A new look at an old book - Revelation

servantofthelord , Rev. 13:10 and Rev. 14:12 seem to suggest that Chapters 13 and 14 are in part occurring at the same time. Like the two sides of the same coin.

1) So while the beast is arising in Rev. 13:1, then the 144,000 are with Christ in Rev. 14:1.

2) So while other information is given about the beast in Rev. 13:2-5, other information is also given about the 144,000 in Rev. 14:2-5

3) So while the beast is attacking saints in Rev. 13:6-9 the Lord warns to fear God and not take the mark in Rev. 14:6-11.

4) Then we have the in sync verses of Rev. 13:10 and Rev. 14:12.

5) The beast and his crew attack and dominate in Rev. 13:11-18 which aligns with the Savior and his people attacking and dominating in Rev. 14:13-20. These portions of the chapters do not appear to take place at the same time.

Thus, Chapters 13 and 14 appear to be mirrors of one another wherein Lucifer and his followers are equated with the Savior and his followers.

boraddict , From my study of this later -mid portion of the book, it seems to me at least, that the meat of it, or the majority, would seem to fall in the area from about the fifth trumpet to the seventh.

I say this for a few reasons. The marking of the woe, if that is what it indeed is. Also In the first part the descriptions flow one into the other all the way till about that portion, where we suddenly get some unique descriptions referring to timing. Previously one angel blows, then another etc. But around here we get a description of "in the days when the angel is 'preparing' to blow", also a definite spacing before the seventh. Those seem like "clues", or indicators, that this period is different than the previous ones. It would seem to indicate more time elapses here than was elapsing to this point, between trumpets.

I'm not set in stone on this, but it bears an examination. If that time period is more elongated than the rest, more happens in-between. Which would fit the further elaborations of the books which follow. I tend to notice little things like this for some reason. When looking at prophesy, I fall back on the words scattered in the NT about "those with understanding", "ears to hear", "eyes to see", that kinda thing. Not that I'm special, more that it seems to say that if we "look","hear", "see", or "understand" in the right way, there are things that will help us to recognize and understand better. Make more sense of something that doesn't appear to make as much sense, if that makes sense. LOL 

15:4 "Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy; For ALL THE NATIONS WILL COME AND WORSHIP BEFORE YOU, FOR YOUR RIGHTEOUS ACTS HAVE BEEN REVEALED."

This happens at or before 10:7 because it is referred to -

10:7 but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, then the mystery of God is finished, as He preached to His servants the prophets. 

Then right after, is this ….

10:11 And they said to me, "You must prophesy again concerning many peoples and nations and tongues and kings."

10:11 which indicates the flow of the vision ends here. To be picked up again

In 11 we then have the witnesses and then ...

11:19 And the temple of God which is in heaven was opened; and the ark of His covenant appeared in His temple, and there were flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder and an earthquake and a great hailstorm.

Which corresponds to the “opening” that follows from the 15:4 verse immediately here in 15:5-8

15:5 After these things I looked, and the temple of the tabernacle of testimony in heaven was opened, 
6 and the seven angels who had the seven plagues came out of the temple, clothed in linen, clean and bright, and girded around their chests with golden sashes. 
7 Then one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God, who lives forever and ever. 
8 And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His power; and no one was able to enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were finished.

This makes it hard to ignore they are talking about the same sequence of events, but in a different manner. Which I believe we already had inferred these chapters did. This just helps to confirm that prior observation. It also shows that the 7 angels with the wrath of God follow right behind the "opening", which gives us another place mark for the remaining passages.

ok, 16 fits directly into 9. There are many markers and they all fall in order along with the markers in 9, also in the same order.


9:2 He opened the bottomless pit, and smoke went up out of the pit, like the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by the smoke of the pit. 

16:10  Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom became darkened;

9:3-4 3 Then out of the smoke came locusts upon the earth, and power was given them, as the scorpions of the earth have power. 

9:7-11  The appearance of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle; and on their heads appeared to be crowns like gold, and their faces were like the faces of men. 8 They had hair like the hair of women, and their teeth were like the teeth of lions. 9 They had breastplates like breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots, of many horses rushing to battle. 10 They have tails like scorpions, and stings; and in their tails is their power to hurt men for five months. 11 They have as king over them, the angel of the abyss; his name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in the Greek he has the name Apollyon.

16:12 The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river, the Euphrates; and its water was dried up, so that the way would be prepared for the kings from the east *.

16:13-14  And I saw coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs; 
14 for they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them together for the war of the great day of God, the Almighty. 

9:13-19  Then the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, 14 one saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, "Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates." 15 And the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released, so that they would kill a third of mankind. 16 The number of the armies of the horsemen was two * hundred * million *; I heard the number of them. 17 And this is how I saw in the vision the horses and those who sat on them: the riders had breastplates the color of fire and of hyacinth and of brimstone; and the heads of the horses are like the heads of lions; and out of their mouths proceed fire and smoke and brimstone. 18 A third of mankind was killed by these three plagues, by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone which proceeded out of their mouths. 19 For the power of the horses is in their mouths and in their tails; for their tails are like serpents and have heads, and with them they do harm.

16:15-16 ("Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who stays awake and keeps his clothes, so * that he will not walk about naked and men will not see his shame.") 
16 And they gathered them together to the place which in Hebrew is called Har-Magedon.

9:17-19 And this is how I saw in the vision the horses and those who sat on them: the riders had breastplates the color of fire and of hyacinth and of brimstone; and the heads of the horses are like the heads of lions; and out of their mouths proceed fire and smoke and brimstone. 18 A third of mankind was killed by these three plagues, by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone which proceeded out of their mouths. 19 For the power of the horses is in their mouths and in their tails; for their tails are like serpents and have heads, and with them they do harm.

16:19-21 The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. Babylon the great was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of His fierce wrath. 
20 And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. 
21 And huge hailstones, about one hundred pounds each, came down from heaven upon men; and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, because its plague was extremely severe.

boraddict, I'll give a few days for you to look at all of this and make any notes/comments about anything additional or that I may have missed or misplaced. Then I'll begin the overall compilation.

Yes, there is strong evidence that the Chapter 16 vials (bowls) align with the Chapter 8-11 trumpets. Or as you have suggested, the alignment may be limited to the Chapter 9 woes.

If the trumpets announce the vials then then Chapter 15 would be in Chapter 8; after Rev. 8:1 but before Rev. 8:6; after the calm but before the beginning of the 4 trumpets.

Along with that then the beast as mentioned in Rev. 15:2 must have fallen in the seals of Chapter 6; perhaps the 6th seal. This would have been the 1st beast and then the 2nd beast follows; perhaps in Chapter 9.

One more thing, please notice that "the fountains of waters" is in the 3rd trumpet (ch. 8) and the 3rd vial (ch. 16); suggesting this overlay, or better stated, the trumpet announcing and then the application of the vials (bowls) follow. There are other markers that support that the vials align with the trumpets as well.