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Second Quarter 2018 April • May • June
COMMENTARY—PREPARATION FOR THE END TIME

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Week 12: June 16–22
COMMENTARY ON "Babylon and Armageddon"

PHIL HARRIS

Following is a combined commentary on the material included in the Bible Study Guide with references as necessary to the supplemental passages included in the E. G. White Notes for the Sabbath School Lessons.

Note: Unless otherwise stated, all biblical quotes are from the English Standard Version (ESV).

 

 

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OVERVIEW

The quarterly memory text for this week is:

And on her forehead was written a name of mystery: “Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth’s abominations.” (Rev. 17:5)

The lessons for this week cover, way to briefly, a large amount of Scripture that should be studied in context and in the order it is recorded. There is no way a serious student of Scripture will learn and understand the Book of Revelation by jumping back and forth and all over the place all the while introducing themes not part of the text. Remember these are the very words of Jesus Christ given to and recorded by the Apostle John. We should study this book and message in the way it is written.

This commentary is for the purpose of separating known biblical and historical fact from the assumptions introduced by the lesson author.

The lesson's assumed 'last day events' at Mount Carmel will not be ignored as this is not part of Scripture. Instead it is an obvious attempted to interject the unbiblical Great Controversy theme. In the words of Nehemiah, the king's cupbearer, commissioned by the King Artaxerxes to rebuild the city (walls) of Jerusalem:

Then I sent to him, saying, “No such things as you say have been done, for you are inventing them out of your own mind.” (Neh. 6:8)

 

THE BOWELS OF GOD'S COMING WRATH

The quarterly lesson's for this week confuse what the biblical text teaches partly by not placing Armageddon and Babylon within the context of the bowls of God's coming wrath and by not showing that chapter 14 is about God's final warning to repent before these bowls of his wrath are poured out:

Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and amazing, seven angels with seven plagues, which are the last, for with them the wrath of God is finished. (Rev. 15:1)

Then I heard a loud voice from the temple telling the seven angels, “Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls of the wrath of God.” (Rev. 16:1)

 

BOWL 1 (Vs. 16:2)

God's wrath in the form of "harmful and painful sores" is poured upon those who have the mark of the beast.

BOWL 2 (Vs. 16:3)

God's wrath is poured upon the sea which becomes like "the blood of a corpse".

BOWL 3 (Vs. 16:4-7)

In God's wrath the rivers and springs of water "become like blood". The angel says; “Just are you, O Holy One, who is and who was, for you brought these judgments..."

BOWL 4 (Vs. 16:8-9)

In God's wrath the people are scorched with fire from the sun because they do not repent nor give God glory.

BOWL 5 (Vs. 16:10-11)

God's wrath is poured upon the throne of the beast plunging it's kingdom is into darkness.

BOWL 6 (Vs. 16:12-16)

God's wrath is poured upon the river Euphrates which dries up to prepare "kings" to come in from the east. Demonic spirits go abroad to the kings of the whole earth to assemble them (at Armageddon) for battle "on the great day of God Almighty". Blessed are those who stay awake for they will not be "naked and seen exposed".

BOWL 7 (Vs. 16:17-21)

The seventh angel pours out the bowl of God's wrath and proclaims; "It is done!" There are flashes of lightning, rumblings, thunder and a great earthquake. "The great city" is split into three parts, the cities of the nations fall and God remembers Babylon to make her drain the cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath. All islands and mountains disappear. Great hailstones fall from heaven. Instead of repenting the people curse God because of the plague.

 

ARMAGEDDON (THE SIXTH BOWL OF GOD'S WRATH)

The lessons for this week begin by introducing Armageddon which is mentioned in the sixth of seven bowls of God's coming wrath that will be poured out by angels upon the earth, Rev. 16:1. The sixth angel mentions "Euphrates" and "Armageddon" without any reference to "Babylon":

The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, to prepare the way for the kings from the east. And I saw, coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs. For they are demonic spirits, performing signs, who go abroad to the kings of the whole world, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty. (“Behold, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed!”) And they assembled them at the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon. (Rev. 16:12-16)

With reference to 'Armageddon' the lesson is correct in saying: "The word occurs only in Scripture here in Revelation and is based on a Hebrew phrase that seems to mean “Mount of Megiddo”. However it is referencing a known location in ancient Israel out on an open plain. The lesson author is incorrect in assuming that this prophecy must be referring to some other location rather than the known site simply because it is not at the top of a mountain. However the original Megiddo is now as known as "Tel Megiddo" and is a mound within an open plain.

The Apostle John wrote the book of Revelation in Greek with the word 'Armageddon' being a Greek word founded upon an obscure Hebrew root word that 'seems to mean mount'. However the sure and actual definition is not known and vigorously debated by scholars. It could also mean 'hill', 'range of hills', 'mound' or 'high rise' on otherwise level ground depending who you want to believe. The fact is the site of ancient Megiddo is well known as the "Tel Megiddo" which overlooks the Plain of Megiddo which is located at the north-western end of the Jezreel Valley. Since Rev. 16:16 clearly speaks of ancient Megiddo there is no justification to shift our focus to nearby Mount Carmel for the outpouring of the seventh bowl of God's coming wrath.

What the Quarterly lesson author does is take an assumed meaning of Armageddon and then transfer this prophecy concerning Armageddon to Mount Carmel thereby giving unbiblical support to Ellen G. White's Great Controversy theme by doing a supposed 'last-day' replay of Elijah's defeat of the prophets of Baal.

The lesson author assumes the great controversy to be true without biblical proof. The most serious problem with the supposed great controversy is that it limits the absolute sovereignty of Jesus Christ the eternal Son of God. It is not known why Lucifer (Satan) rebelled in heaven furthermore he was totally personally defeated when he was cast out of heaven.

With regards to Armageddon and the sixth bowl of God's coming wrath we are only told what we need to know. There is no justification in assuming to be possible what is not revealed in Scripture and then transposing those assumptions into supposed 'truth'.

 

GOD REMEMBERS BABYLON (THE SEVENTH BOWL OF GOD'S WRATH)

The Sunday quarterly lesson titled "The Wine of Her Wrath" should be reworded because the theme is about God's wrath against Babylon first identified in Revelation chapter 14:

Another angel, a second, followed, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, she who made all nations drink the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality.” (Rev. 14:8)

The ESV version of the bible says 'passion' not 'wrath' which is a better English translation of the original Greek. As we study this section of Revelation we see that the focus is of God's wrath that is upon Babylon because of "the passion of her sexual immorality" that has infected all the nations of the world. This becomes obvious as you study on down to verse 10 which says in part: "...he also will drink the wine of God’s wrath...". The point is that this and the following chapters are about God's wrath, what God is and will do. What God says he will do will happen exactly as he says will happen because God is sovereign.

There is no justification to insert the "Great Controversy" concept (as the quarterly lesson author has done) in with these words of the book Revelation. Satan has no ability to confront, alter or in any way defeat God in what God says he will do because Satan's abilities are limited whereas God is infinitely powerful, all knowing and everywhere present from before time began.

Since Babylon is first mentioned here in chapter 14 of Revelation we need step back to verse one to find the context of why Babylon is mentioned. Here it mentions 'the Lamb and with him 144,000'. This takes us on back to chapter seven where we learn who are the 144,000. There it becomes brutally clear that the 144,000 are not Seventh-day Adventist. Instead they are 12,000 each from the literal twelve tribes of Israel who go out to all the world preaching the biblical gospel message of Jesus Christ. They are those whose robes have been made white by the shed blood of the Lamb and as such these Jewish evangelist are of the true remnant, which according to Scripture is the remnant of Israel.

 

REVELATION CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Vs. 1:

• The Apostle John sees Mount Zion (the temple and throne of God in Jerusalem) with Jesus the Lamb of God sitting on his throne.
• This chapter includes both the call for the nations of the world to repent of their sins and the warning of the coming wrath of God. In chapter 16 the 'Seven Bowls' of God's wrath are then delivered from this same temple of God.
• For Jesus Christ to be seated upon his throne in Zion means several things have transpired; the third temple (Ezekiel chapters 40-44) has been built then desecrated by the anti-christ and then cleansed of evil. Understanding this one verse and phrase reveals some serious problems with Adventist theology concerning 'end time events'.
• The 144,000 Jewish evangelists who are to go out preaching to all the nations of the world (Rev. 7) are here before the Lamb of God to receiving their instructions. Since these Jewish evangelist are commissioned to preach to 'all the world' consider what epic in the history of this fallen world is this about and how this affects Adventist view of the 'end times'?
• These Jewish evangelists have the names of Jesus and the Father written on their foreheads. This means their sins had been covered by Jesus' blood he shed at Calvary, Acts 4:12, Gal. 1:9 & 1 Cor. 15:1-5. "There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” To be saved means to have been redeemed, to be justified and declared righteous.
• If you believe these are not 144,000 Jewish evangelists, because of what you have been taught, is that somehow justification to believe the Bible doesn't really mean what it clearly says?
• The 144,000 are part of the "Remnant of Israel", Isa.10:1-34. In Scripture the "Remnant" are only said to be of the Hebrew people who have accept Jesus Christ of their Messiah. It is a lie of Adventism to apply this term to themselves, especially so since it is intended to exclude others who are of the real Body of Christ.

Vs. 2-3:

• A "voice from heaven" signs "a new song" before the throne, the four living creatures and the elders here at Zion.
• Only the 144,000 Jewish evangelist learn this song because it is they who have been "redeemed from the earth" and are the ones who are to preach 'the everlasting gospel' to all the nations of the world.

Vs. 4-5:

• The 144,000 Jewish evangelists have not 'defiled themselves with women', They are "virgins" which simply means they were celibate men. The significance of this is apparent when we come to Babylon mentioned in verse eight and "the passion of her sexual immorality".
• No lies come out of their mouths "for they were blameless" meaning God has reckoned them righteous.
• The 144,000 are the "first fruits for God and the Lamb". "Firs tfruits" (of this final call to repent and receive salvation) means these evangelists have a final call of repentance to preach to all the world.
• The message of these Jewish evangelists includes the warning of the coming wrath of God that is about to fall upon sinners who do not repent of their sins.

Vs. 6-7:

• "Another angel" proclaims "an eternal gospel" to every nation, tribe, language and people. This gospel can only be the biblical gospel of Jesus' shed blood for the sins of the world "for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved", Acts 4:10-12.
• Fear God and give him glory because 'the hour' of his judgment has come.
• Worship the Creator of all things. In the Gospel of John we learn that our Creator is Jesus Christ the Lamb of God who shed his blood at Calvary for the full complete atonement of the sins of the world.
• The context suggests that these Jewish evangelists are to be preaching the one and only eternal gospel, Jesus perfect sinless blood he shed for the sins of the world at Calvary followed by his death (descending as our Scapegoat "into a place unknown") culminating in his victorious resurrection three days later thereby fulfilling completely what God said would occur in Gen. 3:14-15.

Vs. 8:

• Both the city and nation of Babylon "has fallen", simply states an event that has happened.
• When we consider Rev. 18:1-3 we find another angel that makes a similar warning directed at "Babylon" who has caused the entire nations of the world to drink "the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality".
• In the 'end times' the entire nations of the world are infected with and drunk on "the wine of the passion" of Babylon a city that has fallen.
• The second angel draws attention to Babylon's ongoing evil legacy, When the "nations of the world" hear this last preaching (by the 144,000) of the gospel of Jesus Christ, their "sexual immorality" that Babylon has infected them with it is both literal and symbolic of the sins they are being called to repent of.
• The phrase "have committed sexual immorality" of Rev. 17:2 refers to how ancient Babylon has infected all the nations of the world.
• While it is possible that Rev. 18:10 refers to a 'last-day city of Babylon', the phrase "mighty city, Babylon" could simply be the final wrath of God to be poured out in judgment upon the legacy of Babylon that has infected all the nations of the world.

Vs. 9-11:

• The third angel's message is a warning to those who do not respond to the message of the previous two angels. In-other-words the three messages are one common message.
• Anyone who worships "the beast" and receives "his mark" will receive the same wrath of God that has already fallen upon Babylon.
• When these verses are compared with the 'beast and the dragon' of Rev. 13:1-7 it would seem this is a last-day manifestation of ancient Babylon that attempts to replace worship of Jesus Christ.
• God's wrath poured in the cup of his anger will be eternal torment of "fire and sulfur".

Vs. 12-13:

• The endurance of the saints (the true church and body of Christ) are those who keep what God commands and have placed their faith in Jesus.
• John, an apostle of Jesus Christ and of the New Covenant, is not referring to Old Covenant "law of sin and death". Instead Jer. 31:31-34, Rom. 7:1-6 & Rom. 8:1-2 directs our attention to New Covenant law that is placed within the hearts of the redeemed instead of being recorded in a book.
• Those who have 'died in the Lord' are blessed. Therefore there is no such thing as an 'investigative judgement'.

Vs. 14-20:

• One like "a son of man" is sitting on a cloud, has a golden crown and is holding a sharp sickle.
• Then an angel comes out of the temple and says; "Put out your sickle and reap.....", so the one on the cloud reaps the earth.
• Another angel comes out of the "temple of heaven" with a sickle. From verse one this would be the same temple that is at Zion in the city of Jerusalem. Then another angel with authority over fire calls out from the alter; "Put out your sickle and gather from the vines of the earth...", so the angel swung the sickle, gathered the "grape harvest of the earth" and threw it into the "winepress of the wrath of God".
• The winepress was trodden outside the city (Jerusalem) and blood flows as high as a horse's bridle for a great distance. This could be connected to what happens at Armageddon.

 

CONCLUSIONS

1. The sixth bowl of God's wrath will be poured out at Armageddon. Since it is about a gathering of military forces from around the world with the intent of destroying Israel we have good reason to believe that this is what Rev. 14:19-20 describes.
2. The Quarterly devotes two days speculating, without scriptural support, that the events concerning Armageddon really occur on nearby Mount Carmel in support of the failed Great Controversy doctrine. This cannot be true because it would limit the sovereignty of God and Jesus the eternal Son of God.
3. In Rev. 14:9-11 'another angel' speaks of God's wrath that is to fall upon the nations of the world because they have drunken the passion of Babylon's sexual immorality. While there could be a last day city of "Babylon" the seventh bowl of God's wrath falls upon all the nations of the world who have not repented of Babylon's sexual immorality.
4. Rev. 7:1-8 defines the 144,000 as 'sealed servants of God' selected by God from the twelve tribes of Israel who in Rev. 14:1-5 "have been redeemed from mankind as first fruits for God and the Lamb" meaning they are of the Remnant of Israel. They are here in Jerusalem to receive their commission to evangelize and bring the nations of the world to repentance before the seven bowls of God's wrath falls upon them. The is no such thing as a Remnant church except as it applies to his covenant people which are Jews that accept Jesus as their Messiah.
5. Rev. 14:1 declares that the Lamb (Jesus Christ the Messiah) is on Mount Zion (the temple in Jerusalem). Verse 17 then introduces what seems to be a mystery by saying the temple is in heaven.
6. This location in Jerusalem is where the 144,000 Hebrew evangelist are given the message of 'the three angels' centered on preaching "the everlasting gospel" to the nations of the world because the 'the hour of judgment' is at hand.
7. Scripture teaches that there is only one gospel (Gal. 1:9) that brings salvation to sinners. The one and only gospel is that Jesus who is, eternally righteous "without blemish", shed his blood, died at Calvary and descended into the grave (as our Scapegoat into a place unknown) for the sins of the world, then arouse victoriously over death three days later. Jesus then ascended into heaven to sit down forever at the side of the Father because the gospel of our salvation is forever complete. Since the Father is the most holy place in heaven it is nonsense to say Jesus didn't enter into the most holy place until 1844.
8. Rev. 14:12 continues the third angel's message who then calls; "for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus". Adventist legalistic theology ignores passages of Scripture such as Rom. 7:1-12 which declares it is 'spiritual adultery' to remain under any portion of the Old Covenant "law of death". Instead Christians (the Church) are 'The Bride of Christ' (Eph. 5:25-27 & 2 Cor. 11:2) who obey the "groom" Jesus Christ the Son of God through the indwelling and leading of the Holy Spirit, Rom. 8:1-8.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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