I tend to agree with you to a degree. You once again make some good points.
Revelation 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.
So what does one do with this verse then? Does or does it not mean what it says? What does it say? and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. Doesn't that indicate the beast continues 42 months, regardless? It doesn't say it continues 40 months, or 46 months, etc, right?
What then ends it's reign?
I would think the following for one.
Revelation 11:15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
16 And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God,
17 Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned.
18 And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.
Notice that the 7th trumpet sounds first. Which then results in the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever. Which then leads to the time of wrath. IOW, the 7 last vials of wrath.
Why? Because God has once again gained control of the planet. The first thing on the agenda appears to be found in verse 18---And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come----and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.
If you just follow along in Revelation, that book answers most questions. When the 7th vial hits and the cities of the world are destroyed, the Beast seems to disappear! However, Jerusalem is under attack! I think he and the false prophet certainly are not with the leaders of the armies of the world attacking Jerusalem. No, they would be hidden in the rear somewhere. Israel (the people) are of course fighting to the death. It is written that the city is taken and people carried away as slaves. (I think Zech).
It seems that Israel will become a nation in history - but Jesus returns in the nick of time! The armies attacking Israel are destroyed. Jesus touches down and a valley is created where the Jews under attack have a way of escape.
Now, the 42 months. Notice that John started his 42 months two chapters after the 42 months of trampling. That means he will be capture and killed some time after the 70th week is finished. His 42 months will include the time after the week ends at the 7th vial up to the time of His coming in chapter 19. He will CERTAINLY not be killed before His 42 months. His last few days will be in the battle of the combined nations of the world against Israel.
Remember, it is at the 6th seal where demons are sent to draw in the armies of the world. That would be near the end of the week.
power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. Doesn't that indicate the beast continues 42 months, regardless? YES! God's word is TRUE: He will not be put to death until His 42 months are complete. And His authority continues also. But while He is exercising HIS authority, God pours out vials with associated plagues that will prevent the Beast from doing what he wants: to murder every Jew and every believer.
Just the fact that at the end He brings in the combined armies of the world show he still has authority.
What is shortened are those days where the Beast and his armies are beheading saints. How can they when they are sitting in the dark gnawing their tongues in pain? Apparently the pain eases for they probably are behind the scenes at the battle of Armageddon where they are taken and killed.
What ENDS His 42 months? DEATH: Jesus comes and captures them. But after His 42 months. God does not lie.
No, you are mistaken. Events in chapter 11 are MIDPOINT events. God gets His planet back at the midpoint. Satan is cast down to BEGIN the days of GT at the midpoint. Please, don't try and rearrange John's great book!
18 And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth. This is PROPHECY by the elders of soon coming events. they don't take place in chapter 11 timing.
Which then leads to the time of wrath. No, wrath has been ongoing. You should learn, most of John's verbs are Greek Aorist tense verbs that show NO timing information at all. We can usually only find timing in Revelation by where in the book it is first mentioned.
thy wrath is come, There is no possible way to translate this into English with the same idea as the Greek. In English it looks present tense. In Greek, NO tense. God's wrath will begin at the 6th seal and then continue on through the trumpets and vials. Agreed, the vials of wrath come next. But God has wrath before the vials too.
