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Hint: They are NOT two fire breathing men who get killed by a beast which crawls up from the bottomless pit as some on here would have you believe.
We have to remember that a lot of supernatural events are going to be taking place on the earth during those days and so it is no great thing that God makes it possible for the two witnesses to destroy their enemies with fire. Regarding these miracles, we are also told that they will be given power to bring any type of plague upon the earth that they desire and as much as they want. So, it is not an exaggeration that God can equip them with fire from their mouths. God controls atoms and molecules. Remember Daniel's three friends who were thrown into the fire that was heated up 8 times hotter than normal? And what happened to them? Nothing! God made it so that the fire had no affect on them. God can do anything he wants. These two witnesses will perform exactly the things that are written of them.
PW restricts God in what he can do and denies what the scriptures say.
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If you say no to being eternally condemned, you you are saying you can have a second chance.
A Second chance at being saved. if you miss the first boat you can still catch the second.
1Th 4:15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
1Th 4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
1Th 5:1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.
1Th 5:2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
1Th 5:3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
1Th 5:4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
The day will come like a thief, no one knows the day or the hour. but it will not overcome those that are watching and ready.
At the rapture the dead and the living saved all meet the Lord in the air. There is nothing to say there is another chance after that.
A Second chance at being saved. if you miss the first boat you can still catch the second.
1Th 4:15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
1Th 4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
1Th 5:1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.
1Th 5:2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
1Th 5:3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
1Th 5:4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
The day will come like a thief, no one knows the day or the hour. but it will not overcome those that are watching and ready.
At the rapture the dead and the living saved all meet the Lord in the air. There is nothing to say there is another chance after that.
To say that Jesus comes and takes the saints once and then comes later to take the ones that repent latter you should have a Bible verse to prove it. 2 different comings.
Or to say that the saints are taken without Jesus coming and then taken again when He comes there should be a clear verse to show it.
Or to say that the saints are taken without Jesus coming and then taken again when He comes there should be a clear verse to show it.
It is pure fiction but told as if it was truth. That's what makes the Pre-Trib lie so dangerous.
This is why there will be scoffers in the last days. Once Israel is attacked in the Great Tribulation the unsaved will see that we are still here and will say to all those who have been preaching about the rapture the following:
...saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.”
This false doctrine is going to make all of us Christians look bad as we already have been made to look by those who assign dates.
This is why there will be scoffers in the last days. Once Israel is attacked in the Great Tribulation the unsaved will see that we are still here and will say to all those who have been preaching about the rapture the following:
...saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.”
This false doctrine is going to make all of us Christians look bad as we already have been made to look by those who assign dates.
I see you are still living in the physical world completely clueless to the figurative language of Revelation. I don't deny, I discern as we are told to do.
The only supernatural things that are going to happen before Christ returns at the Second Coming is the evil works of Satan and his fallen angels on the minds of the deceived. Ask yourself this: Did Jeremiah spew forth fire from his mouth and burn up all the people in the below passage?
Jeremiah 5:14
Therefore thus says the Lord God of hosts: “Because you speak this word, Behold, I will make My words in your mouth fire, And this people wood, And it shall devour them.
Is the above literal or figurative? Are you able to discern? Compare the above to Rev 11:
[SUP]5 [/SUP]And if anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies.
These words have exactly the same meaning in Revelation 11 as they do in Jer 5. It is identical figurative language. It means, "The Word of God has enormous power and nobody can stand against it."
Whenever you describe something by comparing it with something else, you are using figurative language. It is a common literary style in practice in every language for thousands of years. I'm surprised you never heard of figurative writing. How boring it would be if we never used a metaphor, simile or symbolism in descriptive writing. Figurative language is often used by writers to produce images in readers' minds and to express ideas in fresh, vivid, and imaginative ways.
Figurative language is used to create a special effect or feeling. It is characterized by figures of speech—language that compares, exaggerates, or means something other than what it first appears to mean.
Examples:
The Bible is absolutely jammed packed with figurative language. When you read something that doesn't seem real or possible (with the exception of an actual miracle) think figurative language is at work. The below is a link which shows you many examples of figurative language in the Bible.
Figurative Language in the Bible
Jesus said of Herod, "Go and say to that fox." If he had said "Go tell that man that is like a fox," it would have been a simile, but Jesus uses the forceful metaphor. "Ye are a temple of God" is a metaphor in 1 Corinthians 3:16. In Matthew 26:26-28 Jesus took a loaf and said "this is my body" and he took a cup and said "this is my blood of the covenant"; these are metaphors. How many controversies on the Lord’s supper would be settled if brethren realized that this is metaphorical language!
Being "born again" is also a metaphor.
[SUP]3 [/SUP]Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” [SUP]4 [/SUP]Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”
Right now, you are being like Nicodemus. I say this with love brother. If you cannot recognize figurative language and understand when it is in use, you are missing about half of the true meaning and I am sorry for you. What a shame!!
The only supernatural things that are going to happen before Christ returns at the Second Coming is the evil works of Satan and his fallen angels on the minds of the deceived. Ask yourself this: Did Jeremiah spew forth fire from his mouth and burn up all the people in the below passage?
Jeremiah 5:14
Therefore thus says the Lord God of hosts: “Because you speak this word, Behold, I will make My words in your mouth fire, And this people wood, And it shall devour them.
Is the above literal or figurative? Are you able to discern? Compare the above to Rev 11:
[SUP]5 [/SUP]And if anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies.
These words have exactly the same meaning in Revelation 11 as they do in Jer 5. It is identical figurative language. It means, "The Word of God has enormous power and nobody can stand against it."
Whenever you describe something by comparing it with something else, you are using figurative language. It is a common literary style in practice in every language for thousands of years. I'm surprised you never heard of figurative writing. How boring it would be if we never used a metaphor, simile or symbolism in descriptive writing. Figurative language is often used by writers to produce images in readers' minds and to express ideas in fresh, vivid, and imaginative ways.
Figurative language is used to create a special effect or feeling. It is characterized by figures of speech—language that compares, exaggerates, or means something other than what it first appears to mean.
Examples:
- The detective listened to her tales with a wooden face.
- She was fairly certain that life was a fashion show.
- The typical teenage boy’s room is a disaster area.
- What storms then shook the ocean of my sleep.
- The children were roses grown in concrete gardens, beautiful and forlorn.
- Kisses are the flowers of love in bloom.
- His cotton candy words did not appeal to her taste.
- Kathy arrived at the grocery store with an army of children.
- Her eyes were fireflies.
- He wanted to set sail on the ocean of love but he just wasted away in the desert.
The Bible is absolutely jammed packed with figurative language. When you read something that doesn't seem real or possible (with the exception of an actual miracle) think figurative language is at work. The below is a link which shows you many examples of figurative language in the Bible.
Figurative Language in the Bible
Jesus said of Herod, "Go and say to that fox." If he had said "Go tell that man that is like a fox," it would have been a simile, but Jesus uses the forceful metaphor. "Ye are a temple of God" is a metaphor in 1 Corinthians 3:16. In Matthew 26:26-28 Jesus took a loaf and said "this is my body" and he took a cup and said "this is my blood of the covenant"; these are metaphors. How many controversies on the Lord’s supper would be settled if brethren realized that this is metaphorical language!
Being "born again" is also a metaphor.
[SUP]3 [/SUP]Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” [SUP]4 [/SUP]Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”
Right now, you are being like Nicodemus. I say this with love brother. If you cannot recognize figurative language and understand when it is in use, you are missing about half of the true meaning and I am sorry for you. What a shame!!
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Rev 19 has the saints in heaven,during the Gt,returning to earth after the GT with Jesus.
Mat 25 has half the saints left behind.
Mat 24 has half a group left behind( no brainer it is also the rapture)
There are zero postrib rapture verses,and it is impossible to "reconcile" verses into a single coming,or a postrib rapture.
If everything gets set on the table,pretrib becomes a no brainer
Mat 25 has half the saints left behind.
Mat 24 has half a group left behind( no brainer it is also the rapture)
There are zero postrib rapture verses,and it is impossible to "reconcile" verses into a single coming,or a postrib rapture.
If everything gets set on the table,pretrib becomes a no brainer
Rev 11:3 And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.
Rev 11:4 These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.
Rev 11:5 And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.
Rev 11:6 These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.
Actually they do have power to take down anybody that tries to stop them from witnessing to the Jews in Israel that Jesus is their Messiah.
It is not figurative,but literal,for they have power to smite the earth with plagues,and cause people to perish,if they get in their way of reaching out to the Jews.
God has a plan for Israel,to turn them to Jesus,which they are blinded in part,until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in,which is when salvation is not available to them when they take the mark,then Israel will not be blinded anymore,but realize Jesus is their Messiah.
God is not going to allow anybody to stand in the way of His plan to turn Israel to the truth,for the kingdom will be restored to them in the millennial reign of Christ,so the two witnesses have power to physically take down anybody that tries to stop them,with physical harm,or death,which the beast does not want the two witnesses to turn Israel to Jesus for the beast does not regard any god,and wants the world to worship him.
Rev 11:4 These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.
Rev 11:5 And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.
Rev 11:6 These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.
Actually they do have power to take down anybody that tries to stop them from witnessing to the Jews in Israel that Jesus is their Messiah.
It is not figurative,but literal,for they have power to smite the earth with plagues,and cause people to perish,if they get in their way of reaching out to the Jews.
God has a plan for Israel,to turn them to Jesus,which they are blinded in part,until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in,which is when salvation is not available to them when they take the mark,then Israel will not be blinded anymore,but realize Jesus is their Messiah.
God is not going to allow anybody to stand in the way of His plan to turn Israel to the truth,for the kingdom will be restored to them in the millennial reign of Christ,so the two witnesses have power to physically take down anybody that tries to stop them,with physical harm,or death,which the beast does not want the two witnesses to turn Israel to Jesus for the beast does not regard any god,and wants the world to worship him.
The Two Witnesses of Rev 11 are perhaps one of the more complicated uses of figurative language in Revelation because John takes his metaphors from multiple places and he uses a number of metaphors in the lesson. The two witnesses are themselves a metaphor making the discernment even more difficult - metaphors defined by metaphors. John piles one metaphor on top of another, then another. It is a brilliant piece of writing with such amazing complexity that only God could have inspired it. To be able to write with one metaphor after another and another for an entire passage and make the whole thing flow as if it were literal while instead the entire passage is a giant metaphor is incredible to me.
John is painting an amazing picture of the Church age from start to finish. Once understood, we see that the Church is mentioned passed Chapter 3 and we see the fate of the Church (hint: it isn't raptured) agrees exactly with Paul's teaching of 2 Thes 2 and Jesus teaching of Luke 18:8, i.e. it falls away. Here are all the symbolism in play in this passage with every one of these actually meaning something else.
The Object is the two witnesses:
clothed in sackcloth
two olive trees
two lampstands
anyone wants to harm them
fire proceeds from their mouth
devours their enemies
must be killed in this manner
power to shut heaven
no rain falls in the days
power over waters
turn them to blood
strike the earth with all plagues
the beast that ascends
make war against them
their dead bodies will lie
in the street of the great city
Sodom and Egypt
not allow their dead bodies to be put into graves
send gifts to one another
these two prophets tormented
If we study Zechariah 4 we gain a lot of insight. “These are the two anointed ones, who stand beside the Lord of the whole earth."
This passage from Zec 4 is repeated by John in Rev 11 as we see here: [SUP]4 [/SUP]These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth," except John calls them two olive trees and two lampstands where Zechariah calls them "anointed ones." Therefore we know John is taking his symbolism from Zechariah 4 so we must understand what is being taught in Zec 4.
The verses in Zechariah 4 are as cryptic as they are in Rev 11 making the discernment more difficult, but not impossible. What picture is Zechariah painting?
We already know that a lampstand is a church from Rev 1:20: and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches. But what about the Olive Trees? What do they represent? The meaning is less obvious. We know that the olive trees "feed" the church with olive oil from the olive trees, right?
So I said, “I am looking, and there is a lampstand of solid gold with a bowl on top of it, and on the stand seven lamps with seven pipes to the seven lamps... “What are these two olive branches that drip into the receptacles of the two gold pipes from which the golden oil drains?”
The angel says to Zechariah: “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ Says the Lord of hosts.
The Word of the Lord to Zerubbabel!!! What a huge clue. Zerabbabel was the head of the Tribe of Judah at the time they returned to Israel. He was the prime builder of the second temple. So, we have a second picture of a church, or should I say, "THE CHURCH" for the Jews.
So now we have a clear picture of what's happening here. We have the "Word of God" represented by the olive oil which represents the Holy Spirit flowing from the two Trees into the Lamps or Churches. Within the lamps the oil burns "lighting the world." So in Zechariah's day, the church was the Temple of God in Jerusalem. It was the symbol of God's Word and power. By the time John wrote this, the Temple was destroyed and was replaced by "the Church." Now the Word of God is given as a "light" by the Churches as fed by the Holy Spirit.
The Churches were clothed in sack cloth symbolizing the nature of how we are to testify, with humility, but certainty. The POWER of the church, as John relates to us figuratively was given at Pentecost and was part of the Great Commission.
But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit (oil) has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
The church(es) were to be the witnesses using the Power of the Holy Spirit to convict the world of its sins. This power lasts a finite period of time until Satan wages war with and overcomes the church. The sinful world, once held at bay by the convicting and unopposed power of the churches, will defeat the church and the power of the church will be crushed. The two spirits used to "kill" the church are Sodom (immorality such as gay rights) and Egypt (Idol worship such as any false worship like Islam).
In America we are seeing the church rapidly lose its power over the secular forces opposed to it. We now have gay marriage and legalized killing of the unborn. Tolerance of sin is now considered a virtue. How many times have we heard that our values are to be based on tolerance of diversity? We are no longer allowed to oppose these things based on religious grounds and man, isn't the world rejoicing over this?
Islam, however, is not allowed to be condemned, rather it is being celebrated throughout the world by progressives and liberals who you would think should oppose it, but they don't. They defend it even though ISLAM kills gays and poorly treats women. Go figure. It makes no sense except that power evil spirits are of Satan.
Anyway, I hope this lesson will help some of you who have been confused about the meaning of the two witnesses. The church is not completely dead yet but it is dying and we are all watching "the world" kill it. But I am reminded of who wins in the end.
These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
John is painting an amazing picture of the Church age from start to finish. Once understood, we see that the Church is mentioned passed Chapter 3 and we see the fate of the Church (hint: it isn't raptured) agrees exactly with Paul's teaching of 2 Thes 2 and Jesus teaching of Luke 18:8, i.e. it falls away. Here are all the symbolism in play in this passage with every one of these actually meaning something else.
The Object is the two witnesses:
clothed in sackcloth
two olive trees
two lampstands
anyone wants to harm them
fire proceeds from their mouth
devours their enemies
must be killed in this manner
power to shut heaven
no rain falls in the days
power over waters
turn them to blood
strike the earth with all plagues
the beast that ascends
make war against them
their dead bodies will lie
in the street of the great city
Sodom and Egypt
not allow their dead bodies to be put into graves
send gifts to one another
these two prophets tormented
If we study Zechariah 4 we gain a lot of insight. “These are the two anointed ones, who stand beside the Lord of the whole earth."
This passage from Zec 4 is repeated by John in Rev 11 as we see here: [SUP]4 [/SUP]These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth," except John calls them two olive trees and two lampstands where Zechariah calls them "anointed ones." Therefore we know John is taking his symbolism from Zechariah 4 so we must understand what is being taught in Zec 4.
The verses in Zechariah 4 are as cryptic as they are in Rev 11 making the discernment more difficult, but not impossible. What picture is Zechariah painting?
We already know that a lampstand is a church from Rev 1:20: and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches. But what about the Olive Trees? What do they represent? The meaning is less obvious. We know that the olive trees "feed" the church with olive oil from the olive trees, right?
So I said, “I am looking, and there is a lampstand of solid gold with a bowl on top of it, and on the stand seven lamps with seven pipes to the seven lamps... “What are these two olive branches that drip into the receptacles of the two gold pipes from which the golden oil drains?”
The angel says to Zechariah: “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ Says the Lord of hosts.
The Word of the Lord to Zerubbabel!!! What a huge clue. Zerabbabel was the head of the Tribe of Judah at the time they returned to Israel. He was the prime builder of the second temple. So, we have a second picture of a church, or should I say, "THE CHURCH" for the Jews.
So now we have a clear picture of what's happening here. We have the "Word of God" represented by the olive oil which represents the Holy Spirit flowing from the two Trees into the Lamps or Churches. Within the lamps the oil burns "lighting the world." So in Zechariah's day, the church was the Temple of God in Jerusalem. It was the symbol of God's Word and power. By the time John wrote this, the Temple was destroyed and was replaced by "the Church." Now the Word of God is given as a "light" by the Churches as fed by the Holy Spirit.
The Churches were clothed in sack cloth symbolizing the nature of how we are to testify, with humility, but certainty. The POWER of the church, as John relates to us figuratively was given at Pentecost and was part of the Great Commission.
But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit (oil) has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
The church(es) were to be the witnesses using the Power of the Holy Spirit to convict the world of its sins. This power lasts a finite period of time until Satan wages war with and overcomes the church. The sinful world, once held at bay by the convicting and unopposed power of the churches, will defeat the church and the power of the church will be crushed. The two spirits used to "kill" the church are Sodom (immorality such as gay rights) and Egypt (Idol worship such as any false worship like Islam).
In America we are seeing the church rapidly lose its power over the secular forces opposed to it. We now have gay marriage and legalized killing of the unborn. Tolerance of sin is now considered a virtue. How many times have we heard that our values are to be based on tolerance of diversity? We are no longer allowed to oppose these things based on religious grounds and man, isn't the world rejoicing over this?
Islam, however, is not allowed to be condemned, rather it is being celebrated throughout the world by progressives and liberals who you would think should oppose it, but they don't. They defend it even though ISLAM kills gays and poorly treats women. Go figure. It makes no sense except that power evil spirits are of Satan.
Anyway, I hope this lesson will help some of you who have been confused about the meaning of the two witnesses. The church is not completely dead yet but it is dying and we are all watching "the world" kill it. But I am reminded of who wins in the end.
These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
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God does have a plan for Israel and using the Gentile Church to make Israel jealous is certainly a well taught principle. However, see my last post #235 if you want to understand the two witnesses as they are certainly NOT two literal men. For the longest time I thought they were literal too. But I have studied this topic longer than I care to admit and now see clearly.
Most of Revelation is written in figurative language, Rev 11 is a great example as are the trumpets and bowls. Rev 13 and 14 are also packed with figurative language. To not understand and recognize this means you are missing the true meaning of so many things.
I say this with love: Anyone incapable of understanding the symbolism in Revelation might be better off leaving it alone until you can. Otherwise you will get so much of it wrong that you might actually alter clear teachings from other parts of the Bible.
Most of Revelation is written in figurative language, Rev 11 is a great example as are the trumpets and bowls. Rev 13 and 14 are also packed with figurative language. To not understand and recognize this means you are missing the true meaning of so many things.
I say this with love: Anyone incapable of understanding the symbolism in Revelation might be better off leaving it alone until you can. Otherwise you will get so much of it wrong that you might actually alter clear teachings from other parts of the Bible.
Dan 7:24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.
Dan 7:25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.
The ten horn kingdom will rule for the first three and one half years of the 7 years period,which is the world split in to 10 sections with a leader in each section,in which another horn shall rise after them,who is the beast,who claims to be God by harnessing the power of nature in the middle of the 7 years period,and the saints are given in to his hands for the last three and one half years of the 7 years period.
Dan 8:23 And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up.
Dan 8:24 And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people.
Dan 8:25 And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand.
The last king,the 8th king,the beast,shall destroy the holy and mighty people,and by peace shall destroy many.
Rev 13:5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.
Rev 13:6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.
Rev 13:7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
He has power to rule for the last three and one half years,which he can only have that power if God allows him to rule,and it was given to him to make war against the saints,and prevail against them.It was given,given,given,to him to make war against the saints,and prevail against them,which God is allowing him to go against the saints.
Dan 11:36 And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done.
Dan 11:37 Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all.
Dan 11:38 But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things.
Dan 12:7 And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.
When the beast accomplishes to scatter the power of the holy people,all things are finished.
Eze 38:17 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Art thou he of whom I have spoken in old time by my servants the prophets of Israel, which prophesied in those days many years that I would bring thee against them?
Eze 38:18 And it shall come to pass at the same time when Gog shall come against the land of Israel, saith the Lord GOD, that my fury shall come up in my face.
Eze 38:19 For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel;
Eze 38:20 So that the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the field, and all creeping things that creep upon the earth, and all the men that are upon the face of the earth, shall shake at my presence, and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground.
Eze 38:21 And I will call for a sword against him throughout all my mountains, saith the Lord GOD: every man's sword shall be against his brother.
Eze 38:22 And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone.
Eze 38:23 Thus will I magnify myself, and sanctify myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the LORD.
This is the battle of Armageddon,which is part of the wrath of God,when the world attacks Israel,and God fights the world and saves Israel.
Some people say this is at the end of the millennial reign,but at the end of the millennial reign God sends fire down on them,and consumes them,but here God sends more than fire upon them,and then shall be known in the eyes of many nations,which at the end of the millennial reign they already know God,for the Bible says the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD,and there shall be one LORD,and His name one,so during the millennial reign the people that God spared know about God.
God is love,and is a fair God,that does not want any excuses from people concerning their being wrongdoing in not turning to Him as the truth,and the only Savior.
God will not give up on the world,until the world gives up on Him,and will let them go far in their rebellion,so there is no excuse on their part,for it will testify that they want nothing to do with the truth,but it is all about people with no personal God above them,and Jesus is not Lord and Savior.
God is going to allow the beast to make war against the saints,and let them go as far as attacking Israel before He puts the world down,and Jesus takes over the world,and rules with His saints.
The 6 trumpets are 6 disasters that the world knows about,but instead of turning to God to help them,they keep trying to solve their own problems,and on the 7th trumpet the saints are united with Christ.
The 6 trumpets,warnings to turn to God as recognize that He is the only help they have to benefit mankind,and to have peace on earth,but the world dismisses them,and keeps trying to solve their problems by their own efforts.
The two witnesses reach out to Israel to turn them to the truth that Jesus is their Messiah,and even though they have power to cause plagues,and stop the rain,and cause people to perish to those that would try to stop them from reaching out to Israel concerning the truth,and the world witnesses their power,the world still ignores them,and has them killed,and keep trying to do things their way,ignoring that testimony that there is a God.
The beast makes war against the saints,and they are given in to his hands for the last three and one half years of the 7 years period,as further proof that the world does not want anything to do with Christianity,and their belief in a personal God.
The saints are united with Christ.
The wrath of God is poured upon them leading up to the battle of Armageddon,which God throws hailstones at them,the size of a talent,and turns the water in to blood,and scorched them with great heat,the world still blasphemes against God because of their pains and sores,testifying that they want nothing to do with God,and will even go against Israel,further testifying that they want nothing to do with God,and Jesus,and His people that He has turned to Jesus.
When they get to Israel that is when God said His fury will come up in His face,and then He will put down the world,and Jesus will take over the world.
God is love,and a God of chances,and does not want anybody to have an excuse why they rejected truth,that they could not see it,or come to the conclusion of it,so God will allow the people that followed the beast kingdom to go as far as attacking Israel before He puts them down,so it is beyond a shadow of a doubt that they want nothing to do with God,and Jesus.
They rejected the 6 trumpets,they rejected the 2 witnesses reaching out to Israel,after it was shown their power that nobody could stand against them,until the three and one half years is up,rejected the truth by physically attacking the saints,rejected the truth when the wrath of God was thrown at them,causing them pain and sores,and rejected the truth by going against Israel.
Why is God allowing the beast kingdom to make war against the saints,and they are given in to the beasts hands for the last three and one half years of the 7 years period.
Because God will not give up on the world,until the world gives up on Him,and since this is a terrible condition of people rejecting the truth,compared to people rejecting the truth in time past,God will let them go as far as attacking Israel before He puts an end to the beast kingdom.
Not to mention that the saints cannot be gathered unto Christ,until the man of sin appears claiming to be God in the middle of the 7 years period,and the beast blasphemes against God and His tabernacle,and those that dwell in heaven,which he would not do that unless the saints were still on earth,for he would not have to go against the truth,unless the truth is on earth,and the saints on earth is the truth.
The beast regards no god,but honors the God of forces,or the evolutionary process,so he blasphemes God,by going against Christianity and those that follow it,by telling the world that their belief is a falsehood,and not the way to achieve peace on earth,and there is no personal God to help them,but people can solve their own problems,by their technology and devices,and the power of nature.
If the saints were not on earth,the beast would not have to go against the truth,for the saints on earth is the truth,by convincing the world to not give heed to their belief in a personal God,which the beast goes against all people that hold unto a belief in a personal God.
There is no pre-trib resurrection,for God will not give up on the world,until the world gives up on Him,and it is given unto the beast to make war against the saints,and prevail against them,and they will be given in to his hands for three and one half years,and he will destroy the holy and mighty people,and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people,all things shall be finished.
All things shall be finished,which then comes the end when Jesus shall deliver up the kingdom to the Father,which is the 7th trumpet.
Dan 7:25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.
The ten horn kingdom will rule for the first three and one half years of the 7 years period,which is the world split in to 10 sections with a leader in each section,in which another horn shall rise after them,who is the beast,who claims to be God by harnessing the power of nature in the middle of the 7 years period,and the saints are given in to his hands for the last three and one half years of the 7 years period.
Dan 8:23 And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up.
Dan 8:24 And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people.
Dan 8:25 And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand.
The last king,the 8th king,the beast,shall destroy the holy and mighty people,and by peace shall destroy many.
Rev 13:5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.
Rev 13:6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.
Rev 13:7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
He has power to rule for the last three and one half years,which he can only have that power if God allows him to rule,and it was given to him to make war against the saints,and prevail against them.It was given,given,given,to him to make war against the saints,and prevail against them,which God is allowing him to go against the saints.
Dan 11:36 And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done.
Dan 11:37 Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all.
Dan 11:38 But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things.
Dan 12:7 And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.
When the beast accomplishes to scatter the power of the holy people,all things are finished.
Eze 38:17 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Art thou he of whom I have spoken in old time by my servants the prophets of Israel, which prophesied in those days many years that I would bring thee against them?
Eze 38:18 And it shall come to pass at the same time when Gog shall come against the land of Israel, saith the Lord GOD, that my fury shall come up in my face.
Eze 38:19 For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel;
Eze 38:20 So that the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the field, and all creeping things that creep upon the earth, and all the men that are upon the face of the earth, shall shake at my presence, and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground.
Eze 38:21 And I will call for a sword against him throughout all my mountains, saith the Lord GOD: every man's sword shall be against his brother.
Eze 38:22 And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone.
Eze 38:23 Thus will I magnify myself, and sanctify myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the LORD.
This is the battle of Armageddon,which is part of the wrath of God,when the world attacks Israel,and God fights the world and saves Israel.
Some people say this is at the end of the millennial reign,but at the end of the millennial reign God sends fire down on them,and consumes them,but here God sends more than fire upon them,and then shall be known in the eyes of many nations,which at the end of the millennial reign they already know God,for the Bible says the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD,and there shall be one LORD,and His name one,so during the millennial reign the people that God spared know about God.
God is love,and is a fair God,that does not want any excuses from people concerning their being wrongdoing in not turning to Him as the truth,and the only Savior.
God will not give up on the world,until the world gives up on Him,and will let them go far in their rebellion,so there is no excuse on their part,for it will testify that they want nothing to do with the truth,but it is all about people with no personal God above them,and Jesus is not Lord and Savior.
God is going to allow the beast to make war against the saints,and let them go as far as attacking Israel before He puts the world down,and Jesus takes over the world,and rules with His saints.
The 6 trumpets are 6 disasters that the world knows about,but instead of turning to God to help them,they keep trying to solve their own problems,and on the 7th trumpet the saints are united with Christ.
The 6 trumpets,warnings to turn to God as recognize that He is the only help they have to benefit mankind,and to have peace on earth,but the world dismisses them,and keeps trying to solve their problems by their own efforts.
The two witnesses reach out to Israel to turn them to the truth that Jesus is their Messiah,and even though they have power to cause plagues,and stop the rain,and cause people to perish to those that would try to stop them from reaching out to Israel concerning the truth,and the world witnesses their power,the world still ignores them,and has them killed,and keep trying to do things their way,ignoring that testimony that there is a God.
The beast makes war against the saints,and they are given in to his hands for the last three and one half years of the 7 years period,as further proof that the world does not want anything to do with Christianity,and their belief in a personal God.
The saints are united with Christ.
The wrath of God is poured upon them leading up to the battle of Armageddon,which God throws hailstones at them,the size of a talent,and turns the water in to blood,and scorched them with great heat,the world still blasphemes against God because of their pains and sores,testifying that they want nothing to do with God,and will even go against Israel,further testifying that they want nothing to do with God,and Jesus,and His people that He has turned to Jesus.
When they get to Israel that is when God said His fury will come up in His face,and then He will put down the world,and Jesus will take over the world.
God is love,and a God of chances,and does not want anybody to have an excuse why they rejected truth,that they could not see it,or come to the conclusion of it,so God will allow the people that followed the beast kingdom to go as far as attacking Israel before He puts them down,so it is beyond a shadow of a doubt that they want nothing to do with God,and Jesus.
They rejected the 6 trumpets,they rejected the 2 witnesses reaching out to Israel,after it was shown their power that nobody could stand against them,until the three and one half years is up,rejected the truth by physically attacking the saints,rejected the truth when the wrath of God was thrown at them,causing them pain and sores,and rejected the truth by going against Israel.
Why is God allowing the beast kingdom to make war against the saints,and they are given in to the beasts hands for the last three and one half years of the 7 years period.
Because God will not give up on the world,until the world gives up on Him,and since this is a terrible condition of people rejecting the truth,compared to people rejecting the truth in time past,God will let them go as far as attacking Israel before He puts an end to the beast kingdom.
Not to mention that the saints cannot be gathered unto Christ,until the man of sin appears claiming to be God in the middle of the 7 years period,and the beast blasphemes against God and His tabernacle,and those that dwell in heaven,which he would not do that unless the saints were still on earth,for he would not have to go against the truth,unless the truth is on earth,and the saints on earth is the truth.
The beast regards no god,but honors the God of forces,or the evolutionary process,so he blasphemes God,by going against Christianity and those that follow it,by telling the world that their belief is a falsehood,and not the way to achieve peace on earth,and there is no personal God to help them,but people can solve their own problems,by their technology and devices,and the power of nature.
If the saints were not on earth,the beast would not have to go against the truth,for the saints on earth is the truth,by convincing the world to not give heed to their belief in a personal God,which the beast goes against all people that hold unto a belief in a personal God.
There is no pre-trib resurrection,for God will not give up on the world,until the world gives up on Him,and it is given unto the beast to make war against the saints,and prevail against them,and they will be given in to his hands for three and one half years,and he will destroy the holy and mighty people,and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people,all things shall be finished.
All things shall be finished,which then comes the end when Jesus shall deliver up the kingdom to the Father,which is the 7th trumpet.
Rev 11:3 And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.
Rev 11:7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.
Rev 11:8 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.
Rev 11:9 And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.
Rev 11:10 And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.
Rev 11:11 And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.
Rev 11:12 And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.
They are 2 literal men.
Rev 11:7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.
Rev 11:8 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.
Rev 11:9 And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.
Rev 11:10 And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.
Rev 11:11 And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.
Rev 11:12 And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.
They are 2 literal men.
The documented pre-trib rapture of the Church, as taught by Jesus, Matthew, Luke, John and Paul, recorded in the link below:
http://deeperwalk.lefora.com/topic/19401898/The-Biblical
Who/what are the 144,000 Israelites ?
According to the Bible, Jesus, Paul and John revealed, those of us who belong to His Church, will be CAUGHT UP [Raptured] to Him in the clouds of the sky, before the antichrist is revealed, as recorded in 2 Thess.2:3 and 7-8. Who triggers the seven year tribulation/70th Week of Daniel, God decreed Israel to go through in Dan.9:27.
[In connection with the Church = Jn.14:1-4 and 28; 1 Thess.4:14-18 and 2 Thess.2:1-8]. In connection with Israel = Jer.30:7 and Dan.9:27, where the person who 'confirms a covenant/treaty/agreement with Israel is the Antichrist, and all three of the "he's" in that vs, triggers the 70th and final 'Week,'/seven year tribulation/Day of the Lord.
Seen also in 2 Thess.2:3-4 and 7- 8]. Jesus said He has two sheep folds, Israel whom He was addressing, and the "other one He must also bring," the Church, according to Jn.10:16. He prophecied that they will become one fold with one Shepherd. He also said many who are first will be last [Israel] and many who are last will be first [The Church] in Mt.19:30. This will be fulfilled after the first resurrection of all the tribulation saints, in Rev.20:4-6, and then rule with Christ for 1,000 years, in Rev.20:6.
He meant His Church will be CAUGHT UP to be with Him before the tribulation, according to 1 Thess.4:16-17 and 2 Thess.2:1-8] and that Israel will go through the tribulation [Dan.9:27]. When Israel finally recognizes Jesus as their Messiah, according to Zech.12:10 , they will then come into the same sheep fold with the Church and the two will become one fold, with Jesus being the one Shepherd, when He establishes His Millennial kingdom here on earth according to Rev.20:6.
When the Church is Caught Up to be with the Lord in heaven, the antichrist is revealed and the tribulation begins, according to 2 Thess.2:3-4, 7-8; Dan.9:27 and Rev.6:2].
The overview of the tribulation, begins with the first of the four riders, on the white horse, who is the Antichrist/the beast out of the sea, in Rev.13:1-2/the man of lawlessness, in 2 Thess.2:3, 4 and 8, in the first of seven seals; after the six seals, before the seventh seal that contains the seven trumpet judgements begins in Rev.; God will send 144,000 consisting of 12,000 Israelites from each of twelve of their tribes, that He will "redeem from the earth" according to Rev.14:3. Sealing them, and they become converted believers in Jesus Christ who will take the place of the departed, Raptured Church, to preach the Eternal Gospel in their absence, to all those left on the earth, according to Rev.7:1-8. Whom God will send here from heaven [as He will His two witnesses of Rev.11].
They were the righteous ones in OT Sheol [Refer to Lk.16:19-25 for Jesus profile of OT Sheol] when Jesus preached the gospel to them in His Spirit, according to 1 Pet.3:18-20. Then when He ascended into heaven, in Acts 1:9, He took all the righteous ones who came from OT Sheol with Him, as seen in Eph.4:7-10, fulfilling the prophecy in Ps.68:18. [During OT times, the spirits of the righteous dead went to Sheol, as did the wicked, because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sin, according to Heb.10:3-4, Lk.16:19-23 and in Ps.49:14-15, until Jesus shed His blood and died on the cross, amplified by Paul in Rom.3:25-26.
The efforts of the 144,000 Israelites as evangelists is then revealed in the parenthetic [preview] view of the Great Multitude seen in heaven, recorded in Rev.7:9-17. Who represents all of those who will be saved during the tribulation, and who are also the martyrs, who pay with their lives for their testimony about Jesus. Who participate in the first resurrection of Rev.20:4. They are the tribulation saints and are the ones who will be left behind, when the Church is raptured.. The 144,000 do not belong to the Church or they would be raptured with the Church before the tribulation begins.
When their work is finished, the 144,000 will be translated, and return to heaven, in Rev.14:1-5. When that happens, the earth will once again be without anyone to preach the Eternal Gospel. So God will commission an angel to do so in Rev.14:6-7.
Therefore, the 144,000 are all converted Israelites who take the place of the raptured Church, to preach the Gospel to all those who will be left behind when Jesus comes to take His Church with Him to our Father in heaven, as previously address above, documented in Jn.14:2-4 and 28; 1Thes.4:13-17 and 2 Thes.2:1-8.
Hope this helps.
Quasar92
http://deeperwalk.lefora.com/topic/19401898/The-Biblical
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