ANDY WOODS PRE-TRIB RAPTURE DISTORTIONS: 144,000 SEALED

(51) Revelation Ep. 25 Gods Faithfulness. Revelation 7:1-8 - YouTube

Andy Woods (Sugar Land Bible Church) teaches the pre-trib version of the 144,000 Jews in Revelation 7:1-8. Woods gives a false view of the 144,000 in a number of key respects.

Revelation 7:1-8: 

1After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back its four winds so that no wind would blow on land or sea or on any tree. 2And I saw another angel ascending from the east, with the seal of the living God. And he called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea: 3“Do not harm the land or sea or trees until we have sealed the foreheads of the servants of our God.” 4And I heard the number of those who were sealed, 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel: 5From the tribe of Judah 12,000 were sealed, from the tribe of Reuben 12,000, from the tribe of Gad 12,000, 6from the tribe of Asher 12,000, from the tribe of Naphtali 12,000, from the tribe of Manasseh 12,000, 7from the tribe of Simeon 12,000, from the tribe of Levi 12,000, from the tribe of Issachar 12,000, 8from the tribe of Zebulun 12,000, from the tribe of Joseph 12,000, and from the tribe of Benjamin 12,000. 

The book of Revelation is literal

A literal translation of 144,000 Jewish men is a reasonable interpretation considering that the scriptures go into explicit detail regarding both their number and their ethnicity. Even when the scriptures comprehensively spell things out, there are those who deviate into their own presuppositions and opinions. I will not devote space here to various allegorical interpretations and the Jehovah Witness views on the 144,000. Hopefully it is a given that these are false interpretations.

The book of Revelation has a chronological structure

A chronological interpretation of the seals, trumpets and bowls is the prevailing view of both the prewrath and the pre-trib camps. There are perplexing exegetical difficulties associated with what is known as the recapitulation theory i.e. the seals trumpets and bowls are different pictures of the same events. In order to successfully refute the pre-trib rapture theory, one must be able to articulate a coherent alternative! Those who teach recapitulation seem either unable or unwilling to recognize the difficulties associated with this view. A plain reading of the text indicates a clear chronological sequence of events i.e. the sixth seal follows the seventh seal, the seventh seal unleashes the trumpet judgements, and the seventh trumpet unleashes the bowl judgments.  

Woods defines the entire 70th week of Daniel as the tribulation in contradiction to the eschatological material supplied by Jesus Christ in the Olivet Discourse. (Matthew 24 and 25, Mark 13 and Luke 21). Woods makes no distinction between the beginning of birth pains (Matthew 24:8; Revelation 6:1-8), and the undiluted cup of His wrath. (Revelation 14:10). He also fails to recognize the great tribulation as the specific wrath of the Antichrist against the church. Failure to acknowledge these distinctions throws the whole book of Revelation out of sync. (Revelation 22:18-19). The scriptures indicate successive seal judgements leading up to the day of the Lord. i.e. the day of his wrath. The catastrophic events that take place during first half of the 70th week i.e. the beginning of birth pains are devastating and we should not depreciate their severity or assume that wrath is absent. (Revelation 6:8 cf. Psalm 7:11). These events are instigated by the breaking of the first seal and the arrival of the Antichrist followed by three further seals/horsemen. When the sixth seal is broken an unprecedented escalation occurs immediately preceding the undiluted wrath of God. Specifically, the great day of their wrath becomes imminent following the sixth seal and comes into play during the seventh seal trumpet/bowl judgements from Revelation 8 onwards. (Revelation 6:17). Isaiah describes the cosmic events immediately preceding the undiluted wrath of God as the terror of the Lord. (Isaiah 2:10 cf. Revelation 6:15-17). 

Revelation 6:17 ~ The aorist indicative verb ēlthen
..the great day of their wrath has come (ηλθεν/ēlthen).

 

In a later video, Woods quotes Robert L Thomas' skewed interpretation of ηλθεν (ēlthen): "The verb ēlethen ("has come") is aorist indicative, referring to a previous arrival of wrath, not something that is about to take place." {1}  

The aorist indicative verb ηλθεν (ēlthen) should not be isolated from its context and translated as a simple past verb in English. Revelation 6:17 indicates that the great day of their wrath has arrived i.e. it is imminent. The King James Version more accurately captures the context of ηλθεν (ēlthen): 

For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

Virtually the same phrase occurs in Revelation 11:18 following the seventh trumpet preceding the bowl judgements in Revelation 16:21. 

 

And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come (ηλθεν), and the time of the dead, that they should be judged.. KJV (Revelation 11:18  cf. Revelation 16:21).  

Various commentaries agree on the interpretation of ηλθεν (ēlthen) in this particular context. {2} 

Matthew Poole:  And thy wrath is come; now it is time for thee to show thyself angry, and thou hast begun to do it. 

Pulpit Commentary: And thy wrath is come; thy wrath came. This verse points conclusively to the judgment day, the events of which, however, as before remarked (see on ver. 15), are merely indicated, not fully described. This is the last final infliction upon the wicked, the seventh of the trumpet plagues. And the time of the dead, that they should be judged; to be judged. 

The proclamations of the three angels in Revelation 14:6-13 precedes the harvest of the earth, the great winepress of the wrath of God. (Revelation 14:14-20). This verse is yet another confirmation of the imminent aspect of ηλθεν/ēlthen.

And he said with a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come (ηλθεν), and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water.” (Revelation 14:7).

 

The 144,000 Jews

Although he follows a chronological framework vis-à-vis the seals, trumpets and bowls, Woods condenses the seals and trumpets into the first 3.5 years of the 70th week of Daniel. The presumed absence of the church during the entire 70th week due to the alleged pre-trib rapture necessitates the 144,000 to be evangelists. Woods therefore locates the 144,000 Jews either before, or at the beginning of the seventieth week. According to Woods, the 144,000 Jews are the instruments God uses to implement what he describes as "the greatest spiritual awakening the earth has ever seen" i.e. the "great multitude" described in Revelation 7:9-17.

Problems with the above view

# The 144,000 are never described as "evangelists" in the the book of Revelation. 

# The "great multitude" of Revelation 7:9-17 appear suddenly in heaven before the throne and before the Lamb.. "These are the ones who have come out of the great tribulation; (Revelation 7:14). The "great multitude" of Revelation 7:9-17 are those who have been caught up in the rapture prior to the seventh seal trumpet judgements.. For God has not destined us for wrath.. (1 Thessalonians 5:9). 

# There is no indication of a "great awakening" in the book of Revelation. On the contrary:

The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands nor give up worshiping demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk, nor did they repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts. (Revelation 9:20-21).

People gnawed their tongues in anguish and cursed the God of heaven for their pain and sores. They did not repent of their deeds. (Revelation 16:10-11).

# The great tribulation does not begin until the mid point of the 70th week at the abomination of desolation event. (Matthew 24:21; Daniel 9:27). The tribulation is interrupted/cut short by the sixth seal cosmic disturbances. (Matthew 24:22; Revelation 6:12-17). 

# At the mid point of the week the the abomination of desolation event occurs when the Antichrist takes his seat in the temple of God. (Matthew 24:15). Jesus warns his disciples i.e. the church about being delivered up to tribulation, the coming apostasy, spiritual deception and increased lawlessness following this event: 

9“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. 10And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. 11And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. 12And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. 13But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 14And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. (Matthew 24:9-14).

Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. (Matthew 24:29).

# Woods explains that the chronological framework of the book of Revelation is temporarily halted in chapter 7. This first parenthetical break identifies the 144,000 and indicates a "verb of perception" i.e. "This is what John saw". Woods is accurate as far as he goes. However, his claim that the 144,000 are looking backwards to the seal judgements is problematic. 

If we look forward to Revelation 8:7-9, especially to the first two trumpets, we find precisely what is being described in Revelation 7 i.e. the four angels are given power to harm the land and the sea.. and the trees. The angels hold back the winds in order to facilitate the sealing of the 144,000. (Revelation 7:1). The sealing of the 144,000 is therefore anticipatory. The next stage of apocalyptic events will not proceed until the 144,000 are sealed. Consequently, they are safeguarded in advance from the divine wrath shortly to be administered by the angels. 

..the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea: “Do not harm the land or sea or trees until we have sealed the foreheads of the servants of our God.” (Revelation 7:2-3).

Then the first angel sounded his trumpet, and hail and fire mixed with blood were hurled down upon the earth. A third of the earth was burned up, along with a third of the trees and all the green grass.
Then the second angel sounded his trumpet, and something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea. A third of the sea turned to blood, a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed. (Revelation 8 7-9)

The sealing of the 144,000 following the great tribulation suggests that divine wrath is about to fall upon the ungodly. The typological examples in Ezekiel 9:4 and the Passover (Exodus 12:12), indicate that the sealing of the 144,000 is very likely a protective measure against God's wrath, nothing more.

The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes.(Joel 2:31 cf. Revelation 6:16-17 Acts 2:20). 

“Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. (Matthew 24:29). 

Woods: "God does not leave the earth without a witness."

This statement is true, but it does not apply to the 144,000 Jews. The true church will continue to exist during during the beginning of birth pains and through the great tribulation, although latterly, believers be decimated to a large extent and mass apostasy will occur. (Matthew 24:9-14). During the second half of the 70th week, the two witnesses will prophesy for 1,260 days clothed in sackcloth:  They have the power to shut the sky, that no rain may fall during the days of their prophesying, and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague, as often as they desire. (Revelation 11:3-14).  

Revelation 14 

 

# The 144,000 Jewish men are located on heavenly Mount Zion with the Lamb. (Revelation 14:1-5).

# Three angels make separate proclamations following the rise of the Antichrist and the false prophet. 

        The first angel preaches the eternal gospel to those who dwell on the earth, to every nation.                  (Revelation 14:6-7).

        The second angel announces prophetically: Babylon is fallen, is fallen, (Revelation 14:8;                         Revelation 18:1-24). 

        The third angel issues what appears to be the final warning to mankind: 

“If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he also will drink the wine of God’s wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.” (Revelation 14:9-11).

#  His judgment has come (ηλθεν). i.e. Judgement is imminent. (Revelation 14:17-20).

The pre-trib rapture is a devious doctrine developed by cult leader John Nelson Darby in the 19th century. (1 Timothy 4:1). It is a doctrine that has to be extrapolated from the scriptures and finds no specific verse to support it. It is extraordinary that someone of Andy Wood's background is apparently unaware of the obvious flaws and the associated dangers attached to this view. I shudder to think how he and other pre-trib teachers will give an answer to God for what can only be described as reckless deviations from the Word of God. (Romans 14:12).

Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4).

1. (62) Rapture Sermon Series 33. Mid-Trib View: Analyzed, Refuted, and Exposed, Pt 1 - YouTube
2. Revelation 11:18 Commentaries:

CHARLES COOPER'S APPRAISAL OF THE RICHARDSON/WHITE ANTICHRIST DEBATE

We All Lost! The Richardson/White Debate - An Appraisal

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qH5FkVL4Jdc&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR1YZnmOpNcdpLzWzwLWvIF15eSfQGNZ-Hq-MAJAUSuKKi983lt8M9thCac

DEBATE With Joel Richardson & Chris White: Will The Antichrist Be A False Jewish Messiah?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uy2ytMSFvm0

This post exposes the various inconsistencies in Charles Cooper's "appraisal" of the recent debate between Joel Richardson and Chris White regarding the ethnicity of the Antichrist. Charles Cooper's assessment, including his personal remarks about Robert Van Kampen, Chris White and Joel Richardson was extremely insulting and unnecessary. I really did not want to hear that Van Kampen could be "very mean and nasty" and that "his bible study skills were limited". Apparently Cooper thinks that it is acceptable to say negative things about Van Kampen because he died in 1999 and is no longer with us. I wonder how Van Kampen's family feel about Cooper's attempt to tarnish his reputation. As founder of the PreWrath Resource Institute in Orlando, Florida, I question whether Cooper's remarks were helpful to the prewrath cause, especially since this debate did not specifically concern either Van Kampen or the prewrath rapture position.

Van Kampen was a very gifted man. As well as being a successful businessman and investor, he rediscovered and developed the biblical prewrath rapture position held by the early church fathers. As such, he presented a significant challenge to the false the pre-tribulation rapture camp. I don't know whether Van Kampen had any recognized theological qualifications, but his prewrath work surpassed that of many qualified theologians in my view. Unlike the pre-trib or post-trib views, the prewrath rapture view is incredibly accurate when tested against the scriptures. (1 John 4:1; Acts 17:11).

I was aware of Van Kampen's view that Hitler will be the Antichrist, but I have not read his books The Sign or The Fourth Reich. The sign is a discourse on the end times featuring the prewrath rapture, and The Fourth Reich is a novel. Undoubtedly Hitler was a type of the Antichrist in that he fulfilled many of the "qualifications" for such a candidate, in particular his hatred for the Jews. Van Kampen clearly convinced himself about Hitler, but his conclusion is questionable. Considering that Van Kampen's views about the Antichrist were not the subject of this debate, I can't see that Cooper's remarks were at all relevant or edifying to those considering the prewrath position.

The Van Kampen Collection is one of the most significant collections of biblically related artifacts, scrolls, manuscripts and early printed editions of the Bible in the world. The Collection was assembled by the Van Kampen family and is open to the public at The Scriptorium: Center for Biblical Antiquities at The Holy Land Experience in Orlando Florida. Unfortunately it is now owned by TBN. {1}

Cooper's "expert advice" was to counsel people not to watch this debate. He also stated that he was "very disappointed" at least three times.

Cooper: "Joel Richardson ~ I have never met the man..  I have only just read some of his works. Friends of mine have..  but when I read some of his first works, it became very clear to me that Mr Richardson is a fiction writer ~ most of what he writes is fiction. He thinks it's truth but it's not. He has very limited exegetical skills, same as Van Kampen, they don't work in the original languages..  When you get to the level that these men are presenting themselves, you got to know how to deal with the text.. Mr Richardson violates and makes the error of 'illegitimate totality transfer' over and over again, assuming that because a word or phrase or idea in one place that it is going to mean that same thing somewhere else..  When I read his book I realized he has no spiritual discernment, none.." (22:00 mark)

Cooper openly admits that he only has a superficial knowledge of Richardson's early material (apparently only one book). As such, he is not in a position to make any judgements about Richardson's work. (Matthew 7:1-5).

Following his attack on Richardson, Cooper proceeded to direct his negative attention towards White.

Regarding White's book (presumably) False Christ: Will the Antichrist Claim to Be the Jewish Messiah? {2} Cooper said: "I really really really REALLY wish had allowed me to read it before he published it."  (15:20 mark)

Cooper: "As prewrathers we got to stick together particularly when it comes to teaching what is essential to prewrath. Its alright to speculate.. to have cofee-esk... what or what is not the meaning of the scripture we should have extreme caution and we should proceed very carefully.. needless unnecessary distractions... and we don't need that... Chris has used a lot of my material... in a lot of ways he is like Van Kampen, these guys are tenacious..   he is in many many ways the consummate researcher,  but in many ways he doesn't have refined exegetical skills..  you cannot use a simplistic hermeneutic..  illegitimate totality transfer...   argue that the antichrist is a Jew a Jew who is timing to be the messiah, the true messiah and that he is a Jew...  the accumulative build up of a lot of circumstantial evidence.."  (29:00 mark)

Clearly White did not feel that it was necessary to defer to Cooper before he published his book, and why should he? Although Cooper claims to know White, he obviously does not know him very well. Cooper admitted that he has not read White's book and that he was not even aware that he held this view. White has stated that it took him some years to come to this view, and that two previous books preceded this one. {2} This suggests that the two men have had no contact for a number of years, since the book in question was published in 2014. It seems very strange that Cooper should denigrate White's exegetical skills when (apparently) he has had no recent contact with him and has not even read his material. Cooper's unkind attacks on both Richardson and White were superficial in that they were not based on a thorough or current assessment of their work.

Cooper has a strong personality and is very good at promoting himself. He tells us that people are waiting with bated breath for him to publish his latest book: "..people want me to (publish), they are begging me, they want me to put it out, they are excited.." (18:00  mark)

Cooper seems to think that other prewrath scholars need to defer to him in order for them all to sing from the same hymn sheet, in other words he seeks to rule others. In reality this is never going to happen. It appears that Cooper believes that he is the only bible scholar with superior exegetical skills. I must say that I haven't noticed! Cooper also boasts of having superior revelations that most of us mere mortals are not ready to hear. (47:00 mark) I can only hope and pray that he continues to keep them to himself! Having observed his cringeworthy performance at Fellowship Bible Chapel Fall Prophecy Conference Q&A last year, I can say nothing good about Cooper's exegetical skills:

Fellowship Bible Chapel Fall Prophecy Conference Q&A: Charles Cooper Concerns
https://bewareofthewolves.blogspot.com/2019/10/fellowship-bible-chapel-fall-prophecy.html
Fellowship Bible Chapel Fall Prophecy Conference Session 3 - Charles Cooper
https://bewareofthewolves.blogspot.com/2019/11/fellowship-bible-chapel-fall-prophecy.html

Cooper does himself no favours by attacking others in the guise of protecting the prewrath position. As far as I can determine, the biggest obstacle to the prewrath cause is Cooper himself rather than those he perceives as his underlings.

Was the debate between Richardson and White a waste of time as Cooper claims? Even though I did not resonate with a number of points on both sides of the debate, I found it interesting and I learned a lot from it. In my view, the anti-Semitic remarks were overdone by Richardson. Although he did not directly claim that White was anti-Semitic, the inference was there. By the same criteria, we could say that Richardson's position is Islamophobic.

Richardson seems not to value the principle of biblical separation. His appearances on TBN and CBN with various questionable characters alarms me very greatly. Those with any kind of influence in the church should not defile themselves, and by implication, influence others, by knowingly associating with apostates and false teachers. (Romans 16:17; Ephesians 5:11).

For the purposes of this post, I will limit myself to Richardson's co-author Walid Shoebat ~ God's War on Terror: Islam Prophecy and the Bible) {3} I am in the process of reading Chris Whites book, Islamic Antichrist Debunked. {4} In chapters 7 and 8 of this book, White successfully demolishes Shoebat's flawed exegesis of Isaiah 21 which refers to historic Babylon and not end time Babylon as Shoebat claims. White also destroys Shoebat's proposition that Edom is Babylon, and he also unmasks Shoebat's unsound translation of pséphizó (calculate) and arithmos (number) in Revelation 13:18. In short, White thoroughly exposes Shoebat's unhinged hermeneutics in favour of an Islamic Antichrist. I have to say at this point that it absolutely astounds me that so many "teachers" change the book of Revelation, apparently for their own quesionable reasons. (Revelation 22:18)

Shoebat's translation of the mark of the beast can be found on the following link: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtquNNEO7Fw
Shoebat's tranlsation is also exposed by C Michael Patton:
https://credohouse.org/blog/walid-shoebat-youtube-video-on-the-mark-of-the-beast 

Apart from his dubious theology, Shoebat's claim to be a former terrorist has come under scrutiny and was investigated by CNN’s Anderson Cooper in 2011: "..finding no evidence of him being a terrorist, nor did Shoebat’s relatives, who were interviewed for the investigation, support his claims. More damningly, CNN’s Jerusalem bureau reported: “The Tel Aviv headquarters of Bank Leumi had no record of a firebombing at its now-demolished Bethlehem branch. Israeli police had no record of the bombing, and the prison where Shoebat says he was held ‘for a few weeks’ for inciting anti-Israel demonstrations says it has no record of him being incarcerated there either.” {5} 

There is too much to say about the flawed Islamic Antichrist theory in this post. I recommend White's book in which he comprehensively breaks down the position point by point.

White keeps better company than Richardson. However, I have difficulty accepting his thesis that the Antichrist will be Jewish.

White: "The thesis of this book is that the Antichrist will attempt to present himself as the Jewish Messiah, that he will try his best to appear as if he is instituting what Jewish believers know as the Messianic Age and what Christians know as the Millennial reign."  {6}

White's claim that this was the earliest view of the church can be confirmed, but I am still not convinced. {7} Problematically, I find nothing in the scriptures that supports this view. As Richardson points out: "The Bible does not specifically say that the Jews will accept the Antichrist as the Messiah." {8} This is a a critical point.

My view is that at this stage it is impossible to definitively identify the ethnicity of Antichrist. All the various theories about the Antichrist seem to be fraught with difficulties. Certainly the various conjectures about Obama, Macron etc. are mere speculation. It is entirely possible that no one will know the answer to this question until the Antichrist is "revealed".

Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4).

Having said that, it appears that it will be possible for the wise to identify the beast at some point: ..let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666. (Revelation 13:18).

There is much to think about following this debate. It has certainly challenged me to search the scriptures and to undertake further research on the subject.

1. https://legacy-cdn-assets.answersingenesis.org/assets/pdf/am/v4/n2/scriptorium-guide.pdf
2. https://www.amazon.co.uk/False-Christ-Antichrist-Jewish-Messiah/dp/0991232925
3. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Gods-War-Terror-Islam-Prophecy-ebook/dp/B00C0UQGLU
4. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Islamic-Antichrist-Debunked-Comprehensive-Critique/dp/0991232941
5. https://tribune.com.pk/story/247165/walid-shoebat-false-prophet-of-fear/
6. https://www.amazon.co.uk/False-Christ-Antichrist-Jewish-Messiah/dp/0991232925
7. https://www.catholic.com/tract/the-antichrist
8. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qH5FkVL4Jdc&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR1YZnmOpNcdpLzWzwLWvIF15eSfQGNZ-Hq-MAJAUSuKKi983lt8M9thCac

THE MARK OF THE BEAST - THE TWO WITNESSES

This post investigates the timing of the mark of the beast in terms of a futurist, premillennial, pre-wrath rapture perspective.

And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth. These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. (Revelation 11:3-4).

The primary texts concerning the two witnesses are Revelation 11 and Zechariah 4. Their description as fire-breathing olive trees and lampstands suggests two awesome individuals endowed by God with superhuman power:

And if anyone would harm them, fire pours from their mouth and consumes their foes. If anyone would harm them, this is how he is doomed to be killed. 6They have the power to shut the sky, that no rain may fall during the days of their prophesying, and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague, as often as they desire. (Revelation 11:5-6 cf. Exodus 7:17; 1 Kings 17:11; Luke 4:25).

The two witnesses are described as both prophets and witnesses. The definition of "prophet" is: "A person regarded as an interpreter or spokesperson for God; one through whom God speaks." In the New Testament: "..especially future events, and in p*articular such as relate to the cause and kingdom of God and to human salvation."{1} Jesus says to his disciples: But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8). Both Elijah and John the Baptist wore sackcloth.. Biblically sackcloth is a sign of woe or mourning and it is also a sign of repentance. (Matthew 3:4; 11:21) The two witnesses will therefore proclaim the gospel from Jerusalem for a period of 3.5 years, or 1,260 days. Although local to Jerusalem, their ministry will be worldwide, due, in all probability, to the internet and/or other technological advances. (Revelation 11:9-10).

The identity of the two witnesses is something of a mystery. Zechariah was intrigued by this question, and he enquired of the angel: "What are these", three times without receiving a clear answer. (Zechariah 4:4, 11,12). The strange explanation: "These are the two anointed ones who stand by the Lord of the whole earth.”(Zechariah 4:14). Some speculate that the two witnesses are Elijah and some other OT prophet, and others speculate that they are cherubim or other angelic beings. Since their identity is obscure in the scriptures, I will not attempt to identify them. 

The time frame of the ministry of the two witnesses is a key factor. The Book of Revelation gives us precise information regarding both the time of their death and the period they will minister. They die and are resurrected before the seventh trumpet is blown, towards the end of the second woe. (Revelation 11:3, 7-15). This places them decisively in the second half of the 70th week, during the great tribulation and during the first six trumpet judgements. With such detailed information, it is very difficult to come to a different conclusion, although inexplicably, some teachers do give alternative time frames for their ministry.

Notably, the ministry of the two witnesses coincides with the great signs done by the false prophet, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people. (Revelation 13:13-14). I don't rule out the possibility of other agents of Satan also performing signs during this period: For false christs and false prophets (plural) will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. (Matthew 24:24). The battle between God and Satan is graphically played out on the earth during the 1260 days, with agents from both opposing parties performing great signs. The signs performed by the false prophet are greatly welcomed by those who have come under the influence of the strong delusion. (2 Thessalonians 2:11). Conversely, the two witnesses will be universally hated. Their message will be abhorrent and the signs they perform will torment the earth dwellers. Ultimately they will be killed by the beast that rises from the bottomless pit. (Revelation 11:7). From the perspective of the true church, the two witnesses will undoubtedly provide much needed encouragement and motivation to stand firm during great tribulation when there will be unprecedented persecution and martyrdom. (Matthew 10:22; 24:13). After the tribulation is cut short, the two witnesses will continue to testify up until the end of the second woe. (Revelation 11:14).

Following the resurrection of the two witnesses, seven thousand people will be killed in the great earthquake of Revelation 11:13, ..and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven. This phrase implies conversion. (Joshua 7:19; Revelation 14:7; 16:9). If this interpretation is correct, then the remainder of the people in the city of Jerusalem who give glory to God, are the very last people on earth to be saved immediately before the third woe begins. (Revelation 11:13).

There will also be proclamations/warnings from three angels, beginning with the declaration of the "everlasting gospel" (Matthew 24:14). This will be followed by warnings of impending judgements and will conclude with a strong warning not to worship the beast and its image or to take the mark. (Revelation 14:6-11). Since the judgements to come are imminent, it seems logical that the mark is also imminent, particularly as the warnings are preceded by the declaration of the "everlasting gospel". No Christian witness remains on the earth after the two witnesses are resurrected and after the proclamations of the three angels are delivered. It is difficult to place a precise time frame on the three angels, but I now begin to think that their proclamations may occur after the tribulation, possibly after the two witnesses are killed at the end of the second woe. (Revelation 11:14).

The pre-wrath view places the rapture between the sixth and seventh seal of Revelation. Following the rapture, the seventh seal reveals seven angels and seven trumpet judgements. (Revelation 8 to 11). The first four angels/trumpets wreak devastation upon the earth and the sea rather than directly upon people. (Revelation 8:6-13).

The fifth trumpet is the first of three woes and concerns the release of the locust/scorpion/demonic entities that will torment unbelievers for five months. Interestingly, there is no mention of the mark of the beast in this passage. The torment inflicted by these entities will only apply to those who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads:

1And the fifth angel blew his trumpet, and I saw a star fallen from heaven to earth, and he was given the key to the shaft of the bottomless pit. 2He opened the shaft of the bottomless pit, and from the shaft rose smoke like the smoke of a great furnace, and the sun and the air were darkened with the smoke from the shaft. 3Then from the smoke came locusts on the earth, and they were given power like the power of scorpions of the earth. 4They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any green plant or any tree, but only those people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. 5They were allowed to torment them for five months, but not to kill them, and their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it stings someone. 6And in those days people will seek death and will not find it. They will long to die, but death will flee from them. (Revelation 9:4-6).

The sixth trumpet judgement involves the four angels bound at the Euphrates river who are released in order to kill one third of mankind. (Revelation 9:13-19). Here again we find no reference to the mark of the beast. Unbelieving humanity refuse to repent even at this late stage, though it appears that the option to do so is available:

The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands nor give up worshipping demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk, nor did they repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts. (Revelation 9:20-21).

Revelation 13 is a parenthetical chapter outlining the two beasts activities during the 42 months. (Revelation 13:5). The mark of the beast occupies final two verses of this chapter. (Revelation 13:16-18). According to the pre-wrath view, the tribulation is cut short by the rapture for the sake of the elect. (Matthew 24:22; Mark 13:20). However, the activities of the beast and the false prophet continue for the remainder of the 1260/1290 days beyond the rapture. Despite the devastation that has occurred on the earth, the two beasts and their followers continue in their rebellion until the appearance of Jesus Christ:

And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against him who was sitting on the horse and against his army. (Revelation 19:19).

The false prophet applies intense pressure in order to coerce people into worshipping the beast and its image and to take the mark. Once the mark is taken, repentance becomes an impossibility and the final fate of unbelievers is sealed. (Revelation 13:16-17;14:9). Theoretically, it appears that people are free to repent right up until the seventh trumpet is sounded and the third woe begins, although the scriptures indicate that they will not repent. (2 Thessalonians 2:11). If these people had already taken the mark of the beast, then the ministry of the two witnesses and the proclamations of the three angels would be superfluous since we are told that the mark is irrevocable. (Revelation 14:9-10). This indicates that the mark is not fully enforced until after the resurrection of the two witnesses and the proclamations of the three angels. The shift occurs when the seventh trumpet is sounded and the first bowl of wrath is released. The first bowl of God's wrath, administered by an angel, is the first reference in the scriptures to anyone actually having received the mark:

So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth, and harmful and painful sores came upon the people who bore the mark of the beast and worshipped its image. (Revelation 16:2). 

Many teachers falsely identify the 14400 sealed from every tribe of Israel as evangelists. (Revelation 7:1-8). I will address this question in a further post.

Undoubtedly we are moving towards a cashless society and mark of the beast technology. This indicates that we are not too far off from the great tribulation and the return of Jesus Christ in my view. As such, it is important for believers to search the scriptures for their source of information rather than accepting other views, particularly those associated with the popular pre-trib "Left Behind" perspective which is erroneous in so many respects. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prewrath

1. https://biblehub.com/greek/4396.htm

THE MARK OF THE BEAST: THE THREEE ANGELS PROCLAMATIONS

This calls for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666. (Revelation 13:18).

Many Christians are expecting the mark of the beast to occupy a major part of the great tribulation. The teaching that the image and mark of the beast comes into effect at the same time, or shortly after the Antichrist proclaims himself to be God at the mid-point of the 70th week of Daniel is widespread. (2 Thessalonians 2:2-4). However, the scriptures suggest a late implementation of the mark of the beast that challenge the widely accepted mid-point position. This information does not affect the timing of the rapture or the persecution of Christians during the great tribulation, but only the time that the mark of the beast is implemented. 

The mark of the beast is found in the following verses of scripture: Revelation 13:15-18, 14:9, 11, 15:2, 16:2, 19:20 and 20:4. The fact that the mark is not mentioned at all in the first twelve chapters of the Book of Revelation is perhaps worth noting.

Nebuchadnezzar’s golden image foreshadows the image of the beast: King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits and its breadth six cubits. Six musical instruments summoned the people to worship the image. (Daniel 3:1-7). Antiochus IV Epiphanes (c.215-164 BC), partially fulfilled Daniel's prophecy when he erected the statue of Zeus Olympios in the temple. Antiochus holds an important key to the final abomination of desolation.

The Antichrist is "revealed" at the mid point of the 70th week of Daniel:

Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 cf. Daniel 9:27; Matthew 24:15).

The covenant the Antichrist makes with many at the beginning of the 70th week of Daniel will be broken at the half way point. This event coincides with his self proclamation of deity. 

And he shall make a strong covenant with many for one week, and for half of the week he shall put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate, until the decreed end is poured out on the desolator.” (Daniel 9:27).

Certain things will happen after the Antichrist is revealed at the mid point of the week and before the mark of the beast becomes compulsory as a condition of buying and selling. As such we can safely rule out an immediate implementation of the mark at the mid point. Firstly, the second beast, the false prophet, deceives those who dwell on the earth by performing great signs. After the people are deceived by the signs, the false prophet instructs them to make an image for the beast. Those who refuse to worship the image are martyred. The third element, the mark i.e. the name of the beast or the number of its name, seems to coincide with the image of the beast. The following is a synopsis of these events rather than a specific timeline:

11Then I saw another beast rising out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon. 12It exercises all the authority of the first beast in its presence, and makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose mortal wound was healed. 13It performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people, 14and by the signs that it is allowed to work in the presence of the beast it deceives those who dwell on earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived. 15And it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast might even speak and might cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be slain. 16Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, 17so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name. 18This calls for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666. (Revelation 13:11-18).

Various scriptures seem to contradict the implementation of the mark of the beast at or around the mid point of the 70th week.

And from the time that the regular burnt offering is taken away and the abomination that makes desolate is set up, there shall be 1,290 days. Blessed is he who waits and arrives at the 1,335 days. (Daniel 12:11-12).

The length of the tribulation is 3.5 prophetic years or 1260 days (cut short). Various theories exist regarding the 1290 and the 1335 days. We know that Daniel 12 refers to the time of the end, rather than to Antiochus Epiphanes. Jesus referred to the "abomination that makes desolate" (abomination of desolation), in Matthew 24:15: “So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand).. In this verse, Jesus referred to and validated Daniel 9:27. If the "abomination of desolation" is the Antichrist as the scriptures suggest, then the later implementation of the image/mark of the beast is excluded from the stated timeline. (Matthew 24:15; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4).

The pre-wrath view places the three angels proclamations before the great tribulation is cut short, when God's wrath upon unbelievers becomes imminent. (Revelation 14:6-14). The reason for this view is that the rapture (the harvest of the earth) Revelation 14:14-16, presumes that Revelation 14:6-16 is chronological. However since Revelation 14 is parenthetical, I am unsure of the exact timing of the angels proclamations.

The first angel (Revelation 14:7) proclaims the everlasting gospel and warns of the impending wrath: the hour of his judgement has come. The second angel (Revelation 14:8) proclaims in the prophetic aorist that Babylon the great is fallen. The people of the earth are given one last opportunity to make the critical decision to turn from their sin and trust in Christ to receive His gift of everlasting life. Revelation 14:6 refers to every nation, tribe, language and people. (Matthew 24:14).  In particular, the third angel warns people of the consequences of worshipping the beast and its image and taking the mark. It is unlikely that the angels would proclaim the gospel worldwide and give such dire warnings about the mark ex post facto. It seems reasonable to assume that if the mark was compulsory prior to this proclamation, the majority would have taken it rather than face the prospect of starvation. (Revelation 13:17). In other words, if the mark had been compulsory prior to the third angels proclamation, then the warning would be superfluous.

6Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people. 7And he said with a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come, and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water.”

8Another 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.”

9And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10he also will drink the wine of God’s wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. 11And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.” (Revelation 14:6-9).

Following the proclamations of the three angels there is a call for the endurance of the saints. (Revelation 14:12). This indicates a relatively short period of time before the tribulation is cut short and the wrath of God is implemented. Some will die in the Lord during this unknown, but brief period of time. (Revelation 14:13). These particular believers who die in the Lord appear to be the fifth seal martyrs. The fifth seal is a critical marker that refers to the fifth seal martyrs: 

9When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne. 10They cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” 11Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been. (Revelation 6:9-11).

Those who take the mark of the beast will not be saved. (Revelation 14:10-11 cf. Daniel 7:9-10, Daniel 7:14, Daniel 7:26-27; Revelation 11:15). The eternal gospel proclaimed by the first angel in Revelation 14:6 is the final appeal to unbelievers before the wrath of God is executed on the beast and on those who worship him. The scriptures are unequivocal.. this particular group of people have utterly rejected the eternal unalterable truth of the gospel, and their opportunity to receive eternal salvation has come to an end. This is further confirmed in Revelation 16. Revelation 16:2 is the first instance that refers to those who have taken the mark. The first bowl describes a specific judgement upon the people who have taken the mark after the seventh seal is broken. This does not begin until after the mark of the beast is enacted.

So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth, and harmful and painful sores came upon the people who bore the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. (Revelation 16:2).

The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was allowed to scorch people with fire. They were scorched by the fierce heat, and they cursed the name of God who had power over these plagues. They did not repent and give him glory. (Revelation 16:8-9).

The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness. People gnawed their tongues in anguish and cursed the God of heaven for their pain and sores. They did not repent of their deeds. (Revelation 16:10-11).

The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands nor give up worshiping demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk, nor did they repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts. (Revelation 9:20-21).

"The rest of mankind", seems to be an inclusive statement that does not allow for exceptions.

http://www.redmoonrising.com/prewrathview.htm