A Little Study of the 7 Thunders

At this point the Lord stops the story to show us something extremely important.

In chapter 10 He prepares us with description of the 7 Thunders. It's almost like He's saying, "Hey, you know how a chiasmus works. You are about to read the 4th Thunder - It's really important!"

Thunder 4 includes chapters 11, 12 and 13

11:19 the intro to main characters of the spiritual battles; and the main reason.

• Two Witnesses, 1260 days
• Temple of God with Ark
• Virgin (with Moon and Crown of Stars) and Child
• The Dragon
• The Beast

This is the crux of chiasmus (The Virgin and Child)

• This section has the description of How Jesus died for us to redeem us and give us Salvation.
• It also ends with information on how to identify the antichrist so we can be prepared for the Second Coming.

In chapter 11, the story continues with more details about the 6th Trumpet. We are introduced to the Lord's "two witnesses" and how they protest against the Antichrist on the Temple compound. I'm guessing that Jesus expects us to have studied the prophecies of Daniel and Ezekiel - they describe how the Antichrist ends up in the Temple compound.

And now, still in chapter 11, the 7th and final Trumpets sounds. This is it, the harvest. The dividing of the wheat and tares. This is when the Rapture occurs - the gathering of the wheat. This is the time of our Redemption. This is also when the Wrath of God falls upon the wicked - the burning of the tares. We are brought to Heaven in the Spirit, we are given our new bodies, like Jesus has, both physical and spiritual. The wicked followers of the Antichrist remain on Earth. There are others as well, non-believers but not necessarily followers of the Antichrist. We'll meet them later.

In chapter 12 it's time to learn the reason for it all: Jesus and His Church. We are shown His virgen birth, and the war with Satan and how Jesus dies for our redemption, our Salvation.

In chapter 13 we are given a lot of details about our enemies: Satan (the Dragon), the Antichrist (the Beast), and the False Prophet (the second Beast).

This 4th Thunder ends with an important message for us:

Here is a call for wisdom: Let the one who has insight calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and that number is 666.

Thunder 5 includes chapters 14, 15 and 16, except for the very end of chapter 16.

14:2 the description of fruits of the harvest, followed by the harvest and finally the 7 vials

• God’s protection for His Children
• And His wrath on His enemies

In chapter 14 we are given details about the Harvest. We are shown the Lamb standing as a conquerer on Mount Zion and with Him the 144,000 redeemed. It says that the 144,000 "have been redeemed from among men as firstfruits to God and to the Lamb." So they are not the only ones who are saved. They are just the "firstfruits", the finest, the cadre.

Then we are told how the Gospel will be preached to every nation and tribe and tongue and people. This is followed by key points of the harvest: Babylon falls, the Wheat harvest is gathered, then the grapes of wrath are also "gathered" but to be put into the winepress on Earth.

In chapter 15 it's a quick description of what's happening in Heaven as they prepare to pour out the 7 Vials. The vials of wrath on the wicked.

In chapter 16 we are shown the pouring out of the 7 Vials. These are different than the 7 Trumpets. The Trumpets typically destoyed about a third of their intended target. The Vials, on the other hand pour out almost total destruction. This is definitely the end of the Antichrist's kingdom.

Chapter 16 includes all of the 7 Vials, but the 7th Vial is actually the 6th Thunder and will be discussed in that section.

But before we get to the 7th Vial, there's the 6th Vial: The great river Euphrates dries up making way for the Kings of the East, and the Dragon, the Beast and the False Prophet pour out a propaganda campaign to all the kings of the Earth, to assemble them for battle in the place called Armageddon. Everything is falling in place for the final battle for Earth.

Thunder 6 includes chapters 17 and 18, but it starts at the end of chapter 16.

16:18 the 7th vial and judgment of Babylon and the beasts

• The Door has closed on God’s Enemies

In chapter 16, the last 7th Vial is poured out. The largest earthquake ever seen by man hits Jerusalem! The city breaks up into three parts! We are also told that Babylon falls, and every island disappears, and the mountains "were not found." And if that's not enough, great hail fell. Some, if not most, of the hailstones weigh about 75 pounds!!

In the King James Version verse 17 reads as follows:

"And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done."

But the Berean Standard Version sounds different:

"Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came from the throne in the temple, saying, It is done!"

Note that it says "the temple" and not "the temple of heaven" - there's a difference.

The Berean version is based on a lot of study of the oldest manuscripts. I'm not sure, but the Berean version makes it sound like the Antichrist, sitting on his throne in the temple compound, is shouting out in horror, "It's Over!!!"

In chapter 17 an angel comes to John and explains what Babylon is, and it's connection with the Beast.

In chapter 18 another angel comes and Babylon falls. We are given a lot of details about her sins and the extent of her fall.

To be continued...