UNDERSTANDING REVELATION

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tanach

Guest
#1
#1
I joined Christian chat last June and since then I have noticed that there have been a large number of discussions connected with Bible Prophecy. Some are intelligent interesting and informative. Others range from ill informed to plainly ridiculous.
I am currently undertaking an in depth study of the Book of Revelation and have gained what to me have been some incredible insights into its contents. The greatest of these has been that without a working knowledge of the OT Revelation is
a closed book. Revelation is about the culmination of Gods plan for Humanity and the rest of creation. Reading it without taking this into account is like reading the last page of a detective Novel and then trying to find the whole story from it.
I am wondering hoe much time people devote to study of the OT and what methods they use to set about it.
 
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saintandrew4life

Guest
#2
#2
reading the OT would be a good idea. I dont know how much time people spend studying the OT.
 
dcontroversal

dcontroversal

Banned
#3
Dec 12, 2013
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#3
I have said for years to properly understand Revelation you must have a solid background in the O.T. I spend quite a bit of time in the O.T. as the woes and burdens accurately describe the end and what is about to happen to the nations of the world...they are full of a future context applicable unto the end of the age.....even what will happen to the Palestinians is listed....4 of the 5 cities currently under Palestinian control in Gaza are listed as facing destruction from a vapor that comes out of the North...funny thing, the current city held by Israel is not listed!
 
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popeye

Guest
#4
#4
God is a God of purpose
W/o this backdrop we see bizarre guesses at end time events.

90% of end time study omits the 2 greatest targets of heaven,the groom /bride target and the Davidic throne
Thus the obsession of the GT

Gods purposes laid aside for a man centered theology
 
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atwhatcost

Guest
#5
#5
tanach said:
I joined Christian chat last June and since then I have noticed that there have been a large number of discussions connected with Bible Prophecy. Some are intelligent interesting and informative. Others range from ill informed to plainly ridiculous.
I am currently undertaking an in depth study of the Book of Revelation and have gained what to me have been some incredible insights into its contents. The greatest of these has been that without a working knowledge of the OT Revelation is
a closed book. Revelation is about the culmination of Gods plan for Humanity and the rest of creation. Reading it without taking this into account is like reading the last page of a detective Novel and then trying to find the whole story from it.
I am wondering hoe much time people devote to study of the OT and what methods they use to set about it.
Click to expand...
(Using my fingers to do the math.... let's see? It's September, and I started a year ago last March...)

How long have I studied the OT all together? No idea. Been a Christian for 43 years, remembering thinking I'd read straight through the first time, got utterly, completely, totally depressed somewhere between Isaiah and Jeremiah. Gave up. Played eenie meanie minie moe on which book to read/study next for decades, so finally decided to study from beginning to end in March of 2014. Technically, I'm only at Numbers 15 by now, but even with this master plan, I haven't stuck to it.

Old Hermit challenged me to learn all I could about one moment in Abraham's life, I picked on Melchizedek's (serious? Seriously? As often as I've written his name in the last month, I STILL need spellcheck to get it right? Arrrgggghhhhhhhhhhh! lol) blessing, so I've been doing that. I do go off on tangents, (as you can see), but I am committed to learning the whole Bible from beginning to end.

I suspect I'll be in my 70's or 80's before I hit Revelation again.
 
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atwhatcost

Guest
#6
#6
dcontroversal said:
I have said for years to properly understand Revelation you must have a solid background in the O.T. I spend quite a bit of time in the O.T. as the woes and burdens accurately describe the end and what is about to happen to the nations of the world...they are full of a future context applicable unto the end of the age.....even what will happen to the Palestinians is listed....4 of the 5 cities currently under Palestinian control in Gaza are listed as facing destruction from a vapor that comes out of the North...funny thing, the current city held by Israel is not listed!
Click to expand...
But the entire OT points to Jesus. Not to fortune telling for us today. :confused:
 
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tanach

Guest
#7
#7
Thank you everyone for the great response so far!!
 
Willie-T

Willie-T

Banned
#8
Feb 7, 2015
22,418
413
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#8
atwhatcost said:
(Using my fingers to do the math.... let's see? It's September, and I started a year ago last March...)

How long have I studied the OT all together? No idea. Been a Christian for 43 years, remembering thinking I'd read straight through the first time, got utterly, completely, totally depressed somewhere between Isaiah and Jeremiah. Gave up. Played eenie meanie minie moe on which book to read/study next for decades, so finally decided to study from beginning to end in March of 2014. Technically, I'm only at Numbers 15 by now, but even with this master plan, I haven't stuck to it.

Old Hermit challenged me to learn all I could about one moment in Abraham's life, I picked on Melchizedek's (serious? Seriously? As often as I've written his name in the last month, I STILL need spellcheck to get it right? Arrrgggghhhhhhhhhhh! lol) blessing, so I've been doing that. I do go off on tangents, (as you can see), but I am committed to learning the whole Bible from beginning to end.

I suspect I'll be in my 70's or 80's before I hit Revelation again.
Click to expand...
And there is a whole different angle when you begin to study Mel's family line, function, purpose, and name.

Not saying you haven't, but most of us haven't a clue about that particular factor.
 
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Is

Guest
#9
#9
dcontroversal said:
I have said for years to properly understand Revelation you must have a solid background in the O.T. I spend quite a bit of time in the O.T. as the woes and burdens accurately describe the end and what is about to happen to the nations of the world...they are full of a future context applicable unto the end of the age.....even what will happen to the Palestinians is listed....4 of the 5 cities currently under Palestinian control in Gaza are listed as facing destruction from a vapor that comes out of the North...funny thing, the current city held by Israel is not listed!
Click to expand...
What are those 4 of the 5 cities?
 
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thebesttrees

Guest
#10
#10
OT must be studied in the light of guidance given in NT. To understand the Book of Revelation I have two inputs:

1. Develop a dictionary of words as defined by the prophecies fulfilled in the first century. Use these definitions to understand the prophecies regarding the second coming. Words such as mountain, road, valley, wilderness, sun, moon, stars, Elijah, return, see etc are defined this way. Example: Luke 3:4-6

2. Analyze the interpretations given by the New Testament to the events in the Old Testament to expand your dictionary and add words such as sea, clouds, heaven, coming down, rock, eat, drink, viper, etc... Example: John 6:31-35, 1 Corinthians 10:1-5

You will be surprised to see how many words in Daniel and Revelation are already defined by the Bible itself.
 
Willie-T

Willie-T

Banned
#11
Feb 7, 2015
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#11
atwhatcost said:
But the entire OT points to Jesus. Not to fortune telling for us today. :confused:
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I love this post. Because many of us try to DO that. We use The Revelation and several other books (both OT and NT) as just that... Crystal Balls.
 
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tanach

Guest
#12
#12
Doesn't Paul say somewhere that Melchizedeck is a type of Christ and has no history to speak of. I probably have it wrong but
I remember seeing something along those lines
 
InSpiritInTruth

InSpiritInTruth

Banned
#13
Jan 7, 2015
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#13
Understanding the many symbolisms found in the book of Revelation does not come from our own hard work and our own knowledge, nor from the study or knowledge of reading the writings of any other carnally minded men. Understanding the spiritual words of God comes only by God through his Living Word and Spirit dwelling in us. No doubt we must study the words of God, and have a good working knowledge of both the OT and the New. But unless God gives you eyes to see and ears to hear what the Spirit is saying you will not truly understand the many symbolisms and mysteries found not in the book of Revelation but also in many other parables and proverbs spoken by the Lord in all the books of the Holy Bible.

It is written, a man can receive nothing except it is given him from heaven. God is the one who gives understanding into what He gave us in His words.

Mark 4:11
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:
 
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Willie-T

Willie-T

Banned
#14
Feb 7, 2015
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413
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#14
tanach said:
Doesn't Paul say somewhere that Melchizedeck is a type of Christ and has no history to speak of. I probably have it wrong but
I remember seeing something along those lines
Click to expand...
He actually is of a particular family (the last part of his name..... "zedek."..... as I recall it from decades ago.)

I wish I could give you more, but that study was some fifty years ago for me....... but I'm sure computers have made research on all that fairly easy for you.
 
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atwhatcost

Guest
#15
#15
Willie-T said:
And there is a whole different angle when you begin to study Mel's family line, function, purpose, and name.

Not saying you haven't, but most of us haven't a clue about that particular factor.
Click to expand...
I'm sticking with his ancestors! Much, much, MUCH less work. lol
 
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atwhatcost

Guest
#16
#16
tanach said:
Doesn't Paul say somewhere that Melchizedeck is a type of Christ and has no history to speak of. I probably have it wrong but
I remember seeing something along those lines
Click to expand...
Hebrews -- which probably wasn't written by Paul, but could have been. Hebrews 7:1-10. (See? I don't know Hebrews well, but I was paying attention to Old Hermit, and that passage shows up often while studying Mel. I'm not trying to spell his name out this time. lol)

But Willie is talking about descendants -- those who are the true priest of God -- not ancestry. Mel's got no knowable lineage. That's the big deal about him and how he can be compared to Christ. (And what I don't get, since I can see half of Christ's lineage, and know the other half. Exactly why I picked him. I don't get what the big deal is. lol)
 
Willie-T

Willie-T

Banned
#17
Feb 7, 2015
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413
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#17
atwhatcost said:
I'm sticking with his ancestors! Much, much, MUCH less work. lol
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I don't blame you. MUCH of that tedious stuff was a real drag for me to wade through as a young man... and I honestly care a lot less about most of it today. I look back at some of the "stuff" I had to learn back then, and all I can think is, "So what?"
 
Willie-T

Willie-T

Banned
#18
Feb 7, 2015
22,418
413
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#18
atwhatcost said:
Hebrews -- which probably wasn't written by Paul, but could have been. Hebrews 7:1-10. (See? I don't know Hebrews well, but I was paying attention to Old Hermit, and that passage shows up often while studying Mel. I'm not trying to spell his name out this time. lol)

But Willie is talking about descendants -- those who are the true priest of God -- not ancestry. Mel's got no knowable lineage. That's the big deal about him and how he can be compared to Christ. (And what I don't get, since I can see half of Christ's lineage, and know the other half. Exactly why I picked him. I don't get what the big deal is. lol)
Click to expand...
Boy, I sure wouldn't have picked him. Now, you have to open up the can of worms where Ziedek meant Jupiter, and (as I recall) "Calamity" or tragedy, or something along those lines.
 
Willie-T

Willie-T

Banned
#19
Feb 7, 2015
22,418
413
0
#19
atwhatcost said:
Hebrews -- which probably wasn't written by Paul, but could have been. Hebrews 7:1-10. (See? I don't know Hebrews well, but I was paying attention to Old Hermit, and that passage shows up often while studying Mel. I'm not trying to spell his name out this time. lol)

But Willie is talking about descendants -- those who are the true priest of God -- not ancestry. Mel's got no knowable lineage. That's the big deal about him and how he can be compared to Christ. (And what I don't get, since I can see half of Christ's lineage, and know the other half. Exactly why I picked him. I don't get what the big deal is. lol)
Click to expand...
Yeah, I probably didn't make that as clear as I should have. Hebrews 7 clearly states he had no father or mother, but somehow, the "name" of Ziedek" continued on......... whether by physical procreation or just assignment of an office, I have no idea. But he was a fer-real person because people knew him, and he was the head over a city. Walked, talked, and all that human stuff. Maybe had a wife or three....

The Bible even says that he STILL existed as (a) High Priest after Jesus became High Priest. (Real confusing, this Mel guy.)
 
just-me

just-me

Banned
#20
Mar 4, 2013
7,761
107
0
#20
tanach said:
I joined Christian chat last June and since then I have noticed that there have been a large number of discussions connected with Bible Prophecy. Some are intelligent interesting and informative. Others range from ill informed to plainly ridiculous.
I am currently undertaking an in depth study of the Book of Revelation and have gained what to me have been some incredible insights into its contents. The greatest of these has been that without a working knowledge of the OT Revelation is
a closed book. Revelation is about the culmination of Gods plan for Humanity and the rest of creation. Reading it without taking this into account is like reading the last page of a detective Novel and then trying to find the whole story from it.
I am wondering hoe much time people devote to study of the OT and what methods they use to set about it.
Click to expand...
"Lost in Translation" series by John Klein and Adam Spears are good for understanding Revelation. They refer to the "Menorah" as a chronological guide. The 7 candlesticks. There are 3 books in the series, and the last one is pretty heavy.

 
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