Do you think Revelations is enigmatic?

[TK Burk]

Originally Posted by Aquila

Near is a relative term. To the LORD, a day is as a thousand years and a thousand years is as but a day. Only the Father knows the times appointed. It is written in a manner to keep us all on our toes and in preparation.

Concerning the meaning of that "thousand years is a day" passage, look HERE.

[Amanah]

Originally Posted by Jermyn Davidson

Can the "beast" be the Roman Catholic Church and the Whore Babylon be America?

Revelation 11:8
8..And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.

Revelation 14:8
And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.

Revelation 17:1-5
17..And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:
2..With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.
3..So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
4..And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:
5..And upon her forehead was a name written, Mystery, Babylon The Great, The Mother Of Harlots And Abominations Of The Earth.

Hosea 2

[JoeBandy]

Originally Posted by Aquila

Are we proposing that one must have 100% accuracy in their interpretation/understanding of Scripture or their soul will be lost???

This I am interested in. Start another thread to discuss?

[Jermyn Davidson]

Originally Posted by Aquila

No, because the woman riding the Beast is my ex-wife. LOL

[Aquila]

Originally Posted by TK Burk

Let me see if I'm getting this right, you contend that it's not about misinterpreting what is written, but instead not altering the actual wording in the document. is that right?

Yes. Because if what is written is altered, false doctrine is a certainty. However, if the text is untampered with, regardless of one's understanding or lack of understanding the actual text remains unadulterated and the truth is always within reach for those who seek it.

So, the epistle should be placed under glass with an alarm system to keep out any typos, but those who read the unaltered text can believe anything they wish? Is that what you believe?

Whatever it takes.

Isn't that confusion? Isn't God not the author of such a mess?

Insuring textual integrity is essential for the development of proper doctrine.

Relative to what? You have the Scripture being written so that it causes fear to be its motivating force. Isn't "fear" said to be a spirit that's not of God?

There should be no fear of man, devil, or circumstance. However, we do well to fear God, who can destroy both body and soul in Hell, with a holy reverence.

However, the Revelation is a book of precious promise. One day all things will be under the direct Lordship of Jesus Christ.

I agree that the original text should remain as written. But I also believe it was written so the righteous could become sons of light and know all things. Otherwise, how could John's epistle be entitled "The REVELATION of Jesus Christ"? How do you "reveal" something that is buried in confusion and mystery?

I believe that even after it's all said and done, we'll find areas of Scripture, especially prophecy, wherein we were mistaken in our understanding and we'll stand in awe with how precise every fulfillment truly was.

[Evang.Benincasa]

Originally Posted by Aquila

Near is a relative term. To the LORD, a day is as a thousand years and a thousand years is as but a day. Only the Father knows the times appointed. It is written in a manner to keep us all on our toes and in preparation.

The book of Revelation doesn't make mention of Psalm 90:4. The writer gives zero indication that the reader was to take nearness as some unknown amount of time. These things which the writer is telling his audience were to happen a) shortly, and b) near to them. No way around that wording. God isn't the one who is making this all cryptic. Sadly it is those who are just Ecclesiastically lazy.

[Aquila]

Originally Posted by TK Burk

Concerning the meaning of that "thousand years is a day" passage, look HERE.

Excellent article. I'd steer clear of equating an exact 1000 years to a day mathematics to prophecy. I think the point is, time is inconsequential to God who is transcendent of time and space.

The point is, from God's perspective, the time is indeed at hand. And all generations should reckon the same since no man knows the day nor hour that the events will truly take place.

[Aquila]

Originally Posted by Amanah

Revelation 11:8
8..And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.

Revelation 14:8
And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.

Revelation 17:1-5
17..And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:
2..With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.
3..So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
4..And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:
5..And upon her forehead was a name written, Mystery, Babylon The Great, The Mother Of Harlots And Abominations Of The Earth.

Hosea 2

I believe that the Whore of Babylon would best be described as the nation state of modern Israel.

[Aquila]

Originally Posted by JoeBandy

This I am interested in. Start another thread to discuss?

If you're interested, start the thread. I'll chime in if it is interesting enough.

[Aquila]

Originally Posted by Evang.Benincasa

The book of Revelation doesn't make mention of Psalm 90:4. The writer gives zero indication that the reader was to take nearness as some unknown amount of time. These things which the writer is telling his audience were to happen a) shortly, and b) near to them. No way around that wording. God isn't the one who is making this all cryptic. Sadly it is those who are just Ecclesiastically lazy.

All that read the Revelation should view the events predicted as being at hand, for no man knows the day nor hour of their fulfillment. Like a soldier on guard duty in the dark of night, he must stand at the ready for the invader at all times lest he fail at readiness.

The thing about Preterism and Historicism is that without history books and authors to flesh out their interpretations of how the symbolism correlates to events that have transpired in history, Futurism will be one's default position.