Grinding at the Mill

 Millstone

Rev 18:21

And a strong angel took up a stone as it were a great millstone and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with a mighty fall shall Babylon, the great city, be cast down, and shall be found no more at all. 

Why a millstone? 

-it is used to grind

-Grain, corn, to flour cook or feed.

-maybe to make bread

Matt 18:6; Luke 17:2

Babylon - is typed as a millstone that is picked by an angel and cast into the sea, never to be seen again. 

• I think this begins on the 7th day. 

• I wonder if this is a quick thing or a slow/steady 

Mat 18:3-4 

3 and said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye turn, and become as little children, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 

Mat 18:5-6

5 And whoso shall receive one such little child (g3813) in my name receiveth me: 6 but whoso shall cause one of these little ones (g3398) that believe on me to stumble, it is profitable for him that a great millstone should be hanged about his neck, and that he should be sunk in the depth of the sea.

***Show the greek from 'the sword**

1. Who are these little children (g3813)/ones (g3398)?

Immature christians, young child, little one

2. Why were those who cause children (or immature christians) to stumble thrown into the sea? 

• They are considered Babylon

3. Who are little children? (G3813)

John

1Jn 2:18 Little children, it is the last hour: and as ye heard that antichrist cometh, even now have there arisen many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last hour.

Jesus

Joh 21:4-5 

4 But when day was now breaking, Jesus stood on the beach: yet the disciples knew not that it was Jesus. 5 Jesus therefore saith unto them, Children, have ye aught to eat? They answered him, No.

Sister verse in Luke 17:1-2 adds this:

Luk 17:1-2

1 And he said unto his disciples, It is impossible but that occasions of stumbling should come; but woe unto him, through whom they come! 2 It were well for him if a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, rather than that he should cause one of these little ones to stumble.

Hmm...

(Jesus speaking to his disciples about the signs of his coming AND the end of the age)

Two women grinding at the mill?

Mat 24:38-42 

38 For as in those days which were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, 39 and they knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall be the coming of the Son of man. 40 Then shall two men be in the field; one is taken, and one is left: 41 two women shall be grinding at the mill; one is taken, and one is left. 42 Watch therefore: for ye know not on what day your Lord cometh.

Who are the two women?

-the bride and the harlot

Is it better to be left or taken?

(***Remember the song from the 70's:

"I Wish We'd All Been Ready")

-probably to be "left"?

-Matt 24:39 says "they knew not until the flood came, and took them all away"

-but we are watching, we would know.

Rev 18:22 

And the voice of harpers and minstrels and flute-players and trumpeters shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft, shall be found any more at all in thee; and the voice of a mill shall be heard no more at all in thee;

So the coming of the Son of Man (during day 7) is like a flood that sweeps away one of the two women who grind at the mill (who we think is the harlot of Babylon).

Mat 24:43 

But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what watch the thief was coming, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken through.

1. Do you think Noah 'watched'? 

2. Whose house will be broken into?

3. What will be stolen?

4. Who is the thief?

Rev 16:15 

(Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.)

Summary so far:

1. Jesus second coming will sweep away Babylon, which won't ever be seen again. 

2. He comes as Noah's flood and sweeps the evil away, catching many off guard and not ready.

3. So Jesus comes as a thief to those who aren't watching. And he steals their garments. 

4. If you are watching for Jesus return, your house won't be broken thru and your garments won't be stolen.

5. Babylon includes those that cause His little children or little ones to stumble. 

6. Babylon includes one of the women at the mill, whom we think is the harlot.

7. Jesus calls his disciples little children. John also calls his reader "little children"

Pop quiz 😄

Does anyone see symbolism here?

Ecc 12:1-2

1 Remember also thy Creator in the days of thy youth, before the evil days come, and the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them; 2 before the sun, and the light, and the moon, and the stars, are darkened, and the clouds return after the rain; 

When are the sun, light, moon and stars darkened?

Mat 24:29 But immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:

At the time of Jesus second coming, then Babylon is swept away.

Ecc 12:3

3 in the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows shall be darkened, 

1. Keepers of the house? What house?

• House built on rock Matt 7:24-25

• house built on sand Matt 7:26-27

• Him on housetop not go down to take things out of his house Matt 24:17

2. Strong men bow themselves

• Rev 6:15-16

3. Grinders cease?

4. Those that look out the windows shall be darkened?

• Those looking out the windows (of the house) are darkened

• Mic 3:6 

Therefore it shall be night unto you, that ye shall have no vision; and it shall be dark unto you, that ye shall not divine; and the sun shall go down upon the prophets, and the day shall be black over them.

Ecc 12:4

4 and the doors shall be shut in the street; when the sound of the grinding is low, and one shall rise up at the voice of a bird, and all the daughters of music shall be brought low; 

1. Doors shut in street?

Doors shut? 

Luke 13:25

Street?

SOS 3:1; Pro 7:8

2. Grinding is low

3. Rise at voice of a bird

Isa 30:30 (thru 33)

And Jehovah will cause his glorious voice to be heard, and will show the lighting (wrath) down of his arm, with the indignation of his anger, and the flame of a devouring fire, with a blast, and tempest, and hailstones.

What begins to rise on day 7? What does the bird represent? What day does Jesus restore the withered hand?

4. Daughters of music are brought low

Rev 18:22

And the voice of harpers and minstrels and flute-players and trumpeters shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft, shall be found any more at all in thee; and the voice of a mill shall be heard no more at all in thee;

5 yea, they shall be afraid of that which is high, and terrors shall be in the way; and the almond-tree shall blossom, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail; because man goeth to his everlasting home, and the mourners go about the streets: 

 

1. Afraid of that which is high

Is 40:9

2. Terrors shall be in the way

Luk 21:11 

and there shall be great earthquakes, and in divers places famines and pestilences; and there shall be terrors and great signs from heaven.

(Terrors from heaven)

3. Almond there's shall blossom

***Show the greek from 'the sword**

H8247

From H8245; the almond (tree or nut; as being the earliest in bloom): 

H8245

to be alert, that is, sleepless ; hence to be on the lookout (whether for good or ill): - hasten, remain, wake, watch (for).

*The almond that shall blossom are am example of His people that are watching for His coming. Like this:

Mat 24:42 Watch therefore: for ye know not on what day your Lord cometh.

4. Grasshoppers shall be a burden

2Ch 7:13

If I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people;

Mourners go about the street

Mat 24:30 

and then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

Daniel 5 - Natural vs Spiritual

 Spiritual understanding of Daniel 5

What does Babylon represent? 

-nation that God uses to take His people into captivity

-harlot christianity, end time harlot of God

-mentioned in many OT books and Revelation

How about Belshazzar?

-head of Babylon at the end, prior to Jesus' second coming

Quickly review Dan 5:1-2

Drinking Wine - 

Eph 5:18 

And be not drunken with wine, wherein is riot, but be filled (cram, fill to the top)with the Spirit;

***The implication is that those (spiritually) drunken with wine ARE NOT filled with the spirit.

1Th 5:4-8

4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief: 5 for ye are all sons of light, and sons of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness; 6 so then let us not sleep, as do the rest, but let us watch and be sober. 7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that are drunken are drunken in the night. 

Sons of the night. These aren't unbelievers.

1. Spiritually in darkness/night

2. "That day" comes as a thief

3. Not watching

4. Spiritually Sleeping

5. Drunken

*Do these apply to Belshazzar and Babylon in a physical way? 

***And they refer to spiritual Babylon the same way!

Quickly review Dan 5:3

Gold/Silver vessels

2Ti 2:20 

Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some unto honor, and some unto dishonor.

Which are honorable? Dishonorable? 

Is it possible this is a metaphor describing the "sons of the light/day" vs "sons of the darkness/night" from 1 Thes 5?

 

Quickly review Dan 5:4

Babylon Worships the creation instead of creator

Praised the gods of gold, silver, brass, wood, stone? Significance? 

Similar pattern here:

Rom 1:18 kjv

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

Vessels of dishonor OR son's of darkness "who hold truth" unrighteously 

Rom 1:20-22 

20 For the invisible things of him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, even his everlasting power and divinity; that they may be without excuse: 21 because that, knowing God, they glorified him not as God, neither gave thanks; but became vain in their reasonings, and their senseless heart was darkened. 22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

These son's of darkness OR vessels of dishonor know God, but don't glorify him as God.

Think: they praised the gods of gold, silver, brass, iron, wood and stone.

Rom 1:25 for that they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped and served the creature (creation) rather than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

Exchanged truth for a lie.

Rom 1:26-27 

26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile passions: for their women changed the natural use into that which is against nature: 27 and likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another, men with men working unseemliness, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was due.

God gave them up. Had to have them in order to give them up. 

****Fools. One byproduct results in homosexuality…Any evidence  of this today??

Here is the similar process spoken a different way.

Babylon has exchanged the truth of God for a lie...

Rev 9:13-14

13 And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the horns of the golden altar which is before God, 14 one saying to the sixth angel that had the trumpet, Loose the four angels that are bound at the great river Euphrates. 

What is at the great river Euphrates?

Babylon

Now watch this…

Rev 9:15-16

15 And the four angels were loosed, that had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, that they should kill the third part of men. 16 And the number of the armies of the horsemen was twice ten thousand times ten thousand: I heard the number of them. 

***So the angels of the Euphrates are loosed and kill a third part of man (spiritual parable). The army of Horsemen are 10,000 x 10,000 (= 100,000,00).

Horsemen? 

Psa 147:10 

He delighteth not in the strength of the horse:  He taketh no pleasure in the legs of a man.

Isa 31:3 

Now the Egyptians are men, and not God; and their horses flesh, and not spirit: and when Jehovah shall stretch out his hand, both he that helpeth shall stumble, and he that is helped shall fall, and they all shall be consumed together.

Horses represent the fleshly works of Babylon that God allows to hijack and infiltrate his church and spiritually kill many of His people.

Rev 9:17-18

17 And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates as of fire and of hyacinth and of brimstone: and the heads of the horses are as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths proceedeth fire and smoke and brimstone. 18 By these three plagues was the third part of men killed, by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone, which proceeded out of their mouths. 

Rev 9:19

19 For the power of the horses is in their mouth, and in their tails: for their tails are like unto serpents, and have heads; and with them they hurt. 

***Power of the horse are in their mouth?

-Fleshly works of Babylon that are done in their own strength

***Tails??

Isa 9:15 

The elder and the honorable man, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail.

Rev 9:20-21

20 And the rest of mankind, who were not killed with these plagues, repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship demons, and the idols of gold, and of silver, and of brass, and of stone, and of wood; which can neither see, nor hear, nor walk: 21 and they repented not of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.

Babylon is specifically mentioned in verse 20. They worship idols of:

1. Gold

2. Silver

3. Brass

4. Stone

5. Wood

6. Demons

In Dan 5:5, when his gold/silver vessels are filled with the wine of Babylon,drank from AND the gods of gold, silver, brass, iron, wood and stone are praised,...what does God do?

-intervenes, hand writes on wall, judgement

The spiritual pattern seems to be:

**When His "vessels of honor" or "sons of the light/day" begin to be dishonored by idolatrous Babylon, God doesn't take kindly and reacts.

Example:

This is spoken to his disciples in Mark 13.

Mar 13:20-21

20 And except the Lord had shortened the days, no flesh would have been saved; but for the elect's sake, whom he chose, he shortened the days.21 And then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is the Christ; or, Lo, there; believe it not: 

Why? 

-His people can/will be deceived. 

Mar 13:22 

for there shall arise false Christs and false prophets, and shall show signs and wonders, that they may lead astray, if possible, the elect.

Where are these in this example?

1. Gold/silver vessels

-the elect

2. Filled with wine of Babylon

-may be led astray

3. Others gods

-false Christ's, false prophets with signs and wonders

4. Reaction from God

-shortens the day (judgement is initiated early?) 

-cuts the day short

Why were the days shortened??

***His vessels of honor are important to Him!!

Let's talk about God's response in Dan 5:5

Dan 5:5

5 In the same hour came forth the fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaster of the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.

1. Finger

-first instance of finger is:

Exo 8:19 

Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, This is the finger of God: and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them; as Jehovah had spoken.

Luk 11:20 

But if I by the finger of God cast out demons, then is the kingdom of God come upon you.

2. Hand - physical hand, power

3. Man Hand Finger - 3 places

1. 2Sa 21:20 

And there was again war at Gath, where was a man of great stature, that had on every hand six fingers, and on every foot six toes, four and twenty in number; and he also was born to the giant.

2. 1Ch 20:6 (same verse)

3. Dan 5:5

Candlestick - light, to shine, lampstand

Rev 1:13 and in the midst of the candlesticks one like unto a son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about at the breasts with a golden girdle.

(Fingers of God via a man illuminated by the candlestick (people of God) which pronounce judgement on God's harlot people) 

***Either Jesus OR Jesus "in His people"***

***Remember the man in Luke 6:6-8 with the withered hand. 

1. What day of the week did Jesus heal him?

2. What did Jesus tell the man to do after He healed him? "Rise up and stand forth in the midst"

Quickly review Dan 5:6-7a

Purple

Dan 5:7b...Whosoever shall read this writing, and show me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with purple, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.

In NT, purple is mentioned 5x's:

1. Mar 15:15-18

17 And they clothe him with purple, and platting a crown of thorns, they put it on him;

2. Mar 15:19-20

20 And when they had mocked him, they took off from him the purple, and put on him his garments. And they lead him out to crucify him.

Where was Jesus crucified?

Rev 11:8 

And their dead bodies lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified.

The great city = Babylon

Rev 18:10

3. Luk 16:19 

(Rich man and Lazarus)

Now there was a certain rich man, and he was clothed in purple and fine linen, faring sumptuously every day:

4. Rev 17:4 

And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and decked with gold and precious stone and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations, even the unclean things of her fornication, (Harlot)

5. Rev 18:12 

merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stone, and pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet; and all thyine wood, and every vessel of ivory, and every vessel made of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble;

(Merchants of Babylon)

Pattern

Jesus was crucified in spiritual Babylon of the OT as a lamb.

Seems the NT people follow the same path to spiritual Babylon. But when Jesus comes, it will be as a lion.

***Now do you see why Daniel didn't want to be clothed in purple?

-It represents the harlot Babylon!

#########

Dan 5: Natural vs Spiritual

8 points of comparison

1. Natural - Captive to Babylon

Dan 1:1-2 

1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it. 2 And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God; and he carried them into the land of Shinar to the house of his god: and he brought the vessels into the treasure-house of his god.

Spiritual

Rev 17:5-6 

5 and upon her forehead a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF THE HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. 6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I wondered with a great wonder.

2. Many waters

Natural

Jer 51:12-13 

12 Set up a standard against the walls of Babylon, make the watch strong, set the watchmen, prepare the ambushes; for Jehovah hath both purposed and done that which he spake concerning the inhabitants of Babylon. 13 O thou that dwellest upon many waters, abundant in treasures, thine end is come, the measure of thy covetousness.

The Euphrates river

Spiritual

Rev 17:1 

And there came one of the seven angels that had the seven bowls, and spake with me, saying, Come hither, I will show thee the judgment of the great harlot that sitteth upon many waters;

Many waters?

Rev 17:15 

And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the harlot sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.

3. River

Natural

Jer 46:10 

For that day is a day of the Lord, Jehovah of hosts, a day of vengeance, that he may avenge him of his adversaries: and the sword shall devour and be satiate, and shall drink its fill of their blood; for the Lord, Jehovah of hosts, hath a sacrifice in the north country by the river Euphrates.

Spiritual

Rev 16:12 

And the sixth poured out his bowl upon the great river, the river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way might be made ready for the kings that come from the sunrising.

Euphrates River dried up

1. Who came from the east when natural Babylon dried up?

Darius the Mede

2. Who comes from the east when spiritual Babylon dries up?

Sun rising in East

(Eze 46:1)

4. Harlot

Natural

Dan 2:37-38  

37 Thou, O king, art king of kings, unto whom the God of heaven hath given the kingdom, the power, and the strength, and the glory; 38 and wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the birds of the heavens hath he given into thy hand, and hath made thee to rule over them all: thou art the head of gold.

Spiritual

Rev 17:18 

And the woman whom thou sawest is the great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.

5. The great city

Natural

Dan 4:30 

The king spake and said, Is not this great Babylon, which I have built for the royal dwelling-place, by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?

Spiritual

Rev 18:10 

standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Woe, woe, the great city, Babylon, the strong city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.

6. Destruction time frame

Natural

Dan 4:33 

The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hair was grown like eagles' feathers, and his nails like birds' claws.

Dan 5:30-31 

30 In that night Belshazzar the Chaldean king was slain. 31 And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old.

Spiritual

Rev 18:10 

standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Woe, woe, the great city, Babylon, the strong city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.

7. Come out from her, my people

Natural

Jer 51:44-45 

44 And I will execute judgment upon Bel in Babylon, and I will bring forth out of his mouth that which he hath swallowed up; and the nations shall not flow any more unto him: yea, the wall of Babylon shall fall. 45 My people, go ye out of the midst of her, and save yourselves every man from the fierce anger of Jehovah.

Spiritual

Rev 18:4-5

4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come forth, my people, out of her, that ye have no fellowship with her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues: 5 for her sins have reached even unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.

8. Stone cast into the river/sea

Natural

Jer 51:63-64 

63 And it shall be, when thou hast made an end of reading this book, that thou shalt bind a stone to it, and cast it into the midst of the Euphrates: 64 and thou shalt say, Thus shall Babylon sink, and shall not rise again because of the evil that I will bring upon her; and they shall be weary. Thus far are the words of Jeremiah.

Spiritual

Rev 18:21 

And a strong angel took up a stone as it were a great millstone and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with a mighty fall shall Babylon, the great city, be cast down, and shall be found no more at all.

Why a millstone? 

-it is used to grind

Matt 18:6; Luke 17:2