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Revelation History Website:
https://www.jesusiscomingback.net/
A few years back God forced me to get into Revelation. Like others in history before me, it just seemed too complicated. But a Bible study at Church, 3 chapters a week of Revelation really got my interest (we started our foundation in Genesis). I see where Chapters 2 and 3 are kind of historic, like Joshua’s last words to Israel just before Judges: ‘Live well and prosper’ kind of sets the tone. As we went through the following chapters I tried to look at them in a historical context. I was looking at Biblical and secular history (Ussher), and even Wikipedia with a discerning eye. Events since the Apostle John’s (even the Gospel’s) time must be considered. Sadly religious scholars tend to be theologically biased or narrow focused.
Note: In my first attempts to read Revelation I had a hard time keeping my feet on the ground and I could not get my head clear of things I had heard. Becoming a historist and learning that the Devil’s only big weapon is ‘power of suggestion’ has helped me see that our big obstacle, aside from the Devil, is using historical realism.
To be honest it is overwhelming and most people I talk to are preprogrammed and are resistant to something else. If I present some examples maybe I can get some help on this.
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1. Rev 17 should help us date the Book to about 67 or 68 AD. The 8 kings match the first 8 Roman Emperors: Nero the 6th is now, Otho the 8th is self-proclaimed, never made it to Rome, Vitellius already is, but (Otho) is not – secular history counts Otho (see chart below). Acts historically ends with Paul in Rome, beheaded in 67 AD. And if the Apostle John is one of the two witnesses, with Antipas (see 4. Below – Rev. 11) just before 70 AD, we really have a pretty good target date of Revelation’s writing.
(Note: many say Julius ‘Caesar’ was not the first Emperor, but a dictator. Yet Ussher history shows that Galba took the position by force, and Otho was only self-proclaimed. Sounds like dictatorship to me. In the history and analysis of same to confuse the issue. Only time (or the end of it) will tell.)
Black text is from Ussher’s Annals of the World.
4072b AM, 4782 JP, 69 AD
6961. On the Calends of January (January 1st) in Germany, the images of Galba were pulled down and on the third day, the army greeted Aulus Vitellius as the new emperor. On the 15th day of the same month, Galba was killed, seven months after the death of Nero. {*Tacitus, Histories, l. 1. c. 55-57. 2:95-99}
6962. After Galba was killed, Otho was created emperor by his soldiers, who did not know that Vitellius had assumed the empire. Dio stated that Otho was later killed on the ninetieth day of his reign and Suetonius added that Otho was buried on the ninety-fifth day. {*Dio, l. 63. (15) 8:219} {*Suetonius, Otho, l. 7. c. 11. s. 2. 2:233}
(Note: John 21:20-24 and Jesus reference to John not seeing death ‘till I come’? A reference to John on Patmos and Jesus appearance?
And Matthew 16:28 and Mark 9:1 and Luke 9:27 about ‘some shall not taste death until they see the kingdom of God present with power’: Pentecost, the early Church, and the persecution that was to follow?
What about Matthew 24? Jesus got 2 questions, about Jerusalem and His return, and gives a layered response with short and long term implications. Beginning with the desolation and destruction of Jerusalem, the Church Age with its initial tribulation, victory over the Roman Empire, 1000 year foundation for Missions, and its lapses over time with successes followed by failures (with a final great tribulation) until Jesus returns with the ‘clouds of heaven’ to rescue and gather his Saints and then a New Heavens and a New Earth – Rev 21 and 22.)
"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.''
Revelation 17 (NKJV)
1. Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and talked with me, saying to me, "Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters,
2. "with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.''
3. So he carried me away in the Spirit into the wilderness. And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast which was full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
4. The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication.
5. And on her forehead a name was written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
6. And I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I marveled with great amazement.
7. But the angel said to me, "Why did you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and the ten horns.
8. "The beast that you saw was, and is not, and will ascend out of the bottomless pit and go to perdition. And those who dwell on the earth will marvel, whose names are not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, when they see the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
9. "Here is the mind which has wisdom: The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits.
10. There are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come. And when he comes, he must continue a short time.
11. "And the beast that was, and is not, is himself also the eighth, and is of the seven, and is going to perdition.
12. "And the ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast.
13. "These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast.
14. "These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.''
15. And he said to me, "The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues.
16. "And the ten horns which you saw on the beast, these will hate the harlot, make her desolate and naked, eat her flesh and burn her with fire.
17. "For God has put it into their hearts to fulfill His purpose, to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled.
18. "And the woman whom you saw is that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth.''
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2. Rev 12 is about the Woman, or the Church. Mary, birth (Satan/Rome/Herod), death and ascension of Jesus, Paul’s 1260 days in the wilderness of Damascus (Gal 1 17-18: after 3 years, +15 days, +convincing – why not? Fits the schedule.), Satan cast down to pursue the Church, the 10 Kings of Rev 17 overcome by the Lamb (empire to north at time of Constantine), Rome and Constantinople (Byzantine 1000?) the two wings of the eagle protecting the church in its beginnings, the Kings of Europe (of the earth) protecting the Reformers from the flood of a corrupted Rome, the continuing mission to conquer the world for Christ…
Byzantine Empire
(Note: Zechariah 6:1-8 portray '4 spirits of the heavens' that roam the earth (NSEW) and verse 8 indicates that 'the north country have quieted my spirit'.
The Churches that Paul planted were to the north in Eastern Turkey, Greece, and Rome. Christianity continued its path north into Europe and eventually into all corners of the earth.
A prophecy that encouraged Paul to proceed in that direction. It is all about leadership!)
Revelation 12
1. Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars.
2. Then being with child, she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth.
3. And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads.
4. His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born.
5. And she bore a male Child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. And her Child was caught up to God and to His throne.
6. Then the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that they should feed her there one thousand two hundred and sixty days.
7. And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought,
8. but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer.
9. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
10. Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, "Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.
11. "And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.
12. "Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.''
13. Now when the dragon saw that he had been cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male Child.
14. But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent.
15. So the serpent spewed water out of his mouth like a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away by the flood.
16. But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the flood which the dragon had spewed out of his mouth.
17. And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
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3. Rev 13 (666 DCLXVI? – what is 16?) historically matches the bio of Diocletian (Dan 7:24 Tetrarchy, etc.) who saves Rome from collapse (the beast), and verse 13 seems to describe something miraculous (fire from heaven) but only God can do the miraculous and acts of men (and Satan) are illusions. And there are historical accounts in the bio relating how Diocletian starting in 303 to 305 AD burned churches, Scriptures, and even Christians to satisfy his gods and when an opposing general was struck and killed by lightening Diocletian took credit for all of it, in the sight of men, and God of course. His imposition of his gods (or Greek Oracles at Delphi) on the Romans sums up 666: submit or else.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diocletian
(Note: if you follow the bio of Diocletian, you see where he ‘retires’ and Constantine takes over and soon Rome adopts Christianity. Rev 13 is really a part of Rev 12 (church history), and Rev 11 (2 witness and end of old church) may precede Rev 12 and Rev 10 (John to be a witness) may precede 11 (John’s arrival, survey of situation, and Roman siege), and Rev 14 (new church persecution and martyrs) may follow Rev 13?)
Revelation 13
1. Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name.
2. Now the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. And the dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority.
3. I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast.
4. So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, "Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?''
5. And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months.
6. Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven.
7. And it was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation.
8. And all who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
9. If anyone has an ear, let him hear.
10. He who leads into captivity shall go into captivity; he who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.
11. Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon.
12. And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
13. He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men.
14. And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived.
15. He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed.
16. And he causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads,
17. and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
18. Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666.
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4. Rev 11 and the 2 witnesses could be Antipas (Jewish leader – Rev 2:13) and Ananus (High Priest) doing their Jeremiah thing in 67 AD (Josephus). Or it could be two remaining Apostles who return to Jerusalem for one last attempt before the destruction of 70 AD. Apostles had ‘those’ special gifts. And what follows in chapter 11 can be viewed as the fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD.
My guess: Apostles John and Antipas - fire from the mouth – even Elijah only asked for fire? Jesus named John one of the Sons of Thunder, yet he seemed to be a mild sort. But John certainly had a life changing experience at Patmos (Rev 10:11?) and John in Luke 9:54 ask about fire from heaven. And in Rev 10, John is told he is to ‘prophecy before…’, and Rev 11 begins survey. And Antipas is mentioned in Rev 2 as a faithful martyr. See item Ussher text 6954 below for Antipas location.
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42 months(1260 days) war and 2 witnesses (sorry, no secular record of ‘fire or come up hither’; be surprised to find one given the devastation that follows and who would believe them anyway, except Bible believers), and events surrounding fit Rev 11:
(Just a quick note: I have stated that I don’t have everything in place for Revelation. Chapter 11 has been tough. I assume history first and then go from there. Verse 9 and 10 bothered me. If this is history how could ‘all peoples of earth know about this, and there is gift giving’? If it is future, is CNN there televising this event?
In 66 AD the Jews routed the Roman army and of course this would be big news, even then. For 2 years (until 68-70 AD when Rome returned) the Jews from all over ‘the known world’ would be celebrating and if a Passover event occurred the city would be ‘booming with excitement’.
The events below also show a lot of turmoil, including two witnesses. So we have celebrating and gift giving and peoples of the earth a witness to these events?)
4070a AM, 4779 JP, 66 AD
6940. During the feast of tabernacles, after Cestius Gallus had burned Lydda, he marched toward Jerusalem. About seven or eight miles from there, the men of Jerusalem met him and fought a perilous battle near Bethhoron. When fresh troops arrived for Cestius, he forced the Jews into Jerusalem. On the 4th of the month of Hyperberetaios, (Niese: October 17th, Capellus: October 4th), he broke in and captured the lower part of the city (also known as Bezetha, or the New City and the Timber Market.) Then he attacked the temple and the upper city. He would easily have taken it, had he continued the attack more valiantly, for most of the people favoured the Romans and only the seditious men opposed them. {*Josephus, Jewish War, l. 2. c. 19. s. 1-4. (513-532) 2:521-529} [E900]
6941. When Cestius had almost captured the temple, he raised the siege for no good reason and retreated to Antipatris. Many of the Romans and auxiliary soldiers died on this march who were killed by the pursuing Jews. In their flight, the Romans abandoned most of their baggage, ammunition, engines, slings and other arms. The Jews later made good use of this equipment in their own defence against the siege of Titus. This humiliating retreat happened on the 8th of the month of Dios (Niese: November 25th, Capellus: November 8th) in the twelfth year of Nero. (That is, the twelfth year was over.) The thirteenth year of Nero had begun on the 13th of the previous October. {*Josephus, Jewish War, l. 2. c. 19. s. 5-9. (533-555) 2:529-537}
4071a AM, 4780 JP, 67 AD
6954. Meanwhile there was a great dissention throughout all Judea. Some wanted to continue the war, while others wanted to remain under the protection of the Romans. As a result, whole troops of thieves were gathered together all over Judea, who plundered those wanting peace. Laden with their plunder, they were received into Jerusalem, where they spread murders, dissensions, discords and rapines abroad. First, they imprisoned Antipas, together with a great many noblemen and the chief men of the city. Soon after that, they killed them without any trial, having falsely accused them of intending to surrender the city to the Romans. When the people attempted to rise up against them, they seized the temple and used it as a citadel against the people. For a high priest, they appointed Phanni by lot, who was not descended from the high priests, but was such a clown that he scarcely knew what the high priesthood meant. {*Josephus, Jewish War, l. 4. c. 3. s. 1-9. (121-161) 3:193-205}
6955. Ananus and the nobler priests stirred up and armed the people against those Zealots, as they called themselves, and attacked them in the temple itself, forcing them into the inner temple. The Zealots secretly sent letters to the captains of the Idumeans, accusing Ananus of treachery. They complained that they had been besieged in the temple while they were fighting for liberty, and asked the Idumeans to help them. The Idumeans arrived at once with twenty thousand men and were secretly let into the city and the temple by night, by the Zealots. They conducted a massive slaughter in Jerusalem, with large-scale destruction and rapines. For eighty-five hundred were killed that night and, during the days that followed, they killed Ananus and others of the nobility to a total of twelve thousand, besides an uncountable number of the common people.
4071b AM, 4781 JP, 68 AD
6958. Vespasian received news of the rebellions in Gaul, led by their governor, Julius Vindex, who had armed the Gauls against the Romans. This made him more determined to finish the war against the Jews. So, at the beginning of the spring, he led his army out from Caesarea and overran all Judea and Idumea and wasted it. Bringing back his army, he led them through Samaria to Jericho. When the inhabitants fled to the mountain country opposite Jerusalem, he pursued them and drove them from the hills. He attacked the citadels at Jericho and other places and surrounded the Jews on every side. {*Josephus, Jewish War, l. 4. c. 8. s. 1-4. (440-485) 3:285-301}
4073b AM, 4783 JP, 70 AD
6978. Jerusalem was destroyed on a Saturday. {*Dio, l. 65. (7) 8:271} This was the day the Jews observe most religiously and that year the 8th of the month of Gorpiaios (Niese: Wednesday, September 26th, Capellus: Saturday, September 8th) fell on a Saturday. The city was taken and destroyed. Titus commanded all the city and temple to be razed to its foundations and flattened, as well as being ploughed according to the custom. He spared only the west part of the wall and the three towers, Hippicus, Phasael and Mariamme. Because of their great beauty and strength, he left these to posterity, as a monument to the magnificence of that city. {*Josephus, Jewish War, l. 7. c. 1. s. 1. (1-4) 4:307}
4076c AM, 4786 JP, 73 AD
6995. Here Josephus ended the history of the destruction of Judea. After being captured in this war, he was made a freedman by Flavius Vespasian, the emperor, and assumed the name of Flavius from his patron. {*Josephus, Jewish War, l. 7. c. 11. s. 5. (454,455) 4:435}
Revelation 10
8. Then the voice which I heard from heaven spoke to me again and said, "Go, take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel who stands on the sea and on the earth.''
9. And I went to the angel and said to him, "Give me the little book.'' And he said to me, "Take and eat it; and it will make your stomach bitter, but it will be as sweet as honey in your mouth.''
10. And I took the little book out of the angel's hand and ate it, and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth. But when I had eaten it, my stomach became bitter.
11. And he said to me, "You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings.''
Revelation 11
1. Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod. And the angel stood, saying, "Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there.
2. "But leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the Gentiles. And they will tread the holy city under foot for forty-two months.
3. "And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.''
4. These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth.
5. And if anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies. And if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner.
6. These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire.
7. Now when they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them.
8. And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.
9. Then those from the peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations will see their dead bodies three and a half days, and not allow their dead bodies to be put into graves.
10. And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, make merry, and send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.
11. Now after the three and a half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them.
12. And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, "Come up here.'' And they ascended to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them.
13. In the same hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. In the earthquake seven thousand men were killed, and the rest were afraid and gave glory to the God of heaven.
14. The second woe is past. Behold, the third woe is coming quickly.
15. Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!''
16. And the twenty-four elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God,
17. saying: "We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was and who is to come, because You have taken Your great power and reigned.
18. The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints, and those who fear Your name, small and great, and should destroy those who destroy the earth.''
19. Then the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of His covenant was seen in His temple. And there were lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake, and great hail.
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5. Rev 7 and the 144000 (12k x 12 tribes) answers the question of what happened to the holy ones (Old Testament) resurrected with Jesus and witnessed in Jerusalem (Mt 27:51/Jn 5:25/Dan 7:13, 12:1-4/Rev 1:7)). Are they the ‘great cloud of witnesses’ that Jesus ascended into (Acts 1:9), who are now serving before the throne, and are the ‘clouds of heaven’ who return with Jesus when the heavens shake and the stars fall from the skies (MT 24): gravity overcoming the inflation of the first day of Creation. Rev 14 and 144000 may be a further description of them. Or it may be symbolic of the saints of the early church (NT) who spread the word and (the Lamb) overcame the Roman Empire. Rev 5 indicates the presence of the slain Lamb and 24 elders(?), and Rev 6:9 does cite a group ‘under the altar’, awaiting the 2nd rapture. The dead in Christ first, of course. And about Dan. 7, which I can see as more of a historical narrative, which includes what happened to the Roman Empire after Jesus’ Ascension and the early Church. Verse 10 speaks of ‘the books being opened’. Books of judgements I assume, and for all the Old Testament peoples waiting in ‘the graves’. Can’t have one without the other?
Matthew 27
50. Jesus, when He had cried out again with a loud voice, yielded up His spirit.
51. And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split,
52. and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised;
53. and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many.
(It is obvious that I did not work with the ‘sevens’ (or stages or overall judgements in time), until now, well somewhat. The later chapters of Revelation (10-20) and their historical significance seemed more important. Rev 7 appears to be maybe an interlude between Rev 6 (6 seals – to finality) and Rev 8 & 9 (last seal, trumpets, and woes – more finality) chapters. This interlude maybe the ½ hour of Rev 8:1. Not sure if ½ hour is heavenly time (on the hourglass?). My first guess would be that it is indicating ½ the time is gone (oh my) or this is just a dividing line in time?* And highlighting the Old Testament saints resurrection and ascension with Jesus would certainly mark a point. And I believe we must consider what happened to the Old Testament saints after they came ‘out of the ground’ with Jesus in Mt 27:51. If they witnessed, then they needed some sort of body? To put them back in the grave would be, well, somewhat ‘unscriptural’? Well my first guess, for now.
Revelation 8:1. When He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.
* Everyone, including Strongs, translates Rev 8:1 as 1/2 hour. Who am I right? But why does God need ½ hour or John even measure it? I have to go with a contextual, historical, or common sense understanding. And maybe not a theological understanding. Newer Bible translations do this, why not an original? Why did KJV use ‘men’ when ‘mankind’ (ie) was more appropriate? Or Eph. 2:8-9 can certainly have a ‘theological reverse spin’. When I first looked up Strongs 2256, I mistakenly did the Hebrew: a measuring line or cord. Maybe not Greek 2256, but an interesting parallel. More later, I need an interlude…)
Revelation 7
1. After these things I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, on the sea, or on any tree.
2. Then I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God. And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea,
3. saying, "Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.''
4. And I heard the number of those who were sealed. One hundred and forty-four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel were sealed:
5. of the tribe of Judah twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Gad twelve thousand were sealed;
6. of the tribe of Asher twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand were sealed;
7. of the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Levi twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand were sealed;
8. of the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Benjamin twelve thousand were sealed.
9. After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands,
10. and crying out with a loud voice, saying, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!''
11. And all the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God,
12. saying: "Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom, thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and ever. Amen.''
13. Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, "Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?''
14. And I said to him, "Sir, you know.'' So he said to me, "These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
15. "Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them.
16. "They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat;
17. "for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.''
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6. Rev 20 – short and sweet: like Romans 9 where Paul is actually lamenting that some of his countryman believed they were chosen for salvation and not chosen for the purpose of bringing all things to fulfillment, is Rev. 20 about the 1st resurrection of the Church, its tribulation, success (reigning?) and failures (losing ground), the Reformation a 2nd resurrection, and the Church ‘chosen’ for the ongoing mission to bring all things to fulfillment? The 2nd resurrection was only a shadow of the 1st. The 1st ‘fell away’ to pre-ology during 1000 years, the 2nd, sooner... The Devil is restrained when God’s people are united, in Truth (not error). If we observe the signs of the times, the ‘nations’ without a strong Christian influence are now going in the terrorists way, to ‘surround’ the people of God. (AD 54 non-Apostolic Church to 1054, the Great Ism Schism of the Byzantine Church.
Revelation 20
1. Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
2. He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years;
3. and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while.
4. And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
5. But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
6. Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.
7. Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison
8. and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea.
9. They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them.
10. And the devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
11. Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them.
12. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.
13. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works.
14. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
15. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.
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7. Rev 16 – Armageddon, a picture of the ongoing battle with ‘the kings of the east’ from Abraham up to today’s Judaism, Christianity, and Islamic issues (3 part Jerusalem). 3 frogs look more like a Middle East map after the Battle of Megiddo in 1918 where the British defeated the Ottoman Empire which led to the ‘nations’ Middle East realignment, the return of the Jews in 1948, and 6 Day War of 1967 (Joel 3) with Iran, Iraq, and probably Afghanistan or Syria (et all), ready to jump, at any opportunity, on Israel, Christianity, and any form of law and order. Maybe not that Islam is necessarily evil, but theological terrorists gain control and impose their radical views on all in their influence? And if we observe the signs of the times, the ‘nations’ without a strong Christian influence, are going in the terrorists way. Even the Church has ism terrorists? 7 Bowls of Wrath: finality, but it has been a continuing drama with the nations and God’s people since Cain killed Abel and fled to Nod, to the east of Eden.
Is there really a final battle or is it the end of time as we know it? In today’s economy what are the events leading up to this point? Zechariah 14 seems to be a history of Israel between Jesus’ 1st and 2nd coming (see below), and Christ the King’s name being proclaimed throughout the entire world, with verses 1-11 leading up to today.
(v1-2: Pompey (Rome/nations) takes Jerusalem in 64 BC, leaving those who supported him, and eliminating the others; v3-4: Jesus stood on the Mount of Olives, and earthquake upon His death; v5: dispersal of the Church, after the Ascension of Jesus and the holy ones who came out of the ground; v6-7: 70 AD destruction (like Amos 5:20 and the lament over the first temple destruction); v8-9: the Gospel to the nations; v10-11: the Jews return in 1948….
Verse 2 is not about either Temple destruction and yet it sets the tone and timing for the rest of the chapter. If we must view verse 2 as sequential rather than ‘in that day’ (verse 4), then the rest of the chapter is uncertainly future, rather than historically prophetic as to what has happened and what is happening.
3941a AM, 4650 JP, 64 BC
4529. Pompey and many others entered the temple and saw those things which was not lawful for anyone but the high priest to see. In the temple there was the table, the lampstand with the lamps, all the vessels for sacrifice, the censers, entirely made of gold, and a large pile of spices. In the treasuries of sacred money, they found about two thousand talents. Pompey did not touch any of this but on the next day ordered those who had the charge of the temple to purify and cleanse it and to offer their solemn sacrifices to God. {*Josephus, Jewish War, l. 1. c. 7. s. 6. (152,153) 2:71} {*Josephus, Antiq., l. 14. c. 4. s. 4. (71-73) 7:483,485}
4530. Pompey restored the high priesthood back to Hyrcanus, because he had willingly helped him in the siege and had hindered the Jews who were spread over the whole country from joining with Aristobulus.)
Verses 12-15 look like a nuclear exchange with Israel on top. Well something… Follow current events!
Verses 16-21 look like a rebirth of Judaism (Feast of Tabernacles and sacrifices?) and Israel is anticipating their messiah’s arrival to bring permanent peace and prosperity. 2 Thess. 2:1-4 also seems to indicate a need for ‘a temple of God?’ to house the ‘man of lawlessness’??? who deceives many (pagan and otherwise) that ‘the millennium’ is finally here. I have heard of a Jewish tradition that the 7th Millennium is the age of a ‘coming messiah’.
Is the temple a building or God’s people, or both? Or is it just a former US President sitting in a tall building in NYC proclaiming ‘I can fix it all’? The only details: eliminate the 10 Commandments and our Christian heritage.
Some say it is the Catholic Pope, maybe. Or it could be a protestant Pope(s) who leads the ‘falling away’ from the mission to promote the Gospel and Christian cultures.
(I like to keep my feet on the ground and find a historical understanding, but this one – given a dying universe and all the implications and probable nuclear war and demonic activity like before Jesus’ first coming, who knows…).
And of course the nations always have their secular messiahs, hence the conflicts. And in New Testament times how strong is the Christian influence in limiting the conflicts. 2 Thess. 2 points to an ‘apostasy or falling away’, that has to occur first.
And at what point does Jesus, our Messiah, and the 2nd coming, to rescue His own, happen?
Ps Maybe an example of ‘a man of lawlessness’ can be seen today in not only world governments but also the US government, particularly the executive branch, which is influencing the judicial branch to eliminate the Ten Commandments from any consideration. And surprisingly this is an elected position with many Christians buying into a ‘humanist agenda’, believing this is what we need to do. That is a ‘falling away’ from where we have been and how important the Ten Commandments are to a healthy culture that honors God.
(As of 2016 conservatives, religious and secular, began a push back against liberals, religious and conservative. Of course now we have a war to restore personal responsibility to our culture. And of course we those caught in the middle unleashing a terrorist response to the confusion. This is a spiritual problem – God’s Spirit versus the Babel spirit of mankind.)
My gut feel is that we started to ‘fall away’ when we surrendered the 6 day creation model to ‘well maybe’.
In the 1925 Scopes trial, the judge and jury were ‘in the tank’ for 6 days. Today the god of evolution reigns in the schools and in our culture.
How about the 4th commandment for starters (the other 9, like dominoes):
Exodus 20:8. Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
9. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
10. But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
11. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
What about the 6th Commandment?
Exodus 20: 13. Thou shalt not kill. (KJV)
13. You shall not murder. (NKJ)
Maybe the KJV is a problem. I believe they meant murder, but do we say “Moses murdered an Egyptian” or do we say “Moses ‘chose’ to execute justice on a murderer”? Not sure where in history to place the beginnings of confusion on this issue, but today 1) any war is questioned (drones are ok), 2) murderers live, 3) innocent unborn die, 4) the elderly and infirm have a right to die, or not receive life support (next phase or now?), 5) anyone who questions the state’s (or judge’s) position on these issues, will be punished (next phase or now?)?
‘Gay rights’ is a hot button issue right now. How about #5:
Exodus 20: 12. "Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.
My life experiences have shown me that ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’, worked rather well, in a lot of social interactions. And speaking of Sodom, ‘aggressive gaiety and special rights’ was only the ‘tip of the iceberg’ as seen in any social decay of a culture throughout history. We all got things to deal with:
1 Corinthians 6
9. Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites,
10. nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.
11. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.
12. All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.
Commandments 1-3 and 7-10: idolatry and basic morality. As always, where is the Church, on these issues? Where is the State on these issues?
I don’t see many people going to church on Sundays (maybe Saturday?). Maybe the cure for/from the Ten Commandments is the Church united in the Gospel. And the Gospel is rooted in the history of the Bible and God’s people over the last 6000 years. God gave us plenty of great examples to choose from.
Revelation 16
1. Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, "Go and pour out the bowls of the wrath of God on the earth.''
2. So the first went and poured out his bowl upon the earth, and a foul and loathsome sore came upon the men who had the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image.
3. Then the second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it became blood as of a dead man; and every living creature in the sea died.
4. Then the third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood.
5. And I heard the angel of the waters saying: "You are righteous, O Lord, the One who is and who was and who is to be, because You have judged these things.
6. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and You have given them blood to drink. for it is their just due.''
7. And I heard another from the altar saying, "Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgments.''
8. Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and power was given to him to scorch men with fire.
9. And men were scorched with great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God who has power over these plagues; and they did not repent and give Him glory.
10. Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom became full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues because of the pain.
11. And they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and did not repent of their deeds.
12. Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, so that the way of the kings from the east might be prepared.
13. And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.
14. For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.
15. "Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.''
16. And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon.
17. Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, "It is done!''
18. And there were noises and thunderings and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such a mighty and great earthquake as had not occurred since men were on the earth.
19. Now the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. And great Babylon was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath.
20. Then every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.
21. And great hail from heaven fell upon men, every hailstone about the weight of a talent. And men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, since that plague was exceedingly great.
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8. Some chapters are heavenly and some focus on judgments on the earth (since the beginning to the end and finality. Rev 6?), and some are ‘stepping stones’ that guide us through Church History. More? Help? Satan the Dragon, the Beast the System, the False Prophet, one who speaks or does for Satan.
Maybe in summary: after 4000 years, Jesus came for the OT Saints. After 2000 years +/-, Jesus comes for the NT saints.
What does all this have to do with the 4000th year?
Maybe it is like the literal 6 day creation model: there is nothing like ‘truth’ to comfort the believing saints and enhance the mission (Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.) and to give a lost world a clear and rational picture of why and what is in store at the last judgment. This is about mission focus and continuity for Christ. Some may say “the end and what is beyond is better”. Sure, but Hebrews 11 should encourage us to press on.
No sheep are lost, but ‘how should we then live’?
Until?
10 Kings (overcome by Lamb, to North, Zech. 6:1-8, 300AD: 10 Roman Provinces)
3 Frogs
3 Part Jerusalem (Armenian is Christian)
Note: on external links, as below, arrow back to return to this page.
1000/500 year isms:
http://historyreally.org/1000yearisms.html