Continuing on with Revelation 13 - Taken from Daniel and Revelation by Uriah Smith
--
{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
Received a Deadly Wound.--The head that was wounded to death was the papal head. We are held to this conclusion by the obvious principle that whatever is spoken in prophecy of the symbol of any government, applies to that government only while it is represented by that symbol. Now Rome is represented by two symbols, the dragon and the leopard beast, because it has presented two phases, the pagan and the papal; and whatever is said of the leopard beast applies to Rome only in its professedly Christian form. John says that it was one of the heads of this leopard beast that was wounded to death. In other words, this wound fell upon the form of government that existed in the Roman Empire after its change from paganism to Christianity. Thus it is evident that is was the papal head that was wounded to death, and whose deadly wound was healed. This wounding is the same as the going into captivity. (Revelation 13: 10.) It was inflicted when the pope was taken prisoner by Berthier, the French general, and the papal government was for a time abolished, in 1798. Stripped of his power, both civil and ecclesiastical, the captive pope, Pius VI, died in exile at Valence in France, August 29, 1799. But the deadly wound began to be healed when the papacy was re-established, though with less of its former power, by the election of a new pope, March 14, 1800. [1]
Verse 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. 6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, and His tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. 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. 8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. 9 If any man have an ear, let him hear. 10 He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.
Speak Blasphemies.--This beast opens his mouth "in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, and His tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven." Mention has already been made in comments on the book of Daniel as to the significance of the expression, "He shall speak great words against the Most High." Daniel 7: 25. In verse 5 in this chapter of Revelation similar words are used, for he had "a mouth speaking great things." Here, however, the word "blasphemy" is added, and this evidently points to the fact that the great words will be blasphemous enunciations against the God of heaven.
In the Gospels we find two indications of what constitutes blasphemy. In John 10: 33 we read that the Jews falsely charged Jesus with blasphemy because, said they, "Thou, being a man, makest Thyself God." This is in the case of the Saviour was untrue, because He was the Son of God. He was "Immanuel, God With Us." But for man to assume the prerogatives of God and to take the titles of deity--this is blasphemy.
Again, in Luke 5: 21 we see the Pharisees endeavoring to catch Jesus in His words. "Who is this which speaketh blasphemies?" said they. "Who can forgive sins, but God alone?" Jesus could pardon transgressions, for He was the divine Saviour. But for man, mortal man, to claim such authority is blasphemy indeed.
We might ask if the power represented by this symbol has fulfilled this part of the prophecy. In comments on Daniel 7: 25 we saw clearly from the evidence submitted that he had spoken "great words" against the God of heaven. Now observe what is said regarding the claim of the priesthood to forgive sins:
"The priest holds the place of the Saviour Himself, when, by saying, 'Ego te absolvo' [I thee absolve], he absolves from sin. . . . To pardon a single sin requires all the omnipotence of God. . . . But what only God can do by His omnipotence, the priest can also do by saying 'Ego te absolvo a peccatis tuis.'. . . Innocent III has written: 'Indeed, it is not too much to say that in view of the sublimity of their offices the priests are so many gods.' " [2]
Note still further the blasphemous utterances of this power:
"But our wonder should be far greater when we find that in obedience to the words of His priests--HOC EST CORPUS MEUM [This is My body]--God Himself descends on the altar, that He comes wherever they call Him, and as often as they call Him, and places Himself in their hands, even though they should be His enemies. And after having come, He remains, entirely at their disposal; they move Him as they please, from one place to another; they may, if they wish, shut Him up in the tabernacle, or expose Him on the altar, or carry Him outside the church; they may, if they choose, eat His flesh, and give Him for the food of others. 'Oh, how very great is their power,' says St. Laurence Justinian, speaking of priests. 'A word falls from their lips and the body of Christ is there substantially formed from the matter of bread, and the Incarnate Word descended from heaven, is found really present on the table of the altar!' " [3]
"Thus the priest may, in a certain manner, be called the creator of his Creator. . . . 'The power of the priest,' says St. Bernardine of Sienna, 'is the power of the divine person; for the transubstantiation of the bread requires as much power as the creation of the world.' " [4]
Thus this beast power blasphemes the temple in heaven by turning attention of his subjects to his own throne and palace instead of to the tabernacle of God; by diverting their attention from the sacrifice of the Son of God to the sacrifice of the mass.
He blasphemes them that dwell in heaven by assuming to exercise the power of forgiving sins, and so turns away the minds of men from the mediatorial work of Christ and His heavenly assistants in the sanctuary above.
By verse 10 we are again referred to the events of 1798, when that power that had for 1260 years led the saints of God into captivity, was itself let into captivity.
*******
History. Facts. Proof. Undenialable.
Some like to believe that Revelations is all future. That none of it has happened. It's so foolish to believe that with so much history behind us. Yes, it's fantastical and our imagination can go wild with the symbolism and it has just look at our books, our movies, our tv shows. There are documentaries on the end of the world and the idea of all the things in Revelation being futuristic is prevalent. Some expect things to all happen at once but think about it... from the moment John was given the visions it was to be the future from there on. So why would the book of Revelation skip 2000 years just to pick up at the very, very last days?
Daniel gave a key to things when his visions were given and then he was told the interpretation of them being the future in several generations, not just at the end of days. He told Nebuchadnezzar that he was the head of gold on a statue, and that the chest and arms of silver were to be the next kingdom to follow and then the brass belly and thighs yet another. Long periods of time stretching out to the very end. Revelation is no different. We aren't to be left floundering in the dark there is understanding to be had and history is the key to it all. Through the guidance of the Holy Spirit we are given understanding unto all truth through Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior.
By His grace! By His Mercy!
Amen.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Saturday, September 26, 2009
By way of.... the Spirit
C.S. Lewis - Mere Christianity
I know the words "leave it to God" can be misunderstood, but they must stay for the moment.
The sense in which a Christian leaves it to God is that he puts all his trust in Christ: trusts that Christ will somehow share with
him the perfect human obedience which He carried out from His birth to His crucifixion: that Christ will make the man more like Himself and, in a sense, make good his deficiencies.
In Christian language, He will share His "sonship" with us, will make us, like Himself, "Sons of God": in Book IV I shall attempt to analyse the meaning of those words a little further.
If you like to put it that way, Christ offers something for nothing: He even offers everything for nothing.
In a sense, the whole Christian life consists in accepting that very remarkable offer.
But the difficulty is to reach the point of recognising that all we have done and can do is nothing.
What we should have liked would be for God to count our good points and ignore our bad ones.
Again, in a sense, you may say that no temptation is ever overcome until we stop trying to overcome it- throw up the sponge.
But then you could not "stop trying" in the right way and for the right reason until you had tried your very hardest.
And, in yet another sense, handing everything over to Christ does not, of course, mean that you stop trying.
To trust Him means, of course, trying to do all that He says.
There would be no sense in saying you trusted a person if you would not take his advice.
Thus if you have really handed yourself over to Him, it must follow that you are trying to obey Him.
But trying in a new way, a less worried way.
Not doing these things in order to be saved, but because He has begun to save you already.
Not hoping to get to Heaven as a reward for your actions, but inevitably wanting to act in a certain way because a first faint gleam of Heaven is already inside you.
*******
Colossian
{1:27} To whom God would make known what [is]
the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles;
which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: {1:28} Whom we
preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all
wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ
Jesus
2 Corinthians
{9:14} And by their prayer for you, which long after
you for the exceeding grace of God in you. {9:15} Thanks
[be] unto God for his unspeakable gift.
1 Corinthians
{3:16}
Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and [that] the
Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
John
{15:4} Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot
bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can
ye, except ye abide in me.
John
{14:20} At
that day ye shall know that I [am] in my Father, and ye in
me, and I in you.
Romans
{8:9}
But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the
Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the
Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. {8:10} And if Christ [be]
in you, the body [is] dead because of sin; but the Spirit [is]
life because of righteousness. {8:11} But if the Spirit of him
that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that
raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your
mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
{8:12} Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the
flesh, to live after the flesh. {8:13} For if ye live after the
flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the
deeds of the body, ye shall live. {8:14} For as many as are
led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. {8:15}
For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear;
but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry,
Abba, Father. {8:16} The Spirit itself beareth witness with
our spirit, that we are the children of God: {8:17} And if
children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with
Christ; if so be that we suffer with [him,] that we may be
also glorified together.
*******
We live
By way of... the Spirit.
*******
Ephesians
{1:3} Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in
heavenly [places] in Christ: {1:4} According as he hath
chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we
should be holy and without blame before him in love: {1:5}
Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by
Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of
his will, {1:6} To the praise of the glory of his grace,
wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. {1:7} In
whom we have redemption through his blood, the
forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
{1:8} Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom
and prudence; {1:9} Having made known unto us the
mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he
hath purposed in himself: {1:10} That in the dispensation of
the fulness of times he might gather together in one all
things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on
earth; [even] in him: {1:11} In whom also we have obtained
an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose
of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own
will: {1:12} That we should be to the praise of his glory,
who first trusted in Christ. {1:13} In whom ye also
[trusted,] after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of
your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were
sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, {1:14} Which is the
earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the
purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
Luke {12:31} But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all
these things shall be added unto you. {12:32} Fear not, little
flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the
kingdom.
By His mercy, by His grace, through the Holy Spirit now and forever we live.
Amen.
I know the words "leave it to God" can be misunderstood, but they must stay for the moment.
The sense in which a Christian leaves it to God is that he puts all his trust in Christ: trusts that Christ will somehow share with
him the perfect human obedience which He carried out from His birth to His crucifixion: that Christ will make the man more like Himself and, in a sense, make good his deficiencies.
In Christian language, He will share His "sonship" with us, will make us, like Himself, "Sons of God": in Book IV I shall attempt to analyse the meaning of those words a little further.
If you like to put it that way, Christ offers something for nothing: He even offers everything for nothing.
In a sense, the whole Christian life consists in accepting that very remarkable offer.
But the difficulty is to reach the point of recognising that all we have done and can do is nothing.
What we should have liked would be for God to count our good points and ignore our bad ones.
Again, in a sense, you may say that no temptation is ever overcome until we stop trying to overcome it- throw up the sponge.
But then you could not "stop trying" in the right way and for the right reason until you had tried your very hardest.
And, in yet another sense, handing everything over to Christ does not, of course, mean that you stop trying.
To trust Him means, of course, trying to do all that He says.
There would be no sense in saying you trusted a person if you would not take his advice.
Thus if you have really handed yourself over to Him, it must follow that you are trying to obey Him.
But trying in a new way, a less worried way.
Not doing these things in order to be saved, but because He has begun to save you already.
Not hoping to get to Heaven as a reward for your actions, but inevitably wanting to act in a certain way because a first faint gleam of Heaven is already inside you.
*******
Colossian
{1:27} To whom God would make known what [is]
the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles;
which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: {1:28} Whom we
preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all
wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ
Jesus
2 Corinthians
{9:14} And by their prayer for you, which long after
you for the exceeding grace of God in you. {9:15} Thanks
[be] unto God for his unspeakable gift.
1 Corinthians
{3:16}
Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and [that] the
Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
John
{15:4} Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot
bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can
ye, except ye abide in me.
John
{14:20} At
that day ye shall know that I [am] in my Father, and ye in
me, and I in you.
Romans
{8:9}
But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the
Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the
Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. {8:10} And if Christ [be]
in you, the body [is] dead because of sin; but the Spirit [is]
life because of righteousness. {8:11} But if the Spirit of him
that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that
raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your
mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
{8:12} Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the
flesh, to live after the flesh. {8:13} For if ye live after the
flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the
deeds of the body, ye shall live. {8:14} For as many as are
led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. {8:15}
For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear;
but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry,
Abba, Father. {8:16} The Spirit itself beareth witness with
our spirit, that we are the children of God: {8:17} And if
children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with
Christ; if so be that we suffer with [him,] that we may be
also glorified together.
*******
We live
By way of... the Spirit.
*******
Ephesians
{1:3} Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in
heavenly [places] in Christ: {1:4} According as he hath
chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we
should be holy and without blame before him in love: {1:5}
Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by
Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of
his will, {1:6} To the praise of the glory of his grace,
wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. {1:7} In
whom we have redemption through his blood, the
forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
{1:8} Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom
and prudence; {1:9} Having made known unto us the
mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he
hath purposed in himself: {1:10} That in the dispensation of
the fulness of times he might gather together in one all
things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on
earth; [even] in him: {1:11} In whom also we have obtained
an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose
of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own
will: {1:12} That we should be to the praise of his glory,
who first trusted in Christ. {1:13} In whom ye also
[trusted,] after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of
your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were
sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, {1:14} Which is the
earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the
purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
Luke {12:31} But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all
these things shall be added unto you. {12:32} Fear not, little
flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the
kingdom.
By His mercy, by His grace, through the Holy Spirit now and forever we live.
Amen.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Christ be Formed in You
Mere Christianity C.S. Lewis Excerpt
May I once again start by putting two pictures, or two stories rather,
into your minds? One is the story you have all read called Beauty and the
Beast. The girl, you remember, had to marry a monster for some reason. And
she did. She kissed it as if it were a man. And then, much to her relief, it
really turned into a man and all went well. The other story is about someone
who had to wear a mask; a mask which made him look much nicer than he really
was. He had to wear it for year. And when he took it off he found his own
face had grown to fit it. He was now really beautiful. What had begun as
disguise had become a reality. I think both these stories may (in a fanciful
way, of course) help to illustrate what I have to say in this chapter. Up
till now, I have been trying to describe facts-what God is and what He has
done. Now I want to talk about practice-what do we do next? What difference
does all this theology make? It can start making a difference tonight. If
you are interested enough to have read thus far you are probably interested
enough to make a shot at saying your prayers: and, whatever else you say,
you will probably say the Lord's Prayer.
Its very first words are Our Father. Do you now see what those words
mean? They mean quite frankly, that you are putting yourself in the place of
a son of God. To put it bluntly, you are dressing up as Christ. If you like,
you are pretending. Because, of course, the moment you realise what the
words mean, you realise that you are not a son of God. You are not being
like The Son of God, whose will and interests are at one with those of the
Father: you are a bundle of self-centred fears, hopes, greeds, jealousies,
and self-conceit, all doomed to death. So that, in a way, this dressing up
as Christ is a piece of outrageous cheek. But the odd thing is that He has
ordered us to do it.
Why? What is the good of pretending to be what you are not? Well, even
on the human level, you know, there are two kinds of pretending. There is a
bad kind, where the pretence is there instead of the real thing; as when a
man pretends he is going to help you instead of really helping you. But
there is also a good kind, where the pretence leads up to the real thing.
When you are not feeling particularly friendly but know you ought to be, the
best thing you can do, very often, is to put on a friendly manner and behave
as if you were a nicer person than you actually are. And in a few minutes,
as we have all noticed, you will be really feeling friendlier than you were.
Very often the only way to get a quality in reality is to start behaving as
if you had it already. That is why children's games are so important. They
are always pretending to be grown-ups-playing soldiers, playing shop. But
all the time, they are hardening their muscles and sharpening their wits, so
that the pretence of being grown-up helps them to grow up in earnest.
Now, the moment you realise "Here I am, dressing up as Christ," it is
extremely likely that you will see at once some way in which at that very
moment the pretence could be made less of a pretence and more of a reality.
You will find several things going on in your mind which would not be going
on there if you were really a son of God. Well, stop them. Or you may
realise that, instead of saying your prayers, you ought to be downstairs
writing a letter, or helping your wife to wash-up. Well, go and do it.
You see what is happening. The Christ Himself, the Son of God who is
man (just like you) and God (just like His Father) is actually at your side
and is already at that moment beginning to turn your pretence into a
reality. This is not merely a fancy way of saying that your conscience is
telling you what to do. If you simply ask your conscience, you get one
result: if you remember that you are dressing up as Christ, you get a
different one. There are lots of things which your conscience might not call
definitely wrong (specially things in your mind) but which you will see at
once you cannot go on doing if you are seriously trying to be like Christ.
For you are no longer thinking simply about right and wrong; you are trying
to catch the good infection from a Person. It is more like painting a
portrait than like obeying a set of rules. And the odd thing is that while
in one way it is much harder than keeping rules, in another way it is far
easier.
The real Son of God is at your side. He is beginning to turn you into
the same kind of thing as Himself. He is beginning, so to speak, to "inject"
His kind of life and thought, His Zoe, into you; beginning to turn the tin
soldier into a live man. The part of you that does not like it is the part
that is still tin.
*******
Ephesians-
{2:11} Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands
{2:12} That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world
{2:13} But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
{2:14} For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us
{2:15} Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace
{2:16} And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby
{2:17} And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.
{2:18} For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
{2:19} Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God
{2:20} And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone
{2:21} In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord
{2:22} In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
C.S. Lewis was describing something amazing. Do you remember the child games you used to play? A girl playing mommy-tending to her babe. A boy pretending to be a cowboy, a fireman, a policeman. And more nowadays girls pretending to be doctors, lawyers and such. We do pretend to be grown up as children and in school they'll often use pretend in games to stretch the imagination and to think of the future. The question of 'what do you want to be when you grow up' starts when you are very young. Growing up is the goal. Growing up to be something viable to society is the goal. Growing up to promote well being and bringing future children into the world is the goal. We tend as adults to lose sight of growing up because we consider ourselves grown. What adult doesn't like to say to others, especially those who are putting their adulthood in dispute- that they are grown up. 'I'm an adult, don't talk to me that way. I'm an adult, I can go out and do what I want.' You know what I'm talking about. Newly grown up children, young adults, don't like being treated like they are still children. They're proud of their grown up status. Yes, how many newly grown up are merely pretending to be grown up while the actually grow further into adulthood?
Pretending. C.S. Lewis give a good argument for us pretending to be Christ-like so that we may become Christ-like through Christ.
Ephesians talks about us being without Christ- having no hope. But in Christ Jesus we have hope by his blood. Christ took away the ordinances that threatened to separate us from Christ. That wall of separation that was twisted and warped into something ungodlike and no longer needed because Christ was there for all men.
We have access through the Spirit to the Father.
We are no longer strangers, foreigners- we are fellowcitizens with the saints the household of God.
The Holy Spirit will build us into a habitation of God. This isn't something we do ourselves, we are not the builders. We have to make ourselves available to be molded and shaped into a habitation of God- Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone.
We are also told this--
Ephesians
{4:20} But ye have not so learned Christ
{4:21} If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus
{4:22} That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts
{4:23} And be renewed in the spirit of your mind
{4:24} And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
Be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that ye put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
Put on the new man!
And we are told this--
Matthew
{18:1} At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?
{18:2} And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them
{18:3} And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
{18:4} Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
{18:5} And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.
{18:6} But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and [that] he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
Be converted and become as little children- humble himself as this little child.
And this--
John
{3:3} Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. {3:4} Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? {3:5} Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and [of] the Spirit, he cannot enter into the
kingdom of God.
{3:6} That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
{3:7}Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again
Don't you see? There is a change to be had when we accept Christ. When we claim Christ. When we seek Christ and accept His sacrifice in our behalf there is a change. The change won't save us, but the change is inevitable if we are Christ's. If we accept Christ then we accept the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit will guide us and change us and we need to listen to that guiding Spirit.
As C.S.Lewis said - if we are pretending like children that is an innocent pretending, it's not a pretense that is harmful and full of deception. If we are hoping with a childlike hope to become Christ like- sons of God, adopted by Him, this is a good thing. If we go to a party feeling miserable and put on the pretense of happiness the chances are that we might end up really happy are good. Knowing what we should do, how we should behave and then doing so whether we feel like it or not is a good thing. We have to trust that God will supply all that is needed in us whether it's just the ability to give up and let Christ take over, that too will be supplied by God. We just have to recognize that God's will must be done in us, not that we have to enjoy all that is happening in our lives. Believing when everything shouts at us that we should no longer believe, that is faith in God. By His grace and mercy may we let the Holy Spirit work within us. May we offer up ourselves to God to work His will in.
Galatians {4:19} My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you
Paul said that and it is a travail, it is a new birth and Christ will be formed in us.
By His love, mercy, grace now and forever and ever!
Amen.
May I once again start by putting two pictures, or two stories rather,
into your minds? One is the story you have all read called Beauty and the
Beast. The girl, you remember, had to marry a monster for some reason. And
she did. She kissed it as if it were a man. And then, much to her relief, it
really turned into a man and all went well. The other story is about someone
who had to wear a mask; a mask which made him look much nicer than he really
was. He had to wear it for year. And when he took it off he found his own
face had grown to fit it. He was now really beautiful. What had begun as
disguise had become a reality. I think both these stories may (in a fanciful
way, of course) help to illustrate what I have to say in this chapter. Up
till now, I have been trying to describe facts-what God is and what He has
done. Now I want to talk about practice-what do we do next? What difference
does all this theology make? It can start making a difference tonight. If
you are interested enough to have read thus far you are probably interested
enough to make a shot at saying your prayers: and, whatever else you say,
you will probably say the Lord's Prayer.
Its very first words are Our Father. Do you now see what those words
mean? They mean quite frankly, that you are putting yourself in the place of
a son of God. To put it bluntly, you are dressing up as Christ. If you like,
you are pretending. Because, of course, the moment you realise what the
words mean, you realise that you are not a son of God. You are not being
like The Son of God, whose will and interests are at one with those of the
Father: you are a bundle of self-centred fears, hopes, greeds, jealousies,
and self-conceit, all doomed to death. So that, in a way, this dressing up
as Christ is a piece of outrageous cheek. But the odd thing is that He has
ordered us to do it.
Why? What is the good of pretending to be what you are not? Well, even
on the human level, you know, there are two kinds of pretending. There is a
bad kind, where the pretence is there instead of the real thing; as when a
man pretends he is going to help you instead of really helping you. But
there is also a good kind, where the pretence leads up to the real thing.
When you are not feeling particularly friendly but know you ought to be, the
best thing you can do, very often, is to put on a friendly manner and behave
as if you were a nicer person than you actually are. And in a few minutes,
as we have all noticed, you will be really feeling friendlier than you were.
Very often the only way to get a quality in reality is to start behaving as
if you had it already. That is why children's games are so important. They
are always pretending to be grown-ups-playing soldiers, playing shop. But
all the time, they are hardening their muscles and sharpening their wits, so
that the pretence of being grown-up helps them to grow up in earnest.
Now, the moment you realise "Here I am, dressing up as Christ," it is
extremely likely that you will see at once some way in which at that very
moment the pretence could be made less of a pretence and more of a reality.
You will find several things going on in your mind which would not be going
on there if you were really a son of God. Well, stop them. Or you may
realise that, instead of saying your prayers, you ought to be downstairs
writing a letter, or helping your wife to wash-up. Well, go and do it.
You see what is happening. The Christ Himself, the Son of God who is
man (just like you) and God (just like His Father) is actually at your side
and is already at that moment beginning to turn your pretence into a
reality. This is not merely a fancy way of saying that your conscience is
telling you what to do. If you simply ask your conscience, you get one
result: if you remember that you are dressing up as Christ, you get a
different one. There are lots of things which your conscience might not call
definitely wrong (specially things in your mind) but which you will see at
once you cannot go on doing if you are seriously trying to be like Christ.
For you are no longer thinking simply about right and wrong; you are trying
to catch the good infection from a Person. It is more like painting a
portrait than like obeying a set of rules. And the odd thing is that while
in one way it is much harder than keeping rules, in another way it is far
easier.
The real Son of God is at your side. He is beginning to turn you into
the same kind of thing as Himself. He is beginning, so to speak, to "inject"
His kind of life and thought, His Zoe, into you; beginning to turn the tin
soldier into a live man. The part of you that does not like it is the part
that is still tin.
*******
Ephesians-
{2:11} Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands
{2:12} That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world
{2:13} But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
{2:14} For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us
{2:15} Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace
{2:16} And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby
{2:17} And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.
{2:18} For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
{2:19} Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God
{2:20} And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone
{2:21} In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord
{2:22} In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
C.S. Lewis was describing something amazing. Do you remember the child games you used to play? A girl playing mommy-tending to her babe. A boy pretending to be a cowboy, a fireman, a policeman. And more nowadays girls pretending to be doctors, lawyers and such. We do pretend to be grown up as children and in school they'll often use pretend in games to stretch the imagination and to think of the future. The question of 'what do you want to be when you grow up' starts when you are very young. Growing up is the goal. Growing up to be something viable to society is the goal. Growing up to promote well being and bringing future children into the world is the goal. We tend as adults to lose sight of growing up because we consider ourselves grown. What adult doesn't like to say to others, especially those who are putting their adulthood in dispute- that they are grown up. 'I'm an adult, don't talk to me that way. I'm an adult, I can go out and do what I want.' You know what I'm talking about. Newly grown up children, young adults, don't like being treated like they are still children. They're proud of their grown up status. Yes, how many newly grown up are merely pretending to be grown up while the actually grow further into adulthood?
Pretending. C.S. Lewis give a good argument for us pretending to be Christ-like so that we may become Christ-like through Christ.
Ephesians talks about us being without Christ- having no hope. But in Christ Jesus we have hope by his blood. Christ took away the ordinances that threatened to separate us from Christ. That wall of separation that was twisted and warped into something ungodlike and no longer needed because Christ was there for all men.
We have access through the Spirit to the Father.
We are no longer strangers, foreigners- we are fellowcitizens with the saints the household of God.
The Holy Spirit will build us into a habitation of God. This isn't something we do ourselves, we are not the builders. We have to make ourselves available to be molded and shaped into a habitation of God- Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone.
We are also told this--
Ephesians
{4:20} But ye have not so learned Christ
{4:21} If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus
{4:22} That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts
{4:23} And be renewed in the spirit of your mind
{4:24} And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
Be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that ye put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
Put on the new man!
And we are told this--
Matthew
{18:1} At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?
{18:2} And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them
{18:3} And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
{18:4} Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
{18:5} And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.
{18:6} But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and [that] he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
Be converted and become as little children- humble himself as this little child.
And this--
John
{3:3} Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. {3:4} Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? {3:5} Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and [of] the Spirit, he cannot enter into the
kingdom of God.
{3:6} That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
{3:7}Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again
Don't you see? There is a change to be had when we accept Christ. When we claim Christ. When we seek Christ and accept His sacrifice in our behalf there is a change. The change won't save us, but the change is inevitable if we are Christ's. If we accept Christ then we accept the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit will guide us and change us and we need to listen to that guiding Spirit.
As C.S.Lewis said - if we are pretending like children that is an innocent pretending, it's not a pretense that is harmful and full of deception. If we are hoping with a childlike hope to become Christ like- sons of God, adopted by Him, this is a good thing. If we go to a party feeling miserable and put on the pretense of happiness the chances are that we might end up really happy are good. Knowing what we should do, how we should behave and then doing so whether we feel like it or not is a good thing. We have to trust that God will supply all that is needed in us whether it's just the ability to give up and let Christ take over, that too will be supplied by God. We just have to recognize that God's will must be done in us, not that we have to enjoy all that is happening in our lives. Believing when everything shouts at us that we should no longer believe, that is faith in God. By His grace and mercy may we let the Holy Spirit work within us. May we offer up ourselves to God to work His will in.
Galatians {4:19} My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you
Paul said that and it is a travail, it is a new birth and Christ will be formed in us.
By His love, mercy, grace now and forever and ever!
Amen.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Rev. 13 The Beast Power
Revelation
We're talking of a power, a beast. A beast stood before a woman in chapter 12 and the power at the time of Jesus' birth was the Roman power. History shows that Rome was a huge, huge power. That Rome had two states of being- a Pagan Rome and a Papal Rome is history as well.
We're going to go back and read from Daniel and Revelation by Uriah Smith again so we can get a perspective from a late 1800's Biblical Scholar.
*******
Revelation Chapter XIII
The Agelong Struggle for Religious Freedom
Verse 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. 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. 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.
The sea is a symbol of "peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues." Revelation 17: 15. A beast is the Bible symbol of a nation or power. It sometimes represents the civil power alone, and sometimes the ecclesiastical in connection with civil. Whenever a beast is seen to come up out of the sea, it denotes that the power arises in a thickly populated territory. If the winds are represented as blowing upon the sea, as in Daniel 7: 2, 3, political commotion, civil strife, and revolution are indicated.
By the dragon of the previous chapter, and the beast first introduced in this, we have the Roman power as a whole brought to view in its two phases, pagan and papal; hence these two symbols have each the seven heads and ten horns.
The Leopard Beast.--The seven-headed and ten-horned beast, more briefly the leopard beast, here introduced, symbolizes a power which exercises ecclesiastical as well as civil authority. This point is of sufficient importance to justify the introduction of a few conclusive arguments which prove it.
The line of prophecy in which this symbol occurs begins with Revelation 12. The symbols of earthly governments embraced in the prophecy are the dragon of Revelation 12 and the leopard beast and the two-horned beast of Revelation 13. The same line of prophecy evidently continues into chapter 14. Beginning, therefore, with Revelation 12: 1, and ending with Revelation 14: 5, we have a line of prophecy distinct and complete in itself.
Each of the powers here introduced is represented as fiercely persecuting the church of God. The scene opens with the church under the symbol of a woman anxiously longing for the promise to be fulfilled that the seed of the woman, the Lord of glory, should appear among men. The dragon stood before the woman for the purpose of devouring her child. His evil design is thwarted, and the child is caught up to God and His throne. A period follows in which the church suffers severe oppression from this dragon power. In this part of the scene the prophet occasionally glances forward, once even down almost to the end, because all the enemies of the church were to be actuated by the spirit of the dragon. In verse 1 of Revelation 13 we are carried back to the time when the leopard beast, the successor of the dragon, begins his career. From this power the church suffers war and persecution for the long period of 1260 years. Following this period of oppression, the church has another conflict, brief but sharp and severe, with the two-horned beast. Then comes deliverance. The prophecy closes with the church brought safely through all her persecutions, and standing victorious with the Lamb on Mount Zion. Thank God for the sure promise of final victory!
The one character which ever appears the same in all these scenes, and whose history is the leading theme through all the prophecy, is the true Church of God. The other characters are her persecutors, and are introduced simply because they are such. Here, as an introductory inquiry, we raise the question, Who or what is it that persecutes the true church? It is a false or apostate church. What is it that is ever warring against true religion? It is a false and counterfeit religion. Who ever heard of the mere civil power of any nation persecuting the people of God on its own initiative? Governments may war against other governments to avenge some wrong, real or imaginary or to acquire territory and extend their power. But governments do not persecute (mark the word--do not persecute) people on account of their religion, unless under the control of some opposite and hostile system of religion.
Leopard Beast a Persecuting Power.--The powers introduced in this prophecy--the dragon, the leopard beast, and the two-horned beast of verses 11-17--are all persecuting powers. They are actuated by rage and enmity against the people and church of God. This fact is of itself sufficiently conclusive evidence that in each of these powers the ecclesiastical or religious element is the controlling power.
Take the dragon: what does it symbolize?--The undeniable answer is, Primarily Satan, as shown heretofore, and secondarily the Roman Empire. But this is not enough. No one would be satisfied with this answer and no more. It must be more definite. We therefore add, The Roman Empire in its pagan form, to which all must agree. But just as soon as we say pagan, we introduce a religious element, for paganism is one of the most gigantic systems of counterfeit religion that Satan has ever devised. The dragon, then, is so far an ecclesiastical power that the very characteristic by which it is distinguished is a false system of religion. What made the dragon persecute the church of Christ? It was because Christianity was prevailing against paganism, sweeping away its superstitions, overturning its idols, and dismantling its temples. The religious element of that power was touched, and persecution was the result.
We now come to the leopard beast of Revelation 13. What does that symbolize? The answer still is, The Roman Empire. But the dragon symbolized the Roman Empire, and why does not the same symbol represent it still? Ah! there has been a change in the religious character of the empire. This beast symbolized Rome in its professedly Christian form. It is this change of religion, and this alone, which makes a change in the symbol necessary. This beast differs from the dragon only that it presents a different religious aspect. Hence it would be wrong to affirm that it denotes simply the Roman civil power.
A Symbol of the Papacy.--To this beast the dragon gives his power, his seat, and great authority. By what power was pagan Rome succeeded? We all know that is was by papal Rome. It matters not to our present purpose when or by what means this change was effected. The great fact is apparent, and is acknowledged by all, that the next great phase of the Roman Empire after its pagan form was its papal. It would not be correct, therefore, to say that pagan Rome gave its power and seat to a form of government merely civil, having no religious element whatever. No stretch of the imagination can conceive of such a transaction. But two phases of empire are here recognized, and in the prophecy Rome is pagan until Rome is papal. The statement that the dragon gave to the leopard beast his power and seat, is further evidence that the dragon of Revelation 12: 3 is used as symbol of pagan Rome. But back of both powers, and leading them on in their wicked work, is Satan himself.
But it may be said that it takes both the leopard beast and the two-horned beast to constitute the papacy, and hence it is to these that the dragon gives his power, seat, and great authority. But the prophecy does not say so. It is the leopard beast alone with which the dragon has to do. It is to that beast alone that he gives his power, seat, and great authority. It is that beast which has a head that is wounded to death, which is afterward healed; that beast after which the whole world wonders; that beast which has a mouth speaking blasphemies, and which wears out the saints for 1260 years. It does all this before the succeeding power, the two-horned beast, appears. The leopard beast alone, therefore, symbolizes the Roman Empire in its papal form, the controlling influence being ecclesiastical.
Identical With the Little Horn.--To show this more fully, we have but to draw a parallel between the little horn of Daniel 7: 8, 20, 24, 25, and this power. From this comparison it will appear that the little horn and the leopard beast symbolize the same power. The little horn is generally acknowledged to be a symbol of the papacy. There are six points by which to establish their identity:
1. The little horn was a blasphemous power. "He shall speak great words against the Most High." Daniel 7: 25. The leopard beast of Revelation 13: 6 does the same. "He opened his mouth in blasphemy against God."
2. The little horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them. (Daniel 7: 21.) This beast also (Revelation 13: 7) makes war with the saints, and overcomes them.
3. The little horn had a mouth speaking great things. (Daniel 7: 8, 20.) Of this beast we read: "There was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies." Revelation 13: 5.
4. The little horn arose on the cessation of the pagan form of the Roman Empire. The beast of Revelation 13: 2 arises at the same time; for the dragon, pagan Rome, gives him his power, his seat, and great authority.
5. Power was given to the little horn to continue for a time, times, and the dividing of time, or 1260 years. (Daniel 7: 25) To this beast also power was given for forty-two months or 1260 years. (Revelation 13: 5.)
6. At the end of that specified period of 1260 years the "saints," "times," and "laws" were to be taken out of the "hand" of the little horn. (Daniel 7: 25.) At the end of the same period, the leopard beast was himself to be led "into captivity." Revelation 13: 10. Both these specifications were fulfilled in the captivity and exile of the pope, and the temporary overthrow of the papacy by France in 1798.
These six points prove satisfactorily the identity of the little horn and the leopard beast. When we have in prophecy two symbols, as in this instance, representing powers that come upon the stage of action at the same time, occupy the same territory, maintain the same character, do the same work, exist the same length of time, and meet the same fate, those symbols represent the same identical power.
*******
We can't help but see the truth in all this because history is just that -- history. The facts are the facts they can't be disputed. The pieces fit together just as God knew they would.
Jesus will return and we need to be ready for Him. By His grace and mercy may we understand all we need to understand in Him.
Please Lord.
Amen.
We're talking of a power, a beast. A beast stood before a woman in chapter 12 and the power at the time of Jesus' birth was the Roman power. History shows that Rome was a huge, huge power. That Rome had two states of being- a Pagan Rome and a Papal Rome is history as well.
We're going to go back and read from Daniel and Revelation by Uriah Smith again so we can get a perspective from a late 1800's Biblical Scholar.
*******
Revelation Chapter XIII
The Agelong Struggle for Religious Freedom
Verse 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. 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. 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.
The sea is a symbol of "peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues." Revelation 17: 15. A beast is the Bible symbol of a nation or power. It sometimes represents the civil power alone, and sometimes the ecclesiastical in connection with civil. Whenever a beast is seen to come up out of the sea, it denotes that the power arises in a thickly populated territory. If the winds are represented as blowing upon the sea, as in Daniel 7: 2, 3, political commotion, civil strife, and revolution are indicated.
By the dragon of the previous chapter, and the beast first introduced in this, we have the Roman power as a whole brought to view in its two phases, pagan and papal; hence these two symbols have each the seven heads and ten horns.
The Leopard Beast.--The seven-headed and ten-horned beast, more briefly the leopard beast, here introduced, symbolizes a power which exercises ecclesiastical as well as civil authority. This point is of sufficient importance to justify the introduction of a few conclusive arguments which prove it.
The line of prophecy in which this symbol occurs begins with Revelation 12. The symbols of earthly governments embraced in the prophecy are the dragon of Revelation 12 and the leopard beast and the two-horned beast of Revelation 13. The same line of prophecy evidently continues into chapter 14. Beginning, therefore, with Revelation 12: 1, and ending with Revelation 14: 5, we have a line of prophecy distinct and complete in itself.
Each of the powers here introduced is represented as fiercely persecuting the church of God. The scene opens with the church under the symbol of a woman anxiously longing for the promise to be fulfilled that the seed of the woman, the Lord of glory, should appear among men. The dragon stood before the woman for the purpose of devouring her child. His evil design is thwarted, and the child is caught up to God and His throne. A period follows in which the church suffers severe oppression from this dragon power. In this part of the scene the prophet occasionally glances forward, once even down almost to the end, because all the enemies of the church were to be actuated by the spirit of the dragon. In verse 1 of Revelation 13 we are carried back to the time when the leopard beast, the successor of the dragon, begins his career. From this power the church suffers war and persecution for the long period of 1260 years. Following this period of oppression, the church has another conflict, brief but sharp and severe, with the two-horned beast. Then comes deliverance. The prophecy closes with the church brought safely through all her persecutions, and standing victorious with the Lamb on Mount Zion. Thank God for the sure promise of final victory!
The one character which ever appears the same in all these scenes, and whose history is the leading theme through all the prophecy, is the true Church of God. The other characters are her persecutors, and are introduced simply because they are such. Here, as an introductory inquiry, we raise the question, Who or what is it that persecutes the true church? It is a false or apostate church. What is it that is ever warring against true religion? It is a false and counterfeit religion. Who ever heard of the mere civil power of any nation persecuting the people of God on its own initiative? Governments may war against other governments to avenge some wrong, real or imaginary or to acquire territory and extend their power. But governments do not persecute (mark the word--do not persecute) people on account of their religion, unless under the control of some opposite and hostile system of religion.
Leopard Beast a Persecuting Power.--The powers introduced in this prophecy--the dragon, the leopard beast, and the two-horned beast of verses 11-17--are all persecuting powers. They are actuated by rage and enmity against the people and church of God. This fact is of itself sufficiently conclusive evidence that in each of these powers the ecclesiastical or religious element is the controlling power.
Take the dragon: what does it symbolize?--The undeniable answer is, Primarily Satan, as shown heretofore, and secondarily the Roman Empire. But this is not enough. No one would be satisfied with this answer and no more. It must be more definite. We therefore add, The Roman Empire in its pagan form, to which all must agree. But just as soon as we say pagan, we introduce a religious element, for paganism is one of the most gigantic systems of counterfeit religion that Satan has ever devised. The dragon, then, is so far an ecclesiastical power that the very characteristic by which it is distinguished is a false system of religion. What made the dragon persecute the church of Christ? It was because Christianity was prevailing against paganism, sweeping away its superstitions, overturning its idols, and dismantling its temples. The religious element of that power was touched, and persecution was the result.
We now come to the leopard beast of Revelation 13. What does that symbolize? The answer still is, The Roman Empire. But the dragon symbolized the Roman Empire, and why does not the same symbol represent it still? Ah! there has been a change in the religious character of the empire. This beast symbolized Rome in its professedly Christian form. It is this change of religion, and this alone, which makes a change in the symbol necessary. This beast differs from the dragon only that it presents a different religious aspect. Hence it would be wrong to affirm that it denotes simply the Roman civil power.
A Symbol of the Papacy.--To this beast the dragon gives his power, his seat, and great authority. By what power was pagan Rome succeeded? We all know that is was by papal Rome. It matters not to our present purpose when or by what means this change was effected. The great fact is apparent, and is acknowledged by all, that the next great phase of the Roman Empire after its pagan form was its papal. It would not be correct, therefore, to say that pagan Rome gave its power and seat to a form of government merely civil, having no religious element whatever. No stretch of the imagination can conceive of such a transaction. But two phases of empire are here recognized, and in the prophecy Rome is pagan until Rome is papal. The statement that the dragon gave to the leopard beast his power and seat, is further evidence that the dragon of Revelation 12: 3 is used as symbol of pagan Rome. But back of both powers, and leading them on in their wicked work, is Satan himself.
But it may be said that it takes both the leopard beast and the two-horned beast to constitute the papacy, and hence it is to these that the dragon gives his power, seat, and great authority. But the prophecy does not say so. It is the leopard beast alone with which the dragon has to do. It is to that beast alone that he gives his power, seat, and great authority. It is that beast which has a head that is wounded to death, which is afterward healed; that beast after which the whole world wonders; that beast which has a mouth speaking blasphemies, and which wears out the saints for 1260 years. It does all this before the succeeding power, the two-horned beast, appears. The leopard beast alone, therefore, symbolizes the Roman Empire in its papal form, the controlling influence being ecclesiastical.
Identical With the Little Horn.--To show this more fully, we have but to draw a parallel between the little horn of Daniel 7: 8, 20, 24, 25, and this power. From this comparison it will appear that the little horn and the leopard beast symbolize the same power. The little horn is generally acknowledged to be a symbol of the papacy. There are six points by which to establish their identity:
1. The little horn was a blasphemous power. "He shall speak great words against the Most High." Daniel 7: 25. The leopard beast of Revelation 13: 6 does the same. "He opened his mouth in blasphemy against God."
2. The little horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them. (Daniel 7: 21.) This beast also (Revelation 13: 7) makes war with the saints, and overcomes them.
3. The little horn had a mouth speaking great things. (Daniel 7: 8, 20.) Of this beast we read: "There was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies." Revelation 13: 5.
4. The little horn arose on the cessation of the pagan form of the Roman Empire. The beast of Revelation 13: 2 arises at the same time; for the dragon, pagan Rome, gives him his power, his seat, and great authority.
5. Power was given to the little horn to continue for a time, times, and the dividing of time, or 1260 years. (Daniel 7: 25) To this beast also power was given for forty-two months or 1260 years. (Revelation 13: 5.)
6. At the end of that specified period of 1260 years the "saints," "times," and "laws" were to be taken out of the "hand" of the little horn. (Daniel 7: 25.) At the end of the same period, the leopard beast was himself to be led "into captivity." Revelation 13: 10. Both these specifications were fulfilled in the captivity and exile of the pope, and the temporary overthrow of the papacy by France in 1798.
These six points prove satisfactorily the identity of the little horn and the leopard beast. When we have in prophecy two symbols, as in this instance, representing powers that come upon the stage of action at the same time, occupy the same territory, maintain the same character, do the same work, exist the same length of time, and meet the same fate, those symbols represent the same identical power.
*******
We can't help but see the truth in all this because history is just that -- history. The facts are the facts they can't be disputed. The pieces fit together just as God knew they would.
Jesus will return and we need to be ready for Him. By His grace and mercy may we understand all we need to understand in Him.
Please Lord.
Amen.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Beasts
Revelation
We really need to take what we've learned and apply it to throughout, in so doing a small recap is necessary here-
(From Daniel and Revelation by Uriah Smith)
The sea is a symbol of "peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues." Revelation 17: 15.
A beast is the Bible symbol of a nation or power. It sometimes represents the civil power alone, and sometimes the ecclesiastical in connection with civil.
Whenever a beast is seen to come up out of the sea, it denotes that the power arises in a thickly populated territory.
If the winds are represented as blowing upon the sea, as in Daniel 7: 2, 3, political commotion, civil strife, and revolution are indicated.
*******
...
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.
...
Another beast is seen by John as he stood on the sand of the sea- the sea shore. If the sea represents a lot of people, John is standing on the outskirts of this land watching. He sees a beast- a power rising up from the multitudes and this power had seven heads. Seven kingdoms, and with ten horns. Seven heads should have seven horns right, but this beast has seven heads with ten horns. Seven kingdoms with ten leaders, and ten crowns - ten victories for those ten leaders. Upon his heads... the beasts seven heads there is the name of blasphemy. A single name on all the heads- the name for all of them, blasphemy.
Dict. Def.
blasphemy (blà s´fe-mê) noun
plural blasphemies
1.a. A contemptuous or profane act, utterance, or writing concerning God or a sacred entity. b. The act of claiming for oneself the attributes and rights of God.
2.An irreverent or impious act, attitude, or utterance in regard to something considered inviolable or sacrosanct.
Excerpted from The American Heritage® Dictionary
This beast is clearly not Godly in any way shape or form other than perhaps anti-godly. This beast with its seven heads-all blasphemous. When you have label on something it's named. This beast is named.
...
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
...
Interesting to note this is a non-descript beast meaning it's not just a lion, not just a bear, not just a leopard, it's a composite of them all. It looks like a leopard and yet the feet of this leopard looking beast are those of a bear, and the leopard looking beast's mouth was like that of a lion. Another interesting note- where else are these beasts mentioned?
Daniel--
{7:1} In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel had a dream and visions of his head upon his bed: then he wrote the dream, [and] told the sum of the matters.
{7:2} Daniel spake and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea.
{7:3} And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another.
{7:4} The first [was] like a lion, and had eagle’s wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man’s heart was given to it.
{7:5} And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and [it had] three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh.
{7:6} After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it.
{7:7} After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it [was] diverse from all the beasts that [were] before it; and it had ten horns.
{7:8} I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn [were] eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.
A lion,
A bear,
A leopard,
A non-descript beast.
Backwards, single beast in Revelation 13 is described with attributes of these individual beasts in Daniel 7, only backwards. The leopard- like description first then the feet of the bear, and then a mouth of a lion. Very interesting!
The powers, the kingdoms, the rulers of the multitude of people are corrupt- blasphemous and yet we have many in leadership positions that claim to be God-fearing. They're liars! Blasphemous. Rulers that have nothing to do with the true church, God's people.
...
and the dragon gave him his power,
and his seat,
and great authority.
...
This composite beast is given power by whom? The dragon! The Devil! The devil gives this beast power and not only power but his SEAT and GREAT AUTHORITY.
We need to study this stuff closely, very closely to understand what is going on. The Revelation wasn't given to us for no reason. We are blessed if we read and keep it. With history our key, and God as our guide we can understand. By the mercy and grace of Jesus our lives are His and we need to believe in Him and His love for us. What we need to understand we will understand through the Holy Spirit's guidance.
Let's not cover our eyes and choose not to see just because we don't like what is being revealed.
In Jesus now and forever.
Amen.
We really need to take what we've learned and apply it to throughout, in so doing a small recap is necessary here-
(From Daniel and Revelation by Uriah Smith)
The sea is a symbol of "peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues." Revelation 17: 15.
A beast is the Bible symbol of a nation or power. It sometimes represents the civil power alone, and sometimes the ecclesiastical in connection with civil.
Whenever a beast is seen to come up out of the sea, it denotes that the power arises in a thickly populated territory.
If the winds are represented as blowing upon the sea, as in Daniel 7: 2, 3, political commotion, civil strife, and revolution are indicated.
*******
...
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.
...
Another beast is seen by John as he stood on the sand of the sea- the sea shore. If the sea represents a lot of people, John is standing on the outskirts of this land watching. He sees a beast- a power rising up from the multitudes and this power had seven heads. Seven kingdoms, and with ten horns. Seven heads should have seven horns right, but this beast has seven heads with ten horns. Seven kingdoms with ten leaders, and ten crowns - ten victories for those ten leaders. Upon his heads... the beasts seven heads there is the name of blasphemy. A single name on all the heads- the name for all of them, blasphemy.
Dict. Def.
blasphemy (blà s´fe-mê) noun
plural blasphemies
1.a. A contemptuous or profane act, utterance, or writing concerning God or a sacred entity. b. The act of claiming for oneself the attributes and rights of God.
2.An irreverent or impious act, attitude, or utterance in regard to something considered inviolable or sacrosanct.
Excerpted from The American Heritage® Dictionary
This beast is clearly not Godly in any way shape or form other than perhaps anti-godly. This beast with its seven heads-all blasphemous. When you have label on something it's named. This beast is named.
...
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
...
Interesting to note this is a non-descript beast meaning it's not just a lion, not just a bear, not just a leopard, it's a composite of them all. It looks like a leopard and yet the feet of this leopard looking beast are those of a bear, and the leopard looking beast's mouth was like that of a lion. Another interesting note- where else are these beasts mentioned?
Daniel--
{7:1} In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel had a dream and visions of his head upon his bed: then he wrote the dream, [and] told the sum of the matters.
{7:2} Daniel spake and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea.
{7:3} And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another.
{7:4} The first [was] like a lion, and had eagle’s wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man’s heart was given to it.
{7:5} And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and [it had] three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh.
{7:6} After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it.
{7:7} After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it [was] diverse from all the beasts that [were] before it; and it had ten horns.
{7:8} I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn [were] eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.
A lion,
A bear,
A leopard,
A non-descript beast.
Backwards, single beast in Revelation 13 is described with attributes of these individual beasts in Daniel 7, only backwards. The leopard- like description first then the feet of the bear, and then a mouth of a lion. Very interesting!
The powers, the kingdoms, the rulers of the multitude of people are corrupt- blasphemous and yet we have many in leadership positions that claim to be God-fearing. They're liars! Blasphemous. Rulers that have nothing to do with the true church, God's people.
...
and the dragon gave him his power,
and his seat,
and great authority.
...
This composite beast is given power by whom? The dragon! The Devil! The devil gives this beast power and not only power but his SEAT and GREAT AUTHORITY.
We need to study this stuff closely, very closely to understand what is going on. The Revelation wasn't given to us for no reason. We are blessed if we read and keep it. With history our key, and God as our guide we can understand. By the mercy and grace of Jesus our lives are His and we need to believe in Him and His love for us. What we need to understand we will understand through the Holy Spirit's guidance.
Let's not cover our eyes and choose not to see just because we don't like what is being revealed.
In Jesus now and forever.
Amen.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Protected
...
And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle,
that she might fly into the wilderness,
into her place,
where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time,
from the face of the serpent.
,,,
The church fled swiftly into hiding. God's people were persecuted yet protected. We've talked of the 1260 years before and a time, times and a half a times is the same thing. It must be important to realize this date, this time frame because of the repetition. While the church was being protected, they were being protected from the evil that would destroy them.
...
And the serpent cast out of his mouth water
as a flood after the woman,
that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.
...
The serpent used many, many people to persecute Christ's people, many people. The hope was to use all those people to overwhelm and destroy, drown the few compared to the many. How often does the majority in a society overwhelm to few? Too often.
...
And the earth helped the woman,
and the earth opened her mouth,
and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.
...
Think about it, religious persecution- no freedom of religion. When and where did a land of freedom emerge? Late 1400's America was discovered and from then on this great land with few people in such a vast area took in people. How many people fled from other countries to America to be free to practice their own religion? Martin Luther began the Protestant movement and as the scriptures were opened for people they realized the truth and the earth(a place of few people compared to the seas of people) opened up and protected God's people.
...
And the dragon was wroth with the woman,
and went to make war with the remnant of her seed,
which keep the commandments of God,
and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
...
Satan won't give up, he has no reason to give up. He's lost and his only goal is to make the number of God's people as small as he can. The satisfaction he receives from depriving God of even one person is the only satisfaction he gets. Until Christ returns Satan will work hard, using his wrath to war with God's people and the description of God's people is given...
Those which KEEP the commandments of God
and
have the TESTIMONY of Jesus Christ.
May God bless and keep us in Him. May we Keep God's commandments and have the testimony of Jesus Christ fully.
By the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ may we live in Him now and forever, His. Trusting in His protection forever.
Amen.
And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle,
that she might fly into the wilderness,
into her place,
where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time,
from the face of the serpent.
,,,
The church fled swiftly into hiding. God's people were persecuted yet protected. We've talked of the 1260 years before and a time, times and a half a times is the same thing. It must be important to realize this date, this time frame because of the repetition. While the church was being protected, they were being protected from the evil that would destroy them.
...
And the serpent cast out of his mouth water
as a flood after the woman,
that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.
...
The serpent used many, many people to persecute Christ's people, many people. The hope was to use all those people to overwhelm and destroy, drown the few compared to the many. How often does the majority in a society overwhelm to few? Too often.
...
And the earth helped the woman,
and the earth opened her mouth,
and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.
...
Think about it, religious persecution- no freedom of religion. When and where did a land of freedom emerge? Late 1400's America was discovered and from then on this great land with few people in such a vast area took in people. How many people fled from other countries to America to be free to practice their own religion? Martin Luther began the Protestant movement and as the scriptures were opened for people they realized the truth and the earth(a place of few people compared to the seas of people) opened up and protected God's people.
...
And the dragon was wroth with the woman,
and went to make war with the remnant of her seed,
which keep the commandments of God,
and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
...
Satan won't give up, he has no reason to give up. He's lost and his only goal is to make the number of God's people as small as he can. The satisfaction he receives from depriving God of even one person is the only satisfaction he gets. Until Christ returns Satan will work hard, using his wrath to war with God's people and the description of God's people is given...
Those which KEEP the commandments of God
and
have the TESTIMONY of Jesus Christ.
May God bless and keep us in Him. May we Keep God's commandments and have the testimony of Jesus Christ fully.
By the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ may we live in Him now and forever, His. Trusting in His protection forever.
Amen.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Devil on Death Row
Revelation-
...
And the woman fled into the wilderness,
where she hath a place prepared of God,
that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.
...
(More- 1260
{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.
Dan. {12:11} And
from the time [that] the daily [sacrifice] shall be taken
away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up,
[there shall be] a thousand two hundred and ninety days.
(Taken from Daniel and Revelation by Uriah Smith)--
The period of "a thousand two hundred and three score days" is variously referred to in the Scriptures. It appears in three forms:
As 1260 days in this verse and Revelation 12: 6.
As 42 months in Revelation 11: 2 and 13: 5.
As 3 1/2 times in Daniel 7: 25 and 12: 7, and Revelation 12: 14.
These all refer to the same period and can be easily be calculated. A time is a year, as is evident from Daniel 11: 13, marginal reading. A year has twelve months, and a Biblical month contains thirty days. Thus we have the following:
1 year of 12 months at 30 days - - - - 360 days
3 1/2 years, or times, of 360 days - - - - 1260 days
42 months of 30 days - - - - - - - - 1260 days
PLUS- The church fled into the wilderness at the time of the papacy was firmly established in 538, where it was nourished by the word of God, and the ministration of angels during the long, dark, and bloody rule of that power for 1260 years.
*******
Again, the 1260 years. The two witnesses - the Old/New Testament, the Bible, were to prophesize clothed in sackcloth and at the same time the woman (the church) was to be hidden in the wilderness, protected. There was NO way Satan could destroy God's people, God's church, the Bible -- no way! It wouldn't be allowed. They could be hunted, wounded, wanted, depised, trampled upon, but they could not be wiped out of existence.
...
And there was war in heaven:
Michael and his angels fought against the dragon;
and the dragon fought and his angels,
And prevailed not;
neither was their place found any more in heaven.
And the great dragon was cast out,
that old serpent,
called the Devil,
and Satan,
which deceiveth the whole world
he was cast out into the earth,
and his angels were cast out with him.
...
War in heaven.
Michael...
(Other Michael'a-
Jude {1:9} Yet
Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he
disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against
him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.
1 Thess. {4:16} For the Lord himself shall descend
from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel,
and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise
first: {4:17} Then we which are alive [and] remain shall be
caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord
in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
John {5:26} For as
the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son
to have life in himself; {5:27} And hath given him authority
to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.
{5:28} Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the
which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, {5:29}
And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the
resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the
resurrection of damnation.
Jesus- is Michael. More specifically Jesus in battle, Jesus as victor of a battle.
...
And there was war in heaven:
Michael and his angels fought against the dragon;
and the dragon fought and his angels,
And prevailed not;
neither was their place found any more in heaven.
And the great dragon was cast out,
that old serpent,
called the Devil,
and Satan,
which deceiveth the whole world
he was cast out into the earth,
and his angels were cast out with him.
...
Jesus and His angels fought against the devil
The devil and his angels fought and prevailed not.
The devil and his angel no longer had a place in heaven they were cast out. The devil which deceives the whole world, cast out. His angels were cast out as well, he wasn't alone, he and his fellow angels were cast out of heaven.
...
And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven,
Now is come salvation,
...
When did salvation come? When? On the cross. When Christ died for us. Is it any wonder at all that Christ prevailed against Satan and was able to cast Him and His followers from heaven? Having obtained the victory for the inhabitants of earth they were from thereon safe from the devil's hopelessness. Hope was given to the world. Even with Satan cast out of heaven and to earth He had no rule over God's people from the moment salvation was come.
If I lived in a world where super lions constantly killed men and women, and there was some protection from them because they weren't bound to that world left to entirely destroy it. If a super lion repellent was invented and the world's inhabitants were offered this repellent, would it be safe to bind the super lions to earth knowing that the people had protection available? Yes. It wouldn't have been safe in any way to bind the super lions to earth allowing them to roam and destroy everything upon earth if there hadn't been a way to protect any of the people. It was only safe to bind the super lions to earth once the repellent existed and was available for all.
When Satan was cast out of heaven to earth it was only after salvation through Jesus was obtained and people could be saved through Jesus.
...
And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven,
Now is come salvation,
and strength,
and the kingdom of our God,
and the power of his Christ:
for the accuser of our brethren is cast down,
which accused them before our God day and night.
...
Night and day Satan was in heaven accusing God. Accusing God of any and everything He could to disparge His name, to bring God to ruin in any way he could. Satan wanted God to fail, he wanted his accusations to prove true. He wanted God to be hated and despised so that he could be glorified, but he could accuse all he wanted to, he couldn't prevail. Christ was victorious on the cross and that is something Satan can never take away, never. His accusations were proven false once and for all upon the cross.
...
And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb,
and by the word of their testimony;
and they loved not their lives unto the death.
...
The overcomers in Christ will only overcome by the blood of the Lamb. The overcomers will only overcome by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, God's innocent Son. The overcomers will have the word of their testimony which is their hope in Jesus' prophesized return to come for His people. The overcomers will not love their own lives to death, they will love Jesus' life knowing they live for life eternal not for this mortal life offered here on earth now. This life while precious in its own right will only, always be temporary and not the life we should love and cling to. Our love of life has to be the life in Jesus. If we get caught up in our love of this life we are bound by it, we are trapped in it. Overcomers will not love this life of theirs, but the life in Jesus, the next life- life eternal.
...
Therefore rejoice,
ye heavens,
and ye that dwell in them.
Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea!
for the devil is come down unto you,
having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.
...
Yes, the devil's wrath is immense because with salvation assured he lost all hope of any victory over God. He lost. He lost and now his only pleasure is to see how many of God's people he can corrupt and turn to himself, to the losing side. He believes that he'll have a victory of his own making if he can rob God of those made in His image. And he'll succeed in getting all but a few, all but the elect. With his ultimate destruction assured, the time the devil has left is short because he no longer has the hope of eternity it was taken from him the moment Christ died upon the cross.
A prisoner on death row may live on death row for twenty-five years before being killed, but that time is short. They know their death is assured, they are living on death row, a waiting line for death. While most of us live in our own little worlds oblivious to our impending deaths- not knowing how we'll die whether by accident, illness, or old age; those on death row know the way they will die and that it will be no accident, no illness, and certainly not old age. Those on death row know that they have a date of execution and the manner in which they will die. Living your life with that knowledge shortens it considerably- even if it's fifty years- it's not the same as if they weren't living on death row with the specter of death hanging over them, it's not the same at all.
The devil lives on death row and he's determined to ease his impending death by taking as many people with him as he can because it's the only thing he has left to do. If he can deprive God of one person he allows himself that small bit of satisfaction. A prisoner on death row getting his last kicks by causing as much trouble as he possibly can.
...
And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth,
he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.
...
See, the devil realizing it was over that his sentence was a death sentence and he was bound to earth- no longer welcomed in heaven to create any mischief he went to persecute God's church, God's people- the very ones who God deemed worthy to bring His son into the world.
*******
May God bless us all and keep us in Him so that we may be among those who will overcome, by His grace and His mercy, in His love now and forever!
Amen.
...
And the woman fled into the wilderness,
where she hath a place prepared of God,
that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.
...
(More- 1260
{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.
Dan. {12:11} And
from the time [that] the daily [sacrifice] shall be taken
away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up,
[there shall be] a thousand two hundred and ninety days.
(Taken from Daniel and Revelation by Uriah Smith)--
The period of "a thousand two hundred and three score days" is variously referred to in the Scriptures. It appears in three forms:
As 1260 days in this verse and Revelation 12: 6.
As 42 months in Revelation 11: 2 and 13: 5.
As 3 1/2 times in Daniel 7: 25 and 12: 7, and Revelation 12: 14.
These all refer to the same period and can be easily be calculated. A time is a year, as is evident from Daniel 11: 13, marginal reading. A year has twelve months, and a Biblical month contains thirty days. Thus we have the following:
1 year of 12 months at 30 days - - - - 360 days
3 1/2 years, or times, of 360 days - - - - 1260 days
42 months of 30 days - - - - - - - - 1260 days
PLUS- The church fled into the wilderness at the time of the papacy was firmly established in 538, where it was nourished by the word of God, and the ministration of angels during the long, dark, and bloody rule of that power for 1260 years.
*******
Again, the 1260 years. The two witnesses - the Old/New Testament, the Bible, were to prophesize clothed in sackcloth and at the same time the woman (the church) was to be hidden in the wilderness, protected. There was NO way Satan could destroy God's people, God's church, the Bible -- no way! It wouldn't be allowed. They could be hunted, wounded, wanted, depised, trampled upon, but they could not be wiped out of existence.
...
And there was war in heaven:
Michael and his angels fought against the dragon;
and the dragon fought and his angels,
And prevailed not;
neither was their place found any more in heaven.
And the great dragon was cast out,
that old serpent,
called the Devil,
and Satan,
which deceiveth the whole world
he was cast out into the earth,
and his angels were cast out with him.
...
War in heaven.
Michael...
(Other Michael'a-
Jude {1:9} Yet
Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he
disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against
him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.
1 Thess. {4:16} For the Lord himself shall descend
from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel,
and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise
first: {4:17} Then we which are alive [and] remain shall be
caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord
in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
John {5:26} For as
the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son
to have life in himself; {5:27} And hath given him authority
to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.
{5:28} Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the
which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, {5:29}
And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the
resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the
resurrection of damnation.
Jesus- is Michael. More specifically Jesus in battle, Jesus as victor of a battle.
...
And there was war in heaven:
Michael and his angels fought against the dragon;
and the dragon fought and his angels,
And prevailed not;
neither was their place found any more in heaven.
And the great dragon was cast out,
that old serpent,
called the Devil,
and Satan,
which deceiveth the whole world
he was cast out into the earth,
and his angels were cast out with him.
...
Jesus and His angels fought against the devil
The devil and his angels fought and prevailed not.
The devil and his angel no longer had a place in heaven they were cast out. The devil which deceives the whole world, cast out. His angels were cast out as well, he wasn't alone, he and his fellow angels were cast out of heaven.
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And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven,
Now is come salvation,
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When did salvation come? When? On the cross. When Christ died for us. Is it any wonder at all that Christ prevailed against Satan and was able to cast Him and His followers from heaven? Having obtained the victory for the inhabitants of earth they were from thereon safe from the devil's hopelessness. Hope was given to the world. Even with Satan cast out of heaven and to earth He had no rule over God's people from the moment salvation was come.
If I lived in a world where super lions constantly killed men and women, and there was some protection from them because they weren't bound to that world left to entirely destroy it. If a super lion repellent was invented and the world's inhabitants were offered this repellent, would it be safe to bind the super lions to earth knowing that the people had protection available? Yes. It wouldn't have been safe in any way to bind the super lions to earth allowing them to roam and destroy everything upon earth if there hadn't been a way to protect any of the people. It was only safe to bind the super lions to earth once the repellent existed and was available for all.
When Satan was cast out of heaven to earth it was only after salvation through Jesus was obtained and people could be saved through Jesus.
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And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven,
Now is come salvation,
and strength,
and the kingdom of our God,
and the power of his Christ:
for the accuser of our brethren is cast down,
which accused them before our God day and night.
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Night and day Satan was in heaven accusing God. Accusing God of any and everything He could to disparge His name, to bring God to ruin in any way he could. Satan wanted God to fail, he wanted his accusations to prove true. He wanted God to be hated and despised so that he could be glorified, but he could accuse all he wanted to, he couldn't prevail. Christ was victorious on the cross and that is something Satan can never take away, never. His accusations were proven false once and for all upon the cross.
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And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb,
and by the word of their testimony;
and they loved not their lives unto the death.
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The overcomers in Christ will only overcome by the blood of the Lamb. The overcomers will only overcome by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, God's innocent Son. The overcomers will have the word of their testimony which is their hope in Jesus' prophesized return to come for His people. The overcomers will not love their own lives to death, they will love Jesus' life knowing they live for life eternal not for this mortal life offered here on earth now. This life while precious in its own right will only, always be temporary and not the life we should love and cling to. Our love of life has to be the life in Jesus. If we get caught up in our love of this life we are bound by it, we are trapped in it. Overcomers will not love this life of theirs, but the life in Jesus, the next life- life eternal.
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Therefore rejoice,
ye heavens,
and ye that dwell in them.
Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea!
for the devil is come down unto you,
having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.
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Yes, the devil's wrath is immense because with salvation assured he lost all hope of any victory over God. He lost. He lost and now his only pleasure is to see how many of God's people he can corrupt and turn to himself, to the losing side. He believes that he'll have a victory of his own making if he can rob God of those made in His image. And he'll succeed in getting all but a few, all but the elect. With his ultimate destruction assured, the time the devil has left is short because he no longer has the hope of eternity it was taken from him the moment Christ died upon the cross.
A prisoner on death row may live on death row for twenty-five years before being killed, but that time is short. They know their death is assured, they are living on death row, a waiting line for death. While most of us live in our own little worlds oblivious to our impending deaths- not knowing how we'll die whether by accident, illness, or old age; those on death row know the way they will die and that it will be no accident, no illness, and certainly not old age. Those on death row know that they have a date of execution and the manner in which they will die. Living your life with that knowledge shortens it considerably- even if it's fifty years- it's not the same as if they weren't living on death row with the specter of death hanging over them, it's not the same at all.
The devil lives on death row and he's determined to ease his impending death by taking as many people with him as he can because it's the only thing he has left to do. If he can deprive God of one person he allows himself that small bit of satisfaction. A prisoner on death row getting his last kicks by causing as much trouble as he possibly can.
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And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth,
he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.
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See, the devil realizing it was over that his sentence was a death sentence and he was bound to earth- no longer welcomed in heaven to create any mischief he went to persecute God's church, God's people- the very ones who God deemed worthy to bring His son into the world.
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May God bless us all and keep us in Him so that we may be among those who will overcome, by His grace and His mercy, in His love now and forever!
Amen.
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