What is the Amil interpretation of the 42 months reign of the Beast mentioned in Revelation 13? Do you take the 42 months mentioned literally ?
Many reasons it is not literal. The best of which is that Revelation is
not a book to be taken literally, especially numbers. Let check with the Scripture:
Rev 11:1-2
[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.
[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 13:2-5
[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.
[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.
[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?
[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.
Look at the context. The court is not literal, the Temple is not literal, the measuring is not literal, the 2 candlesticks and Olive trees are not literal, the 2 witnesses are not literal, the fire from their mouths is not literal, their death in the street is not literal, the thousand two hundred and threescore days they prophesy is not literal, nor the sackcloth they are clothed in. So we see a pattern here in Revelation?
Just as the 1000 years Satan is bound is not literal, or the 1000 years we reign with Christ. So it would be out of character and out of context, for the 42 months to turn up as literal. The holy city they tread under foot is not literal, so neither is the 42 months they do it.
You may retort, "Why Not?" Well,
"Why Not" is not a biblical argument for 42 months being taken literally. I could just as well ask, "why not" the number 1000 years of Revelation being literal, or why not God having 7 literal Spirits, or why not the 1260 days the Woman is in the wilderness literal? ...the list of "why nots" could be endless! But the answer is less vague, as it is because the rest of scripture when taken in context, in conjunction and in agreement with it, precludes it. The thousand years Satan was bound,
according to scripture, precludes it being literal. Unless you think Satan was loosed in 1033 A.D. Yes, I know, millions of people don't believe it's spiritual and will swear it is literal, but what has a personal opinion have to do with truth?
Psalms 51:6
- "Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom."
Truth is not something we have by taking all the numbers in scripture very literally,
it is something given of the Spirit. Think about it. I don't presume to teach anyone God's 7 Spirits are not 7 literal ones, the 1000 years Satan was bound are not literal, 42 months treading down of the Holy Temple are not literal or 1260 days the woman is in the wilderness are not literal. That's God's work, not mine.
So, when you ask, why not the number 42. If the spirit through the study of the word doesn't tell you, I cannot presume to.
Do you know what a double minded man is? It is a man who is led about with every wind of doctrine, vacillating from one system to another, is unstable and has no firm footing. On the other hand, the man whose foundation and authority is the word of God, and who studies to show himself approved a workman, is a man not needing to be ashamed. A double mind is a double spirit, and thus in confusion and not loyalty to either. In other words, unstable. If you think scripture is easy to understand, you deceive yourself. But, the good news is that it is
Spiritually discerned. , 3, 7, 10, 42, 100 1260, 1290, et'al.
2nd Peter 3:16
- "As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction."
All a man can do is bear witness to the word that man might see God's ways are not our ways. But that a double minded man is unstable in all his ways, is a given. Just as truth is Spiritually discerned. If you want to know why the 42 months are not literal, compare the timing of when it is mentioned with what must take place then, while understanding that Revelation is
not (I repeat, NOT) a book where numbers are normally to be taken literally. ...else only 144,000 of all the earth would be saved. If you don't believe that, then you don't believe in the false doctrine of consistent literalism.
Who are the Saints who will be overtaken by the Beast ?
Rev 11:7
[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 13:6-8
[6] And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.
[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.
[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.
The saints are the Christians who hold the testimony of Truth. In the time of the end, when Satan is loosened and given power to overcome the testimony of Christians and silence (kill) them. In this way, the professed Christians who do not love the truth will be deceived by false prophets and christs to believe lie BECAUSE the truth has been silenced in the church. This is what God was talking about.
For whom Revelation 14:9-13 Have been written ?
Revelation 14:9-13
9 And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a great voice, If any man worshippeth the beast and his image, and receiveth a mark on his forehead, or upon his hand, 10 he also shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is prepared unmixed in the cup of his anger; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: 11 and the smoke of their torment goeth up for ever and ever; and they have no rest day and night, they that worship the beast and his image, and whoso receiveth the mark of his name.
The
professed Christians who do not have the seal of God (Revelation 9), so they are the ones who do not love the truth (and silenced the truthful testimony of the Saints). They are the one who have worship the beast (body of false propehts and christs like Joel Osteen, Joyce Meyers, etc.) and their doctrines (images or likeness). They take the mark of the beast to show that they are owned by the beast by having same mind (forehead) or do the will (right hand).
12 Here is the patience of the saints, they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
Patience because it is a time of great tribulation FOR THE ELECT during that time, because it is thejudgment of God upon unfaithful church when they will "see" the abomiantion of desolation spoke of by Daniel the prophet, to flee from her.
