Friday, July 15, 2016

Studying prophecy, over and over. God please open our hearts, our minds to understand!

Now let's jump back to a study we did a few days ago. After reading what we did the last two days it may seem more pertinent. By the grace of God may we UNDERSTAND, so we may read and keep what we read!

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Let's take a closer look at the beasts.
Rev 13:1  And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast (((FIRST BEAST HERE)))) rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
Rev 13:2  And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.
Rev 13:3  And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.
(((Remember this beast is the Papacy our study REVEALED this beyond doubt.))))

Rev 13:11  And I beheld another beast (((SECOND BEAST HERE))))coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he SPAKE AS A DRAGON.
Rev 13:12  And he EXERCISETH ALL THE POWER OF THE FIRST BEAST before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
(((From yesterday's study- this beast is one coming up in the United States))))

The commonality between the first beast and the dragon is further heightened in the imagery.
 Both have seven heads and ten horns (12:3; 13:1)
Rev 12:3  And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.
Rev 13:1  And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast (((FIRST BEAST HERE)))) rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.

 However, there is a movement of one item in the symbols; the crowns are placed on the "horns" of the first beast, rather than remaining on the "heads."
It must also be kept in mind that the book of Revelation presents a third beast with seven heads and ten horns. (17:3) No crowns are seen on this symbolism either on the "heads" or the "horns."
Rev 17:3  So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
What is this telling us? If a "crown" is symbolic of reigning, then the "dragon" is portrayed as functioning through its seven heads from the time of the first gospel promise to the time of, and including the war with the "remnant of her seed."

(((We really have to note this- The DRAGON functions through its SEVEN heads from the first gospel until the very end.))))
The first beast of Revelation 13, would then be operating at the time of the reigning of "the ten horns."
(((The first beast has the crowns on its horns NOT its head.  This beast the FIRST beast in Rev. 13 will function during the reigning of the 10 horns.))))
To further identify this beast, the description is closely associated with the vision given to Daniel (Chap. 7). The lion, the bear, and the leopard are followed by a nondescript beast.
 In Revelation 13, the nondescript beast is a COMPOSITE, "like unto a LEOPARD, and his feet were as the feet of a BEAR, and his mouth as the mouth of a LION" (v. 2). This is the exact order as found in Daniel 7, only REVERSED. In the vision to Daniel, he saw that the dominion of the three beasts was "taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time." (7:12).
The symbolic representation in Revelation 13, tells us that the lives of the three beasts of Daniel 7 lived on in the first beast.
(((It's true that even today we STILL have the history of the great kingdoms that have affected each other one after the other and so on. Today people know about Babylon- they know about Medo-Persia, they know about Greece- THESE are facts, THESE are real parts of our history and lives, no one can deny this- no one.))))

We must next turn our attention to the seven heads. What do they represent?
The span of Revelation 12 covers the time from the first gospel promise made in Eden till the war against the "remnant of her seed."
 Genesis gives the beginning of the first nation or peoples through whom this promised "seed" would be realized. (Gen. 12:3; 21:12)
Gen 12:3  And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
Gen 21:12  And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.
They were to go into bondage. (Gen. 15:13-15)
Gen 15:13  And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;
Gen 15:14  And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.
Gen 15:15  And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age.

This defiant power - EGYPT - was the first power to seek to "devour" the people of God. Pharaoh was the "son of Ra," one of the sun gods of Egypt. The symbolisms of Egypt used to represent their sun gods, as noted in the previous study of Revelation 12, was the "serpent of fire" around a sun disc.
From the first attempt to destroy the people of God through whom the Promised Seed would come, there were five powers to John's day -
Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Grecia
The power of John's day was Rome, another was yet to come. (Rev. 17:10)
Rev 17:10  And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.
At this point, we need to determine how we are to understand prophecy.
Do we place the count, "five are fallen, one is, and the other is not yet come," as beginning in our day, or do we understand it to be in the time frame of John to whom the statement was made?
There is another problem however, the seventh head was "to continue a short space."
If the sixth head is pagan Rome, and the seventh, papal Rome, we have the seventh head continuing for a longer period than any of the previous six heads which the wording of the definitive statement will not permit.
The book of Daniel in the visions as recorded in Chapters 7 & 8, present both pagan and papal Rome as one continuous power.
The "little horn" of Daniel 7, ever remains in and is nourished by the nondescript beast (7:8).
Further this beast is pictured as continuing "till ... slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame." (7:11)
Dan 7:11  I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame.
The problem then is to interrelate all of this data to the first beast of Revelation 13, for it is this beast along with the second which are consigned to "the burning flame" (Rev. 19:20).
Rev 19:20  And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
There is another textual relating between symbols which must be considered.
The first beast of Revelation 13 is "to act, or work" (Gr.- poiesai) his will "forty and two months." (13:5) The only other place where this same time period of prophecy is indicated is Chapter 11:2. There the "holy city" is to be "tread under foot forty and two months."
Rev 13:5  And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.
The next verse (11:3) speaks of the "two witnesses" prophesying in sackcloth 1260 days.
Rev 11:3  And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth
As noted in exegeting Chapter 12, this time period is identical in terminology with the time period that the woman was to be in the wilderness.
 It can be shown that all of these time periods -
 Daniel 7:25
Revelation 11:2, 3; 12:6, 14; and 13:5 - are equal and apply to the same period.

 Why then this differentiation? Is it for interpretive purposes so that we can put together the various symbolisms? Is it saying that the first beast of Revelation 13 is the power involved with the work described in Rev. 11:2; and the woman of Revelation 12 has a connection with "the two witnesses"?
If this be so, then there is some "knitting" back and forth between the last section of Revelation and Chapter 11, which must be considered.
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Picking up where we left off yesterday we were talking about the relationship between  the first beast of Rev. 13 and the two witnesses in Rev. 11.

 Why then this differentiation?  Is it for interpretive purposes so that we can put together the various symbolisms? Is it saying that the first beast of Revelation 13 is the power involved with the work described in Rev. 11:2; and the woman of Revelation 12 has a connection with "the two witnesses"? If this be so, then there is some "knitting" back and forth between the last section of Revelation and Chapter 11, which must be considered. Before pursuing further the "beasts" of Revelation 13, let us ask ourselves, what is Rev. 11:2 saying? The verse is couched in symbolism.

Rev 11:2  But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.

The "court" of the temple was the place of the Altar of Burnt Offering. Here the sacrifices which were symbolic of the one great Sacrifice for sin, were offered. That Sacrifice was offered on earth.  The ministry of the sanctuary typified a Heavenly ministration.  How do we understand then, the symbolism of "the holy city"?  It cannot be the Holy City which comes down at the close of the Millennium, for the "holy city" noted in Rev. 11:2 is already on earth.  However, in the chapters which follow, the Harlot is described not only as a woman, but also a city. (Rev. 17:18)
Rev 17:18  And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.
Is the symbol of the "holy city" in Rev. 11:2 then to be equated with the "woman" of Rev. 12?
All of this places the time frame for the first beast of Revelation as the instrument through which the dragon sought to destroy the woman who fled into the wilderness.
The section of the prophecy of Revelation 13 which describes the first beast, can be divided in two parts:

1)    A symbolic description of the beast itself and a brief overview of its history (vs. 1-4); and
Rev 13:1  And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
Rev 13:2  And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.
Rev 13:3  And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.
Rev 13:4  And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?

2)    What it was to do in the time period allotted (vs. 5-7).
Rev 13:5  And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.
Rev 13:6  And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.
Rev 13:7  And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.

A question arises at this point, do we consider the verses as consecutive, thus placing the 42 months after the healing of the "deadly wound," or is one section a prophetic amplification of the other?
What is interesting is the parallel between the 42 months, if understood literally, and the 3 1/2 days of Rev. 11:9, if considered prophetically. Both would equal exactly 3 1/2 years.
However, the connection between the "first beast" and Revelation 11 is with "the holy city," while "the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit" is connected with the 3 1/2 days (11:7-9; See also 17:8).

Rev 11:7  And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.
Rev 11:8  And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.
Rev 11:9  And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.

Rev 17:8  The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.

Again we are left with SO much to consider. The first beast matches up with the fourth beast in Daniel 7.
Rome was a composite of all the beasts that had come before it. Rome the power that would exist in a fallen state- divided- until Christ comes again.  The first beast in Rev. 13 Rome (Pagan/Papal) and Rev. 11 - connected with the holy city.

Rev 11:1  And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.
Rev 11:2  But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.
Rev 11:3  And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.
Rev 11:4  These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.

Forty-two months- the first beast would reign, forty-two months- the witnesses would be tread underfoot.
The Papacy - the first beast was wounded as the two witnesses were finished being trod underfoot- as God's written word began to flourish, as His prophecies were being revealed as the little book was opened.  These aren't haphazard occurrences - this is all foretold by our God. Our Savior is coming again and this WE have to look forward to. The beast will be destroyed and Christ will reign.

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Yes, this study is bringing up questions and not just lecturing and giving answers. WE NEED TO STUDY FOR OURSELVES as well as read what Biblical scholars have studied for us. The Bible talks of 'some being teachers'  1Co_12:28  And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.   Why would it tell us this if there weren't to be people to teach us? Why? The fact is there ARE teachers and we are to pray and study, learning from the teachers what God would have us know. God will give us discernment, true discernment all by the grace of Jesus and we must pray for this discernment as we study over and over again.

This AFFECTS us all. We know that right before Christ returns there are things that must take place and that is why this ALL is so incredibly important, why we do not dare give up on this because we find it confusing. We will continue on with our study and do so with various prophecy teachers, praying God give us what we need to know in order to be wholly HIS.

All through the love and mercy, the grace of our Savior, Jesus Christ our Lord now and forever!!!!!!! Amen.

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