Plagues Of The Final Day

The New Jerusalem
(Revelation)

NOTE: REVELATION 21:1-8 “And I John saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth went away, and the sea [personifying chaotic or irrational, fundamental structural theological beliefs] is not still. And I John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, [in a religious or theological sense- God’s Spiritual Kingdom, the Church of God] coming down from God out of Heaven, having been prepared as a bride [personifying the completion of fundamental ideology] having been adorned [in perfect beauty] for [harmonious unity with] the Husband of her [uniting the authoritative moral imperatives and judgments of God to the church]. And I heard a great voice out of Heaven, saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God with men! And He will tabernacle with them, and they will be peoples of Him and God Himself will be with them (the) God of them. And God will wipe away every tear from the eyes of them [for Israel shall no longer be forsaken by their God, or left desolate by the hand of man]; and death [destruction and ruin of the Church] will not be longer, for the first things went away.”

Revelation 21:9 “And came to me (John) one of the seven angels, he having the seven bowls being filled of the seven last plagues…”

The Seven Plagues on the Final Day

(Armageddon)

1st Bowl - Skin Sore - Liability to Civil Prosecution (No impunity for Anti-Christ & followers)

2nd Bowl - Sea Became Blood - Fierce Maritime Warfare (Terrorism vs Anti-Terrorism)

3rd Bowl - Rivers Became Blood - Ethical Carnage & War (Anti-Christ vs Democracy)

4th Bowl - Men Burned by Sun - Prevalence of Moral Supremacy & Law Enforcement

5th Bowl - Throne of Beast Darkened - Condemnation of Anti-Christ (God Manifest)

6th Bowl - Proclamation of War on Terrorism

7th Bowl - Commotion in Political & Religious Realm

(Continuing Psalm 91) Verse 3 “For He delivers you from the fowler’s trap [saving you from the purposes of wicked men whose aspirations go beyond the limits of the law] from destructions plague.”

Barnes Commentary.- The fatal pestilence; the pestilence that spreads [eternal] death in its march. That is, He can prevent its coming upon you; or, He can save you from its ravages, while others are dying about you. This promise is not to be understood as absolute, or as meaning that no one who fears God will ever fall by the pestilence,-for good men do die at such times as well as bad men; but the idea is, that God can preserve us at such a time; and that, as a great law, He will be thus the protector of those who trust Him.

(Continuing Psalm 91) Verse 4 “With His feathers He shall cover you [as one’s dear and valuable to Him], and under His wings [as a bird in protecting her young gathers them under her wings] you shall seek refuge; a shield and buckler [protective armor of defense] (is) His truth.”

Clark Commentary.- “He shall cover you with his feathers.” He shall act towards you as the hen does to her brood- taking you under His wings when birds of prey appear, and also shelter you from chilling blasts. “His truth shall be your shield and buckler.” His revelation; His Bible. The truth contains promises for all times and circumstances, and these will be invariably fulfilled to him that trusts in the Lord.

Calvin Commentary.- “He shall protect you with His wings.” This figure, which is employed in other parts of Scripture, is one which beautifully expresses the singularly tender care with which God watches over our safety. When we consider the majesty of God, there is nothing which would suggest a likeness such as is here drawn between Him and the hen or other birds, who spread their wings over their young ones to cherish and protect them. But, in accommodation to our infirmity, He does not scruple to descend, as it were, from the heavenly glory which belongs to Him and to encourage us to approach Him under so humble a similitude. Since He condescends in such a gracious manner to our weakness, surely there is nothing to prevent us from coming to Him with the greatest freedom. By the truth of God, which, the Psalmist says, would be His shield and buckler, we must understand God’s faithfulness, as never deserting His people in the time of their need; still we cannot doubt that he had in his eye the Divine promises, for it is only by looking to these that any can venture to cast themselves upon the protection of God.

(Continuing Psalm 91) Verse 5 “You shall not fear [the trepidation and dread] the terror of night [from the consequences associated with the aspirations of men who set themselves above the limits of the law] (you shall not fear) the [divinely sanctioned] arrow (that) flies by day, of the plague [associated with legal liability and civil prosecution] that walks (in) darkness [a time characterized by the evil of those who have forsaken the paths of uprightness to wantonly and shamelessly walk in the ways of evil]; (you shall not fear) of the destruction (that) lays waste at noon [the hottest hour of the day- when light is at its strongest- a time associated with divine judgment, military invasion and displacement].”

“While darkness is associated with evil, God and His people are bathed in the clear light of day. Thus, according to Isaiah, if the Israelites turn from oppression to justice, then ‘your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noon-day.’ (Isaiah 58:10).”
-Dictionary of Biblical Imagery

Barnes Commentary.- What God approves will be marked by and followed by, deeds of justice, kindness, and charity. The people of God were to dissolve every tie which unjustly bound their fellowmen. If they were exercising any unjust and cruel authority over others; if they had bound them in any way contrary to the laws of God and the interests of justice, they were to release them.

…loose the chains of
Injustice
And untie the cords of the
Yoke,
To set the oppressed free
And break every yoke.
Is it not to share your food with
The hungry
And to provide the poor
Wanderer with
Shelter-
When you see the naked, to
Clothe him,
And not to turn away from
Your own flesh and
Blood.
Then your light will break forth
Like the dawn,
And your healing will quickly appear;
Then your righteousness will
Go before you,
And the glory of the Lord will
Be your rear guard.
Then you will call, and the
Lord will answer;
You will cry for help, and He
Will say: Here am I.
If you do away with the yoke
Of oppression,
With the pointing finger and
Malicious talk,
And if you spend yourselves in
Behalf of the hungry
And satisfy the needs of the
Oppressed,
Then your light will rise in the
Darkness,
And your night will become
Like the noonday.
The Lord will guide you always,
He will satisfy your needs in
A sun-scorched land
And will strengthen your
Frame.
You will be like a well-watered
Garden,
Like a spring whose waters
Never fail.
Your people will rebuild the
Ancient ruins
And will raise up the age-old
Foundations;
You will be called Repairer of
Broken Walls,
Restorer of Streets with
Dwellings.”
(Isaiah 58:6-12)

Barnes Commentary.- “And let the oppressed go free.” It may be applied to those who are treated with violence in any way, or who are broken down by hard usage. It may refer, therefore, to slaves who are oppressed by bondage and toil; or to inferiors of any kind who are subjected to hard usage by those who are above them; or to the subjects of a tyrant groaning under his yoke. Set at liberty those who are broken down.
A yoke, in the Scriptures, is a symbol of oppression, and the idea here is, that they were to cease all oppressions, and to restore all to their just and equal rights.
Religion requires us to treat all our kindred, whatever may be their rank, with kindness and affection, and enjoins on us the duty of providing for the wants of those poor relatives who in the providence of God are made dependent on us.
If they were faithful in the discharge of their duty to God, He would bless them with abundant prosperity. The image is, that such prosperity would come on the people like the spreading light of the morning. “Then shall your light break forth as the morning, and your health shall spring forth speedily; and your righteousness shall go before you.” Here the sense is, that if they would return to God, they would be delivered from the calamities which their crimes had brought on them, and that peace and prosperity would again visit the nation. “And your righteousness shall go before you.” Shall be your leader- as an army is conducted. The idea is that their conformity to the Divine laws would serve the purpose of a leader to conduct them in the ways of peace, happiness, and prosperity.
“Then shall your light rise in obscurity.” That is, it will be as if the cheerful light of the sun should rise amidst the shades of midnight. The sense is, that their calamities and trials would be suddenly succeeded by the bright and cheerful light of prosperity.

Barnes Commentary.- “You shall not be afraid for the terror by night.” That which usually causes alarm at night- a sudden attack; an unexpected incursion of enemies; or the pestilence which seems to love night, and to “walk in darkness.” Any one of these things seems to be aggravated by night and darkness; and hence we most dread them then. We cannot see their approach; we cannot measure their outlines; we know not the extent of the danger, or what may be the calamity. The idea is, that he that trusts in God will be calm.

The New Interpreters Bible.- These verses affirm the effectiveness of trusting God in every circumstance, even the very worst. God provides the psalmist both a “safe place” and a “safe journey”; God’s protection is effective everywhere.

Musculus Commentary.- “You shall not be afraid.” Not only do the pious stand safe, they are not even touched with fear [from divine retribution or the plague associated with legal liability and civil prosecution]. For the prophet does not say, You shall not be sized; but, You shall not be afraid.

Westminster Assembly’s Annotations.- Not that we (the God fearers) are always actually delivered out of every particular danger or grievance, but because all will turn (such is our confidence in God) to our greater good; and the more we suffer the greater shall our reward and our glory be. To the same purpose is the expression of Isaiah: “When you pass through he waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you: when you walk through fire, you shall not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon you.”

(Continuing Psalm 91) Verse 7 “A thousand shall fall by your side [through defeat], and ten thousand at your right hand [through political collapse and military loss]; not it shall come near you. Only with your eyes you shall look and see the reward of the wicked.”

Holman Commentary.- The blessings these redeemed people enjoy are spelled out in terms of John’s final vision. They will be full citizens of New Jerusalem, the city, for their names are already entered in its citizenship registry, the Book of Life. [These are those who have not worshiped and made an allegiance with the beast, signifying the “Reign of Terror” of Antiochus Epiphanies, the “evil incarnate”, self-defied madman.] Therefore, they [the God fearing, redeemed people] have free and unhindered access. They may go through the gates into the city.

There are only two eternal destinations, “heaven” and “the lake of fire.” The blessed will enter the city [of refuge] while the damned are described as outside. Such a city (the New Jerusalem) had its citizens, but also impacted surrounding smaller kings and nations. The benevolent reign…however, required that wicked persons be outcasts pariahs (being rejected and despised). Unlike modern cities where imprisonment is the major punishment, in ancient cities banishment from the king’s presence was the penalty that made a criminal the most ashamed.

Barnes Commentary.- You will be safe. You may feel assured of the Divine protection. Your mind may be calm through a sense of such guardianship, and your very calmness will conduce to your safety. You will see the just punishment of the ungodly, the vicious, and the profane. You will see what is the proper fruit of their conduct.