Vic C. said:
Coop said
:
Then, if you read closely, the two mentions of these cosmic signs are different. They cannot be one and the same event. In one, the moon turns to blood, [color] and in the other, the moon reflects no light at all! (Go back and read them again.) Could I guess that you have been reading Rosenthal and Van Kampen?
Coop! Have you ever considered this IS the same event, described from different perspectives? If you say no, it isn't possible, consider using the Bible itself to see if it's possible.
Of course I have considered it, but it just does not fit with Revelation. And I don't care how many perspectives, it is very hard to equate " the moon shall turn to blood" with "shall not give her light." Then, we have the timing issue. It is simple very poor bible exegesis; in fact, it is dream land, to attempt to find the GT before the 6th seal. It simply is not there. John does not even get to the midpoint of the week until the chapter 11. He is not even introduced to the beast until chapter 13. It is clear that in the author's mind, i.e., the Holy Spirit, that the midpoint of the week was not way back in chapter 5! But then, I have been teaching this for years, and it goes right over most people's heads, or in one ear and out the other. No one but me, it seems, can see that Jesus got the scroll into his hand the moment that He arrived in heaven, and that the first seal was opened in 33 AD. Everyone else seem oblivious to the fact that the first four seals cannot be the work of the antichrist, else he would be limited to one fourth of the planet, and because he is not even seen until chapter 13.
VAn Kampen and Rosenthal were brilliant in pointing to the 6th seal as the fulfillment of the Joel 2 and Isaiah 2 prophecies, showing that the Day of the Lord starts with the 7th seal. It was "convergence." However, they failed to notice that the 70th week of Daniel starts at the same time! (Everyone else seems oblivious to this too.) However, when the chronology of John is kept as he wrote it, without any changes; and the book makes perfect sense as it is written and does not contradict any other scriptures, why change it?
Luke telling us of the last spoken words of Jesus on the cross
Luke 23:46 And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.
John, telling us of the same event
John 19:30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.
What's the Spirit telling you about this, Coop?
Very simple: He said both of these statements. "It is finished;" then, "Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit."
Why then, would it be so hard to visualize these cosmic signs coming at the sixth seal, just before the 70th week, and then again (with different signs) after the 70th week, and just before Jesus returns. After all, this is the chronology given. Why do you think you should change it? You know as well as I that John shows Jesus coming, after the week has finished, in chapter 19, just as Jesus gave the chronology in the Olivet discourse. Jesus said cosmic signs would take place just before He comes. The thing is, John was not show these signs, and did not write about them. We find then, the first cosmic signs written in REvelation, and the second cosmic signs written in Matthew. Again, this should not be a shock, because you just showed us an example of Luke and John giving us two separate parts of what Jesus said. To get the whole story, you have to read it in both places. you just can't equate "into thy hands I commend my spirit" and "it is finished." It should be obvious that Jesus made both of these statements.
Now, mostly all scholars and commentators who are into futurims see the seals as having something to do with the seventh week... all of the seals. You create a problem by forcing some of the seals in history AND by claiming the sixth seal kicks off the seventh week and the GT. It can't be both.
Sorry, they are the ones that had the problem! Please answer: why can't it be both? It is what is written. I am sure we both agree that since Jesus walked the earth, there has never been an earthquake that shook the entire planet, as is described at the sixth seal. You must consider this event as future. Yet we can easily see Stephen as being one of the first martyrs in the 5th seal.
I have told you over and over that those who adhere to a future 70th week, see at least part or most of the first half as a time of peace, false peace. You have the 70th. week strating off with a bang! and even worse, you have Satan pouring out his wrath of persecution at the SAME time God is pouring out HIS Wrath! You're a thinking guy, think about that for while. Is Satan any match at all against God? Don't you think for one millisecond that Satan's efforts will be rendered almost useless by the Almighty's Awesome Powers? If you don't then there is something seriously flawed in that train of thought.
Peace between who? Please find the scripture that backs this idea up? I believe the peace will be between Israel and the enemys that have been trying to destroy them. However, this peace is ONLY between them and Israel. As we read in Daniel, the King of the North does not have peace with others. He is building a reputation, and putting down other countries. It is written that he puts down three. So what is the big problem with Satan's wrath causing this time of great tribulation? I am sure you are in agreement with me here, that it is satan, in the beast, who together, cause this intense persecution. I am sure we both agree that this time will be after the midpoint of the week. I am sure we agree that God will shorted this time. The only problem then, is that you don't believe God shortens this time of tribulation by the vials of His wrath. However, all you have to do is read from chapter 11 on, and you will see it played out, just as I have said. Satan is cast down in chapter 12. Two verses in chapter 12 show the woman fleeing. It makes good sense that she is fleeing the abomination. Why does this give you trouble? what comes next? Of course, in chapter 16 we see the vials being poured out, right after satan is cast down, and right after the abomination. In chapter 13 we read about the persecution. Again, this is in perfect agreement with the Olivet discourse. Again, I cannot see why you have an argument with this. Do you have some other scripture that forces you to change this God given order of events?
Satan versus God? I think you have forgotten that God has magnified His word even above His great name! What has He written? He has written that the beast has authority over the world for 42 months. Do you expect God to go against His word? He would have to cease being God if He did. This is not about who is more powerful! Doesn't it make sense that God's wrath is intensified by what the beast is doing?
Most scholas and commentators agree that there is an overlapping and expounding of some events... you attribute this portion of Revelations as an "Midpoint interlude", when most see it as further explaining events that start at the beginning of the second half, which most will agree, is the fifth seal or sixth seal.
Alas, they can expound, but they fall way short of having any solid scriptural proof. It is only theories to them. They totally overlook little things like why Jesus was not in the throne room, and why "no man was found." If we could ask any of these learned gentlemen, I am convinced that they would not have any idea. If they did, they would have written it. I have never seen one commentary mention that John shows the second, third and fourth horse riding together, but leaving out the first one. Why did they not write about this? Simply because it was not revealed to them.
How many commentaries have you read, where they counted the times the dragon, or pronouns in place of dragon, is used in chapter 12? How many commentaries talk about the visions showing some history to John, before they get into future events, such as happens in chapter 12, where God shows how the dragon was interfering way back when Jesus was born, and in chapter 5? Again, these things were not revealed to them. Therefore, I know what I believe, and I believe just what is written, in the order it is written. Please, if you disagree with John's chronology, and you are right, there MUST be some scripture that would prove something like flashbacks. However, I have not seen any. Last, his book makes perfect sense in the order it is written. If you disagree, please show me where and why.
Coop said
[quote:10612]:
If you put the GT before the 6th seal, then you have to find the antichrist before the 6th seal, and the abomination before the 6th seal. We both know this is preposterous, for John is not even introduced to the antichrist until chapter 13, LONG after the 6th seal. And John shows us that the people that flee the abomination event, are shown in chapter 12, again, long after the 6th seal. Why then, do you believe that the GT must be before the 6th seal? You must have a good reason to go against the chronology of John's book.
Because of what I said above about how you misinterpret some of Rev 11. all of 12, 13, 14 and most of 15, that is just plain wrong. [/quote:10612]
Go one, please explain where I am "just plain wrong."
Coop said
[quote:10612]Sorry, but you can't have "the tribulation of those days" before the day of the Lord even starts!
Oh yes you can because of another misconception; The GT and The Day of the Lord (the Wrath of God) are TWO separate events. You even acknowledged as much here:
http://www.christianforums.net/viewtopi ... 155#316155
I explained all this in detail right above your post. Don't let your pride stop you from exploring new and Biblical ideas. You laugh at and ridiclue everyone else's views but don't like it much when you are corrected. That's life man. [/quote:10612]
Sorry, but you have to correct me with scripture, not some human reasoning! Have you found the abomination in chapter 4 or 5? No? Hmm. That is because John shows us that it happens in chapter 11! : -)))
Sorry, but the GT is INSIDE of the Day of the Lord! It is a
short period of time (maybe two or three years) where Satan, working inside and through the beast, tries to kill off everyone that refuses the mark of the beast. Speaking of the mark of the beast, where do we read about the angels warning people not to take the mark. Wouldn't that be in chapter 14? Is not chapter 14, right after chapter 11 and 12 and 13, where the abomination takes place? (John shows us the fleeing, but not the actual event.) Doesn't it make good sense that God would warn people before the fact, rather than long after the mark had been forced on people? Therefore, just as John shows us, we have the Day of the Lord, starting with the 7th seal, as well as Daniel's 70th week. We have the trumpets of God taking place in the first half of the week, and then the midpoint events (in perfect chronological order.) Finally, we have the 7 vials of His wrath, ending in chapter 16. This 7th vial closes the 70th week, but the day of the Lord goes on. Therefore, this time of great tribulation is
inside the day of the Lord, and makes up a part of that day. Can they be two separate events, and one be inside the other? Of course. Yes, they are separate events. The day of the Lord will be much longer in duration than the time of intense tribulation, that comes after the abomination.
Coop