The Book of Revelation/Apocalypse is not all future. The vision of the future is in the scroll which is seen and opened in chapter five. The vision of a door opening into the heavens in chapter four is current to the time when John received the vision, but often, I think it is interpreted as being a part of the vision of the future.. The scroll opens and begins from that current (time) point, "and I saw the Lamb open the first of seven seals.."
Monday, September 26, 2011
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Dark Night of the Living Dead?
There was no 'hell' in the Hebrew language. Israel understood "fiery judgment" to be national judgment and there was only "sheol" which means "the grave" in the Old Testament. Ecclesiastes 9:10 says "Whatever you do, do well. For when you go to sheol" (the grave) "there will be no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom". The patriarch Job said "Oh that you would hide me in sheol". He wanted God to hide him in a burning hot hell? [Job 13:14]
- Isaiah chapter 14, verse 11 says Lucifer will end up "in sheol" with "maggots as the bed beneath him and worms as his covering".
- It's only in the New Testament Greek, that the grave became "hades, the abode of the dead". However, the abode of the dead is still "the grave"! When Ephesians 4:9 says "He descended into the lower parts of the earth" it's assumed to mean 'hell', however, "the grave" is still in "the lower parts of the earth".
- Jude (verse 6) wrote that the angels "who left their first place" (rebelled) "are being held in chains of darkness awaiting judgment". Of course this has been interpreted to mean they are chained and sitting in 'hell' (sentence before trial) but what it actually refers to is they are in "chains of darkness" because once they changed their course away from perfection and goodness, they could not reverse their course back to perfection, because now, they were imperfect! Jude goes on to say (verse 7) that Sodom and Gomorrah are examples of "hellfire" and the smoke of their burning will rise up forever and ever. Well? is there flames of fire there now? No, they are mounds of dust and ashes. The smoke is the memory which will rise up forever. And this life is the memory of how one cannot walk away from God/Life/Perfection without becoming the opposite of life, which is non-life and "the grave".
- All who die before being "saved" (from death/the grave) will take part in "the Second Resurrection". And it's not until after a long day of the examination of all things, all human history, etc, that they will hear the notorious words "those not believing will go to the Second Death". But who, after all that, isn't going to "believe"? [This is my own theory, I've not heard that anyone else has found it!]
- One more note - when Jesus spoke of ending up in 'hell' because of doing evil, He said "in Gehenna" which was the dump site outside of Jerusalem where the bodies of criminals were burned [Matthew 5:29 and Strong's Greek Concordance #1067].
- Isaiah chapter 14, verse 11 says Lucifer will end up "in sheol" with "maggots as the bed beneath him and worms as his covering".
- It's only in the New Testament Greek, that the grave became "hades, the abode of the dead". However, the abode of the dead is still "the grave"! When Ephesians 4:9 says "He descended into the lower parts of the earth" it's assumed to mean 'hell', however, "the grave" is still in "the lower parts of the earth".
- Jude (verse 6) wrote that the angels "who left their first place" (rebelled) "are being held in chains of darkness awaiting judgment". Of course this has been interpreted to mean they are chained and sitting in 'hell' (sentence before trial) but what it actually refers to is they are in "chains of darkness" because once they changed their course away from perfection and goodness, they could not reverse their course back to perfection, because now, they were imperfect! Jude goes on to say (verse 7) that Sodom and Gomorrah are examples of "hellfire" and the smoke of their burning will rise up forever and ever. Well? is there flames of fire there now? No, they are mounds of dust and ashes. The smoke is the memory which will rise up forever. And this life is the memory of how one cannot walk away from God/Life/Perfection without becoming the opposite of life, which is non-life and "the grave".
- All who die before being "saved" (from death/the grave) will take part in "the Second Resurrection". And it's not until after a long day of the examination of all things, all human history, etc, that they will hear the notorious words "those not believing will go to the Second Death". But who, after all that, isn't going to "believe"? [This is my own theory, I've not heard that anyone else has found it!]
- One more note - when Jesus spoke of ending up in 'hell' because of doing evil, He said "in Gehenna" which was the dump site outside of Jerusalem where the bodies of criminals were burned [Matthew 5:29 and Strong's Greek Concordance #1067].
The False Prophet
A bolt of Lightening, or something, struck matter (which is always in a state of falling apart) and voila life appeared? Or the biggest immaculate conception of all, nothing exploded and became everything? How stupid do 'they' think we are?
The Book Of Revelation Says
The Book of Revelation says Socialism will swallow Capitalism. Almost all would like less materialism, greed and inequity in the world and nation. The fall of Capitalism may bring about less materialism, but not less greed and inequity. What will take its place? Do we really think it will be peaceful self rule?
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
As A Used To Be Astrologer..
I find it hard to remain silent if I see a glaring untruth or its byproduct, bigotry (being built). As a used to be astrologer, I can still see trends, movements, energies.. but now as a Christian I see them as entities, those ancient pitiless 'gods'. Maybe that's why ancient astrology was seen as being for politics!
- Have a Good day! (Make it a Good day!)
- Have a Good day! (Make it a Good day!)
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Five Keys To Bible Prophecy & The Book Of Revelation
There's five keys to understanding Bible prophecy ~
1 - Use a straightforward and literal reading whenever possible.
2 - The Seals when described in chapter six, so early in the narrative, are a blend of what they are when first opened, and what they are when full grown.
3 - Four chapters are inserts.
4 - The occurrences in the Book of Revelation are consequences and results. (This leaves out things like planetary collision and alien visitors!)
5 - The Book of Revelation uses many images from the Old Testament, for instance, the 70 A.D. Christians knew "Babylon the Great" referred to the current empire over them.
1 - Use a straightforward and literal reading whenever possible.
2 - The Seals when described in chapter six, so early in the narrative, are a blend of what they are when first opened, and what they are when full grown.
3 - Four chapters are inserts.
4 - The occurrences in the Book of Revelation are consequences and results. (This leaves out things like planetary collision and alien visitors!)
5 - The Book of Revelation uses many images from the Old Testament, for instance, the 70 A.D. Christians knew "Babylon the Great" referred to the current empire over them.
Friday, September 2, 2011
God's Gonna Getcha?
APOCALYPSE, it's not that 'God's gonna getcha!' - it's simply the collapsing of all that is not true, all that is not right. It's the working out of 'free-will' or more exactly of the ability to think, therefor choose. And then letting it run its course, otherwise it's not free-will. (The other option God had is to never create rational creatures.. ever.)
- And, but for the grace of God there goes any one of us.. caught right in the middle of apocalypse.. "And so were some of us.." all of us.. all sinners, only saved by grace.. by the working of His Spirit, if Jesus said "why do you call me good? there's only one who is good" then it's plain there is one sole source of all and any 'goodness' and it is not within us, saved or unsaved.. yet God loves us all with a deep love that no human being can even begin to fathom.We make choices, but we are not "the source" of good things.
- "Apocalypse", it's not a matter of God's going to get you.. it's a matter of this life, and all the prophets said, is all God's truth drama showing every heart and mind clearly that anything false can only fail, fall, and ultimately is nothing more than dust and ashes.. God iS Life (Who/What else could be? "In the beginning God..")
- Lesson of life, you/we/no one, can walk away from God/Life/Perfection. This shall be written and deeply engrained upon every heart and psyche..
- "This is the decree of God.." (ps 2) - all things in Jesus. Jesus shares His eternal Life with us. There is no other life. Anything outside of God, outside of utter perfection, is apocalypse and can never result in anything but dust and destruction.. ever..
- And, but for the grace of God there goes any one of us.. caught right in the middle of apocalypse.. "And so were some of us.." all of us.. all sinners, only saved by grace.. by the working of His Spirit, if Jesus said "why do you call me good? there's only one who is good" then it's plain there is one sole source of all and any 'goodness' and it is not within us, saved or unsaved.. yet God loves us all with a deep love that no human being can even begin to fathom.We make choices, but we are not "the source" of good things.
- "Apocalypse", it's not a matter of God's going to get you.. it's a matter of this life, and all the prophets said, is all God's truth drama showing every heart and mind clearly that anything false can only fail, fall, and ultimately is nothing more than dust and ashes.. God iS Life (Who/What else could be? "In the beginning God..")
- Lesson of life, you/we/no one, can walk away from God/Life/Perfection. This shall be written and deeply engrained upon every heart and psyche..
- "This is the decree of God.." (ps 2) - all things in Jesus. Jesus shares His eternal Life with us. There is no other life. Anything outside of God, outside of utter perfection, is apocalypse and can never result in anything but dust and destruction.. ever..
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