November 16: EQUIVOCAL
“For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, And You have given them blood to drink. For it is their just due.” Revelation 16:6
The second half of the angel’s statement leaves no doubt as to the literal nature of the last plagues. Daniel’s prophetic description of this period states that “there shall be a time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation” (Daniel 12:1). The angel’s comment, “For it is their just due” succinctly states that the punishment fits the crime.
After Jesus departed the temple in Jerusalem for the last time, He was asked by the disciples about last-day events. They associated the destruction of the temple—which came to its fulfillment in 70AD—with the world’s end. The brilliant answer that He supplied addressed both (Matthew 24:4-22).
The word of the Lord teaches us that our battle is not with flesh and blood, but rather demonic powers (Ephesians 6:12). The spirit of Satan found a home among churchgoers very early in church history, cited by Jesus in His letters to the churches (Revelation 2:13,21; 3:1), and he (Satan) is the power behind all attempts to contradict and silence God’s word (12:13,15,17; 13:2). Daniel’s writings make it clear that the entity that would persecute Christians during the time between the first and second comings of Jesus is the same as the one presented in Daniel 2:40; 7:7,25; 8:23. That entity has been called by many the iron monarchy of Rome. It was pagan Rome that wrought desolation in Jerusalem, destroying the temple. Indeed, “not one stone was left upon another” (Matthew 24:2).
But something equivocal and very disturbing developed as papal Rome emerged. It can be described as having two opposing faces: while claiming to be doing the work of God in the world, it actively pursued and destroyed countless millions who chose to believe the Bible over church dogmas rooted in something other than the Bible, yet claiming them as “religious values.”
While claiming to be spiritual, it attaches itself to a non-spiritual entity—a political power—for the enforcement of its dogmas. For 1260 years, this was the modus operandi of the papacy in Europe. Today, the relationship currently being cultivated between the papacy and the United States will echo the dark history of Europe, as laid out in chapter 13 of Revelation. In these end times, the history of acute persecution of true Christians will be repeated (see Revelation 6:11). For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets.
The sad reality that people can be led into a state of bloodthirstiness by following Satan is made unequivocally clear when the angel affirms the righteousness of the Lord in saying, “You have given them blood to drink.”
“…that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.” Matthew 23:35