Retrobyter

Shalom, @Keras. Just what do you think "the earth" means? What are "the heavens"? What does it mean to say, "the earth shall move out of her place"? What IS the earth's "place"? What does it mean to "shake the heavens"? Your definitions of these words give you the interpretation of this one verse! The more modern the definition, the more likely one's interpretation is going to be more universal and dichotomistic; that is, one will believe that it is either good or bad, up or down, physical or non-physical, commonly labeled "spiritual." See, how one defines the nouns determines how one defines the verbs, as well as the direct objects, indirect objects, and the modifiers! Have you even LOOKED at the context of Isaiah 13? I know you don't like LONG responses, but lack of context REQUIRES reading whole chapters - at least! And, this chapter has only 22 verses! Isaiah 13:1-22 (KJV) 1 The burden of BABYLON, which Isaiah the son of Amoz did see. 2 "Lift ye up a banner upon the high mountain, exalt the voice unto them, shake the hand, that they may go into the gates of the nobles. 3 I have commanded my sanctified ones, I have also called my mighty ones for mine anger, [even] them that rejoice in my highness." 4 The noise of a multitude IN THE MOUNTAINS, like as of a great people; a tumultuous noise of THE KINGDOMS OF NATIONS gathered together: the LORD of hosts mustereth the host of the battle. 5 THEY COME FROM A FAR COUNTRY, from the end of heaven, [even] the LORD, and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole land (Hebrew: כָּל־הָאָרֶץ = "kaal-haa'aarets" = "all - the-land/earth"). 6 Howl ye; for the day of the LORD [is] at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty. 7 Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man's heart shall melt: 8 And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth: they shall be amazed one at another; their faces [shall be as] flames. 9 Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, TO LAY THE LAND (Hebrew: הָאָרֶץ = "haa'aarets" = "the-land/earth") DESOLATE: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it. 10 "For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine. 11 And I will punish the world for [their] evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible. 12 I will make a man more precious (rare) than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir. 13 Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth (Hebrew: הָאָרֶץ = "haa'aarets" = "the-land/earth") shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger. 14 And it shall be as the chased roe, and as a sheep that no man taketh up: they shall every man turn to his own people, and flee every one into his own land. 15 "Every one that is found shall be thrust through; and every one that is joined [unto them] shall fall by the sword. 16 Their children also shall be dashed to pieces before their eyes; their houses shall be spoiled, and their wives ravished. 17 Behold, I WILL STIR UP THE MEDES AGAINST THEM, which shall not regard silver; and [as for] gold, they shall not delight in it. 18 [Their] bows also shall dash the young men to pieces; and they shall have no pity on the fruit of the womb; their eye shall not spare children. 19 And BABYLON, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees' excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. 20 It shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation: neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there; neither shall the shepherds make their fold there. 21 But wild beasts of the desert shall lie there; and their houses shall be full of doleful creatures; and owls shall dwell there, and satyrs (goat kids) shall dance there. 22 And the wild beasts of the islands shall cry in their desolate houses, and dragons (lizards) in [their] pleasant palaces: and her time [is] near to come, and her days shall not be prolonged!" This was a SPECIFIC INSTANCE IN HISTORY, the ATTACK OF THE MEDES AGAINST BABYLON! It does NOT refer to OUR FUTURE AT ALL! But, is it VERIFIABLE?

Shalom, @kwikphilly. Yes, of course! But, @farouk is right. Exegesis IS listening to the authors and most importantly, THE AUTHOR! It's the Ruwach haQodesh (the Holy Spirit) who "witnessses with our spirits" to reveal that truth. Yeeshuwa` said, John 16:7-15 (KJV) 7 "Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. 8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 Of sin, because they believe not on me; 10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; 11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. 12 "I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. 13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, HE WILL GUIDE YOU INTO ALL TRUTH: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, [that] shall he speak: and he will shew you THINGS TO COME. 14 He shall glorify ME: for he shall receive of MINE, and shall shew [it] unto you. 15 All things that the Father hath are MINE: therefore said I, that he shall take of MINE, and shall shew [it] unto you." So, it's impottant - vitally important - that we be APT teachers, teachers who are able to communicate with his/her students to get the lessons across to them! Students, too, have the responsibility to be good students - listening well to their teachers - both human and Divine - and being "SPONGES" of what is being taught! We just have to persevere - from both sides - until the "lightbulb comes on!"

Shalom, @Keras. I understand. If one cannot learn the ancient languages, then one must rely upon the ones who DO understand the languages, such as the makers of dictionaries and lexicons and commentaries by those who have studied the languages about which they teach. I've been there and done that. We have ONE Scripture verse that comes to mind any time I go to such a source: Romans 3:4 (KJV) 4 God forbid: yea, LET GOD BE TRUE, BUT EVERY MAN A LIAR; as it is written, "That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings,and mightest overcome when thou art judged." Now, Paul is not saying that men INTENTIONALLY lie, but we ALL make mistakes! However, God's Word is always TRUE. So, we must take what men say "with a grain of salt!" This is why we must always COMPARE SCRIPTURE WITH SCRIPTURE as the Bereans did! I agree! However, knowledge is something we learn and accumulate. WISDOM is the correct use of knowledge. Proverbs 1:7 (KJV) 7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction. And, foolishness and wisdom are on opposite sides of the "number line." And, we both know that ... Psalm 14:1 (KJV) 1 [[To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.]] The fool hath said in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt,they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good. One should always verify what one is told: "In ancient China, the year was defined as 365 and 1/4 days long, matching the solar year. The lunar cycle was approximately 29.5 days, resulting in months of either 29 or 30 days. To reconcile the lunar and solar cycles, an extra half-month was intercalated every 16 months, according to Wikipedia. This adjustment ensured that the calendar aligned with the seasons and the moon's phases, according to Webexhibits." - Webexibits and Wikipedia. "The ancient Mayan year, known as the Haab, was 365 dayslong. It was divided into 18 months of 20 days each, plus a final 5-day period called Uayeb, which was considered unlucky according to Britannica." - History.com and Britannica. "The ancient Babylonian year was generally based on a lunar cycle, consisting of 12 months and lasting approximately 354 days. However, because this is shorter than the solar year (approximately 365 days), they would periodically add an extra month to reconcile the lunar calendar with the solar year, resulting in a lunisolar calendar." - Wikipedia and Livius.org. Now, I wouldn't think that one WANTS to spread untruths; we are usually taught what we believe by others who have come before us. One should ALWAYS verify what one was taught, however, to be sure that it lines up with the truth of God's Word. Perhaps, it SOUNDED good to the teacher, and he (or she) THOUGHT it would be a true thing to accept, but sometimes, teachers - even well-meaning ones - fabricate ideas and teach them as truth.

Shalom, @Keras. For those who can't read much, here's the cut-back version of the above post: Well, they do a bit more research than you or I do to make it believable. I asked Google 'what sort of fact checking was done for the movie "Deep Impact?"' and the AI results were as follows: (the AI evidence for the research behind "Deep Impact.") Even the discrepancies are on the POSITIVE side of what would actually be expected! The REAL results could be much WORSE! One must take the time to investigate the CONTEXT of verses before assigning them a place in future history. Often, we take Scriptures out of context and misapply them unwittingly. Notice that he [David in Psalm 11] is speaking in GENERAL terms! Things that are true for ANY age, but PARTICULARLY for the lifetime of David the King! ChaVaqquwq (חֲבַקּוּק), "Habakkuk," likewise wrote a song sometime between 612 B.C.E. and 606 B.C.E. during the reigns of King Josiah or King Jehoiakim: His [God's] wrath here is aimed at the children of Yhudah (the Southern Kingdom of Judah), who also went after false gods as did the Northern Kingdom before them, before they were carried off to Babylon. I believe that here, you're referring to the long day in which God extended the day for Joshua and the army of the children of Israel to wipe out the kings of the Amorites who had ganged up on the Gibeonites, with whom the Israelites has made a covenant, found in Joshua 10: (a quote of this passage of Scripture follows) And, the second instance was the time when the "[sun]dial" went backward 10 degrees in 2 Kings 20. (a quote of this passage) This is also seen a little more suscinctly in Isaiah 38: (a quote of this passage) We have a couple of things we know from the text: No one flew off at over 1,000 mph, and time was still moving forward, because the battle was still engaged. So, in both instances, either God performed an unexplainable miracle, or there was a wobble in the earth's rotation, as a spinning top has from time to time. [To the charge levied against me, I wrote:] Not at all. I just believe that one cannot dig deeper without getting into the original languages. The English versions that we have aren't detailed enough for the nuances of the words used in the original Hebrew and Greek. Better?

Shalom, @Keras. Well, they do a bit more research than you or I do to make it believable. I asked Google 'what sort of fact checking was done for the movie "Deep Impact?"' and the AI results were as follows: "For the movie 'Deep Impact,' significant effort was made to ensure a degree of scientific accuracy, including fact-checking and expert consultation "Fact-checking and Consultation Efforts: "Scientific Advisors: The production team enlisted a team of astronomers and other scientific experts to serve as consultants, including: "Gene and Carolyn Shoemaker: Co-discoverers of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9, which impacted Jupiter in 1994, and a source of inspiration for the film. "Joshua Colwell: A comet advisor who provided input on things like the realistic size of the comet (7 miles wide) and its physical properties, such as the low gravity and outgassing. "Gerald Griffin: Former director of NASA's Johnson Space Center. "David Walker: A retired NASA astronaut. "Chris Luchini: Of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. "Realistic Depictions: The consultants helped ensure realistic depictions of aspects like: "The vast timeline between the comet's discovery and potential impact. "The size and features of the comet itself. "The physics of the comet, including the astronauts' near weightlessness and the need for tethering. "The impact and ensuing tsunami, which were designed to be 'strikingly authentic looking'. "Scientific Principles: Scientists involved felt the film generally respected science and spaceflight. One scientist even stated that the film's premise of trying to deflect the comet by exploding bombs within it was close to what was known at the time. "However, it's important to note: "Narrative Liberties: While striving for realism, the filmmakers did take some liberties for dramatic effect. "Specific Criticisms: Some scientific inaccuracies or questionable aspects exist, such as: "The idea of destroying the comet with bombs shortly before impact, which would likely have the unintended consequence of creating a 'shotgun blast' of fragments. "The scale of the tsunami and the overall impact's devastation might be understated in the film. "Overall, "Deep Impact" is recognized by many scientists as being more scientifically based than other similar films of its time, like 'Armageddon,' and the use of consultants in the film's production is notable." Even the discrepancies are on the POSITIVE side of what would actually be expected! The REAL results could be much WORSE! One must take the time to investigate the CONTEXT of verses before assigning them a place in future history. Often, we take Scriptures out of context and misapply them unwittingly. Psalm 11:1-7 (KJV) 1 [[To the chief Musician, [A Psalm] of David.]] In the LORD put I my trust: how say ye to MY soul, "Flee [as] a bird to your mountain" ("Fly away like a bird out of reach")? 2 For, lo, the wicked bend [their] bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart. 3 If the foundations [of trust in YHWH] be destroyed, what can the righteous do? 4 The LORD [is] in his holy temple, the LORD'S throne [is] in heaven (Hebrew: בַּשָּׁמַיִם = "bashshaamayim" = "in-the-skies [dual]"): his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men. (That is, he narrowly looks at the children of men as He decides their case.) 5 The LORD trieth [purifies] the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth. 6 Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: [this shall be] the portion of their cup. 7 For the righteous LORD loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright. Notice that he is speaking in GENERAL terms! Things that are true for ANY age, but PARTICULARLY for the lifetime of David the King! ChaVaqquwq (חֲבַקּוּק) likewise wrote a song sometime between 612 B.C.E. and 606 B.C.E. during the reigns of King Josiah or King Jehoiakim: Habakkuk 3:1-19 (KJV) 1 A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet upon Shigionoth (Hebrew: שִׁגְיֹנוֹת = "shigyonowt" = "rambling poems"). 2 "O LORD, I have heard thy speech, [and] was afraid: O LORD, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy. 3 God came from Teman, and the Holy One from mount Paran." Selah. "His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise. 4 And [his] brightness was as the light; he had horns [coming] out of his hand: and there [was] the hiding of his power. 5 Before him went the pestilence, and burning coals went forth at his feet. 6 He stood, and measured the earth: he beheld, and drove asunder the nations; and the everlasting mountains were scattered, the perpetual hills did bow: his ways [are] everlasting. 7 I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction: [and] the curtains of the land of Midian did tremble. 8 Was the LORD displeased against the rivers? [was] thine anger against the rivers? [was] thy wrath against the sea, that thou didst ride upon thine horses [and] thy chariots of salvation? 9 Thy bow was made quite naked, [according] to the oaths of the tribes, [even thy] word." Selah. "Thou didst cleave the earth with rivers. 10 The mountains saw thee, [and] they trembled: the overflowing of the water passed by: the deep uttered his voice, [and] lifted up his hands on high. 11 The sun [and] moon stood still in their habitation: at the light of thine arrows they went, [and] at the shining of thy glittering spear. 12 Thou didst march through the land in indignation, thou didst thresh the heathen in anger. 13 Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people, [even] for salvation with thine anointed; thou woundedst the head out of the house of the wicked, by discovering the foundation unto the neck." Selah. 14 "Thou didst strike through with his staves the head of his villages: they came out as a whirlwind to scatter me: their rejoicing [was] as to devour the poor secretly. 15 Thou didst walk through the sea with thine horses, [through] the heap of great waters. 16 When I heard, my belly trembled; my lips quivered at the voice: rottenness entered into my bones, and I trembled in myself, that I might rest in the day of trouble: when he cometh up unto the people, he will invade them with his troops. 17 Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither [shall] fruit [be] in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and [there shall be] no herd in the stalls: 18 Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. 19 The LORD God [is] my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' [feet], and he will make me to walk upon mine high places." [To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.] His wrath here is aimed at the children of Yhudah (the Southern Kingdom of Judah), who also went after false gods as did the Northern Kingdom before them, before they were carried off to Babylon. I believe that here, you're referring to the long day in which God extended the day for Joshua and the army of the children of Israel to wipe out the kings of the Amorites who had ganged up on the Gibeonites, with whom the Israelites has made a covenant, found in Joshua 10: Joshua 10:1-15 KJV - 1 Now it came to pass, when Adonizedek king of Jerusalem had heard how Joshua had taken Ai, and had utterly destroyed it; as he had done to Jericho and her king, so he had done to Ai and her king; and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel, and were among them; 2 That they feared greatly, because Gibeon [was] a great city, as one of the royal cities, and because it [was] greater than Ai, and all the men thereof [were] mighty. 3 Wherefore Adonizedek king of Jerusalem sent unto Hoham king of Hebron, and unto Piram king of Jarmuth, and unto Japhia king of Lachish, and unto Debir king of Eglon, saying, 4 "Come up unto me, and help me, that we may smite Gibeon: for it hath made peace with Joshua and with the children of Israel." 5 Therefore the five kings of the Amorites, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, the king of Eglon, gathered themselves together, and went up, they and all their hosts, and encamped before Gibeon, and made war against it. 6 And the men of Gibeon sent unto Joshua to the camp to Gilgal, saying, "Slack not thy hand from thy servants; come up to us quickly, and save us, and help us: for all the kings of the Amorites that dwell in the mountains are gathered together against us!" 7 So Joshua ascended from Gilgal, he, and all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valour. 8 And the LORD said unto Joshua, "Fear them not: for I have delivered them into thine hand; there shall not a man of them stand before thee." 9 Joshua therefore came unto them suddenly, [and] went up from Gilgal all night. 10 And the LORD discomfited them before Israel, and slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, and chased them along the way that goeth up to Bethhoron, and smote them to Azekah, and unto Makkedah. 11 And it came to pass, as they fled from before Israel, [and] were in the going down to Bethhoron, that the LORD cast down great stones from heaven upon them unto Azekah, and they died: [they were] more which died with hailstones than [they] whom the children of Israel slew with the sword. 12 Then spake Joshua to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, "Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon." 13 And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. [Is] not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day. 14 And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the LORD hearkened unto the voice of a man: for the LORD fought for Israel. 15 And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, unto the camp to Gilgal. And, the second instance was the time when the "[sun]dial" went backward 10 degrees in 2 Kings 20. 2 Kings 20:1-11 (KJV) 1 In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, "Thus saith the LORD, "'Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live.'" 2 Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto the LORD, saying, 3 "I beseech thee, O LORD, remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done [that which is] good in thy sight." And Hezekiah wept sore. 4 And it came to pass, afore Isaiah was gone out into the middle court, that the word of the LORD came to him, saying, 5 "Turn again, and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people, "'Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, "'"I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the LORD. 6 And I will add unto thy days fifteen years; and I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake."'" 7 And Isaiah said, "Take a lump of figs." And they took and laid [it] on the boil, and he recovered. 8 And Hezekiah said unto Isaiah, "What [shall be] the sign that the LORD will heal me, and that I shall go up into the house of the LORD the third day?" 9 And Isaiah said, "This sign shalt thou have of the LORD, that the LORD will do the thing that he hath spoken: shall the shadow go forward ten degrees, or go back ten degrees?" 10 And Hezekiah answered, "It is a light thing for the shadow to go down ten degrees: nay, but let the shadow return backward ten degrees." 11 And Isaiah the prophet cried unto the LORD: and he brought the shadow ten degrees backward, by which it had gone down in the dial of Ahaz. This is also seen a little more suscinctly in Isaiah 38: Isaiah 38:1-8 (KJV) 1 In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came unto him, and said unto him, "Thus saith the LORD, "'Set thine house in order: for thou shalt die, and not live.'" 2 Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed unto the LORD, 3 And said, "Remember now, O LORD, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done [that which is] good in thy sight." And Hezekiah wept sore. 4 Then came the word of the LORD to Isaiah, saying, 5 "Go, and say to Hezekiah, "'Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, "'"I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will add unto thy days fifteen years. 6 And I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria: and I will defend this city. 7 And this [shall be] a sign unto thee from the LORD, that the LORD will do this thing that he hath spoken; 8 Behold, I will bring again the shadow of the degrees, which is gone down in the sun dial of Ahaz, ten degrees backward."'" So the sun returned ten degrees, by which degrees it was gone down. We have a couple of things we know from the text: No one flew off at over 1,000 mph, and time was still moving forward, because the battle was still engaged. So, in both instances, either God performed an unexplainable miracle, or there was a wobble in the earth's rotation, as a spinning top has from tme to time. Not at all. I just believe that one cannot dig deeper without getting into the original languages. The English versions that we have aren't detailed enough for the nuances of the words used in the original Hebrew and Greek.

Shalom, @Keras I would suggest that you watch the movie "Deep Impact." The initial comet was said to be about 7 miles long. After an attempt had been made to break it up, it split into two sections, one still about 6 miles long, and the other 1.5 miles long. The larger was "handled," but the smaller one made an impact in the Atlantic Ocean, well off the eastern coast of the USA. Watch carefully what happens upon impact! THAT'S how "the sky [will] roll up like a scroll."

Shalom, @Keras. And, from one's choice of verses, one's agenda may be deduced. Neither Psalm 11 nor Habbakuk 3:4 is about "the terrible Day of vengeance and wrath." THAT'S "playing loose with Bible prophecy." No shuffling needed, and the next step will be one of the other seals first. These have NOT already happened, regardless what one is told by those who supposedly "know" their eschatology about Revelation! Furthermore, as I've said before, the fifth Seal is opened before the sixth, which signifies the Resurrection! This is ... what? "Wishful thinking?" But, no. Not even the Flood of Noach's day has changed the method that God established at Creation for time-keeping. He has NOT made a mistake in prophecy! They are said differently because they are different lengths of time ON PURPOSE! There's NO SUCH THING as a "prophetic 360-day year!" That's someone's ATTEMPT to "correct" the prophecies to their own interpretations and expectations. It's a form of EISEGESIS - "READING INTO" the Scriptures what one wants to hear! It's still best to let the Scriptures speak TO the reader! One should be getting OUT of the Scriptures what the AUTHOR wants them to know - EXEGESIS!

Shalom, @Keras. I should add that these three times are listed differently, and there IS a reason for them being this way: Revelation 11:1-14 (KJV) 1 And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, "Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. 2 But the court which is without (outside of) the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty [and] two (42) months. 3 And I will give [power] unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred [and] threescore (1,260) days, clothed in sackcloth." 4 These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth. 5 And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed. 6 These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will. 7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. 8 And their dead bodies [shall lie] in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified (Jerusalem). 9 And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half (3.5 days), and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves. 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. 11 And after three days and an half (3.5 days) the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them. 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. 13 And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city (Jerusalem) fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand (7,000 persons): and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven. 14 The second WOE is past; [and], behold, the third WOE cometh quickly. Revelation 12:1-17 (KJV) 1 And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars: 2 And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered. 3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. 4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born. 5 And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron (the Messiah of God): and her child was caught up unto God, and [to] his throne. 6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred [and] threescore (3x20) days. 7 And there was war in heaven: Michael (Greek: Μιχαὴλ = Hebrew: מִיכָאֵל = "Miykhaa'eel " = "Who-[is]-like-God") and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, 8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. 9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. 10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, "Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. 11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. 12 Therefore rejoice, [ye] heavens, and ye that dwell in them. WOE to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time." 13 And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman (Israel) which brought forth the man [child] (the Messiah). 14 And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent. 15 And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood. 16 And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth. 17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ (Yeeshuwa` Messiah). Both here and in Daniel 12:1, most add the question mark to the interpretation of Michael's name; however, "Miy-" can be an interrogative pronoun or a relative pronoun, and I believe in both cases, it is the relative pronoun in this name. He is the One "who [is] like God," the Messiah. Now, in Jewish time-keeping, a month is 29.5 days, and that even varies, because it is not exact. It is the actual time that a moon cycles from new moon to new moon, a new moon being the time when the first sliver of light is seen upon it at dusk in the evening after the sun goes down. It is called "Ro'sh Chodesh"; the "Head [Beginning] of-a-Holy [part of the month]," and the first day of the month is celebrated as a holy day - a holiday. Children would make a game of it to see who could spot it first! And, the elders appreciated their help, because children's eyes were young and could see best. So, on the Jewish calendar, the days of each month would vary back and forth as 29 or 30 days long. The Hebrew year in the Bible would be measured from the start of the month Nisan to the next start of the month Nisan: "Here's a more detailed breakdown: Nisan: Usually falls in March/April. It's considered the first month of the Jewish year in the Bible and is associated with the Exodus from Egypt. Iyar: Usually falls in April/May. Sivan: Usually falls in May/June. Tammuz: Usually falls in June/July. Av: Usually falls in July/August. Elul: Usually falls in August/September. Tishrei: Usually falls in September/October. It is the first month of the civil year and the start of the High Holy Days (Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur). Cheshvan: Usually falls in October/November. Kislev: Usually falls in November/December. Tevet: Usually falls in December/January. Shevat: Usually falls in January/February. Adar: Usually falls in February/March. In leap years, it is split into Adar I and Adar II." Typically, a group of 6 29-day months and 6 30-day months would make 6x29 + 6x30 = 354 days, which, of course, is too short for the sidereal year of 365.24219 days. So, about every third year, there is a leap month added - an Adar II, usually of 30 days - to catch things up. So, in a time period of 3.5 years, "a time, times [dual], and half a time," there should be at least one leap month. This gives us 3.5 x 354 + 30 = 1,269 days. "Forty-two months" gives us 42 x 29.5 = 1,239 days. And, the third time period is stated as "1,260 days." So, in order, the shortest of the three is "forty-two months" = 1,239 days, the next largest is "1,260 days," and the longest of the three is "a time, times, and half a time" = 1,269 days: 1,239 days (+21 days) = 1,260 days (+9 days) = 1,269 days.

Shalom, @Keras. Do you know what the six purposes for the Seventy Sevens are? Just to renumerate them, Daniel 9:24 (KJV) "Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, (1) to finish the transgression, (2) and to make an end of sins, (3) and to make reconciliation for iniquity, (4) and to bring in everlasting righteousness, (5) and to seal up the vision and prophecy, (6) and to anoint the most Holy." Do you see, within these six purposes, anywhere where it is to usher in "part of the Great Tribulation"? It's not there, and Yeeshuwa` said, Matthew 24:29-31 (KJV) 29 "IMMEDIATELY AFTER the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: 30 And THEN shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and THEN shall all the tribes of the earth (the Land) mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other." Verse 29 IS the sixth seal being opened in Revelation 6:12-17! Revelation 6:12-17 (KJV) 12 And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; 13 And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. 14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. 15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; 16 And said to the mountains and rocks, "Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: 17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?" They can SEE HIM coming! And, the coming of the Son of man - Yeeshuwa` the Messiah - comes AFTER the Great Tribulation! Does that give you pause? Could it be that we've been taught wrongly? The last 3.5 years ARE seen within Revelation (Revelation 11:2; 12:6, 14), but they come AFTER the Messiah has returned, and thus, AFTER the Great Tribulation! They are all three times the second half of the Seventieth Seven of Gabriel's prophecy to Daniel in Daniel 9:24-27.

Shalom, again, @Excalibur. I know what the "Ἀποκάλυψις Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ" or the "Apokalupsis Ieesou Christou" is. It's the "uncovering of-Yeeshuwa` Messiah," and its scope is the ENTIRE BOOK of "Revelation," (which, btw, should always be rendered in the singular). "Fictionalizing" (which is "giving it or creating it as a fictional version of it") is what "allegorizing" does to the text! And, one is WARNED against that SPECIFICALLY! Revelation 22:18-21 (KJV) 18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, IF ANY MAN SHALL ADD UNTO THESE THINGS, GOD SHALL ADD UNTO HIM THE PLAGUES THAT ARE WRITTEN IN THIS BOOK: 19 And IF ANY MAN SHALL TAKE AWAY FROM THE WORDS OF THE BOOK OF THIS PROPHECY, GOD SHALL TAKE AWAY HIS PART OUT OF THE BOOK OF LIFE, AND OUT OF THE HOLY CITY, AND [FROM] THE THINGS WHICH ARE WRITTEN IN THIS BOOK. 20 He which testifieth these things saith, "Surely I come quickly." Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. 21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ [be] with you all. Amen. In other words, we should always treat Revelation with "kid gloves!" We need to be sure that we're not misinterpreting the words of this prophecy (ONE prophecy, btw). I do my best to go to the Greek for the finest of understanding of the actual Greek words used to convey what John wrote. A "woe" for instance, found in Revelation 9:12, is the Greek word "οὐαὶ " or "ouai," sounding like, "Why?!" when cried out. It consists ENTIRELY of vowels and is an expression of grief. I do my best NOT to say, "this really means ...," because that's NOT something God has allowed me (or, in my opinion, ANYONE) to do. We need to read FROM the Scriptures what Yeeshuwa` wanted us to know, not put words in His mouth! "Exegesis," NEVER "eisegesis!"

Shalom, @Excalibur. I believe that the locusts of Revelation 9:1-12 are real, huge locusts, so much bigger than today's locusts as griffinflies (Meganisopterae) are to today's dragonflies! Consider verse 9: Revelation 9:1-12 (KJV) 1 And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key [location] of the bottomless pit. 2 And he [it] opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit. 3 And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. 4 And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads. 5 And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment [was] as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man. 6 And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them. 7 And the shapes of the locusts [were] like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads [were] as it were crowns like gold, and their faces [were] as the faces of men. 8 And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as [the teeth] of lions. 9 And they had breastplates (Greek: θώρακας = "thoorakas" = "thoraxes"), as it were breastplates of iron; and THE SOUND OF THEIR WINGS [WAS] AS THE SOUND OF CHARIOTS OF MANY HORSES RUNNING TO BATTLE. 10 And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power [was] to hurt men five months. 11 And they had a king over them, [which is] the angel [messenger] of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue [is] Abaddon (Hebrew: אֲבַדּוֹן = "'AVaddown" = "destruction, ruin"), but in the Greek tongue hath [his] name Apollyon (Greek: Ἀπολλύων = "Apolluoon" = "a destroyer"). 12 One woe is past; [and], behold, there come two woes more hereafter. That their wings didn't "buzz" or "whir" like modern insects but were low-pitched, like "horses running to battle" suggests that they will be much larger than our modern-day insects. That one could look at their "faces" (the lower half of the front of their heads) and see the shape of human faces, suggests that their focus was not to their true eyes above, but to the contours of the lower area of their "faces," suggesting a human shape, especially where the mandibles extend: Being unable to survive on plant material, having the tendancy to be carnivorous but not having the ability actually to eat meat, all they can do is CHEW on people with their mandibles and pierce the skin with them, but won't get the nutrients to survive. The name of their king (instead of a queen) means "destruction" or "ruin." They will be able to sting and will have "the poison of scorpions," which is a neural toxin, and will have the ability to render its prey immobile, unable even to speak! The prey - people - will be in pain, but unable even to ask for death! As a species, they will last 5 months, but when the king dies, the colony also dies, suggesting that the king is necessary to perpetuate the species. Thus, the rest of the members of the colony are female. From Wikipedia on "Tettigoniidae," one finds: "The diet of most tettigoniids includes leaves, flowers, bark, and seeds, BUT MANY SPECIES ARE EXCLUSIVELY PREDATORY, FEEDING ON OTHER INSECTS, SNAILS, OR EVEN SMALL VERTEBRATES SUCH AS SNAKES AND LIZARDS. Some are also considered pests by commercial crop growers and are sprayed to limit growth, but population densities are usually low, so a large economic impact is rare.[16] "Tettigoniids are serious insect pests of karuka (Pandanus julianettii).[17] The species Segestes gracilis and Segestidea montana eat the leaves and can sometimes kill trees.[17] Growers will stuff leaves and grass in between the leaves of the crown to keep insects out.[17] "By observing the head and mouthparts, where differences can be seen in relation to function, it is possible to determine what type of food the tettigoniids consume. LARGE TETTIGONIIDS CAN INFLICT A PAINFUL BITE OR PINCH IF HANDLED, BUT SELDOM BREAK THE SKIN." When he was young, probably about 8 or 9 years old, my son Joshua, "Josh," had captured a katydid and was playing with it, studying it, when all of the sudden, he SCREAMED! The thing had BIT him, and drew blood! I had always thought them to be harmless, being vegetarian, but I was wrong! I played with it myself, using a pencil around it's face, and the mandibles that came out could PIERCE the wood of the pencil! I believe these locusts will have similar mandibles, able to inflict pain, but not be satisfied! They will be able to sting with a large amount of neural toxin that will immobilize its victims! They will be awake but unable to move or speak! They will seek for death, but it will allude them! They won't be able to kill themselves, nor will they be able to ask anyone else to kill them! I connect them to the Flood of Noach's 600th year because they are underground in this "bottomless pit," a pit with an unsounded bottom. The Flood was indeed a UNIVERSAL FLOOD, affecting every part of the earth! Huge portions of the ground were uplifted and even overturned, when "the fountains of the deep were broken up." Many species were buried, and we have fossils all over the earth formed quickly from water churning up the mud and silt and quickly burying them in layer after layer RAPIDLY covered in material becoming rock! I believe that this pocket of gas will have preserved this species in suspended animation, until a meteorite cracks it open "by chance!" That's my theory, and that's why I said it. I could be wrong, but time will tell.

Shalom, @Keras. Having lost my first response, this is my second attempt: I don't disagree with your first paragraph as far as the timing is concerned; I just don't think you can get this amount of destruction from a CME, especially in light of the fact that John SAID that there would be meteorites of great devastation. Have you ever seen the movie, "Deep Impact"? Read up on an ELE, instead of a CME: An ELE typically stands for Extinction Level Event, referring to a catastrophic event that leads to a significant decrease in biodiversity on Earth, potentially causing the extinction of a large percentage of species. ... Here's a more detailed breakdown: 1. Extinction Level Event: Beyond Normal Extinction: It's distinct from the ongoing, natural process of species extinction. An ELE is a larger, more impactful event that causes a significant decline in biodiversity. Examples: Past ELEs include the asteroid impact that wiped out the dinosaurs and other mass extinction events throughout Earth's history. Causes: ELEs can be caused by various factors, including asteroid impacts, massive volcanic eruptions, or significant changes in Earth's climate. Catastrophic Impact: An ELE is a major, planet-wide event that drastically reduces the number of species on Earth. It really depends on the SIZE of the objects impacting with the earth. One is said by John to be a "GREAT MOUNTAIN" impacting the sea! (Revelation 8:8). Well, I actually consider myself to have grown up very confused, having been taught the pretribulational-rapture coming of the Lord. When our Lord comes and resurrects those who had been beheaded, seeing their "souls" or "air-breathing bodies" living, breathing, and talking, even shouting, "How long?" this is the RESURRECTION at the Fifth Seal. The signs in the sun, moon, and stars, as predicted by our Lord in Matthew 24 are seen at the Sixth Seal. He is enthroned in Revelation 11, Revelation 11:15-19 (KJV) 15 And THE SEVENTH ANGEL SOUNDED; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdoms of this world are become [the kingdoms] of our Lord, and of his Christ (Messiah); and he shall reign for ever and ever." 16 And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God, 17 Saying, "We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned. 18 And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth." 19 And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail. He wiil soon after begin a campaign to flush the interlopers out of HIS Land, culminating in the battle beneath Har Megiddown ("Armageddon") in the Valley of Jezreel, east of Haifa, Israel, and north of Tel Megiddo. (Revelation 16, just before the Seventh Bowl of God's Wrath is poured out in the air.) The "Great Tribulation" is not a 7-year period! The two halves of the 7-year period of the "Seventieth Seven" in Daniel 9 are the "BOOKENDS" of the Great Tribulation! Each half was/will be an offer of Himself as the King of Judah - "the King of the Jews." (Matthew 2:2 and Matthew 27:29, 37 cf. 2 Samuel 2:4). The two halves were SPLIT by Yeeshuwa` Himself when He pronounced them "Desolate" in Matthew 23:38. And, He said they would remain that way until they could say, Matthew 27:37-39 (KJV) 37 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, [thou] that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under [her] wings, and ye would not! 38 "Behold, your house is left unto you DESOLATE. 39 For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, "'BLESSED [IS] HE THAT COMETH IN THE NAME OF THE LORD.'" And, this was a quote from Psalm 118:26: Psalm 118:22-26 (KJV) 22 The stone [which] the builders refused is become the head [stone] (the capstone) of the corner (angle). 23 This is the LORD'S doing; it [is] marvellous in our eyes. 24 This [is] the day [which] the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. 25 Save now (Hebrew: הוֹשִׁיעָה נָּא = "Howshiy`aah naa' " = Greek: Ὡσαννὰ = "Hoosanna" = "Save-us now!"), I beseech thee, O LORD: O LORD, I beseech thee, send now prosperity. 26 Blessed [be] he that cometh in the name of the LORD (Hebrew: בָּרוּךְ הַבָּא בְּשֵׁם יְהוָה = "Baaruwkh habaa' bsheem YHWH" = "Welcome, the-comer in-name of-YHWH"): we have blessed (welcomed) you out of the house of the LORD. As to timing of events, Zechariah 12 tells us, Zechariah 12:1-10 (KJV) 1 "The burden of the word of the LORD for Israel," saith the LORD, which stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him. 2 "Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah [and] against Jerusalem. 3 And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces (will herniate themselves), though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it. 4 In that day," saith the LORD, "I will smite every horse with astonishment, and his rider with madness: and I will open mine eyes upon the house of Judah, and will smite every horse of the people with blindness. 5 And the governors of Judah shall say in their heart, "'The inhabitants of Jerusalem [shall be] my strength in the LORD of hosts their God.' 6 "In that day will I make the governors of Judah like an hearth of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf; and they shall devour all the people round about, on the right hand and on the left: and Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place, [even] in Jerusalem. 7 "THE LORD ALSO SHALL SAVE THE TENTS OF JUDAH FIRST, THAT THE GLORY OF THE HOUSE OF DAVID AND THE GLORY OF THE INHABITANTS OF JERUSALEM DO NOT MAGNIFY [THEMSELVES] AGAINST JUDAH. 8 In that day shall the LORD defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and the house of David [shall be] as God, as the angel of the LORD before them. 9 "'And it shall come to pass in that day, [that] I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. 10 And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced,' and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for [his] only [son], and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for [his] firstborn." THIS is where Revelation 19 comes into play!

Shalom, @Excalibur. Sure it is! One should not discount the fact that what John saw was LITERAL! Consider the following, also within Revelation 1: Revelation 1:12-18 (KJV) 12 And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; 13 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks [one] like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. 14 His head and [his] hairs [were] white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes [were] as a flame of fire; 15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. 16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance [was] as the sun shineth in his strength. 17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, "Fear not; I am the first and the last: 18 I [am] he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death." This is EXACTLY what John saw IN THIS VISION of the future! And, it is in sync with Matthew 17: Matthew 16:24-17:9 (KJV) 24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, "If any [man] will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. 26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? 27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works. 28 Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom." 1 And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, 2 And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. 3 And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him. 4 Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias." 5 While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him!" 6 And when the disciples heard [it], they fell on their face, and were sore afraid. 7 And Jesus came and touched them, and said, "Arise, and be not afraid." 8 And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only. 9 And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, "Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead." And, also in sync with what Paul saw on the road to Damascus, Syria: Acts 9:1-9 (KJV) 1 And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, 2 And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. 3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and SUDDENLY THERE SHINED ROUND ABOUT HIM A LIGHT FROM HEAVEN: 4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?" 5 And he said, "Who art thou, Lord?" And the Lord said, "I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: [it is] hard for thee to kick against the pricks." 6 And he trembling and astonished said, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" And the Lord [said] unto him, "Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do." 7 And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man. 8 And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought [him] into Damascus. 9 And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink. Paul was LITERALLY BLINDED by the light of the Messiah! While Revelation is a VISION of the future, it is NOT all symbolic!

Shalom, @Excalibur. Sorry, but one who interprets prophecy as though it is merely a book of symbols and relegates the book to allegorical thinking is making the true mockery of the prophecy. By "spiritualizing" the prophecy away, one is saying that the literal interpretation can't be true, calling God a LIAR in the process! If ALL of the prophecies about the Messiah's First Coming came true LITERALLY (and they DID), then there's no call to say that the prophecies about His Second Coming won't come true just as literally! One must be careful about this! To say that Yeeshuwa`s Coming won't literally happen is also identified by Yochanan ("John") to be that spirit of antichrist - being AGAINST God's Messiah! I really didn't do any such thing. I DO believe that the Flood of Genesis 6-9 was also LITERAL, and that there's no call to say otherwise. In fact, I really don't understand the references to Jude or 2 Peter 2.

Shalom, @Keras. So, you're skipping the nuggets of gold because the tunnel is too long? They're not MY nuggets! They're portions of the BIBLE we claim to love! Oh well, it's your choice. Again, the Carrington event, which happened in 1859, disrupted communications, but it did NOT "burn up the earth!" And, we get CMEs ALL THE TIME! They're what keep our magnetic field charged, and give us the aurora borealis and aurora australis, the latter which you may be able to see from New Zealand! It's not a bad thing; it's a GOOD THING that God has provided to keep our planet safe from the bombardment of cosmic rays! In other words, GOD PLANNED THEM! These "burps" from the sun are how God provided this protection! No, I don't think this is how God will "bring fire down from above." He told us in Revelation 6:12-14 (the sixth seal) and Revelation 8:1-9:12 (the first five air-raid sirens or "trumpet soundings") that they will come from meteorites and friction in the atmosphere. They were "stars that fell unto the earth," which we call meteorites - meteors that strike the earth. Some, such as "Ἄψινθος" or "Apsinthos" ("wormwood" or "absinthe"), will sputter, breaking up in the atmosphere, and poison the freshwater sources, but most actually STRIKE the earth or the seas! I've always enjoyed comic books as a kid, and so, I also enjoy movies and television series that are about those characters. My favorite has always been Superman (whom I believe was patterned after the Messiah Yeeshuwa`). The Smallville series always opens with scenes from the first episode which shows the destruction from the meteorite shower that accompanied his arrival to earth. The special effects are good, but John wrote of more things they missed in the series, such as "Wormwood" and one striking the sea and killing the sea creatures and ships in the sea and one striking the right spot (the "Key") to open a deep pit in the earth, bringing up creatures that had been trapped in the aftermath of the Flood, which he called "locusts." Hope this helps. Enjoy the drawing and feel free to use it; I drew it.