, and reaping, and the fields are ripe unto harvest, etc.  This is of course a symbolic description of the rapture, since angels will accomplish the actual gathering of those who sleep and still remain alive at that moment.  More traditional rapture descriptions of this long awaited event can be found in Matthew 24:30-31, (Matthew 24:30-31, 30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn; and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect, from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.) in I Corinthians 15:51-54, (I Corinthians 15:51-54, 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”) and in I Thessalonians 4:16-17. (I Thessalonians 4:16-17, 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.)

Now the very moment has arrived for Jesus to do battle with the ‘surrounding nations’, immediately after the rapture, when He is going to slaughter tens of millions, which we have described in detail in Battle Two.  In Revelation 14:17-20, John wrote that he saw another angel come out of the temple, the Throne Room of God, and he also had a sharp sickle in his hand. (Revelation 14:17-20, 17 Then another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. 18 And another angel came out from the altar, who had power over fire, and he cried with a loud cry to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, “Thrust in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth for her grapes are fully ripe.” 19 So the angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth, and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. 20 And the winepress was trampled outside the city, and blood came out of the winepress, up to the horses’ bridles, for one thousand six hundred furlongs, about 184 miles) We just read that another angel came out from the altar, and he had power over fire (see verse 10), and he cried out with a loud voice to him who had the sickle, saying, “Thrust in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe.”  So the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, gathered the vine of the earth, the ‘grapes of wrath,’ and threw it into the great winepress of the ‘Wrath of God.’  In verse 20 we read that the winepress was trampled outside the city (The city of Jerusalem?), and human blood (not grape juice) came out of the winepress, up to the horses’ bridles, and flowed for one thousand six hundred furlongs, or about 184 miles. 

Almost every teacher of prophecy will tell you that this particular bloodletting is the climax of the Battle of Armageddon.  I believe this assumption is incorrect, since verse 20 confirms what God told Joel to write in Joel 3:13 “Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, go down; for the winepress is full, the vats overflow—for their wickedness is great”, and then Joel followed it up in verse 14 where He said that multitudes, multitudes (millions) are in the valley of decision ‘for the day of the Lord is near,’ but it had not started as yet.  In Revelation 19:15, after His victory at Armageddon, Jesus instructs the Apostle John to write about another winepress where He “Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God,” which does lend some confusion to this bloodletting scenario.  From Megiddo and the Valley of Jezreel, where it is generally accepted that the Battle of Armageddon will take place, and if the flow of blood is to the east and south (this terrain is also quite mountainous) to the Dead Sea (which is over 1300 feet below sea level), this is less than 80 miles, and the blood will not flow any further south than that.  It cannot flow to the north, since the River Kishon would take it all to the Mediterranean Sea near Mt. Carmel.  If it flowed to the south parallel to the Mediterranean, it would only flow about 40 miles and be carried to the Mediterranean by the river that flows from Mt. Gerizim to just north of Joppa.  Thus I believe the Battle of Armageddon would seem to be eliminated as a source of all this blood since the qualification of 184 miles cannot apply.  The distance from Jerusalem and the Valley of Decision, to Elat (Ezion Geber), Israel’s port city on the Red Sea, is almost exactly 184 miles, which distance Jesus told John to write in Revelation 14:20 (see above, and check it out on a map in the back of your Bible for yourself).  I realize that it is very mountainous between Jerusalem (2600 ft. above sea level) and the Red Sea (sea level), and that liquid does not flow up hill.  I mentioned the worldwide ‘great earthquake’, which happens at this time, where ‘every mountain and island was moved out of its place’ (Revelation 6:14).  So it is possible God the Father changed the topography of Israel, which would allow the blood to flow south 184 miles.  Regardless, I have total faith in God’s Word, and if God the Father said 184 miles, then He will arrange to accomplish what seems the impossible.  We can leave it up to Him as to how He accomplishes this, some of the ‘millions of details not told us.’  (see PREFACE, para. 3)

I believe with all my heart that Battle Two, which we described to you in detail, will be the most climactic battle in all the seven years.  It will be the turning point event, from Satan’s ‘Great Tribulation’ wrath, to God’s Day of Wrath trumpet and bowl judgments against Antichrist, the false prophet, Satan and the people of the earth.  I believe it will basically be Jesus against Antichrist and the 10-nation confederacy (there is not even a hint that the elect, the church, who has been in Heaven about five years by pre-tribulation timing, is involved), which mainly consists of the Muslim world with their fanatical determination to do away with Israel, plus Jew haters from all over Europe and elsewhere.  The massive army of angels at Jesus command could be involved in this Battle Two, but there is no mention made of this in the Old Testament scriptures we have quoted for you.  This basically, from the standpoint of Antichrist and his ten-nation confederacy, will be their greatest, most massive all-out war effort up to this point, and their goal will be total victory.  Antichrist will use every available fighter, and their single goal will be the elimination of Israel and Jews worldwide and the defeat of our precious Savior, Jesus.

Is this massive bloodletting even a possibility?  Let me present the math for you and let you  arrive at your own conclusion.  The general number quoted of Muslims in the world today is 1.3 billion.  If there were 10% available for combat service (similar to the U.S. in World War II), that would be 130 million men, plus another 20 million at least from Europe, the home area of Antichrist.  I believe these numbers could be a distinct possibility, and considering the gravity of the situation concerning the outcome of this battle, these numbers might even be too conservative.  But for the sake of this math problem, let us assume that 1 in 20 Muslim men worldwide will be made to fight in this army, or a 5-7% figure, 65-91 million men.  Of this number, we told you that in Ezekiel 39:2 (KJV) God said He is going to leave a sixth of Antichrists army and drive them away into a barren and desolate land. (Ezekiel 39:2a And I will turn thee back, and leave but the sixth part of thee, KJV)  This ‘sixth’ figures well into the example that follows. 

There is no precise volume of blood per man, but it is generally accepted that an average woman has 10 pints of blood, and the average man has 12 pints of blood.  So let us use the conservative figure of 10 pints per man or 5 quarts of blood flowing through our veins, and this volume would approximately fill a cube 6.6” x 6.6” x 6.6”, or 288 cubic inches.  In 184 miles, there are 971,520 feet, 11,658,240 inches, or 1,766,400 of the above described cubes end to end.  If there were 6 cubes side-by-side, and 6 cubes high, this would approximately fill a 39.6” x 39.6” trough for 184 miles.  This would be the blood of 63,590,400 bodies, which ‘God threw into the great winepress of His wrath and trampled them.’  If that last number were 5/6^th of Antichrist’s army, and if 1/6th were driven away, the total army would be 76,308,480, which fits in well with the 65-91 million men mentioned above.  Since liquid seeks its own level, and since the ground will soak up considerable amounts of the blood, in these 184 miles there will be places where it will flow fast, and places where it will pool, but for sure, and especially east and south of Jerusalem, it could positively reach the horses bridles.  So yes, it truly is a possibility, and will surely happen! 

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