"The implication of the Greek word used is of a wild beast — untamed, unruly, and violent-natured. Now we know that we are not speaking of a literal animal — for what does a wild animal have to do with the great mysteries of God? Internally, this wild beast is the bestial nature of the natural man, the carnal mind and the fleshly nature of the unregenerate self. Externally, this wild beast is the world — the institutions, systems, and authorities created in human society by the fleshly wisdom and soulical power of natural-minded men. Thus, this woman, the false church, is carried — underwritten, supported, maintained, and sustained internally by the flesh, and externally by the world!"
Much more in the link:
"As we consider these things we come to a strange and astonishing statement regarding this beast. The messenger showing these things to John clearly says to him, “The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition.” How can we understand the beast that was, and is not; and yet shall ascend out of the pit, and go into perdition, that is, into destruction — for destruction is the meaning of the word perdition."
" To those who can receive it the following word penned by John earlier in the Revelation will give help and light as they contrast the nature of our Lord Jesus Christ with the nature of the Adamic man and the nature of the world systems of man. “Grace be unto you, and peace, from Him which is, and which was, and which is to come” (Rev. 1:4). In the realm of the spirit the past, present, and future co-exist. It is high and lifted up in the throne realm that we are given the ability to see the past, the present, and the future all at once. Again and again in the book of Revelation, where our Lord is mentioned, He is spoken of as He who is, He who was, and He who is to come — meaning that when we leave the earth realm we transcend time as we know it."
“I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty” (Rev. 1:8). That is awesome! You see, every time Jesus is mentioned in this book He is never mentioned in the past, or just the present, or in the future. Every time we meet Jesus in the book of Revelation it is the Jesus who is, and who was, and who is to come. The reason is that the book of Revelation gives us a view of the kingdom of God from the divine perspective — as God views it — and the past, the present, and the future encompass the outworking of God’s purpose in the earth through His wonderful plan of the ages. That is what is so powerful — in the spirit you can see the whole plan of God from beginning to end! The purposes of God in the earth embrace past history, present awareness, and future consummation. Everything in the universe, and everything in your life, precious friend of mine, exists in the past, the present, and the future. Jesus was doing something before the foundation of the world, Jesus was doing something at the dawn of creation, Jesus was doing something two thousand years ago, Jesus was doing something five hundred years ago, Jesus was doing something fifty years ago, Jesus was doing something yesterday, Jesus is doing something right now, and He will be working His great work in all of our tomorrows!"
in the spirit you can see the whole plan of God from beginning to end!
This dude can't even see the "whole plan of God" period. Revelation chapter 4 through chapter 20, which is what we're discussing today, is all about the kingdom of heaven, not the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God isn't spoken of until Revelation chapter 21. Basic Bible understanding, if you're not mutilating the scriptures.
"Oh, take me not back through the long ages to a Christ that walked the shores of Galilee, to a Christ that was! He is! He lives! He is here! In my today! I can never be alone, never grope in the dark for a hand, never be forsaken, never lack in the hour of need, never fail in His on-going purposes in me, never need a Saviour, a Guide, a Brother, a Head, a Leader, a Captain, a Father. I have Him, He who was everything in the yesterday of the past, and who will be everything in the tomorrow of the future, is mine today; and in each conscious moment of my existence here, and throughout all the ages, He is my life, my all! He is not a far-off, untouchable God, “inhabiting eternity,” as the King James Bible erroneously states, but a God made nigh, INHABITING THE AGES, involved in His creation, working tirelessly and unceasingly and unfailingly until His wonderful plan is brought to a successful conclusion and HE becomes gloriously ALL IN ALL!"
until His wonderful plan is brought to a successful conclusion and HE becomes gloriously ALL IN ALL!"
Now we're getting somewhere!