Day: December 27, 2021

Revelation Overview

~ Patricia ~ Leave a comment

What Is the Book of Revelation About? – David Jeremiah Blog

The Revelation of Jesus Christ.  Revelation means ‘Apocolypsis’-the veil is taken off.

The Revelation is the visions John writes for us of the last days before Christ’s return and the ushering in of the new heaven and new earth. The Revelation begins with letters to the seven churches of Asia Minor, then goes on to reveal the series of devastations poured out upon the earth: the mark of the beast, “666”; the battle of Armageddon; the binding of Satan; the reign of the Lord; the Great White Throne Judgment; the eternal city of God.

This is a book of prophecy.  There are 4 views of this book: the idealist, the preterist, the historicist, and the futurist views. 

  1. The first view of Revelation is the idealist view or the spiritual view. This view uses the allegorical method to interpret the Book of Revelation.
  2. The second view is called the preterist view. Preter, which means “past,” is derived from Latin.
  3. The third view is called the historicist approach. This view teaches that Revelation is a symbolic representation that presents history from the apostle’s life through the end of the age.
  4. The fourth view is the futurist view.
    • This view teaches that Revelation chapters 4-22 will occur in the future.
    • Futurists divide the book of Revelation into three sections as indicated in 1:19: “what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later.”
      • Chapter 1 describes the past (“what you have seen”),
      • chapters 2-3 describe the present (“what is now”),
      • and the rest of the book describes future events (“what will take place later”).
      • Futurists apply a literal approach to interpreting Revelation. Chapters 4-19 refer to a period known as the seven-year tribulation.
      • God’s judgments are actually poured out upon mankind during this time, as revealed in the seals, trumpets, and bowls.
      • Chapter 13 describes a literal future world empire headed by a political and religious leader represented by the two beasts.
      • Chapter 17 pictures a harlot who represents the church in apostasy.
      • Chapter 19 refers to Christ’s second coming and the battle of Armageddon followed by a literal thousand-year rule of Christ upon the earth in chapter 20.
      • Chapters 21-22 are events that follow the millennium: the creation of a new heaven and a new earth and the arrival of the heavenly city upon the earth.

Pin by Rachel Davis on Bible study tools | Revelation bible study, Revelation bible, End times timeline

I believe in the literal view of this book.  😁

The book is written by John.  John was captured in a persecution campaign by the Roman Emperor Domitian. John was sentenced to Patmos, a small, rocky, and barren island where many criminals of Rome were sent to serve out their prison terms in harsh conditions.  John was sent to the island because the early Christians were considered a strange cult group is known for causing trouble within the Empire.

Some historians and scholars claim that John died while on Patmos, and others say that he was freed from the island before his death. IDK?

I HONESTLY believe that you do not need me for Revelation.  Now that you have read the Bible: this book will make sense.  I promise.  Feel free to read ahead.  Click here for the first 5 Chapters.

Here is a taste of Chapter 1 (I am unglued!!) ❤️🤪😬😍

Prologue

1 The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, 2 who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. 3 Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.

 

Tribulation Views/Rapture

~ Patricia ~ Leave a comment

I am getting some thoughts together for our last 4 days…Revelation. I cannot wait to unpack this so that you can see this is NOT a hard book.  I will provide visuals and printables (if you choose) to help. So here is my first “prep” post.

Pin by Rachel Davis on Bible study tools | Revelation bible study, Revelation bible, End times timeline

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The rapture’s timing in relation to the tribulation is one of the most controversial issues in the church today. The three primary views are:

  1. pre-tribulation-(the rapture occurs before the tribulation),
  2. mid-tribulation (the rapture occurs at or near the mid-point of the tribulation),
  3. post-tribulation (the rapture occurs at the end of the tribulation).

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The rapture and the second coming of Christ are often confused. Sometimes it is difficult to determine whether a scripture verse refers to the rapture or the second coming. However, it is very important to differentiate between the two in studying end-times Bible prophecy.

  • The rapture is when Jesus Christ returns to remove the church (all believers in Christ) from the earth. The rapture is described in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 and 1 Corinthians 15:50-54. Believers who have died will have their bodies resurrected and, along with believers who are still living, will meet the Lord in the air. This will all occur in a moment, in a twinkling of an eye.
  • The second coming is when Jesus returns to defeat the Antichrist, destroy evil, and establish His millennial kingdom. The second coming is described in Revelation 19:11-16.

1 Thessalonians 4:  14 For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15 According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.

It states that all living believers, along with those who have died, will meet the Lord Jesus in the air and be with Him forever. The rapture is God’s removal of His people from the earth.

A few verses later, in 1 Thessalonians 5:9, Paul says,9 For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. 10 He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

1 Corinthians 15:50 I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”

Revelation 3 is a confirmation of the rapturing of believers:10 Since you have kept My command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth.

The important differences between the rapture and second coming are as follows:

  • At the rapture, believers meet the Lord in the air.
    • At the second coming, believers return with the Lord to the earth
  • The rapture occurs before the tribulation
    • The second coming occurs after the tribulation
  • The rapture is the removal of believers from the earth as an act of deliverance.
    • The second coming includes the removal of unbelievers as an act of judgment.
  • The rapture will be secret and instant
    • The second coming will be visible to all
  • The rapture is imminent; it could take place at any moment
    • The second coming of Christ will not occur until after certain other end-times events take place

Make sure you are ready for the rapture. Believe in Him, and you will not perish. The Lord knows who is His, and He will leave none of them behind.

16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.

2 & 3 John

~ Patricia ~ 2 Comments

Your last 2 books before Revelation.  I pre-read them before bed last night because I was just so curious as to what would be the last recorded words from John.  He is an “elder.”  He has lived almost 30 longer than both Paul and Peter.  If you remember, the book of John was set apart from the other 3 Gospels.  It was written to all believers.

16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.

  • 2 John is about Loving Truth.  The word Truth is used 5 times.
  • 3 John is the most personal book written in the NT.  The word Truth is used 6 times.  It is about protecting Truth.

Both Books are about the most important component of the Bible: TRUTH.

  • 2nd John is about NOT letting people into your inner circle who may corrupt the teaching of Truth
  • 3 John is the opposite.  Be hospital to anyone willing to teach Truth.

Now that we have read the Bible, we are filled with ALL that God has commanded us.  In the meantime, we have read warning after warning about false teachings.  Yesterday we read 1 John, the word LOVE  was read 44 times.  So how does all this fit together?  Well, in 2 John and 3 John, it brings it all home to you.

2 John: a lady (could be literal or referring to the church).  I remember in Proverbs, Wisdom was also personified as a woman.  I am uncertain which the reference is made to, BUT I do know that John is speaking to the wise person who loves the Truth and opens their church or home to the teaching of the Word

5 And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another. 6 And this is Love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in Love.

Does Love mean that we are tolerant of all beliefs?  God is Love.  However, through the ministry of Jesus, we saw an intolerance to anyone that proclaimed anything that was not Truth.  Jesus rebuked the Pharisees and Sadducees.  Paul continually rebuked the many false teaching that began after the resurrection.  John clarified teachings after the fall of the Temple.  This book is no different.

10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take them into your house or welcome them. 11 Anyone who welcomes them shares in their wicked work.

Protecting Truth is the ultimate act of Love.

3 John. A personal letter to Gaius.  When I read 3 John, I read:

1 The elder,

To my dear friend Gaius, Patricia,  whom I love in the truth.

2 Dear friend Patricia, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. 3 It gave me great joy when some believers came and testified about your faithfulness to the truth, telling how you continue to walk in it. 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

5 Dear friend Patricia, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers and sisters, even though they are strangers to you. 6 They have told the church about your Love. Please send them on their way in a manner that honors God.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Now that I have read God’s Word, I love His Truth.  I will keep an eye open for the people like Diotrephes, who is “all about himself,” and protect what God has taught me in 2021.

What else could God write to us?   John wrote in his Gospel.

34 “A new command I give you:

Love one another. 

As I have loved you, so you must love one another.

35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

36 Simon Peter asked him, “Lord, where are you going?”

Jesus replied, “Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later.”

 

So John ends with a reminder that the Lord WILL see us face to face:

13 I have much to write you, but I do not want to do so with pen and ink. 14 I hope to see you soon (Patricia), and we will talk face to face.