Thread: Understanding the Book of Revelation and Daniel Series 1
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Understanding the Book of Revelation and Daniel Series 1
Posted : 12 Oct, 2010 08:55 AM
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What is the truth about prophecy? What does the Bible really say about events preceding Christ�s Return? His disciples wanted to know. They asked Him, �What shall be the sign of your coming, and of the end of the world [age]?�
Unrest grows daily around the world. Terrorism mounts. Bad news increases, while good news is increasingly scarce. Conditions worsen daily!
Man has tapped the power of the atom. Science and technology have seemingly run amok, producing more horrific new inventions. Now, more and more countries possess weapons of mass destruction. This danger is compounded because mistrust and strife between nations has never been greater.
Also, human decadence and immorality, famine, disease, racism and competition among ethnic rivals, and crime and violence are exploding. Where are these downward trends leading? Will human life survive?
What does the future hold? All want to know. Many have opinions, but few recognize where to find the answers. Others think they understand the prophecies of the Bible�and this is probably most true of the book of Revelation.
Yet all popular human interpretations of this book, at best, border on ridiculous. They are a complete jumble of ideas where a little truth is mixed with much error! They are almost painful to read�yet major magazines report that great numbers do believe these dangerous, counterfeit scenarios.
What is the truth about prophecy? What does the Bible really say about events preceding Christ�s Return? His disciples wanted to know. They asked Him, �What shall be the sign of your coming, and of the end of the world [age]?�
Sobering world conditions make this question loom larger than ever before. Nothing that has occurred over the past 6,000 years even remotely compares to what is yet to come upon this world!
The Bible foretells a time of world peace, happiness, abundance and universal prosperity. Many may think there is no hope for this world�but there is! Wonderful good news lies beyond today�s bad news. The great Creator God will soon intervene and save humanity from itself.
But before this occurs, world trouble will greatly increase�intensifying to staggering proportions. This will be followed by unexpected and cataclysmic events that will shake the whole world! Civilization as we know it will forever change.
But God has not left mankind without a source of answers that reveals in detail what lies ahead. Tragically, believing things will eventually �turn out alright,� many hide their eyes, choosing to pursue pleasure and the accumulation of material goods. But for the short term, things will not turn out alright. World conditions are�and will become�far more serious than most realize.
God understands human nature and where it always leads when left to its own devices. This allows Him to know, and to guide, the awesome future events that will occur from now on!
It has become God�s time to reveal what lies ahead. The stage is set and He has lifted the curtain on the future. This world must be warned while there is still time! And so must you be warned. Revelation describes soon-coming terrible plagues and world-shattering�truly earth-shaking�events! Take heed. If you do, you can escape them (Luke 21:36).
Mystery Book
Signs, seals, symbols, vials, visions, trumpets, thrones, plagues, angels, beasts, heads, horns, witnesses, woes, wars, numbers, multitudes, messages and mystery! Revelation contains all of these terms. But what do they mean?
Most believe that the book of Revelation is sealed, closed from understanding. It is called a mystery book without meaning. Yet it is an entire book of important�vital�meaning. It is filled with answers. The above terms can be unlocked! They can be understood�at www.thechristiananswer.com in the unity articles.
You will be intrigued�even fascinated�by the clarity of what can be known from the book of Revelation. Events are building to a final culmination�a tremendous Finale! You can know them.
One-third of the Bible is prophecy�the future written in advance! The Bible is approximately 750,000 words, with about 250,000 devoted to many, many prophecies. Almost half the books of the Old Testament are included in either the so-called �major� (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel) or �minor� prophets (Hosea, Joel, Amos, Jonah, Micah, etc.).
The apostle Paul explained that the New Testament Church was ��built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets� (Eph. 2:20). Recognize that, since the Church stands on the words of the prophets, Christians must understand prophecy. If God commands men to �live by every word of God� (Matt. 4:4; Luke 4:4; Deut. 8:3), He would not exclude the full third that is prophecy!
The prophet Daniel spoke of a time when ��many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased� (12:4). Then, speaking of the end time, he said, ��the wise shall understand� (vs. 10).
Christ directly paraphrased Daniel in the New Testament Olivet prophecy. This is where He answered the disciples� question about the sequence of events to occur at �the end of the age.� He reinforced Daniel�s statements about those events by saying, �Whoso reads, let him understand� (Matt. 24:15).
God has opened up�revealed! �to His servants what lies ahead. He wants you to understand. He does not want you confused, ignorant or fearful of the future.
Then what are the wise to understand? Important keys exist, which open up Bible prophecies. But the world knows nothing of them! No wonder so many claim that the meaning of Revelation cannot be explained. How could they understand without the keys?
Imagine. Forty-two percent of Americans actually believe that they can consult the dead about matters involving the future. But mankind refuses to seek and consult GOD. Only He can reveal the future. Mankind cannot, through intelligence, human reasoning or scientific discovery, know or discern events to come. And many �religious� people believe that the book of Revelation offers no help anyway, because it cannot be understood.
But God is working out a supreme Master Plan, involving every human being. However, Daniel 12:10 adds, ��but none of the wicked shall understand,� because God will not reveal His plans to those who do not obey Him!
Psalm 111:10 says, �A good understanding have all they that DO His commandments.� God only gives understanding to those who do what He says!
Revelation Means a Revealing
After Daniel finished recording the prophecy, he asked God to explain what it meant. Though Daniel was used to record the book, even he did not understand it (12:8): �I heard, but I understood not.� God answered, �Go your way�the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end� (vs. 9 � the Moffatt translation is even stronger by rendering this �till the crisis at the close�).
While Daniel was not allowed to understand it, those who live in the time of the end can! And we have seen that the wise DO!
This awesome revelation of future events was sealed with seven separate seals. It is crucial to understand another key point: The seven seals in God�s hand essentially span all but the last two chapters of the book! The seven seals are opened one by one, in sequence. Each reveals future events before they happen. Only Christ is qualified to remove the seven seals and open the book to understanding.
The Greek word apocalypse is translated �revelation.� This English word actually means to reveal�not conceal, hide, veil or close up. The dictionary definition of revelation is: �The act of revealing or disclosing; something revealed, especially a dramatic disclosure of something not previously known or realized.�
In the first verse of the book, the apostle John recorded Christ�s words, �The Revelation of Jesus Christ�to show unto His servants things which must shortly come to pass.� Near the end of the book, Revelation 22:10 states, �Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand.�
Comprehend John�s words. The time for understanding the book of Revelation IS now at hand!
God reveals a basic framework for understanding future events. This framework is primarily laid out in Daniel and Revelation. Daniel recorded over 600 years earlier, sets the stage for the larger and more detailed book of Revelation, which describes events found nowhere else in the Bible.
Revelation outlines a long series of events that relate to one another in a continuous flow�comprising an entire story. These occur in order of time sequence. (The center of the Revelation Explained at Last! booklet contains two overview graphs�an outline and a story flow�to which the reader may occasionally refer.) Also, Christ periodically insets certain events into the course of the Revelation. You now understand the first key to unlock the book!
Grasp this central, all-important point. While there are keys to understanding Revelation, the book itself is the single greatest key to understanding almost all other prophecies in the Bible!
The Signs of Christ�s Coming Parallel the Seven Seals
One of the basic rules of Bible study is to always let the Bible interpret itself. This is probably never truer than in the book of Revelation. This will be done as we progress through the opening of the seven seals.
Since John sees many symbols, we need to be able to understand the actual events that they represent. Otherwise, we will not know what is being described.
How do we do this?
Mark 4:10-12 and Matthew 13:10-15 hold another key to understanding how Christ teaches. In both places, He explained that He spoke in parables so that His true servants would understand Him�but others would not! Carefully read these verses: �And when He was alone, they that were about Him with the twelve asked of Him the parable. And He said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: that seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them� (Mark 4:10-12).
Note exactly what Christ said! Only His servants could understand His real meaning. Others might think they do�but they cannot!
Christ never leaves His servants in the dark about matters He wants them to understand. But He does record them in ways that keep them hidden from the view of all others. This will help you see why so few understand a book that has been read by so many.
We have already touched upon the principle that the �wicked� (the unrighteous) do not understand events at the close of the age. But those who have God�s Spirit (Acts 5:32; John 16:13) will understand. Only through God�s Spirit leading those that are obeying Him can they understand the truth. Recognizing and accepting these two verses is of vital importance to every reader of the book of Revelation. All who do not seek to obey God, while they may sincerely seek to understand the many truths of Bible prophecy, are wasting their time.
Jesus explained, in plain, clear language, the key events of the last days preceding and leading to the time of His Second Coming. Remember, Jesus� disciples asked Him privately, �Tell us, when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the world [age]?� (Matt. 24:3; Luke 21:7).
We must briefly examine the critical Matthew 24 chapter for vital clues, which explain the symbols that we will study in Revelation. Christ gave a list of six different events that are to happen before His Second Coming. They precisely parallel what we will read beginning in Revelation 6.
First�false prophets and false christs (vs. 5). Second�wars (vs. 6) throughout the age, culminating in the end time with world war (vs. 7). Third�famines (vs.7). Fourth�pestilences (vs. 7). It is at this point that Christ inserted a reference to the destruction of Jerusalem, in AD 70, because this was a forerunner, or type, of the yet future siege of Jerusalem and final �battle of Armageddon� (review Matthew 24:17-28 with Luke 17:30-37). Therefore, Matthew 24:9-28 (also Luke 21:12-24) applies to the period of AD 70�but only as a forerunning type of the final time of the end to which His warning refers literally!
Fifth, in Matthew 24:21-22, Christ explains that the Great Tribulation occurs. Sixth are the Heavenly Signs (vs. 29)�when the stars fall and the sun and moon are darkened. The sign of Christ�s coming (vs. 30) occurs at this same time. His actual coming is right on the heels of it.
Comparing Daniel with Revelation
Daniel 9:25 (New International Version)
25 "Know and understand this: From the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven 'sevens,' and sixty-two 'sevens.' It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble.
Time Gap Between 69th and 70th Week: Jesus said that the AoD, which is part of the 70th Week, is yet future. This means it did not immediately follow the 69th week already. Therefore, I see a clear gap allowed for and required between the 69th and 70th week and Scripture itself delineates it. Not only that, but several of the �Six Prophetic Purpose Clauses� of the 70 Weeks from verse 24 that Ice talks about are not literally fulfilled yet.
Daniel 11:35-45 (New International Version)
35 Some of the wise will stumble, so that they may be refined, purified and made spotless until the time of the end, for it will still come at the appointed time.
The King Who Exalts Himself
36 "The king will do as he pleases. He will exalt and magnify himself above every god and will say unheard-of things against the God of gods. He will be successful until the time of wrath is completed, for what has been determined must take place. 37 He will show no regard for the gods of his fathers or for the one desired by women, nor will he regard any god, but will exalt himself above them all. 38 Instead of them, he will honor a god of fortresses; a god unknown to his fathers he will honor with gold and silver, with precious stones and costly gifts. 39 He will attack the mightiest fortresses with the help of a foreign god and will greatly honor those who acknowledge him. He will make them rulers over many people and will distribute the land at a price.
40 "At the time of the end the king of the South will engage him in battle, and the king of the North will storm out against him with chariots and cavalry and a great fleet of ships. He will invade many countries and sweep through them like a flood. 41 He will also invade the Beautiful Land. Many countries will fall, but Edom, Moab and the leaders of Ammon will be delivered from his hand. 42 He will extend his power over many countries; Egypt will not escape. 43 He will gain control of the treasures of gold and silver and all the riches of Egypt, with the Libyans and Nubians in submission. 44 But reports from the east and the north will alarm him, and he will set out in a great rage to destroy and annihilate many. 45 He will pitch his royal tents between the seas at the beautiful holy mountain. Yet he will come to his end, and no one will help him.
Daniel 8:9-17 (New International Version)
9 Out of one of them came another horn, which started small but grew in power to the south and to the east and toward the Beautiful Land. 10 It grew until it reached the host of the heavens, and it threw some of the starry host down to the earth and trampled on them. 11 It set itself up to be as great as the Prince of the host; it took away the daily sacrifice from him, and the place of his sanctuary was brought low. 12 Because of rebellion, the host of the saints and the daily sacrifice were given over to it. It prospered in everything it did, and truth was thrown to the ground. 13 Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to him, "How long will it take for the vision to be fulfilled�the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, the rebellion that causes desolation, and the surrender of the sanctuary and of the host that will be trampled underfoot?" 14 He said to me, "It will take 2,300 evenings and mornings; then the sanctuary will be reconsecrated."
The Interpretation of the Vision
15 While I, Daniel, was watching the vision and trying to understand it, there before me stood one who looked like a man. 16 And I heard a man's voice from the Ulai calling, "Gabriel, tell this man the meaning of the vision." 17 As he came near the place where I was standing, I was terrified and fell prostrate. "Son of man," he said to me, "understand that the vision concerns the time of the end."
70th Week for End Times: Daniel 11:35-45 states that the Antichrist shall take over Jerusalem in the �time of the end� until God's wrath completes things. Daniel 8:9-17 identifies the Antichrist in Jerusalem ending the sacrifices and committing the abomination in the �time of the end.� Thus, contrary to what Preterists teach, we are still in the time gap. This requires a yet future 70th week with a wicked ruler seizing Jerusalem, stopping the sacrifices and setting up an abominable statue as Antiochus Epiphanes IV did to foreshadow or partially fulfill the 70th Week.
Are Sabbath Year Cycles: The 70 weeks are not just any set of seven years, but as anyone who has studied the Torah might suppose, are groups of seven years which end in a Sabbath year, just as the Sabbath year cycle does. The Bible and history support this.
�He� Who Makes the Covenant is the Antichrist: This can only be the Antichrist, because Daniel 11:31-36 describes the one who committed the first AoD as speaking despicable things against God, something Jesus would never do.
Daniel 11:31-36 (New International Version)
31 "His armed forces will rise up to desecrate the temple fortress and will abolish the daily sacrifice. Then they will set up the abomination that causes desolation. 32 With flattery he will corrupt those who have violated the covenant, but the people who know their God will firmly resist him.
33 "Those who are wise will instruct many, though for a time they will fall by the sword or be burned or captured or plundered. 34 When they fall, they will receive a little help, and many who are not sincere will join them. 35 Some of the wise will stumble, so that they may be refined, purified and made spotless until the time of the end, for it will still come at the appointed time.
Daniel 9:27 (New International Version)
27 He will confirm a covenant with many for one 'seven.' In the middle of the 'seven' he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on a wing of the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him.
Daniel 11:39 (New International Version)
39 He will attack the mightiest fortresses with the help of a foreign god and will greatly honor those who acknowledge him. He will make them rulers over many people and will distribute the land at a price.
Daniel 12:3 (New International Version)
3 Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.
The Seven-year Covenant Is With Ten Kings, Not Israel: Amazingly, there is not one plain verse to support that the �covenant confirmed with the many� is between the Antichrist and Israel. The meaning of the word HaRabim translated �the many� in Daniel 9:27 is ambiguous and inconsistently used elsewhere in Daniel for peoples other than Israel (Dan 11:33, 39; 12:3). There is, however, good support that the covenant mentioned in Daniel 9 is the same as the secret covenant between the Antichrist and the ten rulers detailed in Revelation 17 for destroying America and Dominating the world in her place.
Confirmation of the Covenant Not Public: There is no sign that the start of the seven-year covenant is a public event that we can watch for and respond to. To the contrary, Jesus pointed to an event 3� years later as the visible signal of the GT: the AoD. If it were a conspiracy between the Antichrist and these other men of power to rule together after destroying America as Revelation 17 describes, then by no means would it be public. This could explain why Jesus did not tell us to watch for any treaty as the earliest warning sign.
Abomination of Desolation Was and Will Be a Statue at the Temple (Image of the Beast): There is surprisingly much confusion on the AoD considering that Daniel clearly references two fulfillments of this, including one historical fulfillment by Antiochus (Dan 11:31) and one for the �time of the end� (Dan 9:27=Dan 8:12-17=Dan 12:9-11). It seems safe to say that this will be the Image of the Beast that the False Prophet commands to be made of the Antichrist for worship (and he also brings to life) given that Antiochus, as the type of the Antichrist, put up a statue of Zeus/Jupiter for his AoD.
The 69th Week Predicts the Start of Jesus' Ministry, Not the End: Daniel 9:25's 69 weeks �until Messiah the prince� are interpreted by some to have ended with Jesus' death or triumphal entry on Palm Sunday. But Daniel 9 says he died after 69 weeks, not at. He was publicly proclaimed by John the Baptist to be the Lamb of God at his baptism so this is a better natural fit for the first fulfillment of �69 weeks until Messiah the Prince�. We will see later that the historic Sabbath year cycle confirms this. As does the Gospel account of when Jesus read from Isaiah in the synagogue at Nazareth proclaiming it was a Sabbath year right after his baptism by John the Baptist.
Understanding the Book of Revelation and Daniel Series 1
Posted : 21 Oct, 2010 08:39 AM
I cannot compete with all the information you seem to have at hand regarding the Book of Revelation and its interpretation but I can speak from my study and personal revelation. I tend to ignore much of what modern Christianity has to say about any subject so in that respect I am uneducated. However, consider the following:
The Book of Revelation cannot be understood except by spiritual revelation. So many of the purported interpretations are obviously intellectual as man tries to understand the symbolism and mystery through his mind, like the hero in The DaVinci Code book. The allegory and symbolism is certainly there but understanding it requires spiritual understanding because the book speaks to spiritual fulfillments and events. John makes this clear from the outset:
�After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven, and the first voice which I had heard, like the sound of a trumpet speaking with me, said, �Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after these things.� Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne was standing in heaven, and One sitting on the throne�. (Revelation 4:1-20.
Most intellects tend to apply revelation to events in human history that we consider significant but often God does not place emphasis on what is noteworthy or newsworthy to us. He is speaking what is important to Him.
The Book was written originally as an encouragement to the churches overseen by John who were under great persecution at the time. The first 3 chapters are directed specifically to those churches. They contain information that is valuable to us today in how we relate to God. Analyzing all the information contained therein would require volumes but John addresses basic principles such as being lukewarm, false prophets influencing the churches, tolerationof evil spirits in their midst like Jezebel etc, returning to the first love and not to be distracted by doing many works, the influence of religion and its codes of morality and conduct, and those who have come to the point that they no longer need God because they feel they are rich and have need of nothing.
The reason the book cannot be literally, intellectually applied to this event or that is that it really is speaking in broad and sweeping terms. For one example intellectuals put the appearing of the anti-Christ at the end of time when John himself said the anti-Christ existed as early as his time. He said: �Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour� (1 John 2:18). Antichrist is a spirit, one who denies Christ and can appear anywhere and at any time. Looking for the appearance of that spirit in one person in the end time contradicts scripture.
The Book is speaking of nations and peoples and events in general. Neither are they necessarily sequential in their unfolding. No one can argue that in the 2000 years since Christ we have had great wars, severe famines, devastating plagues, natural disasters, upheavals and tribulations such as the world has never seen before. The plague in the 1500s in Europe killed a third or more of the population of the entire earth. Wars and conflicts killed countless millions. The 4 horseman of the apocalypse have done their work i.e the white horse the conqueror, the red horse death, the black horse economic disaster and the ashen horse plagues and pestilence. These we have had with us for the entirety of human existence including the last 2000 years.
If I was to undertake to tell you all about the Book of Revelation and the spiritual meanings of its mysteries it would take more time than I have now and volumes of literature explaining the true meaning of the beast, the false prophet, the 2 witnesses, 666, the woman with the 12 stars etc but to get what God is saying you don�t even need to know all of that.
Remember this: The true title of the Book is: �The Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ� as revealed to John the Beloved Disciple. Its not really about the end times and the end of the earth. It is about a revealing of Jesus Christ which has been unfolding since man fell from the Garden. It is a book of hope promising that through all the trials and tribulations of man through the ages that God promises a Kingdom, His kingdom, the New Heaven and the New Earth that will come and encompass the earth. Then he will wipe the tears from man�s eyes, abolish sickness, abolish death, banish the evil one and exalt those who through all this remained faithful. False religion will also be done away with, the religion that in the name of God intermingled with Kings and evil nations to from an alliance of evil that was very nearly destructive. God says that unless the time was cut short that no flesh would remain alive. The Book is a book of worship because of the overwhelming love of God for humanity. He reveals himself in the Book. He says that through all of the hardships that we were on His mind the whole time and stands ready to forgive and deliver beyond our wildest expectations.
Understanding the Book of Revelation and Daniel Series 1
Posted : 21 Oct, 2010 09:05 AM
I learned something from God just by writing the former reply i wil share with you.
After the fall God subjected all of creation to futility from its former state of perfection. Paul said: �For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God�( Romans 8:20-21). Futility is a state of chaos that produces nothing of any value. In depicting the seven seals, trumpets etc. God is describing this state of futility that will exist until His Son sits on the throne. All of the tribulations and so called events are simply the unveiling of the extent of the futility the sin of man initiated by his disobedience which aptly describes the human condition that has existed through the ages. In order to reveal Christ He must also reveal the extent of what Christ actually did in delivering us from this futility which includes all the terrifying events depicted in the Book of Revelation.
Also important is that Paul said it was us, the true Sons of God, who will deliver creation from this divinely imposed futility. Paul goes on to say: �The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God�... For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body� (Romans 8:16-18, 20-23).
Paul says the sufferings are not worthy to be compared to the glory to be revealed. Revelation confirms this, Despite the sufferings of man under futility the appearing of Christ does away with futility so thoroughly that they are forgotten in view of the glory revealed. All of creation (animal, vegetable, stars and the cosmos and man) groans for this deliverance to fully take place. Fact be known it is happening now, for those with eyes to see it, but that�s another subject.
Understanding the Book of Revelation and Daniel Series 1
Posted : 21 Oct, 2010 09:15 AM
Revelation shows the magnitude of the evil that was released into the world by just the one act of disobedience. It was unnecessary in that if man had obeyed God from the beginning the course to perfection would have been much easier. But alas, man had to suffer as depicted in the Book, just as Christ had to suffer in order to unravel the situation that we put ourselves in in the first place.
Understanding the Book of Revelation and Daniel Series 1
Posted : 21 Oct, 2010 11:40 AM
Having said all that you got me interested in all of this so I will share with you what is probably the true meaning of some of the symbolism contained in the Book. Below is a brief overview. There is much more that could be said.
Having understood that all the evils released by the opening of the seals, the trumpets and the terrors to be a description of the evil released by man�s original sin, consider the following.
First of all in Chapter 7, 2 distinct groups are recognized-the 144,000 (Rev, 7:4-8) and the multitude (vs. 9-11). Since physical Israel was no longer the favored nation after Christ (see Romans chapters 9-11) the 144,000 are the select group who takes part in the first resurrection. Revelation 20:6 says: �Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years�. The number 144,000 is not literal but symbolic of members of the original 12 tribes of Israel that carried the promise of God to physical Israel and ultimately to all of humanity. Thus the 144,000 are the saints of God, or those conformed to his image, who have thoroughly had their robes washed in Christ�s blood making them perfect. The second group is probably comprised of all the Christians who have been saved, that is who have received Christ as their Savior. 2 Thessalonians also makes a distinction between the two groups. Speaking of Christ�s return Paul said: �� when He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, and to be marveled at [or admired by] among all who have believed� (2 Thess 1:10). Thus Christ is revealed in one group and admired by the second group.
That there are those who are to be conformed to the image of Christ, and be Sons like him, is without dispute in the scriptures. John said: �Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, (1 John 3:2). Hebrews is clear that it is God�s purpose to bring many Sons, like Christ, to glory (Hebrews 2:10).
The entire Old Testament, for that matter, is a type and shadow of the Christ that was to come. Christ told the Pharisees: �You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me;� (John 5:39). So the symbolism of physical Israel, symbolic of God�s chosen people, is used in Revelation and throughout the scriptures.
The woman described in chapter 12 is actually God, personified by Mary, who gave birth to Christ who was to rule and was immediately caught up to the throne. Before she gave birth Satan tried to destroy the man child, probably in many ways, but most notably through the �so called� slaughter of the innocents by Herrod. At the same time, not necessarily sequentially, the battle in heaven and the defeat and fall of Satan is depicted (see also Isaiah Chapter 14). The woman, who became symbolic of the church, went away and was protected as she gave birth to many more Sons, like Christ (see Hebrews 2:10 which says: �For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings�.
The dragon is Satan. Revelation says: �And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years;� (Revelation 20:2). The dragon stood on the seashore (symbolic of the sea of humanity) and watched as the Beast emerged from the sea of humanity. The Beast represents nations and kings who have opposed God throughout the ages. As to their exact identity one can only speculate but the list must include Babylonia, Assyria, Macedonia, Rome, Persia and the great nations that at one time ruled most of the known earth at one time or another. Some speculate the identity of current nations but none of these including the United States, has exercised total power as the nations of old did. The nations were Satanically inspired in that the serpent gave them their power. When the scripture says that humanity worshipped the beast and likewise the serpent who was behind the whole thing, it does not necessarily mean worship in the religious sense. Worship literally means �to bow down to, to serve, to adore� which humanity was forced to do in view of the power of the nations over them.
Persia, although known as the liberator of the Jews, was included in the list because we know from the Book of Daniel that they were dominated by Satanic power. As Paul said we war against powers and principalities and not flesh and blood, like wise Persia was ruled by Satanic power. Daniel�s answer to prayer was delayed when the angel sent to him was delayed as follows: �But the prince of the kingdom of Persia was withstanding me for twenty-one days; then behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left there with the kings of Persia�. (Daniel 10:13).
The second beast, with 2 horns like a lamb, is likely the religious power who rivaled that of and co-mingled with the nations. This beast apparently came like a wolf in sheep�s (lamb�s) clothing because, although appearing like a peaceful lamb, it was in fact speaking Satanic words given to it by the dragon Satan (Revelation 13:11). These verses in chapter 13:11-15 seem to indicate the intermingling between the first beast (the nations) and religion (probably the Catholic Church, also known as the �universal church�). In view of the foregoing verses the number 666 becomes apparent.
Six is traditionally known as the number of man. Seven is the number of God and six, being below 7, indicates that man was made for a time lower than the angels in heavenly ranking. The fact that 3 sixes are mentioned is symbolic of the Satanic trinity mentioned in the preceding verses that of the serpent, the first beast of nations and the second religious beast. Scripture says that a three-fold cord is not easily broken, similar to the three fold cord of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit (see Ecclesiastes 4:12). Thus the three entities formed a strong unholy alliance that exercised great power and authority. Here, their power is demonstrated in the economic realm where nothing (including essential food) can be purchased except from the three powers. Holding the purse strings means holding absolute power thus the number 666 and the mark that would prevent man from buying and selling anything except through the alliance.
Chapters 17-18 again depict the alliance between the nations and the church. The woman, who sat upon the beast of nations, was clothed in religious purple and was responsible for putting to death the true saints in the name of religion. Some say verses 17:9 et. sq. represent the seven hills of Rome upon which the city was built which would have had obvious meaning for the people of that time who read the book. Rome was first ruled by Emperors in cooperation with the church until the fall of Rome in 7 A.D. when thereafter the Church and the Popes ruled Rome for centuries. A lot of the symbolism in those chapters does refer to Rome and the church since the letter was written to churches that were under persecution by those very sources, either Rome or later the Roman religious church.
Then comes the fulfillment which is the most important part of the Book to be addressed later.
