"Man has been trying to understand the book of Revelation for two thousand years and the reason so few understood is because they applied the natural, carnal mind to it. They tried by human reasoning to analyze it, work it out, and make it fit some events in the outer world, past, present, or imagined future. Throughout the centuries of history since John penned his words on Patmos men have made the visions of the book “fit” with just about everything there is in the world. Some supposed that it applied to events in Israel and the Roman Empire in the days of the early church, climaxing with the destruction of Jerusalem, the Jewish temple, and the priesthood in A.D. 70, followed by the gospel spreading throughout the earth. Martin Luther made the book fit the events of his day. Emanuel Swedenborg applied the book to events of his day. The Seventh Day Adventists' interpreted the book in the light of events of their early days. Charles T. Russell found the great world-shaking events leading up to and including the First World War in the Revelation. When I was a child, Adolph Hitler, Benito Mussolini, the Pope, and Emperor Hirohito of Japan were believed to be, in differing interpretations, the beast, the false prophet, or the image of the beast. In this view the book of Revelation was being fulfilled by these world leaders and the events they precipitated, they were going to take over the world, and if you did not take the mark of the beast which they would impose, you would be killed. And in our day people are literally sitting on the edge of their seats, listening to prophecy teachers, reading news magazines, watching CNN and Fox News, expecting the book of Revelation to fit the dramatic events unfolding before our very own eyes. I am confident in saying, however, that all these prognosticators, prophecy mongers, and eschatological soothsayers will be just as disappointed and disillusioned, when proven wrong, as were all the other commentators throughout the centuries!"
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What a great thread. I agree with you 100% and you have spoken truth.
Amen.
"The first prerequisite to being taught by the Spirit of Truth is a readiness to lay down any, and all, preconceived ideas of what the scriptures teach, with a holy disposition to sit in brokenness before the feet of Jesus and accept what the Spirit teaches. It is an obvious fact that all Christians believe many doctrines simply because they have been handed down from generation to generation. Our forefathers, our church, and our brethren believed them for generations, and we believe them because they did. Much of what we believe, we believe because people for many years and long centuries have believed thus, but not one precious child of God in a thousand ever takes the time or expends the energy or spiritual initiative to discover the origin of his beliefs, and whether they are truly scriptural or express the heart of God. We just blindly follow on in the traditional path because father and mother and friends and brethren believe that way. But because our fathers, or the majority of Christians, have believed a thing is no guarantee that it pertains to the realm of truth! We made this startling discovery when in the great moving of God the streams of light began to flow from the realms above and the blessed Spirit of Truth began to dig down deep beneath the surface of the scriptures, beyond the letter of the word, beyond the sacred page, opening to our astonished understanding the deeper things of God. We soon found out, however, that when the Spirit begins to bring to light, and uncover the hidden mysteries of the kingdom of God, many immediately commence to fight against it."
"The message is just this: If you are a carnal Christian living beneath God’s high plan and holy purpose for you — breaking His living covenant of righteousness, glory, wisdom, and power — THE SEVEN ANGELS HAVING THE SEVEN LAST PLAGUES ARE COMING AFTER YOU! You can’t escape, because IN THEM IS FILLED UP THE PASSION OF GOD!"
"When the temple is filled with God’s glory a great voice speaks out of the glorious temple introducing the seven “plagues.” This immediately draws our attention to the Old Testament ministry of Moses. His ministry was on behalf of the children of Israel bound in servitude in the land of Egypt and Moses says, in effect, “Now, we’re going to draw a line and begin the process of deliverance from Egypt.” How does he begin this? The Lord instructs Moses to ask Pharaoh to let the children of Israel go out into the desert in order to celebrate their festival of worship. Can you not see the mystery? WORSHIP IS WHAT IT’S ALL ABOUT! The entire scene of chapter fifteen of the Revelation is worship! When Moses goes in before Pharaoh he says, “Let my people go — let them go and worship!” Pharaoh, the representative of the world system, responded, “No — who is Yahweh that I should obey His voice and let Israel go? I know not Yahweh, neither will I let Israel go.” It was following that initial confrontation that the plagues began!"
"Let us consider with care the significance of the word “plague.” It is translated from the Greek word plege meaning “a wound caused by a stripe or blow.” Plege is translated in the King James Bible as “wound” or “wounded” four times; it is rendered “stripes” five times; and is rendered “plagues” only in the book of Revelation, and that twelve times. The Greek word is derived from plesso, and plesso in turn comes from plasso, through the idea of flattening and it means to mold or form. Can we not see by this that these plagues are not for the purpose of destroying but for the purpose of molding and forming! It is a wound, but a wound with the idea of fashioning us into HIS IMAGE."
"It is not an activity of violence, but a ministration of love, concern, and wise purpose. When a person has a tumor the surgeon has to wound them in order to remove the tumor or that person will die. Thus, the “seven last plagues” may be characterized as the “seven last stripes” or the “seven last scourgings” or the “seven last chastenings” in which is filled up the passion of God to correct His children. The “plagues” poured out of the bowls bring the spirit of purification and transformation into the lives of men. This is not an act of judgment, that is, of punishment, as we think of it, but rather an activity of purification! “Last” plagues in which the passion of God is “filled up” or “complete” signifies that these are the last or final purifying dealings of God with a people. There is the same truth as it pertains to the individual — that is, each one of us in our journey into God. The unproductive natural life and human consciousness, the flesh with its lustful, sinful disposition, the soul with its emotional tendencies and its religious inclination, the carnal mind with its humanistic reasoning, planning, and scheming — all must suffer the seven plagues! Make no mistake about it — God will touch everything in the lives of His people! That is the final outcome of redemption, for He has redeemed us unto Himself and for His pleasure and purpose!"
"The book of Revelation is just that — it is the Revelation of Jesus Christ! Christ is the spiritual man. Therefore, the book of Revelation is a spiritual revelation, a spiritual book! When the text speaks of the earth it has a different significance than the literal, physical land masses, mountains, valleys, and seas of our planet. It symbolizes the earth in a spiritual dimension. When it speaks of sore boils (Rev. 16:2) it indicates a spiritual condition. When it speaks of the sea it refers to the state of being of the masses of sinning, restless, surging, tormented humanity. The rivers and fountains of waters are spiritual rivers and fountains of waters. On and on we could go, but I am sure my reader gets the point!"
"The seven messengers have come forth out of the temple of God, which is filled with the smoke of His manifest presence, ready to fill all the earth and reveal God’s determined passion to correct once and for all everything that is wrong in the lives of the Lord’s people who dwell in the carnality of the soulical religion of the earth-realm. And in their hands they hold seven bowls, filled with the passion of God! When these shall have been poured out, God’s passion shall have come powerfully upon all His people, and His work of purification and purging is finished. This is indicated by the number seven, symbolic of completeness — a completed work. But this was also directly stated by John when he says that in these is finished the passion of God. And this does not mean that God has no more passion and no further perfecting work to be wrought, but that in the context of bringing all His blood-bought people out of the carnality and immaturity of the systems of Babylon, this will be a completely successful administration. As you can see in the chapters that immediately follow, the great city, Babylon, shall be completely destroyed, the bride of Christ shall make herself ready, and the way is opened for the holy city, New Jerusalem, to descend into the midst of mankind!"
Revelation 15:1 And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels who had seven plagues, which are the last, because in them the wrath of God is finished.
"I beseech you, look not to the outer world to discover where this unveiling of Jesus Christ is fulfilled, but look altogether within yourself..."
"As dew distilling from the heavens comes the revelation of Jesus Christ from every scene of John’s visions."
"As dew distilling from the heavens comes the revelation of Jesus Christ from every scene of John’s visions. It is the drama of God’s great plan of the ages wrought out first in His called and chosen elect, then in all His people everywhere who call upon His name, afterward in all the nations of earth, and finally in all the vast creation of God. Everything is viewed from the divine and heavenly perspective. It is not the history of Satan’s activity in men and upon the earth, but the all-conquering power of God’s Christ! It is the spiritual drama of Father’s dealing in the lives of His people. It is preeminently the revelation of Jesus Christ. The word “revelation” means to unveil, uncover, or take the cover off. The unveiling of Jesus Christ — that’s what is happening in the midst of the saints! That is what is taking place in the earth today! That’s what the book of Revelation is all about! And that’s what the ministry of the seven angels with the seven last plagues of God’s passion is about! As that which has been hidden in Jesus Christ is revealed, uncovered, brought out into the open and exhibited, the glory of Jesus Christ shall come upon all His people and shine forth from the temple of His body in all the earth. Christ in us! Ah, that, my friend, not the rapture, IS THE HOPE OF GLORY! The Revelation of Jesus Christ must be upon, within, and out from His people!"
"Most of what is taught by the church systems of earth contains some element of truth. Most Christian church doctrine has some truth in it, enough to make it acceptable to the people, but I do not hesitate to tell you that there is much mixed with it that is not truth at all, and this is what has created all the divisions between the children of God. It isn’t the truth that divides, it is all that is false that is mixed in with the truth that separates. Truth mixed with falsehood ceases to be truth. Since the book of Revelation is one of the most supernatural books in the New Testament, and linked to man’s complete redemption, why is it so variously taught and conceived? Who is responsible for distorting the truth, and what gain is made by doing so? Perhaps Paul furnishes an answer in these words, “The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (I Cor. 2:14)."
"It should now be plain that chapters fifteen and sixteen belong together, and that chapter fifteen constitutes a mighty prelude to the events pictured in the sixteenth chapter of the Revelation. There we saw the overcoming company standing victorious upon the crystal sea of glass, having the harps of God, and singing the song of Moses and the Lamb. We found that song was sung at the occasion of the eve of the pouring out of the seven last plagues. Seven angels stood in priestly attire, ready to receive the command out of the temple of God to go and pour out the last of the plagues, or chastisements and corrections, of God. This is not an ominous or frightening scene at all, for the seven messengers are not only in priestly attire, they are also beautifully arrayed with costly, precious stones; and there is a reflection of both the mercy and reconciliation of God and of His holiness in their very appearance."