John is seeing a vision which consenses events that transpire over long periods of time, or at times months, into one image. The stars falling from the sky, and the heavens rolling up like a scroll might be a representation of the drastic uptick in meteors and the reduction in strength of the earth's magnetic field. Image the earth has a force shield (it does) and that it is reduced (it is) and that the meteors are rapidly falling out of the solar system bombing the earth and sun (they are). Also, "earthquake" in Greek or Hebrew is to mean "tempest" which pertains to EITHER the shaking of the earth, or to gale force winds. The same word can mean either storm, or landquake. If the context is stars and tempest, then it pertains to a tempest IN SPACE!David Sylvian;64421230 said:
You can argue till you're blue, but the fact is that regardless of what was prior to the incarnation of Christ matters no longer, as we now know, Christ has subordinated himself to the Father. (Phillipans 2)
"The song of Moses" is figurative, as most of the imagery and things seen by John are figurative.
The prophecy of Moses and Elijah was fulfilled when the appeared with Jesus on the mount of Transfiguration. I don't think they return to earth again only to be killed. I believe the two witnesses are trees that describe believers in two different religious contexts (not sure what they are as yet, but they represent the church in two separate groups)
Jesus comes with the voice of the archangel.
Jesus IS the angel of Revelation 10 because that angel is described in ways that the glorified Christ is described and he speaks with the voice of 7 thunders that only Christ can command.
Michael has the role of warrior angel, Gabriel appears to be the role of speaker angel. The Anel of the Lord is different and is related with the "Destroyer", representing the direct wrath of God and the appearance of the Lord himself.
We should look at this text closer. Satan is not "cast out" of heaven until the later time of the abomination of desolation. He "comes like lighting" according to Jesus before the crucifixion. There are realms of heaven where Satan can be cast ouf of, but still reside in the heavenly places. The court of God is one of the places I think he's cast out of (after Christ's ascension). But he isn't cast completely to earth until the firce battle with Michael in the end times which results in his "short time" and the possession of the antichrist.
The child in Revelation is the generation of saints in the end times who will remain faithful to Jesus Christ. Satan attempts to dominate world affairs such that he deceives the whole world and even the smallest children. This generation will rule with Christ after the final battle, and as we know Christ rules with a rod of iron.
Maybe the city is a depiction of the opposite of the SPIRITUAL city of Babylon, where it represents permanent holiness. (Babylon is given over to permanent hell).
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The Bride is the post appocalypse marriage of the redeemed church and is again, a city representing perfect holiness and the matrimony between Christ and the saints. She comes out of heaven because she is a symbolic city that describes eternal righteousness, which is sourced from heaven in Christ Jesus.
These chapters are all repetitions of the final 7 years.
* Chapter 8 is the first 3.5 years (1260 days)
* Chapter 9 is the second 3.5 years of (1290 days)
* Chapter 10 is Christ announcing the end of the 7 years and the beginning of wrath and imparting understanding to John.
* Chapter 11 describes the final 7 years in two parts (3.5 years for the witnesses, and 3.5 years for their deaths).
* Chapter 12 describes the same 7 years in two parts (the 3.5 years of the satanic and demonic advance, and 3.5 years of Satan on earth and persecution of the saints)
* Chapter 13 is the same 7 years in two parts (3.5 years of war spiritual war against the church and 3.5 years of martyrdom of the saints)
The day of wrath is the day of vengeance of God on earth.
The day of Judgement is the day in court where eternal sentence is passes.
Bad people remain on earth, but all forms of stumbling blocks are completely destroyed (pornography is one example)
not all people will be forced to take the mark.
Those who worship the beast will live, those who do not are killed. Those who live are priviledged by the beast to willingly receive his mark so that he will identify his kingdom as he tries to isolate those who are the saints, and kill them (this will be centered on the land of Palestine)
The voice of the angel has the voice of many waters because that is the voice of Christ.
In heaven, all worship must be directed to the Father. (Rev 4:11) On earth all worship in the flesh is directed toward the Father through the Son, who receives all authority on his behalf. There is one Lord (Christ) and one God (the Father)
We don't worship the written word, we worship the living Word. We recognize that translations are flawed, but the message handed down is none the less true and authoritative.
They are probably real birds eating the flesh of real men, but they also could at the same time the spiritual flesh of men being tormented by wild spirits in heavn, and in the millenial reign all these spirits are cast into Hades. At the end of the millenium Hades and all its host are cast into the lake of fire.
The angel of hte Abyss is named in Greek and Hebrew for a reason. He is satan. The spirit of antichrist is the same as the he-goat of Javan (Greece) of Daniel 8. Out of him comes the little horn, and the little horn leads the beast. The beast and angel from the abyss are two aspects, one physical, one spiritual. The beast is a physical beast on earth. The angel is a spiritual being in heaven, both are on earth in the end times but the spirit is still invisible.
The plauges of all the seals and trumpets are not the wrath of God directly, but indirect judgements that are carried out by men upon men with permission by God. The wrath of God comes at the end of the trumpets and is from the bowls of wrath (poured out in approximately 45 days)
Yes. The poison is symbolic and pertains to lawlessness and hatred of men for one another (Matthew 24:10-12).
Only those who are opposed to Christ are scared (The kings and generals and mighty and rich men of Revelation 6 and Revelation 13, and the Merchants of Revelation 18). The saints are not scared of Christ, for they long for his return, and NONE of his wrath is poured out on them, just as none of the 7 final plagues against Egypt were poured out on Israel.