Book of Revelations: Outline and Exposition

[thilipsis]

1 hour ago, simplejeff said:

In the last few decades, and centuries,  of course there have been millions of martyrs world wide.

In the future, very likely,  there will be billions die,  perhaps millions of them are martyrs (faithful believers) vs unbelievers / pagans/ false ones.

Do you think the sixth seal has been opened already , since there have been so many martyrs already,

or is it still something that's going to happen later today, or in the future ?

 

 

I don't think any of the  seals have been opened. From the opening of the first seal to the return of Chris us seven years. The abomination that causes desolation right at the three and a half year mark toward the enb of the trumpet blasts. 

The distinction between Buddist, Muslim, Jewish, pagan along with denominationalism down to Catholic, Orthodox or Protestant will fade into oblivian never to be revisited. 

Even secular atheists, agnostics, humanists and others will finally have no way of denying God. These titles and pretenses will be erased by the final revelation where all must decide and none remain neutral. 

Armaggedon is called the valley of decision, the entire tribulation period forces all to decide. The beast and his ultimate destruction of refuse the mark and die a witness for Christ.

[Leonardo Von]

7 hours ago, thilipsis said:

I assume that last reference is chapter 18

Forgive me, brother Thilipsis. I messed up the intervals. If you are still interested, I have already reissued the post and corrected the errors.

May Jesus bless you.

[missmuffet]

Do you think that the Book of Revelation is future? What is your eschatology belief? Pre trib,mid trib, post trib?

[Ezra]

2 hours ago, thilipsis said:

Do you think the sixth seal has been opened already , since there have been so many martyrs already,

The sixth seal events come AFTER the Great Tribulation (the Day of the LORD or the Great Day of His Wrath).

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; 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. And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. 

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; 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: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand? (Rev 6:12-17).

[Ezra]

2 hours ago, thilipsis said:

I don't think any of the  seals have been opened.

Actually the first five seals were opened immediately after the book of Revelation was written.  See Mathew 24 and compare. The sixth and seventh seals are yet future, and will be opened after the Rapture.

[thilipsis]

1 hour ago, missmuffet said:

Do you think that the Book of Revelation is future? What is your eschatology belief? Pre trib,mid trib, post trib?

It's future, the last seven years of the seventy weeks of Daniel. I was always mid to late tribulation rapture early on but I've studied so many dispensational scenarios I'm comfortable with pretribulation.

Revelations is an exposition to me and a cascade of Old Testament prophecy and Levitical imagery. If all that interests you is when the rapture happens your going to miss one of the most panoramic books in Scripture.

[missmuffet]

1 minute ago, thilipsis said:

It's future, the last seven years of the seventy weeks of Daniel. I was always mid to late tribulation rapture early on but I've studied so many dispensational scenarios I'm comfortable with pretribulation.

Revelations is an exposition to me and a cascade of Old Testament prophecy and Levitical imagery. If all that interests you is when the rapture happens your going to miss one of the most panoramic books in Scripture.

The rapture is always the hope of the born again Christian. But Jesus Christ is number one in my interests.

[thilipsis]

3 hours ago, missmuffet said:

The rapture is always the hope of the born again Christian. But Jesus Christ is number one in my interests.

Of course that's our, 'blessed hope':

while we wait for the blessed hope--the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13)

The most important prophecy in redemptive history still hasn't happened. We live in anxious expectation of the soon return of Christ at the end of the age. Even the prophets, apostles and all the believers who went before us are awaiting this day, the Day of the Lord as it is known in Old Testament prophecy. We do know that when that happens we will be changed, those who died in Christ will be raised and those who have never actually died will be changed, basically being resurrected without ever having actually died. That's why they call it the Rapture, it's one of those theological words that is unique because it's a unique event, still as yet unfulfilled promise and prophecy that all of creation awaits (Rom. 8:22,23)

3 hours ago, Ezra said:

Actually the first five seals were opened immediately after the book of Revelation was written.  See Mathew 24 and compare. The sixth and seventh seals are yet future, and will be opened after the Rapture.

We don't really know the hour or the day but we do know somethings about what the prelude to the second coming is:

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: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. (Matt. 24:29,30)

The abomination that causes desolation happens, or at least is described, 15 verse earlier. This occurs 3 1/2 years into the Tribulation:

When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand. Then let them which be in Judea flee into the mountains: (Matt. 24:15,16)

We will know when Christ is going to return, throughout the tribulation they know the judgments are coming from God and that this is the, 'wrath of the Lamb'.

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: (Rev. 6:16)

The resurrection is clearly described as happening at the end of the Tribulation.

(The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. (Rev. 20:5)

The resurrection, the rapture as it's come to be known isn't mentioned in connection to the seals, it's not mentioned until the second coming just prior to the Millennial kingdom. As far as the first five seals being opened there are no historical sequences of events that could match the description of the four horsemen. Those are a description of the rise of the Antichrist and the fifth seal are the earliest victims of his bloody infamous rampage that lead to the wrath that falls on them as a result. There is another multitude no one can number from every nation on earth as he spreads his reign of influence just prior to the Trumpet blasts. 

I'm not making this up, just following the narrative as it's written and there is nothing historically to compare to the scale of this. I think your allegorizing, that's not the same thing as an exposition.

Grace and peace,
Mark

Edited December 21, 2016 by thilipsis

[Ezra]

2 hours ago, thilipsis said:

I think your allegorizing, that's not the same thing as an exposition.

There's no "allegorizing" in what I've pointed out.  We are required to take all Scriptures into account to arrive at the true doctrine.

2 hours ago, thilipsis said:

The resurrection, the rapture as it's come to be known isn't mentioned in connection to the seals, it's not mentioned until the second coming just prior to the Millennial kingdom.

Let's take this comment as an example.  You are no doubt referring to Revelation 20.  But kindly study 1 Cor 15 and see that the first resurrection is akin to a Hebrew harvest, with Christ as the first fruits.  So Rev 20 refers to the gleanings, and the Resurrection/Rapture is the main harvest.

[thilipsis]

1 hour ago, Ezra said:

There's no "allegorizing" in what I've pointed out.  We are required to take all Scriptures into account to arrive at the true doctrine.

Let's take this comment as an example.  You are no doubt referring to Revelation 20.  But kindly study 1 Cor 15 and see that the first resurrection is akin to a Hebrew harvest, with Christ as the first fruits.  So Rev 20 refers to the gleanings, and the Resurrection/Rapture is the main harvest.

The last couple of chapters of Scripture in the most futuristic prophecy of the New Testament and trust me I do take all Scripture into account. In fact I have done a pretty extensive exposition of the Revelation and now you want me to revisit something in 1 Cor. 15 which is talking about the resurrection. Are you kidding me? I know about the fall feasts and you have not managed to tie this to anything eschatological in these brief two chapters. Do you have a point?

Grace and peace,
Mark