Mary and the End Times Ch. 13-14

MARY IN THE END TIMES

Revelation Ch. 13, 14

Following the last trumpet and violent hailstorms a great sign appeared in the sky. Thus begins a section that describes the power of evil, which is portrayed as a dragon. Dragons point to the secular powers of the Roman empire and its agents.

The sign appearing in the sky is a woman clothed with the sun who is with child. Around her head are 12 stars, representing the tribes of Israel, forming a crown around her head and the moon under her feet. These are ancient Jewish symbols of God’s chosen people, but is clearly the Virgin Mary. She cries out in the pain of childbirth (just as it was foretold to Eve after the fall). The Israel of old now gives way to the birth of the Messiah.

John continues to describe another sign in the sky. It displays a huge red dragon! It wears 7 heads, with 10 horns and 7 diadems. Its tail sweeps a third of the stars from the sky, hurling them to the earth toward the woman attempting to devour her child. But the child is caught up to God and the woman escapes. This is great drama. War then breaks out in heaven between Michael and the dragon and his angels. Satan’s army is expelled from Heaven because they are deceivers and opposed to God.

However, Satan doesn’t give up. He chases the woman who has been given the wings of an eagle which represent swiftness and power. Now she can flee the desert only to encounter another serpent who spews a torrent of water from its mouth, attempting to drown her. The earth comes to her rescue absorbing all the water into itself and she is saved. Subsequently the dragon leaves in anger, defeated again, promising to make war on her offspring. That explains in this allegory why we suffer so much temptation. Some days it feels like he is winning. We, however, are the children of Mary and she fights on our behalf.

This amazing story is followed by a proclamation of an imminent judgement on the whole earth. It was the earth or nature that that was used to save the woman, but in our century, some think that the earth is revolting against mankind with fires, floods, earthquakes, and tsunamis. Some blame these events on climate change while others say it is a normal cycle of nature. Personally, I believe these are acts of God to get our attention and change our lives

The attacks on the Church, Mary and her children have only just begun as the beasts continue their attacks. The first beast emerges from the sea with ten horns and 7 heads! On the horns are diadems, jeweled crowns as well as blasphemous names. It looked like a leopard’s head with  feet like a bear and a mouth like a lion! I wish I had the skill to illustrate that. Now the dragon had given this beast some of its own power, a throne and great authority. It appears that on one of the 7 heads there was a wound that had healed. Tragically, the whole world followed this beast and worshipped the dragon. Because the dragon had bestowed so much power on the beasts saying, “Who can compare with the beasts?!” The mouth of the beast is full of proud boasts and blasphemies against God, His house and all of Heaven. The beast was even allowed to make war against the Holy ones. Their names were written in the Book of Life and belonged to the Lamb. These are the faithful ones who endured the dragon’s assault and were destined to be slain by the sword or made captives. We pray that our own names are in the Book Life. Do you see any similarity with our current political situation?

When the second Beast appears, he emerges from the earth but has only two horns like a lamb, but this is deceptive because this beast speaks like a dragon with authority to make the inhabitants of the earth worship the First beast whose mortal wound has been healed.

It appears that the beasts are mimicking The Lamb of God who was slain and restored to life leading all souls to his Father. The beasts performed signs and wonders (imitating the Lamb) making fire come down from the sky. This too is trickery and deception. The second beast tells the inhabitants of the earth to make an image of the first beast (like the golden calf). The same beast is allowed to breathe life into his own creation (mimicking God), so that it could speak and kill those who would not worship the beast. Everyone was forced to wear the image of this beast stamped on their foreheads or hands. Refusal would prevent people from buying and selling. Wisdom is needed here to determine whom you will follow, the Lamb or the beast. The name of the beast was calculated to equal 666 (incompleteness, evil). Some modern-day prophets claim that this has already happened under the Covid restrictions and expect that in the future, if one is not vaccinated, they will experience restrictions on buying and selling.

In chapter 14 we encounter who is with the Lamb. Standing with him on Mt. Zion are 144,000 who bear the Father’s name on their forehead versus the pagans who wear the name or number of the beast. 144,000 is not a literal count, it is the square of 12 times 1000. This is the number is the square of 12 Apostles and represents all the people who are not defiled by the harlot. The 144,000 are the virgins who followed the Lamb. They have been ransomed by the first fruits of humanity

An angel proclaims good news, “Fear God (be in awe of) and give him glory because his time has come for judgement.” So now the dragons and beasts will get what’s coming to them.

A second angel announces, “Fallen is Babylon who forced the nations to follow their licentious passions.” That is, the culture of death and immorality has ended. Wait, here comes a third angel saying, “Anyone who worships the beast or, accepts his mark will drink of the wine of God’s fury!” They will be tormented by burning Sulphur and their smoke will rise forever. There will be no relief. I’d say this describes the never-ending pain of Hell.

The question arises, “What will happen to the holy ones? A voice from Heaven proclaims, “Blessed (happy) are the dead who die in the Lord.”  Next all is immersed in an immense white cloud. The Son of Man (Christ) is sitting on the cloud wearing His crown and holding a sickle.  An angel says, “Use your sickle and reap the harvest.” The reaping symbolizes the gathering of the elect, the holy ones, into Heaven and crushing the grapes of the ungodly.

Soon will follow the seventh and last plague and one more angel with a bowl, followed by the fall of Babylon.