“The great city was split into three parts.” (Rev. 16:19 NASB)
There is a “pie-chart” map of the world at this link which, I believe, illustrates the great city perfectly. Each pie chart is one nation, and the size of each pie chart is relative to that nation’s population. It is the color and location of each pie chart that is eye-opening.
Each nation and its religions represented as pie charts. The locations of these pie charts in each of the three parts of the great city tells this eye-opening story.
The case is made in Chronicles of the End Times that Babylon the Great, the great city, is the entire world, or, all humanity who are not servants of Christ. The great city is divided into three parts as the Bible says at the beginning of this post.
The three parts are shown in Chronicles (and in this post) to be separated based on how each area of the world received the Gospel. The process actually began 500 years before Christ, with the message contained in the book of Daniel.
The final judgments to occur, such as the Trumpets and Bowls, as well as the type of hardships there will be during the later Signposts, are all fairly and justly issued by God based on how each area ultimately received the Gospel.
I made some modifications to the diagram, adding some labels and boundaries. We now discuss each of the three areas.
West Earth
Christianity is the dominant faith of West Earth. There may be some animism (“Other”) in South America, and Atheism in North America, but by and large, this part is Christian. One might think that most of the world’s true followers of Christ would be in this part, but the majority of people pursue wealth ahead of Christ.
Center Earth
Note the Green of Islam gobbling up the Blue of Christianity. All nations in Center Earth are or were Christian. The whole part of Center Earth would have been blue like West Earth. Yes, Libya, Turkey, and all the other green pie charts were blue in the centuries following Christ.
This is the great falling away. As the end times continue into the Fourth Signpost and the Tribulation, the blue pie charts of southern Africa, and the blue and grey pie charts of Europe, will also become green. The great falling away will continue right up into the Tribulation.
East Earth
Note the “hodge podge” of the East. The forces of Hell saw the wonderful message of Daniel 2-7, from the true God of heaven, written in Aramaic, potentially telling all the world that the true God exits, and what it is to serve the true God. In the same decade the message came out, Confucius began writing down his moral code, and Brahma appeared to Gautama telling him he had to preach his new religion to the world, becoming the Buddha.
The patchwork of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Confucianism covered the East, providing a religion and moral code to whole nations, also created a wall for any other religion such as Christianity to enter from the outside.
The reader can see the Hinduism of India (brown), the Buddhism of China, Thailand, Japan, and the rest of southwestern Asia (orange), and the Confucianism of China (yellow/”Other”). Russia appears Christian, but is one of the few nations to become Christian not because believers converted the leader of the nation (as happened with, say, Constantine and the Roman Empire) but the leader was deciding which religion to have for his state. Vladimir the Great ultimately decided on Greek Orthodox (with Judaism, Catholicism, and Islam losing) in AD 1000. More recently, the Chinese Communist party replaced Buddhism in China with Atheism.
Summary
So there we have it. West Earth is almost solid blue and is free to pursue Christ or not. Center Earth is losing their Christian faith, falling away to Islam or the Enlightenment. East Earth is inoculated from Christianity with a mixture of faiths. This last part of the earth, with half of the human population, is the part of the earth that has potentially the greatest harvest in the end times.
Categories: Chronicles of the End Times, Mystery Babylon, The Great City, World in the End Times
THE FOUR SIGNPOSTS 
I disagree!
Why would God say that Babylon reins over the other cities of the world if Babylone is the entire world?
Why God ask His servants to leave Babylon if Babylon is the entire world? The rapture is not in that picture yet.
I believe Babylon is Mecca, the Mother* of paganism.
In Western Culture we think “mother” means “first” but in the Middle East, “mother” means “big”. Saddam Hussein said if Bush starts a war against Iraq it will be the “Mother” of all wars. The greatest pagan religion in the world is Islam, with two billion followers worshipping a black stone towards Mecca.
The city of that religion is Mecca. Who claims that Allah is her husband so she is not a “widow” like the Christians that lost their Messiah in a crucifiction. Allah has no son killed at the cross.
Martinez,
Many will disagree. Your belief that Babylon is a city reflects centuries of traditional teaching, and in particular that Babylon is Mecca reflects the teaching of Joel Richardson in his book on Mystery Babylon.
You ask logical questions. To answer the first question, Babylon the Harlot, the opposite of Christ, yes, rules over not only all earthly cities but the whole unsaved human race. To answer your second, His call for His people to come out of her means to simply stop living for yourself, and live for Christ; stop serving yourself, and serve Christ. The rapture is irrelevant because when Christ calls us home, He calls us home, and we have nothing to say or do about that.
Carrie Osgood is a world traveler who created this religious pie chart of the world she travels through. Your framing of Osgood’s chart can help people of faith understand what she has displayed, especially if “Chronicles of the End Times” is read.
I have studied the prophecies of Nostradamus. “Center Earth” defines their scope. In Leoni’s “Nostradamus and His Prophecies,” index B shows that 63% of the quatrains have geographical settings, mostly in Europe, with some references to North African and Middle East nations.
Concerning the domain of Antichrist:
9:45 Richard Sieburth’s 2012 translation:
Nothing satisfying his immense demands,
Great Mendosus shall acquire full control :
Far from court, he’ll issue countermands,
Bad for Piedmont, Paris, Picard, Tyrron.
5:69 Richard Sieburth’s 2012 translation:
The great lord shall safely lay down his head,
His uneasy dreams now at last consoled :
He’ll array his troops in gold, blue, red,
Conquer Africa, gnaw it to the bone.
5:11 Edgar Leoni’s 1961 translation:
The sea will not be passed over safely by those of the Sun,
Those of Venus will hold all Africa:
Saturn will no longer occupy their realm,
And the Asiatic part will change.
[Those of the Sun = Sunday = Christians; Venus = Friday = Muslims; Saturn = Saturday = Jews.]
Defeating the forces of Antichrist in Europe:
4:5 Richard Sieburth’s 2012 translation:
Cross in peace under perfect word divine,
Spain & Gaul then together shall unite :
Disaster nigh & conflict most unkind,
No heart so bold as not to quake with fright.
5:74 Richard Sieburth’s 2012 translation:
Of Trojan blood shall be born a German great
Who shall attain a power so storied
He’ll drive out the alien Arab race,
Restoring the Church to its former glory.
10:95 Peter Lemesurier’s 2003 translation:
Down into Spain the mighty King shall sweep,
By land and sea the southern filth defeat.
Such ill he’ll do the crescent, down it beat,
And clip the wings of those who Friday keep.
10:86 Richard Sieburth’s 2012 translation:
Like a griffin the King of Europe shall come,
Accompanied by forces from the North :
An army of reds & whites he’ll lead forth
To go against the King of Babylon.
Here is some interesting elements to consider in this presentation Moscow, Rio de Janario, Instanbol, and Rome all sit among seven hills. London has affected all seven continents. I think Mark makes an interesting point although I am not entirely certain if one city plays a more central key role in the fall of nations. All metropolitan cities have their harlotry and Christianity has become significantly less influential in metropolitan areas. And also corruption runs deep in all of them while churches lose more of their rights and influence in the major metropolitan areas of the world. Ancient Babylon institutionalized the first commerce system in which could be reference in which Revelation is directed that is “the system” and not necessarily the a particular city. The gold cup seems also to make a reference to first empire economic system as well. Mystery means “hidden” and some matters appear obscure still.
I will say that current economic system is now global and worldwide as one market affects another on a daily basis. The demise of one market will domino and definitely the others.
The books & prophecies of Daniel and Revelation are obviously loaded with symbolism, which many interpretations stumble over, being unable to discern what is outward and literal versus what is inward and spiritual. I see value in Mark’s interpretations because he seems able and skilled at rightly separating the outward and inward (“rightly dividing the word of truth…”). Not that I personally claim to see all this clearly; but for example the quote, “Come out from among them and be separate and don’t touch the unclean thing” seems like a spiritual reference and exhortation to ALL persons of faith in Christ to inwardly move away from ‘friendship with the world’ which ‘is enmity with God’. These verses rhyme well with others like, “Love not the world, nor the things in the world…” and “Everyone who has this hope within him purifies himself, even as He is pure…”.
We must always remember that our precious gift of faith purifies our hearts, and God is always primarily looking on the heart. Always.
Mark: This is not a rhetorical question. Pursuing wealth ahead of Christ: I assume you are referencing Mt. 6:19-21. What is the objective standard to measure if we are violating the command to not lay up treasures? If one is to obey one has to know how to obey. Paul instructs the rich in 1 Tim.6, not to give all their money away, but to avoid trusting in wealth and not to be high-minded. The rich in 1 Tim.6 were apparently not in violation of Mt.6.
For a believer, how much is too much? I don’t know any working christian in this country (“poor” ones included) that doesn’t have a car, computer, appliances, radio, TV, all the food and water they want and all the music they want or at least have access to these.
The closest measurement I can come up with is that if we get mad at God for taken them away then we’ve violated Mt.6.
Karl,
Yes, Matt. 6:19-21, and v. 24, and vs. 31-33. The key is given in Matt. 6:21 about where your heart is – what’s most important to you.
Wealth itself is not bad. It’s the place you give it in your life that is significant. We should be familiar with and follow Paul’s words in Philippians 4:12-13.
I’m not sure if it is that complicated. It seems to me that we are wanting to name something before it’s time, before we are actually in/around the last 3.5 years.
Gen 11:4 in speaking of Babel-which is the root of it all, tells us,
4 They said, “Come, let us build for ourselves a city, and a tower whose top will reach into heaven, and let us make for ourselves a name, otherwise we will be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.”
This sounds similar to Isa. 14:12-15,
12
“How you have fallen from heaven,
O star of the morning, son of the dawn!
You have been cut down to the earth,
You who have weakened the nations!
13
“But you said in your heart,
‘I will ascend to heaven;
I will raise my throne above the stars of God,
And I will sit on the mount of assembly
In the recesses of the north.
14
‘I will ascend above the heights of the clouds;
I will make myself like the Most High.’
15
“Nevertheless you will be thrust down to Sheol,
To the recesses of the pit.
I think the context is Satan and Satan’s man that wants to run the show on the earth in contrast to God and His people. The people that are the movers and the shakers of this world are Satan’s children (Ps. 2) This has been since Nimrod on. How he does it during the last 3.5 years is through the Beast/Antichrist and the False Prophet and their system. In Rev 13 we read,
11 Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb and he spoke as a dragon. 12 He exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence. And he makes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed. 13 He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down out of heaven to the earth in the presence of men. 14 And he deceives those who dwell on the earth because of the signs which it was given him to perform in the presence of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who had the wound of the sword and has come to life. 15 And it was given to him to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast would even speak and cause as many as do not worship the image of the beast to be killed. 16 And he causes all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free men and the slaves, to be given a mark on their right hand or on their forehead, 17 and he provides that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name.
And everyone will know at that time what it will mean to take the mark because one of the angels in Rev 14 says,
9 Then another angel, a third one, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed in full strength in the cup of His anger; and he will 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 goes up forever and ever; they have no rest day and night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.” 12 Here is the perseverance of the saints who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.
13 And I heard a voice from heaven, saying, “Write, ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on!’” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “so that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow with them.”
So, it has to be a city that will be well known to the people at that time, just like Babel was, and Babylon. To come out of her, is to not take the mark and be part of the “system” of the Beast, and for those who are living therein, to actually leave it-like Lot had to. It would make sense that people will be secret believers in that city, but when the mark is revealed and put in place, all will know what it means to take it- because the angels warn the whole world.
I think we will have to wait to fully understand what great city it is. Yes, the world system is tied to it, but it has a geographical location too- if we take the words as literal. Which I do.
The example of bowing down or not bowing bow to the King of Babylon in Dan 3 is the perfect example for us that will face the Beast. I like this song by Third Day as to our response. 🙂
My thought on wealth for the people that will see the events unfold- which will probably be us, is are we going to hang onto it when we know the second coming is getting close, or are we going to like, cash-out the 401K and invest it into the kingdom? This is what 1st Cor. 3 is about- about our investing in Kingdom work, not earthly, that this world and its institutions will be burned up. It’s about doing things to get people saved and helping those who are- which is true for all our giving with a right heart, IMO.
I mean, Jesus was walking among those in the Gospels. He was offering Israel the Kingdom. He was teaching on Kingdom life-how it will be in His Messianic Kingdom. If we think there will be anyway our wealth will help us enter the Kingdom and make it through the day of the Lord, we are sorely mistaken.
Lots wife hung onto it, and even Lot had to be dragged out of the city-and his family. Lets hope we don’t.
“East Earth is inoculated from Christianity with a mixture of faiths. This last part of the earth, with half of the human population, is the part of the earth that has potentially the greatest harvest in the end times.”
I love this, it is so hopeful.
Christianity went North from Antioch and then west along the Silk Route, and North and South from there. AD 400 they were in India, AD 650 they were in Xian, capital of the T’ang emperors of China; arriving together with the Buddhists. Around AD 750 they were in Japan, just before the Buddhists. In the middle ages there were far more Christians in all of Asia than in all of Europe together. But in China and Japan, they remained small minorities. In Japan they assimilated with the Buddhists, and after a few centuries they were no longer recognizable as christian. In China all their books, schools and monasteries were destroyed by orders of a Ming emperor around AD 840 and then their faith assimilated with their surroundings.
Left were very many Christians in Central Asia. Marco Polo’s travels led him through many Tartar, Mongol and Turkish tribes, most of them Christian. Then came Tamerlane, Mongol Khan turned Muslim, who butchered Christians (and Hindus and dissenting Muslims) by the millions. Today the Islamic Turkish peoples, Tartars etc. for the most part do not even remember that many of their ancestors once were Christians.
Finally, of all the great “Church Of The East”, that once had Syrian Aramaic as its church language, only the “Thomas Christians” in India and the “Assyrian Church” in the remotest parts of Iraq, survived as Christians until modern times.
Truly, East Earth deserves another chance. The present growth of Christianity in China and Iran, both under persecution, sometimes so bad as if the very end times are already upon them, testifies this has begun.
Sources:
“By Foot to China”, John M.L. Young;
“The Assyrian Church in the Mongolian Empire”, Stephen Andrew Missick;
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_the_East
Steve,
. . . or the wealth/money evaporates and is taken away from us (the West) as the Signposts roll by.
Adamant,
The Gospel only really took root in the mid-1800’s in the East when missionaries like J Hudson Taylor introduced the idea that real salvation is relationship in Christ, not a religion. Earlier, others like the Nestorian monks in the eighth century AD, only introduced another religion to the Buddhists, Confucianists, and Hindus, and so didn’t get far.
Mark,
Yes, that is true. Just how much so will remain to be seen? For my part, I believe God will give us a “heads up”, and that heads up will be the covenant of death (Isa. 28:15, Dan. 9:27). I believe this will be 7 years before the 70th week is done and Christ comes to set up His Kingdom.
I see the 7 years as pertaining to the 7 seals- much like Nelson Walters in his book, “Revelation Deciphered”. The discerning Christian will then be able to do what ever God lays on their heart to do-that first year, because then we will have a firm time line. I also hold to the “falling away” as being tied to the revealing of the man of sin/Antichrist, and the mark of the Beast, the great tribulation- and not just to a general falling away over the centuries. Jesus makes this clear in Matthew 24:9-10,
9 “Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. 10 At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another.
Paul says, in 2nd Thess. 2:3-12,
3 Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God. 5 Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things? 6 And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he will be revealed. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. 8 Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; 9 that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, 10 and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. 11 For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, 12 in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.
By Paul using “the” in front of apostasy makes it a defining event. Also, you can see the context is that God sending a deluding influence at the very time the Antichrist is revealed so the false Christians and fence sitters will believe the lie. These are nothing but tares destined to be burned.
The sad part is many churches will turn into mosques overnight, and many people we thought were brothers and sisters in Christ will be shown they are not. 😦 Actually the influence of the Beast could be felt the most in places like the USA that have a large professing Christianity ( the blue). The Government could be abolished almost overnight, if the majority therein turned into Muslims.
To throw all your eggs into one basket before we know for certain we are in the 70th week is not prudent IMO. Some prepping is good, and God may lay on individuals hearts to go full in now, but this is more of a conviction than a definite sign from God. But now is the time to get our house in order and to watch for sure!
I also believe you are right in sounding the alarm and educating us that Daniel 8 will be fulfilled first-just like Joel Richardson did about Islam being the last Beast empire. God is using all you guys to put the pieces of the puzzle together to prepare us to face the Beast and his empire. You could be right about other things too, but for me the concrete signs the Bible brings out with a time line attached is:
#1. A covenant with many- Daniel 9:27. This will have to be tied to Israel offering sacrifices again in a Temple. Dan. 11:29-45. I mean, if Israel stated to build a Temple now on the Mount all the Muslims would have a fit!There has to be something in place to let this happen.
#2. The two witnesses. Rev 11. Whoever they are, they will be a sign to everyone that the end is near. They will probably be saying the same thing John did- Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand! They will probably be labeled as right wing loonies and the fake news media will explain away any miracles they do.
#3. The man of sin is revealed. The Antichrist gets His power now. Rev 12-13, and see above. Even if we somehow miss the memo, we won’t miss this one. There will be no sitting on the fence for the whole world will have to choose sides. This will be the fake news’ darling. 😉
Don’t get me wrong, I believe we are close to the 70th week going down. I’ve read two books that seem to “prove” we are right on the verge of the 6000 years coming to a close. But because setting dates has failed in the past, I will hold onto what is the concrete signs the Bible gives us and watch events in the Middle East and elsewhere that are setting things up to be fulfilled. We could not do this in any other time in history.
If we know the truth about Jesus’ second coming-that there are signs to watch for and we know the signs. If we are following Jesus and not man, we will not be deceived. Only when we hold to false teaching and are not truly saved can we be deceived- it blocks us from seeing/understanding the truth. And the nature of prophecy is many times we have to wait until it is either right at the doors, happening, or has taken place to know for certain we are at that time. We just have to watch! 🙂
Steve,
I am familiar with NW’s teaching, and I disagree with it.
His arguments are based on an idea he loves, which is each of the seven seals are each of the seven years of the seventieth week. The seven years of the seventieth week are specifically mentioned only once, and that is in Daniel 9:24-27. The timespan we see very often is the 42 months and the 1260 days, i.e. the Great Tribulation. The seven years is only given to Israel.
Rather, one should do due diligence in exegesis, following the trails in Scripture, to find out what He has in store, tossing aside our beloved ideas.
In Chronicles I show how obvious Scripture really is that each of the seven seals is an event. The fifth and seventh seals are also concurrent, which definitely goes against the idea they would be years 5 and 7.
The Four Signposts and the seven events were found by simply following the trails.
The map on page 548 of “Chronicles of the End Times” shows western Europe as easy areas for Islam to conquer.
The last stand of Islam in western Europe was in Spain at Granada, which surrendered in 1492 to Christians.
A 1557 prophecy by Nostradamus indicates that Spain will be reconquered by Muslims beginning at Granada.
5:55 Richard Smoley’s 2006 translation
From the country of Arabia Felix
Will be born a strong one of Mohammedan law,
To vex Spain, conquer Grenada,
And farther by sea to the Ligurian people.
Arabia Felix is an old name for what is now Yemen, parts of which are an extension of Iran. Liguria is the coastal area of northwestern Italy.
3:20 Richard Smoley’s 2006 translation
By the lands of the great river Guadalquiver
Far from the Ebro, in the realm of Granada:
Crosses repulsed by Mohammedan folk;
One from Córdoba will betray the country.
from 8:51 Richard Smoley’s 2006 translation
The Byzantine making oblation,
After having retaken Córdoba for himself…
By “le Bizantin” Nostradamus would have meant a Turkish leader, suggesting third signpost. Could the following be fourth signpost?
3:88 Richard Sieburth’s 2012 translation
The Barcelona armada so great
That all Marseille shall be trembling with fear :
Its islands seized, no hope of help from sea,
He who betrayed you sailing off upstream.
Will France eventually be ruled by Islamic law?
3:49 Peter Lemesurier’s 2010 translation
Gallic kingdom, you shall be much changed:
to a foreign place is power transferred.
Other customs and laws shall be drawn up for you:
Rouen and Chartres shall do you much harm.
Lemesurier came to regard Nostradamus as a fraud. Yet he cautioned: “there has to be an uncomfortable feeling that he managed in some way to put his finger on the gist of future trends” (Nostradamus, Bibliomancer).
I guess I’ll have to get your book! 🙂 I am familiar with the post-trib view that sees one seal, one trumpet, and one bowl happening, but I’ve never bought into this because it don’t make common sense.
I mean, you can do an experiment at home with a piece of parchment paper, sealing wax, and seal. Write on the paper inside and out, then roll it up and seal it with seven seals. You cannot read the scroll until the last seal is broke and then you can unroll and read it. This is the same way with the seven sealed scroll Jesus takes and starts to break the seals.So there is no way that any seal could be concurrent or the 1, 1, 1, of post-trib.
Whatever the scroll is, yes events do happen when the seals are broke, but they are in chronological order-just as the trumpets and bowls are, you can see a cause and effect in a progression. Revelation itself is in a chronological order for the most part with interludes that go back and sometimes forward and explain material that has been covered. It is like Genesis 1 & 2, where we have an overview, then a focusing in on whatever needs to be focused on. Similar to Mat 24-25 too.
So, seal five shows the elect being killed during the great trib- which probably starts in the forth seal, then the sixth with it’s signs and presence of the Lord, this is when the great trib is cut short- when the Parousia happens. This follows what Jesus teaches in Mat 24, and is confirmed in the interlude of Rev 7, where we have the word “came out of great tribulation”. This is following the Scripture trail with only using common sense and key words.
Not that I agree with every point of NW, but he brings out the importance of the 7, in the Scriptures. Yes the 3.5 years is mentioned a lot and is probably the most important focus, but the two 3.5 = 7, so without the 70th week starting, there will be no 3.5, right? Unless you do not believe we have a 70th week left-7 years. I know some do not believe this, but I don’t hold to this from the plain sense reading of Daniel 9 where the focus is of the Messiah being cut off. We know that was when Jesus was crucified-when the Lamb was slain. Just like the focus is on the slaying of the Passover lamb, not when he was selected.
Am I 100% sure that the seals are not broken in a 7 year time span? No I’m not, but it’s clear in my mind seal 4-5 must be broke over the last 3.5. This is why I try to keep an open mind on some things at least that are not clear, and why I read books like yours that have a different viewpoint on events leading up to the last 3.5 years. The last 3.5 are pretty clear for sure, IMO. 🙂
Yes, Steve, read Chronicles. Keep an open mind. Chronicles is a journey, and it is slow reading because of the exploration aspect of the Bible, but it may very well turn what you think you know on its ear. You’ll see why I say seals 5 and 7 are concurrent, and that’s just to start. All of Daniel and all of Revelation are studied with parts of Zechariah and Matthew.
I think still there is meat with this Mark. Some have stated that John’s personal letters came after he pinned Revelations. He writes in I John 2:15 to love not the world. Now he was not talking about the earth but more the world system and what it prides itself in.
I think about those ministers in the last year who have publicly indicated of retractions in their books due to obviously a love of the world (that is a love for public appeal) that has seeped in. It’s shocking to see the harlotry that is subtle over time. John’s warning go unheeded. Mark, I am a big supporter of VOM and Open Doors ministries and am stunned of how little attention is given to persecution and it remembering our brothers and sisters in chains. To forget is to “love the world” and drink from the cup. Now I know would like to say Mecca fits to picture more but what if this statement is being made to the original Babylon and the system it promoted and Mecca is merely “a direct daughter from it?’ I would suggest looking into how many ministers are double digit millionaires. I have been astonished in seeing of who makes this list to be honest.
Reformation Sunday is this weekend! Let’s not forget how many in the Reformation confronted the seduction of Babylon in their day. It was not Rome but instead a system that Rome fell prey too. I hope you appreciate my thoughts on this. By the way, socialism doesn’t reform anything and I do wonder if it becomes somewhat the single edge sword of the beast. Your thoughts on this Mark?
Hey,
Check this story out.
I think stories like this support my theory that most or a large part of the “blue” will turn to Islam overnight when the Beast is revealed. So even though his seat of power is over in the Middle East, his influence will be felt throughout the world…Looks like they are cutting heads off again during the Turkish land grab in Syria too.
https://www.foxnews.com/faith-values/supreme-court-rejects-case-of-christian-teen-forced-to-write-islamic-conversion-prayer
On page 142 of “Chronicles of the End Times” is this statement: “That nation [Albania] may surprise us all when it is in league with Turkey, Egypt, and Syria, as part of the four-headed leopard.”
What if, during the third signpost, Albanians conquered Rome, Athens, and part of Spain? That may be what Nostradamus predicted.
In 4:98 he wrote “Les Albanois passeront dedans Rome,” which in 1993 Peter Lemesurier translated “Th’ Albanians into Rome shall straightway fare” (in later translations Lemesurier changed “Albanians” to “those from Alba”). In 5:46 “Et sera Rome lesée par Albanois” was in 1989 translated by Erika Cheetham “Rome will be injured by those of Albania.” In 6:20 “Lors aura Rome un nouveau liepart” was translated by Cheetham “when Rome has a new Leopard.” One of the four heads of the leopard (Daniel 7:6) will be Albania.
In 5:91 “Du tout Torrent & champ Athenien : Seront surprins par les chevaux legiers, Par Albanois” was in 2012 translated by Richard Sieburth “By the river of Athens & its plain : By Albanian light horse they’ll be surprised.”
In 8:94 “Seront Hyspans par Albannois gastez Par delay perte en donnant le conflict” was translated in 1961 by Edgar Leoni “There will be Spaniards destroyed through those of Alba, Loss through delay in giving battle.” “Those of Alba” may be a wrong translation of “Albannois.” Albania had been part of the Ottoman Empire for over a century before Nostradamus wrote his prophecies. Although he predicted invasions of Europe by Muslims, Nostradamus had faith that Christianity would eventually triumph over Islam.
5:53 Richard Smoley’s 2006 translation:
The law of the Sun [Christianity] and Venus [Islam] contending,
Claiming the spirit of prophecy.
The one will not be understood by the other;
By the Sun the law of the great Messiah will prevail.
Daniel 9:25 “Know and understand this: From the time the word goes out to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One,[f] the ruler, comes, there will be seven ‘sevens,’ and sixty-two ‘sevens.’ It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble. 26 After the sixty-two ‘sevens,’ the Anointed One will be put to death and will have nothing.[g]
AFTER the 7 ‘sevens’ and the 62 ‘sevens’ is WEEK 70 – if the 70th week is future then Yeshua is not the Anointed One because the ruler to come is killed during week 70 – AFTER 62 ‘sevens’. How can Yeshua be the Anointed One if week 70 never happened & even if he only came for one hour he still came in the 70th week so it must have happened.
If the Anointed One came during week 69 then this is wrong – not the few lines we don’t like – all of it.
Prisms,
Interesting idea – we’ll have to watch. As you likely well know from Chronicles, Albania almost did just that – conquer Rome. Albania’s predecessor, Epirus, almost entirely conquered Rome at the time, arriving at the gates of the city itself. Honest historians tell us the greatest threat to early Rome wasn’t Carthage – it was Epirus. And much of what went on in ancient times was a foreshadow.
Steve L,
Daniel 9:24-26 happened from 445 BC to Palm Sunday, when the Anointed One, Messiah (which means “Anointed”) arrived at Jerusalem on a donkey and was crucified a week later.
Daniel 9:27 is end-time. The ruler to come is Antichrist who is thrown alive into the lake of fire at the end of the seventieth week.
Chiastics confirms this is a good interpretation (ch. 33 of Chronicles).
“And much of what went on in ancient times was a foreshadow.” Your Chronicles book shows that in chapter 16: “Daniel 2 and 7: History Clarifies the End Times and Vice Versa.”
Nostradamus scholars have noted how his quatrains often referred to events in history. He was no doubt was aware of the exploits of Pyrrhus of Epirus.
In 1:74, first published in 1555, he referred to Epirus.
Richard Sieburth’s 2012 text:
Aprés sejour vogueront en Épire,
Le grand secours viendra vers Antioche :
Le noir poil crespe tendra fort à l’Empire,
Barbe d’ærain le roustira en broche.
[Épire = Albania. Antioche = Antakya area of Turkey]
Edgar Leoni’s 1961 translation:
After having tarried they will wander into Epirus:
The great relief will come towards Antioch,
The black frizzled hair will strive strongly for the Empire:
Bronzebeard will roast him on a spit.
When Nostradamus wrote lines 3 and 4, he was probably aware of a gruesome event that took place in 1504. According to “A History of Iran: Empire of the Mind” (2008) by Michael Axworthy, in 1504, Esma’il, the ruler of the Persian Safavid Empire, had two captured rebels “roasted on spits as kebabs” (page 132). Esma’il had “reddish hair.”
Mark in all honesty I found the your book of chronicle a hard read,maybe I’m thick and need to read it 5 times to be enlightened.Correct me if I’m wrong basically on a select series of verses there is the main point and a supporting cast of verses,I,m just thinking that scripture is made for the simple and a theme of a text should be obvious, It is like I do not know where to start to apply your book.what pages in your book give me the basic concepts as a example and how would I cross refer say Zechariah and Matthew using chiàstics.
Mike,
I don’t know about “hard read” but it is a long read and maybe a deep read. It makes the reader wade deeply into the prophetic books, considering all parts, verses, and words. So reading it 5 times is not unusual. I keep a copy on my desk, as I use it as a textbook.
All parts of scripture are made for the simple, as well as the “smarter.” No matter how much you know of Scripture, or how intimate you are in your relationship with our Master, the same Scripture passages teach you still more year after year. There are many layers. Chiastics allows us to see more layers.
For the books of Daniel and the others, each chapter or passage has a central thought which must be in mind when reading the whole passage. Chiastics tells us the central thought of each passage and its not obvious from a straight read – consider Dan. 8:17 is the central thought of Dan 8 but theology has been missing it for centuries. Dan. 4:37 is pointed out as the central thought of all of Dan 2-7, but can only be understood as such by reading all of Dan 2-7.
Chronicles takes the reader by the hand, but the reader must study and consider how the book got there to the next step. Yes, Scripture can be easy like the Gospels, the OT stories, and the Epistles. But the prophets must be studied and considered deeply.
Chronicles dives into many topics in prophecy, but can’t develop every one. The only two that get developed are the identity of Babylon the Great and how it applies to today, and the end time events, and these are spelled out in Section 7.
For your question of cross referencing Zechariah 1-6 with Matthew 23-25, use the prophecy table (that’s one of its functions). The prophecy table is added to at the end of each of Sections 2-6 with the final version on p 419, figure 131. Column B on the left is what is used for Section 7. As you can see columns B and C are the only columns where Matt 23-25 can be tied to Zechariah 5-6. You also ask about Zechariah 1-6, but that passage applies to many end time themes, while Matt 23-25 is more narrow. (Consider Appendix C and p. 610, where Zechariah is tied to Revelation and Habakkuk.)
Also consider, many passages tie to others, shown in Chronicles. Some cross-referencing is not shown because in my studies I didn’t discover them. That doesn’t mean they are not there. Its left to the reader to take what is presented, consider it, and go from there in your own studies.
Hope this long answer helps.
There is a view on the 7 seals, trumpets, and bowls that the seals are broken to first reveal the judgments, the trumpets then “announce” the judgments, and then the “bowls” pour them out. Revealed, announced, and poured out, in that order. Some of the judgments may well be concurrent, but they must all first be revealed and announced. Isn’t announcing something what the trumpets were used for?
Jeanne,
Yes, trumpets were used to announce. Remember, too, the “Revealed, announced, and poured out, in that order” is only some teachers’ opinion.
The fifth and seventh seals are indeed concurrent with both occurring during the Great Tribulation, with the trumpets and bowls concurrent between themselves also during the GT.
The trumpets announce God’s judgment worldwide. However, the bowls are “throwing bowls”, throwing liquid – in this case, blood – which is received from Jesus’ trampling the grapes. These 7 bowls are poured out only on the Antichrist’s realm, concurrent with the worldwide trumpet judgment. So for example the fifth trumpet releases the demon locusts worldwide. But on top of that the fifth bowl releases great darkness over the AC realm. People across the world must deal with these locusts, but those in the AC’s realm must do so in the dark.
The bowls are reserved for the AC realm because they are a special punishment for shedding the blood of the saints. The East, the West, might be persecuting the saints just as they persecute everyone who won’t bow down to their tyranny, but the AC makes it a special mission to go after the saints only. There is special judgment reserved for that, i.e. the bowls.
Chronicles shows all the curious reflections between the trumpets and bowls.
Mark,
Some of the reasons why I disagree with things being done at the same time ( one seal, or one trumpet, one bowl).
Rev 15:1 Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels who had seven plagues, which are the last, because in them the wrath of God is finished.
The Bible says they are the last, and in them the wrath of God is finished. It could not be clearer, IMO. This also means the wrath of God started with the trumpets because only then does the earth/sea start get hurt.
Rev 15:8 8 And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His power; and no one was able to enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were finished.
This is another verse that shows the closing of the temple only after the angels come out of it and get their bowls, showing that indeed the bowls are last in a progression of wrath that started with the trumpets. But the last trumpet must sound before the angels can even go out of the temple and get their bowls! Right??? I mean that what it says.
Another example is the 6th trumpet releases the angels to bring the Eastern Kings into the field and they start killing. The 6th bowl dries it up to make their path straight to Har-Magedon so Jesus can smite them.
There are also three woes. ( Rev 8) Since the first four trumpets are not “woes”, this again shows a progression in severity.
The angels are before the throne with the trumpets, they come out of the temple and are then given the bowls with a command of God. And God says it is finished only then-after the 7th bowl.
Also, comparing what the trumpets and bowls do to the earth and man, we can’t help but see a natural progression in severity with each sequence. God gives mankind an opportunity to repent and then turns up the heat.
The last bowl is so bad that all the armies will have to be gathered, prepared for Jesus to slay them when He comes to take possession of the Kingdom (Rev 19). Otherwise they would not be able to gather there because the earth would be so tore up no travel would be able to take place. This is a smart war tactic too, no one will be able to get away and you have them all stranded there. Again speaking of a progression and a sequence of 1-7, just like it reads.
Sure the bowls are poured in quick order. But I see the bowls only lasting for only days, not months, because they are so severe.
Just my 2 cents. 🙂
Thank you, Mark, that is helpful. And yes, the “revealed, announced, and poured out” view is not shared by all teachers, but it is an interesting thing to consider. That then leads to the question, are there 21, or seven, since the bowls are where they are actually poured out?
Jeanne,
Seven trumpet judgments are given across the world, where each judgment is partaken of by each of the three parts. If one-third of the trees are burned up, that’s one-third across the world – some in the West, some in the Center, and some in the East.
Seven bowls are given only to the one part – the Center, so the Center gets all 7 bowls exclusively, and part of each of the 7 trumpets.
As the first signpost was ending in 2011, Muslim migrations into Europe were increasing (due to the Arab Spring uprisings of 2010-2012).
Second signpost invasions can only increase the number of Muslims migrating to Europe. The third signpost confederacy led by Turkey may not do much invading. They can simply take over whatever domain Iran had conquered, expand into weakened areas, and then sit back to rule over a large domain.
When the third signpost confederacy splits into four parts (after its first ruler ceases to rule) may be when major invasions are renewed (Revelation 6:7-8), resulting in large areas conquered and ruled by Islamic factions, among which the Antichrist will arise as their long awaited Mahdi. The Mahdi may simply take over areas conquered, expand into weakened areas, then sit back to rule over most of Center Earth, ordering the killing of Christians who don’t submit to Allah (Revelation 6:9-11).
Daniel 11:44
“But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him [the Antichrist]: therefore he shall go forth with much fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many.” This does not say that the Mahdi is successful. If the following predictions by Nostradamus have any application to Daniel 11:44, Mahdi’s forces against the north will be defeated.
(Richard Sieburth’s 2012 translations)
from Epistle
“& then the Lords of the North (two in number) shall be victorious over the Easterners, & such a great noise & tumult of war shall they make that all the East shall tremble in fear of these brothers (although not brothers) of the North.”
6:21
Once all those of the northern climes unite,
Great fear & terror shall reign in the East :
A new election, the Church set aright,
Rhodes, Byzance by Barbary blood be stained.
Prisms,
Yes, I’ve thought the next waves of refugees to Europe would be during the Second and early Fourth Signposts. Of course during the latter part of the Fourth Signpost, the refugees again become part of that which they were fleeing.
I really recommend you all read, “The Mystery of Catastrophe” by Joel Richardson & Nathan Graves. Joel & Nathan explain how refugees are part of God’s bigger plan to bring salvation to these who have been enslaved in darkness. I had never thought of it this way before and this will be continuing until the Lord’s return. You may read it for free and all of the rest of Joel’s books on PDF’s from his web site.
Click to access Mystery_of_Catastrophe-INTERIOR.pdf
Blessings!
There are similar phrases in Daniel 8:4 and 8:7 that I think will be fulfilled in different ways.
(NIV = 1984 New International Version; JPS = 1985 Jewish Publication Society version)
SECOND SIGNPOST
Daniel 8:4 NIV “none could rescue from his power”
Daniel 8:4 JPS “there was none to deliver from his power”
The ram of 8:4 will maraud like a bear (Daniel 7:5) that no one wants to get in the way of. Conventional defenses cannot stop Iran’s fast attack boats, drones, or cruise missiles.
THIRD SIGNPOST
Daniel 8:7 NIV “none could rescue the ram from his power”
Daniel 8:7 JPS “there was none to deliver the ram from his power”
The goat of 8:7 will strike like a leopard (Daniel 7:6), ambushing Iran’s command and control over its unstoppable weaponry.
The two horns of the ram are the Supreme Leader and the IRGC.
Daniel 8:7 NIV “striking the ram and SHATTERING his two horns. The ram was powerless”
Daniel 8:7 JPS “he struck the ram and BROKE its two horns, and the ram was powerless”
The words in capitals are translations of Strong’s Hebrew word 7665, which is also used in a prophecy about Elam (an area in Iran).
Jeremiah 49:35 NIV “I will BREAK the bow of Elam, the mainstay of their might”
Jeremiah 49:35 JPS “I am going to BREAK the bow of Elam, the mainstay of their strength”
The word “embusches” (ambushes) appeared in a 1557 prophecy by Nostradamus in a way that might also apply to the eventual defeat of Iran’s sophisticated military:
6:99
L’ennemy docte se tournera confus,
Grand camp malade, & defaict par embusches…
Peter Lemesurier’s 2010 translation:
The skilled enemy shall turn about, confused,
his great army sick, and defeated by ambushes…
This may lead into your next post, nevertheless I must ask if you think Iran will step in and defend the Kurds? Knowing that Kurds are descendants of the Medes, I can’t help to think that this is real possibility.
Gary,
The jury is out for now. There have been conflicting events with the Kurds within Iran to tell us it could go either way.
When the Second Signpost occurs, anyone who is not a Shia will be in danger.
“When the Second Signpost occurs, anyone who is not a Shia will be in danger.”
In 1517, Egypt became part of the Sunni Ottoman Empire. In 1555, Nostradamus’s quatrain 2:86 oddly stated:
Egypte tremble augment Mahometique :
L’Herault soy rendre à crier est commis.
(Peter Lemesurier’s 2010 translation)
Egypt trembles at the rise of Islam.
The Herald is commissioned to cry surrender.
Why would Egypt, a Sunni Islamic nation, tremble at the rise of Islam, or feel a need to surrender to it? The Shia Fatimid Caliphate (909–1171) had once ruled over Sunni Egypt. Lemesurier suggested that Nostradamus wrote about past events believing that something similar would happen in the future.
Isaiah 19’s oracle concerning Egypt is real prophecy. “See, the LORD rides on a swift cloud and is coming to Egypt. The idols of Egypt tremble before him, and the hearts of the Egyptians melt within them” (verse 1). This will be followed by civil war (verses 2-3) and being ruled by Antichrist (verse 4).
When Iran marauds through the Middle East like a hungry bear, how could Egypt not tremble?
This map may aid in understanding a mysterious Bible verse: “I will set my throne in Elam and destroy her king and officials, declares the LORD” (Jeremiah 49:38). The Daniel 8 vision was also set in Elam: “In my vision I saw myself in the citadel of Susa in the province of Elam; in the vision I was beside the Ulai Canal” (verse 2). That canal is also mentioned in verses 3 and 6. To be fulfilled at that location is verse 7: “I saw him [the goat] attack the ram furiously, striking the ram and shattering his two horns. The ram was powerless to stand against him; the goat knocked him to the ground and trampled on him, and none could rescue the ram from his power.” In Daniel 8:7 two horns are shattered. In Jeremiah 49:38 two entities are destroyed: her king and officials.
Although Jerusalem is the place for God’s throne (Isaiah 6:1; Ezekiel 10:1, 43:7), among the Babylonian exiles of Judah was Ezekiel, who saw God’s throne by a river or canal (Ezekiel chapter 1, verse 26 mentioning a throne). I’m wondering if Jeremiah 49:38 might be fulfilled at the transition between second and third signposts. Perhaps the temple in Jerusalem will be built during the third signpost, when Iran and her proxies have ceased to be a threat to Israel.
Revelation 9 describes trumpet 5 (woe 1) and trumpet 6 (woe 2). Trumpet 5 by itself does not reveal place or time. Trumpet 6, while not revealing time, does mention a place, the river Euphrates. Chiastic markers in 9:1-21 (trumpets 5 and 6) and 16:10-16 (bowls 5 and 6) provide a time setting for trumpets 5 and 6, because both bowls 5 and 6 mention the kingdom of the beast (Mahdi/Antichrist). Both trumpet 6 and bowl 6 mention the river Euphrates.
Both trumpets 5 and 6 and bowls 5 and 6 display a progression in evil. In trumpet 5 the Abyss is opened, releasing darkness; in trumpet 6 four bound angels are released for destructive purposes. In bowl 5 darkness is released; in bowl 6 three evil spirits are released to gather kings for the battle of Armageddon, leaving one released evil spirit for some other purpose (or the three spirits could be in addition to the four).
The most famous city on the river Euphrates has been Babel/Babylon. Interestingly, a 1555 quatrain by Nostradamus mentions both Babel and a releasing of infernal gods that will bring destruction to Rome.
2:30
Un qui les dieux d’Annibal infernaulx,
Fera renaistre, effrayeur des humains :
Oncq’plus d’horreur ne plus pires fourneaux
Qu’avint viendra par Babel aux Romains.
Line 3’s “fourneaux” (furnaces) was thought by a textual critic to have been intended and not the standard reading of “journaux” (journals).
Peter Lemesurier’s 2010 translation from the standard reading:
One who the infernal gods of Hannibal
shall cause to be reborn, [shall become] the terror of mankind:
never more horrors nor worse reports
than ever occurred shall come to the Romans through Babel [Mesopotamia].
Richard Sieburth’s 2012 translation from the critical reading:
The one whom Hannibal’s infernal gods
Shall cause to be reborn, a bane to man :
Furnaces worse than ever burned this hot
Babylon shall inflict on the Romans.
Hannibal was a Carthaginian general during the Second Punic War against Rome (218–201 BC). Although he led an invasion into the Italian Peninsula, he never attacked the city Rome.
Prism,
For everyone else’s benefit, Chronicles makes the case the trumpets are global and the bowls are Antichrist’s realm only, hence Trumpet 5 not having a place mentioned. Trumpet/bowls 5 and 6 are the culmination of judgments just ahead of the 7th and final, the return of Christ.
Hannibal was the second greatest threat to Rome. The first was Pyrrhus, who actually did reach the gates of Rome.
“the trumpets are global and the bowls are Antichrist’s realm only”
I just reread your Chronicles of the End Times comments on “every” versus “many” (pages 357-361), which make perfect sense (100% of 33% is 33%). The chiasmus between trumpets and bowls (pages 394-395) shows two aspects of the same sequence of events.
If the great city is the whole earth, then how can the 7th bowl be poured out only on his realm?
The language here is one of the whole earth (cities of the nations, islands and mountains not found and this the greatest earthquake ever), not just the geography of the Middle East. Isa. 2 paints the picture of Mt. Zion as being the tallest mountain on the planet then. (Ezek. 40:2, Rev 21:10)
17 Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl upon the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple from the throne, saying, “It is done.” 18 And there were flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder; and there was a great earthquake, such as there had not been since man came to be upon the earth, so great an earthquake was it, and so mighty. 19 The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. Babylon the great was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of His fierce wrath. 20 And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. 21 And huge hailstones, about one hundred pounds each, came down from heaven upon men; and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, because its plague was extremely severe.
I read got your book and read it and there are some good ideas and insights, but I too found it rather confusing. It reminded me of diagraming sentences, finding the main point and so on. But I’m not too smart either-like you are. 🙂
I think everyone who has done any deep study at all in Revelation can see the similarities in the trumpets and seals, but I do not hold to a traditional post-trib view, as you do as summed up on page 574 (Overview of the sixth event). I see a ordered sequence with the bowls following the trumpets.
I use to be pre-trib when I was first saved, then went quickly to post-trib when I got into word studies with the Strong’s. At about this time Rosenthal’s book about the pre-wrath came out and this resonated with me on problems I had found with the post-trib viewpoint.
I think both pre-wrath and post-trib views are viable options, but pre-trib cannot be because there is just no place in the Bible that puts Jesus coming back before the great tribulation has run it’s course and the church is in it.
IMO, Daniel Revisited is the groundbreaking book by you Mark, and I am so glad you wrote it!!! I now am watching for the second signpost and believe you may have hit the nail on the head on 2-4, (although I’m not 100% sure about the seals being broke outside the 70th week, as I said before). Thanks for your contribution and enjoy your website! 🙂
Steve,
The main thing is being able to overcome and stand your ground spiritually so that we can be confident when Christ returns. Those with a pre-Wrath view and a post-Trib view of the Rapture share the view that we must go through times that require unyielding faith in Him.
Good question about the seventh bowl. Just as the image of Daniel 2 is historical, and idolatrous, and the beasts of Daniel 7 are end time and judgment, they are united, ne and the same at the end, where the ten toes are the same as the ten horns.
Likewise, the trumpets being global and bowls being the AC realm have overlap with the last, the seventh. The intro to the seventh trumpet in Rev. 11:15 says, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ” – this is global. Note, too, in 11:19 there is the global, “And there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake and a great hailstorm.”
Part is repeated, and part is different, for the seventh bowl. The intro to the seventh bowl over the AC realm in Rev. 16:17 says, “It is done!” In other words the judgments given the AC realm are finished. Verses 18-20 describe what happens to the AC realm and the world, describing the islands fleeing (possibly where did they fee to – outside of the AC’s realm). Verse 21 repeats 11:19, but it is close up and personal (unlike the trumpets), which the bowls have been describing. The hail was so terrible that men cursed God, as men cursed God for the fourth bowl and the fifth bowl. No cursing God is recorded for any of the trumpets.
Hope that helps a little.