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God’s Planned Future (9) Matthew 24-25, Daniel’s, and Revelation Prophecies

By / God's Planned Future / 17 minutes of reading

In this lesson we shall consider some of the corresponding predictions between Daniel’s prophecies in chapters 9 and 12 with Jesus’ prophecy in Matthew chapters 24-25. Remember also, that Matthew 24 corresponds with the chronological timeline of the Revelation.

Matthew 24 begins with Jesus and His disciples walking away from the temple in Jerusalem, when the disciples draw to Jesus’ attention all the buildings of the temple. Jesus responds by saying, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down (Mat 24:2).

Arriving at the Mount of Olives in Matthew 24:3, Jesus’ disciples ask Him 2 questions. First, when will these things be? And second, what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age? (Mat 24:3).

First, for us, we can easily look back into history and see that Jesus’ words in verse 2, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down, were fulfilled in A.D. 70 when the Roman army, under General Titus, destroyed Jerusalem and the temple. Although we have not seen it yet, the Jerusalem temple is going to be rebuilt and the priestly ministry will be reinstated with the sacrifices in the future. This will most likely happen immediately following the rapture with the approval of antichrist.

For the answer to the disciple’s second question, Jesus proceeds to give a detailed explanation quoting from Daniel’s prophecy which also matches with John’s Revelation. As we bring all 3 prophecies together, we see that the future will look like this:

  • Daniel 9:26, and after the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one shall be cut off and shall have nothing (That was Jesus’ earthly life). And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary (That was the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple in A.D. 70). Its end shall come with a flood, and to the end there shall be war. Desolations are decreed (This is the future tribulation following the rapture).
  • Matthew 5:5, many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. We see this today with all the false prophets and false claims of being reincarnated Jesus. But this will increase immediately following the rapture. When the church is removed from this world there will remain many false believers who were left behind. These will follow false christs as they pursue justifying their false belief which was the cause of them not being taken in the rapture of the true bride of Christ.
  • Matthew 24:6, and you will hear of wars and rumours of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. This corresponds with Seal #1 in Revelation 6:1-2. The Antichrist establishes temporary world peace politically, militarily, and religiously. Antichrist will support the rebuilding of the temple as a gesture of peace to Israel when he makes a 7 year covenant of peace with them (Dan 9:27a). As time goes by in the early years of the tribulation, rumours of wars will be heard of. Then those rumours will become actual battles as peace dissolves into wars in different places and for different reasons.
  • Matthew 24:7, for nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. This corresponds with Seals #2-4 in Revelation. Antichrist’s peace soon dissolves into anarchy beginning with war. Revelation 6:4 explains Seal #2, its rider was permitted to take peace from the earth, so that people should slay one another. War is followed by famine and shortage of food in Seal #3. Again, Seal #4 sees mass death with ¼ of the world’s population dying (Rev 6:8).
  • Matthew 24:8, Jesus tells His disciples that all these are but the beginning of the birth pains. Things are about to get much worse as Jesus predicts in Matthew 24:21, for then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. The 2nd 3 ½ year period of the 7 year tribulation is called “great tribulation” (cf. Mk 13:14-19; Rev 7:14) because it is the worst judgement ever.
  • In between Matthew 24:8 and 9, Daniel’s 3 ½ year prophecy happens on the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate (Daniel 9:27). Mark 13:14a adds, when you see the abomination of desolation standing where he ought not to be.

Daniel’s prophecy in chapter 11 provides more specific detail. Daniel 11:31 says that antichrist’s military forces from him shall appear and profane the temple and fortress (the city of Jerusalem. cf. Luk 21:20) and shall take away the regular burnt offering. And they shall set up the abomination that makes desolate. This will be some representation of antichrist (Dan 12:11) with his army telling people to worship him.

Then He (antichrist) shall seduce with flattery those who violate the covenant, but the people who know their God shall stand firm and take action (Dan 11:32, 39b). Antichrist will use complementary language and enticement to persuade everyone who is happy to break the 7 year peace covenant with Israel to faithfully follow him. This will include both Jews and Gentiles. However, there will be people of God, faithful Jews, and believers in Jesus Christ, who see through antichrist’s deception, and they will resist him in any way possible.

2 Thessalonians 2:3-4, let no one deceive you in any way. For that day… the man of lawlessness (antichrist) 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 (cf. Dan 11:36-37).

Revelation 11:2b, do not measure the court outside the temple (Jerusalem); leave that out, for it is given over to the nations (Gentiles), and they will trample the holy city (Jerusalem); for forty-two months (3 ½ years).

So, we see that halfway through the tribulation, antichrist and his army break the 7 year covenant of peace with Israel and hijack Jerusalem (This is NOT Armageddon). He stops the temple worship in Jerusalem and authorises his Gentile army to govern Jerusalem while Jews are still living there. He declares himself to be God and instructs the world to worship him as god (Dan 9:27; 11:31, 36; 12:11; Mt 24:9, 15-21; Lk 21:20; 2Th 2:3-4; Rev 11:2). While Jerusalem will be damaged, it will NOT be destroyed.

  • At this 3 ½ year point also, Israel’s 1/3 remnant are put into hiding and protected by God somewhere in the desert for the 2nd 3½ year period of the tribulation (Zch 13:8-9; Rev 12:6-16). It is possible that some of the Jewish 144,000 men are hidden away with these people also.
  • Matthew 24:9-14, 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. Once antichrist declares himself to be god, he demands that the world worship him alone. With the disappearance of 1/3 of Israel, and antichrist’s inability to find them, antichrist introduces the false prophet and the image of the beast, then marks his followers with his 666 mark (Rev 13:16-17). 

While there will be a great spiritual awakening during the tribulation from the preaching of the 144,000 Jewish evangelists (Rev 7:3-8; 9:4: 14:1-5), the 2 male Jewish witnesses (Rev 11:1-14), and the 3 hovering angels (Rev 14:6-11), there will be great deception also. There will be many false evangelists with false gospels (Mat 24:11), leading people to become false converts. These false converts will fall away (Mat 24:10), accepting the 666 mark of antichrist because of antichrist’s deception and the terrible events of the tribulation judgements (Mat 24:12). Only the genuinely converted tribulation saints will remain faithful and not receive the 666 mark.

Revelation 20:4 tells us that these tribulation believers will be those who have been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. These faithful believers will either be martyred for their faith, or they will somehow persevere to the end of the tribulation. Everyone who is discovered to have refused the mark of the beast, and refuse to worship antichrist will be executed, which is Seal #5 in Revelation 6:9-11; 14:13. Martyrdom of tribulation converts to Jesus as Saviour and Lord will escalate.

This is how Matthew 24:14 will play out during the tribulation, and this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. The gospel will be proclaimed right up to the end of the 7 year tribulation when Christ returns in Revelation 19.

  • Matthew 24:15-21, so when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel (Dan 9:27, antichrist at the tribulation 3 ½ year point), standing in the holy place, 16 then let those (tribulation converts) who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let the one who is on the housetop not go down to take what is in his house, 18 and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak. 19 And alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! 20 Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath. 21 For then (the 2nd 3 ½ years) there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be.

Here, Jesus explains that if you happen to be a convert to Jesus during the 1st 3 ½ year period of the tribulation, and you see antichrist commit the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, run for your life! Things are about to get much worse. Not only will you not be able to buy and sell without the 666 mark (Rev 13:16), but you will most likely be executed for believing in Jesus if discovered.

  • Matthew 24:22, Jesus continues to explain that if the 7 year tribulation was permitted to continue any longer, mankind, under antichrist’s leadership, would annihilate themselves. And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.

God wants to preserve living people to continue into His 1000 year kingdom. Plus, God wants to preserve the nation Israel to fulfill the remaining Old Testament promises to them. This requires survival of both humans and planet earth.

Close to the end of the tribulation, bowl judgement number 6 (Rev 16:12-16) sees the river Euphrates dried up; and the world’s armies join forces with the northern and eastern armies. They march westward across dry land, where the river Euphrates used to be, to meet at the place called Armageddon, waiting for Christ to arrive for battle.

Meanwhile, other smaller armies attack and take over unbelieving Jerusalem (Zch 14:1-4) which is a mix of both Jew and Gentile in rebellion against antichrist. But Jerusalem is NOT destroyed.

While waiting for Christ to arrive for battle at Armageddon, bowl judgement number 7 is poured out (Rev 16:17-21). This is the storm to end all storms, but this is still NOT Armageddon or Christ’s return!

  • Flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder
  • A severe earthquake. No earthquake like it has ever occurred since man has been on earth
  • The great city (Jerusalem) splits into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapsed
  • Every island fled away
  • The mountains could not be found
  • From the sky huge hailstones of about a hundred pounds (45Kg) each fell upon men

The planet’s tectonic plates move as never before to completely change the surface of the earth. All the cities around the world collapse into piles of rubble. Jerusalem is the ONLY city left standing on what will be a raised area of land. The surface of the earth is restructured from being mountainous to being a gentle and undulating landscape in preparation for the 1000 year Kingdom.

Remember, while this is happening, Israel’s 1/3 remnant and the 144,000 Jewish evangelists remain protected by God. The battle of Armageddon has not happened, and Christ has not returned yet, but He soon will.

  • Matthew 24:27, for as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. This speaks of Jesus’ 2nd stage of His return. Stage 1 was the rapture, when Jesus snatches the church up to the clouds. Stage 2, which comes later, is Jesus’ decent to touching planet earth to conquer it (Zch 14:4). Revelation 19:11-16 describes Jesus returning with the armies of heaven. Daniel 12:7b explains this return of Christ as when the shattering of the power of the holy people comes to an end all these things would be finished. Christ’s return will bring an end to antichrist’s reign.
  • Matthew 24:28, wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather. Revelation 19:17-18 tells us that a colossal number of birds (vultures) gather to start eating the dead bodies in the 1st stage of the clean-up project following Jesus’ conquering at Armageddon.

While Daniel finishes his prophecy in Daniel 12:13, Jesus continues in Matthew chapter 24 as does John in the Revelation.

Before we look at Jesus’ words in Matthew 24:29-31, we shall briefly consider Daniel’s final words.

Daniel 12:11-13, 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.
12 Blessed is he who waits and arrives at the 1,335 days.
13 But go your way till the end. And you shall rest and shall stand in your allotted place at the end of the days.

We understand that verse 11 says there will be 3 ½ years (1,290 days) from the time of antichrist committing the abomination that makes desolate to Christ’s return. Then in verse 13, Daniel continues to tell us that those who wait for 1335 days will be blessed. This creates a 75 day difference, or interim gap, between Christ’s return and another significant event which Daniel does not name. However, it is Daniel’s expectation that some will survive through this period for them to be blessed. The only clue Daniel gives is found in his final sentence; and you shall rest and shall stand in your allotted place at the end of the days (Daniel 12:13). This indicates that for those who survive through the extended period of 1335 days, which is 75 days beyond Christ’s return, they shall stand in a place specifically allotted to them by God. In the Jewish context of Daniel’s prophecy, this would indicate standing in the new Kingdom with King Jesus. We see God’s prophecies further fulfilled for Israel through Jesus’ words in Matthew 25 and the Revelation.

Matthew 25:34, then the King will say to those on his right, Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

The invitation given in verse 34 will be to the saved people who somehow survive through to the end of the tribulation. They will include the 144,000 Jewish men, the surviving tribulation saints, and the remnant of Israel who were protected by God in the desert who have now all been saved. These people are separated out as the sheep on Jesus’ right side in the sheep and goat judgement. These are the ones Daniel spoke of when he said, you shall rest and shall stand in your allotted place at the end of the days (Daniel 12:13). There allotted place is with Jesus in the new kingdom.

Matthew 24:29-31 finds Jesus giving a 3 point summary of the final days of this world as we presently know it, and the beginning of the transition to His new kingdom period.

First, verse 29, Jesus shows us the final condition of this present world moments before He returns.

Second, verse 30, Jesus again shows us the glory of His actual return to conquer the world.

Third, verse 31, Jesus shows us how He gathers the surviving believers from around the world following Armageddon and His return.

First – Matthew 24:29, 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.

When the complete trilogy of 7 seal judgements, 7 trumpet judgements, and 7 bowl judgements have been dispensed, the end of the tribulation arrives. The accumulation of all the judgements is unimaginable. The entire earth is changed, the solar system is dismantling as it falls to pieces, bombarding the earth with meteorites. The 24 hour cycle of day and night has changed with the bare minimum of sunlight only partially illuminating the darkened earth.

The remaining unbelievers, including those in antichrist’s army are covered in painful sores, sunburnt, hungry, and dehydrated from the lack of water and food. The catastrophic effects of bowl #7 storm has destroyed every city in the world with homes now just a pile of rubble. The earth’s landscape looks totally different. Land and oceans have been redefined because of the bowl #7 earthquakes. Most, if not all, of the world’s satellites will have been destroyed and fallen out of the sky or floated off into space as redundant junk. The world’s supercomputers will have been crushed as with the world’s electricity plants. The toxic waste wafting around the globe from radioactive residue and chemical spillage will be indescribable. Present day maps will be of little use. Jerusalem is the only city left standing, which will enrage antichrist and the remaining unbelievers even more.

The scene on earth immediately after the tribulation of those days, and briefly before Christ’s return, will be so extreme that we can only partially imagine the horrors of it now.

Second – Matthew 24:30, then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

With the earth and solar system devastated, and Jerusalem being the only city still standing, although overrun by Gentiles and split into 3 parts, antichrist’s bedraggled armies wait to do battle with Jesus at Armageddon. Then it happens. Christ returns!

Into this darkened environment, the Son of Man will enter the earth’s sky. A divine portal from heaven to earth’s atmosphere opens, through which Jesus launches down through the clouds to earth. The brilliance of His glory will light up the sky with His radiance as never seen before. Somehow, people around the world will be able to see Jesus’ entrance. It may be that enough manmade technology will still be functioning to allow global viewing of it. Or it may be supernaturally enabled. But this much is certain, Jesus’ identity and magnificence will be unmistakable, and seen by all. As antichrist’s remaining armies look upward to behold their enemy approaching, they will know their demise is only moments away.

Jesus returns with His heavenly armies (That’s us, Rev 19:14) to conquer at Armageddon and Jerusalem (Zec 14:3-5b). The armies with Christ have no weapons because Christ is the weapon. There is no actual fighting, no battle, Christ simply destroys His enemies by His spoken word (Rev 19:15). Zechariah 14:12 explains in graphic detail, this shall be the plague with which the Lord will strike all the peoples that wage war against Jerusalem: their flesh will rot while they are still standing on their feet, their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongues will rot in their mouths.

This is not atomic warfare. Rather, this is the power of Jesus’ spoken word. Revelation 14:20 sees the combined blood of these battles as high as a horse’s bridle, for 1,600 stadia (approx. 300Km). The brutal physical devastation caused by Christ as He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty (Revelation 19:15). The destruction of His enemies at Armageddon and Jerusalem produces such an enormous volume of blood that the earth will not be able to immediately soak it in.

  • Antichrist and the false prophet are captured and thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulphur (Rev 19:20b).
  • An angel coming down from heaven… seized the dragon… who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer (Rev 20:1-3).

Third – Matthew 24:31, and he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

Following Christ’s victorious return, the world is a quite a different place. Satan is gone, antichrist and the false prophet are gone. All opposing armies are gone also.

Christ wastes no time in rounding up the surviving people from around the world. There will, however, remain many antichrist supporters in other places around the world. Likewise, there will be believers in Christ scattered who have not taken the 666 mark of the beast.

So, Christ will send out his angels, who will …gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

Matthew 25:32-34 continues, before him (Christ) will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King (Christ) will say to those on his right, Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
Then he will say to those on his left, depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41).

And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life (Matthew 25:46. cf. Heb 10:12-13; Jude:14-16). This judgement is commonly referred to as the sheep and goat judgement.

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Friendship from God – Part 1

By / The Pastor's Pen / 3 minutes of reading

Most of us desire quality, pleasurable friendships. Whether with just one person, or with a group, friendship is integral to being created in the image of God. As we all know, there are different qualities of friendship, ranging from damaging to enriching. However, there is one friendship that ranks above all others, and that is friendship with God Almighty. I’m not referring to knowing about God, and I’m not referring to experiencing some sense of closeness with Him when praying or singing. No, I speak of a genuine, life-long intimacy that happily yields our will to His sovereign will. Friendship that seeks after Him first, for His glory and His pleasure, which in turn gives us pleasure (Psa 1:1-2; 112:1; 1Pe 1:2). As Christians, our human friendships are influenced by the quality of our friendship with Jesus Christ. Does our character reflect Christ’s character to a degree that enables others to experience Christ?

Often, our desire in earthly friendships is to get what we want, in some way or another. We may be more interested in how the other person makes us feel and not in the actual person themselves. For the Christian, this grows out of having the same wrong expectation of our friendship with God. Often our attitudes, our prayers, and our activities, show that we judge God’s friendship by the extent to which He fulfils our expectations. Therefore, we may make life-changing decisions with ourselves at the centre of our reasoning instead of God.

Oswald Chambers asked, think of the last thing you prayed about – were you devoted to your desire or to God? Was your determination to get some gift of the Spirit for yourself or to get to God? 

King David rightly tells us of the priority of friendship with God. The friendship of the LORD is for those who fear him, and he makes known to them his covenant. My eyes are ever toward the LORD… (Psalm 25:14-15). Yahweh is the initiator, reaching out to us, offering friendship through His son Jesus Christ (Heb 1:2). We then respond with repentant fear of the Lord. As our relationship grows, Yahweh increasingly makes known to us the nature of his covenant on which our relationship stands. The non-negotiable truths and promises of the covenant Christ instigated through the cross of Calvary is the foundation of our intimate friendship with God.

Communion reminds us of the cost and the certainty of friendship with God through Christ. The cup is the new covenant in my blood Jesus said. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me (1 Corinthians 11:25). The friendship which God gifted us came at the cost of Jesus’ life on the cross. There, God exchanged our sin for Christ’s righteousness, making the closest association with God possible (Rom 3:22-25). Christ made intimate friendship with Yahweh accessible by faith, and our faith is expressed through righteous fear of Yahweh. A fear that not only shudders at His coming judgement of sin, but a fear that also breaths the highest respect we are capable of. It’s no wonder David said, my eyes are ever toward the LORD.

Friendship from God is expensive because Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God (Ephesians 5:2). As we grow in our understanding of God’s mercy in friendship, we should equally grow in our worship. Because of His great mercy, Paul instructs us to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship (Romans 12:1).

To be continued…



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Christ – the greatest treasure – Part 3

By / The Pastor's Pen / 3 minutes of reading

As Christians reading God’s Word, we are in awe of the many and varied expressions of the Lord Jesus Christ. The gospel accounts expose us to the incredible ways in which Christ manifested His divinity through His restricted humanity. The apostle John concluded that there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written (John 21:25). However, these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name (John 20:31).
While Jesus’ earthly ministry was astounding, so His ongoing heavenly ministry continues to be astounding with significant earthly impact. Christ is the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, being designated by God a high priest… (Hebrews 5:9-10). Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them (Hebrews 7:25). Jesus never takes time off. There are no holidays or rests from His ministry of intercession on our behalf. What’s more, He never does a half-hearted job. He completely saves sinners, He completely secures those saved sinners, He sanctifies those He justifies, and He shall completely glorify redeemed sinners to heaven (Romans 8:29-30).

With this in mind, let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need (Hebrews 4:15-16). Christ does not save us to then abandon us. He does not justify us then leave us to our own resources to struggle through life. No, He saves us only to continue His priestly ministry on our behalf at the throne of God, ensuring our every need is meet, and that our future arrival in heaven is fulfilled. Noting is left to chance. Nothing is left depending upon us.

Hebrews 10:14 sums up in 1 line the absolute sufficiency of what Christ has done, what Christ is doing, and what Christ shall do for believers. For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. While we may struggle with living through the process of daily sanctification, we are assured that Christ will perfect our sanctification for eternity without being dependent upon our abilities to get things right.

Since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith (Hebrews 10:21-22). Realising our unimaginable security in Christ, we are able to push to one side any fears or challenges knowing that Christ has, is, and shall continue to save and secure us. Our great priest never faulters or fails at the task before Him. Unlike us, who are plagued with inconsistencies and struggles, the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one (2 Thessalonians 3:3). Even during those dark times in life, if we are faithless, he remains faithful (2 Timothy 2:13).

Paul’s prayer for the Thessalonian Christians sums this up perfectly. Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24). Because he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:6).



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God’s Planned Future (8) Bowl Judgements – Armageddon

By / God's Planned Future / 21 minutes of reading

John begins Revelation chapter 15 by saying in verse 1, then I saw another sign in heaven, great and amazing, seven angels with seven plagues, which are the last, for with them the wrath of God is finished.

But, before John explains the pouring out of these 7 final judgements in chapter 16, he enlightens about an activity in heaven during this time of God’s wrath upon the earth.

Again, John’s attention is taken by this large sea of glass mingled with fire in verse 2, which is the same sea spoken of in chapter 4:6. This crystal-like sea lays before God’s throne where there is continual worship. However, this time, John can’t help but notice a specific group of people standing beside the sea of glass with harps of God in their hands (Rev 15:2b). John tells us precisely who these people are, they are those who had conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name (15:2a).

John spoke of these people in Revelation 6:9, when 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. Again, John tells of these people in chapter 14:13, blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labours, for their deeds follow them!”  These people put faith in Jesus Christ following the rapture of the church and have been executed under the authority of antichrist during the tribulation.

Upon arriving in heaven, 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 (Rev 6:11). These martyred Christians, both Jew and Gentile, rise from the earth to heaven during the 7 years of tribulation to join the worship of God while God’s wrath is poured out upon the earth. Here, we see God’s great mercy during the tribulation. God has sovereignly predetermined the number of their fellow servants who will be saved throughout the entire 7 year tribulation. And the salvation of sinners will continue right to the end, when Jesus returns in chapter 19, when that number will be complete. The reality though, is that most who put faith in Christ during the tribulation will be killed for their faith.

In Revelation 20:4 John provides more information of these martyred believers. John says, …also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands…

Antichrist will globally legalise the death penalty for all Christians during the tribulation. To say money and to conserve military resources, antichrist will authorise beheading as the preferred method of execution.

Ironically, the torment antichrist hopes to inflict on believers through beheading will only serve to release them from the torment of this world. Beheaded saints will immediately appear in heaven with great reward waiting for them. John tells of the wonderful scene in heaven, where these martyred saints sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying,
                “Great and amazing are your deeds,
                O Lord God the Almighty!
                Just and true are your ways,
                O King of the nations!
                Who will not fear, O Lord,
                and glorify your name?
                For you alone are holy.
                All nations will come and worship you,
                for your righteous acts have been revealed”
                (Rev 15:3-4).
These precious, redeemed people, rescued out of the very wrath of God, will sing these words with a purity of worship and unique insights of the glory of God with fresh and vibrant passion. Heaven will echo the rejoicing wonders of God’s mercy triumphing over judgement (Jas 2:13).

While jubilant worship is resounding in heaven out of the sanctuary came the seven angels with the seven plagues, clothed in pure, bright linen, with golden sashes around their chests. And one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God who lives forever and ever (Rev 15:6-7). Judgement must continue until it is complete.

What a fearful sight, as one of the four living creatures hands out to each of these 7 angels a bowl containing the final and full manifestation of God’s wrath to be poured out upon the world. It’s not surprising that John observed that the sanctuary was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power, and no one could enter the sanctuary until the seven plagues of the seven angels were finished (Rev 15:8). God is unapproachable for this final rapid-fire sequence. Divine determination will see that His wrath is completed. There will be no short cuts, no half measures, and no negotiations. The end is near, all heaven knows it, yet the rebellious world continues in their defiant warring against God and His people.

Revelation 16:1, then I heard a loud voice from the temple telling the seven angels, go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls of the wrath of God.
John again picks up the Revelation timeline from the 7th trumpet of chapter 11:15. When trumpet 7 sounds, the 7 bowls of God’s wrath open. With the ongoing effects of the previous seal and trumpet judgements, it’s difficult to imagine the horrors seizing the remaining world population. As this is nearing the end of the 7 years of tribulation, these bowls open quickly, dumping God’s final wrath upon the rebellious world with accumulative effects.

Bowl 1: Rev 16:2 – angel number 1 pours out his bowl, and painful malignant sores of an ulcer type break out on every person who has the mark of the beast (666). Not one person on the planet who worships antichrist will escape these terrible festering and incurable sores. These sores will most likely infect the blood system causing debilitating physical and mental health problems.

Bowl 2: Rev 16:3 – angel number 2 pours out his bowl, and the entire sea turns to blood with every living thing in it dying. Every remaining life form that exists in the oceans around the world dies. It’s hard to imagine the incalculable number of decomposing creatures throughout the world’s oceans. The waters will thicken into a coagulation of rotting flesh as bacteria breads diseases while the air will become nauseating to breath.

The remaining food supply that survived the second trumpet judgement upon the sea will abruptly die. Many of the shipping ways will be severely cluttered with rotting bodies, unable to be navigated. Desalination plants which many countries depend upon for converting salt water to fresh water for drinking, will be incapacitated and rendered useless. Oceanic hydro electricity generation plants will not be able to operate in the thick sludge which will no longer flow in normal tidal currents. Similarly, industry’s sea water cooling systems will no longer work, bringing factories to a standstill.

Bowl 3: Rev 16:4 – angel number 3 pours out his bowl, and all remaining freshwater from rivers and springs turn to blood. This removes all natural sources of fresh drinking water. No freshwater irrigation for crops will exit. Many humans and animals will die of thirst and malnutrition.

Bowl 4: Rev 16:8 – angel number 4 pours out his bowl upon the sun which produces such intense heat upon the earth that it scorches people and there is no relief. Instead of the sun sustaining life on earth, it becomes a killer. Solar flares, which will be totally outside of man’s control, will burn people’s skin severely from only minimal exposure to sunlight. Remember, these people will already be suffering from pussy sores and dehydration. What little remains of public medical services will be overwhelmed by burn casualties.

Because of increased atmospheric temperatures, the polar ice caps, global ice glaciers, and the worldwide ice and snow will melt. Sea levels will rise, not because of the polar ice melting, but because of the glacier and snow melting. The result will be massive flooding with enormous volumes of water rushing over sun parched land. Landslides will be common. Low lying islands will be submersed. Damage to natural resources and property, not to mention the loss of life through drowning, will be catastrophic.

Bowl 5: Rev 16:10 – angel number 5 poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness.
The 5th angel releases a bowl of darkness that effects the physical, political, and religious aspects of antichrist’s kingdom. With light now darkened, the result will be anarchy throughout his earthly kingdom. The angel does not only darken the atmospheric light through this bowl, but the throne of antichrist.

Therefore, the darkening effects of this judgement flows down from the beast throughout his entire kingdom. Due to diminished visibility and mental alertness, accidents of all kinds will greatly increase. Antichrist’s people are covered in festering sores, they are hungry and thirsty, they are demoralised, yet they are driven by blind hatred of God. Errors from minor to major will be commonplace. As a result of the increased suffering from anarchy, people gnawed (chewed) their tongues in anguish due to the accumulative physical, mental, and spiritual suffering experienced.

Yet, in spite of the extremity of suffering, people cursed the God of heaven for their pain and sores because they understand this is the judgement of Almighty God. Not surprising then, burning with blind hatred towards God, they did not repent of their deeds.

Bowl 6: Rev 16:12 – angel number 6 pours out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, to prepare the way for the kings from the east.
With the river Euphrates being the longest river of the middle-east, it is significant because it divides nations. When it dries up, it not only leaves the land more parched from the lack of irrigation, but it leaves vast areas of rotting river creatures and vegetation. With Euphrates gone, this creates a dry pathway for a large eastern military force to transport themselves in a direct line towards Jerusalem.

At present, the largest and most powerful nation to the east is China and her neighbouring nations. However, the world’s political system and the division of nations will look very different by the time bowl number 6 arrives. Having the great river Euphrates gone will be necessary for the eastern armies to reach their ultimate destination of Armageddon for the final battle of mankind.

John continues to explain in Revelation 16:13-14, I saw coming out of the mouth of the dragon (Satan) and out of the mouth of the beast (antichrist) and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs. 14 For they are demonic spirits, performing signs, who go abroad to the kings of the whole world, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty.

Here, John sees the unholy satanic trinity unleash 3 powerful froglike demons who frantically rush out on a final worldwide mission of deception. Focusing their deceptive powers, they perform miraculous signs before the leaders of the nations, they stop at nothing to seduce the shattered nations into united military submission. From the ashes of the eastern nations a diseased and bedraggled army, reinforced by the kings of the whole world (Rev 16:14) including the northern allies, arrive at the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon (Rev 16:16) for battle on the great day of God the Almighty (Rev 16:14). Revelation 17:12-14 tells us that this confederation will consist of 10 nations united in war against the Lamb (Jesus Christ) and Israel (cf. Joel 3:2, 9-13). This will be the battle of Gog and Magog described in Ezekiel 38-39. Gog is the name of the ruler who is over the northern federation of nations called Magog. Presently, we know the northern nations as the Russian federation of nations. But, as with China, the names and identities of these may change during the tribulation.

Armageddon, Megiddo (Jezreel Valley or Har-Magedon), depending on the translation, is a place rich in battle history for Israel (Judges 5:19; 2 Kings 23:29; 2 Chronicles 35:22). Located in the Northern District of Israel, about 100Km north of Jerusalem, it is a large plain with an inland valley that was called the Valley of Megiddo in ancient times.

The broken down armies of the world, covered in sores and severely sunburnt, set themselves up ready for battle. Much of their technology and artillery has been destroyed already by the previous judgements of God. However, they are determined to fight, but they must wait because the one they have come to war against (The Lamb, Jesus Christ) has not arrived yet.

Meanwhile, other smaller, localised battles will happen in the area of Jerusalem as antichrist tries to destroy everything associated with Israel (Zec 14:1-3). His effort will fail for two reasons. First, God has been hiding and protecting a 1/3 remnant of Israel in the wilderness (Zec 13:8-9; Rev 12:6-16). Second, when Christ arrives on the scene, He will conquer all armies in one final, brief, and victorious battle where there will be no actual fighting.

So, while the world waits at Armageddon, the 7th angel pours out bowl judgement number 7 into the air.

Bowl 7:
The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and out of the temple came a loud voice from the throne, saying, “It is done!”
Then there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder and a severe earthquake. No earthquake like it has ever occurred since man has been on earth, so tremendous was the quake. The great city (Jerusalem) split into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapsed. God remembered Babylon the Great and gave her the cup filled with the wine of the fury of his wrath. Every island fled away and the mountains could not be found. From the sky huge hailstones of about a hundred pounds each fell upon men. And they cursed God on account of the plague of hail, because the plague was so terrible (Rev 16:17-21).

This 7th and final bowl judgement is by far the worst and most concentrated judgement this world has experienced in its entire history. With the completion of bowl 7 judgement, the wrath of God is finished (Rev 15:1). Immediately following the outpouring of bowl 7, Jesus Christ returns to wrap it all up with sovereign justice and Kingship.

The catastrophic events of this bowl are breathtaking:

  • Flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder
  • A severe earthquake. No earthquake like it has ever occurred since man has been on earth
  • The great city (Jerusalem) splits into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapsed
  • Every island fled away
  • The mountains could not be found
  • From the sky huge hailstones of about a hundred pounds (45Kg) each fell upon men

This final storm exceeds all other forces of nature. The atmosphere unleashes every kind of disaster possible. The planet convulses with earthquakes so severe that mountains collapse, and islands, which are underwater mountains, also collapse and disappear from the oceans. The planet’s tectonic plates move as never before to completely change the surface of the earth.

The ground beneath the great city, which according to Revelation 11:8 is Jerusalem, where Jesus was crucified, opens to divide the city into three. All other cities around the world collapse into piles of rubble. Jerusalem is the ONLY city left standing on what will be a raise area of land. The surface of the earth is restructured from being mountainous to being a gentle and undulating landscape.

John MacArthur adds…
The Mount of Olives will split in two, and a new valley running east and west will be created (Zech. 14:4). A spring of water will flow year-round from Jerusalem to the Mediterranean and Dead Seas (Zech. 14:8), causing the desert to blossom like a rose (cf. Isa. 35:1). Jerusalem will be elevated, and the surrounding region flattened into a plain (Zech. 14:10). Thus, the purpose of the earthquake as it relates to Jerusalem is not to judge the city, but to enhance it.
(John MacArthur Revelation Commentary, Rev 16:19).

The remaining people marked with antichrist’s 666 will suffer horrendous injures from huge hailstones targeting them. As seen repeatedly throughout the tribulation, antichrist’s beaten followers curse God.

Again, John pauses the chronological flow of Revelation narrative to add more information about what has been happening leading up to the final Armageddon event. This is Interlude # 4, which shall be covered in more detail in another lesson.

But for now, we move to Revelation 19, where John steps back into the chronological time-line of Revelation. The pouring out of the seventh bowl in Revelation 16:17-21, is followed immediately by the Lord Jesus Christ returning to earth (Rev 19:11) to end the tribulation. Christ deals with the shaken, angry armies waiting for Him at Armageddon (Rev 16:16). He destroys the enemies surrounding Jerusalem. And He brings all remaining, living people into the sheep and goat judgement.

The Day King Jesus Returns
The scene is set. Antichrist’s largest army is waiting to do war at Armageddon. Jerusalem is surrounded by smaller armies determined to destroy it once and for all. The remaining people marked with 666, including all those in the armies, are covered in sores, sunburnt, hungry, and thirsty, yet driven by fierce demonic hatred of Christ.

The 1/3 remnant of Israel remains safe in hiding. The 144,000 Jewish witnesses also remain safe and untouched by antichrist. There will also be some believers in Jesus who have not been martyred. Likewise, there will most likely be a tiny number of politically motivated nonbelievers who have been resisting antichrist and have not taken the mark of the beast for personal reasons only.

Antichrist (the beast), has gathered with a 10 nation army from around the world, waiting for battle with their enemy. The kings of 10 nations, unitedly transfer their power and authority to the beast (Rev 17:13-14, 17) for the purpose of antichrist commanding the world’s united resources for making war against the Lamb of God. But they shall fail.

While antichrist is negotiating his political and military strategy for the battle of Armageddon, John sees an angel standing in the sun, and with a loud voice he called to all the birds that fly directly overhead, “Come, gather for the great supper of God” (Rev 19:17. cf. Mt 24:28; Lk 17:37). The angel invites the birds for what is about to require a massive clean-up job before the battle even takes place.  Ezekiel spoke of the birds in preparation for this day also, speak to the birds of every sort and to all beasts of the field: ‘Assemble and come, gather from all around to the sacrificial feast that I am preparing for you… you shall eat flesh and drink blood… (Eze 39:17-20. Cf. Mat 24:27-28; Luk 17:37).

The world is momentarily on standstill, waiting for Christ.

Then it happens!

John reports, I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war (Rev 19:11). As John watches, a portal between heaven and earth opens, but this time it’s not for John to see into heaven as before, but to let Jesus out of heaven. This is the glorious appearing Jesus’ foretold in Matthew 24:27; as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.

As Jesus launches out of heaven, catapulting into earth’s atmosphere riding His victor’s white horse, His eyes are like a flame of fire (Rev 19:12). His glorious brilliance is awe inspiring, lighting up the darkened skies from bowl 5 (Rev 16:10. From east to west, around the entire world, Christ’s glory will illuminate the skies. His entrance marks the initiation of fulfilling Daniel 7:13-14, …behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man… to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him…  and his kingdom …shall not be destroyed.

Similarly, Job foresaw Israel’s redeemer physically return to earth; “at the last he will stand upon the earth” (Job 19:25). The writer of Hebrews explains how from the time that Jesus sat down at the right hand of His Father in Heaven, He has been “waiting …until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet” (Hebrews 10:13). The prophet Malachi warned; “who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears?” (Malachi 3:2).

The King of kings and Lord of lords (Rev 19:16b) has arrived,  coming to tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty (Rev 19:15). His appearing shall be as described in Matthew 24:30, then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

Jesus enters as the rider of the white horse, called faithful and true, wearing on His head many diadems, which are badges or crowns of sovereign rulership (Rev 19:11-12). He arrives with the intent to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron… (Rev 19:15). The Rider has only one weapon, which from his mouth comes a sharp sword. Christ’s powerful spoken word is the only weapon needed to conquer His enemies.

John sees that Christ is clothed in a robe dipped in blood (Rev 19:13). The question arises; why is the rider’s robe blood red before the battle begins? Because, this is not His first battle, but it will be His last! Shortly, the blood stains shall increase as He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty (Rev 19:15). The rider on His white horse is an unstoppable movement of God’s justice.

John also sees in Revelation 19:14, that the armies of heaven …were following him on white horses. Who are the armies of heaven? John speaks of them in the plural, meaning there are more than one group of members in Christ’s accompanying armies. Revelation 19:14, and the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses.

  • Christ’s Bride, Rev 19:7-8, His Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure.
  • Angels, Mt 25:31, when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.

It needs be noted, that none in the armies of heaven carry weapons, that’s because Jesus Christ is the weapon. Christ alone is sufficient to conquer and establish His earthly Kingdom.

Entering the war zone, Christ uses the lethal Sword of His mouth, His spoken word, speaking destruction upon those gathered at Armageddon to make war against Him. Revelation 19:15, from his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations… He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.

The imagery of God’s wrath comes from the ancient practice of stomping on grapes to extract the juice for making wine. As they stomped on the grapes the juice would splatter onto their cloths. In Isaiah 63:1-3 and Joel 3:12-14, the same imagery is used to warn of God working out His judgement upon God haters. It’s used here by John to describe Christ stomping out God’s wrath against a world of God haters. But this time, Christ delivers the wrath verbally upon their enemies, bringing instant mass death. The immediate slaughter of millions is a bloody event. His enemies do not simply collapse dead. When Christ administers His vengeance, it results in a vast area of human carnage that produces a blood bath upon the earth. Interlude # 1 of Revelation 14:20 visualises the winepress was trodden outside the city, and blood flowed from the winepress, as high as a horse’s bridle, for 1,600 stadia (approx. 300Km). The physical devastation caused by Christ on His enemies at Armageddon and the armies surrounding Jerusalem produces such an enormous volume of blood that the earth will not be able to immediately soak it in.

The prophet Zechariah foresaw this day of the Lord. The Lord will go out and fight against those nations as when he fights on a day of battle. On that Day his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives that lies before Jerusalem on the east, and the Mount of Olives shall Be split in two from east to west by a very wide valley, so that one half of the Mount shall move northward, and the other half southward. And you shall flee to the valley of my mountains, for the valley of the mountains shall reach to Azal. And you shall flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the Lord my God Will come, and all the holy ones with him (Zec 14:3-5). And this shall be the plague with which the Lord will strike all the peoples that wage war against Jerusalem: their flesh will rot while they are still standing on their feet, their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their Tongues will rot in their mouths (Zec 14:12).

This will not involve atomic warfare. Rather, this is the power of the Lord Jesus Christ speaking judgment on His enemies. Not one of His enemies will escape. The scene of divine justice is grotesque, it is swift, it is unrelenting, and it is inescapable.

With such horrendous devastation over such a large geographical area, the divinely appointed birds swoop in to begin the clean up job. As we shall learn in the next lesson, the job is too big for the birds.

In the execution of Christ’s justice upon the armies who came against Him, the beast (antichrist) was captured, and with it the false prophet (the 2nd beast) who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulphur (Rev 19:20). Resistance is futile!

Revelation 20:1-3 concludes this eventful day. Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended.

Immediately following this comes the sheep and goat judgement that Christ explained in Matthew 25:31-46. When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats (Mat 25:31-32). We shall consider this in lesson 10 of this series.

God’s Planned Future (8) Bowl Judgements – Armageddon Read More »

Christ – the greatest treasure – Part 2

By / The Pastor's Pen / 3 minutes of reading

When Christ resurrected and then ascended, the Father seated Him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church (Ephesians 1:20-22). This answers the question; why do Christian’s emphasis Jesus so much? Because He is supreme over all others and beyond compare in every way. Therefore, it is the Christian’s pleasure to explore Christ’s being, His character, His position, His purposes, His works, and His reign.
Making much of Christ is as natural to a believer as breathing. We seek to glorify Christ not because we must, not because we have been instructed to, and certainly not because we have been coerced, but because we desire to. This desire compels the Christian to employ all they have; their intellects, their abilities, skills, energies, gifts, and their possessions, in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ (1 Peter 4:11). A believer should never need to be instructed to consider Jesus (Heb 3:1), they can’t help but think of Jesus because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus (Php 3:8).

Just as Christ is superior to angels (Heb 1:4), so He is also superior to mankind, even though He came to this world in the form of a humble human servant (Php 2:6-8). God temporarily placed Jesus in a position lower than the angels (Heb 2:7) for the purpose of going to the cross. There, Jesus willingly suffered execution so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone, making propitiation for the sins of the people (Hebrews 2:9, 17). It is through Christ’s death in our place that He was able to appease God’s wrath for our sin, making peace with God possible (Romans 5:1). By believing this, sinners are justified and declared innocent by God. Therefore, God has elevated Christ to the highest place, having crowned him with glory and honour, putting everything in subjection under his feet (Hebrews 2:7-8).

Even though Christ is exalted above everything and everyone in heaven and on earth, He is still able to sympathize with our weaknesses, as one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin (Hebrews 4:15). Christ lives as our high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens, interceding for those He sacrificed His life for (Hebrews 7:25-26). It’s no wonder then, that though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls (1 Peter 1:8-9).

So, when considering Christian living, it goes without saying that the obvious evidence of faith is the happy pursuit of Christlike character expressed through actions. Christians are not those who profess to know God but deny him by their works (Titus 1:16). Believers welcome the world’s observation as an opportunity to give testimony to Jesus through their lives. Conduct that communicates Christ should never be considered a burden, rather, it is the evidence of the Holy Spirit’s fruit that the Lord Jesus Christ lives within (Galatians 5:22-23).

With these brief thoughts in our minds, we can agree with Paul in his closing benediction of Romans 16:27, to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.

To be continued…

Christ – the greatest treasure – Part 2 Read More »

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