What in the L is going on in REVELATION? Today, we take a pause from plowing through all the chapters of Revelation to ask a question. Why is there so much controversy over this book? Why all the arguing? Where do people get their ideas, concepts, and viewpoints about what the Book of Revelation is trying to tell us? Turns out - the primary points of contention are focused on the beast - the mark of the beast (666) - the tribulation - and you guessed it - the 1,000-year millennial reign introduced in Chapter 20. Will the return of Jesus happen before or after this 1,000-year utopia? Does it even exist? Who will we rule and reign over with Christ? Where does the 7-year tribulation fit in? We're going to break it all down for you. When we're done, you can decide for yourself if you are a pre-mil, post-mil, a-mil, or new creation-mil. Or maybe you're simply a pan-mil. You're just going to chill because everything will pan out in the end! Come on! Journey down the rabbit hole with us!

Now we come to the most talked about chapter in Revelation. It's Chapter 13 - the beast from the sea - with 7 heads - 10 horns - 10 diadems - sporting blasphemous names - and the beast from the earth - with 2 horns like a lamb - but speaks like a dragon! Beast #1 makes war with the saints and speaks words of blasphemy - but everybody worships him! Beast #2 performs great signs - deceives the whole world - and then makes everyone worship Beast #2 - even making a talking image of him! Anyone who does not worship the image of Beast #1 is killed! And if that wasn't bad enough - he causes all - the small and great - rich and poor - free men and slaves - to be given a mark on their right hand or their forehead. No one can buy or sell without the mark! What is the mark? You guessed it - the number is that of a man - 666! Who is this man - the Antichrist? What is this mark - a tattoo - computer chip? We are going all the way down this trail! Spoiler alert - it might not be what you thought- or what that influencer on the internet told you! Come on with us!

This chapter begins with - and a great sign appeared in the heavens! It's a woman - clothed with the sun, the moon under her feet, and a crown of 12 stars on her head. She is about to give birth. It continues with - and another sign appeared in the heavens! It's a great red dragon with 7 heads - diadems on each head! He wants to devour the child! The woman gives birth to a son, and before the dragon can pounce, the son is caught up to God and His throne, and the woman is whisked away into the wilderness. It gets better! There is war in the heavens! Michael and his angels defeat the dragon and his angels, and the dragon is thrown down to the earth! He is enraged, so he persecutes the woman. Water pours out of his mouth - a great flood - but the earth helps the woman. It swallows the waters, and the dragon goes off to make war with the offspring of the woman. What in the world are we looking at here? How do we make sense of it and how can it possibly impact our lives and our world today? Well - when you look closely - examine carefully - combine it with what we learned in the previous 2 chapters - the fog begins to lift - the pieces start to come together - we see a beautiful and powerful picture of Jesus - His message - and the astounding work He did on the cross! Journey with us as we untangle this incredible story!

In this episode, we are truly REVERENT - and most definitely REBELLIOUS! We are tackling one of this book's most difficult and controversial chapters. We have just come through Ch. 10, where John is told to eat a little scroll - and continue to prophesy. Clearly, this shows the urgency of the message of Jesus - persistently proceeding out into the world - even in the midst of the escalating chaos! Now - Joh is told to measure the temple - the altar - and the people who worship in it. To mark them off for protection. Then these two witnesses appear - with authority - testifying - prophesying - breathing fire and doing miracles! The beast from the abyss makes war with them and kills them! They lie in the streets - but not for long. After 3 1/2 days the breath of life from God comes into them! They rise again and are taken up to heaven in a cloud! Who are these witnesses? when will all this craziness happen? The answer will shock you! The meaning will amaze you! This is not what any of us was taught - but it is absolutely a revelation! Jump on in!

In our previous two episodes, we saw the devastation of the first 6 trumpets. So, in this chapter, we naturally expect the 7th. What do we get? Another interlude! We see another strong angel - clothed with a cloud - a rainbow on his head - his face like the sun - and feet like pillars of fire! Who is this angel and what is he up to? He cries out with a loud voice, and 7 thunders utter their voices! What do they say? We'll never know, because John is told to not write it down! The nerve! Next - John is told to take a little scroll from the strong angel - and eat it! He does - and it is sweet in his mouth but makes his stomach bitter. How can we possibly make sense of all this? Join in as we find out what in Heaven's name is going on!

In this episode, God sends an angel DOWN - to the abyss! He gives him the key - and tells him to unlock the abyss and release whatever's in there! He does - and smoke pours out. Out of the smoke comes a massive swarm of locusts - like horses - with human faces and teeth like lions' teeth! They have scorpion tails, and torment people with their stings for 5 months! If that were not enough - 4 angels of destruction and an army of 200 million on horses are released - killing a third of the people with the fire, smoke, and brimstone coming out of their mouths! What in the wide, wide world of sports is going on here? Are these Apache helicopters - heat-seeking missiles - weapons of mass destruction? That's what we're going after - and we're here for it!

We're back! It's Revelation round 2! We're kicking off this phase of our journey through the Book of Revelation with Chapter 8. The 7th seal is finally broken, and all of heaven can now see what's written on the scroll. It's the ultimate plan of God to exact judgment on - and bring redemption to the world! It is so dramatic and terrifying that a hush falls over the universe. There is silence in heaven for half an hour! An angel with a censer mixes much incense with the prayers of the saints and brings it to the altar. Then - in dramatic fashion - he fills it with fire and casts it to the earth! The plan is set in motion! There is no going back from here! 7 angels with 7 trumpets prepare to sound them! All heaven breaks loose! Hail - fire - a mountain uprooted and thrown into the sea! A great star falls from heaven! The water is turned to wormwood! A third of the sun moon and stars go away! Then there is an eagle with a message! He's flying in midheaven crying woe - woe - woe! What does all this mean? Jump in with us as we break it down, trace it through, and discover just how faithful and powerful our God is!

We're going to put a cap - for now - on our series about sects, cults, and bizarre expressions of Christianity by looking at the cult-iest of all cults - and the granddaddy of all narcissistic, power-hungry, pieces of skubalon that ever existed! His name was Jim Jones, and his "church" was the People's Temple. From his humble and twisted beginnings in Indiana to orchestrating the largest human massacre of its time in Guyana, this guy's rise to power and reign of terror is unprecedented and almost unfathomable! How did he coerce 900 people to follow him to a remote location in the jungle - set up a delusional commune - and then exercise such a level of mind control that they all committed "revolutionary suicide" by drinking cyanide-laced Flavor Ade? That's what we are exploring in today's episode. Join us if you dare!