Apocalypse. Interpretation of the XXI century. Valeriy Sterkh

even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation (Dan 9:21).

      And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years. And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings. And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season (Lk 1:18—20).

      And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women (Lk 1:26—28).

      Raphael (Azarias) the archangel:

      I am Raphael, one of the seven holy angels, which present the prayers of the saints, and which go in and out before the glory of the Holy One (Tob 12:15).

      Then the young man said to the angel, Brother Azarias, to what use is the heart and the liver and the gal of the fish? (Tob 6:7).

      Jeremiel [Remiel] the archangel:

      And unto these things Jeremiel the archangel gave them answer, and said, Even when the number of seeds is filled in you: for he hath weighed the world in the balance. By measure hath he measured the times; and by number hath he numbered the times; and he doth not move nor stir them, until the said measure be fulfilled (2 Esd 4:36—37 [3 Ezra 4:36—37 rus]).

      Uriel the archangel:

      And the angel that was sent unto me, whose name was Uriel, gave me an answer, and said, Thy heart hath gone to far in this world, and thinkest thou to comprehend the way of the most High? (2 Esd 4:1—2 [3 Ezra 4:1—2 rus]).

      And so I fasted seven days, mourning and weeping, like as Uriel the angel commanded me (2 Esd 5:20 [3 Ezra 5:20 rus]).

      Where is Uriel the angel, who came unto me at the first? (2 Esd 10:28 [3 Ezra 10:28 rus]).

      Salathiel [Saraqael] the archangel:

      So the angel that was come to talk with me held me, comforted me, and set me up upon my feet. And in the second night it came to pass, that Salathiel the captain of the people came unto me, saying, Where hast thou been? and why is thy countenance so heavy? (2 Esd 5:15—16 [3 Ezra 5:15—16 rus]).

      In the midst and around the throne John saw the other four angels in the form of a Lion, Calf, Man, and Eagle. They were called Cheribim:

      Blessed art thou that beholdest the depths, and sittest upon the cherubims: and to be praised and exalted above all for ever. Blessed art thou on the glorious throne of thy kingdom: and to be praised and glorified above all for ever (Prayer of Azarias and Hymn of the Three Children 1:32—33 [Dan 3:54—55 rus]).

      Then I looked, and, behold, in the firmament that was above the head of the cherubims there appeared over them as it were a sapphire stone, as the appearance of the likeness of a throne (Ezek 10:1).

      O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, that dwellest between the cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth: thou hast made heaven and earth (Is 37:16).

      The LORD reigneth; let the people tremble: he sitteth between the cherubims; let the earth be moved (Ps 99:1 [Ps 98:1 rus]).

      In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears. Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth. There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it. He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness was under his feet. And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind (Ps 18:6—10 [Ps 17:7—11 rus]).

      Around the Lord’s throne, there were 24 smaller thrones with 24 elders sitting on them. They had crowns on their heads and were clothed in white. The elders are saints, the white robes represent righteousness, and their golden crowns symbolize victory over death:

      Four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints (Rev 5:8).

      These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb (Rev 7:14).

      He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels (Rev 3:5).

      To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne (Rev 3:21).

      Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life (Rev 2:10).

      Chapter 1:3. The third vision of God’s glory

      Then John saw:

      And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon. And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne. And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints. And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; and hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever (Rev 5:1—14).

      A scroll of a book sealed with seven seals is the book of life. Inside the scroll are the names of those who will be saved at the end of time, and outside are the names of sinners:

      And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works (Rev 20:12).

      And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire (Rev 20:15).

      And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him [beast, antichrist], whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world (Rev