The End Game: An Exposition on the Revelation of Jesus Christ in Layperson’s Terms

By Pastor Clayton Kendall

This book was written to educate the reader about Bible prophesy. Its goal is to prepare Christians mentally, physically, and spiritually about future events that will shortly come to pass. It is prepared for the laymen and pastors as well. Above all, it is to give Glory, and the highest Honor and Praise to the Living God.

• Language: English
• Publisher: LifeRich Publishing
• Release date: Jul 5, 2022
• ISBN: 9781489742377

Pastor Clayton Kendall

Clayton Kendall has pastored a non-denominational home church for almost 30 years. He owes much gratitude to his late mentor Dr. Arnold Murray of Shepherd’s Chapel, Gravette Arkansas. This book is Pastor Kendall’s fourth published work. They are all of the spiritual genre.

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Copyright © 2022 Pastor Clayton Kendall.

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Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, King James Version (Authorized Version). First published in 1611. Quoted from the KJV Classic Reference Bible, Copyright © 1983 by The Zondervan Corporation.

ISBN: 978-1-4897-4173-8 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4897-4172-1 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4897-4237-7 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2022911089

LifeRich Publishing rev. date: 06/17/2022

In Memory of

Clay Kendall - our exceptional son who is never far from hearts, and will always be remembered with great admiration and love. Only our great faith in God’s promises and unconditional love allows us to stay positive each day, and encourages us to fight even harder for the Christian Faith and God’s kingdom. We will see you soon Clay!

DEDICATION

First, to my dear son Chase; without him, this book could not have been written. Second, to our tightly knit family home church. My gratitude for each one is immense; God bless each of you. Last, to a starving world that is hungry for the Gospel of Christ.

PREFACE

No book in the Bible has more intrigue and interest than the book of Revelation. John’s vision includes things that happened before time was created, things that are happening now, and things that will happen far into the future. Its prophecies have been fulfilled past and present, and they will continue to be witnessed into the future.

The purpose of writing this book is multifaceted. It is to educate people about the Bible; resolve misconceptions about end-time prophecy; prepare Christians mentally, physically, and spiritually about future events that will shortly come to pass; and give the highest honor and praise to God Almighty.

One consistent theme throughout this book is the return of Jesus Christ to gather the saints after the tribulation. This includes the warning that the Antichrist comes before Christ returns, and that the saints will overcome him in the tribulation.

The book of Revelation is a wealth of information, written for our admonition to prepare us for the challenging days ahead. There is no better time to understand its warnings, precepts, and prophecies. The Bible says that we live in the last days, where decision-making between right and wrong is at a crucial impasse. It is my hope and prayer that this book will help people make the right decisions in the name of the Lord.

Finally, the title, The End Game, is in memory of my son Clay, who was an outstanding chess player and often said the end game did not afford you to make a mistake—or a blunder, as he called it—or you would surely lose. This book is designed to give the reader increased biblical knowledge and the wisdom to rightly interpret it so no blunders will be made in the end game of life.

May the good Lord bless all who read it.

EDITING COMMENTS

Annotations to be observed.

1. Throughout this book different words are used that have the same meaning: the Second Coming, the Second Advent, Christ’s return, the Lord’s return, the seventh trump, and more. Also, trumpets and trumps are used interchangeably.

2. Oftentimes personal pronouns reflect the full name, but occasionally only the first name: Jesus, Jesus Christ, Christ, and Christ Jesus; King David and David; Apostle Paul and Paul, Apostle John and John; the Antichrist and Antichrist.

3. With regard to, and of the highest respect for, the Most High God, I capitalize in the second person He, Him, His, and Himself. This also includes the Holy Spirit, the Word, Messiah, Living God, Savior (when used in the first person), and more.

4. Different expression are used to designate the same people, or part of the people: Christians, believers, the saints, God’s people, bride of Christ, elect, elect-remnant, remnant, et cetera. This is also true with regard to time: the end days, the end-time, the last days, the last generation, the fig tree generation.

5. Numbers, for the most part, are spelled out, but in some cases the numeral is used.

6. I accept and use Apostle Paul as the Hebrew writer.

7. All Bible scriptures are from the King James Version (KJV). Only occasionally did I modernize punctuation.

8. Each chapter in Revelation begins a new chapter in this book. Each verse is numbered in block quote style.

9. Commentary is line upon line and precept upon precept. Many Bible references are highlighted in block style for easy reading.

CONTENTS

Revelation 1 The Lord’s Introduction

Revelation 2 The First Three Churches

Revelation 3 The Last Four Churches

Revelation 4 The Throne, Lightnings, Thundering, and Voices

Revelation 5 The Book

Revelation 6 The Six Seals

Revelation 7 The Sealing of the Twelve Tribes of Israel

Revelation 8 The Opening of the Seventh Seal

Revelation 9 The Locust Army

Revelation 10 The Little Book

Revelation 11 The Two Witnesses

Revelation 12 War in Heaven and Earth

Revelation 13 The Mark of the Beast

Revelation 14 The Wine of God’s Wrath

Revelation 15 The Song of Moses

Revelation 16 The Seven Vials of Plagues

Revelation 17 Vial Judgments

Revelation 18 The Judgment of Babylon

Revelation 19 The Marriage Supper of the Lamb

Revelation 20 Final Judgments of Good and Evil

Revelation 21 A New Heaven and New Earth

Revelation 22 Final Words

Conclusion

The Mark and Number of the Beast

The Parable of the Fig Tree

Cloven Tongues

REVELATION 1

THE LORD’S INTRODUCTION

1. The Revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave unto him, to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John.

T he word revelation means to reveal in any language. This prophecy, by definition, is to be read by Christians in any tongue or language across the world. It was written to show God’s servants things that will come in the near future. God’s servants are called Christians (Christ-men); they have a relationship with Jesus Christ and keep His commandments. Evil workers and servants who destroy the gospel of Christ are undoubtedly blinded to the things written by John. Daniel wrote that in the time of end, the wise shall understand, but none of the wicked shall understand (Dan. 12: 9–10).

This prophecy is to give Christians the foreknowledge of the future and the wisdom to guide them through it. This includes instructing others as well.

Apostle John was a chosen vessel unto God. He also wrote the gospel of John and the three epistles of John, which together are called the Johannine epistles or the Letters of John. He was called John the divine, John the theologian, John the beloved, and John the evangelist.

2. Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.

John saw and witnessed the life of Jesus Christ, and he believed what Jesus taught. In this book, John, like the Spirit of Jesus Christ, will not leave us wanting.

3. Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein for the time is at hand.

Special blessings are given to those who read Revelation with the sincere desire to learn more about godly things, hear the Holy Spirit’s tender voice, and keep the instructions written by John. These actions can only be ascribed to a Christian believer.

Time is at hand refers to the fact that when this revelation is released for broader understanding, Jesus Christ’s Second Coming will be very near, even at the doors (Matt. 24:33).

4. John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne.

The seven churches of Asia, as they are called, were positioned in a circular outline, which represents Christian churches around the world today (now called the Church). Grace and peace can be provided only by Jesus Christ, who is the beginning and the end (i.e., Alpha and Omega). For all things begin and end with Him.

The seven Spirits are found in the fifth chapter of this book (v. 12). They are power, riches, wisdom, strength, honor, glory, and blessings. This parallels Isaiah’s report of the seven Spirits (11:2): the Lord, understanding, wisdom, might, fear, knowledge, and counsel. God bestows these seven characteristics of the Spirit to His chosen elect to fulfill His will.

5. And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood.

The word And is a connecting word from verse 4; thus, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is joining His Father and the seven Spirits to bring grace and peace to the seven churches. Jesus Christ is the faithful witness to an unsaved world. He is also "the first begotten of the dead, which means He died on the cross to save humankind from spiritual death. He washed us from our sins in his own blood. He is also the prince of the kings of the earth because He defeated death through the power of the resurrection, earning the right to be called the highest prince of all the kings of the earth—the King of kings."

6. And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father: to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Us are those who overcome the mark of the beast as recorded in chapter 13. They will rule with Jesus Christ as kings and priests (rulers and teachers) in the millennium. Amen means that’s that (i.e., what is written is final—it cannot be changed).

7. Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.

The word clouds is a metaphor, as Paul used it in the book of Hebrews:

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses. (Heb. 12:1; italics added)

It means a group of Christians—those who have passed on prior to the Lord’s Second Coming—of which Jesus will bring a chosen number with Him. Jude wrote that this number will be ten thousands:

And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints (Jude 14)

Paul also wrote about Christians gathering to Christ:

For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. (1 Thess. 14:4)

The number of saints God brings with him is not mentioned by Paul, but Jude’s high, inexplicit number of ten thousands is sufficient.

Kindreds of the earth means people in the world. Those who shall wail because of him worship the Antichrist, the false messiah. They will weep bitterly because they accepted false doctrine as the truth of Jesus Christ. When the true Savior returns, they will be ashamed for their actions.

8-10. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet.

John announces that he received his revelation on the Lord’s Day, which, according to Peter, is the millennium age, for one day is with the Lord as a thousand years (2 Pet. 3:8). The first day of the thousand years begins at the seventh trump when Jesus Christ returns for His people. It ends after the millennium is completed.

John also says that he heard and saw the trump prophecies behind him, which includes things that happen just prior to the millennium—perhaps beginning with the fig tree generation in AD 1948 (when Israel became a state)—and things that follow into the future, even to the third heaven, which is called the kingdom of God. In chapter 12, we also find that John sees things as far back as the very beginning of the first world age. I will speak more on this topic later.

From this knowledge, it is clear that the saints must have the patience and spiritual resources to go through the tribulation, for the everlasting kingdom awaits them—it is their destiny. God will use them as a battle-ax to fight the Antichrist:

Thou art my battle ax and weapons of war: for with thee will I break in pieces the nations, and with thee will I destroy kingdoms; And with thee will I break in pieces the horse and his rider; and with thee will I break in pieces the chariot and his rider (Jer. 51:20; quotations added)

The horse and his rider in the preceding passage is the rider of the first white horse who comes to deceive the nations. He is Satan in the role of the Antichrist (Rev. 6:2).

Patmos means my killing. It was a rugged and bare island in the Aegean Sea, where John suffered for the Lord and eventually died. It was his destiny to have this vision from God and to record it for future Christians to read and understand the testimony of Jesus Christ—especially the last generation of believers (Dan. 12:10).

11. Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.

The churches’ definitions are as follows: Ephesus (permitted), Smyrna (myrrh or fragrance), Pergamos (fortified), Thyatira (odor of affliction), Sardis (red ones), Philadelphia (brotherly love), and Laodicea (justice of the people).

As confirmed, the Church in the end days is divided into seven parts or divisions. This shows not only the creation of denominationalism, which has fractured the Church, not strengthened it, but also that the churches of Smyrna and Philadelphia, which I will soon discuss, know that the Jews today do not wholly represent true Israel of the the Old Testament, for most of them are not Semites (of Shem) or Hebrew but are foreigners to Israel. Their understanding of this hidden knowledge satisfies God because they are the only two churches not asked to repent. They are, in fact, a double witness to the truth that has been hidden for centuries. The psalmist prophesied about this evil insurrection:

Keep not thou silence, O God: hold not thy peace, and be not still, O God. For, lo, thine enemies make a tumult: and they that hate thee have lifted up the head. They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones. They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance. (Ps. 83:1–4; italics added)

This fact is paramount to understanding Bible prophecy. We will learn more about the importance of this topic later in this book.

12-13. And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.

The seven churches are the seven candlesticks (v. 20). Jesus Christ is the Lamb clothed with righteousness from head to toe. He is aware of the frail condition of the Church in the end days.

14-15. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire. And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace.

His head … like wool as white as snow denotes Jesus Christ as the Lamb of God, who is pure and without blemish and was sacrificed for all humankind. Because of His victory on the cross, He will return to rule the earth with fire, vengeance, and a rod of iron, as the King of kings and Lord of lords. His flame of fire is a consuming fire (Heb. 12:29). It will warm your spirit if you belong to Him, or it can burn you if you are His enemy.

The words and his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace is a depiction of Jesus Christ when He was in Nebuchadnezzar’s furnace with the three Israelites, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, who did not bow down to worship the Babylonian king. King Nebuchadnezzar is a type of the future Antichrist, whose great presence will cause the world, those outside Christ, to worship him. Although the saints are not exempt from facing the Antichrist—in fact they are blessed by it—they will be protected by God when they stand against his abominable appeal to worship him.

It is also worthy to note that Jesus Christ’s feet were polished by the fire instead of being scorched by the fire. His limitless power far exceeds Satan’s limited power, which is given to him to try the nations (Rev. 3:10).

16–17. And he had in his right hand seven stars and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last.

Biblically speaking, the right hand signifies the power hand; thus, this prophecy is handed to John with great authority. The seven stars are the seven angels of the churches, as we are told in verse 20. God’s Word is like a two-edged sword, which cuts in any direction God chooses. The sun shineth in his strength is a great analogy of God’s power of Light (James 1:17).

John fell, as if he fainted, at Jesus’s feet because God’s shekinah glory overwhelms a flesh body. God is Spirit and celestial; man is flesh and terrestrial. God’s countenance is as the power of lightning, yet his Spirit is soft and tender as a newborn’s smile. Hence, to comfort John, He places His right hand upon him, and John was made whole again.

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

Jesus Christ, as God, is the I am of Israel. He is the I am he that liveth and the I am alive for evermore. He confirms His I am identity twelve times in the Gospel of John for each tribe of Israel: I am the Bread of Life, I am the light of the world, I am the door of the sheep, I am the good shepherd, I am the resurrection and the life, I am the way, the truth and the life, I am the Father, I am the vine, and I am the Son of God.

Peter wrote that Jesus heralded His victory over