FULFILLED prophecy in our day!

Were you alive in 1948? What about 1967? 1980?

Luk 21:24 ... and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.

Gentiles the dictionary definition for this word is -

Gentile
GEN'TILE
In the scriptures, a pagan; a worshipper of false gods; any person not a Jew or a christian; a heathen.

The biblical term "Israelites" (or the Twelve Tribes or Children of Israel) means both a people (the descendants of the patriarch Jacob/Israel, and the historical population of the kingdom of Israel), and a follower of the God of Israel and Mosaic law.[3] In Modern Hebrew usage, an Israelite is, broadly speaking, a lay member of the Jewish faith, as opposed to the priestly orders of Kohenim and Levites.

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According to our Savior-

Luk 13:34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!
Luk 13:35 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate: and verily I say unto you, Ye shall not see me, until the time come when ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

Jerusalem's house was LEFT desolate. Spiritually they denied God's Son. The Israeli's alive in Christ's time as a corporate whole condemned Jesus Christ. Because of their condemnation they were to be left spiritually desolate and this became a reality--

Luk 21:24 ... and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles

In AD 70 the temple in Jerusalem was destroyed.

It wasn't until 1948 that Israeli's regained any sort of control over some of the land that had once been theirs.

1948 Arab–Israeli War

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And in 1967 the Old City Jerusalem was recaptured by the Israeli's.

June 7: The Old City is captured by the IDF.

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And in 1980 A law claiming Jerusalem to be the capital of Israel is enacted.

The Jerusalem Law is a common name of Basic Law: Jerusalem, Capital of Israel passed by the Knesset on July 30, 1980 (17th Av, 5740).

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And Jesus' words were--

Luk 21:24 ... and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.

So this leads us to only ONE conclusion the times of the Gentiles has been fulfilled and it was fulfilled in OUR day!

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Now we need to ask ourselves a few questions- was there anything going on between the Israeli-Jews and the Gentiles in Jesus' day and shortly there after?

Let's just look at the way Jesus spoke of the Gentiles-

Mat 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
Mat 6:25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
Mat 6:26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
Mat 6:27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
Mat 6:28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
Mat 6:29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
Mat 6:30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
Mat 6:31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
Mat 6:32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
Mat 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Mat 6:34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.


Mat 6:31...What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
Mat 6:32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek)

Those who did NOT claim the Heavenly Father as their Heavenly Father worried and thought constantly about eating, drinking, and clothing. Those who claimed the Heavenly Father as their God should KNOW that God MUST come first in all things- before food, before drink, before clothing. Obviously Jesus was pointing out that those who made the claim of being Jews were in fact acting like the Gentiles, acting as those who do NOT have a Heavenly Father who watches over them.


It would be THOSE who do NOT have God as their Heavenly Father who would trod down Jerusalem until that time was fulfilled.


Mat 10:5 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:
Mat 10:6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Mat 10:7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Mat 10:8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.

Go not into the way of the Gentiles.

At this time Jesus did NOT want His apostles to go to the Gentiles. They were to go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

Jesus is making a distinction between Israeli's and the Gentiles. We can't ignore this! Jesus gave the prophecy of Luke 21:24 for a reason, not just for filler. NOTHING Jesus said was said just for it to be said offhandedly, nothing!


Mat 10:16 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
Mat 10:17 But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to councils, and in their synagogues they will scourge you;
Mat 10:18 yea and before governors and kings shall ye be brought for my sake, for a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. (RV)

Jesus told of a time when His followers would be brought before legal authorities and why - for a testimony. Not just a testimony for those authorities but for Gentiles as well. Gentiles would get to hear the message of salvation through Jesus Christ, the gospel of the kingdom.


Mat 12:17 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,
Mat 12:18 Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles.


HE SHALL SHEW JUDGEMENT TO THE GENTILES.

The Gentiles would be given a chance to understand salvation to know that judgment would come to all even them.


Mat 12:21 And in his name shall the Gentiles trust.

Praise God. Do you see? While Jesus didn't send His apostles to the Gentiles, the plan was for the good news to go to them in the time Jesus allowed.


Mat 20:17 And Jesus going up to Jerusalem took the twelve disciples apart in the way, and said unto them,
Mat 20:18 Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death,
Mat 20:19 And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again.

Jesus knew His fate at the hands of the Gentiles- delivered by the Israeli chief priest and scribes.


uk 2:25 And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.
Luk 2:26 And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ.
Luk 2:27 And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law,
Luk 2:28 Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said,
Luk 2:29 Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word:
Luk 2:30 For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,
Luk 2:31 Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;
Luk 2:32 A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.


A LIGHT to lighten the Gentiles!


Joh 7:33 Then said Jesus unto them, Yet a little while am I with you, and then I go unto him that sent me.
Joh 7:34 Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come.
Joh 7:35 Then said the Jews among themselves, Whither will he go, that we shall not find him? will he go unto the dispersed among the Gentiles, and teach the Gentiles?


The followers of Christ couldn't fully comprehend going to the Gentiles to preach the message of God. The Gentiles were NOT Jews, they were NOT the chosen people of God. To these men Jesus going to preach to the Gentiles was somewhere He could go that they couldn't imagine going with Him.


Act 4:13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.
Act 4:14 And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.
Act 4:15 But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves,
Act 4:16 Saying, What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it.
Act 4:17 But that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name.
Act 4:18 And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.
Act 4:19 But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.
Act 4:20 For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.
Act 4:21 So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding nothing how they might punish them, because of the people: for all men glorified God for that which was done.
Act 4:22 For the man was above forty years old, on whom this miracle of healing was shewed.
Act 4:23 And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them.
Act 4:24 And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is:
Act 4:25 Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things?
Act 4:26 The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ.
Act 4:27 For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together,
Act 4:28 For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.
Act 4:29 And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word,


Still the apostles were preaching to the lost sheep of Israel and not to the Gentiles.


Act 6:9 Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen.
Act 6:10 And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake.
Act 6:11 Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God.
Act 6:12 And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council,
Act 6:13 And set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law:
Act 6:14 For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us.
Act 6:15 And all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.
Act 7:1 Then said the high priest, Are these things so?
Act 7:2 And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran,
Act 7:3 And said unto him, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall shew thee.
Act 7:4 Then came he out of the land of the Chaldaeans, and dwelt in Charran: and from thence, when his father was dead, he removed him into this land, wherein ye now dwell.
Act 7:5 And he gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on: yet he promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child.
Act 7:6 And God spake on this wise, That his seed should sojourn in a strange land; and that they should bring them into bondage, and entreat them evil four hundred years.
Act 7:7 And the nation to whom they shall be in bondage will I judge, said God: and after that shall they come forth, and serve me in this place.
Act 7:8 And he gave him the covenant of circumcision: and so Abraham begat Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat the twelve patriarchs.
Act 7:9 And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt: but God was with him,
Act 7:10 And delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favour and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house.
Act 7:11 Now there came a dearth over all the land of Egypt and Chanaan, and great affliction: and our fathers found no sustenance.
Act 7:12 But when Jacob heard that there was corn in Egypt, he sent out our fathers first.
Act 7:13 And at the second time Joseph was made known to his brethren; and Joseph's kindred was made known unto Pharaoh.
Act 7:14 Then sent Joseph, and called his father Jacob to him, and all his kindred, threescore and fifteen souls.
Act 7:15 So Jacob went down into Egypt, and died, he, and our fathers,
Act 7:16 And were carried over into Sychem, and laid in the sepulchre that Abraham bought for a sum of money of the sons of Emmor the father of Sychem.
Act 7:17 But when the time of the promise drew nigh, which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt,
Act 7:18 Till another king arose, which knew not Joseph.
Act 7:19 The same dealt subtilly with our kindred, and evil entreated our fathers, so that they cast out their young children, to the end they might not live.
Act 7:20 In which time Moses was born, and was exceeding fair, and nourished up in his father's house three months:
Act 7:21 And when he was cast out, Pharaoh's daughter took him up, and nourished him for her own son.
Act 7:22 And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds.
Act 7:23 And when he was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel.
Act 7:24 And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him that was oppressed, and smote the Egyptian:
Act 7:25 For he supposed his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them: but they understood not.
Act 7:26 And the next day he shewed himself unto them as they strove, and would have set them at one again, saying, Sirs, ye are brethren; why do ye wrong one to another?
Act 7:27 But he that did his neighbour wrong thrust him away, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge over us?
Act 7:28 Wilt thou kill me, as thou diddest the Egyptian yesterday?
Act 7:29 Then fled Moses at this saying, and was a stranger in the land of Madian, where he begat two sons.
Act 7:30 And when forty years were expired, there appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sina an angel of the Lord in a flame of fire in a bush.
Act 7:31 When Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight: and as he drew near to behold it, the voice of the Lord came unto him,
Act 7:32 Saying, I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Then Moses trembled, and durst not behold.
Act 7:33 Then said the Lord to him, Put off thy shoes from thy feet: for the place where thou standest is holy ground.
Act 7:34 I have seen, I have seen the affliction of my people which is in Egypt, and I have heard their groaning, and am come down to deliver them. And now come, I will send thee into Egypt.
Act 7:35 This Moses whom they refused, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge? the same did God send to be a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the angel which appeared to him in the bush.
Act 7:36 He brought them out, after that he had shewed wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red sea, and in the wilderness forty years.
Act 7:37 This is that Moses, which said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear.
Act 7:38 This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us:
Act 7:39 To whom our fathers would not obey, but thrust him from them, and in their hearts turned back again into Egypt,
Act 7:40 Saying unto Aaron, Make us gods to go before us: for as for this Moses, which brought us out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.
Act 7:41 And they made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifice unto the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands.
Act 7:42 Then God turned, and gave them up to worship the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, O ye house of Israel, have ye offered to me slain beasts and sacrifices by the space of forty years in the wilderness?
Act 7:43 Yea, ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, figures which ye made to worship them: and I will carry you away beyond Babylon.
Act 7:44 Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as he had appointed, speaking unto Moses, that he should make it according to the fashion that he had seen.
Act 7:45 Which also our fathers that came after brought in with Jesus(Joshua) into the possession of the Gentiles, whom God drave out before the face of our fathers, unto the days of David;
Act 7:46 Who found favour before God, and desired to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob.
Act 7:47 But Solomon built him an house.
Act 7:48 Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet,
Act 7:49 Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest?
Act 7:50 Hath not my hand made all these things?
Act 7:51 Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.
Act 7:52 Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers:
Act 7:53 Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it.
Act 7:54 When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.
Act 7:55 But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,
Act 7:56 And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.
Act 7:57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord,
Act 7:58 And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul.
Act 7:59 And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.
Act 7:60 And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.


Stephen martyred, Stephen's last words declaring that the Gentiles were driven out by God by Joshua- a history lesson for the Israelis proving that their own written word of God revealed their rejections of the prophets time and time again.


Act 9:11 And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth,
Act 9:12 And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight.
Act 9:13 Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem:
Act 9:14 And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name.
Act 9:15 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:
Act 9:16 For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake.

After Saul of Tarsus took part in the stoning of Stephen, holding the coats of the men who killed him, he had an encounter with Jesus that changed him from a persecutor of those who followed Jesus to a devout servant of Jesus. Ananias knew of Saul of Tarsus and knew he wasn't a Christian and the Lord told him pointedly… He is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the GENTILES and kings, and the children of Israel. The word was to go to the Gentiles! The Israelis, the chosen of God, the Jewish people had rejected the word and the word would now go to the Gentiles by one of their own converted by the love of Jesus.


Act 10:44 While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.
Act 10:45 And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.

The Gentiles were now receiving Christ proven beyond a doubt in the presence of many as they too received the gift of the Holy Ghost.


Act 11:1 And the apostles and brethren that were in Judaea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God.


Act 11:18 When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.


Act 13:42 And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath.


Act 13:46 Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.
Act 13:47 For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.

FIRST the world of God was given to the Jews, but they rejected it! NEXT the word of God was to go to the Gentiles. This was God's plan! There would be a time allotted to the Gentiles to hear the word of God and that time would be up, just as Jesus foretold- remember?

Luk 21:24 ... and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.

God does all things in order, not haphazardly, we can't believe that God is a God of chaos and flights of fancy- we can't humanize God. We can't put our failings on Him. He has foretold what would happen, thousands of years ago and we are allowed to see the signs of the times. This sign- of Jerusalem being trodden down of the Gentiles- and they were for 19 centuries- has been fulfilled. Jerusalem is NO longer trod down by the Gentiles.

The message that was to go to them has been given. Just as the message was given for an allotted time to the Jews and they put it from them. So, if the Jews and the Gentiles have had time to receive the message of Salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior- what remains?

Luk 21:25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;
Luk 21:26 Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
Luk 21:27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
Luk 21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.


Since 1980 - 31 years ago now we've been living in this end time where all the last prophecies will be fulfilled and our LORD WILL RETURN! We can't ignore all this, we CAN'T! But then again- many will, most will, and it's heart breaking!

By the grace of God may we keep our eyes opened watching!
By the grace of God may we keep praying always!
All by the grace of God may be ready for Him when He returns! May He KNOW us! Please Lord, know us!
By His love, through His righteousness always!


Amen.

Prophecy - 98

Picking up where we left off yesterday we were talking about the relationship between the first beast of Rev. 13 and the two witnesses in Rev. 11.


Why then this differentiation?
Is it for interpretive purposes so that we can put together the various symbolisms?

Is it saying that the first beast of Revelation 13 is the power involved with the work described in Rev. 11:2; and the woman of Revelation 12 has a connection with "the two witnesses"?

If this be so, then there is some "knitting" back and forth between the last section of Revelation and Chapter 11, which must be considered.

Before pursuing further the "beasts" of Revelation 13, let us ask ourselves, what is Rev. 11:2 saying?
The verse is couched in symbolism.

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

The "court" of the temple was the place of the Altar of Burnt Offering.
Here the sacrifices which were symbolic of the one great Sacrifice for sin, were offered.
That Sacrifice was offered on earth.
The ministry of the sanctuary typified a Heavenly ministration.
How do we understand then, the symbolism of "the holy city"?
It cannot be the Holy City which comes down at the close of the Millennium, for the "holy city" noted in Rev. 11:2 is already on earth.
However, in the chapters which follow, the Harlot is described not only as a woman, but also a city. (Rev. 17:18)

Rev 17:18 And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.

Is the symbol of the "holy city" in Rev. 11:2 then to be equated with the "woman" of Rev. 12?

All of this places the time frame for the first beast of Revelation as the instrument through which the dragon sought to destroy the woman who fled into the wilderness.

The section of the prophecy of Revelation 13 which describes the first beast, can be divided in two parts:

1) A symbolic description of the beast itself and a brief overview of its history (vs. 1-4); and

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

2) What it was to do in the time period allotted (vs. 5-7).

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

A question arises at this point, do we consider the verses as consecutive, thus placing the 42 months after the healing of the "deadly wound," or is one section a prophetic amplification of the other?


What is interesting is the parallel between the 42 months, if understood literally, and the 3 1/2 days of Rev. 11:9, if considered prophetically.

Both would equal exactly 3 1/2 years.

However, the connection between the "first beast" and Revelation 11 is with "the holy city," while "the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit" is connected with the 3 1/2 days (11:7-9; See also 17:8).

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

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

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

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

Forty-two months- the first beast would reign, forty-two months- the witnesses would be tread underfoot.

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

More tomorrow by the grace of our SAVIOR!


In His LOVE.


Amen.

Prophecy - 97

Let's take a closer look at the beasts.


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


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


From the study we did a few days ago-

The commonality between the first beast and the dragon is further heightened in the imagery.
Both have seven heads and ten horns (12:3; 13:1)


Rev 12:3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.

Rev 13:1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast (((FIRST BEAST HERE)))) rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.

However, there is a movement of one item in the symbols; the crowns are placed on the "horns" of the first beast, rather than remaining on the "heads."


It must also be kept in mind that the book of Revelation presents a third beast with seven heads and ten horns. (17:3) No crowns are seen on this symbolism either on the "heads" or the "horns."


Rev 17:3 So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.


What is this telling us? If a "crown" is symbolic of reigning, then the "dragon" is portrayed as functioning through its seven heads from the time of the first gospel promise to the time of, and including the war with the "remnant of her seed."

(((We really have to note this- The DRAGON functions through its SEVEN heads from the first gospel until the very end.))))

The first beast of Revelation 13, would then be operating at the time of the reigning of "the ten horns."

(((The first beast has the crowns on its horns NOT its head. This beast the FIRST beast in Rev. 13 will function during the reigning of the 10 horns.))))

To further identify this beast, the description is closely associated with the vision given to Daniel (Chap. 7). The lion, the bear, and the leopard are followed by a nondescript beast.

In Revelation 13, the nondescript beast is a COMPOSITE, "like unto a LEOPARD, and his feet were as the feet of a BEAR, and his mouth as the mouth of a LION" (v. 2). This is the exact order as found in Daniel 7, only REVERSED. In the vision to Daniel, he saw that the dominion of the three beasts was "taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time." (7:12).

The symbolic representation in Revelation 13, tells us that the lives of the three beasts of Daniel 7 lived on in the first beast.

(((It's true that even today we STILL have the history of the great kingdoms that have affected each other one after the other and so on. Today people know about Babylon- they know about Medo-Persia, they know about Greece- THESE are facts, THESE are real parts of our history and lives no one can deny this- no one.))))

We must next turn our attention to the seven heads. What do they represent?

The span of Revelation 12 covers the time from the first gospel promise made in Eden till the war against the "remnant of her seed."

Genesis gives the beginning of the first nation or peoples through whom this promised "seed" would be realized. (Gen. 12:3; 21:12)

Gen 12:3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
Gen 21:12 And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.

They were to go into bondage. (Gen. 15:13-15)

Gen 15:13 And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;
Gen 15:14 And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.
Gen 15:15 And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age.

This defiant power - EGYPT - was the first power to seek to "devour" the people of God. Pharaoh was the "son of Ra," one of the sun gods of Egypt. The symbolisms of Egypt used to represent their sun gods, as noted in the previous study of Revelation 12, was the "serpent of fire" around a sun disc.

From the first attempt to destroy the people of God through whom the Promised Seed would come, there were five powers to John's day -

Egypt
Assyria
Babylon
Medo-Persia
Grecia

The power of John's day was Rome, another was yet to come. (Rev. 17:10)

Rev 17:10 And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.

At this point, we need to determine how we are to understand prophecy.
Do we place the count, "five are fallen, one is, and the other is not yet come," as beginning in our day, or do we understand it to be in the time frame of John to whom the statement was made?

There is another problem however, the seventh head was "to continue a short space."
If the sixth head is pagan Rome, and the seventh, papal Rome, we have the seventh head continuing for a longer period than any of the previous six heads which the wording of the definitive statement will not permit.

The book of Daniel in the visions as recorded in Chapters 7 & 8, present both pagan and papal Rome as one continuous power.

The "little horn" of Daniel 7, ever remains in and is nourished by the nondescript beast (7:8).

Further this beast is pictured as continuing "till ... slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame." (7:11)

Dan 7:11 I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame.

The problem then is to interrelate all of this data to the first beast of Revelation 13, for it is this beast along with the second which are consigned to "the burning flame" (Rev. 19:20).

Rev 19:20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.

There is another textual relating between symbols which must be considered.


The first beast of Revelation 13 is "to act, or work" (Gr.- poiesai) his will "forty and two months." (13:5) The only other place where this same time period of prophecy is indicated is Chapter 11:2. There the "holy city" is to be "tread under foot forty and two months."

Rev 13:5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.

The next verse (11:3) speaks of the "two witnesses" prophesying in sackcloth 1260 days.

Rev 11:3 And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth

As noted in exegeting Chapter 12, this time period is identical in terminology with the time period that the woman was to be in the wilderness.

It can be shown that all of these time periods -

Daniel 7:25
Revelation 11:2, 3; 12:6, 14; and 13:5 - are equal and apply to the same period.

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

More tomorrow by the grace of God!

We need understanding and all this will help us to understand through the Holy Spirit's guidance.

There are a lot of questions as we noted already and hopefully there will be answers, all the answers we need.

In Christ!


Amen.

Prophecy - 96

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.

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.

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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.

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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.

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.