Shabbat Shalom kol beit Yisra'el and Mishpachah and welcome back to Part 43 our study of the Book of Revelation. For the next seven or so weeks (should there be a need to subdivide the next section further) we shall be taking a look at the third and final Interlude of this book that is sandwiched between the 7th of the 7 Shofars (Trumpets) and the start of the third and final cycle of Judgments known as the 7 Vial or Bowl Judgments. This will cover chapters 12, 13 and 14 and contains some of the most important information the last generation of the end-time Remnant needs. As I am probably only going to get one shot at this you will please understand why we need a serious investment of time in these three chapters. Whole theologies stand or fall on interpreting these chapters correctly. Get these wrong and you're going to get a whole stack of other doctrines wrong as well.

Whether Interlude III is to be seen a part of the Shofars (Trumpets) or not; whether it represents a clear dividing 'line' of sorts between the 2nd and 3rd cycles or not yet remains to be seen but for now we will assume the 7 items (note the number) that comprise it are a part of the 7th Shofar (Trumpet) Judgment. However you in the end come to view them they are the hinge of the whole Book of Revelation and of the Bible narrative itself. I can't underline their importance enough. In any case these are the 7 divisions of chapters 12-14:

• 1. The Woman & the Dragon I (Rev.12:1-6);
• 2. The Woman & the Dragon II & War in Heaven (Rev.12:7-7-18);
• 3. The First Beast/Monster (Rev.13:1-10);
• 4. The Second Beast/Monster (Rev.13:11-11-18);
• 5. The 144,000 Élite Warriors of the Lamb (Rev.14:1-5);
• 6. A Call for Endurance (Rev.14:6-13); and
• 7. Reaping the Harvest (Rev.14:14-20).

As always, be very careful how you handle or interpret the numbers that are everywhere to be seen in these three chapters. We must take great care how we divide the 3rd Interlude up. I have divided it up into 7 sections but I know others who divide it up into broadly 3. I will need to justify my 7-fold division if any sort of prophetic numbers are involved because, unlike other parts of the text which are numbered (like the 7 Shofar Judgments), these aren't specifically numbered; but for now regard this as simply seven chunks of scripture so that we don't examine too much all in one go. As we have already seen, it's possible to devote an hour's study just to one verse in some instances, as we did last week, and we may have to do that again a few more times. Today we're going to look at only two.

May I also remind you of a warning I may have made earlier on in the course: don't go looking for any sort of prophetic sigificance to the numbers involved in the chapter and verse divisions because they were not in the original text - none of the books of the Bible was originally divided into chapters and verses. First came the chapters and only later the verses. On the whole the breaking up of the text of the Book of Revelation has been done pretty well but there is nothing magical, prophetic or revelatory about them. And some chapter divisions are unhelpful, creating the illusion that a change in subject or theme is happening when it isn't always, as between Isaiah 3 and 4. I knew an American lady in Oxford who was doing her thesis on the chapter and verse divisions of the Book of Revelation and she was convinced that it was some kind of code either inserted by those who made the divisions for their own purposes or an inspired division adding a new layer of prophetic insight into the book. I rejected her claim then and I still reject it now. Indeed, I believe she wasted three years of her life doing her doctorate on this, assuming they even awarded her one.

We musn't let our imaginations and fantasies run wild. I don't know how many people I have encountered along the way in my life who were convinced the scriptures were full of secrets hidden up in the numerical value of words. Everyone's heard of the Tanakh or Old Testament Bible Codes that supposedly reveal future and past events not otherwise covered by the so-called 'exoteric' or outward form of the text. Kabbalism does something similar, an occult art that has shipwrecked many souls and especially messianics who are mesmerised any anything that has the word 'Jewish' attached to it. As an ex-kabbalist (one of my many former sins) I can testify as to its danger. I know of one man who created a website called the Bible Wheel who ended up losing his faith altogether because what he expected to find in biblical numerology, he didn't. He had unwisely tied his faith into that. And that's the problem - such occult arts lead to certain expectations which are, in the end, illusiory and so lead to spiritual dead-ends. You can waste years of your life going down rabbit holes in a search for some sort of 'esoteric Christianity' such as the Anthroposophists (Rudolph Steiner), Theosophists (Helena Blavatsky et al) and Rosicricians do (and, yes, I have explored those); and remember, kabbalism's, Rosicrucianism's, Theosophy's and Anthroposophy's demonic 'guiding spirits' will speed you on your way to spiritual self-destruction. So don't be tempted! And a couple of Bible and New Testament translations (e.g. AENT, HRV) - or at the very least the theology of the translators - are influenced by kabbalism to one degree or another, so be careful. Kabbalism taints.

The plain 'exoteric' text is what we're supposed to be grappling with. The only 'mysticism' the Bible speaks of is the Mystery of Christ which is revealed to all those who are spiritually regenerated (born again). As such, then, it's truth is hiddden in plain sight. And though, as we shall presently see, there is some truth to be found hidden in the mazaroth or constellations of the Zodiac, it isn't esoteric but sticks to the p'shat or plain sense of the Bible Story Line.

Some of you, I know, have encountered a man called Dale Washburn and his belief that the New Testament Greek is, like the Hebrew, simularly encoded from which he has developped a whole theological system that contradicts the so-called 'exoteric' text in several places...quite seriously (and heretically) so, in actual fact. He calls his so-called 'science' Theomatics (he's not a scientist, by the way). Whereas once I cautiously endorsed his work with certain reservations, this was before he started making, in effect, a whole church denomination out of it and seriously going off the Way as is the great danger with gospel 'hobby-horses'. He has developped a completely new system of exegesis that pays scant regard to exegesis as the Messianic Community has known it for 2,000 years, not to mention Israelite exegesis (scriptural exposition) before that. I mention this because the Book of Revelation in particular, because of all its complex symbolism, acts as a magnet for those determined to apply various occult and pseudo-occult arts in interpretating it. Satanists (who use many occult arts, including kabbalism) use it extensively which should tell you something. So be twice warned! We don't need other books like the Jewish kabbalist Sepher Yetsirah to decode it. The Bible is self-contained and self-explanatory for the most part with the historical events surrounding it giving even greater clarity.

Finally, both the Hebrew and Greek variants of occultism, whether kabbalism, Old Tesstament Bible Codes or theomatics, depend on letter-perfect texts to work properly, implying they must work from an uncorrupted original since even a wrong letter, or a wrong word in a phrase regarded as having numeric significance, will mess up the numerics. Whatever originals that may have once existed have long since gone as the result of countless copying exercises over the centuries. Moreover, when it comes to so-called New Testament 'numerics', 'numerology' or 'Gematria' you need to remember that the Greek texts are almost certainly translations of an original Aramaic or Hebrew source so are liable, in places, to both pagan linguistic influences as well as translator errors, some of which I have mentioned to you (ropes/camels, believers/eunuchs, etc.).

To claim the Greek alphabet used by the first century Christian scribes and translators is some sort of heavenly, inspired mathematical code is to fall into a common trap that those in search of hidden things (which is what the word 'occult' means) typically do; they are opening themselves up to possible deception as some friends of mine in Bulgaria once did. They were of the belief that the Bulgarian version of the Cyrillic Alphabet was such a code book that held within itself all sorts of important secrets. I have done my best to point out to you some of the errors Greek and Latin translators have made over the centuries. Indeed we have found one or two already in the Book of Revelation itself which you will recall was in part the fault of the King James translators who used Jerome's corrupted Latin Vulgate to render part or all of their text. We talked about that last week.

Alphabets and languages continually evolve and change. Even our own English alphabet has lost a number of characters, as have both Greek and Hebrew. This is a reason I am very cautious when it comes to genatria and the like, especially when many Hebrew Primacists claim that the Hebrew Alphabet is '100 per cent inspired' and pure. What does that even mean? Letters have been added or subtracted over the centuries. Indeed, in my own lifetime, the powers-that-be have tried to remove accents and letters from the French and German alphabets. The Chinese have created a much simplified character system too. Letters and word spelling keep changing. Again in my lifetime, the traditional French-derived word aeroplane has largely been dumped in favour of the American word airplane. And so it will continue. The inspiration, ultimately, is in the meaning of the words, not the sound or spelling of them or the letters used to make them up. The whole Hebrew script has changed from pictograms to modern block script which, I argue, has actually been deliberately coded with occult meanings. So watch out when kabbalists, for example, stack the four letters of the Tegragrammaton (YHWH) using the modern block script on top of one another to make the outline of a man. Don't give the occult a back-door into the Gospel! Man is not God, and God is not man.

So if you have come to this course on the Book of Revelation looking for hidden secrets connected with the numbers of certain words, I'm afraid you will be disappointed. Don't go down that route. There are, to be sure, plenty of numbers and strange symbols in the Book of Revelation but as we have been seeing it is perfecly possible to interpret them using the historical or critical realism method. Yahweh has caused Scripture to be interpreted in this way for millennia to preclude intellectually proud and (in the end) arrogant élites claiming to exclusively possess esoteric knowledge which they alone can impart if you will but become their disciples. It's how the Catholic Church has held the Catholic masses hostage for so long, claiming that only its priests and popes can interpret the Bible. Don't take that bait either. As I said right at the beginning, this book - though it has endless levels or layers of understanding - can be perfectly easily understood by the serious-minded, hard-working common man and woman who know a bit about history, language and culture. It's so important you understand that. There is nothing arcane (mysterious, secret) about it.

We're about to study three very important chapters that, like the rest of the Book so far, are great doctrinal sifters, so understanding these things from the outset is critical. As promised last week, I wanted to say something about the material we have so far covered overall, and consider what we're going to look at today and next week, and what is yet to come, as it's so important to always maintain an overall perspective - understand the 'big picture' - in so broad and deep a prophetic text. The Book of Revelation is, as by now should be obvious, the book of unveiling and of opening with seven great openings characterising it, of which today's is the mid-point:

• 1. A Door was opened in heaven (Rev.4:1);
• 2. The Seals were opened (Rev.6:1-9);
• 3. The Very Deep Pit (Abyss) was opened (Rev.9:2); and last week,
• 4. The Temple of Elohim (God) was opened (Rev.11:19); and, looking ahead,
• 5. The Tabernacle of Testimony is shortly to be opened (Rev.15:5);
• 6. The Heavens are then to be opened (Rev.19:11); and finally
• 7. The Books of Judgment will be opened (Rev.20:12).

We've needed no secret code book outside the Bible so far and nor will we to complete this study. So we're getting there by the by! And ask yourself this question: who monopolises the market with secret societies with their hidden knowledge? The occultists and satanists! Why do occult-minded people do this? Because they don't have the Ruach haQodesh (Holy Spirit). Do you remember what the Master declared? Let me remind you of the passage:

"Yah'shua (Jesus), full of joy through the Ruach haQodesh (Holy Spirit), said, 'I praise you, Father, Master of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the [so-called] wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was Your good pleasure" (Lk.10:21, NIV).

Now I know - and we have talked about this many times too - that an added 'problem' arises when unregenerated believers claim to have the Ruach (Spirit), but don't. They often have counterfeit anointings to compound the resulting confusion. They typically have little or no linguistic or historical knowledge, start prophesying and teaching foolish things (Heb.13:9), like flat-earthism and gibberish. They unconsciously follow a highly individualistic form of the Besorah (Gospel, Good News) that maintains they have no need of teachers; negating Paul's insistance that they do (1 Cor.12:28-29; Eph.4:11), of whom the apostle James said there should never be many (Jas.3:1); or else they seek out false (equally uninspired) teachers who appeal to their 'itching ears' with false teachings (2 Tim.4:3; Heb.5:12; Jas.3:1; 2 Pet.2:1,3; Tit.1:10-11).

The truth is that as talmidim (disciples) we need a balance of personal inspiration (so that we can respectfully test everything presented to us) and anointed, well-educated teachers like Paul who are actually called by Yahweh. But fleshy people are extremist and over-confident by nature, going to one extreme to the other...claiming they don't need any teachers or by seeking after false onces who tell them what they want to hear. The former commonly suffer from Dunning-Kruger Syndrome that leads them to believe, contrary to reality, they know more than anyone else. It's exactly the same with prophecy and revelation. Finally, there truly will be a day when we no longer need teachers, as scripture teaches (1 Jn.2:27; Heb.8:11; Jer.31:34), in the distant future but the sign of that reality is that we will all of us have come to genuine "a unity of the faith" in all matters of dictrine and interpersonal relationships, which all the denominationalism around proves we have absolutely not yet so done (Eph.4:13).

Today's material contains what I call one of those 'hinge' events because a huge door of understanding swings upon upon it. If we misunderstand the next segment of material then we are going to get lost. For that reason I will confess that preparing today's teaching has filled me with a great deal of fear and hesitation so as not to be presumptuous or to unnecessarily express any of my own opinions without sharing others then a matter isn't clear. It's for this reason we're probably going to spend at least two weeks on today's passage because I don't want to leave any stone unturned. What lies on the surface, beneath the surface, and indeed above the surface is going to be very important in our obtaining a complete and rounded picture. Getting this 'big picture' right may be a matter of life and death for the Remnant that is arising which is why I take it so seriously. I think principally of those investing so much in an imaginary 'rapture' who are not prepared for what is to come because they don't think they need to, what could be a very costly mistake.

So with the seven Book of Revelation 'openings' of the heavenly door, the seals, the very deep pit, the temple, the tabernacle, heaven, and the books of judgment firmly placed at the back of our mind, I want to give you a summary of the seven openings of the human soul and of the collective Messianic Community (Church) that Yah'shua (Jesus) discourses on in the 24th chapter of Luke - I'll leave you to follow up with a complete study afterwards if you want to

• 1. The opening of Messiah's Tomb and Resurrection (Lk.24:1-8);
• 2. The opening of the prophetic revelation of the Tanakh (Old Testament) (Lk.24:13-27);
• 3. The opening of our Eyes of understanding (Lk.24:28-31);
• 4. The opening of our Heart for deliverance and love (Lk.Lk.24:32);
• 5. The opening of our Witness to the world (Lk.24:33-35);
• 6. The opening of our Mind of understanding (Lk.24:36-49); and
• 7. The opening of the Heavens (Lk.24:50-53).

In other words, there are similar seven-layered processes of revealment going on at every level of spiritual activity, just as there are in the Seven Annual Festivals of Messianic Israel wherever you look in Scripture. This is a reminder to us that spiritual processes take time but are nevertheless structured in such a way - according to divine tavnith or pattern - that we need never lose hope because of the struggles and tests of faith involved. This is true of the whole planet as it is of the whole Messianic Community Church) as it is of us individually and personallty.

What I am offering you is a reliable scriptural map to enable you navigate your course through life, and to encourage you to stay the course and not give up when the going gets tough. For as we're already seeing in this study of the Book of Revelation, only those who are made of what we old school Brits call 'sterner stuff' - who recognise the supreme importance of the quality of endurance - make it triumphantly to the end (1 Cor.4:12; 2 Tim.2:3; Heb.12:7; 1 Pet.2:20; Rev.2:3; 3:10) as overcomers (Rev.2:7,11,17,26; 3:5,12,21; 17:14; 21:7). Yah'shua (Jesus), the Divine Son of Elohim (God), set the example by leading the way. Likewise, the Messianic Community (Church) as a whole and over the centuries furnishes us with a collective human example for us to imitate, as well as providing inspirational individuals in the Family of Yahweh who demonstrate that it can be done provided we keep the faith. Indeed, it must be done because the alternative is just too terrible. At the end of it, and indeed along the way too, is much glory.

With that said we'll now take a look at the next segment. Just as a reminder to those who are watching this presentation on video, the online printed version contains a lot more detail with alternative translations and numerous scripture references for follow-up study. Because there's only so much the ear can take in, I tend keep the spoke word simple to maintain the flow. So if you are watching and listening, be sure to read too as there is much more in the printed version that is often accompanied by extensive explanatory footnotes and charts, plus I often expand the written versions after preaching a sermon to include new information. So do join me now at the beginning of chapter 12 and the first six verses.:

"12:1 Now a great ['and wondrous' - NIV] sign ('portent' - NRSV) appeared in heaven (the shamayim): a woman clothed ('adorned' - JB) with the sun, with the moon under her feet ('standing on the moon' - JB), and on her head a garland ('crown' - JB, NRSV, HRV) of twelve stars (Gen.37:9). 2 Then being with child ('pregnant' - NRSV), she cried out ('screamed' - JNT) in labour ('birth pangs' - NRSV) and in pain ('agony' - NRSV) to give birth (Is.66:7; 26:17; Mic.4:10). 3 And another sign ('portent' - NRSV) appeared in heaven: behold, a great ('huge' - JB; 'enormous' - NIV), fiery red dragon (Aram. 'great dragon of fire' - HRV) having seven heads (Rev.13:1; 17:3,7,9) and ten horns (Rev.15:1), and seven diadems ('crowns' - NIV) (Rev.17:12) on his heads ('each of the seven heads crowned with a coronet' - JB). 4 His tail drew ('swept away' - NASB) a third (Rev.8:7) of the stars of heaven and threw ('cast' - KJV, RSTNE) them ['down' - JNT] ('dropped them' - JB) to (upon) the earth (Dan.8:10). And the dragon stood before ('stopped in front of' - JB) the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour ('eat' - JB) her Child (Aram. 'Son' - HRV) (Mt.2:16; 12:5) as soon as it (He) was born [1]. 5 She bore a male [Child] (Is.66:7; 7:14; 9:5-6) who was [Aram. 'about' - HRV] to rule (alt. 'shepherd') all nations (olam, 'the world') with a rod of iron ('iron sceptre' - NIV) (Ps.2:9; Rev.2:27; 19:15). And her Child was caught up ('taken straight up' - JB; 'snatched up' - NIV) (Ac.8:39) to Elohim (God) and His throne. 6 Then the woman fled ('escaped' - JB) into the wilderness ('desert' - JB), where she has a place ['of safety' - JB] prepared by Elohim (God), that they should feed ('look after' - JB; 'nourish' - HRV) her there one thousand two hundred and sixty days (3½ years) (Dan.7:25; 9:27; 12:7; Rev.11:2)" (Rev.12:1-6, NKJV).

What a densely packed piece of prophetic revelation this is! Not only that, but historically this is also one of the most misinterpreted and abused passages of scripture too so we're going to have to tread carefully. Accurately identifying the main characters, given this is a 'hinge' revelation, therefore becomes of the utmost importance.

To begin with, we are dealing with not just a sign or portent, not just with a great or wondrous sign, but it is the very first time such a 'sign' appears in the Book of Revelation, which seems appropriate given this is - as I've now twice said - a hinge passage:

"Then a great sign appeared in heaven..." (Rev.12:1a, KNT).

This 'great sign' is as important in its significance as it was vast in its appearance. It represented something remarkable in itself and must have bowled John over seeing it. What are the dimensions of the sign? How much of the text does it incorporate? Well, actually, it extends quite some considerable distance beyond the segment I have chosen today, all the way to verse 10, in fact, reaching into the next segment. Moreover, the 'great sign' is linked to 'another sign' beginning at verse 3. So there are two-signs-in-one. The 'great' sign is the Woman; the 'other' sign is the fire-breathing Dragon. Let's read on about the Woman:

"A woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and a crown of twelve stars on her head" (Rev.12:1b, KNT).

And where, outside the Bible, have we seen something resembling this sign...or at least one of its elements? I'm speaking now of the 12 stars. Those of you living in Europe ought to know - I am referring to the circle of 12 gold stars in the blue flag of the European Union. I bet most of you didn't know that the occult version of the EU flag contains an image of the sun resting on a crescent moon surrounded by 12 stars; and whilst you will never ever see this being flown in public, there is a version which was used in the earliest days when they were dreaming up the EU in various secret socities; and sometimes, on very rare special occasions, you will see it displayed openly. It consists of a yellow disc (the sun-god) with a red nordic cross in the middle (not a Christian cross), an old pagan Viking symbol. It was flown not that long ago at the 2011 funeral of the EU fanatic, Otto von Habsburg, in Vienna. There was also a plan to mint an EU coin of Winston Churchill and Edward Heath with this symbol on it. Moreover, it was the emblem of the pre-war Norwegian nazi party run by Vidkun Quisling which you see on the posrage stamp illustration (below) topped by an eagle. A goal of nazism, as of Napoleon a century-and-a-half before under the leadership of France, was the creation of a post-war Pan-European Union under the leadership of Germany. Both, as we know, failed in 1815 and 1945, respectively, but a different iteration of the original dream was later realised after the Second World War.

However, this symbology is not - I repeat, NOT the same as this sign of the Woman standing on the sun and moon with a crown of 12 stars on her headin chapter 12 of the Book of Revelation. It is, rather, a counterfeit of it. You'll see why, and how, in a minute.

So what does the biblical Sign actually mean? The answer is to be found in plain sight in Genesis 37, the only place in the whole Bible corresponding to this sign which also gives us the interpretation:

"Then [Joseph] had another dream, and he told it to his brothers. 'Listen,' he said, 'I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.' When he told his father as well as his brothers, his father rebuked him and said, 'What is this dream you had? Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow down to the ground before you?'" (Gen 37:9-11, NIV).

The sun was, of course, a representation of Joseph's father, Jacob (also known spiritually as Israel = 'one who prevails with God'); the moon, his adoptive mother, Leah (for, you will recall, his biological mother, Rachel, died giving birth to his younger brother Benjamin); then 11 stars (of which he was the 12th) were his brothers who, together with him, would bring forth and establish the 12 tribes of Israel. Thus the three sets of symbols - sun, moon and stars - which are either under the Woman's feet (moon), around her like a robe (sun) or being worn as a stellar crown on her head, immediately and unambiguously identify the woman as representing 12-tribed ISRAEL. Moreover, the fact that it is Leah who is Israel's chronoligically 'senior wife' of the four wives here, then the 'Man-Child' can only have come from one of her six sons, namely, Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar or Zebulun. More on that in a short while. This is the p'shat (plain sense) or primary meaning of these symbols. Scripture in the first book of the Bible, Genesis, appropriately interprets Scripture in the last book in the Bible, the Book of Revelation.

As a footnote to this truth, as we'll deal more fully with it when we come to chapter 21, the 12 stars are also, indirectly and on a secondary level, the 12 apostles who will, we're told, judge the 12 tribes at some point and, presumably, become their heads in the Millennium. Thus they become, as it were, representitives of the tribes, linked as they are in chapter 21 to the 12 Gates and Foundations of the New Jerusalem, each gate of which is the entry point of each of the respective end-time tribes (Rev.21:12-14). More about that toward the end of the course.

However, because my mandate includes considering all known levels of meaning of this Apocalypse I need to spend a little time now talking about a tertiary or third-level interpretation of these heavenly symbols. There are, alas, believers who have one foot in the Gospel and the other in the New Age who believe the twelve stars, sun and moon symbolise the legitimacy of astrology in spite of that occult art being roundly and soundly condemned in the Torah as idolatry. We also know that long before John wrote Revelation that Judaism had become embroiled with astrology for some time, one of the contributing factors in her apostacy. None of this means, though, that the signs of the Zodiac might tell the Gospel story in pictures but equally it might not. There is no command that we consult the stars anywhere, just observe the sun and the moon for calendar calculations. The only exception to this rule was the three magi in their quest to find the child-king. How they computed that is not clear and we are probably never going to find out, nor do we need to. What is clear - because Genesis interprets Revelation 12:1 for us - is that today's text has nothing whatsoever to do with a study of the heavens for prophetic markers.

I have noticed that those who get absorbed with such matters, particularly those poorly versed in the Scriptures and in the nature of biblical prophecy, are very soon veering off the Gospel trajectory and easily get side-tracked and sometimes ensnared by occultism. In the past I have had occasion to remark, both on all the blood-red moon nonsense, and pseudo-astrological claims that the movement of certain planets in certain constellations portend biblical end-time events, particularly in the Book of Revelation. I have pointed out that this sort of dabbling in the occult has led to all kinds of false prophesying. We saw a lot of this happening during the time immediately before, during, and after the Trump administration. This is not what Christians and Messianics are supposed to be doing! We are not wizzards. The job of prophesying belongs to authentic nevi'im (prophets) alone who are accurately shown future events without the need for gematric code books. I don't know how many false rapture prophecies I have documented and exposed over the years. My advice is to stay right away from all this.

That said, I am not denying that the 12 constellations of the zodiac may once have been used to document the key elements of the Gospel before the widespread use of writing occurred, beginning with Virgo (the Virgin Mary), the incarnation and subsequent birth and life of Messiah. But, please note for one, constellation signs and names have changed over the millennia [2]. However, we reserve discussion of these things for the Chavurat Bekorot or Holy Melchizedek Priesthood Order where those Elders and Eldresses matured in Scripture and life are able to tackle such questions without being led astray by popular fancy. Indeed we possess a lengthy revelation on this subject, not included in the Olive Branch, called The Word of the Stars which covers two thirds of the mazzaroth or constellations. It tells of how the ancients used to view the heavens before astrology corrupted it all. But that's not for here. Maybe, if there is time one day, we can have a session on Astro-theology, but not now. Other messianics have speculated on this subject and have written books and have arrived at various conclusions, sometimes contradictory [3].

One error of interpretation that is frequently advanced, but which I think is little taken seriously anymore by scholars, is that all this symbolism of the Woman and the heavenly bodies is representative of what orthodox Christians call 'the Church'. And as you know orthodox Christians - Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and Protestants - all believe that the 'Church' and 'Israel' are two separate entities...that there are two groups of 'God's people'. My simple response to this claim is that the only likeness of the Woman is to be found with the symbolism of Joseph's dream in Genesis 37...and that unquestionably refers to Israel. If we can find such an entity called the 'Church' in Genesis 37, then maybe it may be found in Revelation 12; but I can find none. What has the orthodox conception of the 'Church' got to do with Jacob, his four wives and 12 sons? Nothing whatsoever.

Furthermore, Israel is again and again compared to a woman throughout the Tanakh (Old Testament) (Is.54, etc.), and to a married woman no less. Indeed, she is sometimes likened to two married women in an allegorical polygamous relationship with Yahweh after the splitting of the Kingdom into Israel and Judah into two separate nations. And when that Woman is rejected in the Tanakh (Old Testament), Israel is compared to a widow (Is.47; Lam.1:1; Lk.18) and to a divorced woman (Is.50; Heb.3) but never to anything known as a 'Church' running in parallel with Israel. So what follows cannot possibly be understood to be what is commonly known as the 'Church' (which in the English and other European languages is called Kyrka in Swedish, Kirke in Norwegian, Kirk in Scottish, Kirche in German, and Église in French) which as you know, is not a biblicial word at all and wrongly translates the original Hebrew Kehilah.

The word 'Church' is derived from the Latin Circe, the Roman agricultural goddess of cereal crops from which we get the word 'Circus' too. It is not a proper translation of the Greek words ekklésia (which means 'assembly') or koinônia (which means 'fellowship'). It's therefore a word we as Messianic Evangelicals tend to avoid, other than for clarification and communication purposes with others, because it just creates theological confusion, particularly as large parts of the 'Church' are 'Zionists' who think the Jews are a separate, parallel group of God's people to themselves. We are assemblies or fellowships of Messiah-trusting and Torah-obedient Messianic Israel, not of any 'Church' which is mostly antinomian (Torah-rejecting). Most Christians don't know this which is why the Ruach (Spirit) still operates in many of them and why we ourselves don't condemn or reject them as some ultra- or extremist messianics wrongly do, who will be judged in the same way that they themselves judge others.

To get around this problem, Protestants in particular, appeal to their modern 'Rapture' doctrine. In fact, they use Revelation 12:1 as one of their proofs for the 'Rapture'. 'Yes,' many say, 'this is indeed Israel because the Church has been raptured away leaving only Jewish Israel behind, the other group of 'God's people'. But if that is the case, who is the Book of Revelation for? Why bother writing a book for end-time believers if they 'ain't here' and don't have to be worried about all the tribulations and judgments? And sadly, because many rapturists believe all of that isn't for them because they're too pure, but for Jews, they downgrade the Book of Revelation and only selectively quote from it or simply view it 'at a distance' since it isn't about them. They view the 144,000 as an exlusively 'Jewish' thing too. Absolutely false. I've even come across some who claim the Book of Revelation is the only piece of 'New Testament Torah' because it's for Jews and not Christians. Such nonsense. Every 'new' commandment Yah'shua (Jesus) gave (Jn.13:34) is 'new (additional) Torah' - all the New Testament is Torah, the completion or full-filling (completing) of the earlier Torah. Torah is here to stay no matter how eager antinomians are to nail it (instead of its penalties) to the cross.

This is a perfect example of how one false doctrine can spawn numerous other false ones and end up distorting Scripture altogeter, thereby causing confusion. As I discuss elsewhere, there is, in fact, no such thing as any 'Church' in the sense that is meant by orthodox Christians as a separate body from Israel. There never have been, and never can be, two peoples of Elohim (God) any more than there can be two second-comings which the 'Rapture' doctrine calls for - one for the 'raptured saints' and another for those Jews 'left behind' who subsequently convert. The split into two bodies of believers is pure fantasy to justify the existence of a false system. Israel never ceased to be. Rather, as Paul teaches in Romans 11, those Israelite 'branches' who rejected Yah'shua the Messiah (Jesus Christ) at His first coming, were lopped off the main vine of Israel, and Gentile 'branches' who are converts are grafted in. Israel continued but as Messianic Israel consisting of believers under a new King (Yah'shua/Jesus), as the Book of Revelation testifies,and consists of those who sing "the song of Moses the servant of Elohim (God) and the song of the Lamb" (Rev.15:3, NIV) and, as we are about to see later in Chapter 12, "those who obey Elohim's (God's) mitzvot (commandments) and hold to the testimony of Yah'shua (Jesus)" (Rev.12:17, NIV) - in other words, Torah-obedient talmidim (disciples) of Yah'shua the Messiah (Jesus Christ).

That's one reason this 3rd Interlude text is so important - it resolves, finally, a number of doctrinal controversies and reconnects in a circle with the original witness of Genesis in 'one eternal round.' In fact, the Book of Revelation buries the whole notion of Israel and something called a 'Church' exisiting side-by-side - of Judaism and Christianity as two of Yahweh's religions. That deception is over. Modern Judaism is a fusion of the Old Testament faith with Paganism - a false religion (called in the Book of Revelation the "synagogue of Satan" - Rev.2:9; 3:9) - just as modern Christianity is a hybrid chimera of the Gospel and Paganism, as also much of Messianic Judaism (but specifically allied to false rabbinical traditions). They exist, and Yahweh 'deals' with their adherents as He does with anyone who is deceived, but their organisations and institutions He does not recognise. Use them, yes, in history, as He does with all false systems, but does not acknowledge them as His own. He is not the author of denominationalism. So where is Messianic Israel today? It is scattered here, there, and everywhere, and is manifested where there are those who have the testimony of Yah'shua (Jesus) and who seek to obey the commandments (Rev.12:17; 19:10) in all purity. Yahweh is taking them out of the churches and synagogues and preparing them for a homecoming. And that is what this ministry is facilitating. (See The Three Tasks of Messianic Israel & The Heart of Torah Series).

We ought, I think, to take a look at verse 2 before closing and then we'll take the rest of today's segment - the other 'sign' - next week:

"She was expecting a [man]-child, and she cried out in pain, in the agony of giving birth" (Rev.12:2, KNT)

So what has the EU symbolism to do with Revelation 12:1? According to the modern EU itself, absolutely nothing. You have to go, rather, to the very beginning of the 'European Project' which started during the Cold War era when the ostensibly 'Christian' West stood against the Communist East. It was understood back then by the Catholics who dominated it that the Woman of Revelation 12 was the Virgin Mary. The EU's flag designer, the German-French Arsène Heltz from Straßburg/Strasbourg, has acknowledged that the Book of Revelation (where, according to Catholic interpretation, the 12-stared halo is that of the 'Queen of Heaven' - but see Jer.7:18; 44:17-19,25) helped inspire him design the flag in 1955 (The Economist, Charlemagne -'Real Politics at last?'). Heltz, who worked in the Council of Europe, made 21 of the 101 designs submitted to the Council. The original EU was founded in 1957 by overwhelmingly Catholic nations - France, Italy, and Belgium were majority Catholic countries with Germany and the Netherlands approximately half Catholic.

Indeed, we must remember that the European Project was begun on 8 December 1955, the day of the Catholic Feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary (decreed by Pope Pius IX in 1854) which can hardly be a coincidence. Nor is it a coincidence that the moving spirits of post-war European integration - Konrad Adenauer, Jacques Delors and Robert Schuman - were devout Catholics. But as first the EEC (European Economic Community), then the EC (European Community) and finally the EU (European Union), became more and more secular, the unofficial Catholic meaning of the symbolism was quietly dropped and replaced by the official humanistic one, all the while continuing to conceal the occult origin of the flag's symbolism - the visible counterfeit stars and the invisible counterfeit sun, moon and counterfeit Virgin, Morena.

All of this makes perfect sense from a Catholic perspective - the Virgin Mary did, after all, give physical birth to the Messiah. However, that is not consistent with the divine tavnith or pattern here in Revelation 12 because this is not the meaning of John's prophecy. Why? Because John says explicity that the Woman is a sign, not a literal mother whilst not denying, of course, that she was His mother. But when you have a key doctrine, albeit false, to promote, as Catholics do (they view her as practically divine and a Redemptrix or co-saviour with their Jesus and idolatrously worship her), then the temptation to insist that the Woman in this prophecy is her is just too great for them to pass by. You will therefore sometimes find the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox [5] 'Virgin Mary' represented in icons and art as having these star, moon and sun motifs associated with her in particular. At best, that's just bad exegesis. I am glad to see that modern Catholic Bibles (e.g. RNAB, 2012) are at least acknowledging that the Woman Revelation 12 is actually Israel on the primary level, and not their BVM (Blessed Virgin Mary).

But I must make another important point - which is a clue to a second layer of prophecy thus far hidden - and that is the fact that Israel in Scripture is frequently referred to as the 'Daughter Israel' and the Bride of Yahweh. And, importantly, in these passages, she is not seen as the faithless Israel rebuked so often by the nevi'im (prophets), but as the true, faithful or Remnant of Israel, the nation that had struggled to stay in Yahweh's Way and follow His vocation. It is from this faithful Israel, admittedly ultimately through the virgin daughter of Israel', Mary (Miriyam) herself, that the Messiah is born. So the Virgin Mary is represented in part by the symbol, but is not the symbol itself. But this Woman, who now takes centre stage in Elohim's (God's) purposes for His world, is, according to N.T.Wright, also the 'priestly kingdom, the qadosh (holy, set-apart) nation' of Exodus 19:6. She therefore represents the entire story of Yahweh's people, chosen to carry forward His plans for the nations and indeed for the whole Creation. That is why the sun, the moon and the stars form her robe, her footstool and her crown. It is Israel, the nation, that has 'brought forth' or 'birthed' the Messiah. More about that next week.

Which brings me to the promised layer of prophecy in the first two verses of this text which is made even clearer in the second part (verses 3-6). This prophecy has both a past and a future element for John and his readers. Firstly, as we have now discussed, we are witnessing the Saviour - Yah'shua the Messiah (Jesus Christ) - born of, and in, Israel. He is of the House of Judah, Leah's 'son'. But there is a future element in this whereby the metaphysical, allegorical, symbolic Body or Bride of the Messiah (not His actual physical body or literal wife), is birthed during the shivlai haMashiach or birth pains of Messiah which began 2,000 years ago (Mt.24:8; Mk.13:8) which continue up to, and especially during, the Great Tribulation, at which time the True Commonwealth of the Nation of Israel is reborn through the suffering of the qodeshim (saints, set-apart ones) - their test of endurance, something that would be impossible were the Bride to be 'raptured' away. We are all 'left behind' but only those who pass through the refiner's fire of tribulation will be the ones to rise in the air to meet the returning, conquering Son of Elohim (God) with His vast entourage of formerly disembodied, but now physically resurrected, qodeshim (saints, set-apart ones) - resurrected like the proven, refined-by-fire and blessed 'left-behinders' (1 Thess.4:17). They too will be resurrected and will return immediately to the earth as the Master's welcoming committee on the same day they supernaturally rise into the air. They won't be whisked away to some other unnamed and unknown planet (the rapturist 'heaven') for 3½ to 7 years as the rapturist myth would have us believe. That's the true Rapture and those involved are true Israel - Torah-faithful Messianic Israel, not a 'Church'.

Until you understand and accept that this is is what is going on, everything else that follows will be distorted and you will miss so much of what the Book of Revelation wants to tell you. If you can't understand the sequence of events so far mapped out, or don't want to because it interferes with one or more false pet doctrines - the modern 'traditions of men' - it is better you stop this course until you do, because you will be unable to fit either a 'rapture' or a 'church' into anything that follows and thus become even more confused.

To conclude: what we are being shown in this segment at the very minimum, and in particular verse 2, is a depiction of the birth of Yah'shua the Messiah (Jesus Chruist) and His ascension to Heaven after being resurrected. This means that the Book of Revelation is not simply a presentation of future events in chronological order, since this passage flashes back to past history, as it will do again and as we will see next week when it recapitualtes Satan and his demonic hosts being cast down to the earth as a past and not, as some mistakenly believe, some future event. Be blessed. Until next time. Amen.

Endnotes

[1] In verse 9 the dragon is called the 'devil' or Akel Kartza in the Aramaic - in fact a title - which is a compound of two words, akel (meaning 'to devour' or 'consume') and kartza meaning 'hunch of bread', that is to say, one who 'carps' or pulls to 'pieces'. This title, Akel Kartza, is linked to the word haSatan or 'the-satan' or 'Satan', which means 'accuser', one who disparages, uses biting words and causes 'current destruction'. Thus Akel Kartzel-Satan - literally, the 'Slanderer-Accuser' - uses biting words and accusation to consume, devour and destroy. He is a slanderous backbiter. We are warned in Scripture that in the last days Satan will wage a relentless war against the Remnant, a group of faithful believers who keep the mitzvot (commandments) of Yahweh and have the testimony of Yah'shua (Jesus) (Rev.12:17). Those who advocate Yah'shua (Jesus) as Messiah (Christ) and observe the Torah are therefore special targets of Akel Kartza by means of slanderous accusations from both lawless believers and those who hate Messiah, a reason we are strictly warned never to engage in gossipping, tale-bearing, or evil-speaking, which are collectively known as Lashon Hara or 'the evil tongue' (see RSTNE, 3rd edition, fn4, p.1059).

[2] James Evans, The History and Practice of Ancient Astronomy (OUP, Oxford, UK: 1998)

[3] Joseph A. Seiss, The Gospel in the Stars (Kregel Publications, Grand Rapids, Michigan: {1882}, 1972); Andrew Gabriel Roth, Wheel of the Stars: The Ancient Biblical Calendar of the Future (Netzari Press, USA: 2010)

[4] Andrew Carrington Hitchcock, The Synagogue of Satan (www.andrewcarringtonhitchcock.com, USA: 2012)

[5] Eastern Orthodoxy's view of the Virgin Mary is very similar to that of the Roman Catholic Church but not identical in every detail. They subscribe to the Theotokos doctrine which states that she was the 'God-bearer' and so she is known by them, as with the Catholics, as the 'Mother of God'...which curiously enough was an early Mormon doctrine too and may be found in the first edition of the Book of Mormon, before being altered later to 'mother of the Son of God' in 1837 (1 Nephi 11:18) as that church moved away from its modalistic-monarchic version of Trinitarianism (a bit like the doctrine of the Oneness Pentecostals) to Binitarianism and thence Polytheism. The Virgin Mary Eastern Orthodox, though they revere here much as Catholics do, is not quite as 'deified' as the Catholic Mary, but close. She is nevertheless regarded by them as achrantos (spotless), panagia (all holy) and panamomos (altogether without stain), and it is assumed that she was assumed miraculously into Heaven. To all intents and purposes, then, the Eastern Orthodox Mary, whom they also call the 'Blessed Virgin Mary' (BVM), is almost identical to the Catholic one. Curiously, there was a time when the Eastern Orthodox regarded the Ruach (Spirit) as female, unlike the early Catholics and proto-Catholics.

Acknowledgements

[1] Tom Wright, Revelation for Everyone - The New Testament for Everyone Commentary Series, Vol.19 (SPCK, London: 2011)
[2] E.W.Bullinger*, Commentary on Revelation (Kregel Classics, Grand Rapids, Michihan: 1984)
[3] David H. Stern, Jewish New Testament Commentary (JNT Publications, Clarksville, Maryland: 1992)
[4] ESV Study Bible (Crossway, Wheaton, Illinois: 2011)
[5] The NIV Study Bible (Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan: 1995)
[6] Ed. J.R.Dummelow, A Commentary on the Holy Bible (MacMillan, London: 1909)
*E.W.Bullinger was a brilliant Anglican clergyman and scholar whose works merit careful study by serious students of the Bible. He was, however, seriously in error in at least three main areas, namely, (1) he believed the 'Church' has been raptured before the Book of Revelation opens, (2) he believed that the 7 churches in Revelation 2-3 are 7, literal Jewish churches or assemblies yet to come, and (3) he believed in a pre-tribulation, pre-millennial rapture.

• 1. White horse - military aggression
• 2. Red horse - bloodshed
• 3. Black horse - famine
• 4. Pale Green/Blanched/Pallid/Sickly-looking horse - disease, epidemics

  ---

• 5. Persecution & prayer
• 6. Tremour & terror

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  INTERLUDE I (Ch.7)
  (The 144,000 Redeemed)

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• 7. Silence in heaven, listening to prayers which are then answered in a final catastrophe: a severe earthquake I

• 1. Scorched earth
• 2. Polluted sea
• 3. Contaminated water
• 4. Reduced sunlight

  ---

• 5. Insects and plague (for five months) (1st Woe)
• 6. Oriental invasion (200 million army) (2nd Woe)

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  INTERLUDE II (Ch.10-11)
  (The Malak with the Little Scroll)
  (The Two Witnesses)

  ---

• 7. The Kingdom comes, the world is taken over by Yahweh & Yah'shua (Jesus) after a severe earthquake II (3rd Woe)

  ---

  INTERLUDE III (Ch.13-14)
  (The First & Second Beasts)
  (The Lamb & the 144,000)
  (The Messages of the Three Malakim)

  ---

• 1. Boils on the skin
• 2. Blood in the sea
• 3. Blood from the springs
• 4. Burning by the sun

  ---

• 5. Darkness
• 6. Armageddon

  ---

• 7. Hailstorm (OB 368:11-12) and severe earthquake III, leading to international collapse