Our Text …

“1 And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. 2 And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, 3 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. 4 And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel. 5 Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand. 6 Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nepthalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand. 7 Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand. 8 Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.”

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We often hear of the “Ten lost Tribes” of Israel. Well, God has found them! And is preparing them, Tribe by Tribe, to witness for Him during the Tribulation! All the mentioned Tribes except Judah and Benjamin are from that (so-called “lost”) northern Kingdom of Israel.

Do not fall for the false doctrine sometimes called British-Israelism. It wrongly suggests that the Anglo-Saxon people are true Israelites! That is NOT the case! God’s people the Jews are descendants from Abraham through Isaac.

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As we mentioned in Class … the Tribe of Dan was totally omitted from this list! Because of sin …

Amos 8:14 … They that swear by the sin of Samaria, and say, Thy god, O Dan, liveth; and, The manner of Beersheba liveth; even they shall fall, and never rise up again. (Idolatry in the Tribe of Dan!)

Judges 18:30-31 …  And the children of Dan set up the graven image: and Jonathan, the son of Gershom, the son of Manasseh, he and his sons were priests to the tribe of Dan until the day of the captivity of the land. And they set them up Micah’s graven image, which he made, all the time that the house of God was in Shiloh. (More proof!)

But now let me show you an example of God’s inexplicable Grace …

During the Millennium, Dan is clearly restored to full status as a Tribe of Israel and is given an inheritance!

Ezekiel 48:2, a Millennial Passage, says so … “And by the border of Dan, from the east side unto the west side, a portion for Asher.”

Wow!

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There is no mention of Joseph’s Son Ephraim either! (Joseph’s other son, Manasseh, is mentioned!) Apparently the omission is for the very same reason …

Isaiah 7:17 … The LORD shall bring upon thee, and upon thy people, and upon thy father’s house, days that have not come, from the day that Ephraim departed from Judah; even the king of Assyria.

Hosea 4:17 … Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone.

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I also failed to give this data about Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn, who was demoted on the list …

Genesis 35:22 … And it came to pass, when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine: and Israel heard it.

Immorality!

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In class I called Revelation chapter 7 “parenthetical,” an “aside” to explain certain necessary concepts or events for us to grasp.

There are at least three such “interludes” in Revelation …

Here in Chapter 7, all 17 verses! (The 144,000 Preachers and their martyred converts!)

Revelation 10:1 through 11:13! (The Two Witnesses!)

Revelation 12:1 through 14:20! (The Dragon and the Two Beasts!)

Very helpful information!

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A few other little nuggets ought to be mentioned, but I will just wait and insert them in the next video lesson or two.

Now, may I invite you to watch the whole class?

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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Actually, in our most recent class I was able to share all my prepared notes, an unusual occurrence!

So, I thought I might share this …

Recently I read the “crux” of this thought in a book I had heard. Yes, an audio book, godly and Christian in nature.

Look at this Psalmist’s (Moses by name) prayer to our Lord …

“Teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom,” the very wise request from Psalm 90:12.

Paul, in similar manner, wants us to “Redeem our time, because the days are evil.” (Ephesians 5:16 and Colossians 4:5)

Another way of wording this maxim … “Make every day count!”

In other words … “Be aware than none of us is immortal. Count every day a blessing. tomorrow may never arrive!”

Yes, Lord … help us to number our days.

That little Hebrew verb “to number” is spelled “manah.” It is used 47 times in the Old Testament. And 14 of those occurrences it is translated “number,” in the King James Version anyway.

But … in the little Book of Jonah “manah” appears again (though only 4 times) with this meaning … “to prepare.”

Jonah 1:17 … Now the LORD had prepared (manah) a great fish to swallow up Jonah.

God also prepared (manah) other things in Jonah! A gourd in 4:6, a worm (tola) in 4:7 and a storm, a violent east wind in Jonah 4:8!

Wow!

Therefore, I am not only to count my days for the Lord. Living each hour as if it could be my last! I have now learned I am to prepare each day as well. Prepare it for godly conversation, for godly companionship, for Bible study and reading, etc.

This is enlightening and thrilling in some ways. Here is God’s Word teaching me how to live “right” day after day! Pleasing the Lord in all I do!

One verb, two meanings, both applicable to the growing Christian’s life!

So now, the Lord willing, let’s all …

… number our days and prepare our minutes and hours as well!

Wow, Amen …

Now, here’s the video class …

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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Our Text …

“9 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: 10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? 11 And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.”

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Thousands of deaths, violent ones apparently, and not one gory detail! Just this, “slain for the Word of God!”

In the video class I tried to give lots of information about these three verses. Watch it if you can.

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Here’s one verse that makes me believe Jesus’ Blood in right now in Heaven!

Hebrews 9:12 … “Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by (dia = translated as ‘with’ 16x) his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.”

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Blood literally poured at foot of the brazen altar …

Exodus 29:12 … And thou shalt take of the blood of the bullock, and put it upon the horns of the altar with thy finger, and pour all the blood beside the bottom of the altar.

Leviticus 4:7 … And the priest shall put some of the blood upon the horns of the altar of sweet incense before the LORD, which is in the tabernacle of the congregation; and shall pour all the blood of the bullock at the bottom of the altar of the burnt offering, which is at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

These “pourings” are acts of worship, obviously. And so were the deaths of these martyrs! They died worshipping God, as did Stephen and as did Paul! Jesus certainly did as well!

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I did not get to share this note …

The only previous “group” with a “loud voice,” many as one …

Revelation 5:11-12 … And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.

Revelation 6:10 … And they (tribulation martyrs) cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?

In Revelation 5, the voices are raised in praise!

In Revelation 6, the voices are raised in petition, prayer!

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Revelation 2:10 makes me believe there must be a special reward for those special folks who are martyrs for Jesus’ sake.

“Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.”

A Crown of Life!

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Someone observed … “Martyrs do not die of old age!”

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These living (and then dying) sacrifices asked the Lord “How long?”

Is this sanctified impatience, perhaps? It certainly is a common Bible Prayer!

Psalm 6:3 … My soul is also sore vexed: but thou, O LORD, how long?

Psalm 13:1-2 … Of David … How long wilt thou forget me, O LORD? for ever? How long wilt thou hide thy face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? How long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?

Psalm 35:17 … Lord, how long wilt thou look on?

Psalm 89:46 … How long, LORD? wilt thou hide thyself for ever?

Psalm 94:3 … LORD, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked triumph?

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Now, here is the easiest way to watch the class …

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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The Text …

“5 And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. 6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine. 7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. 8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.”

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The noun “bests” in verse 8 is completely different from the noun “beasts” in Revelation 4!

In the expression “beasts of the earth” … in Greek spelled their’on … we sense the meaning of truly wild beasts!

The word’s 1^st use in Scripture … Mark 1:13 … And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him.

Acts 10:12 … Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts (not “theiron”) of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air.

Acts 28:4 … And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man (Paul) is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live.

Titus 1:12 … One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies.

Hebrews 12:20 … For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart …

James 3:7-8 … For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: but the tongue!

Then 37x more in Revelation of Antichrist, etc. (Here most often used of wicked men!)

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Then the noun “hades,” meaning the abode of the dead, can be traced in the New Testament like this …

Its 1^st occurence … Matthew 11:23 … And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.

Luke 16:23 … And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

Acts 2:27 … Jesus, from Psalm 16 … Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

Acts 2:31 … He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.

1 Corinthians 15:55 … O death, where is thy sting? O grave (hades), where is thy victory?

Revelation 1:18 … I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

Then it appears yet again here in our Text, Revelation 6:8.

Plus Revelation 20:13 … And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

Revelation 20:14 … And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

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Watch this class if you possibly can …

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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Our Text …

1 And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see. 2 And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer. 3 And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see. 4 And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.

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The “Tribulation” will impact both Jews and Gentiles.

The Jews … Jeremiah 30:7 … Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.

The Gentiles … Isaiah 34:2 … For the indignation of the LORD is upon all nations (Gentiles), and his fury upon all their armies: he hath utterly destroyed them, he hath delivered them to the slaughter.

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Much of the Book of Revelation alludes to the Old Testament Scriptures. I suspect even the “horses” in chapter 6 …

Zechariah 6:1-7 … And I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came four chariots out from between two mountains; and the mountains were mountains of brass. 2 In the first chariot were red horses; and in the second chariot black horses; 3 And in the third chariot white horses; and in the fourth chariot grisled (spotted, like rounded patches) and bay (gray) horses. 4 Then I answered and said unto the angel that talked with me, What are these, my lord? 5 And the angel answered and said unto me, These are the four spirits of the heavens, which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth. 6 The black horses which are therein go forth into the north country; and the white go forth after them; and the grisled go forth toward the south country. 7 And the bay went forth, and sought to go that they might walk to and fro through the earth: and he said, Get you hence, walk to and fro through the earth. So they walked to and fro through the earth.

An “allusion” is an implicit reference, not a direct quote.

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Looks like I covered most of the material, not much “I forgot to say!”

May I invite you to watch the Class?

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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