Dorothy Mae
Member
I did not say it is all in the past. The Resurrection and Judgement have not yet occurred. Jesus has not yet returned bodily.So if Revelation is all in the past... maybe you could point me to the references for some past events that they didn't teach in school.
I can answer these from elsewhere in the scripture seeing that this is a very Hebrew book following the pattern of the Hebrew writings. The terms regarding the Sun and Moon and stars are used to describe when God judges a nation and are used elsewhere in the OT referring to nations God was about to judge and destroy. These scriptures do not refer to the time of the events in the book of Revelation but other nations:When(after 70 AD) did...
- the Sun become black as sackcloth? Rev 6:12
- the Moon become as blood? Rev 6:12
- the wind stop blowing anywhere on Earth? Rev 7:1
- it rain hail, fire and blood at the same time? Rev 8:7
- 1/3 of the trees get burnt up? Rev 8:7
- all the grasses on Earth get burnt up? Rev 8:7
- 1/3 of the salt water on Earth become blood? Rev 8:8
- 1/3 of all sea creatures died? Rev 8:8
- 1/3 of all fresh water on Earth become bitter and kill men? Rev 8:10-11
- all the celestial bodies (sun, moon, stars) go dark for 8 hours? Rev 8:12
Isaiah 13:6-13 (fulfilled already)
Isaiah 19 destruction of Egypt...coming in clouds
Isaiah 34:3-5 against Edom
Jeremiah 4: destruction of Jerusalem in his day again, going in clouds
Ezekiel 30-32 against Egypt again coming in clouds
Ezekiel 32:6-8 sun and moon references
Amos 8:9 sun darkened against Israel
None of this refer to the heavenly bodies but sun and moon and starts mean the authorities that keep a society at peace and in safety. "Coming in clouds" is God's judgement which is why Jesus told the jewish leaders that they personally would see him "coming in the clouds" which they knew meant he would judge them. They knew it did not mean a heavenly elevator. (Acts 1:11 describes his actual coming again and it will be the same as he left, peaceful.)
Now regarding the verses that refer to the Earth, the actual word is "land" not planet. You would have to read Josephus' description of the killing that the armies did on their way to Jerusalem and it pretty much fulfills that description. Some of the waters became so bloody from the bodies it was undrinkable and stank. The inhabitants knew trouble was coming not because of messengers but because of the number of bodies floating down the rivers.
These things happened as described and it was horrible. Josephus recorded it. But it was for Jerusalem, not the whole world. What has the world done to deserve that? What did Israel do? They murdered the prophets sent to her and killed the Messiah. God judged them and destroyed them for that as the blood of all the prophets from Abel to Zachariah was required of them as Jesus said. They actually cursed themselves and their children at the trail and that curse came upon them. There are tons of verses that show that these events were the judgement of God described in Revelation that came upon those living then.Those are the first 10 questions that you would have to have an answer for if these things truly are in the past.
Seeing as these things are not small events... and we have records from the 1st century... it should be recorded and match perfectly in every aspect. Such is the nature of prophecy.
So if one of these has not happened yet then it is still a future event. That is how I see it.
There are answers in history. I mean, you can of course believe it is all still future. I am not compelling anyone to accept this view. But it would be wise to at least understand a view you reject. I understand your view completely. Understanding is not agreeing but not understanding and still rejecting is foolish.This list is just the first 10 things that should be obvious... There are many more and they all need answers.