Posted by AU on 10/4/2001, 2:16 pm

Re: About The Apocalypse Class at the Chapel Posted by Author Unknown on 9/1/2001, 12:15 pm , in reply to "Re: one more chapter, more" In my third year of Bible College I began to take the class on The Apocalypse. I was so excited; in my mind this was the crowning glory of my Bible education. Greg Wood was the teacher. I had heard marvelous things about his depth of knowledge on the subject. However on the second day of class we had a change of teachers. The new teacher Jeff Mc... was brand new—he had never taught a bible class before. Within two weeks I was perplexed with the teaching. I could see figurative applications in the word that the teacher thought were literal, like in chapter six verse thirteen where it is recorded that “the stars in the sky fell to earth, as late figs drop from a fig tree when shaken by a strong wind.” This was said to be a possible meteor shower. I became depressed and dropped out of class—even at that time I had a good understanding of Revelation. Revelation was my whole world! While my colleges may have never heard me speak of the subject its understanding was the burning thing upon my heart. BB had directed me to “only speak about what Jesus was doing in my life.” So this subject has been suppressed. Well, BB is no longer over me and I am going to speak my mind. ---------- Re: About The Apocalypse Class at the Chapel, And Here Is My Understanding Posted by Author Unknown on 9/3/2001, 5:21 pm , in reply to "Re: About The Apocalypse Class at the Chapel" The Sixth Seal—Apostasy “I watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake. The sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red, and the stars in the sky fell to earth, as late figs drop from a fig tree when shaken by a strong wind.14 The sky receded like a scroll, rolling up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place” (Revelation 6:12-14, NIV). It’s interesting to note the figurative language in verse 14: “The sky receded like a scroll, rolling up.” Seeing the deed to the earth is also a scroll as recorded in the same book, it would seem that an illustration of a scroll rolling up may point to a change in the deed’s status. Surely the illustration “every mountain and island was removed from its place” is speaking of a change in dispensations. This is most likely showing a shift in the earth’s political system. Let’s look at verse 13 of this last passage again, focusing on the stars: “and the stars in the sky fell to earth, as late figs drop from a fig tree when shaken by a strong wind.” Here is a good example of the symbolism in Revelation and how to understand it. First, let's ignore that Revelation was written in symbols. We will assume the stars in this verse are natural, and see where this understanding takes us. If we agree that the sun is a typical star and there are billions of stars in our galaxy alone, then we take into account that the diameter of even one medium-size star is over one hundred times that of earth. Then add to this the account recorded in the next four verses of this same chapter, after the stars fall to the earth, men are complaining about the great day of the Lamb's wrath; this leaves us with a serious problem. If the stars that fall to the earth are natural, how could the Antichrist compile an army for that great battle of Armageddon? No one would be complaining because everyone would be dead. Nevertheless, stars do fall to the earth. This verse is speaking of apostasy. What do stars falling have to do with a fig tree being shaken, symbolically speaking? The nation of Israel is described as a fig tree and also an olive tree in the Bible. Men are likened unto trees. Even the Gentile/non-Jewish believers are a branch in the good olive tree, as seen in the book of Romans. Jesus came to a fig tree in the New Testament and cursed it because there was no fruit on it. But it was the right time of the season for fruit, and there were even leaves on the tree, which Christ saw from a distance, showing that fruit should have been there. Men produce fruit out of a good heart. The hearts of the men of Israel were unfruitful, so God cut down the tree. John the Baptist said, “The ax is already at the root of the trees.” John warned Israel to bring forth fruit. However, John's words were not heeded and John was beheaded. There’s no question John was a prophet sent from God. However, the wind of adversity shook at those Pharisees and, because they loved not the truth, they were cast to the earth symbolically and lost their position in heaven. Yet, the book of Revelation is written about the future, not what Israel did in the past. Everything I penned is true; however, the time frame is wrong. The nation of Israel rejected the Messiah and they were cut off just like John warned. A new branch was grafted into that tree. In the book of Romans we see that the Gentiles are the new branch. Paul said to the Jews, “We had to speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles.” (Acts 13:46, NIV). These stars that fall in Revelation are weak-minded Christians who have a poor foundation, and in their day of adversity, when they are shaken, they are cast to the earth, symbolically. The symbolism of stars falling in Revelation 6:13 depicts a great falling away of Christians from the faith due to persecution from the Antichrist government. Figurative Interpretation Continues Now let’s look at the final event in Joel’s prophecy: “I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD” (Joel 2:30-31, NIV). We know there will be a great falling away from the Christian faith when the Antichrist imposes his will upon mankind, could the understanding of this prophecy have something to do with this apostasy? Things like the moon turning to blood and the sun turning black can have figurative meanings. The moon may represent the old covenant with all of the laws and ordinances. It has no light of its own, yet it was given to us as a light. Only when we have the light of the sun cast upon the moon do we see it shine forth. All of the ceremonial ordinances can be understood in the light of Christ. He is the sun in Bible prophecy. Blood may point to his blood atonement. The sun turning to darkness may represent a lack of spiritual enlightenment. When the Great Apostasy from the Christian faith befalls mankind, spiritual darkness will cover the land. Even though the covenant is dripping with the blood of Christ’s atonement, people will no longer enter in because light is no longer being cast. The earth has chosen darkness, so darkness it was given. Even the stars withdrew their light. Stars depict men and angels. A Poor Understanding Many Bible teachers and authors have a poor understanding of Revelation’s imagery. These men and women simply haven’t done their homework researching the Scriptures. If these instructors would go back to their studies and pour over the mountains of Old Testament illustrations and parallel texts, then they would see the Old Testament counterparts paint a far different picture of the days to come than what they teach. Then, instead of offering opinions based on popular ideology, these people could bring forth a more realistic view of the coming plagues. Deception Is On the Horizon The reason some of us will be deceived in the days ahead is partly because Revelation’s eschatology will unfold in a drastically different manner than what we’ve read and what we expect. Consider this; Satan has always worked in subtle ways; getting mankind to doubt his existence is one of his greatest achievements. If he were to let the wicked know he was real, they might put two and two together and realize that Jesus Christ, and The Judgment Day, must also be real. The devil will not surrender his best strategy so easily—he will continue to hide his existence even as he torments his victims. Deception is coming on a major scale: Revelation’s pages foretell a time of gross spiritual darkness. For thousands of years Satan and his entourage have been blinding the minds of the unenlightened and simultaneously pulling on their emotions to accomplish their goals. As the horsemen ride throughout the earth, they don’t have the power to kill men directly. They stir up the minds of their victims and let them go rampaging. Even during the time of trumpets when demonic activity is reaching its peak, much of the world won’t realize they are standing at the crossroads of annihilation. The light of the gospel was ignored in the day when laborers were working hard bringing in the harvest; now the night is come when no man can work. ---------- Posted by Pat on 9/15/2001, 9:58 am , in reply to "Re: About The Apocalypse Class at the Chapel" To AU: Would you consider explaining The Biblical Time Line of the Last Days? In Christ, Pat