If I Were Told the Future	Lesson 45
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Let’s pray for God’s help, before beginning this lesson:

Our Lord, We have already reached the next to last trumpet, and the more we progress in this set of prophecies, the more its messages concern our time. So it is all the more important that we properly understand the meaning of this part of Your prophetic Word. May Your Holy Spirit enlighten us, just as He did until now. In Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.

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Revelation 9:1,3-5

Comments

And the fifth angel sounded. (...) And there came out of the smoke locusts on the earth: and to them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads. And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months.

Our last lesson drew a picture of the apostate Church’s fall, in 1798, caused by the attacks of peoples in revolt. This Church recovered its political power only in 1929, and regained its influence on the nations only after World War II, that is, after 150 years of torments (five prophetic months).

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Revelation 9:13	Comments
And the sixth angel sounded. And I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God.	The next trumpet introduces the One who is working before the golden altar. In the lesson «Introduction to the Seven Trumpets», we discovered that this Angel is Jesus.
Revelation 8:3
And another Angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer. And there was given to Him much incense, that He should offer it with the prayers of all saints on the golden altar which was before the throne.

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Revelation 9:13,14	Comments
And the sixth angel sounded. And I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, «Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates.»	Jesus commands to release the four angels who are bound at the Euphrates, a great river watering the city of Babylon. The role of these four angels, whose action is the central point of the sixth trumpet, has already been clearly specified in a previous chapter of the book of Revelation...

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Revelation 7:1-3

Comments

After these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God. And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, saying, «Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.»

When they are released, the four angels will carry out a work of destruction aimed at those who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads.

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Revelation 7:2,3	Comments
And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God. And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, saying, «Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.»	The work of the four angels calls to mind the work of the fifth trumpet’s locusts.
Revelation 9:4
And it was commanded [the locusts] that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.

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Revelation 9:15,16	Comments
And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men. And the number of the army of the horsemen was two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them.	In fact, the work of the four angels is a direct extension of the destructive work of the fifth trumpet’s locusts. But the number of the army of the horsemen, that is, two hundred million, indicates that the punishment is now much more intense.

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Revelation 9:7,9	Comments
The shapes of the locusts were like to horses prepared to battle. (...) And the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle.	Many other details indicate that the sixth trumpet is actually the extension of the fifth trumpet, but in greater intensity. So, whereas the locusts of the fifth trumpet were like horses, we now see real horses.
Revelation 9:16,17
And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them. And thus I saw the horses in the vision.

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Revelation 9:8,9	Comments
[The locusts] had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions. And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron.	The locusts of the fifth trumpet had only lions’ teeth and iron breastplates. But the horses of the sixth trumpet have entire lions’ heads, and fiery red breastplates.
Revelation 9:17
And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone. And the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions.

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Revelation 9:10	Comments
They had tails like to scorpions, and there were stings in their tails. And their power was to hurt men five months.	The locusts of the fifth trumpet had power only in their scorpions’ tails. But the horses of the sixth trumpet have power in their mouth, and in their serpents’ tails.
Revelation 9:19
For their power is in their mouth, and in their tails: for their tails were like to serpents, and had heads, and with them they do hurt.

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Revelation 9:5,6	Comments
And to [the locusts] it was given that they should not kill [men], but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he strikes a man. And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.	Finally, the locusts of the fifth trumpet had power only to torment men, and not to kill them. But the horses of the sixth trumpet kill men by fire, smoke, and brimstone.
Revelation 9:18
By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.

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Revelation 9:14	Comments
Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates.	Since the 150 years of torment of the fifth trumpet did not bring the apostate Church to repentance, the sixth trumpet will cause its decisive fall, just like the ancient city of Babylon, watered by the Euphrates.
Jeremiah 51:63,64
And it shall be, when you have made an end of reading this book, that you shall bind a stone to it, and cast it into the middle of Euphrates. And you shall say, «Thus shall Babylon sink, and shall not rise from the evil that I will bring on her.»

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Revelation 17:1,3,5,6

Comments

[The angel] talked with me, saying to me, «Come here; I will show to you the judgment of the great whore that sits on many waters.» (...) And I saw a woman sit on a scarlet colored beast, full of names of blasphemy. (...) And on her forehead was a name written, «Mystery, Babylon the Great, the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth.» And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus.

The reference to Babylon in the sixth trumpet isn’t a coincidence. As we will study in detail in future lessons, the book of Revelation often presents the apostate Church, the persecutor of God’s people, as Babylon.

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Revelation 9:14,15	Comments
«Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates.» And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men.	In the fifth trumpet, peoples in revolt had inflicted a severe wound on the apostate Church, temporarily depriving it of its power and influence upon the nations. The sixth trumpet describes what happens next, that is, from the end of World War II, when the apostate Church recovered all its power and influence, to the return of Jesus, when it is completely destroyed.

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Revelation 17:12,16,17	Comments
The ten horns which you saw are ten kings. (...) And the ten horns which you saw on the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. For God has put in their hearts to fulfill His will, and to agree, and give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.	Revelation chapter 17 helps us properly understand the events described in the sixth trumpet. It is announced that, after a short period of collaboration, the political powers will attack Babylon the harlot, that is, the apostate Church, and destroy it by fire.

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Revelation 9:17,18	Comments
The heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone. By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.	The sixth trumpet confirms that Babylon will indeed be destroyed by fire.
Revelation 18:2,8,9
Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen! (...) Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judges her. And the kings of the earth (...) shall see the smoke of her burning.

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Revelation 9:19	Comments
For [the] power [of the horses] is in their mouth, and in their tails: for their tails were like to serpents, and had heads, and with them they do hurt.	The destructive power of the horses, definitely greater than that of the locusts, comes from their power of delusion and lie.
Isaiah 9:15,16
The prophet that teaches lies, he is the tail. For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed.

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Revelation 9:20	Comments
And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils.	This terrible power of delusion will be so mighty that, even after seeing the fall of Babylon, men won’t repent and return to God, preferring to stick to false teachings which will lead them to death and loss.
1 Timothy 4:1
Now the Spirit speaks expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.

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2 Timothy 4:3,4	Comments
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears. And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned to fables.	Just as foretold, men are increasingly attracted to flattering teachings which won’t call them to repentance. For example, let’s mention the New Age thinking, so popular nowadays, teaching that each human is a little god, with wonderful hidden powers that each one must discover.

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2 Thessalonians 2:8-12

Comments

And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of His mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming. Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all delusion of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Rejecting the truth which leads to salvation, men will make themselves vulnerable to Satan’s last great deceptions, and will succomb to them.

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Revelation 9:20	Comments
And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood.	The sixth trumpet’s description of the spiritual condition of men at the end of time refers to the last moments of ancient Babylon.
Daniel 5:1,4
Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand. (...) They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone.

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Daniel 5:23	Comments
[Daniel said,] «[You] have lifted up yourself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of His house before you, and you, and your lords, your wives, and your concubines, have drunk wine in them. And you have praised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know.»	In the last days, sinners will act just as Babylon’s last king did.
Revelation 9:20
And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk.

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Daniel 5:26-28,30	Comments
[Daniel said,] «This is the interpretation of the thing. MENE; God has numbered your kingdom, and finished it. TEKEL; You are weighed in the balances, and are found wanting. PERES; Your kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.» (...) In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain.	Having despised God, Belshazzar, the last king of Babylon, was told by the prophet Daniel that God’s patience toward him would last no longer, and that his reign would come to an end. That very night, he was killed, and his kingdom fell into the hands of the Medes and the Persians. These events show us the fate of the rebellious men, at the end of times.

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Revelation 9:20,21	Comments
And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, (...) neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.	The sixth trumpet ends with this sad observation: just like the last king of Babylon, men will refuse to allow God to transform their hearts...
Matthew 15:18,19
Those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts.

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... and, just like Babylon’s last king, their reign will come to an end:

«But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and fornicators, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone.» (Revelation 21:8) «Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortionists, shall inherit the kingdom of God.» (1 Corinthians 6:9,10) «Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and fornicators, and murderers, and idolaters, and whoever loves and makes a lie.» (Revelation 22:14,15) «Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, jealousies, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, contentions, murders, drunkenness, revelings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.» (Galatians 5:19-21)

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Like Babylon, unrepentant men will perish by fire and brimstone:

«And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet. (...) These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.» (Revelation 19:20) «If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, (...) he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone.» (Revelation 14:9,10) «The same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.» (Luke 17:29,30) «On the wicked [the Lord] shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and a horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup.» (Psalm 11:6) «He that overcomes shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be My son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and fornicators, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone.» (Revelation 21:7,8)

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Revelation 18:21,24	Comments
And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, «Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all. (...) In her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain on the earth.»	Similar to the first five trumpets, the sixth trumpet announces a punishment upon the oppressor of God’s people. In the last days, this oppressor will be the apostate Church, modern Babylon.

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Revelation 9:15	Comments
And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men.	When will the four angels of destruction strike the world, causing the fall of Babylon and its sinful system? As He did for the return of Jesus, God has appointed a precise day which no one knows, except God alone.
Matthew 24:36
But of that day and hour knows no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but My Father only.

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Amos 4:11,12	Comments
«I have overthrown some of you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and you were as a firebrand plucked out of the burning: yet have you not returned to Me,» said the Lord. «Therefore thus will I do to you, O Israel: and because I will do this to you, prepare to meet your God, O Israel.»	As we witness the fulfillment of the sixth trumpet’s prophecy, we must be even more careful and vigilant, and make sure that we always follow the path of repentance leading to salvation.

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Acts 17:29-31

Comments

For as much then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like to gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device. And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commands all men everywhere to repent: because He has appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that Man whom He has ordained; whereof He has given assurance to all men, in that He has raised Him from the dead.

And finally, this passage, using the very same words as the sixth trumpet to describe false gods, reminds us to always persevere in Jesus, so as not to be found wanting when we are weighed in the balances of God’s perfect righteousness and justice.

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Let’s pray together:

Father, The apostle Paul wrote, «This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers (...). Evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.» (2 Timothy 3:1,2,13). As we are now living the last days of the history of this world, please always guide us, protect us, and keep us close to You. In the name of Jesus Christ our Savior and our Lord we pray. Amen.

 The test of Lesson 45 is waiting for you!

Source of the Pictures of this Lesson

Screen 1: In: «Photo Gallery 5,000 volume 2» by Media Graphics International, 22_105.JPG. Screen 2: «The fifth angel sounding the trumpet» (15th century), Bruges, Belgium, The Pierpont Morgan Library, New York. In: «Revelation - Art of the Apocalypse» (GRUBB, Nancy), Abeville Press Publishers, 1997, p.28. Screen 3: JUSTINEN, Lars. In: «La Sentinelle» magazine  (September 1997), Pacific Press Publishing Association, p.8. Screen 4: MANISCALCO, Joe. In: «Images from the Bible and Sacred History CD», Chosen Works, MLI Software, JM256.BMP. Screen 5: In: «The Watchtower» magazine (December 15, 1987), New York, Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, p.7. Screen 6: «The Fifth Trumpet», from Lambertus, «Liber Floridus» (c.1448), Musée Condé, Chantilly, France. In: «Revelation - Art of the Apocalypse» (GRUBB, Nancy), Abeville Press Publishers, 1997, p.27. Screen 7: In: «La Révélation - le grand dénouement est proche», New York, Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, 1988, p.150. Screen 8: MANISCALCO, Joe. In: «Images from the Bible and Sacred History CD», Chosen Works, MLI Software, JM256.BMP. Screen 9: In: «La Révélation - le grand dénouement est proche», New York, Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, 1988, p.151. Screen 10: «Copperhead Snake in Homosassa Springs State Wildlife Park in Florida». In: «Deluxe Compton’s Interactive Encyclopedia CD - 2000 Edition», Compton’s Home Library, 1999. Screen 11: In: «La Révélation - le grand dénouement est proche», New York, Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, 1988, p.151. Screen 12: «Angel Casts the Millstone into the Sea», from «Lambeth Apocalypse» (c.1260). Manuscript, Lambeth Palace Library, London, England. In: «Revelation - Art of the Apocalypse» (GRUBB, Nancy), Abeville Press Publishers, 1997, p.31. Screen 13: MANISCALCO, Joe. In: «Images from the Bible and Sacred History CD», Chosen Works, MLI Software, JM246.BMP. Screen 14: CONVERSE, James. In: «God Cares, volume 2» (MAXWELL, C.Mervyn), Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1985, p.329. Screen 15: In: «La Révélation - le grand dénouement est proche», New York, Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, 1988, p.256. Screen 16: STEEL, John. In: «God Cares, volume 2» (MAXWELL, C.Mervyn), Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1985, p.452. Screen 17: HUNT, Robert. In: «La Sentinelle» magazine (August 1992), Pacific Press Publishing Association, front cover. Screen 18: Photo from: Osho Foundation International, India. In: «Revelation» (LORIE, Peter), Simon & Schuster, Labyrinth Publishing Ltd, 1994, p.120,121. Screen 19: EASTMAN, Bryant. In: «La Sentinelle» magazine (March 1993), Pacific Press Publishing Association, p.4. Screen 20: In: «Revelation Seminars», Seminars Unlimited, 1986, lesson #6 («Le Glorieux Enlèvement selon l’Apocalypse»), p.4. Screen 21: STEEL, John. In: «God Cares, volume 1» (MAXWELL, C.Mervyn), Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1981, p.76. Screen 22: In: «The Illustrated Children’s Bible» (CHRISTIE-MURRAY, David), Grosset & Dunlap, New York, 1978, p.145. Screen 23: In: «The Bible in Pictures for Little Eyes» (TAYLOR, Kenneth N.), Moody Press, Chicago, 1956, p.116. Screen 24: In: «La Révélation - le grand dénouement est proche», New York, Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, 1988, p.160. Picture edited by Cyberspace Ministry. Screen 25: In: «La Révélation - le grand dénouement est proche», New York, Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, 1988, p.285. Screen 26: BAERG, Harry. In: «Signs of the Times» magazine (December 1999), Pacific Press Publishing Association, p.10. Screen 27: The Bettmann Archive. «Saint Peter’s Basilica». In: «Microsoft Encarta 98 Deluxe», Microsoft, 1997. Screen 28: In: «Photo Gallery 25,000» by Media Graphics International, CD #1, AW020.JPG. Screen 29: In: «Signs of the Times» magazine (January 1991), Pacific Press Publishing Association, p.24. Screen 30: VAN DER WEYDEN, Rogier. «Saint Michael» from «The Last Judgment» (1445-48), Musée de l’Hôtel-Dieu, Beaune, France. In: «Revelations - Art of the Apocalypse» (GRUBB, Nancy), Abeville Press Publishers, 1997, p.85. Screen 31: In: «Photo Gallery 5,000 volume 2» by Media Graphics International, 011_153.JPG.

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 The test of Lesson 45 is waiting for you!