Introduction:    Have you ever wondered why everything seems to be a battle of right or wrong, good or bad? It all goes back to man’s free will! God wants us to follow and do His will for our lives, but man also has the ability to choose his decisions. In Ge 3 mankind had the choice of following God’s command not to eat of the tree of life, but chose to be deceived by Satan and eat of the tree of life, and thus sin entered into mankind. With that decision came sin and sin has altered God’s Will for mankind all through the years. God reached a point before the flood that He repented that He ever created man in the first place. Then the Bible tells us that Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.

    After the flood one thing remained the same and that was sin within mankind. Also, Satan was still here on earth and so it took only a short time for sin to raise it’s head again into a mankind that was created for eternity. I believe that God already had a plan for the redemption of man. Thus began what is called “The Scarlet Thread,“ which is suppose to provide redemption for mankind. To know the beginning can helps us understand a lot of things that have, and are happening. We still have the RIGHT verses WRONG, or GOOD verses BAD battles that have and will be fought until the return of God’s only begotten Son, Jesus Christ.

    The “Scarlet Thread,” represents the blood line that would give mankind God’s only begotten Son. Mankind’s lack of FAITH has always been Mankind’s undoing. Now we get to Abraham (God’s Choice To Be The Father of God’s Nation). God lead Abraham away from his homeland and blessed him greatly, but Abraham and his wife Sarah were old and still there was no one to carry on. O, God had promised a son to Abraham that would make him the father of a great nation. Here is where a sinful twist enters that jeopardized God’s plan.

    Sarah’s lack of faith that she would ever birth a son to Abraham, caused her to give her handmaid, Hagar to Abraham. Soon a son was born to Abraham through Hagar and his name was Ishmael. This wasn’t God’s plan and he told Abraham and Sarah that they would have a child, and that his name would be Isaac, and that is what happened. But, now there was the little problem of another son born by Hagar, his name is Ishmael. So many times things stand in the way of God’s Will by our own choice, and thus it was here on this occasion. Listen to the kind of man Ishmael would be, from God’s own mouth.

Abraham’s Son Ishmael!
In Gen 16:11-16 (11) The angel of the LORD also said to her.

"You are now with child
and you will have a son.
You shall name him Ishmael,
for the LORD has heard of your misery.
12 He will be a wild donkey of a man;
his hand will be against everyone
and everyone's hand against him,
and he will live in hostility
toward all his brothers."

    Ishmael was to be a Wild man and live by the sword. He would fight against everyone, and everyone would fight against him. Then the son God promised to Abraham and Sarah was born, and his name was Isaac. Now enters a confrontation of the two sons of Abraham, Ishmael, born by Hagar, an Egyptian handmaid, and Isaac, born (as promised) to Sarah, but the father of both was Abraham. Rightly as God had said, Abraham would be the father of all nations.

Gen 17:19-22  (19) Then God said, "Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him. 20 And as for Ishmael , I have heard you: I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers. He will be the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation. 21 But my covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you by this time next year." 22 When he had finished speaking with Abraham, God went up from him. NIV

Here we plainly see the beginning of the Arabic nations fathered by Ishmael, half brother to Isaac, son of Sarah and Abraham. Confrontation was on the horizon and Sarah said to her husband Abraham after the birth of Isaac, Gen 21:8-10 (8) The child grew and was weaned, and on the day Isaac was weaned Abraham held a great feast. 9 But Sarah saw that the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham was mocking, 10 and she said to Abraham, "Get rid of that slave woman and her son, for that slave woman's son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac ." NIV

    Abraham did as Sarah asked, and God supported her demand, so we see here in Gen 21:11-14 (11) The matter distressed Abraham greatly because it concerned his son. 12 But God said to him, "Do not be so distressed about the boy and your maidservant. Listen to whatever Sarah tells you, because it is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned. 13 I will make the son of the maidservant into a nation also, because he is your offspring."  So Abraham banished Hagar an her son, Ishmael, out of his household. 14 Early the next morning Abraham took some food and a skin of water and gave them to Hagar. He set them on her shoulders and then sent her off with the boy. She went on her way and wandered in the desert of Beersheba. NIV And, thus was the beginning of the Arabic nation!

Abraham’s Son Isaac!
Gen 25:19-26 (19) This is the account of Abraham's son Isaac. Abraham became the father of Isaac, 20 and Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah daughter of Bethuel the Aramean from Paddan Aram and sister of Laban the Aramean. 21 Isaac prayed to the LORD on behalf of his wife, because she was barren. The LORD answered his prayer, and his wife Rebekah became pregnant. 22 The babies jostled each other within her, and she said, "Why is this happening to me?" So she went to inquire of the LORD. 23 The LORD said to her, "Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger."
Isaac’s wife became with child, except instead of one, she had twins! Thus comes another twist to God’s plan!
Gen 25:24-25 (24) When the time came for her to give birth, there were twin boys in her womb. 25 The first to come out was red, and his whole body was like a hairy garment; so they named him Esau.   26 After this, his brother came out, with his hand grasping Esau's heel; so he was named Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when Rebekah gave birth to them. NIV


With the birth of twins, and Esau being the first born, It was supposed that Esau would be the one for the Scarlet thread to continue through. Esau was a man of hunting and outdoors, and Jacob was one that stayed at home with his mother. It is recorded that one day Jacob had made a stew.

Gen 25:27-34 (27) The boys grew up, and Esau became a skillful hunter, a man of the open country, while Jacob was a quiet man, staying among the tents. 28 Isaac, who had a taste for wild game, loved Esau, but Rebekah loved Jacob . 29 Once when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau came in from the open country, famished. 30 He said to Jacob , "Quick, let me have some of that red stew! I'm famished!" (That is why he was also called Edom.) 31 Jacob replied, "First sell me your birthright." 32 "Look, I am about to die," Esau said. "What good is the birthright to me?"
33 But Jacob said, "Swear to me first." So he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright to Jacob .
34 Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew. He ate and drank, and then got up and left. So Esau despised his birthright. NIV

So Esau sold his birth-right for a bowl of stew and Jacob became the one to carry on “The Scarlet Thread.” BUT WAIT LET’S NOT GET AHEAD OF OURSELVES IN THIS STUDY! Isaac loved Esau more because he was a hunter and out-doors type, and Rebekah loved Jacob more. Herein is the new twist!

Gen 27:1-10
27:1 When Isaac was old and his eyes were so weak that he could no longer see, he called for Esau his older son and said to him, "My son." "Here I am," he answered. 2 Isaac said, "I am now an old man and don't know the day of my death. 3 Now then, get your weapons — your quiver and bow — and go out to the open country to hunt some wild game for me. 4 Prepare me the kind of tasty food I like and bring it to me to eat, so that I may give you my blessing before I die."
5 Now Rebekah was listening as Isaac spoke to his son Esau. When Esau left for the open country to hunt game and bring it back, 6 Rebekah said to her son Jacob, "Look, I overheard your father say to your brother Esau, 7'Bring me some game and prepare me some tasty food to eat, so that I may give you my blessing in the presence of the LORD before I die.' 8 Now, my son, listen carefully and do what I tell you: 9 Go out to the flock and bring me two choice young goats, so I can prepare some tasty food for your father, just the way he likes it. 10 Then take it to your father to eat, so that he may give you his blessing before he dies." NIV

    So Jacob did as his mother asked and brought 2 choice goats, and his mother made a meal like Isaac loved and Jacob took this food to his father under the deception that was of his mother’s doing, and Jacob received the blessing from Isaac. When Esau got there with the hunted game that his father wanted and came into his father’s presence, Isaac realized that he blessed the wrong son. However, it was too late. Isaac couldn’t take back the blessing and he couldn’t bless Esau, also. To make a long story shorter, Isaac instructed his son Jacob not to marry any Canaanite women, so Jacob went to Rebekah’s father’s house a chose the daughter of Rebekah’s brother, Laban. Esau heard Isaac’s dislike of the Canaanite women, and went to Ishmael, and took for himself the daughter of Ishmael. O, my, now we have the twist. Esau married daughters of the Canaanites, and the Nation of Edom came to be with the ascendants of Esau. So we have Esau, the son of Isaac, joining up with Ishmael’s daughters. All of these were in the east, and represent Egyptian (Arabic) nations. Jacob came to be called Israel, and the CHILDREN OF ISRAEL came to be.

    In the region of Ishmael and Esau came the 12 sons of Ishmael that were the 12 rulers of the Arabic Nations. Then Israel had 12 sons, and they formed the 12 tribes of Israel. The background was now laid for a hatred between the Arabs and the Jewish nation of Israel. This fight is still going today. Somewhere in the mix Arabic nations came to worship Mohammed which developed into the Islamic religion, and the Jewish nation gave birth to Jesus Christ (God’s Only Begotten Son) and Christianity came to be. As we read in Gen Ishmael was a wild man and hated the Jewish descendants of Abraham. Now we can see how the fight between the Arabic and Jewish nations began. This can make the book of Revelation more relevant to our time today.

I take the Apocalyptic view of Revelation. The first 3 chapters of Revelation describe the church age, then in chapter 4, John finds himself in Heaven around the throne of God. I know that there are many views on this, I personally believe that this is where the rapture will take place, and we go up to Heaven with Jesus. Notice that in the rapture Jesus does NOT touch the earth, but called the dead in Christ out of their grave, then the remaining Christians are caught up in the air to be with Jesus.

1 Thess 4:13-18

13 Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. 14 We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15 According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18 Therefore encourage each other with these words. NIV


Then beginning in chapter 5, we see the Scroll and 7 seals that only Jesus is WORTHY enough to open. I also believe the saints of God come back to earth when Jesus returns and are on the mountain cheering on Jesus he will defeat the 10 kings at the battle of Armageddon. He does this by simply Speaking destruction on them. Everything that happens between chapter 5 through  of Revelation is without the saints of God. The Jews are the ones of God that will be left, and Jesus comes back to defeat the 10 kings, and save the Jews.

Below is some Scripture of the Second Coming of our Lord & Savior, Jesus Christ as He defeats the 10 Kings, His thousand year reign while Satan and the Anti Christ are locked in the bottomless pit.

Rev 19:11-21

11 I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war.   12 His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. 13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. 14 The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. "He will rule them with an iron scepter." He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:

KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in midair, "Come, gather together for the great supper of God, 18 so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and mighty men, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, small and great." 19 Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against the rider on the horse and his army. 20 But the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who had performed the miraculous signs on his behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped his image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur.   21 The rest of them were killed with the sword that came out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh. NIV

Rev 20:7-15

7 When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth — Gog and Magog — to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore. 9 They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God's people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them. 10 And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. 14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15 If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. NIV

Conclusion:    The above isn’t a detailed account of what will happened at the end of time, but it everything mankind needs to know to be prepared for that day. The tribulation period is divided into 2 parts (1) 3 and ½  years of  tribulation, and then (2) another 3 and ½ years of what is called “The Great Tribulation.”  The first 3 and ½  years is where the Anti Christ gains his trust among the people of earth, and the last 3 and ½ years are when the Anti Christ and the Beast have Earthly rule. THANK GOD WE WILL NOT BE HERE TO EXPERIENCE THESE THINGS!

In Christ’s Love, Rev Zack Martin Sr.