17The seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.” 18And He said to them, “I was watching Satan fall from heaven like lightning. 19“Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you. 20“Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven.”
One of them named Agabus stood up and began to indicate by the Spirit that there would certainly be a great famine all over the world. And this took place in the reign of Claudius.
[SUP]45 [/SUP]Now from the sixth hour darkness fell upon all the land until the ninth hour. [SUP]46 [/SUP]About the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” [SUP]47 [/SUP]And some of those who were standing there, when they heard it, began saying, “This man is calling for Elijah.” [SUP]48 [/SUP]Immediately one of them ran, and taking a sponge, he filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and gave Him a drink. [SUP]49 [/SUP]But the rest of them said, “Let us see whether Elijah will come to save Him.” [SUP]50 [/SUP]And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. [SUP]51 [/SUP]And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth shook and the rocks were split. [SUP]52 [/SUP]The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; [SUP]53 [/SUP]and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection they entered the holy city and appeared to many. [SUP]54 [/SUP]Now the centurion, and those who were with him keeping guard over Jesus, when they saw the earthquake and the things that were happening, became very frightened and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!”
Apocalyptic writing was known for being literal. Revelation, also, is not known for being literal. Toward the beginning of Revelation, the author tells us the meaning of some of the symbolism:
As for the mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.
and in Chapter 12:
And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. (Luke 10:18 - And He said to them, “I was watching Satan fall from heaven like lightning.)
No, I don't understand how it all fits together, but given scriptural evidence, I can't deny the overwhelming number of verses suggesting that these things happened in the "first century". The incredibly late date that scholars have assigned to the writing of Revelation is the main reason that Christians can't make this connection. Perhaps I've misapplied some of the scriptures above, but that doesn't change the fact that scripture after scripture points to fulfillment in Jesus Christ and the apostles during the first century.
One of them named Agabus stood up and began to indicate by the Spirit that there would certainly be a great famine all over the world. And this took place in the reign of Claudius.
[SUP]45 [/SUP]Now from the sixth hour darkness fell upon all the land until the ninth hour. [SUP]46 [/SUP]About the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” [SUP]47 [/SUP]And some of those who were standing there, when they heard it, began saying, “This man is calling for Elijah.” [SUP]48 [/SUP]Immediately one of them ran, and taking a sponge, he filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and gave Him a drink. [SUP]49 [/SUP]But the rest of them said, “Let us see whether Elijah will come to save Him.” [SUP]50 [/SUP]And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. [SUP]51 [/SUP]And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth shook and the rocks were split. [SUP]52 [/SUP]The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; [SUP]53 [/SUP]and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection they entered the holy city and appeared to many. [SUP]54 [/SUP]Now the centurion, and those who were with him keeping guard over Jesus, when they saw the earthquake and the things that were happening, became very frightened and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!”
Apocalyptic writing was known for being literal. Revelation, also, is not known for being literal. Toward the beginning of Revelation, the author tells us the meaning of some of the symbolism:
As for the mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.
and in Chapter 12:
And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. (Luke 10:18 - And He said to them, “I was watching Satan fall from heaven like lightning.)
No, I don't understand how it all fits together, but given scriptural evidence, I can't deny the overwhelming number of verses suggesting that these things happened in the "first century". The incredibly late date that scholars have assigned to the writing of Revelation is the main reason that Christians can't make this connection. Perhaps I've misapplied some of the scriptures above, but that doesn't change the fact that scripture after scripture points to fulfillment in Jesus Christ and the apostles during the first century.
