Rev 9 - Islam & Horses with a Head Like a Lion

THE REVELATION 9 “THE ISLAM INVASION and HORSES WITH A HEAD LIKE A LION”

11-25-2018

Revelation chapter 9 prophesied of the rise of Islam that culminated in the conquest of Constantinople with the use of cannons and gunpowder in Rev. 9:18, 19. In those days the cannons were forged in the shape of a lion, and those operating them actually rode them. The cannons had wicks (“tails”) to light the gunpowder. The first military use of cannons was in the overthrow of Constantinople in 1453.

Pictured is a cannon used in the siege of the city of Constantinople in 1453, taken from the cover of the book, Marvels of Prophecy, by Howard B. Rand. Of course, the cannon has been disabled by plugging the opening, but it was meant to portray an open-mouthed lion. This is what John envisioned in Rev. 9:17.

Revelation 9:17-19 NET Now this is what the horses and their riders looked like in my vision: The riders had breastplates that were fiery red, dark blue, and sulfurous yellow in color. The heads of the horses looked like lions' heads, and fire, smoke, and sulfur came out of their mouths. (18) A third of humanity was killed by these three plagues, that is, by the fire, the smoke, and the sulfur that came out of their mouths. (19) For the power of the horses resides in their mouths and in their tails, because their tails are like snakes, having heads that inflict injuries.

After the rise of Islam described in symbolic language in Rev. 9, John then saw “another strong angel” appear in Rev. 10:1, 2, holding “a little book which was open.” The printing press made it possible to reduce the size of books. Because they printed the Bible first in 1452, the Word of God began to be opened up to the common people.

The technological development of the printing press, beginning in the 1440’s, then began to make books small and inexpensive so that the common people could learn to read. The first actual book to be printed was the Bible, printed by Gutenberg in 1452. The beginnings of the Reformation provided motivation for the common people to become literate in order to study the Scriptures.

The printing press was invented in China centuries earlier, and this technology was brought to the Mideast by the Mongols, who invaded in the 13^th century. They also brought gunpowder, which, in 1453, was used by the Muslims to conquer Constantinople, the last stronghold of the Eastern Roman Empire.