My e-book on Revelation: work in progress

[Stormcrow]

I've only completed two chapters, but wanted to share it with you. Being too long to post, however, I have saved it in the PDF format.

View attachment 2050

Hope this helps.

P.S. Constructive criticism always welcome.

 

[Stormcrow]

Here's one example I use in the 2nd chapter of the book that points to both the literal existence of the seven churches, and further evidence of the writing of the letters before 70 AD:

{14} ~'But I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit acts of immorality. {15} ~'So you also have some who in the same way hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. Revelation 2:14-15 (NASB)

As I point out in the PDF file in the OP, the issues of eating meat offered to idols and immorality were nothing new to the apostles. Paul dealt with these same issues in Jerusalem before he was seized (Acts 21) and in his letters to the Romans (14) and 1 Corinthians (8,10).

{25} "But concerning the Gentiles who have believed, we wrote, having decided that they should abstain from meat sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what is strangled and from fornication." Acts 21:25 (NASB)

There are other examples (that I haven't put in the PDF, desiring to keep it short):

1. The problems of false apostleship (Rev. 2:2, 2 Cor. 11:13),
2. Backsliding churches (Rev. 2:4-5, 1 Cor. 10, Gal. 1:6)
3. Tribulation of the Church (Rev. 2:10, Acts 14:21-22, Rom.5:3-4, 12:12, 1 Thess. 1:6)

Here's how I summarized the issue of eating meat sacrificed to idols in the PDF:

By just this one example, we see that the issue of eating meat offered to idols was something the apostles were addressing throughout the middle of the first century. In other words, the problem of eating meat offered to idols was not unique to Pergamum. It was, however, a problem unique to the period in which it was addressed, which further attests to the immediacy of Christ’s words for them, not us. It’s inconceivable that the issue of eating meat offered to idols would arise in any mainline Christian denomination today, thus rendering Christ’s words through John relevant only to the people in the time at which John penned them.

 

[Sinthesis]

Here's one example I use in the 2nd chapter of the book that points to both the literal existence of the seven churches, and further evidence of the writing of the letters before 70 AD:

{14} ~'But I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit acts of immorality. {15} ~'So you also have some who in the same way hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. Revelation 2:14-15 (NASB)

As I point out in the PDF file in the OP, the issues of eating meat offered to idols and immorality were nothing new to the apostles. Paul dealt with these same issues in Jerusalem before he was seized (Acts 21) and in his letters to the Romans (14) and 1 Corinthians (8,10).

{25} "But concerning the Gentiles who have believed, we wrote, having decided that they should abstain from meat sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what is strangled and from fornication." Acts 21:25 (NASB)

There are other examples (that I haven't put in the PDF, desiring to keep it short):

1. The problems of false apostleship (Rev. 2:2, 2 Cor. 11:13),
2. Backsliding churches (Rev. 2:4-5, 1 Cor. 10, Gal. 1:6)
3. Tribulation of the Church (Rev. 2:10, Acts 14:21-22, Rom.5:3-4, 12:12, 1 Thess. 1:6)

Here's how I summarized the issue of eating meat sacrificed to idols in the PDF:

Further:
Was "the problem of eating meat offered to idols" a historical problem plaguing Christianity during Hal Lindsey's "Church in Pergamum: Era of Church-State Union (A.D. 312–590)"? Doubtful.

 

[Stormcrow]

As always, good point Sin.

But this is all just further evidence that points to the fact that Revelation was written prior to 70 AD. And if it was, it has far-reaching implications for those who claim the events that unfold in the book are for us living in 21st century America.

It's clear to me - based on what I've posted here and in other threads - this simply can't be supported by the book itself.

 

[Beck]

Hey Storm, that's a good start at a great task. There's only one thing I would suggest and that would be to leave out those example's of the seven churches that may give the reader the wrong impression.

 

[n2thelight]

Revelation 1:10 "I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,"

This verse is the key to understanding the book of Revelation. Without a clear and full understanding of it, the entire book just will not make sense. The sequence of order will seem strange.

"I"; this is John speaking and telling us where he was. "I was in the Spirit", not in his flesh body; "on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet". John is taken forward in time, "in the Spirit", to the day of the Lord. The "Day of the Lord" is not referring to Sunday or Saturday. This is the same "Day of the Lord" Paul speaks about in I Thessalonians 5:2, as "coming as a thief in the night". Later in II Thessalonians 2:2-3 Paul makes it clear that at the "Day of the Lord" Christ's return will not happen until "after there will be a great falling away first; and "that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition". Satan must be revealed in his role as the Antichrist first, before that seventh trumpet can sound, the last trumpet.

The time, or day, John was taken to was beyond our time frame, however we are living in the generation that will see it come to pass, and live through what John saw and lived, while in the Spirit. There is only one day that is called "The Day of the Lord" in all the Scriptures.

Isaiah 2:12 "For the day of the Lord of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low."

This is the day that our Lord returns. This is the day "God's cup of wrath" is poured out upon His enemies. So John was taken in the Spirit to the last day of this earth age, before the start of the age of the Millennium. If you are still in your flesh body, that day hasn't happened yet, and it is still future to us.

Every verse that you read in Revelation from this verse to the end of chapter twenty two, will be viewed from the Lord's day, either looking backwards or forwards a short period of time. If you don't come to that point of time in your understanding with John, the rest of what he is saying just will not make sense.

Then in [I Corinthians 15:52], "In a moment, in the twinkling [wink] of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible [never decaying], and we shall be changed." This change to our spiritual body is for every living soul living in a flesh body. It shall take place on the very day that John is brought forward to, on this "day of the Lord".

Until we are changed,Christ has not returned!!!!!



Please tell me when the below verses took place?

Revelation 11:7 "And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit [abyss] shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them."

Revelation 11:8 "And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sod'-om and E'-gypt, where also our Lord was crucified."

Revelation 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."

Revelation 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."

Revelation 11:11 "And after three days and an half the spirit [breath] of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them."

Revelation 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."

 

[Stormcrow]

Revelation 1:10 "I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,"

This verse is the key to understanding the book of Revelation. Without a clear and full understanding of it, the entire book just will not make sense. The sequence of order will seem strange.

Obviously, I disagree.