We are studying the book of Revelation and one of the reason we are doing this is because we will be BLESSED. Don't we all need to be blessed?
Rev 1:3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.
Blessed are those that read, hear, and keep the things written in this book of prophecy. How can we expect a blessing if we read the entire book of Revelation and understand nothing? What if it all sounds like a bunch of mumbo jumbo to us? If we can't make heads or tails out of what we are reading how are we going to be able to KEEP those thing which are written in this book?
Yesterday we talked about the need for praying to gain understanding and it is my prayer that we will understand all that we need to understand so we may read, hear, and keep the things written in this book of prophecy. Please Lord, please we bow down before Your majesty, before Your presence and we plead with you to help us to find all the truth we need to find in this book of prophecy given to us. You opened the understanding of so many before us and the Holy Spirit guided them to discover the truths by Your will. Please Lord, please we have no hope of comprehending what we need to comprehend without the Holy Spirit guiding us now, right now. We need this not because we deserve it but because our Savior died for us so that we may live in Him, and because of His sacrifice, through HIS righteousness , we may live watching and praying for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ.
So far as we've entered into the second half of the book of Revelation we've encountered quite a few thought provoking verses.
Isa 28:10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little
2Ti 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
When we studied the prophecy of Daniel and linked it to Revelation we knew we were following the instructions given to us by God to rightly divide the word of truth, studying line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little. We have to do this- sheer logic alone demands that we don't ignore the way the two books similarities call us to note them together.
Revelation 12 is a broad outline- much as Daniel 2 was a broad outline.
Revelation 13 is calling us to a deeper understanding.
Now let's look closer to what we started studying yesterday-
In the Thirteeenth Chapter, two "beasts" are seen, one rising "up out of the sea," and the other "coming up out of the earth." (vs. 1, 11)
Rev 13:1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the SEA, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
Rev 13:11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the EARTH; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.
TWO BEASTS.
One comes 'UP OUT OF THE SEA'.
The other comes 'UP OUT OF THE EARTH'.
These two beasts are related in the text to the dragon.
One receives "his power, and his seat, and great authority" directly from the dragon (v. 2).
Rev 13:2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the DRAGON GAVE HIM HIS POWER, and his seat, and great authority.
The other, "spake as a dragon" and exercised "all the authority of the first beast," which authority had been given it by the dragon. (vs. 11-12).
Rev 13:11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he SPAKE AS A DRAGON.
Rev 13:12 And he EXERCISETH ALL THE POWER OF THE FIRST BEAST before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
TWO BEASTS.
The FIRST beast coming up out of the sea gets his power from the dragon.
The SECOND beast coming up out of the earth gets his power.
Satan is the POWER behind the beasts. We can NEVER forget this, never. The beasts will NOT want to be recognized as being controlled by Satan- and we know this for a fact-
2Co 11:14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
And if Satan can transform himself into an angel of light we know for a fact that these beasts can appear as angels of light- they can deceive by appearing as being forces for good when in truth they are deceiving forces of pure evil. A person deceived will be given or will have been given every opportunity to see the truth. Too many take the stand of being appalled that seemingly sweet, innocent people are being trapped and God is letting it happen. Those seemingly sweet, innocent people are JUST people like you and I are. And we know for a fact that we are anything but sweet and innocent. Every single old, white haired granny, every gray haired grandpa, every adorable, sweet, soft spoken man and woman is a sinner. We don't like to believe that everyone is a sinner, in fact a lot of times we are shocked when we learn someone we thought sweet commits a crime. People can't be put on pedestals, not one. We are all sinners and our sins warrant death. The only escape from that penalty is through the forgiveness of our Savior, through His righteousness. When we become Christ's we are open to all His truth and He knows our hearts because He is the one who creates a clean heart in us, giving us a clean heart. If we keep our filthy heart we will never be God's. So many only get a superficial cleaning and think it's enough, but our entire heart must be cleaned. We are chastened and refined by our God if we allow Him to work in our hearts. And still, so many believe that ALL will be saved, that churches are FILLED with saved people- God's people. People believe that being a sweet person is all it take to be God's, but that's not true at all. And we are made to believe that God is awful because He will reject a sweet person. The truth is… God KNOWS our hearts and HE KNOWS the truth in our hearts whether it is His truth or another's. IF that sweet, sweet person's heart is His and their sweetness is manifested because of Him- He knows and they will be saved! Not a single person from anywhere in the world will be lost if they are HIS.
The beasts are NOT His.
The beasts are Satan's.
These beasts have power that comes from Satan and we cannot forget this as we study.
You say it won't be hard to forget because we associate beasts with evil anyway, but in truth a beast that has power to deceive all but the very elect is a beast that will NOT look or act like a beast at all.
More tomorrow- we're taking this slowwww.
By the grace of God always!!!!
Amen.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Monday, October 3, 2011
Prophecy - 95
1995Jun -- XXVIII -- 6(95) -- EXEGESIS OF REVELATION -- THE BEAST AND THE FALSE PROPHET -- Part 2 -- In the Twelfth Chapter of Revelation, John heard a "Woe" pronounced on "the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea."
In the Thirteeenth Chapter, two "beasts" are seen, one rising "up out of the sea," and the other "coming up out of the earth." (vs. 1, 11)
Rev 13:1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the SEA, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
Rev 13:11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the EARTH; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.
These two beasts are related in the text to the dragon.
One receives "his power, and his seat, and great authority" directly from the dragon (v. 2).
Rev 13:2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the DRAGON GAVE HIM HIS POWER, and his seat, and great authority.
The other, "spake as a dragon" and exercised "all the authority of the first beast," which authority had been given it by the dragon. (vs. 11-12).
Rev 13:11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he SPAKE AS A DRAGON.
Rev 13:12 And he EXERCISETH ALL THE POWER OF THE FIRST BEAST before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
The commonality between the first beast and the dragon is further heightened in the imagery. Both have seven heads and ten horns (12:3; 13:1) However, there is a movement of one item in the symbols; the crowns are placed on the "horns" of the first beast, rather than remaining on the "heads." It must also be kept in mind that the book of Revelation presents a third beast with seven heads and ten horns. (17:3) No crowns are seen on this symbolism either on the "heads" or the "horns."
What is this telling us? If a "crown" is symbolic of reigning, then the "dragon" is portrayed as functioning through its seven heads from the time of the first gospel promise to the time of, and including the war with the "remnant of her seed."
The first beast of Revelation 13, would then be operating at the time of the reigning of "the ten horns."
To further identify this beast, the description is closely associated with the vision given to Daniel (Chap. 7). The lion, the bear, and the leopard are followed by a nondescript beast. In Revelation 13, the nondescript beast is a composite, "like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion" (v. 2). This is the exact order as found in Daniel 7, only REVERSED. In the vision to Daniel, he saw that the dominion of the three beasts was "taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time." (7:12).
The symbolic representation in Revelation 13, tells us that the lives of the three beasts of Daniel 7 lived on in the first beast.
We must next turn our attention to the seven heads. What do they represent?
The span of Revelation 12 covers the time from the first gospel promise made in Eden till the war against the "remnant of her seed."
Genesis gives the beginning of the first nation or peoples through whom this promised "seed" would be realized. (Gen. 12:3; 21:12)
They were to go into bondage. (Gen. 15:13-15)
This defiant power - Egypt - was the first power to seek to "devour" the people of God. Pharaoh was the "son of Ra," one of the sun gods of Egypt. The symbolisms of Egypt used to represent their sun gods, as noted in the previous study of Revelation 12, was the "serpent of fire" around a sun disc.
From the first attempt to destroy the people of God through whom the Promised Seed would come, there were five powers to John's day - Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, and Grecia.
The power of John's day was Rome, another was yet to come. (Rev. 17:10) At this point, we need to determine how we are to understand prophecy. Do we place the count, "five are fallen, one is, and the other is not yet come," as beginning in our day, or do we understand it to be in the time frame of John to whom the statement was made?
There is another problem however, the seventh head was "to continue a short space." If the sixth head is pagan Rome, and the seventh, papal Rome, we have the seventh head continuing for a longer period than any of the previous six heads which the wording of the definitive statement will not permit.
The book of Daniel in the visions as recorded in Chapters 7 & 8, present both pagan and papal Rome as one continuous power.
The "little horn" of Daniel 7, ever remains in and is nourished by the nondescript beast (7:8).
Further this beast is pictured as continuing "till ... slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame." (7:11)
The problem then is to interrelate all of this data to the first beast of Revelation 13, for it is this beast along with the second which are consigned to "the burning flame" (Rev. 19:20).
There is another textual relating between symbols which must be considered.
The first beast of Revelation 13 is "to act, or work" (Gr.- poiesai) his will "forty and two months." (13:5) The only other place where this same time period of prophecy is indicated is Chapter 11:2. There the "holy city" is to be "tread under foot forty and two months."
The next verse (11:3) speaks of the "two witnesses" prophesying in sackcloth 1260 days.
As noted in exegeting Chapter 12, this time period is identical in terminology with the time period that the woman was to be in the wilderness.
It can be shown that all of these time periods - Daniel 7:25, Revelation 11:2, 3; 12:6, 14; and 13:5 - are equal and apply to the same period.
Why then this differentiation?
Is it for interpretive purposes so that we can put together the various symbolisms?
Is it saying that the first beast of Revelation 13 is the power involved with the work described in Rev. 11:2; and the woman of Revelation 12 has a connection with "the two witnesses"?
If this be so, then there is some "knittng" back and forth between the last section of Revelation and Chapter 11, which must be considered.
Before pursuing further the "beasts" of Revelation 13, let us ask ourselves, what is Rev. 11:2 saying?
The verse is couched in symbolism.
The "court" of the temple was the place of the Altar of Burnt Offering. Here the sacrifices which were symbolic of the one great Sacrifice for sin, were offered. That Sacrifice was offered on earth. The ministry of the sanctuary typified a Heavenly ministration. How do we understand then, the symbolism of "the holy city"? It cannot be the Holy City which comes down at the close of the Millennium, for the "holy city" noted in Rev. 11:2 is already on earth. However, in the chapters which follow, the Harlot is described not only as a woman, but also a city. (Rev. 17:18)
Is the symbol of the "holy city" in Rev. 11:2 then to be equated with the "woman" of Rev. 12?
All of this places the time frame for the first beast of Revelation as the instrument through which the dragon sought to destroy the woman who fled into the wilderness.
The section of the prophecy of Revelation 13 which describes the first beast, can be divided in two parts: 1) A symbolic description of the beast itself and a brief overview of its history (vs. 1-4); and
2) What it was to do in the time period allotted (vs. 5-7).
A question arises at this point, do we consider the verses as consecutive, thus placing the 42 months after the healing of the "deadly wound," or is one section a prophetic amplification of the other?
What is interesting is the parallel between the 42 months, if understood literally, and the 3 1/2 days of Rev. 11:9, if considered prophetically.
Both would equal exactly 3 1/2 years.
However, the connection between the "first beast" and Revelation 11 is with "the holy city," while "the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit" is connected with the 3 1/2 days (11:7-9; See also 17:8).
Rev 11:7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.
Rev 11:8 And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.
Rev 11:9 And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.
Rev 17:8 The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
It is evident that much more study and prayer needs to be given to Revelation before hard and fast interpretations are formulated.
As the description and comment on the first beast is concluded, there is found a clause that will be repeated several times in the ensuing revelation - them "that dwell on the earth." (13:8, 12, 14-2x; 14:6; 17:2)
Since the warning in Chapter 12, was to the "inhabiters" (v. 12) of the earth, and since the second beast comes "up out of the earth" (13:11), is this phraseology to be restricted to the area prophetically designated the earth? Or is to be given the concept which we give to earth - the whole planet? The answer to this question will even effect the understanding of Revelation 14:6.
Should the text read as in the KJV - "unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people." Or, should the conjunctive, kai, be given its alternate meaning with the text reading, "unto them that dwell on the earth, also to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people." In other words, was "the everlasting gospel" to be first proclaimed to the dwellers of the prophetic "earth" and then to every nation worldwide. This is historically what happened. Does this fact, therefore, help us to read aright as prophetic language - "them that dwell on the earth."
In the Greek New Testament text of the United Bible Societies different Greek words are used in the various verses in Revelation 12, 13, 14, and 17 for the word, "dwell" in the clause, "that dwell on the earth." Only in Chapter 13, is the Greek word the same for "dwell" in verses 8 and 14. However, in the Received Text (Textus Receptus), the same word for "dwell" (katoikeo) is used consistently in Rev. 12:12; 13:8, 14; 14:6; and 17:2. If this is then to be interpreted prophetically, it adds a different dimension to the understanding of where the final events will be focused. Those "that dwell on the earth" will "worship him (the beast)" (13:8). They will be deceived into making an image to the beast (13:14). They will become intoxicated with the wine of the harlot (17:2).
It would also appear when the "whole" earth is meant rather than its use as a prophetic symbol, the word, "dwell" is not used, but rather holos, meaning entire, is associated with the word, "earth." See 13:3.
Rev 13:3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.
In the connecting verses between the two "beasts" of Revelation 13, there is both warning and admonition. "All that dwell on the earth shall worship the first beast" with but one exception, those whose names are "written in the book of life of the Lamb" do not do so (13:8).
Recognizing that the first beast represents the Papacy, then one criterion which determines where our names are placed is our attitude toward Roman Catholicism.
This includes much more than mere Sunday observance. The doctrine of the Trinity - basic in Romanism, the Eucharist, and other issues enter the picture. Little wonder then that the admonition follows - "If any man have an ear, let him hear." (13:9)
In Rev. 13:10 an unique comment is made - "Here is the patience and faith of the saints." It is found again in Revelation 14:12, and only in these two texts in Revelation.
Do these serve as "brackets" for the revelation that is given between? If so, then this call to observe the steadfastness of "the saints" is associated with the activities of the second beast of chapter 13 and the giving of the Three Angels' Messages.
The second beast came "up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon." (13:11)
Two things of importance need to be noted. The prophetic symbolism does not connect this beast with the other beasts - there is no common denominator, the multiple heads or horns which mark the other beast symbols are missing.
Only two horns are noted. No prophetic, or literal time factors are associated with this second beast. He doesn't speak as "the dragon," but simply "as a dragon."
"His two horns are like the horns of a lamb." The symbolism combines the two representations which in Chapter 12 are pictured as in deadly conflict, the dragon and the Lamb.
This beast "exerciseth all the power (authority - exousia) of the first beast." Is this saying that its authority is derived from the same source as the first beast, or is it stating that its controlling influence is as extensive as was that of the first beast, or both? The evident time of prophetic emphasis for the second beast is after the deadly wound of the first beast "was healed." (v. 12) Is it then, that we are to consider the exercise of, and source for its authority? If so, the activities of this beast, as described in Chapter 13, would not find fulfillment until after 1929, when the deadly wound began to be healed. But when was it "healed"?
One of the wonders which this beast performs is to make "fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men." (v. 13) This beast is defined as "the false prophet." (19:20) The allusion to fire coming down from heaven, being done by a prophet, calls to mind, Elijah who is to come before "the great and dreadful day of the Lord." (Mal. 4:5) This is telling us two things:
1) In the final confrontation, there will be a reversal of evidence. The false and deceptive will produce what will appear to be genuine evidence of Divine manifestation. And
2) This second beast is a religious power seeking to fulfill the role of Elijah.
In determining the identify of this "beast power," we have given it two identifications, the United States and Apostate Protestantism.
In the transitional verses from the first beast to the second, is found the dictum - "He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity."
This is interpreted as having been fulfilled in taking the Pope captive, and by declaring the government of the Papacy at an end in 1798, thus concluding the 1260 prophetic days. It was at this time, as the Papacy ceased its domination over "the kings of the earth," that the United States came into existence as a nation - "coming up out of the earth."
However, to so interpret, excludes the identification as Protestantism, because Protestantism arose in the area prophetically identified as "the sea," and over two hundreds years before the downfall of the Pope. We can respond that it is Apostate Protestantism that is being identified since the symbol is termed, "the false prophet." If this be so, then one must ask, "When did Protestantism become apostate?" To this, we have responded that this state resulted from the rejection of the First Angel's Message. And textually the First Angel's Message is placed in the setting of this prophetic revelation to John, with the Second Angel proclaiming the fall of Babylon, of which the "false prophet" is one part. (Rev. 16:13, 19)
In recognizing this "beast" as a religious power we must also recognize two other factors of prophecy. 1) As noted above, the prophetic emphasis in Revelation 13 is on the activities of the "false prophet" after the "deadly wound was healed." This extends the time element for the main thrust of "apostate" Protestantism well over 100 years from the above date (1844) set for its inception.
2) This religious force causes the "image" to be formed. (13:14) The "image" to the first beast would be religio-political even as the Papacy was and is. It must also be understood, that this "religious" power says to those "that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast." This clearly indicates that the political power through which the "image" will be formed is democratic, the electorate is asked to grant the authority. But the "life" of this image is given to it by the "false prophet." (13:15)
Penalties for failure to come into line are twofold:
1) The "false prophet" initiates economic sanctions (13:16-17).
2) The created "image" of the union of church and state - issues the death decree (13:15).
The final verse of Revelation 13 - verse 18 - demands careful exegesis. It can be noted as both a literal fact, and it can convey spiritual import.
Rev 13:8 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.
Use of this verse has been made by Adventist evangelists by identifying the Pope with title - VICARIVS FILI DEI - which in the Latin equals - 666. A publication recently came to this desk which claimed that this title "has long been a forgery of Adventist publishing and is thoroughly fraudulent." Documentation was given for this charge from a work by Gilbert M. Valentine, The Shaping of Adventism, published by Andrews University. Evidently someone has not done their homework, and this would include George R. Knight, who chaired Valentine's original research. It is the Catholic Church itself which admits that "the title of the Pope of Rome is Vicarious Fili Dei. This is inscribed on his mitre; and if you take the letters of his title which represent Latin numerals (printed large) and add them together they come to 666."
A spiritual truth is also hidden in this number and "wisdom." The Greek text reads - "For a number of man, it is" - no article, and the word for man is anthropos. Six is one shy of seven, which is a Biblical perfect number, but it is a combination of three sixes, three being another perfect number. Thus the number 666 could be interpreted as perfected imperfection. This even carries overtones of "six days shalt thou labor and do all thy work." Man in the worship of the works of his hands - Cain worship - and self glorification, cannot "Fear God and give glory to Him ... and worship Him who made ..." providing for man, the seventh day of rest, which is the essence of the First Angel's Message. (14:6-7) The Third Angel's Message also addresses this issue. "If any man worship the beast," but the "beast" is man in the height of his imperfection and rebellion against God.
This full picture justifies Thayer's definition of "the Wicked" one, "the man of sin," as "he in whom all iniquity has as it were fixed its abode" (II Thess. 2:8.) (See Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, p. 48, art. anomos) This is the one which the "false prophet" leads those who dwell on the earth to worship.
In contrast to this, comes the next vision given to John.
*******
If you read all the above then you know that this study is quite intense. There is SO incredibly much food for thought. We like things simple though. We don't want to be confused, we don't want to have to dig deep, we don't want to have to PRAY for understanding because we want to understand instantly. And, we want someone to tell us what all this means, we want someone to spell it out for us rather than encounter someone who raises more questions and says things like- 'It is evident that much more study and prayer needs to be given to Revelation before hard and fast interpretations are formulated.'
We don't like this sort of studying that leaves things unknown because we expect full comprehension. A few moments ago when I wrote- 'we don't want to have to PRAY for understanding because we want to understand instantly', it's TRUE! We don't believe that prayer will change the way we read a verse. If we cannot understand it the first time what makes us think we'll suddenly understand it later on? The verse won't change. The same words will be there when we pick up our Bibles, or click on that verse again. Yet PRAYER is essential! SUPER ESSENTIAL! We are told by our Savior to 'pray and watch'. We have to remember that Daniel prayed long and hard for understanding, remember this…
Dan 10:12 Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words.
Dan 10:13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia.
Daniel prayed for 21 days!
This is God's prophet praying for understanding! And we think we shouldn't have to spend hours, days, weeks, months in prayer for understanding?! We want instant gratification and that's a curse of our generations of late. Our lukewarmness rears it's ugly head because we'd rather just accept we can't fully understand than truly pray, pray, pray. We'd rather give up and settle for the understanding we can glean, or that has been gleaned for us, than search God's word as we are told-
Joh 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
Maybe reading this study isn't something we should do just once, but over and over so that we learn, really learn. Maybe we need to pray, pray, pray so that we can get understanding and search for this understanding, hope for the understanding, the enlightenment we need from the Holy Spirit.
May God help us!
May God bless us!
May our eyes be opened fully so that we can understand as He would have us understand.
All through the love of our SAVIOR!
Amen.
In the Thirteeenth Chapter, two "beasts" are seen, one rising "up out of the sea," and the other "coming up out of the earth." (vs. 1, 11)
Rev 13:1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the SEA, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
Rev 13:11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the EARTH; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.
These two beasts are related in the text to the dragon.
One receives "his power, and his seat, and great authority" directly from the dragon (v. 2).
Rev 13:2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the DRAGON GAVE HIM HIS POWER, and his seat, and great authority.
The other, "spake as a dragon" and exercised "all the authority of the first beast," which authority had been given it by the dragon. (vs. 11-12).
Rev 13:11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he SPAKE AS A DRAGON.
Rev 13:12 And he EXERCISETH ALL THE POWER OF THE FIRST BEAST before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
The commonality between the first beast and the dragon is further heightened in the imagery. Both have seven heads and ten horns (12:3; 13:1) However, there is a movement of one item in the symbols; the crowns are placed on the "horns" of the first beast, rather than remaining on the "heads." It must also be kept in mind that the book of Revelation presents a third beast with seven heads and ten horns. (17:3) No crowns are seen on this symbolism either on the "heads" or the "horns."
What is this telling us? If a "crown" is symbolic of reigning, then the "dragon" is portrayed as functioning through its seven heads from the time of the first gospel promise to the time of, and including the war with the "remnant of her seed."
The first beast of Revelation 13, would then be operating at the time of the reigning of "the ten horns."
To further identify this beast, the description is closely associated with the vision given to Daniel (Chap. 7). The lion, the bear, and the leopard are followed by a nondescript beast. In Revelation 13, the nondescript beast is a composite, "like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion" (v. 2). This is the exact order as found in Daniel 7, only REVERSED. In the vision to Daniel, he saw that the dominion of the three beasts was "taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time." (7:12).
The symbolic representation in Revelation 13, tells us that the lives of the three beasts of Daniel 7 lived on in the first beast.
We must next turn our attention to the seven heads. What do they represent?
The span of Revelation 12 covers the time from the first gospel promise made in Eden till the war against the "remnant of her seed."
Genesis gives the beginning of the first nation or peoples through whom this promised "seed" would be realized. (Gen. 12:3; 21:12)
They were to go into bondage. (Gen. 15:13-15)
This defiant power - Egypt - was the first power to seek to "devour" the people of God. Pharaoh was the "son of Ra," one of the sun gods of Egypt. The symbolisms of Egypt used to represent their sun gods, as noted in the previous study of Revelation 12, was the "serpent of fire" around a sun disc.
From the first attempt to destroy the people of God through whom the Promised Seed would come, there were five powers to John's day - Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, and Grecia.
The power of John's day was Rome, another was yet to come. (Rev. 17:10) At this point, we need to determine how we are to understand prophecy. Do we place the count, "five are fallen, one is, and the other is not yet come," as beginning in our day, or do we understand it to be in the time frame of John to whom the statement was made?
There is another problem however, the seventh head was "to continue a short space." If the sixth head is pagan Rome, and the seventh, papal Rome, we have the seventh head continuing for a longer period than any of the previous six heads which the wording of the definitive statement will not permit.
The book of Daniel in the visions as recorded in Chapters 7 & 8, present both pagan and papal Rome as one continuous power.
The "little horn" of Daniel 7, ever remains in and is nourished by the nondescript beast (7:8).
Further this beast is pictured as continuing "till ... slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame." (7:11)
The problem then is to interrelate all of this data to the first beast of Revelation 13, for it is this beast along with the second which are consigned to "the burning flame" (Rev. 19:20).
There is another textual relating between symbols which must be considered.
The first beast of Revelation 13 is "to act, or work" (Gr.- poiesai) his will "forty and two months." (13:5) The only other place where this same time period of prophecy is indicated is Chapter 11:2. There the "holy city" is to be "tread under foot forty and two months."
The next verse (11:3) speaks of the "two witnesses" prophesying in sackcloth 1260 days.
As noted in exegeting Chapter 12, this time period is identical in terminology with the time period that the woman was to be in the wilderness.
It can be shown that all of these time periods - Daniel 7:25, Revelation 11:2, 3; 12:6, 14; and 13:5 - are equal and apply to the same period.
Why then this differentiation?
Is it for interpretive purposes so that we can put together the various symbolisms?
Is it saying that the first beast of Revelation 13 is the power involved with the work described in Rev. 11:2; and the woman of Revelation 12 has a connection with "the two witnesses"?
If this be so, then there is some "knittng" back and forth between the last section of Revelation and Chapter 11, which must be considered.
Before pursuing further the "beasts" of Revelation 13, let us ask ourselves, what is Rev. 11:2 saying?
The verse is couched in symbolism.
The "court" of the temple was the place of the Altar of Burnt Offering. Here the sacrifices which were symbolic of the one great Sacrifice for sin, were offered. That Sacrifice was offered on earth. The ministry of the sanctuary typified a Heavenly ministration. How do we understand then, the symbolism of "the holy city"? It cannot be the Holy City which comes down at the close of the Millennium, for the "holy city" noted in Rev. 11:2 is already on earth. However, in the chapters which follow, the Harlot is described not only as a woman, but also a city. (Rev. 17:18)
Is the symbol of the "holy city" in Rev. 11:2 then to be equated with the "woman" of Rev. 12?
All of this places the time frame for the first beast of Revelation as the instrument through which the dragon sought to destroy the woman who fled into the wilderness.
The section of the prophecy of Revelation 13 which describes the first beast, can be divided in two parts: 1) A symbolic description of the beast itself and a brief overview of its history (vs. 1-4); and
2) What it was to do in the time period allotted (vs. 5-7).
A question arises at this point, do we consider the verses as consecutive, thus placing the 42 months after the healing of the "deadly wound," or is one section a prophetic amplification of the other?
What is interesting is the parallel between the 42 months, if understood literally, and the 3 1/2 days of Rev. 11:9, if considered prophetically.
Both would equal exactly 3 1/2 years.
However, the connection between the "first beast" and Revelation 11 is with "the holy city," while "the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit" is connected with the 3 1/2 days (11:7-9; See also 17:8).
Rev 11:7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.
Rev 11:8 And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.
Rev 11:9 And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.
Rev 17:8 The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
It is evident that much more study and prayer needs to be given to Revelation before hard and fast interpretations are formulated.
As the description and comment on the first beast is concluded, there is found a clause that will be repeated several times in the ensuing revelation - them "that dwell on the earth." (13:8, 12, 14-2x; 14:6; 17:2)
Since the warning in Chapter 12, was to the "inhabiters" (v. 12) of the earth, and since the second beast comes "up out of the earth" (13:11), is this phraseology to be restricted to the area prophetically designated the earth? Or is to be given the concept which we give to earth - the whole planet? The answer to this question will even effect the understanding of Revelation 14:6.
Should the text read as in the KJV - "unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people." Or, should the conjunctive, kai, be given its alternate meaning with the text reading, "unto them that dwell on the earth, also to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people." In other words, was "the everlasting gospel" to be first proclaimed to the dwellers of the prophetic "earth" and then to every nation worldwide. This is historically what happened. Does this fact, therefore, help us to read aright as prophetic language - "them that dwell on the earth."
In the Greek New Testament text of the United Bible Societies different Greek words are used in the various verses in Revelation 12, 13, 14, and 17 for the word, "dwell" in the clause, "that dwell on the earth." Only in Chapter 13, is the Greek word the same for "dwell" in verses 8 and 14. However, in the Received Text (Textus Receptus), the same word for "dwell" (katoikeo) is used consistently in Rev. 12:12; 13:8, 14; 14:6; and 17:2. If this is then to be interpreted prophetically, it adds a different dimension to the understanding of where the final events will be focused. Those "that dwell on the earth" will "worship him (the beast)" (13:8). They will be deceived into making an image to the beast (13:14). They will become intoxicated with the wine of the harlot (17:2).
It would also appear when the "whole" earth is meant rather than its use as a prophetic symbol, the word, "dwell" is not used, but rather holos, meaning entire, is associated with the word, "earth." See 13:3.
Rev 13:3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.
In the connecting verses between the two "beasts" of Revelation 13, there is both warning and admonition. "All that dwell on the earth shall worship the first beast" with but one exception, those whose names are "written in the book of life of the Lamb" do not do so (13:8).
Recognizing that the first beast represents the Papacy, then one criterion which determines where our names are placed is our attitude toward Roman Catholicism.
This includes much more than mere Sunday observance. The doctrine of the Trinity - basic in Romanism, the Eucharist, and other issues enter the picture. Little wonder then that the admonition follows - "If any man have an ear, let him hear." (13:9)
In Rev. 13:10 an unique comment is made - "Here is the patience and faith of the saints." It is found again in Revelation 14:12, and only in these two texts in Revelation.
Do these serve as "brackets" for the revelation that is given between? If so, then this call to observe the steadfastness of "the saints" is associated with the activities of the second beast of chapter 13 and the giving of the Three Angels' Messages.
The second beast came "up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon." (13:11)
Two things of importance need to be noted. The prophetic symbolism does not connect this beast with the other beasts - there is no common denominator, the multiple heads or horns which mark the other beast symbols are missing.
Only two horns are noted. No prophetic, or literal time factors are associated with this second beast. He doesn't speak as "the dragon," but simply "as a dragon."
"His two horns are like the horns of a lamb." The symbolism combines the two representations which in Chapter 12 are pictured as in deadly conflict, the dragon and the Lamb.
This beast "exerciseth all the power (authority - exousia) of the first beast." Is this saying that its authority is derived from the same source as the first beast, or is it stating that its controlling influence is as extensive as was that of the first beast, or both? The evident time of prophetic emphasis for the second beast is after the deadly wound of the first beast "was healed." (v. 12) Is it then, that we are to consider the exercise of, and source for its authority? If so, the activities of this beast, as described in Chapter 13, would not find fulfillment until after 1929, when the deadly wound began to be healed. But when was it "healed"?
One of the wonders which this beast performs is to make "fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men." (v. 13) This beast is defined as "the false prophet." (19:20) The allusion to fire coming down from heaven, being done by a prophet, calls to mind, Elijah who is to come before "the great and dreadful day of the Lord." (Mal. 4:5) This is telling us two things:
1) In the final confrontation, there will be a reversal of evidence. The false and deceptive will produce what will appear to be genuine evidence of Divine manifestation. And
2) This second beast is a religious power seeking to fulfill the role of Elijah.
In determining the identify of this "beast power," we have given it two identifications, the United States and Apostate Protestantism.
In the transitional verses from the first beast to the second, is found the dictum - "He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity."
This is interpreted as having been fulfilled in taking the Pope captive, and by declaring the government of the Papacy at an end in 1798, thus concluding the 1260 prophetic days. It was at this time, as the Papacy ceased its domination over "the kings of the earth," that the United States came into existence as a nation - "coming up out of the earth."
However, to so interpret, excludes the identification as Protestantism, because Protestantism arose in the area prophetically identified as "the sea," and over two hundreds years before the downfall of the Pope. We can respond that it is Apostate Protestantism that is being identified since the symbol is termed, "the false prophet." If this be so, then one must ask, "When did Protestantism become apostate?" To this, we have responded that this state resulted from the rejection of the First Angel's Message. And textually the First Angel's Message is placed in the setting of this prophetic revelation to John, with the Second Angel proclaiming the fall of Babylon, of which the "false prophet" is one part. (Rev. 16:13, 19)
In recognizing this "beast" as a religious power we must also recognize two other factors of prophecy. 1) As noted above, the prophetic emphasis in Revelation 13 is on the activities of the "false prophet" after the "deadly wound was healed." This extends the time element for the main thrust of "apostate" Protestantism well over 100 years from the above date (1844) set for its inception.
2) This religious force causes the "image" to be formed. (13:14) The "image" to the first beast would be religio-political even as the Papacy was and is. It must also be understood, that this "religious" power says to those "that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast." This clearly indicates that the political power through which the "image" will be formed is democratic, the electorate is asked to grant the authority. But the "life" of this image is given to it by the "false prophet." (13:15)
Penalties for failure to come into line are twofold:
1) The "false prophet" initiates economic sanctions (13:16-17).
2) The created "image" of the union of church and state - issues the death decree (13:15).
The final verse of Revelation 13 - verse 18 - demands careful exegesis. It can be noted as both a literal fact, and it can convey spiritual import.
Rev 13:8 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.
Use of this verse has been made by Adventist evangelists by identifying the Pope with title - VICARIVS FILI DEI - which in the Latin equals - 666. A publication recently came to this desk which claimed that this title "has long been a forgery of Adventist publishing and is thoroughly fraudulent." Documentation was given for this charge from a work by Gilbert M. Valentine, The Shaping of Adventism, published by Andrews University. Evidently someone has not done their homework, and this would include George R. Knight, who chaired Valentine's original research. It is the Catholic Church itself which admits that "the title of the Pope of Rome is Vicarious Fili Dei. This is inscribed on his mitre; and if you take the letters of his title which represent Latin numerals (printed large) and add them together they come to 666."
A spiritual truth is also hidden in this number and "wisdom." The Greek text reads - "For a number of man, it is" - no article, and the word for man is anthropos. Six is one shy of seven, which is a Biblical perfect number, but it is a combination of three sixes, three being another perfect number. Thus the number 666 could be interpreted as perfected imperfection. This even carries overtones of "six days shalt thou labor and do all thy work." Man in the worship of the works of his hands - Cain worship - and self glorification, cannot "Fear God and give glory to Him ... and worship Him who made ..." providing for man, the seventh day of rest, which is the essence of the First Angel's Message. (14:6-7) The Third Angel's Message also addresses this issue. "If any man worship the beast," but the "beast" is man in the height of his imperfection and rebellion against God.
This full picture justifies Thayer's definition of "the Wicked" one, "the man of sin," as "he in whom all iniquity has as it were fixed its abode" (II Thess. 2:8.) (See Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, p. 48, art. anomos) This is the one which the "false prophet" leads those who dwell on the earth to worship.
In contrast to this, comes the next vision given to John.
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If you read all the above then you know that this study is quite intense. There is SO incredibly much food for thought. We like things simple though. We don't want to be confused, we don't want to have to dig deep, we don't want to have to PRAY for understanding because we want to understand instantly. And, we want someone to tell us what all this means, we want someone to spell it out for us rather than encounter someone who raises more questions and says things like- 'It is evident that much more study and prayer needs to be given to Revelation before hard and fast interpretations are formulated.'
We don't like this sort of studying that leaves things unknown because we expect full comprehension. A few moments ago when I wrote- 'we don't want to have to PRAY for understanding because we want to understand instantly', it's TRUE! We don't believe that prayer will change the way we read a verse. If we cannot understand it the first time what makes us think we'll suddenly understand it later on? The verse won't change. The same words will be there when we pick up our Bibles, or click on that verse again. Yet PRAYER is essential! SUPER ESSENTIAL! We are told by our Savior to 'pray and watch'. We have to remember that Daniel prayed long and hard for understanding, remember this…
Dan 10:12 Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words.
Dan 10:13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia.
Daniel prayed for 21 days!
This is God's prophet praying for understanding! And we think we shouldn't have to spend hours, days, weeks, months in prayer for understanding?! We want instant gratification and that's a curse of our generations of late. Our lukewarmness rears it's ugly head because we'd rather just accept we can't fully understand than truly pray, pray, pray. We'd rather give up and settle for the understanding we can glean, or that has been gleaned for us, than search God's word as we are told-
Joh 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
Maybe reading this study isn't something we should do just once, but over and over so that we learn, really learn. Maybe we need to pray, pray, pray so that we can get understanding and search for this understanding, hope for the understanding, the enlightenment we need from the Holy Spirit.
May God help us!
May God bless us!
May our eyes be opened fully so that we can understand as He would have us understand.
All through the love of our SAVIOR!
Amen.
Prophecy - 94
Rev 12:1 And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:
Rev 12:2 And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.
Rev 12:3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.
Rev 12:4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.
Rev 12:5 And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.
Rev 12:6 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.
Rev 12:7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,
Rev 12:8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
Rev 12:9 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.
Rev 12:10 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.
Rev 12:11 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.
Rev 12:12 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.
Rev 12:13 And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.
Rev 12:14 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.
Rev 12:15 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.
Rev 12:16 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.
Rev 12:17 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.
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I find the following study fascinating and hope you will as well--
1995 May-- XXVIII -- 5(95) -- EXEGESIS (Critical explanation of analysis) OF REVELATION --THE WOMAN, THE DRAGON, THE MAN-CHILD AND THE REMNANT OF HER SEED -- Part 1
Revelation 12 --
This chapter focuses on TWO visions - TWO "wonders," significant apparitions - seen by John.
One is a woman with child (v. 1-2)
Rev 12:1 And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a WOMAN clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:
Rev 12:2 And she BEING WITH CHILD cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.
...and the second is "a great red dragon" (v. 3)
Rev 12:3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a GREAT RED DRAGON, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.
The interrelationship between these two symbols is continued to the time of "the war with the remnant of her seed." (v. 17)
Rev 12:17 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.
~
The "fiery red (Gr. purros) dragon" is defined "as that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan." (v. 9)
Rev 12:9 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.
The "CHILD" is called "a MAN CHILD, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron." (v. 5)
Rev 12:5 And she brought forth a MAN CHILD, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.
He is also "the SEED" of the woman, since the "REMNANT" are referred to as a "SEED." The woman is not defined, but the very elements of the two visions a SERPENT, a SEED, and a WOMAN - bring to mind the first gospel promise in Genesis 3:15, where the seed of the woman would bruise the serpent's head.
Gen 3:14 And the LORD God said unto the SERPENT, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:
Gen 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the WOMAN, and between thy SEED and her SEED; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
The role of the "MAN CHILD" is described further as "MICHAEL" (v. 7)...
Rev 12:7 And there was war in heaven: MICHAEL and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,
...the "Christ" or Messiah (v. 10)…
Rev 12:10 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.
... and the "Lamb" (v. 11).
Rev 12:11 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.
Verse 7 brings us to our first judgment call.
Rev 12:7 And there was war in heaven: MICHAEL and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels
Are we going to read into this verse, our perceptions, or are we going to let the text speak for itself?
"There was war in heaven."
Is the word, "heaven," to be understood the same as the word is used in verses 1 and 3?
Or are we to interpret it as meaning, the dwelling place of God?
If the latter, our traditional perceptions place this war prior to the creation of man.
The text indicates that as a result of this "WAR," Satan "WAS CAST OUT UNTO THE EARTH."
This then would mean that this "EARTH" existed some time before the creation of man, and further that God created man and placed him where Satan was confined???
If on the other hand, we read this word "heaven" as it is used of the other two visions" - the stage where the symbolic drama was being enacted - the "war in heaven" then becomes the battle of the Man-Child, the incarnate Michael with the dragon, and the resultant victory of the Cross, where the blood of the Lamb was spilt. This would harmonize with the next pronouncement John hears from the heavens - "Now is come salvation." (v. 10).
Rev 12:10 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.
Following through on the fact that the Devil "was cast out into the earth" (v. 9), "is cast down" (v. 10), the action of the prophecy turns to activity on the earth and the sea.
John hears a command - "Rejoice, ye heavens (plural), 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." (v. 12)
The use of the plural for "heavens," and the reference to the "inhabitants that dwell in them," removes the use of the term as the place of the vision, to the reality where God dwells.
But why the use of terms "earth" and "sea" to refer to the inhabitants upon whom Satan manifests his wrath? He was merely "cast out into the earth."
We must leave this an open question in the light of what follows - the two "beasts" of Chapter 13, one of which would "rise out of the sea" (v. 1),...
Rev 13:1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
... and the second which would come "up out of the earth"
Rev 13:11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.
The first activity of the devil, after his defeat, was to manifest his wrath against the woman "which brought forth the man child." (12:13)
The "woman" flees into the "wilderness."
Rev 12:14 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.
(We meet this term again in Chapter 17, where another "woman" is pictured as being in a "wilderness" See 17:3.)
Rev 17:3 So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
The woman of Revelation 12 is in the wilderness for a given period -"A thousand two hundred and threescore days" ...
Rev 12:6 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.
...and "for a time, and times, and half a time" (v. 14).
Rev 12:14 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.
Why two different time descriptions for the same period?
First, the designation of verse 14 is the same as Daniel 7:25...
Dan 7:25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time
...thus linking the prophecies of the two books.
The language of verse 6, - 1260 days - is also the time that "the two witnesses" prophesy "clothed in sackcloth." (Rev. 11:3)
Rev 11:3 And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.
This links the "two witnesses" closely with the "woman."
The emphasis on the woman in the wilderness is that there she will be fed, and "nourished."
Is she nourished by "the two witnesses"?
The text says - "They should feed her." (12:6)
Rev 12:6 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.
The only antecedent to "they" connected with the same prophetic time element are "the two witnesses."
In contrast to the nourishment received, the "wrath" of the devil is symbolized as casting "out of his mouth water" ...
Rev 12:15 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.
...in such quantity so as to become a flood to overwhelm the woman.
We have read into this term, "water," persecution.
Are we justified?
John in his gospel defines "water" differently.
He quotes Jesus as saying - "He that believeth on me, as the scripture has said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water."
Then John explains what this means - "This spake He of the Spirit which they that believe on Him should receive." (John 7:38-39)
If this concept is applied to "water" in Revelation 12, does it therefore represent the "doctrines of devils" which sought to overwhelm the true church of God, and which flowed as a "flood" during the 1260 day period? (See I Tim. 4:1)
1Ti 4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils
Are we thus told that the only source of true nourishment is through the Two Witnesses?
Then we face another judgment call.
The 16th verse states that "the earth (not the sea) helped the woman" opening its mouth to swallow the flood so that she might be preserved.
Rev 12:16 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.
Is this "earth" to mean the place from whence the second beast of Revelation 13 arises?
To accept the term, "earth," in a prophetic sense, and to apply it to the data that follows Revelation 12 leads to some interesting observations.
The second beast of Rev. 13 speaks "to them that dwell on the earth"
Rev 13:14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
The First Angel's Message heralds the everlasting gospel first "unto them that dwell on the earth," and then "to every nation, and kindred, and tongue and people." (14:6)
Rev 14:6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,
Is the objective of the "everlasting gospel" to unmask the enemy, and preserve the purity of the woman?
There is a final confrontation. It reads: "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." (12:17)
Each of these clauses are pregnant with concept.
1) The "wrath" of the enemy continues against the "woman."
2) A new symbol is introduced, "the remnant of [the woman's] seed." And
3) This remnant "keeps" (not professes to, nor tries to keep) the commandments of God, and they "have" the testimony of Jesus Christ.
In this chapter, the word, "war" (polemos) is used twice, both times in connection with "the seed of the woman" - the Original Seed, and now the "remnant." (vs. 7, 17)
Rev 12:17 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.
The "war" concept is carried through this final section:
a) The first beast of Revelation 13 makes "war with the saints." (v. 7)
Rev 13:7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
b) "The spirits of devils ... go forth unto the kings of the earth, and of the whole world to gather them to the war (polemos) of that great day of God Almighty."
Rev 16:14 For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.
c) "These shall make war with the Lamb." [The verb form of "war" is used] (17:14) Those with the Lamb are "called, and chosen, and faithful."
Rev 17:14 These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.
This presents another question to be pursued in the study of the book of Revelation as introduced by verse 17.
"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." (12:17)
What is the relationship between the Seed of the Promise, (The "Man-Child," "Michael," "His Christ," and "the Lamb") and the "remnant seed"?
Here is the data:
1) The victors of the last of the seven churches - Laodicea - sit with "the faithful and true Witness (martus)" on His throne. These overcome as He also overcame. (3:21)
Rev 3:21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
2) The 144,000 "follow the Lamb withersoever He goeth." (14:4)
Rev 14:4 These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.
These "have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." (7:14)
Rev 7:14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
3) The marriage of the Lamb "is come" because "His wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints." (19:7-8)
Rev 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.
Rev 19:8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
The "remnant of [the woman's] seed " have the testimony of Jesus."
"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." (12:17)
The text does not say, "the woman has the testimony of Jesus,"… NO
...only "the remnant."
This phrase is used in several different places in the book of Revelation.
The word translated, "testimony" is marturia.
In John's writings - his Gospel, Epistles, and the Revelation - he uses the word 30x, and it is translated, "record" and "witness" as well as "testimony."
John also uses the verb form, martureo, 47x, and the word, martus, from which we derive our English word, "martyr," 5x.
How then are we to understand, the phrase, "testimony of Jesus" in Rev. 12:17.
By exisegetical interpretation, we have read this to mean, "the Spirit of Prophecy" by making a comparison with Revelation 19:10.
How is this phrase used in Revelation, apart from 12:17?
Note the following verses:
"John, who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw." (1:2)
"John ... was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ." (1:9)
"I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." (19:10)
"I beheld the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness (marturia) of Jesus, and for the word of God." (20:4)
What deductions can be drawn?
1) The "word of God" and "the testimony of Jesus" are associated together.
2) Gabriel, "His angel" (1:1), has this testimony, as well as the (apostolic?) "brethren" of John.
3) The "remnant of her seed" also have it.
Is this to be understood singularly, one person, or collectively, the group?
There is an overall picture conveyed by Revelation 12.
In each period, whether in regard to "the Man-Child", or the period of the woman in the wilderness, or in the war against the "remnant," it is the "dragon" operating.
This dragon or serpent is specifically called "the Devil, and Satan."
In the following chapters, other symbols are used designating powers under the control and authority of the dragon doing the work which the 12th Chapter attributes to the dragon.
This chapter is the outline which the following chapters detail and enlarge.
A closer look at some of the symbolisms provides meaningful insights into a correct interpretation of past history.
The dragon or serpent is described as a "fiery serpent" (drakon purros), better translated as "serpent of fire." Hislop in his Two Babylons notes, that "along with the sun, as the great fire-god, and in due time,
identified with him, was the serpent worshipped. 'In the mythology of the primitive world,' says Owen, 'the serpent is universally the symbol of the sun.' In Egypt, one of the commonest symbols of the sun, or sun-god, is a disc with a serpent around it." A pictorial drawing from a Phoenician coin is used to illustrate the fact. (p. 227)
[For further study on this association between the serpent, the sun-god, and Sunday observance, see Robert Leo Odom, Sunday in Roman Paganism, Takoma Park: Review & Herald Pub. Assoc., 1944]
(Also look up this- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snakes_in_mythology)
*
Consideration needs to be given to the designation of Jesus in the incarnation as the "Man-Child" (huios, arsen).
This reads literally "a son, a male."
In the Greek, there are two words used to designate man - anthropos, a human being - from which we derive the English word, anthropology, the study of man.
The second is - aner, a male person of full age in contrast to a child, or a husband.
Then there is this adjective - arsen - which emphasizes the male sex.
Jesus did not come into humanity as a eunuch, bereft of the forces which drive men, but was in all points tempted even as we, yet He sinned not.
His victory over the Devil and Satan is hailed by a loud voice proclaiming - "Now is come salvation and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ (Messiah)."
Rev 12:10 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.
The word, "power" is exousia, authority. With the victory of Jesus, the dominion lost by Adam is returned to the new head of humanity, the Second Adam.
No longer could the Devil accuse mankind before the Throne of God, for "caught up unto God, and to His throne" (v. 5), ...
Rev 12:5 And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.
...was One who was to ever live to make intercession for us. (Heb. 7:25)
Heb 7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
After noting the salvation and strength provided in the redemption accomplished by Michael in His warfare with the dragon, a three-fold agenda is given for victory over the dragon by each child of humanity. (v. 11)
Rev 12:11 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.
1) "They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb." The only provision for our sins, is the sacrifice of Calvary. The wages of sin is death, but on the Cross, Jesus Christ tasted death for every one who would believe on Him. (Heb. 2:9) Through this sacrifice has been opened to us "a new and living way" into the holiest to the very "throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." (Heb. 10:19; 4:16)
2) "And by the word of their testimony." This reads in the Greek - dia ton logon tes marturias auton - "on account of the word of the witness of them." While we cannot contribute to the salvation and strength provided in "the blood of the Lamb," we can bear witness in our lives to the power of the Word, and testify with our mouths to the Truth revealed by that Word when made flesh, "full of grace and truth." (John 1:14) These are the only "works" for which reward will be given. We need to pray with Paul - "that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel," that "I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak." (Eph. 6:19-20)
3) "They loved not their lives unto death." There is a price to pay for speaking forthrightly the truth. He who was "the Truth" (John 14:6) paid that price, and He said to all who would follow Him - "As my Father hath sent Me, even so send I you." (John 20:21) It is at this point, that for too many, the victory is lost. We are not willing to accept the cost imposed by truth. It may not be a physical death that we will be asked to endure. Once inflicted it is over; but professional assassination brings with it a death in life, and when confronted with this prospect men buckle. The agony of Calvary, in which Christ experienced the "second death," will never be known by the redeemed, but the death in life experienced by the Son of man when "He came unto His own, and His own received Him not" (John 1:11), will be the experience of those who follow the Lamb withersoever He goeth.
*******
We're going to stop here for now, by the grace of God may we find understanding, may we find enlightenment, may we find ALL that we need all by the grace of God!
The study of Revelation is so important and there is so much to learn from this book of prophecy, so much.
In Christ always!
Amen.
Rev 12:2 And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.
Rev 12:3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.
Rev 12:4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.
Rev 12:5 And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.
Rev 12:6 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.
Rev 12:7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,
Rev 12:8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
Rev 12:9 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.
Rev 12:10 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.
Rev 12:11 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.
Rev 12:12 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.
Rev 12:13 And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.
Rev 12:14 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.
Rev 12:15 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.
Rev 12:16 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.
Rev 12:17 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.
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I find the following study fascinating and hope you will as well--
1995 May-- XXVIII -- 5(95) -- EXEGESIS (Critical explanation of analysis) OF REVELATION --THE WOMAN, THE DRAGON, THE MAN-CHILD AND THE REMNANT OF HER SEED -- Part 1
Revelation 12 --
This chapter focuses on TWO visions - TWO "wonders," significant apparitions - seen by John.
One is a woman with child (v. 1-2)
Rev 12:1 And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a WOMAN clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:
Rev 12:2 And she BEING WITH CHILD cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.
...and the second is "a great red dragon" (v. 3)
Rev 12:3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a GREAT RED DRAGON, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.
The interrelationship between these two symbols is continued to the time of "the war with the remnant of her seed." (v. 17)
Rev 12:17 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.
~
The "fiery red (Gr. purros) dragon" is defined "as that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan." (v. 9)
Rev 12:9 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.
The "CHILD" is called "a MAN CHILD, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron." (v. 5)
Rev 12:5 And she brought forth a MAN CHILD, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.
He is also "the SEED" of the woman, since the "REMNANT" are referred to as a "SEED." The woman is not defined, but the very elements of the two visions a SERPENT, a SEED, and a WOMAN - bring to mind the first gospel promise in Genesis 3:15, where the seed of the woman would bruise the serpent's head.
Gen 3:14 And the LORD God said unto the SERPENT, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:
Gen 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the WOMAN, and between thy SEED and her SEED; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
The role of the "MAN CHILD" is described further as "MICHAEL" (v. 7)...
Rev 12:7 And there was war in heaven: MICHAEL and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,
...the "Christ" or Messiah (v. 10)…
Rev 12:10 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.
... and the "Lamb" (v. 11).
Rev 12:11 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.
Verse 7 brings us to our first judgment call.
Rev 12:7 And there was war in heaven: MICHAEL and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels
Are we going to read into this verse, our perceptions, or are we going to let the text speak for itself?
"There was war in heaven."
Is the word, "heaven," to be understood the same as the word is used in verses 1 and 3?
Or are we to interpret it as meaning, the dwelling place of God?
If the latter, our traditional perceptions place this war prior to the creation of man.
The text indicates that as a result of this "WAR," Satan "WAS CAST OUT UNTO THE EARTH."
This then would mean that this "EARTH" existed some time before the creation of man, and further that God created man and placed him where Satan was confined???
If on the other hand, we read this word "heaven" as it is used of the other two visions" - the stage where the symbolic drama was being enacted - the "war in heaven" then becomes the battle of the Man-Child, the incarnate Michael with the dragon, and the resultant victory of the Cross, where the blood of the Lamb was spilt. This would harmonize with the next pronouncement John hears from the heavens - "Now is come salvation." (v. 10).
Rev 12:10 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.
Following through on the fact that the Devil "was cast out into the earth" (v. 9), "is cast down" (v. 10), the action of the prophecy turns to activity on the earth and the sea.
John hears a command - "Rejoice, ye heavens (plural), 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." (v. 12)
The use of the plural for "heavens," and the reference to the "inhabitants that dwell in them," removes the use of the term as the place of the vision, to the reality where God dwells.
But why the use of terms "earth" and "sea" to refer to the inhabitants upon whom Satan manifests his wrath? He was merely "cast out into the earth."
We must leave this an open question in the light of what follows - the two "beasts" of Chapter 13, one of which would "rise out of the sea" (v. 1),...
Rev 13:1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
... and the second which would come "up out of the earth"
Rev 13:11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.
The first activity of the devil, after his defeat, was to manifest his wrath against the woman "which brought forth the man child." (12:13)
The "woman" flees into the "wilderness."
Rev 12:14 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.
(We meet this term again in Chapter 17, where another "woman" is pictured as being in a "wilderness" See 17:3.)
Rev 17:3 So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
The woman of Revelation 12 is in the wilderness for a given period -"A thousand two hundred and threescore days" ...
Rev 12:6 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.
...and "for a time, and times, and half a time" (v. 14).
Rev 12:14 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.
Why two different time descriptions for the same period?
First, the designation of verse 14 is the same as Daniel 7:25...
Dan 7:25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time
...thus linking the prophecies of the two books.
The language of verse 6, - 1260 days - is also the time that "the two witnesses" prophesy "clothed in sackcloth." (Rev. 11:3)
Rev 11:3 And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.
This links the "two witnesses" closely with the "woman."
The emphasis on the woman in the wilderness is that there she will be fed, and "nourished."
Is she nourished by "the two witnesses"?
The text says - "They should feed her." (12:6)
Rev 12:6 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.
The only antecedent to "they" connected with the same prophetic time element are "the two witnesses."
In contrast to the nourishment received, the "wrath" of the devil is symbolized as casting "out of his mouth water" ...
Rev 12:15 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.
...in such quantity so as to become a flood to overwhelm the woman.
We have read into this term, "water," persecution.
Are we justified?
John in his gospel defines "water" differently.
He quotes Jesus as saying - "He that believeth on me, as the scripture has said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water."
Then John explains what this means - "This spake He of the Spirit which they that believe on Him should receive." (John 7:38-39)
If this concept is applied to "water" in Revelation 12, does it therefore represent the "doctrines of devils" which sought to overwhelm the true church of God, and which flowed as a "flood" during the 1260 day period? (See I Tim. 4:1)
1Ti 4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils
Are we thus told that the only source of true nourishment is through the Two Witnesses?
Then we face another judgment call.
The 16th verse states that "the earth (not the sea) helped the woman" opening its mouth to swallow the flood so that she might be preserved.
Rev 12:16 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.
Is this "earth" to mean the place from whence the second beast of Revelation 13 arises?
To accept the term, "earth," in a prophetic sense, and to apply it to the data that follows Revelation 12 leads to some interesting observations.
The second beast of Rev. 13 speaks "to them that dwell on the earth"
Rev 13:14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
The First Angel's Message heralds the everlasting gospel first "unto them that dwell on the earth," and then "to every nation, and kindred, and tongue and people." (14:6)
Rev 14:6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,
Is the objective of the "everlasting gospel" to unmask the enemy, and preserve the purity of the woman?
There is a final confrontation. It reads: "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." (12:17)
Each of these clauses are pregnant with concept.
1) The "wrath" of the enemy continues against the "woman."
2) A new symbol is introduced, "the remnant of [the woman's] seed." And
3) This remnant "keeps" (not professes to, nor tries to keep) the commandments of God, and they "have" the testimony of Jesus Christ.
In this chapter, the word, "war" (polemos) is used twice, both times in connection with "the seed of the woman" - the Original Seed, and now the "remnant." (vs. 7, 17)
Rev 12:17 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.
The "war" concept is carried through this final section:
a) The first beast of Revelation 13 makes "war with the saints." (v. 7)
Rev 13:7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
b) "The spirits of devils ... go forth unto the kings of the earth, and of the whole world to gather them to the war (polemos) of that great day of God Almighty."
Rev 16:14 For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.
c) "These shall make war with the Lamb." [The verb form of "war" is used] (17:14) Those with the Lamb are "called, and chosen, and faithful."
Rev 17:14 These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.
This presents another question to be pursued in the study of the book of Revelation as introduced by verse 17.
"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." (12:17)
What is the relationship between the Seed of the Promise, (The "Man-Child," "Michael," "His Christ," and "the Lamb") and the "remnant seed"?
Here is the data:
1) The victors of the last of the seven churches - Laodicea - sit with "the faithful and true Witness (martus)" on His throne. These overcome as He also overcame. (3:21)
Rev 3:21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
2) The 144,000 "follow the Lamb withersoever He goeth." (14:4)
Rev 14:4 These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.
These "have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." (7:14)
Rev 7:14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
3) The marriage of the Lamb "is come" because "His wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints." (19:7-8)
Rev 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.
Rev 19:8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
The "remnant of [the woman's] seed " have the testimony of Jesus."
"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." (12:17)
The text does not say, "the woman has the testimony of Jesus,"… NO
...only "the remnant."
This phrase is used in several different places in the book of Revelation.
The word translated, "testimony" is marturia.
In John's writings - his Gospel, Epistles, and the Revelation - he uses the word 30x, and it is translated, "record" and "witness" as well as "testimony."
John also uses the verb form, martureo, 47x, and the word, martus, from which we derive our English word, "martyr," 5x.
How then are we to understand, the phrase, "testimony of Jesus" in Rev. 12:17.
By exisegetical interpretation, we have read this to mean, "the Spirit of Prophecy" by making a comparison with Revelation 19:10.
How is this phrase used in Revelation, apart from 12:17?
Note the following verses:
"John, who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw." (1:2)
"John ... was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ." (1:9)
"I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." (19:10)
"I beheld the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness (marturia) of Jesus, and for the word of God." (20:4)
What deductions can be drawn?
1) The "word of God" and "the testimony of Jesus" are associated together.
2) Gabriel, "His angel" (1:1), has this testimony, as well as the (apostolic?) "brethren" of John.
3) The "remnant of her seed" also have it.
Is this to be understood singularly, one person, or collectively, the group?
There is an overall picture conveyed by Revelation 12.
In each period, whether in regard to "the Man-Child", or the period of the woman in the wilderness, or in the war against the "remnant," it is the "dragon" operating.
This dragon or serpent is specifically called "the Devil, and Satan."
In the following chapters, other symbols are used designating powers under the control and authority of the dragon doing the work which the 12th Chapter attributes to the dragon.
This chapter is the outline which the following chapters detail and enlarge.
A closer look at some of the symbolisms provides meaningful insights into a correct interpretation of past history.
The dragon or serpent is described as a "fiery serpent" (drakon purros), better translated as "serpent of fire." Hislop in his Two Babylons notes, that "along with the sun, as the great fire-god, and in due time,
identified with him, was the serpent worshipped. 'In the mythology of the primitive world,' says Owen, 'the serpent is universally the symbol of the sun.' In Egypt, one of the commonest symbols of the sun, or sun-god, is a disc with a serpent around it." A pictorial drawing from a Phoenician coin is used to illustrate the fact. (p. 227)
[For further study on this association between the serpent, the sun-god, and Sunday observance, see Robert Leo Odom, Sunday in Roman Paganism, Takoma Park: Review & Herald Pub. Assoc., 1944]
(Also look up this- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snakes_in_mythology)
*
Consideration needs to be given to the designation of Jesus in the incarnation as the "Man-Child" (huios, arsen).
This reads literally "a son, a male."
In the Greek, there are two words used to designate man - anthropos, a human being - from which we derive the English word, anthropology, the study of man.
The second is - aner, a male person of full age in contrast to a child, or a husband.
Then there is this adjective - arsen - which emphasizes the male sex.
Jesus did not come into humanity as a eunuch, bereft of the forces which drive men, but was in all points tempted even as we, yet He sinned not.
His victory over the Devil and Satan is hailed by a loud voice proclaiming - "Now is come salvation and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ (Messiah)."
Rev 12:10 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.
The word, "power" is exousia, authority. With the victory of Jesus, the dominion lost by Adam is returned to the new head of humanity, the Second Adam.
No longer could the Devil accuse mankind before the Throne of God, for "caught up unto God, and to His throne" (v. 5), ...
Rev 12:5 And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.
...was One who was to ever live to make intercession for us. (Heb. 7:25)
Heb 7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
After noting the salvation and strength provided in the redemption accomplished by Michael in His warfare with the dragon, a three-fold agenda is given for victory over the dragon by each child of humanity. (v. 11)
Rev 12:11 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.
1) "They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb." The only provision for our sins, is the sacrifice of Calvary. The wages of sin is death, but on the Cross, Jesus Christ tasted death for every one who would believe on Him. (Heb. 2:9) Through this sacrifice has been opened to us "a new and living way" into the holiest to the very "throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." (Heb. 10:19; 4:16)
2) "And by the word of their testimony." This reads in the Greek - dia ton logon tes marturias auton - "on account of the word of the witness of them." While we cannot contribute to the salvation and strength provided in "the blood of the Lamb," we can bear witness in our lives to the power of the Word, and testify with our mouths to the Truth revealed by that Word when made flesh, "full of grace and truth." (John 1:14) These are the only "works" for which reward will be given. We need to pray with Paul - "that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel," that "I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak." (Eph. 6:19-20)
3) "They loved not their lives unto death." There is a price to pay for speaking forthrightly the truth. He who was "the Truth" (John 14:6) paid that price, and He said to all who would follow Him - "As my Father hath sent Me, even so send I you." (John 20:21) It is at this point, that for too many, the victory is lost. We are not willing to accept the cost imposed by truth. It may not be a physical death that we will be asked to endure. Once inflicted it is over; but professional assassination brings with it a death in life, and when confronted with this prospect men buckle. The agony of Calvary, in which Christ experienced the "second death," will never be known by the redeemed, but the death in life experienced by the Son of man when "He came unto His own, and His own received Him not" (John 1:11), will be the experience of those who follow the Lamb withersoever He goeth.
*******
We're going to stop here for now, by the grace of God may we find understanding, may we find enlightenment, may we find ALL that we need all by the grace of God!
The study of Revelation is so important and there is so much to learn from this book of prophecy, so much.
In Christ always!
Amen.
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Prophecy - 93 - Interlocking Concepts
Revelation 12 starts a whole new section in this book of the Bible. Here's a short excerpt from another study on Revelation that explains it a little more clearly-
'The book of Revelations divides itself into two sections. And due to the artificial chapter divisions that have been placed in the scriptures, 11 chapters are in each section. Now this seminar will be directed primarily to the last section- Rev. 12-22. Now how are we going to study?
We will find that Rev. 12 gives an outline into which all that follows through Rev. 19 is enlarged.
In other words you have in the twelfth chapter of Rev. an outline. And all that follows through the 19th chap. is an enlargement of that outline filling in the details.
Now as far as the first section of Rev. 12 is concerned the majority of that first section of the outline is in the twelfth chapter. But when you come down to the 17th verse it is that verse that is enlarged in the balance of the book through the 19th chapter.
Now in as much as there are interlocking concepts found in both sections, in other words there’s not a hard line or wall of separation between the two sections of Rev. There’s interlocking concepts, and so we will go back and pick up things in the first section as they amplify or need to be understood in relationship to the second section.
Also it’ll be of interest to recognize that a large part of the enlargement that follows Rev. 12 remains yet unfulfilled.' Revelation Seminar Transcript - Grotheer
We've already studied Revelation chapters 1-11 and now we begin chapter 12 and it's important to note that chapter 12 isn't merely picking up where 11 left off. Remember our study in the book of Daniel, how the same vision was a central theme running through the entire book only each time it seemed to be amplified? The idea of this sort of study, of this sort of prophecy isn't unheard of. If prophecy were meant to be simply read and not deeply studied, then God would have plainly laid everything out. God chose NOT to plainly lay everything out because it would have been entirely too much to even begin to comprehend especially back when the prophecies were first given. The sheer time span we're dealing with alone would have been overwhelming. Just imagine that we - today - are told plainly that we have one thousand two hundred and sixty years of oppression to get through- our first thought would be that Christ isn't coming in my time, or my grandchildren, or my, great, great, great grandchildren's time… approximately 63 generations (each generation beginning at age 20 and having offspring) would have to pass before that time was fulfilled. Is it any wonder the book of Daniel was shut up? Is it any wonder that the book of Revelation is told in cryptic prophecies to be unraveled as God permits? God only ever has had our best interests in mind. Those that would be His, He guides. So yes, we are left to feel as if we are floundering as we try to comprehend everything fully. People have come up with many different interpretations to the same thing and God even tells us that many deceptions fill His church.
Jud 1:3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
Jud 1:4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.
2Pe 2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
2Pe 2:2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
2Pe 2:3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.
1Jn 2:18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.
1Jn 2:19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
1Jn 4:3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
Deceivers. The world is filled with deceivers and the sad part is- many of the deceivers are deceived themselves and willingly so. No one is deceived by Satan without being given an opportunity to be fully Christ's. Eve in the garden blamed her sin on the serpent, did that absolve her? No. Did the fact she'd allowed herself to be deceived change anything? Did God say- no problem Eve, I know it's all the serpent's fault and you couldn't help yourself? No. God was angry with the serpent for bringing deception and temptation to Eve and Adam, but that did not excuse what Eve and Adam did. Today we won't be any more excused as we allow ourselves to be deceived by Satan. Deception comes in when we take that step to follow man's devices over God's chosen ways. When we allow ourselves to be soothed by man's explanations of God's word rather than studying for ourselves, rather than wresting scriptures ourselves, rather than earnestly praying for enlightenment from the Holy Spirit, we are opening ourselves to deception and Satan will creep in any tiny crack he can find to deceive us. Our only surety is Christ, clinging to our Savior, placing all our trust in Him and Him alone. No, the truth will NOT be popular. No, the truth will NOT be accepted by mainstream Christianity. No, the truth will NOT be pleasing to our ears. We want the truth to be all those things because then it makes life much more easy for us, but the truth is not meant to make our lives here on earth easier in the ways our selfish natures want. The truth is HOPE in a future with Christ and only there will life become easier- emotionally, mentally, physically, and of course spiritually. Way too many people are ready to blame God for so much. They ask God why He's allowing them to suffer, they're telling God they have all they can handle and can't handle anything more, they feel put upon, they feel abused as one thing after another disrupts their life, terrible things, trying things, things that threaten to ruin their earthly existence. We ARE not promised anything here on this earth, not one thing! We ARE promised eternity with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Jesus asked His Father to keep us from evil- not to take us out of this sinfilled, sad, dark, painful world. To keep us from evil that would keep us from Him, not keep us from trials and tribulations that would come our way- every trial and tribulation an opportunity to develop still a deeper trust, a deeper faith in God knowing that no matter how horrific the trial, the tribulation that it is always going to be TEMPORARY TO ETERNITY, even if it feels like the trial is lasting an eternity.
We want prophecy to be easily comprehended. We want things spelled out for us plainly. We don't want to hear things like- 'No, that's not what that means.' - especially when we've spent years believing that's the way it is. We hate to hear that we might have been wrong about something we've had our heart set on believing. The idea of waiting for certain signs, certain witnesses to come, certain happenstances to come to pass so that we can truly know the time is at hand- is something too many, incredibly way too many are caught up in. We have to watch the signs of the time and we need to pray, but if we're watching for the wrong signs will that do us any good at all? No. Why? Because if the true signs are passing us by while we are waiting for the wrong signs will we be ready? No. We are admonished to watch. We are admonished to be watchmen. We are told when 'all these things shall come to pass', we are given so much and yet, so many will be deceived. We can't be among them! When something we've believed in for years is challenged we HAVE to go back to our Bibles, we have to get on our knees in prayer and we have to establish our faith in what we believe all over again and we might have to do this several times. We cannot be afraid to study and study over and over again the same truths because those truths will stand up to ALL the studying if they are truth. If they fall to close examinations, to the intense studying then they weren't truth to begin with and we were deceived. No one likes to be deceived, no one likes getting caught being deceived. When we realized we've been deceived our first instinct might be to give up believing in anything at all. When the rock we thought we were standing on turns out to be hard-packed sand and it shifts out from under us, we sometimes just want to let ourselves keep falling down into that sand rather than reach for the true rock. We have to cling to our Savior and praise Him for unveiling the deception. We have to cling to the new truth revealed and keep on studying, keep on praying, keep on watching. If the NEW truth revealed turns out to be deception as well- then we need to cling to the newly revealed truth that dispelled the deception. How many times we might be asked to do this is uncertain, but the truth is we cannot afford to dig our heels into deception because it will cost us eternity with our Savior. We must forever keep in the back of our minds the fact that our Savior is going to tell a lot of people that He never knew them, and those people will be shocked because they believe they know Him, they are deceived.
Let's read this excerpt from a Revelation transcript again- and do so truly wanting to study, to understand, to comprehend. We might not have ever heard this stuff before- but that does NOT make it wrong and we are obligated to study for ourselves to know whether something is of God.
'The book of Revelations divides itself into two sections. And due to the artificial chapter divisions that have been placed in the scriptures, 11 chapters are in each section. Now this seminar will be directed primarily to the last section- Rev. 12-22. Now how are we going to study?
We will find that Rev. 12 gives an outline into which all that follows through Rev. 19 is enlarged.
In other words you have in the twelfth chapter of Rev. an outline. And all that follows through the 19th chap. is an enlargement of that outline filling in the details.
Now as far as the first section of Rev. 12 is concerned the majority of that first section of the outline is in the twelfth chapter. But when you come down to the 17th verse it is that verse that is enlarged in the balance of the book through the 19th chapter.
Now in as much as there are interlocking concepts found in both sections, in other words there’s not a hard line or wall of separation between the two sections of Rev. There’s interlocking concepts, and so we will go back and pick up things in the first section as they amplify or need to be understood in relationship to the second section.
Also it’ll be of interest to recognize that a large part of the enlargement that follows Rev. 12 remains yet unfulfilled.' Revelation Seminar Transcript - Grotheer
More tomorrow… by the grace and will of God.
All glory, honor, praise to our Savior and King!
In His amazing love!
Amen.
'The book of Revelations divides itself into two sections. And due to the artificial chapter divisions that have been placed in the scriptures, 11 chapters are in each section. Now this seminar will be directed primarily to the last section- Rev. 12-22. Now how are we going to study?
We will find that Rev. 12 gives an outline into which all that follows through Rev. 19 is enlarged.
In other words you have in the twelfth chapter of Rev. an outline. And all that follows through the 19th chap. is an enlargement of that outline filling in the details.
Now as far as the first section of Rev. 12 is concerned the majority of that first section of the outline is in the twelfth chapter. But when you come down to the 17th verse it is that verse that is enlarged in the balance of the book through the 19th chapter.
Now in as much as there are interlocking concepts found in both sections, in other words there’s not a hard line or wall of separation between the two sections of Rev. There’s interlocking concepts, and so we will go back and pick up things in the first section as they amplify or need to be understood in relationship to the second section.
Also it’ll be of interest to recognize that a large part of the enlargement that follows Rev. 12 remains yet unfulfilled.' Revelation Seminar Transcript - Grotheer
We've already studied Revelation chapters 1-11 and now we begin chapter 12 and it's important to note that chapter 12 isn't merely picking up where 11 left off. Remember our study in the book of Daniel, how the same vision was a central theme running through the entire book only each time it seemed to be amplified? The idea of this sort of study, of this sort of prophecy isn't unheard of. If prophecy were meant to be simply read and not deeply studied, then God would have plainly laid everything out. God chose NOT to plainly lay everything out because it would have been entirely too much to even begin to comprehend especially back when the prophecies were first given. The sheer time span we're dealing with alone would have been overwhelming. Just imagine that we - today - are told plainly that we have one thousand two hundred and sixty years of oppression to get through- our first thought would be that Christ isn't coming in my time, or my grandchildren, or my, great, great, great grandchildren's time… approximately 63 generations (each generation beginning at age 20 and having offspring) would have to pass before that time was fulfilled. Is it any wonder the book of Daniel was shut up? Is it any wonder that the book of Revelation is told in cryptic prophecies to be unraveled as God permits? God only ever has had our best interests in mind. Those that would be His, He guides. So yes, we are left to feel as if we are floundering as we try to comprehend everything fully. People have come up with many different interpretations to the same thing and God even tells us that many deceptions fill His church.
Jud 1:3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
Jud 1:4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.
2Pe 2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
2Pe 2:2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
2Pe 2:3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.
1Jn 2:18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.
1Jn 2:19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
1Jn 4:3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
Deceivers. The world is filled with deceivers and the sad part is- many of the deceivers are deceived themselves and willingly so. No one is deceived by Satan without being given an opportunity to be fully Christ's. Eve in the garden blamed her sin on the serpent, did that absolve her? No. Did the fact she'd allowed herself to be deceived change anything? Did God say- no problem Eve, I know it's all the serpent's fault and you couldn't help yourself? No. God was angry with the serpent for bringing deception and temptation to Eve and Adam, but that did not excuse what Eve and Adam did. Today we won't be any more excused as we allow ourselves to be deceived by Satan. Deception comes in when we take that step to follow man's devices over God's chosen ways. When we allow ourselves to be soothed by man's explanations of God's word rather than studying for ourselves, rather than wresting scriptures ourselves, rather than earnestly praying for enlightenment from the Holy Spirit, we are opening ourselves to deception and Satan will creep in any tiny crack he can find to deceive us. Our only surety is Christ, clinging to our Savior, placing all our trust in Him and Him alone. No, the truth will NOT be popular. No, the truth will NOT be accepted by mainstream Christianity. No, the truth will NOT be pleasing to our ears. We want the truth to be all those things because then it makes life much more easy for us, but the truth is not meant to make our lives here on earth easier in the ways our selfish natures want. The truth is HOPE in a future with Christ and only there will life become easier- emotionally, mentally, physically, and of course spiritually. Way too many people are ready to blame God for so much. They ask God why He's allowing them to suffer, they're telling God they have all they can handle and can't handle anything more, they feel put upon, they feel abused as one thing after another disrupts their life, terrible things, trying things, things that threaten to ruin their earthly existence. We ARE not promised anything here on this earth, not one thing! We ARE promised eternity with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Jesus asked His Father to keep us from evil- not to take us out of this sinfilled, sad, dark, painful world. To keep us from evil that would keep us from Him, not keep us from trials and tribulations that would come our way- every trial and tribulation an opportunity to develop still a deeper trust, a deeper faith in God knowing that no matter how horrific the trial, the tribulation that it is always going to be TEMPORARY TO ETERNITY, even if it feels like the trial is lasting an eternity.
We want prophecy to be easily comprehended. We want things spelled out for us plainly. We don't want to hear things like- 'No, that's not what that means.' - especially when we've spent years believing that's the way it is. We hate to hear that we might have been wrong about something we've had our heart set on believing. The idea of waiting for certain signs, certain witnesses to come, certain happenstances to come to pass so that we can truly know the time is at hand- is something too many, incredibly way too many are caught up in. We have to watch the signs of the time and we need to pray, but if we're watching for the wrong signs will that do us any good at all? No. Why? Because if the true signs are passing us by while we are waiting for the wrong signs will we be ready? No. We are admonished to watch. We are admonished to be watchmen. We are told when 'all these things shall come to pass', we are given so much and yet, so many will be deceived. We can't be among them! When something we've believed in for years is challenged we HAVE to go back to our Bibles, we have to get on our knees in prayer and we have to establish our faith in what we believe all over again and we might have to do this several times. We cannot be afraid to study and study over and over again the same truths because those truths will stand up to ALL the studying if they are truth. If they fall to close examinations, to the intense studying then they weren't truth to begin with and we were deceived. No one likes to be deceived, no one likes getting caught being deceived. When we realized we've been deceived our first instinct might be to give up believing in anything at all. When the rock we thought we were standing on turns out to be hard-packed sand and it shifts out from under us, we sometimes just want to let ourselves keep falling down into that sand rather than reach for the true rock. We have to cling to our Savior and praise Him for unveiling the deception. We have to cling to the new truth revealed and keep on studying, keep on praying, keep on watching. If the NEW truth revealed turns out to be deception as well- then we need to cling to the newly revealed truth that dispelled the deception. How many times we might be asked to do this is uncertain, but the truth is we cannot afford to dig our heels into deception because it will cost us eternity with our Savior. We must forever keep in the back of our minds the fact that our Savior is going to tell a lot of people that He never knew them, and those people will be shocked because they believe they know Him, they are deceived.
Let's read this excerpt from a Revelation transcript again- and do so truly wanting to study, to understand, to comprehend. We might not have ever heard this stuff before- but that does NOT make it wrong and we are obligated to study for ourselves to know whether something is of God.
'The book of Revelations divides itself into two sections. And due to the artificial chapter divisions that have been placed in the scriptures, 11 chapters are in each section. Now this seminar will be directed primarily to the last section- Rev. 12-22. Now how are we going to study?
We will find that Rev. 12 gives an outline into which all that follows through Rev. 19 is enlarged.
In other words you have in the twelfth chapter of Rev. an outline. And all that follows through the 19th chap. is an enlargement of that outline filling in the details.
Now as far as the first section of Rev. 12 is concerned the majority of that first section of the outline is in the twelfth chapter. But when you come down to the 17th verse it is that verse that is enlarged in the balance of the book through the 19th chapter.
Now in as much as there are interlocking concepts found in both sections, in other words there’s not a hard line or wall of separation between the two sections of Rev. There’s interlocking concepts, and so we will go back and pick up things in the first section as they amplify or need to be understood in relationship to the second section.
Also it’ll be of interest to recognize that a large part of the enlargement that follows Rev. 12 remains yet unfulfilled.' Revelation Seminar Transcript - Grotheer
More tomorrow… by the grace and will of God.
All glory, honor, praise to our Savior and King!
In His amazing love!
Amen.
Friday, September 30, 2011
Prophecy - 92 - Judged in Christ's Righteousness
Rev 11:16 And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God,
Rev 11:17 Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned.
Praise God!
Rev 11:18 And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.
Rev 11:19 And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.
Amazing.
And people refuse to believe that God is in control. People believe they are in charge of themselves and that's all that matters. There is no real beginning we can fathom, and there is no end. Forever things will always be the way they are until mankind destroys the earth, or the earth is destroy by an asteroid or some other natural disaster outside of mankind's control. Their lives are filled with heartaches and joy, pain and happiness, tragedies and triumphs. Yet, way too many people don't have an even mix of the two extremes of joy and heartache. Too many people have more heartache than joy. And happiness has been found in perversion- many, many perversions and at the expense of other human beings. We live in a very perverse world, and in most ages throughout earth's history each generation can say the same. An historian would be quick to tell people how things were in the first century- the horrors of living in that time. An historian could easily inform us of the horrors of the middle ages. An historian would have no trouble at all expounding on the horrors of the twentieth century. Yet during these times there are lulls in the horror at various places around the world. Those lulls make the horrors all that much more astounding. And these are just historic horrors we're discussing right now, we aren't discussing all the private perversions of mankind- and they've existed for a long, long, long time. Is this truly the sort of world that you want to choose to believe is all that exists for us? So many do believe this, they really, really do.
Then there is another sort of person who believes that there is another phase of existence and they will go there upon leaving this world- by dying. They believe they will take on a new form of life and that form will be untouched by all the horrors of this world. Depending upon who you talk to there are those who believe that their spirit form after death will have a whole new world of good and evil to live in as a spirit until they once more transform into a higher level of spirit form.
We're busy, busy, busy caught up in our suppositions and everything we think about on these subjects is centered around ourselves. Of course, who else can they be centered on? Even the most seemingly self-less person could be self-less selfishly, trying to garner good will towards themselves through their self-less acts. We only have ourselves. And yet we know that we have only so much control over ourselves. Not a single person controls whether or not some disease will befall them. Yes, there are some diseases we bring upon ourselves, but there are a whole slew of others we cannot control. Even the most health-conscious human being who does all the right things- eats right, exercises correctly, deals with stress in a healthy manner, even this person can get cancer, a brain tumor, a blot clot, have a weakened artery wall, birth defects that come about through NO fault of their own. The healthiest person will still end up dying of old age though they do all they can to keep themselves healthy. We only have so much control over ourselves. We cannot- barring extreme plastic surgery- change our appearance, change ourselves into another person. We cannot control the size of our bones, we cannot change the genetics within us that give us our complexion- even if we can do things to alter that complexion. It's undeniable that we are born with very little control over so much of ourselves. Even our personalities aren't under our full control. We are born with traits- inherited traits that try as we might we can't seem to get rid of.
If we have so little control over so much of ourselves then why are we centered on ourselves so much?
Jesus had this to say- Mat 10:30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
By who?
Mat 10:29 Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.
Mat 10:30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
Mat 10:31 Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.
Mat 10:32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.
Our Father in heaven.
Our Creator.
God's written word to us reveals this glorious story of mankind. The story is amazing and every bit of it is true, is fact.
Created sinless.
We sin.
We inherit death.
Created sinless.
He doesn't sin.
We inherit eternal life through Him.
We're born.
We live.
We're born again in Christ.
We live.
We die.
We sleep.
Our breath goes back to God.
Christ returns.
We wake.
We are given new bodies - sinless bodies created by Christ.
Rev 11:18 And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.
Rev 11:19 And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.
We will be judged- those who are going with Christ must be judged as being Christ's before they can go with Him. Those who are not Christ's will be judged as such as well. It won't matter what sin they possess- if they are not Christ's that alone is enough to be judged unworthy. We aren't judged worthy by our own merit, but by Christ's. No merit of ours will ever make us Christ's. Accepting that Christ alone can make us His, that Christ alone matters in this world of uncertainty and sin, along with the results of sin, is our duty. We have control over that choice. We have control over what we choose to believe. A lot of times you'll hear people say they have no control over their beliefs because they were raised to believe in a certain faith and that is all there is to it. They need to realize that they are choosing to believe the way they were taught, the way of their family, they are making a choice and they DO have that choice to make. Some have to make that choice under the threat of death. Believe in the way of their forefathers or die for abandoning that faith. Their choice is the hardest.
The control we have is over our choice of who to believe in- God, self, Satan, Allah, Buddha, Moon Goddess etcetera. This choice is all that truly matters yet we are so incredibly caught up in many, many things that we think have nothing to do with this choice, but the truth is everything we do is part of that choice- everything! While we might think we aren't making a choice we are every single day, every hour of every day. Every breath we take is taken under the choice we make. Do we live for God or for a false god? If we aren't living for God then we are living for a false god no matter what we name that god.
Judgment is something we all face and it's not necessarily at the end of our lives. There will be people alive when our Savior returns and some will be alive in Him and some won't- all of those alive will have faced a judgment that determined whether or not they are God's.
By the grace of our God may we choose always and forever to be His, in His righteousness, by His grace and love, and mercy. When we are judged may we be judged in Christ's righteousness, not our own. By His forgiveness.
Amen.
Rev 11:17 Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned.
Praise God!
Rev 11:18 And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.
Rev 11:19 And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.
Amazing.
And people refuse to believe that God is in control. People believe they are in charge of themselves and that's all that matters. There is no real beginning we can fathom, and there is no end. Forever things will always be the way they are until mankind destroys the earth, or the earth is destroy by an asteroid or some other natural disaster outside of mankind's control. Their lives are filled with heartaches and joy, pain and happiness, tragedies and triumphs. Yet, way too many people don't have an even mix of the two extremes of joy and heartache. Too many people have more heartache than joy. And happiness has been found in perversion- many, many perversions and at the expense of other human beings. We live in a very perverse world, and in most ages throughout earth's history each generation can say the same. An historian would be quick to tell people how things were in the first century- the horrors of living in that time. An historian could easily inform us of the horrors of the middle ages. An historian would have no trouble at all expounding on the horrors of the twentieth century. Yet during these times there are lulls in the horror at various places around the world. Those lulls make the horrors all that much more astounding. And these are just historic horrors we're discussing right now, we aren't discussing all the private perversions of mankind- and they've existed for a long, long, long time. Is this truly the sort of world that you want to choose to believe is all that exists for us? So many do believe this, they really, really do.
Then there is another sort of person who believes that there is another phase of existence and they will go there upon leaving this world- by dying. They believe they will take on a new form of life and that form will be untouched by all the horrors of this world. Depending upon who you talk to there are those who believe that their spirit form after death will have a whole new world of good and evil to live in as a spirit until they once more transform into a higher level of spirit form.
We're busy, busy, busy caught up in our suppositions and everything we think about on these subjects is centered around ourselves. Of course, who else can they be centered on? Even the most seemingly self-less person could be self-less selfishly, trying to garner good will towards themselves through their self-less acts. We only have ourselves. And yet we know that we have only so much control over ourselves. Not a single person controls whether or not some disease will befall them. Yes, there are some diseases we bring upon ourselves, but there are a whole slew of others we cannot control. Even the most health-conscious human being who does all the right things- eats right, exercises correctly, deals with stress in a healthy manner, even this person can get cancer, a brain tumor, a blot clot, have a weakened artery wall, birth defects that come about through NO fault of their own. The healthiest person will still end up dying of old age though they do all they can to keep themselves healthy. We only have so much control over ourselves. We cannot- barring extreme plastic surgery- change our appearance, change ourselves into another person. We cannot control the size of our bones, we cannot change the genetics within us that give us our complexion- even if we can do things to alter that complexion. It's undeniable that we are born with very little control over so much of ourselves. Even our personalities aren't under our full control. We are born with traits- inherited traits that try as we might we can't seem to get rid of.
If we have so little control over so much of ourselves then why are we centered on ourselves so much?
Jesus had this to say- Mat 10:30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
By who?
Mat 10:29 Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.
Mat 10:30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
Mat 10:31 Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.
Mat 10:32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.
Our Father in heaven.
Our Creator.
God's written word to us reveals this glorious story of mankind. The story is amazing and every bit of it is true, is fact.
Created sinless.
We sin.
We inherit death.
Created sinless.
He doesn't sin.
We inherit eternal life through Him.
We're born.
We live.
We're born again in Christ.
We live.
We die.
We sleep.
Our breath goes back to God.
Christ returns.
We wake.
We are given new bodies - sinless bodies created by Christ.
Rev 11:18 And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.
Rev 11:19 And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.
We will be judged- those who are going with Christ must be judged as being Christ's before they can go with Him. Those who are not Christ's will be judged as such as well. It won't matter what sin they possess- if they are not Christ's that alone is enough to be judged unworthy. We aren't judged worthy by our own merit, but by Christ's. No merit of ours will ever make us Christ's. Accepting that Christ alone can make us His, that Christ alone matters in this world of uncertainty and sin, along with the results of sin, is our duty. We have control over that choice. We have control over what we choose to believe. A lot of times you'll hear people say they have no control over their beliefs because they were raised to believe in a certain faith and that is all there is to it. They need to realize that they are choosing to believe the way they were taught, the way of their family, they are making a choice and they DO have that choice to make. Some have to make that choice under the threat of death. Believe in the way of their forefathers or die for abandoning that faith. Their choice is the hardest.
The control we have is over our choice of who to believe in- God, self, Satan, Allah, Buddha, Moon Goddess etcetera. This choice is all that truly matters yet we are so incredibly caught up in many, many things that we think have nothing to do with this choice, but the truth is everything we do is part of that choice- everything! While we might think we aren't making a choice we are every single day, every hour of every day. Every breath we take is taken under the choice we make. Do we live for God or for a false god? If we aren't living for God then we are living for a false god no matter what we name that god.
Judgment is something we all face and it's not necessarily at the end of our lives. There will be people alive when our Savior returns and some will be alive in Him and some won't- all of those alive will have faced a judgment that determined whether or not they are God's.
By the grace of our God may we choose always and forever to be His, in His righteousness, by His grace and love, and mercy. When we are judged may we be judged in Christ's righteousness, not our own. By His forgiveness.
Amen.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Prophecy - 91
Rev 11:14 The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly.
Rev 11:15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
The seventh angel- sounded.
The trumpet sounded.
When that trumpet sounded there were great voices in heaven.
The voices were saying--
The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever.
When does this happen? When does our Savior take over the kingdoms of the world? He doesn't have them now, does He? People are confused about all this so let's see if we can't understand it a bit better.
God created the world. - Gen. 1:1
God created man and made him king over the things that He had created. - Gen 1:26
Man sinned.- Gen. 3:6
Satan took dominion over the kingdom of the world. - Matt. 4:8,9
Jesus did not make this world His kingdom. - John 17:14
God's kingdom will come and Satan will no longer have dominion over the world. Rev. 11:15
Rev 11:15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
So you see, while it is very true that our world was created by God -us included- it is also true that sin entered the world God created and corrupted it. You'll often hear people say things like- 'Why did God create that horrible venomous snake?! That snake serves no useful purpose and it kills people! Why did God make disease carrying mosquitoes? Why did God allow bacteria? Why are there viruses, did God create them too? I could go on and on and on and on and you know I could. The thing is God's creation was made for man to rule, with God supreme over man- all through love. When man abdicated his role as one having dominion over the earth by choosing to listen to another who would be like God who used the power of seduction to lure mankind to also desire to be like God, when all that happened everything changed. Sin entered and with it's entrance things were NO longer being fully control and guided by God. YES, God allowed man to choose and in making that allowance along with it came all the rest.
Have you ever bought something you thought was fantastic, only to find out it was a lemon? On a MUCH larger scale, Adam and Eve thought that tasting that fruit would be fantastic, only it turned out to be the worst lemon ever. We've all heard of situations, or been in them ourselves where we don't count on all the hassle that results from something we choose to do, yet the hassle comes with it - like it or not. People find out often that falling in love with someone is great but the rest of that person's family might not be so great yet they are part and parcel of that someone you love.
I guess what I'm trying to say is once sin was allowed there was and is no end- until our Savior returns for us- to the degradation of this earth and all it was meant to be. The sickness, the disease, the horrors, the nightmares, the awful parts of what we call life will only continue to get worse. Yes, we can combat some diseases etc, but as all of us know, super bugs come into play and after the super bugs we'll probably have super duper bugs and so on. God NEVER intended for us to have to live in a world ruled by sin. We were given a choice and we chose and this is the result- our world under Satan.
Rev 11:15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
The kingdoms of this world WILL become our LORD'S once again, He paid for them with His life- with His blood- through His sacrifice all in His righteousness.
More tomorrow by our Lord's will!
In His love!
Amen
Rev 11:15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
The seventh angel- sounded.
The trumpet sounded.
When that trumpet sounded there were great voices in heaven.
The voices were saying--
The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever.
When does this happen? When does our Savior take over the kingdoms of the world? He doesn't have them now, does He? People are confused about all this so let's see if we can't understand it a bit better.
God created the world. - Gen. 1:1
God created man and made him king over the things that He had created. - Gen 1:26
Man sinned.- Gen. 3:6
Satan took dominion over the kingdom of the world. - Matt. 4:8,9
Jesus did not make this world His kingdom. - John 17:14
God's kingdom will come and Satan will no longer have dominion over the world. Rev. 11:15
Rev 11:15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
So you see, while it is very true that our world was created by God -us included- it is also true that sin entered the world God created and corrupted it. You'll often hear people say things like- 'Why did God create that horrible venomous snake?! That snake serves no useful purpose and it kills people! Why did God make disease carrying mosquitoes? Why did God allow bacteria? Why are there viruses, did God create them too? I could go on and on and on and on and you know I could. The thing is God's creation was made for man to rule, with God supreme over man- all through love. When man abdicated his role as one having dominion over the earth by choosing to listen to another who would be like God who used the power of seduction to lure mankind to also desire to be like God, when all that happened everything changed. Sin entered and with it's entrance things were NO longer being fully control and guided by God. YES, God allowed man to choose and in making that allowance along with it came all the rest.
Have you ever bought something you thought was fantastic, only to find out it was a lemon? On a MUCH larger scale, Adam and Eve thought that tasting that fruit would be fantastic, only it turned out to be the worst lemon ever. We've all heard of situations, or been in them ourselves where we don't count on all the hassle that results from something we choose to do, yet the hassle comes with it - like it or not. People find out often that falling in love with someone is great but the rest of that person's family might not be so great yet they are part and parcel of that someone you love.
I guess what I'm trying to say is once sin was allowed there was and is no end- until our Savior returns for us- to the degradation of this earth and all it was meant to be. The sickness, the disease, the horrors, the nightmares, the awful parts of what we call life will only continue to get worse. Yes, we can combat some diseases etc, but as all of us know, super bugs come into play and after the super bugs we'll probably have super duper bugs and so on. God NEVER intended for us to have to live in a world ruled by sin. We were given a choice and we chose and this is the result- our world under Satan.
Rev 11:15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
The kingdoms of this world WILL become our LORD'S once again, He paid for them with His life- with His blood- through His sacrifice all in His righteousness.
More tomorrow by our Lord's will!
In His love!
Amen
Prophecy - 90
Rev 11:11 And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.
Rev 11:12 And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.
Rev 11:13 And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.
The word of God.
God's holy word.
Love.
Despised.
Revered.
Trampled upon.
Honored.
The Bible has been through many, many phases- some where it has been openly honored and others where is has been openly despised. People have gone to great lengths to possess the written word of God, many have died in possession of mere snippets of the Scriptures because it has been illegal to have any part of God's written word. Even today in parts of the world this is still true. We don't like to believe it is because that would mean we live in a barbaric world and we do in many, many ways. To discount such a powerful prophecy geared towards the written word of God would be incredibly foolish and we would be allowing ourselves to be blind if we ignored the possibility.
The word of God was abandoned, burned, discarded, destroyed all as the age of reason was ushered in. Where did this take place? Over in part of the world which was once under the rule of the Roman Empire. When the Roman Empire was broken up into ten main parts this part of the world was one of those ten- France. Do you remember our Daniel study on this? Let's have a tiny refresher.
'There were ten nations at some time in their history that were most important in bringing the Roman Empire to it's knees, who as independent kingdoms held portions of the Roman empire as theirs.
Huns, Ostrogoths, Visigoths, Franks, Vandals, Suevi, Burgundians, Heruli, Anglo-Saxons, and Lombards'
The Franks- France.
This wasn't a part of the world unknown, a part of the world that had no history in God's prophecies, this part of the world was 1/10th of those responsible for the Roman Empire falling apart. France- one of the ten toes in Daniel's prophetic interpretation of the great statue in Nebuchadnezzar's dream. We shouldn't be surprised at all whatsoever that this part of the world would play a part in more prophetic history. Politics and religion mingled- politics trying to shut out religion and succeeding in keeping the written word of God despised but the word of God could NOT be destroyed.
The written word of God was shoved into darkness, deep, deep darkness for many years and then in extreme darkness before it was revived.
Rev 11:11 And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.
Rev 11:12 And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.
Rev 11:13 And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.
The Bible! The glorious Bible was massed produced and began to be given to many, many, many people and it has NOT stopped being massed produced since and given to many. The Bible Societies in our world have gone to great lengths to see that God's written word has gone to people all over the world in many, many languages.
Read this--
Religious books, especially the Bible and the Qur'an, are probably the most-printed books, but it is nearly impossible to find reliable sales figures for them. Print figures are missing or unreliable since these books are produced by many different and unrelated publishers. Furthermore, many copies of the Bible and the Qur'an are printed and given away free, instead of being sold.
Pasted from
The MOST printed books and the Bible is among them!
The Spirit of life from God entered into the written word being proclaimed.
Did great fear fall upon those which realized the Bible's power as it was being given to people everywhere? Yes. The very same people that did not want the Bible to be given to people but wanted to control what they knew of God's word- were NOT happy with this mass produced Bible going to everyone. These people even told their followers that the word of God could only properly be interpreted by them. It's true! I know I've mentioned it before in other studies.
'In particular, watch more carefully over those who are assigned to give public readings of holy scripture, so that they function diligently in their office within the comprehension of the audience; under no pretext whatsoever should they dare to explain and interpret the divine writings contrary to the tradition of the Fathers or the interpretation of the Catholic Church.'
INTER PRAECIPUAS (On Biblical Societies) by Pope Gregory XVI, May 8, 1844
There is much a person can find on the history of the Bible, of the Bible being banned and so forth. God's witnesses were severely oppressed. We have access to God's written word and we are so incredibly blessed by that access.
God's word directs us heavenward, yes?
The gospel of Christ directs us heavenward. We cannot forget this, not for a moment. The Gospel of the kingdom! Salvation through our Savior!
As the fallout from the French Revolution, of the Biblical side of things was witnessed many were horrified, severely horrified by what they saw and yet those who are God's chosen knew still they must give all glory to God. God's remnant throughout time have been witness to the abuse of God's written word through those who have sought to follow God's truth. Killed for the word of God, this is fact NOT fiction and yet so many today laugh off Christianity. So many laugh off conviction and believe it's all a bunch of foolishness.
Oh by the grace of God may we NEVER be among those fools, NEVER be among those deceived. Please Lord continue to enlighten us, please! By Your grace, by Your mercy, by Your LOVE always!!!!!!!!
Help us Lord, save us!
Amen.
Rev 11:12 And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.
Rev 11:13 And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.
The word of God.
God's holy word.
Love.
Despised.
Revered.
Trampled upon.
Honored.
The Bible has been through many, many phases- some where it has been openly honored and others where is has been openly despised. People have gone to great lengths to possess the written word of God, many have died in possession of mere snippets of the Scriptures because it has been illegal to have any part of God's written word. Even today in parts of the world this is still true. We don't like to believe it is because that would mean we live in a barbaric world and we do in many, many ways. To discount such a powerful prophecy geared towards the written word of God would be incredibly foolish and we would be allowing ourselves to be blind if we ignored the possibility.
The word of God was abandoned, burned, discarded, destroyed all as the age of reason was ushered in. Where did this take place? Over in part of the world which was once under the rule of the Roman Empire. When the Roman Empire was broken up into ten main parts this part of the world was one of those ten- France. Do you remember our Daniel study on this? Let's have a tiny refresher.
'There were ten nations at some time in their history that were most important in bringing the Roman Empire to it's knees, who as independent kingdoms held portions of the Roman empire as theirs.
Huns, Ostrogoths, Visigoths, Franks, Vandals, Suevi, Burgundians, Heruli, Anglo-Saxons, and Lombards'
The Franks- France.
This wasn't a part of the world unknown, a part of the world that had no history in God's prophecies, this part of the world was 1/10th of those responsible for the Roman Empire falling apart. France- one of the ten toes in Daniel's prophetic interpretation of the great statue in Nebuchadnezzar's dream. We shouldn't be surprised at all whatsoever that this part of the world would play a part in more prophetic history. Politics and religion mingled- politics trying to shut out religion and succeeding in keeping the written word of God despised but the word of God could NOT be destroyed.
The written word of God was shoved into darkness, deep, deep darkness for many years and then in extreme darkness before it was revived.
Rev 11:11 And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.
Rev 11:12 And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.
Rev 11:13 And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.
The Bible! The glorious Bible was massed produced and began to be given to many, many, many people and it has NOT stopped being massed produced since and given to many. The Bible Societies in our world have gone to great lengths to see that God's written word has gone to people all over the world in many, many languages.
Read this--
Religious books, especially the Bible and the Qur'an, are probably the most-printed books, but it is nearly impossible to find reliable sales figures for them. Print figures are missing or unreliable since these books are produced by many different and unrelated publishers. Furthermore, many copies of the Bible and the Qur'an are printed and given away free, instead of being sold.
Pasted from
The MOST printed books and the Bible is among them!
The Spirit of life from God entered into the written word being proclaimed.
Did great fear fall upon those which realized the Bible's power as it was being given to people everywhere? Yes. The very same people that did not want the Bible to be given to people but wanted to control what they knew of God's word- were NOT happy with this mass produced Bible going to everyone. These people even told their followers that the word of God could only properly be interpreted by them. It's true! I know I've mentioned it before in other studies.
'In particular, watch more carefully over those who are assigned to give public readings of holy scripture, so that they function diligently in their office within the comprehension of the audience; under no pretext whatsoever should they dare to explain and interpret the divine writings contrary to the tradition of the Fathers or the interpretation of the Catholic Church.'
INTER PRAECIPUAS (On Biblical Societies) by Pope Gregory XVI, May 8, 1844
There is much a person can find on the history of the Bible, of the Bible being banned and so forth. God's witnesses were severely oppressed. We have access to God's written word and we are so incredibly blessed by that access.
God's word directs us heavenward, yes?
The gospel of Christ directs us heavenward. We cannot forget this, not for a moment. The Gospel of the kingdom! Salvation through our Savior!
As the fallout from the French Revolution, of the Biblical side of things was witnessed many were horrified, severely horrified by what they saw and yet those who are God's chosen knew still they must give all glory to God. God's remnant throughout time have been witness to the abuse of God's written word through those who have sought to follow God's truth. Killed for the word of God, this is fact NOT fiction and yet so many today laugh off Christianity. So many laugh off conviction and believe it's all a bunch of foolishness.
Oh by the grace of God may we NEVER be among those fools, NEVER be among those deceived. Please Lord continue to enlighten us, please! By Your grace, by Your mercy, by Your LOVE always!!!!!!!!
Help us Lord, save us!
Amen.
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