Does Revelations have to come true?

Lewis: I am going to do some Bible reading and than I will post on this idea. But what gets me, is that people can not give into the will of God. So many people are afraid of Jesus. They are not wanting him to return.

LOVE

Lewis,

I'm not the world's best Revelation/Prophecy guru, but here is what I can offer.

The Bible is full of prophecy, and all this prophecy has (or will - from your standpoint) come true. If it is prophesied in the Bible it did/will come true, you can count on that.

God's judgement and conditions on Sodom and Ninevah were not prophesied about. These were mere events surrounding the lives of Abraham and Jonah. This is why judgement could be executed, or stayed - based upon God's decision at that time.

Excuse this crude example:

Three years ago you vowed that you were going to buy a Ford Mustang for your XX birthday. When the time comes you buy a Ford Mustang for your XX birthday. Vow fulfilled.

Compared with: One day you decide to buy a Ford Mustang for your birthday IF you can find a dealer who will sell you one for under $10,000. Conditional decision - no previous vow to be fulfilled.

At least for me...this is the biggest difference between events in Revelation, and some of the non-prophesied events in the Old Testament (such as you mentioned).

-A

I too have thought on this, and somewhat came to this conclusion;
Yes, I believe God will have mercy and spare those who dilligently seek him, and follow his commandments. We are told this;

Watch ye therefore; and pray always, so that ye may be counted worthy to escape all of these things that shall come to pass. Luke 21

Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgement; seek richeousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lords anger.
Zephaniah 2

And then,
Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.
And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to the fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.
Malachi 4

We are all in Gods hands. Yes, we can destroy the earth by our own nuclear power and intelligence, (watch for India and Pakistan) but God allows things to unfold and then intercedes at his will. So <if> we were to cause a castrophe of this type, many would see that as being man made, not a Revelation of God. Even if the fallout caused the sun to darken, and the moon to turn to blood red, there would be a scientific answer.

Further in Revelations, when the vials are opened, and men are scorched by heat and pain, they still do not turn to God, but blasphemy his name.

Here is Gods patience.

It seems to me that the events of Revelation increase, as the seals are opened. We have the example from Jesus of his return being compared to labor pains; a continuance of earthquakes, of war, of violence, etc. Am I making any sense?

I guess what I'm trying to say is that all of the things in Revelations will occur; to the severity to each of us, I do not know. Remember we are told to <watch> because that day will not overtake us as a thief, because we are made aware of whats happening.
Hope this helps.
Wildfire

I believe that just as God spared Lot and his family and Noah and his, born again believers will be taken out of the way. The tribulation period will be a time of God's testing the inhabitants of the world, a pouring out of His wrath, but it's not something Christians will have to go through. Just as Wildfire pointed out, many people still will not turn to God during that time.

Excellent Lewis;

For the son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch.
Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:
Lest coming suddenly he finds you sleeping.
And what I say unto you, I say unto all.
Watch.
Mark 13

Wildfire

error is it...I think not...That which is described in Revelations is said in a way that "IT WILL HAPPEN"...No maybe's about it...

LewisWildermuth,

There are many examples of conditional prophecies in the Bible. For a direct statement on the conditional nature of the book of Revelation, please read A basic outline of the Apocalypse in this forum.

First of all, the Revelation isn't a bad thing, or a thing to be feared. It is the natural end to God's plans for the Earth, and in the end, good will triumph.

...The tribulation period will be a time of God's testing the inhabitants of the world, a pouring out of His wrath...

Click to expand...

Note that during the tribulation nobody in heaven says God's wrath "is come" until after the 7th trumpet (Revelation 11:15, 18), in the 7 vials (Revelation 15:1).

The vials contain God's wrath (Revelation 16), yet not one of them is directed at us Christians. I believe we are even blessed at the 6th vial (Revelation 16:15), that we might endure to the 1,335th day (Daniel 12:12).

...it's not something Christians will have to go through...

Click to expand...

Note that we Christians are referred to throughout Revelation (6:11, 7:14, 9:4, 12:17, 13:7-10, 14:12-13, 15:2, 16:15, 18:4, 20:4).

This is a general heads-up, for preterists who continue posting in the Eschatology forum. Erwin has made it clear in this thread, that preterist views shall not be posted in the Eschatology forum.

If any preterists have any questions, please contact Erwin, Josephus or any of the staff.


Thank you,
John