The Four Horses of Apocalypse

Like thick velvet curtains slowly
parting, “Apocalypse” reveals its secrets,
and if we will settle back as if in ringside
theater seats, we will soon hear a
thunderous noise of approaching hoof
beats. Four powerful and notorious horses,
with riders, gallop steadily across the
stage, stirring up clouds of dust and sand
as they go. They are howling winds upon
the stage of time. Our hair blows back
from our faces, and sand stings our eyes
and coats our teeth. They soon dwindle
from our sight. But what we want to
remember is these “Four Horsemen of the
Apocalypse” once they begin their ride,
continue their gallop throughout the whole
(Revelation) production, with each gallop
becoming more thunderous and
pronounced at the ‘end’. It is in their
winds, that the rest of the Apocalypse
visions occur.
 ........ "A Nefarious Pentagram"
 http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/marie_glen

The Seven Seals of God (The Third Seal)

The Third Horseman of the Apocalypse:
At the third seal’s opening, the third
horse to appear upon Earth’s scene, is a
black horse. And this rider has a scale or
“balance” in his hands. In the heavens, a
voice sounds from among the four
majestic “living creatures”, which are seen
at the sides of the throne of God, and the
voice says, “a measure of wheat for a
day’s wages.. and a day’s wages for a
measure of barley, but don’t hurt the oil or
the wine.” The increasingly complex scale
and balance of “mercantilism” and trade,
has steadily grown and taken root
throughout the ages of man. But because
of “war” (and man’s imperfections) there
has been, is, and will be, shortage,
imbalance, and even famine. [Rev 6:5,6]
 ........ "A Nefarious Pentagram"
 http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/marie_glen

Clashing

I've been watching "Hatfields & McCoys" starring Kevin Costner and Bill Paxton with Tom Berenger, who is almost incognito as "Tom Berenger"! It's a very good movie/mini series "a true American story of a legendary family feud—one that spanned decades and nearly launched a war between Kentucky and West Virginia. Hatfields & McCoys, a three-part miniseries, showcases an all-star cast led by Kevin Costner and Bill Paxton. It chronicles a clash of clans that inspired passion, vengeance, courage, sacrifice, crimes and accusations, while forever transforming the two families and the region they lived in—Hatfield in West Virginia, McCoy just across the Tug River border in Kentucky ...to increasing tensions, misunderstandings and resentments that soon explode into all-out warfare between their families. As hostilities grow, friends, neighbors and outside forces join the fight, bringing the two states to the brink of another civil war."
 - A very good and interesting movie, but I am finding it to be very disturbing...
=====================
 http://www.history.com/shows/hatfields-and-mccoys/articles/about-hatfields-and-mccoys

Intelligence !

I had a brief conversation with someone recently about the theory of evolution. They sort of laughingly and condescendingly said "because we see there has been a lot of change" (since the beginning) "it proves the theory of evolution".
- I thought 'how in the world does that prove evolution?' and it was a big mystery to me.
- As it turns out, I discovered it is because folks have been educated (told) "creationists" (now called Intelligent Design or "intelligence" behind "design") "believe God made everything just as we see them today, whereas Darwin saw that animals change, and therefor the creationists are wrong because we observe change; therefor evolution is right".
- Mystery solved! However, this statement about Intelligent Design is not true!
- Therefor, according to this, the first premise the theory of evolution is based on, is a false premise! I knew the whole theory is like a Jenga game, in that it is false premises built upon false premises, but I didn't realize just how total the whole thing is!
Note: Animals change through a process called "natural selection". We can compare it to the very many breeds of dogs there are. The first dog/wolf kind had within it all the genetic information needed (by all the different possible genetic combinations) to produce all these different breeds and species within that original "kind". But they are formed by the separating out of information. Evolution says information is added to the DNA code and is passed on, but in reality, genetic information is separated out and is passed on, leaving other genetic information behind. Therefor it is a loss of genetic information and ability, which is passed on, not an addition.
- In order for all life forms to have evolved from one original life form (which had to have originally sprung out of matter and the natural tendencies of matter) it had to have slowly developed unimaginably immense amounts of new information / genetic code. For example, a bird has within it the genetic information needed to form feathers. For the bird to have evolved from a reptile, the reptile would have to have come up with that new needed info. This does not happen. Has never been seen to happen. It is a theory (belief) only.
- We have many breeds and species within the wolf/dog kind, but we do not have a catdog.

Lesser and Greater

"Values and principles that have guided civilized man for centuries are coming unraveled by the minute" - I read this in a book with a copyright of 1997. I've lived long enough to have seen how the unraveling began in earnest, so I know which political party is the most dangerous.

Nefarious Things

I have a friend who swears neighbors are digging tunnels and abducting people and that it's a widespread phenomenon.. yes she's prone to this type of thing.. but I feel the Lord tells me there are indeed very nefarious things going on in the country and world (and states).. the work of demons.. using humans.. and feel a call to "fast and pray" regularly and doesn't have to be a long fast or even necessarily always total..

One Commandment

There's so much going on (in the world) that it's easy to get distracted. This whole life can be one big distraction! That's a part of being human. But the thing we shouldn't forget is that God is the Prime Element of life! He's the all in all..in everything! If we let him, he will open within us a fountain of worship (love) thanksgiving and praise..
- One commandment, "love God".
(Matthew 15:36)

The Seven Seals of God (The Second Seal)

Revelation 6:3,4
Good News Translation (GNT)
Then the Lamb broke open the second seal; and I heard the second living creature say,  Come! Another horse came out, a red one. Its rider was given the power to bring war on the earth, so that people should kill each other. He was given a large sword.
- The second galloping, progressing element of the latter age, the years of our Lord, A.D., is war, larger war (world wars), and growing larger weaponry. This is the Second Horseman of the Apocalypse.
- The Book of Revelation was written almost 2000 years ago, by the Apostle John, one of the original twelve disciples of Jesus, in approximately 90 A.D.

Galloping Seals - What is Commonly Missed!

The Opening of the Seven Seals, in the Book of Revelation, chapter six, begins with the first four seals being called the notorious "Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse". Each of the seven seals are elements of the/a latter age of man, the years of our Lord, A.D.
- When each seal, one through four, are Opened, a horse and rider come galloping. These galloping horses and seals are the progressing elements of the age (the years of our Lord, A.D.)
- Recognizing this is a key to Bible prophecy, and is a major key to understanding the Revelation vision. This fancy footwork of the four horsemen of the apocalypse, is a lock upon the vision, hiding and obscuring much of the vision "for many days".
- The key is knowing that each seal, explained in chapter six is a blend of two things: what that element of the age is when it is Opened, and what it is in its fully progressed (galloped) state at the 'end'. Therefor, things which occur very late upon the planet, are described here, so very early in the Revelation narrative! Most cipherings of these seals are highly misunderstood therefor (not to say each element doesn't escalate as the 'end' progresses). With the first seal and white horse and rider being interpreted as a false Christlike figure known as the 666 man (er, office!) in Christian circles.
- A key to understanding the Seven Seals of God, is knowing they are the galloping, progressing elements of the years of our Lord A.D.
- We also need to know that each seal continues its gallop throughout the rest of the age, peaking at the 'end'.

The Seven Seals of God (The First Seal)

New King James Version (NKJV)
~ ~ Revelation 19:12
His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself.
~ ~ John 19:5
Then Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate said to them, “Behold the Man!”
~ ~ Hebrews 2:7
You have made him a little lower than the angels;
You have crowned him with glory and honor,
And set him over the works of Your hands.
~ ~ Hebrews 2:9
But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.
~ ~ Isaiah 28:5
In that day the Lord of hosts will be
For a crown of glory and a diadem of beauty
To the remnant of His people,
~ ~ Revelation 6:1,2
Now I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals; and I heard one of the four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder, “Come and see.” And I looked, and behold, a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer. (Beginning of the years of our Lord A.D.)
~ ~ Revelation 19:11
Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war.

Good News!

The gospel (good news) is in very large part, psychological, bottom line being, we are all miserable sinners and Jesus was executed in our place.
 (Good News Translation, GNT)
Isaiah 11:7

 ⁷Cows and bears will eat together,
      and their calves and cubs will lie down in peace.
   Lions will eat straw as cattle do.

Revelation 22:1,2  
¹The angel also showed me the river of the water of life, 
sparkling like crystal, and coming from the throne of God 
and of the Lamb and flowing down the middle of the city's street.  
 ²On each side of the river was the tree of life, 
which bears fruit twelve times a year, once each month; 
and its leaves are for the healing of the nations.

Promises A Blessing!

The Book of Revelation/Apocalypse is unique in that it opens with a blessing declared for anyone who reads it, hears it and heeds it.. (first chapter, verse three). Then at the end of the book in the last chapter, verse seven, it repeats the blessing.. Makes me think we are supposed to read it and understand it! That we would be blessed to be able to "heed" it...

Happy at the Hermitage

..count yor blessings not yor woes, and u'll be happy everywhere u goes :))

Golden Calf

ACTS 7:40
Contemporary English Version (CEV)

⁴⁰ The people said to Aaron, “Make some gods to lead us! Moses led us out of Egypt, but we don’t know what’s happened to him now.”  ⁴¹ Then they made an idol in the shape of a calf. They offered sacrifices to the idol and were pleased with what they had done.
- Will it work if mankind makes government to be Providence?

Those Obnoxious Christians

Many folks think Christians are somewhat obnoxious. Of course, in every group of human beings, there are those who give the rest 'a bad name'. And then too, Christianity often rubs a person the wrong way before they are "saved" (rescued from the grave, more commonly translated "hell"). But another reason Christians are thought of as obnoxious is because they don't easily give up in trying to convert another. But the reason Christians can be very zealous in their efforts to convince, is because they are taught and believe that unless one believes in Christ before their death, they will perish.. or worse. In other words, to them it's a matter of life or death. (So they willingly suffer unpopularity and humiliation.)

Learning Good From Evil

It's so prone for human nature to want to put in a box and be the authority.. and I think human nature doesn't wait for God's revealing.. but puts things in a box of understanding..
- I was never so fascinated as when I realized if the spring Hebrew holy days prophesied our Lord's 1st advent, then surely the peaks of his long 2nd advent would correspond to the fall Hebrew holy days of Trumpets, Day of Atonement & Tabernacles.. and if there are 1000 years represented by the 10 days between Trumpets (return, first resurrection) and Atonement (Day of Judgment) then likely 5 days between Atonement and Tabernacles (when the Father Himself will tabernacle with man upon Earth) represents 500 years.
- It's only toward the close of the 500 years, after all humans have experienced being resurrected, and have lived through a long day, or short age, of the examination of all human history, etc, that it is written "those not believing will go to the 2nd death" (ageduring is a closer translation than "for ever and ever") - but who after all that, isn't going to "believe"?
- I think there's only one verse which can be used to possibly imply one has to "believe" before death, and that's when Jesus told the pharisees if they didn't turn (repent) they would "die in their sins" but this surely is simply because the 1st resurrection at first is much more joyful than the 2nd.. [Life, though literal, is a metaphor, lesson, and drama, some are 'chosen' to believe in this life, through no goodness or doing of themselves, yet it's still free will God is letting run it's course, He just knows all things from the beginning to the 'end' or result.]