Chapter Eighteen/Earthquakes In the Lord's Day - Conclusion

Literal and figurative quaking of the earth are mentioned a number of times in the Bible. In his great prophecy about the signs of his presence in Kingdom power, Jesus forecast   "earthquakes in one place after another." These would part of "a beginning of pangs of distress." Since 1914, with earth's population exploding into the thousands of millions, literal tremblors have contributed to the distresses of our times. (MATTHEW 24:3, 7, 8) Nevertheless, even though they fulfill prophecy, those earthquakes have been natural physical disasters. They are preliminary to the great symbolic earthquake of Revelation 6:12. This indeed, comes as the devastating finale to a series of advance tremors that shake Satan's human earthly system of things to its foundations."

Next time: Chapter Eighteen/Earthquakes in the Lord's Day - Tremors in Human Society

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Chapter Eighteen/ Earthquakes in the Lord's Day

 Have you ever lived through a severe earthquake? It is not a pleasant experience. A big tremblor may start with sickening roll and a rumbling noise. The swaying may worsen by fits and starts while you dash for safety-perhaps under a desk. Or it may come as a sudden, shattering jolt, followed by the crashing of crockery, furnishings, even buildings. Damage may be catastrophic, with frequent aftershocks inflicting further damage and adding to the misery. 

Having this in mind, consider what John describes at the opening of the sixth seal: "    And I saw when he opened the sixth seal, and a great earthquake occurred." (Revelation 6:12a) This must fall within the same time frame as the opening of the sixth seals. Just when the Lord's day does this earthquake occur, and what kind of quake is it? - REVELATION 1:10. 

Next time: Chapter Eighteen/Earthquakes in the Lord's Day - Conclusion

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Chapter Seventeen/'Slaughtered Souls' Rewarded - 'Those Who Are Dead Rise First' - Conclusion

 The opening of this fifth seal of the scroll has provided good news concerning anointed integrity keepers who have conquered, faithful to the death. But it provides no good news for Satan and his seed. The ride of the Conqueror on the white horse continues irresistibly and culminate in a time of reckoning for the world that "is lying in the power of the wicked one." (1 John 5:19) This is made clear when the Lamb opens the sixth seal. 

Next time: Chapter Eighteen/Earthquakes in the Lord's Day

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Chapter Seventeen/'Slaughtered Souls' Rewarded - 'Those Who Are Dead Rise First - Continue

 What a stirring story these verses tell! Those of Jesus' anointed brothers who survived to Jesus' presence, that is, are still alive on earth during his presence, are preceded into heaven by those who have already died. Such ones, dead in union with Christ, rise first. Jesus descends, that is, turns his attention to them and resurrects them to spirit life, giving them a "white robe." Afterward, those who are still alive as humans finish their earthly course, many of them dying violently at the hands of opposers.  They do not, however, sleep in death as their predecessors did. Rather, when they die, they are instantly changed-"in the twinkling of an eye" caught away to the heavens to be with Jesus and fellow members of the body of Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:50-52; compare Revelation 14:13) Thus the resurrection of anointed Christians starts soon after the four horsemen of the Apocalypse begin their ride.

Next time: Chapter Seventeen/'Slaughtered Souls' Rewarded - 'Those Who Are Dead Rise First' - Conclusion

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Chapter Seventeen/"Slaughtered Souls' Rewarded - "Those Who Are Dead Rise First

 The insight granted by the opening of the fifth seal agrees completely with other scriptures that have to do with the heavenly resurrection. For example, the apostle Paul wrote: "For this is what we tell you by Jehovah's Word, that we are the living who survive to the presence of the Lord shall in no way precede those who have fallen asleep in death; because the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a commanding call, with an archangel's voice and with God's trumpet, and those who are dead in union with Christ will rise first. Afterward we the living who are surviving will, together with them be caught away in clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and thus we shall always be with the Lord." - I THESSALONIANS 4:15-17.

Next time: Chapter Seventeen/'Slaughtered Souls' Rewarded - 'Those Who Are Dead Rise First - Continue

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Chapter Seventeen/'Slaughtered Souls' Rewarded - A White Robe - Continue

 All the evidence indicates that this heavenly resurrection began in 1918, after Jesus' enthronement in 1914 and his riding forth to start his kingly conquest by cleansing the heavens of Satan and his demons. Yet, those resurrected anointed ones are told that they must "rest a little while longer, until the number . . . also of their fellow slaves" is filled. Those of the John class still on earth must prove their integrity under trial and persecution, and some of these may yet be killed. Finally, though, all the righteous blood shed by Babylon the Great and her political paramours will be avenged. In the meantime, resurrected ones are doubtless busy with heavenly duties. They rest, not by relaxing in blissful inactivity, in that they patiently await Jehovah's vengeance. (Isaiah 34:8; Romans 12:19) Their rest will end when hey witness  the destruction of false religion and, as "called and chosen faithful" ones, they accompany the Lord Jesus Christ in executing judgment on all other parts of Satan's wicked seed here on earth. - REVELATION 2:26,27; 17:14; Romans 16:20.

Next time: Chapter Seventeen/'Slaughtered Souls' Rewarded - 'Those Who Are Dead Rise First'

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Chapter Seventeen/'Slaughtered Souls' Rewarded - A White Robe

 After documenting the faith of integrity keepers of ancient times, the apostle Paul said: "And yet all these, although they had witness borne to them through their faith, did not get the fulfillment of the promise, as God foresaw something better for us, in order that they might not be made perfect apart from us." (Hebrews 11:39, 40) What is that "something better" that Paul and other anointed Christians anticipate? "And a white robe was given to each of them; and they were told to rest a little while longer, until the number was filled, also of their fellow slaves and their brothers who were about to be killed as they had also been." (Revelation 6:11) Their receiving "a white robe" has to do with their resurrection to be immortal spirit creatures. No longer do they lie as slaughtered souls underneath the altar, but they are raised to be part of the group of 24 elders that worship before the heavenly throne of God. There, themselves have been given thrones, showing that they have entered into royal privileges. And they are "dressed in white outer garments," signifying that they have been adjudged righteous, worthy of an honored place before Jehovah in that heavenly court. This is also in fulfillment of Jesus promise to faithful anointed Christians in the congregations in Sardis: "He that conquers will thus be arrayed in white outer garments." - REVELATION 3:5; 4:4; 1 PETER 1:4.

Next time: Chapter Seventeen/'Slaughtered Souls' Rewarded - A White Robe - Conclusion

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Chapter Seventeen/'Slaughtered Souls' Rewarded -Conclusion

 Since 1935 faithful young men of the great crowd have borne the brunt of persecution in many lands. (Revelation 7:9) Even as World War II ended in Europe, in just one town 14 young witnesses of Jehovah were executed by hanging.  Their crime? Refusal to "learn war anymore." (Isaiah 2:4) More recently, young men in the Orient and in Africa have been beaten to death or executed by firing squad over the same issue. These youthful martyrs, worthy supporters of Jesus' anointed brothers, will surely have a resurrection into the promised new earth. - 2 PETER 3:13; compare PSALM 110:3; MATTHEW 25:24-40; LUKE 20:37, 38. 

Next time: Chapter Seventeen/'Slaughtered Souls' Rewarded - A White Robe 

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Chapter Seventeen/'Slaughtered Souls' Rewarded - Continue

 By the fourth century C.E., that old Serpent, Satan the Devil, had brought forth his masterpiece of deception, the apostate religion of Christendom -a Babylonish system hidden under a "Christian" veneer. It is the principal part of the seed of the Serpent and has developed into a multitude of conflicting sects. Like faithful Judah of old, Christendom carries a heavy bloodguilt, having been deeply involved in both sides of World Wars I and II. Some political rulers in Christendom even used these wars as pretext for slaughtering anointed servants of God. Reporting on Hitler's persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses, a review of Friedrich Zipfel's book Kirchenkamph in Deutschland (flight of he Churches in Germany) stated: "One third of them [the Witnesses] were killed, either by execution, other violent acts, hunger, sickness, or slave labor. The severity of this subjection was without precedent and was the result of uncompromising faith that could not be harmonized with National Socialistic ideology." Truly, it can be said of Christendom, including its priesthood: "In your skirts there have been found the blood marks of the souls of the innocent poor ones." -JEREMIAH 2:34. 

Next time: Chapter Seventeen/'Slaughtered Souls' Rewarded - Conclusion

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Chapter Seventeen/'Slaughtered Souls' Rewarded - Continue

 John himself witnessed martyrdom in the first century as the cruel serpent and his earthly seed waged war on the growing congregation of anointed Christians. John had seen our Lord impaled and had survived through the slayings of Stephen, of his own brother James and of Peter, Paul and close associates. (John 19:26, 27; 21:15, 18, 19; Acts 7:59, 60; 8:2; 12:2; 2 Timothy 1:1; 4:6, 7) In 64 C.E., Roman emperor Nero has made a scapegoat of the Christians, accusing them of burning the city, to counteract a rumor that he was the guilty one. The historian Tacitus reports: "They [Christians] died by methods of mockery; some were covered with the skins of wild beast and then torn by dogs, some were [impaled], some were burned as torches to light at night." A further wave of persecution under Emperor Domitian (81-96 C.E.) had resulted in John's being exiled to the island of Patmos. As Jesus said: "If they have persecuted me, they will persecute you also." - JOHN 15:20; MATTHEW 10:22. 

Next time: Chapter Sixteen/'Slaughtered Souls' Rewarded - Continue

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