Understanding the Apocalypse

By Father Aquinas

"Join with us as we look into some of the mysteries of the Apocalypse."

To The Reader:

Many interpretations have been attempted in understanding the Book of Revelation.

What is meant by “The Revelation of Jesus Christ”? Apoc 1:1

“Seal up the words.” Why are the words sealed to unbelievers and to the incredulous?

Why are the words open to those very few who believe?

Who are the seven kings?

Who is the eighth king?

What does it mean by:
“Blessed are they that wash their robes in the Blood of the Lamb, that they may have a right to the Tree of Life, and may enter in by the gates into The City”? Apoc 22:14

Saint John “saw the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, coming down out of Heaven from God.” Apoc 21:2

Because he saw this, then the question arises: “Did Saint John write this prophecy in the 21st Century, looking back on time?”

Join with us as we look into some of the mysteries of the Apocalypse

• Language: English
• Publisher: Father Aquinas
• Release date: Jun 4, 2012
• ISBN: 9781452451756

Father Aquinas

From: Father Aquinas Vision of Judgement after death Some time ago I had a vision of my judgement before God. It was the most terrifying experience imaginable. If I had been in my mortal body, I would have collapsed from the fright and horror. I was before Jesus. He was seated about ten feet or so in front of me, head down and hands folded in His lap. Jesus was regal, and He was Judge. Standing to His left, my right as I faced Him, was Satan.1 There were only the three of us in that space. Satan was accusing me of my many sins. The sight of the evil one was so very ugly. He was shaking his fist at me, shouting how bad and sinful I was. My every thought, word and deed was accused. All I could say was, “I confessed that sin,” or “I did not say that,” or “I did not do that,” or “I did not think that.” There was no such thing as “I do not remember.” My memory was perfect. Satan was fighting to get me to go to Hell. I was fighting for my spiritual eternity. My conscience would be my vindication or condemnation. The ordeal lasted for ever (I thought). At one point I looked at Jesus and said: “Thou know that these accusations are not true.” I emphasized it again in my desperation: “Thou know that these sins have been confessed in the Holy Sacrament of Confessions.” The tirade of accusations by Satan continued. Most were true. Some were false. The true were confessed. The false I denied. I finally said to Jesus, “Where is Thy help in this? Thou said that Thou would never forsake me. Please help me Jesus.” To say that I was terrified would be a gross understatement. Jesus never said a word. Then entering from His right, my left as I looked at Him, entered our Blessed Mother Mary. She was quiet, serene, confident and conquering. Satan fled. I was safe. The prayer which we so often say in the “Hail Holy Queen...” was answered, “...Turn, then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us; and after this our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.” Then there is that other request in the prayer “Hail Mary” ...‘pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of our death.’ The prayers were answered! After the whole ordeal I was left to ponder death and the ensuing funeral. When the lid is closed on the casket, and the soil is thrown over it, what then? All the nice things have been said by the remaining relatives and friends. What then? When all the prayers for the dead are said, what then? Then comes the dreadful judgement. There will be only three in that room. You, Satan, and Jesus. Who will claim you?

Book preview

1Understanding

The

Apocalypse

By

Father Aquinas

"And I heard a voice from Heaven saying to me: Seal up the things which the seven thunders have spoken." Apoc 10:4

Published by: Kingship of Christ Publishing, LLC.,

Copyright 2012 Father Aquinas

Web address: http://www.kingshipofchrist.org

ISBN 9781452451756

Smashwords Edition

AAnd I heard a voice from Heaven saying to me: Seal up the things which the seven thunders have spoken.@ Apoc 10:4

Table of Contents

Dedication

Prologue

Chapter 1The Sacrament of the mystery of Christ

Chapter 2 Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamus, and Thyatira

Chapter 3 Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea

Chapter 4 Vision of the Throne in heaven

Chapter 5 The book with the seven seals is opened

Chapter6 The first six seals are opened

Chapter 7 The 144,000 are sealed on their foreheads

Chapter 8 The seventh seal opened. The seven trumpets

Chapter 9 The bottomless pit. The army of 200 million

Chapter 10 The mighty angel. The seven thunders

Chapter 11 The Temple. Two witnesses. Seventh Trumpet

Chapter 12 The Woman clothed with the sun. The Red Dragon

Chapter 13 The Antichrist and the False Prophet

Chapter 14 The Lamb and the 144,000

Chapter 15 The sea of glass. The seven vials

Chapter 16 The seven vials are poured out

Chapter 17 The great harlot. Scarlet beast. Seven kings

Chapter 18 Fall of Babylon, kings and merchants

Chapter 19 Marriage Feast of the Lamb

Chapter 20 The 1,000 years. The Last Judgement

Chapter 21 The New Jerusalem described

Chapter 22 The Tree of Life. The Conclusion

Books by same author

Abbreviations of the books of the Bible

Spiritual Numbers

Bibliography

Dedication

To all our ancestors who have struggled to bring us the truth.

Without your courage and steadfastness,

we would have nothing.

We thank you.

Amen.

Prologue

It is the common opinion that Saint John wrote The Apocalypse in or about the year 97-100 AD. Let the debate continue between the historians, as I do not want to get bogged down in these dates because to the worthy seeker, Saint John wrote this extraordinary document sometime in the year 2016 or thereafter. Why do I say so?

First: I am writing this article late in the year 2011. If the Great Tribulation were to start this year, it would not end until 2016 or later, because the Great Tribulation will last for not just the 1290 days, but for 1335 days if we include the words of the Prophet Daniel.(Dn 12:11,12) I do not know when the Great Tribulation will start, and neither does anyone else in the world.

Second: Saint John was given the vision when he >was in the spirit= on the Lord=s Day.

Saint John, being in the spirit, on the Lord=s Day, that is, when all that is written herein is completed he was looking back on history, not forward in time when he wrote the book! Why do I say this? He says that >the time is at hand.= ABlessed is he that reads and hears the words of this prophecy, and keeps those things which are written in it. For the time is at hand.@(Apoc 1:3) From his perspective of the vision, he saw this revelation in the >now,= in the time at hand, he saw the New Jerusalem coming down out of Heaven from God, and he saw all things made new, on the Lord=s Day. (Apoc 21:2,5,6) The New Jerusalem comes down after the Tribulation is completed, after the Devil, the Antichrist, and the False Prophet are shut up in the Hell of >fire and brimstone= for all eternity.

It must be understood that when the events of this prophecy unfold, there are two distinct happenings:

1. When people receive, believe, act, and live the Word of God in all faith and in all it=s fulness, then that person advances higher and higher toward that eternal reward, the Paradise of God.

2. When people reject the Word of God in any part, they descend further and further in tribulation, and unless they convert and repent, they descend all the way into Hell where they shall remain in eternal darkness.

Let us clarify here the meanings of the names:

ISRAEL is all God=s people who have called on the Name of the Lord.

JERUSALEM which means justice and peace, are all of those who live in an orderly and lawful arrangement in the place called the Catholic Church, that is the Catholic Christian Church.

ZION (or Sion) is the place of the law, the Church.

Son-ship in Christ comes to those who in the state of sinlessness receive Him in Holy Communion, that is in Holy Eucharist, which can only be received in the Catholic Church. Man has had his day and made his choice. Some choose to follow Jesus and live in Him, in the Lord=s Day, in eternal happiness. The majority have chosen to follow Satan in eternal doom.

Every word of the Apocalypse has a mystical meaning. Every vision and every figure has a mystical understanding. The entire book can be summed up in it=s first 5 words: AThe Revelation of Jesus Christ.@ Unless you believe in the Real Presence of Jesus in Holy Eucharist, you will not be able to understand who or what is >The Revelation of Jesus Christ.=

Jesus said: ABehold I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world,@ (Mt 28:20) and He is, in Holy Eucharist. AThen if any man shall say to you, >Lo here is Christ,= or >There,= do not believe him. If therefore they shall say to you, >Behold He is in the desert,= go ye not out. >Behold He is in the closets,= believe it not.@ (Mt 24:23,26) Why not? Where is He? He is within you who believe in His Real Presence and have received Him worthily in Holy Eucharist, having first received absolution for your sins in the Sacrament of Confessions! Therefore, His Second Coming is in those who receive Him in Holy Communion. Saint Paul writes: AChrist was offered once to exhaust the sins of many. The second time He shall appear without sin in them that expect Him unto salvation.@(Hb 9:28) Saint Jerome wrote this as follows in the (Latin) Vulgate - the first ever Bible: A...Secundo sine peccato apparebit expectantibus Se in salutem.@

We said above that Jesus >is within you who believe in His Real Presence in Holy Eucharist.= This Real Presence within you is called >Eucharistedness,= and this person is the >New Man,= (Ep 4:24) and the >New Creature,= (Ga 6:15) Eucharistic man.

In order to more fully understand Eucharistedness and Eucharistic man, let us turn to the moment after Jesus Christ was laid in the Tomb, when the stone rolled over and sealed up the opening. Immediately after the Tomb was closed, the Divine power of Christ, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, stood over the human body of Jesus and beckoned Him to arise. The stirring of the lifeless Body was earth shattering. The Divinity entered into the Body and at that moment Glory radiated the Tomb. Slowly and with grace, as only a grace that God is capable of, the shroud fell from off His Body as He sat up. He gracefully took the wrapping from off His head, folded it, and sat it where His Sacred Head had rested in repose. The dimension of the congested cave was lost, and there in Unity was the Holy Trinity, One, and that One was the Son.

This is the moment when the Eucharist is born. (Lk 22:19,20)

This is the moment when God births His New Creature. (Hb 12:23)

This is the moment when God births His New Man, the new Adam. (1Co 15:45)

This is the moment when Jesus is the First Born from the dead. (Rm 8:29)

This is the moment when the inheritance is given to the First-born Son. (Hb 9:15-17)

This is the moment when Jesus is given the primacy in all things. (Col 1:18)

This is the moment when all power and authority is given to Jesus. (Mt 28:18)

This is the moment of the birth of the Eucharistic Reign of Christ. (Hb 9:24)

This is the moment of the Triumph of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. (Jn 19:26)

This is the moment when God does His New thing. (Pr 9:1)

This is the moment when all things are made new. (Apoc 21:5)

This is the moment when Eucharistic man is born. (Jn 1:12,13,16)

This is the moment when all in Christ become the likeness of His resurrection, and walk in newness of life. (Rm 6:4,5)

This is the moment when all who believe in Christ are made new. (2Co 5:17)

This is the moment when all who are in Christ are a new creature. (2Co 5:17)

This is the moment when all in Christ are born again in the Spirit. (Jn 3:5)

This is the moment when we receive all the fulness of God. (Ep 3:19)

This is the moment when all who are in faith receive Eternal Life. (Jn 6:48,50-52,54-57)

This is the moment when the Devil is defeated forever. (Rm 6:9)

This is the greatest moment in the history of creation.

It was at this moment that Jesus Christ became Christ Jesus, that is, when His Divinity had pre-eminence over His humanity, a subject we will deal with later in chapter 8.

It is in our becoming one in Christ, and He becoming one in us, that we are translated into the new man. There is only one way that this can be accomplished, and one way only, we must believe, live, and fulfill the Seven Sacraments of the Church, no exceptions and no short-cuts.

A Sacrament is the fulfillment of a Divine Promise. Every Sacrament has a purpose, and every Sacrament has a meaning. The Sacraments are the seven pillars of wisdom, (Pr 9:1) which are the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. (Mt 16:19)

In the Seven Sacraments, the Seven Spirits of God are active in a particular way, each communicating the desired graces for the fulfillment of the Divine Promises in the soul. The Seven Sprits are: the spirit of wisdom, and of understanding, the spirit of counsel, and of fortitude, the spirit of knowledge, and of piety, and the spirit of the fear of the Lord. (Is 11:2,3)

The first two Sacraments, Baptism and Confessions, are given to us for our personal preparation in pleasing God.

The second two Sacraments, Holy Communion and Confirmation, are for our gaining co-union and unity in God.

The third two Sacraments, Matrimony and Holy Order, are for our perfection and station in life.

The last Sacrament, Extreme Unction, is the final anointing of our eternal unity forever in The Eternal Word, which is entrance into Heaven.

The Seven Sacraments allow man of his free will to return to God.

1. At the Fall, in the act of disobedience, man fell from grace.(Gn 3:24 ) The creature, made to the image of God was destroyed, but in the Sacrament of Baptism the way was made for man to be washed and renewed in God=s peace. (Gn 8:11)

2. Man would continue to sin, and so God instituted the Sacrament of Confessions, for man to be made immaculate again. (Jn 20:22,23)

3. God set up the Sacrament of Holy Communion, so that man could come back to unity in Him, and God could re-enter His creature - man, thus allowing man to return into holy co-union in God, (Mt 26:26-28) which unity Adam gave away to Satan at the Fall.

4. God recognized in man that the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak, and so, He established the Sacrament of Confirmation to assist man, (Lk 24:49 ) to receive the Spirit of God, that is, the Holy Ghost, back into his life.

5. At the Fall, the unity of man and woman in marriage was broken, and the evil one became an intruder in marriage. God established the Sacrament of Matrimony, (Mk 10:9) whereby man and woman could return to holy unity in each other, symbolic of the unity of God and man. (Jn 17:23)

6. At the Fall, man broke the priestly relationship with God, and man could no longer minister in God=s creation, because of his enslavement to the Devil. God established a way for man to minister to Him in purity and truth, through the Sacrament of Holy Order of the Priesthood. (Lk 22:19)

7. At the Fall, man incurred the sin of death when he disobeyed God, and became subject to the eternal death of Satan. God established the Sacrament of Extreme Unction, allowing man to avoid eternal death, and come to the lasting and highest anointing, which we receive in Jesus - that is - Eternal Life. (Lk 7:11-15)

The Revelation of Jesus Christ is about Eucharistic man coming into the glory of being full of Grace, while evil man, those who deny any part of the Seven Sacraments, descend into total >dis-grace.= For those people who deny the Real Presence of Jesus in Holy Eucharist, their understanding will be extremely dim at best, and their interpretation will most probably be fatal to themselves and to all those poor unfortunates who follow their erroneous teachings. Jesus said: AThere shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders, insomuch as to deceive (if possible) even the elect. Behold I have told it to you, beforehand.@ (Mt 24:24,25)

I admonish all who dare to interpret this great prophecy, to believe, practice, and live the Seven Sacraments which Jesus gave to His Church, and I emphasize HIS CHURCH, not the neo-church of modern sinful man. We must live in HIS CHURCH, where He is with us all days, and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it. (Mt 16:18) He built His Church on the solid rock of the solid faith of Peter, yet this >faith= cannot be separated from the man Peter, but upon the great faith of the man Peter who confessed that faith: >Thou art Christ the Son of the Living God.= Christ did not build His Church on a man of weak faith, >for He knew what was in man.= (Jn 2:25)

This book is not difficult to understand if you are willing to open your mind, your soul, your ears, and your heart. We will learn more about this later in the seven letters to the seven churches.

The reading and study of this prophecy of the Revelation of Jesus Christ comes with seven very great Blessings which are:-

1. Blessed is he that reads and hears. (Apoc 1:3)

2. Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord. (Apoc 14:13)

3. Blessed is he that watches. (Apoc 16:15)

4. Blessed are they that are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb. (Apoc 19:9)

5. Blessed and holy is he that has part in the first resurrection. (Apoc 20:6)

6. Blessed is he that keeps the words of the prophecy of this book. (Apoc 22:7)

7. Blessed are they that wash their robes in the Blood of the Lamb. (Apoc 22:14)

Note here that the meaning of the number 7 may be more than numerical, it may be spiritual, mystical, perfection, and/or prophetical.

Chapter 1

The Sacrament of the mystery of Christ

AThe Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto Him, to make known to His servants the things which must shortly come to pass, and signified, sending by His angel to His servant John, who has given testimony to the word of God, and the testimony of Jesus Christ, what things soever he has seen@ (1:1,2).

God the Father, gave to His Son Jesus Christ, Who sent His appointed (angel), who in turn gave to Saint John, who would write >the things= which will shortly happen, and pass it on to the Church. All is done in the perfection and in the order of God. We will see later that the angels mentioned in the Apocalypse are Eucharistic man and bishops. This new creature >Eucharistic man= is the fulfillment of Jesus saying that He would make all things new. Some people will accept this, some won=t. Amen. So be it!

>The things= which Saint John would see and write were foretold to him by Jesus when He said to His Apostles: AAmen I say to you, there are some of them that stand here, that shall not taste death, till they see the Son of man coming in His Kingdom.@ (Mt 16:28) Saint Luke reports: A...till they see the Kingdom of God.@ (Lk 9:27) Saint John wrote down the events in the heavens, on the earth, and the things which he saw coming up out of the depths of the earth, a) the abyss, b) the bottomless pit (which are separate from Hell), and the things which he saw being cast down to Hell that is the hell of >fire and brimstone= for all eternity, and the things he saw coming down from Heaven. The book of the Apocalypse, the Revelation, fulfills the promise of Jesus to Saint John as stated above >there are some of them that stand here, that shall not taste death, till they see the Son of man coming in His Kingdom,= St. John saw >the Son of man coming in His Kingdom.=

In the unfolding of >Christ= in the following pages, the worthy seeker will see the New Creature, Christ Jesus. Remember that the old man, Jesus, died on the Cross, and the New Man, Christ Jesus, arose from the dead. In the Holy Scripture of the New (Second) Testament, Jesus Christ is named 177 times, while Christ Jesus, the New Man, is mentioned 92 times. (Six times the two Names are mentioned in the same verse: 1Co 1:2; Ga 2:16; Ep 1:1; Phil 1:1; 1T 1:1; 2T 1;1).

ABlessed is he that reads and hears the words of this prophecy, and keeps those things which are written in it, for the time is at hand@ (1:3).

The first of the seven blessings of the Apocalypse is given. We are encouraged to read this book, and hear in our hearts what God is saying to us. >The time is at hand= indicates that when the events revealed herein begin to be fulfilled, then all will be fulfilled quickly and we must be prepared to meet the >Just Judge.=

AJohn, to the seven churches which are in Asia. Grace be unto you and peace, from him that is, and that was, and that is to come, and from the seven spirits which are before His Throne@ (1:4).

The seven churches in the >Asia= mentioned here is that area of modern day Turkey, and the Greek Islands, of which Patmos was one, which was close at hand to the Asia (Turkish) mainland. This also means that it is written to all who are close at hand, that is, it is written to us for we are close at hand to the prophetical completion of all things.

The seven churches signifies various stages of spiritual life which we shall see.

>Grace= in it=s simplest meaning is the gift of the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of God, given >unto you.=

When it is written: >from him that is, and that was, and that is to come,= it must be pointed out the use of the pronoun >that= is used to identify a specific person, or singling out someone with a particular feature, while >who= is a pronoun indicating a particular person. In this verse which differs from the >Who is...Who was...= in verse 8, the >that= of this verse 4 would indicate a particular identity which is not Jesus Christ. >That= in common language refers to a lesser, while >who= refers to the particular person.

In this verse 4 Saint John is stating a different person than Jesus speaking, as we will see in verse 5.

1. He that is, living in the Heart of the Father from all eternity. (Ps 109:3)

2. He that was, immaculate in the Paradise of Pleasure. (Gn 2:8)

3. He that is to come, in Eucharistic man, (Jn 17:21) in Holy Communion, endowed with the seven spirits of God, living in the Seven Sacraments of the Church (Throne of God).

>...from the seven spirits which are before His Throne...= What or who are >the spirits=? Are the >seven spirits= the seven-fold gifts of the Holy Ghost? Are they the Seven Sacraments of the Church? Are they the seven angels of the seven churches? What is their importance? We will see these answers as we progress throughout the entire book. I only ask that you throw out all previous ideas and look at everything through a fresh mind, heart, ears, and eyes.

Aand from Jesus Christ, Who is the Faithful Witness, the First begotten of the dead, and the Prince of the kings of the earth, Who has loved us, and washed us from our sins in His Own Blood, and has made us a Kingdom, and priests to God and His Father. To Him be glory and empire for ever and ever. Amen@ (1:5,6).

Now Jesus is identified and He is different from the >that= which we just saw. Jesus is >the Faithful Witness,= Who came to redeem fallen man. He is the Son of God, Who came to do the Will of God the Father. (Jn 6:40)

Jesus is the >First begotten of the dead, and the Prince of the kings of the earth,= (Col 1:18) as He holds the primacy in all things, and all the angels of God adore Him. (Hb 1:6)

>He has made us a Kingdom,= reconfirms what Jesus said to His Apostles: AI dispose to you, as My Father has disposed to Me, a Kingdom.@ (Lk 22:29)

ABehold, He comes with the clouds, and every eye shall see Him, and they also that pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth shall bewail themselves because of Him. Even so. Amen. I am Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, saith the Lord God, Who is, and Who was, and Who is to come, the Almighty@ (1:7,8).

>Clouds= indicate a warning about an impending storm or disaster, and so when we see the warning signs of the great tribulation, all people are alerted to prepare!

>They also that pierced Him= include not only the Jews who handed Him over to be crucified, but to those soldiers at the Crucifixion, and also all those who desecrate Him in Holy Communion, and all who deny His Real Presence in Holy Eucharist. The audacity of man to tell God what God can do or not do! How dare they tell God that He cannot come in a piece of bread or a drop of wine! How dare they deny God=s presence in the >burning bush= of today, which is Holy Eucharist!

The two >Amens,= here and in verse 6, certify that what is said is true, is Truth, is a fact. The second >Amen= ends the words of Jesus speaking directly to Saint John, and now then begins >the revelation= and the things which will happen.

There may seem to be a duplication of verses 4 & 8, but in fact verse 4 states >from him that is, that was, that is to come...= while verse 8 states: >Who is, and Who was, and Who is to come.= When Jesus says >Who is, and Who was, and Who is to come,= St. John is saying that: