The Beast Of Revelations FAQ

[Guest Jipsah]

A long one here, folks, but I think worth the effort.

Swiped from  http://forerunner.com/beast/beastfaq.html

BEAST FAQ

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QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT

THE BEAST OF REVELATION

An outline of the interview answers in Real to Reel's interview with Dr. Kenneth L. Gentry (11/11/99) for the video:

The Beast of Revelation: IDENTIFIED

All Bible quotations are from the New American Standard Bible.

Loeb's Classical Library version is used for Josephus citations.

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1. What is the THEME of Revelation? Isn't it the Second Coming of Christ according to Rev. 1:7?

The theme is the judgment of the Jews for crucifying their Messiah. Although 1:7 appears to speak of the Second Advent, it actually refers to AD 70. Note the following evidence.

(1) Immediately before 1:7 John specifically declares the events of Revelation are near, not thousands of years distant. He also concludes the book with the same expectation:

Rev. 1:1: "The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants--things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John,"

Rev. 1:3: "Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near."

Rev. 22:6: "Then he said to me, "These words are faithful and true." And the Lord God of the holy prophets sent His angel to show His servants the things which must shortly take place."

Rev. 22:10 "And he said to me, "Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand."

(2) "Coming on the clouds" is an OT image for historical, divine judgment. For example:

Isaiah 19:1 "The oracle concerning Egypt. Behold, the Lord is riding on a swift cloud, and is about to come to Egypt; the idols of Egypt will tremble at His presence, and the heart of the Egyptians will melt within them."

(3) This "coming" is against those "who pierced him." The NT blames the crucifixion on the Jews:

Acts 2:22-23 "Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know-- [23] this Man, delivered up by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death.

Acts 3:13-15 "The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His servant Jesus, the one whom you delivered up, and disowned in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release Him. [14] "But you disowned the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, [15] but put to death the Prince of life, the one whom God raised from the dead, a fact to which we are witnesses.

Acts 5:30 "The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you had put to death by hanging Him on a cross".

Acts 7:52 "Which one of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who had previously announced the coming of the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become;

Acts 10:39 "And we are witnesses of all the things He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. And they also put Him to death by hanging Him on a cross.

1 Thes. 2:14-15 For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea, for you also endured the same sufferings at the hands of your own countrymen, even as they did from the Jews, [15] who both killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out. They are not pleasing to God, but hostile to all men.

(4) This "coming" is against "the tribes of the earth/land." The word GE means either "land" or "earth."

(5) The phrase "every eye shall see him," indicates the public nature of the judgment.

(6) Thus Revelation presents God on the throne (Rev 4) holding forth a divorce decree (Rev 5). God judges his wife for adultery (6-19), then takes a new bride, the church (21-22).

2. You make a interesting case for the Beast's number 666 equaling the Hebrew spelling of Caesar Nero, but hasn't the same the same been done for one of the Popes? Are there other evidences that John was referring to Nero specifically?

(1) Theoretically, the numerical value could fit many names. But the fit must be relevant.

(2) John specifically declares the events of revelation "must shortly take place" (1:1; 22:6) because "the time is at hand" (1:3; 22:10). The papacy arose hundreds of years later.

(3) John is writing to seven historical, first-century churches (1:4, 11; chs. 2 and 3) who are presently undergoing trials (1:9). One of the cries in Revelation is "how long" (6:10). The answer: "a little while longer" (6:11).

(4) The numerical value fits in both the textual form (666) and the important variant (616). One using a Hebrew spelling (in a very OT oriented book composed with an Hebraic grammar); the other using a Latin spelling (apparently to help non-Hebrew readers to understand it).

3. In Revelation 13 there are two Beasts -- one from the land and one from the sea. You said the beast from the sea was Rome? Who was the beast from the land?

(1) According to commentators of all stripes (dispensational, reformed, liberal), the first Beast must be understood both generically and specifically. That is, as the Roman imperial government and as the particular emperor on the throne, much like the "body of Christ" can be either generic (the Church) or specific (Jesus himself). So the first beast is fulfilled in Nero Caesar as he exercises his imperial powers.

(2) The second beast is a subordinate of the first: (a) He exercise the authority of the first beast in his presence, and makes men worship the first beast (13:12). (b) He only has two horns (v.10) rather than ten (v. 1), thus a more limited authority.

[JohnS]

That's quite a fairy tale. So anything that can not be explained is being taken too literally. That's convenient. Means you can rewrite the whole story.

The theme is the judgment of the Jews for crucifying their Messiah.

If He is your Savior, then you crucified Him too. Do you think man could have crucified Jesus against His will?

"Coming on the clouds" is an OT image for historical, divine judgment. For example:

It is also the way Jesus will return.

Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven."  Acts 1:9-11

John specifically declares the events of Revelation are near, not thousands of years distant.

For a thousand years in Your sight Are like yesterday when it is past, And like a watch in the night. Psalm 90:4

Like a watch in the night...don't you love that? Were the events near for John or near for the Lord?

(3) This "coming" is against those "who pierced him." The NT blames the crucifixion on the Jews:

Uh...my Bible says in Zechariah 12:10 that the ones who pierced Him would have the Spirit of grace and supplication poured out on them. This results in conviction and repentance.

And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.  John 16:8-11

Answer that last one when you get a chance. He is coming to save Jerusalem by destroying all nations that come against her and not because the Jews are righteous, but because God is righteous and faithful and unchanging.

When they came to the nations, wherever they went, they profaned My holy name--when they said of them, 'These are the people of the Lord, and yet they have gone out of His land.' But I had concern for My holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations wherever they went. "Therefore say to the house of Israel, 'Thus says the Lord God: "I do not do this for your sake, O house of Israel, but for My holy name's sake, which you have profaned among the nations wherever you went. And I will sanctify My great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst; and the nations shall know that I am the Lord," says the Lord God, "when I am hallowed in you before their eyes. For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land. Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, and I will be your God. Ezekiel 36:20-28

(6) Thus Revelation presents God on the throne (Rev 4) holding forth a divorce decree (Rev 5). God judges his wife for adultery (6-19), then takes a new bride, the church (21-22).

So, all the judgements are against Israel? You know what....This is much too ridiculous to waste time on. You really should take care,

For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. Revelation 22:18,19

I really don't think that one is symbolic.

[JohnS]

Here are the answers.

Has Bible Prophecy Already Been Fulfilled?

[Guest Jipsah]

That's quite a fairy tale.

[JohnS]

It is only thinly disguised anti-semitism. You didn't answer the question.

(3) This "coming" is against those "who pierced him." The NT blames the crucifixion on the Jews:

Uh...my Bible says in Zechariah 12:10 that the ones who pierced Him would have the Spirit of grace and supplication poured out on them. This results in conviction and repentance.

[Guest Jipsah]

It is only thinly disguised anti-semitism.

Yeah, and your mother wears army boots.

[Guest]

Hey Jipsah and JohnS,

I guess I'll be the guy in the middle since you guys are at each end.

I actually believe that Revelation has primarily two sections. Chapters 1-10 dealing with then present churches and addressing the soon coming destruction of Israel as a nation and Jerusalem it's capital and the temple it's nucleus.

Chapter 11 deals with the last 3

[Lanakila]

Jipsah you have failed to prove that dispensationalists are wrong and yet you continue to bash them. Have you read any dispensationalist materials? There is plenty of good stuff out there, and your bias is so obvious that I am wondering how you got your opinion. Charles Ryrie has a good book Dispensationalism today, Also Ryries Systematic Theology might be a good place to start. Strongs Systematic Theology is another good book. A very old book called Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth is good, although it does teach the Gap theory (many books written during this time did).

[Guest]

Hi Lana,

Did you get an opportunity to review my last post on the Gethsemane

thread?

Peace,

BlindSeeker

[JohnS]

Are we in the thousand year reign of Christ?