The Caldwell Commentaries Podcast

In this lesson on Revelation 17, we meet a woman so old, she was around before Abraham left Ur of the Chaldees; yet, she is beautifully seductive to behold (from the world's perspective).  She is very clever with her cosmetics and her creative ways to manipulate mankind into her web of deceit and keep them there.  She has strongly influenced many political governments, often dominating and dictating her will.  She has been paid great homage by billions of admirers, who, in paying her exorbitant services, have made her massively wealthy.  For all her external appeal, however, the woman is evil.  Her hands are stained with blood.  She has single-handedly sent more souls to Hell than anyone besides Satan himself.  She is one of his greatest accomplishments. Who is she?  We could call her "Mother Babylon".  She is the vast international system of error and apostacy that has its roots in the ancient city of Babel and the satanic religion of Babylonianism, from which all false religions can trace their origin.

Revelation chapter 16; the vial (bowl) judgments.  The vial judgments differ from the seal and trumpet judgments in that they are far more severe, both in their global extent and intensity.  Divine mercy is no longer mixed with judgment and wrath.  They are given to warn men of even greater wrath to come - they ARE the greater (earthly) wrath!  Nor are they are given to convict men of their sins, but are the pure expression of God's righteous wrath and vengeance.  The only glimpse of mercy in that they are relatively short in duration.  They are horrendous, but will only last a few years, after which the sky will remain sunny and clear for 1,000 years!

Revelation 14:14 to 15:8.  The Son from Heaven (His grain and grape harvest), The Sign from Heaven (the seven plagues, sea of glass, and saints of victory), The Songs of Heaven, and The Scene in Heaven (God's holiness portrayed, God's righteousness and glory portrayed, and God's wrath prepared!  A lot to cover in one lesson!

Revelation chapter 14.  In the parenthetical break between the sixth and seventh trumpet judgments, the Holy Spirit inspired John to write about things that would bring comfort to the saints of God, particularly to those living during the Tribulation.  Through the presentation of seven pronouncements - or visions, assurance is given regarding the ultimate victory of Christ over Satan and the two beasts and His judgment on all who follow them. This lesson stands in stark contrast to the previous one on chapter 13.  Here, the subject is Christ; in 13, the subject was Antichrist.  Here, we look at the True Lamb; in 13, we looked at the false lamb.  Here, we read of those sealed with the mark of God; in 13, we read of those sealed with the mark of the beast.  In place of the multitudes worshipping Antichrist and blaspheming God in chapter 13, we hear the hosts of Heaven praising God! The five visions discussed in this lesson are: the vision of the faithful virgins, the vision of the flying gospel, the vision of the fallen Babylon, the vision of the future wrath, and the vision of the future rest.

In Revelation 13, we are introduced to the two remaining main characters of the book.  They are "the beast out of the sea" and "the beast out of the earth" - otherwise known as the False Prince, the Antichrist and the False Prophet.  Together with Satan, these three form "The Satanic Trinity".  The conflict on earth during the final days prior to Christ's Return are the war between the Holy Trinity and the unholy trinity.  In this lesson, we talk about the wonder, the wound, the worship, and the warfare of the beast (Antichrist), as well as the mask, the ministry, the magic, and the mark of the False Prophet.   Considering the global situation of our world today, it is extremely possible that Satan's regent prince, who he will possess and use mightily to diabolically persecute Israel (and Tribulation saints) during the Great Tribulation (final 3 and 1/2 years) is alive somewhere on earth.  Satan is waiting for the removal of the Church and the Spirit's restraint of evil ministry to cease before he brings forth his evil puppet onto the world scene.  He may even be working today behind the scenes.