Saturday, October 22, 2016

End Times - Part 12




WHY STUDY THE BOOK OF REVELATION:

THE BOOK OF REVELATION: JESUS’ END-TIME BATTLE PLAN FOR THE CHURCH

A. The Book of Revelation reveals the glory of Jesus (Rev. 1:1) and His specific plan to transition the earth to the age-to-come. These events require our deep involvement.

B.  There are 4 parts in the structure of Revelation. The 4th part has 5 chronological sections in which the events occur in sequential order. There are 7 main symbols in the Book.

C. The main theme of Revelation is Jesus’ return to earth to rule all the nations. Evil governments will resist this. His End-Time battle plan is to physically destroy all the evil governments on earth by releasing His judgments on them during the Great Tribulation as described in Rev. 6-19.
D. As the Book of Acts describes the power of the Holy Spirit that was released through the early Church so the Book of Revelation describes the power of the Holy Spirit that will be released through the End-Time Church. I refer to Revelation as the “End-Time Book of Acts”.  It is a “canonized prayer manual” that informs us of the ways in which Jesus will manifest His power.

E.  Revelation is Jesus’ battle plan to allow the sin in man’s heart to fully come to the surface and then to drive evil off the planet through the praying Church. These judgment events do not happen to us as helpless victims of Satan but are released through us as participants with Jesus.

F.  Jesus’ judgments are released to remove all that hinders love. He is at war to have His wedding. Revelation is Jesus’ battle plan to allow the sin in man’s heart to fully come to the surface and then to drive evil off the planet through the praying Church. These judgment events do not happen to us as helpless victims of Satan but are released through us as participants with Jesus.

G.  Jesus’ judgments are released to remove all that hinders love. He is at war to have His wedding.
H.  The 7 main symbols: all events and numbers in Revelation are to be taken in their plain meaning (literal) unless specifically indicated not to (Rev. 1:20; 5:6; 11:8; 12:1, 3, 9; 17:7, 9, 15-18, etc.)
1) Dragon: is symbolic of Satan (Rev. 12:3, 4, 7, 9, 13, 16, 17; 13:2, 4; 16:13; 20:2)
2) First Beast: is symbolic of the Antichrist (Rev. 13; 14:9-11; 17:3-17; 19:19-21; 20:4, 10)
3) Another Beast: is symbolic of the False Prophet called “another Beast” just once (Rev. 13:11)
4) Seven Heads: are 7 empires from history that persecuted Israel (Egypt, Assyria, Babylon,
Persia, Greece, Rome, revived Roman Empire of Dan. 2:41-42; 7:7; Rev. 12:3; 13:1; 17:3-16)
5) Ten Horns: represents a 10-nation confederation that serves the Antichrist (Rev. 17:12-13)
6) Harlot Babylon: will be a worldwide demonically inspired religious and economic system
based in the re-built city of Babylon, near Baghdad in Iraq (Rev. 17-18; Jer. 50-51)
7) Woman with a Male-child (Jesus): is the faithful remnant of Israel through history (Rev. 12)


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