Let Us Reason

The Inner Battle of the Christian Soul

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🌩️ Armageddon Within: How Revelation’s Cycles Reveal the Inner Battle of the Christian Soul

1. Covenant‑Obedient Saints Are Protected

In Revelation, certain things are repeatedly shown as protected from harm, symbolizing believers who stay faithful to the covenant in 6:6, 7:3, and 9:4.

Pr 16:7 ¶ When a man’s ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.

Revelation 6:6 — “Hurt not the oil or the wine.”

These represent protected, obedient saints Joel 1:16.

The Day of the Lord is the time of judgment generally inclined towards bringing a Willfully sinful Christian to repentance, Joel 1:15 and 1 Cor 11:32.

Up until 6:12, we’ve seen the implements of judgment revealed but not yet used.

In 6:12-17, the “Day” arrives when these tools of judgment are employed.

Disobedience has manifested and judgment for correction is necessary.

The Day is always “near” for the unbeliever (Obadiah 1:15), but for the believer, it comes only when they knowingly sin and the sacrifice of Jesus no longer covers their disobedience (Heb 10:26-27) due to unconfessed sin, as explained in 1 John 1:9.

Revelation 7:1–3 — Four angels hold back the winds of the earth

These earthly, carnal winds—symbolic forces of judgment—are cautioned not to bring harm until God’s faithful covenant believers are sealed.

  • earth
  • sea
  • trees until the servants of God are sealed.

Revelation chapter 7 describes the sealing of the saints—those whom God recognizes as faithful to the covenant. This includes believers who have not entered willful sin, and those who, when they did sin, confessed it and received forgiveness through the Lord Jesus, as taught in 1 John 1:9.

The Judgments are employed on the Day of the Lord, Joel 1;15.

Rev 8:7-11:15 illustrate the trumpet judgments:

  • Earthquake 6:12
  • Earthquake 8:5
  • First Angels Trumpet sounds Rev 8:7
  • Second Angels Trumpet sounds Rev 8:8
  • A Third of the Sea life dies Rev 8:9
  • Third Angels Trumpet sounds Rev 8:10
  • Forth Angels Trumpet sounds Rev 8:12
  • There will follow 3 woes Rev 8:13
  • Fifth Angels Trumpet sounds First woe begins – Rev 9:1
  • The first woe Rev 9:1-9:12 (when believers death is not permitted) Rev 9:12 is past, 2 woes will follow this
  • Sixth angels Trumpet sounds Rev 9:13 Second woe begins (when believers spiritual death is permitted resulting in loss of faith or unbelief)
  • 7 thunders message concealed 10:4.
  • 10:7 mystery of God finished
  • 10:8 John the witness is told to speak and
  • measure temple 11:1
  • Earthquake Rev 11:13
  • Second woe/Sixth trumpet/angel ends Rev 9:13 – Rev 11:14, 11:13
  • Third woe Rev 11:15/Seventh trumpet/angel – 18:23, Comes quickly/ begins
  • Seventh Angels Trumpet sounds Rev 11:15
  • Reward and Destruction 11:18
  • Earthquake Rev 11:19
  • Earthquake Rev 16:18
  • Unbelief and Lord’s voice is no longer heard Rev 18:23

Revelation 9:4 — During the First “Woe” the Locusts/Scorpions may not harm those sealed and their torment may not kill

  • torment only the unsealed men
  • In Matt 25:41 Jesus sends Disobedient Believers (goats) to Hell
  • Luke 16:28 says torment is a place. It was where the Rich man was (Lk 16:23) in other words Hell was the place of torment
  • This is the torment allowed during the first woe

Conclusion: Judgment does not fall on the obedient. It falls on –

  • unbelievers are referred to as the sea Rev 13:1 and 17:15
  • covenant‑violating believers (Luke 12:46)

2. Covenant‑Violating Categories Are Judged

Once the sealing of the covenant keeping believers is complete, judgment falls on the unprotected.

Unbelievers are always near the Lord’s judgment Obadiah 1:15.

Ob 1:15 For the day of the LORD is near upon all the heathen: as thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee: thy reward shall return upon thine own head.

Heb 10:26-27 illustrate that willfully sinful Christians are open to judgment.

Jesus unsealed the scroll containing the judgments, and Romans 1:18 says that the wrath/judgment is revealed against all ungodliness, both ungodly Believers and ungodly unbelievers.

Titus 2:11-12 shows that God’s grace teaches the humble (James 4:6) to deny ungodliness. Unbelievers must first humble themselves before the Lord before they are afforded His protection.

So we know that the seals and Gods wrath will only effect those who are ungodly – wether believers who are in covenant, or unbelievers who have not accepted the covenant.

Trumpets 1–4: Partial judgments (thirds)
Trumpets 5–6: Woes
Trumpet 7: Completion

Revelation 8:7

  • 1/3 of trees burned
  • all green grass burned

Revelation 8:8 and 9

  • 1/3 of the sea becomes blood
  • 1/3 of sea life dies

Revelation 8:12

  • 1/3 of sun, moon, stars darkened
  • Am 5:20 Shall not the day of the LORD be darkness, and not light? even very dark, and no brightness in it?
  • The Day of the Lord is the time when God’s people are disciplined for willfully breaking the covenant, Heb 10:26-27 and Joel 1:15-16.

These symbolize:

  • corrupted growth
  • corrupted nations
  • corrupted spiritual light

These judgments apply only to the unsealed (sea) and willfully sinful believers. These believers are Dead in Christ 1 Thess 4:16. These believers are spiritually dead — disobedient to the covenant — though still covenantally His, Deut 29:27-28.

3. The Three Woes (8:13 → 18:23): A Self‑Contained Scenario

The Woes are are a scenario describing the progressive discipline of the unsealed (those outside the covenant- outer court). These are the Christians who are being judged for their willful sin and the Gentiles.

Woe 1 — Revelation 9:1–12

  • Fifth trumpet Rev 9:1
  • Jesus opens the pit
  • Locusts torment 5 months
  • They cannot kill
  • They cannot touch the sealed
  • Ends at Rev 9:12
  • Because God’s goal is correction, not destruction, for those still reachable.

Woe 2 — Revelation 9:13–21

  • Sixth trumpet Rev 9:13
  • Four angels released (same ones from 7:1 and 8:7)
  • 1/3 of men killed
  • 9:20-21 No repentance from Men
  • Ends at Rev 11:14

Woe 3 — Revelation 11:15

  • Seventh trumpet Rev 11:15
  • Kingdom declared
  • Mystery finished (10:7)
  • The Lord’s voice no longer heard, Rev 18:23
  • This is the final stage of judgment — spiritual desolation

4. The Temple Scenario (Revelation 11)

A parallel cycle describing covenant distinction.

11:1–2 — Measure the temple

  • Inner court = obedient Rev 11:3 prophesy 1260 days whhich is the first half of Daniels 70th confirmation week
  • Outer court = given to the nations (disobedient) Rev 11:2 the outer court is the second half of Daniels 70th confirmation week
  • “The temple vision is a covenant‑distinction diagram.”

11:3–13 — Two witnesses

  • Ac 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

11:14 — Second woe ends

This closes the scenario.

5. The Beast Scenario (Revelation 12–13)

The dragon (12:3), the beast (13:1), and the scarlet beast (17:3) are the same spiritual structure.

13:3 — One blasphemous head wounded (temporary faithfulness), then healed (becomes blasphemous again)

False resurrection → false religion.

13:4 — Unbelievers marvel at the person prefessing Christianity but remaining willfully sinful.

The world embraces the false system.

13:5 This is the Holy City being tread down for 42 months. This is the second half of Daniel’s covenant confirmation week.

Matches:

  • disobedient half 11:2
  • disobedient half 11:3
  • obedient half 12:6
  • obedient half 12:14

This is the interpretive key.

13:11 — Fallen Christian speaks as a beast

This is the internal apostasy.

If they continue in faith the Lord saves them through fire per Rev 11:11–12, for the Spirit breathes life back into what had died, raising the obedient self to stand again.

6. The Bowls Scenario (Revelation 15–16)

Another parallel cycle.

Re 15:2 And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.

This is God’s people who have been saved through fire, Matt 25:41 and 1 Cor 3:15.

Rev 16:1 through Rev 16:17 illustrate the vials or bowls of wrath poured out.

16:8, unlike Job they did not repent during the first woe (They were scorched but not killed – Death not permitted). They also did not repent in their darkness Rev 16:10.

This resulted in dryness (absence of Spirit) Rev 18:12 and the frogs (Spirits) beginning to profess falseness through the men in verse 13. They became false Prophets. When the Spirit’s influence dries up, false spirits fill the vacuum.

16:14 — Gathering for Armageddon

16:15 — Day of the Lord is the Battle which a willfully sinful believer faces.

16:16 — Armageddon

The inner battle.

7. Babylon the Great: The Adulterous Christian Self (Revelation 17–18)

Babylon is the spiritually adulterous believer. “Because the sinful self is carried by the very spiritual powers it entertains.”

She:

  • rides the beast
  • sits on many waters
  • is supported by spiritual powers
  • can eventually be destroyed by the same powers she embraced

17:9 — Heads = mountains = seven kings

Seven = completeness → seven ruling spiritual strongholds.

17:12 — Horns = ten kings

Ten = manifestation → activated expressions/professions of those strongholds.

Seven → Ten

The seven ruling powers become ten when they:

  • speak
  • prophesy
  • justify sin
  • express demonic doctrine

Frog‑Spirits (16:13–14)

These are:

  • demonic doctrines
  • deceptive speech
  • false prophetic impressions

They activate the ten kings.

18:23 — “The voice of the bridegroom will not be heard in you anymore.”

Babylon represents the self‑contained self — the part of a person that desires God yet refuses the surrender required to be held together by Him. Scripture portrays her as a drunken harlot because she is spiritually unstable, intoxicated with her own delusion, and unfaithful to the covenant she claims to honor. She rides the Beast because false containment is the only structure that can temporarily support a soul that will not yield to Christ’s life‑giving hold. But this containment cannot last. The outer court is left unmeasured, Babylon collapses in an hour, and the Beast ultimately turns on her, for self‑containment cannot preserve the person’s being. In the inner battle, Babylon is the mist trying to hold itself together; her fall marks the moment the soul’s false cohesion fails and the Spirit restores the believer into the true containment of Christ.

8. Armageddon Within: The Inner Battle Against Willful Sin

Armageddon is not geopolitical. It is the climactic internal confrontation between:

  • the believer’s will
  • the spiritual powers ruling them

The frog‑spirits gather the inner kings. The beast structure rises. Babylon (the adulterous self) is exposed. The Day of the Lord arrives as discipline.

Revelation 17:14 — “The Lamb will overcome them.”

Christ conquers the internal powers when the believer yields.

9. The Whole System in One Summary

Revelation’s cycles describe the inner life of a believer under discipline. The obedient are sealed and protected. The disobedient face the Woes, Trumpets, and Bowls. Babylon is the adulterous Christian person who is Dead in Christ, and carried by the Beast (the structure of deception), supported by seven ruling strongholds that become ten when expressed and professed. The frog‑spirits speak and activate these powers, gathering them for the inner battle of Armageddon, where Christ overcomes the forces of willful sin and destroys the false self through redemptive judgment. Either faith is maintained or the voice of the Lord is no longer heard.

The inner battle is not a struggle between equal forces but a revelation of what holds the human person together. The soul that tries to contain itself inevitably collapses into confusion, fear, and fragmentation, while the soul surrendered to Christ is gathered, measured, and preserved. Revelation’s imagery of courts, witnesses, beasts, and Babylon is ultimately the story of containment — the fall of the self‑contained self and the restoration of the believer into the cohesive life of Christ. In this way, the battle ends not in despair but in clarity: the Spirit gathers what the soul cannot hold, and Christ becomes the true environment in which the believer lives, moves, and has their being.

Revelation’s visions are not distant predictions but mirrors held up to the believer’s inner life. Each cycle reveals the same truth from a different angle: the soul cannot hold itself together. The self‑contained self becomes Babylon, the false religious structure becomes the Beast, and the unmeasured outer court becomes the arena where willful sin collapses under its own weight. Yet the Spirit never abandons the obedient inner court. The Witnesses rise again, the Lamb overcomes, and Christ restores what the soul could not sustain. In the end, the battle is not between equal powers but between dissolution and cohesion — between the soul that scatters and the Spirit who gathers. The believer’s hope is not in their own strength but in the One in whom all things hold together, the true environment in which we live, move, and have our being.