How should we interpret the book of Revelations?

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Permalink Reply by RoyW on August 1, 2010 at 3:39am

More on the brief synopsis of Revelation 12 -

It is important to note that all that God has said will happen, will happen. The writings in Revelation 12 bear this out. Jesus prophesied of His coming and He did come. According to Josephus, when Titus besieged the great city of Jerusalem, he attempted to save the Temple. However, it became obvious his attempt to save anything was a waste of time and acknowledged this was the judgment of God upon this city. A sermon on this siege by Charles Spurgeon can be found here: http://www.seeking4truth.com/C.H.%20Spurgeon.htm. After the fall of Jerusalem in AD 70, it was said that it destruction was so utterly complete, the city appeared to have never been inhabited. Millions of Jews were either scattered or killed. Heb 10:31 It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. NIV
Let us give study to this chapter assuming the woman is the church and the male child is the church in its infancy. Jesus had given definite warnings to the early church concerning a siege that would take place in that generation. Remember, as I said in another post, that the warning was given in AD 30 and the fulfillment happened in AD 70. Notice the words of Christ:

Lk 21:20-23 “When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near. 21 Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city. 22 For this is the time of punishment in fulfillment of all that has been written. NIV
The early Christians, in particular those of Jerusalem and Judea, were very aware of this prophecy. Jerusalem was first surrounded in AD 66. However, it is well documented by many, many historians that all the Christians fled the city and that not one of them were killed in the final destruction. The siege lasted around 3 ½ years. The Christians fled to a region in Perea known as Pella. John, who would have been very familiar with the initial prophecy of Christ and the only Apostle left to speak of the event, gives us insight to this great tragedy but guarantee that all of Christ’s teachings would come to pass.

I continue to believe that the great war between Michael and the Dragon was much more than just a physical battle. Again, the reference to the accuser of the brothers ignites a symbolic picture of a courtroom with a powerful prosecuting attorney. That battle is described in the post above.

Some of the interpretation of the chapter is difficult since the incidents would have undoubtedly been very familiar to his initial readers but not so much to us. It is quite possible that when the Apostle John spoke of the Christians being taken to a place in the desert on the wings of an eagle, the reader would have understood.
One thing is for sure and that is we can now sing the following:
Rv 12:10-12

"Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God,
and the authority of his Christ.
For the accuser of our brothers,
who accuses them before our God day and night,
has been hurled down. NIV

Still waiting on His glorious return,
Roy

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Permalink Reply by RoyW on August 1, 2010 at 10:39am

For an interesting read concerning this event, you may read the following: However, there are many, many records of this fulfillment of Christ's prophecy - too many to discount. Also, you might even find a reference to the Eagle.

http://deedsofgod.com/index2.php?option=com_content&do_pdf=1&am...

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Permalink Reply by David Velasquez on August 1, 2010 at 12:33pm

Hey Brother Roy,

Your first post on Rev 12:10-11 gave me a lot to think about and I can't say I have ever received such enlightenment from our Lord about those verses, but then again I have not spend a great deal of time in the study of that chapter. Prophecy is something I do not argue fiercely.

The only thing that concerns me about that interpretation is that it places the event in AD 60's which could be right, but this is what I have come to understand about those verses from my own personal bible study. The events described in Rev. 12:7--12 will take place right before the great tribulation. Satan and his followers were cast out of heaven when they rebelled, but they still had access to it as we see in Job. However something will happen during the tribulation that makes Satan and his demons war against heaven and this time He will be cast to the earth bringing upon the earth the great tribulation. He no longer will have access to heaven and will only be waiting to be chained for 1000 years of the millennium.

Again beloved you have certainly given me a lot to think about, but I don't think that the court scene quite cuts it for the verbiage being use of actual war in the chapter. I find that some prophecy has a secondary fulfillment. I do not know if that is a possibility here.

Love you.

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Permalink Reply by RoyW on August 1, 2010 at 12:56pm

Brother David,

The letter was written to the church. As we become more and more familiar with the church, some things come to light. I am a premillennialist. However, I do believe His Kingdom is here today. Satan's ability to accuse us is over. That ability ended when the Law by which He attempted to convict was removed. Is he in heaven accusing you to the Father? If so, he is wasting his time. He has absolutely no basis for an accusation.

John said concerning this letter that some things are and some things are to be. You, like I have been taught, probably feel that beginning with Chapter 4, it speaks of things that are still yet to happen in the future. There are people much smarter than I that teaches this. However, I do feel this has been accomplished:
"Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God,
and the authority of his Christ.
For the accuser of our brothers,
who accuses them before our God day and night,
has been hurled down. NIV

There is still much to happen. However, His Kingdom is here. The physical reality, the realm in which we operate, is coming. However, the Kingdom Jesus came preaching as being at hand is here. You and I are a part of that Kingdom. We will not be reigning with Him, we are reigning with Him. He, right now, is reigning over this earth. He has a purpose for all that is happening. He is a sovereign God Who is absolutely in charge today. He is ruling with a rod of iron. Watch out to all those that get on His bad side. God help us in America. How much longer can we get away with killing babies and leading children astray in our schools?

A follower and believer in the King of Kings,
Roy

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