charlesj
Member
I am open for discussions on the subject or any other. [email protected]
I will "paste" a short study on "Some Tools To Dig With" that I wrote some years ago in a "reply" to this reply.
SOME TOOLS TO DIG WITH.
“Apocalyptic speech is something “we moderns” have dug up…apocalyptic speech is lurid in its colors and very often violent in its tone. It strikes the imagination and grabs hold of the mind. Who, having read of it, can forget the seven-headed sea beast or the scarlet prostitute on its back? Whose mind does not boggle over the falling of the stars and the rolling up of the heavens? Apocalyptic speech is vivid and easily remembered. It appeals to our imagination. It is the language of conflict and victory. It is the language used when God smites the oppressor and vindicates his people. It is the language of crisis if not of persecution.” -Jim McGuiggan, Book of Revelation, p. 14
The Hebrew mind understands these things, but we with the “western mind” draw wrong conclusions many times.
Sun, Moon, Stars and Clouds in prophecy:
We first see evidence of the definition of the sun, moon and stars in Genesis 37 where we run across Joseph. At this time, Joseph is a young man and is having dreams etc. He dreams a dream and tells it to his father:
Genesis 37:9-10
9 And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me. 10 And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth? KJV
Notice: Joseph dreams that the SUN, MOON AND STARS will bow down to him. (We with our “western minds” don’t see this)
-his father (verse 9, a Hebrew) immediately knows what these elements represent and rebukes Joseph.
-the sun, moon and stars represented the household of Jacob.
-the sun represented Jacob the father, the moon his mother and the stars represented his brothers.
Later, this prophecy was fulfilled when Joseph was in Egypt and in a high government position and his family did bow to him.
The sun represented the head of the house, a leader of the house.
In scripture you may run across the sun, moon and stars mentioned. Take a good look at the context. If the context is speaking in prophecy, then most likely the sun, moon and stars represent the government of that country.
Isaiah 13:10
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. KJV
The Lord is speaking here in Isa 13:10 of the destruction of Babylon. He used an army (clouds) to do His will.
Isaiah 19:1 The burden of Egypt. Behold, the LORD rideth upon a swift cloud, and shall come into Egypt: and the idols of Egypt shall be moved at his presence, and the heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst of it.
Here again, In Isaiah 19:1ff the Lord is speaking of “riding a swift cloud” to destroy Egypt. An army fulfilled this. The point is, that the Lord, in prophetic speech, speaks of “coming in the clouds, or riding a swift cloud” when really He is speaking of using a nations army to destroy another nation. In Isaiah, it is evident that the prophet is talking about the conquest of Egypt by an army that is doing the will of God.
Matthew 24:29
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: KJV
Here, in Matthew you see a reference to the fall of the Jewish nation in 70 A.D. The sun, moon and stars are made up of the Sanhedrin, that is, the high priests, scribes (some Pharisees) and elders. These made up the ruler ship of Israel at this time.
It has been referred to as the “last days, the last hour” in the New Testament and happened in 70 A.D. when Titus, the Roman general, came and destroyed the temple and Jerusalem.
This was fulfilled when the Lord “came on clouds” (Roman army) and destroyed the temple and city. Messiah told them when they see (Matt 24:15) the abomination of desolation (destruction) spoken of by the prophet Daniel then know the time is near. The synoptic parallel to Matt 24:15 is Luke 21:20 And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. (Email me on this, I have a whole writing on Matthew 24, verse by verse.) [email protected]
So, Jesus told them when you see the Roman army (Gentile army, an abomination) surrounding Jerusalem, then you will know the desolation (destruction) is near
Matthew 26:64
64 Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. KJV
In Matthew 26 Christ promised the high priest, Caiaphas, that he would see him coming on the clouds.
He saw this in the fulfillment of the Roman army, doing the will of God, through Titus in 70 A.D. “Coming in clouds, sun, moon and stars all are “judgement language” for the Hebrews. (We miss this with our western minds)
Like in Noah’s time, a new age was started. Jesus brought in a new age (New Relationship) in which those that have been “born from above” (born again) have been added to the bride of Christ, the Assembly (The church, Acts 2:47). Their names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life and they enter into that great city as described by the Hebrew writer: (This great city is all those righteous in Heaven from Adam to today’s time and growing daily.
Hebrews 12:22-23 22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, 23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,
This city (Universal Church in heaven) is made up of all the righteous from the time of Adam until the present time – and is growing daily. PRAISE HIS NAME!! (When one is “born again” they are added to the universal church in heaven. After being born again, they later “join” a church here on earth.)
Acts 2:20
20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come: KJV
These statements means “the end of the world” to a premillennialist, but this is not what the bible is teaching. It is not the end of time (world), but the time of the end of the age. (Old Covenant age, THE JEWISH rule).
Mountains = Kingdoms
Jeremiah 51:24-26 24 And I will render unto Babylon and to all the inhabitants of Chaldea all their evil that they have done in Zion in your sight, saith Jehovah. 25 Behold, I am against thee, O destroying mountain, saith Jehovah, which destroyest all the earth; and I will stretch out my hand upon thee, and roll thee down from the rocks, and will make thee a burnt mountain. 26 And they shall not take of thee a stone for a corner, nor a stone for foundations; but thou shalt be desolate for ever, saith Jehovah.
Here in Jeremiah 51 the defeat and destruction of Babylon is pictured by making a destroying mountain (apparently a volcano) into a “burnt-out” mountain. The term “MOUNTAIN” is used over and over again to stand for a kingdom, as for example, in Amos 4:1 and Isaiah 2:2.
WINDS:
The “winds” are often used to indicate the “activity of God.”
The Greek or Hebrew word could have been translated “wind or spirit.”
“Wind” is constantly associated with God and the activity of God.
For example look at John 3:7,8 "Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again. The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit."
Sometimes the “winds” are used as actions by God against people:
"When you cry out, let your collection of idols deliver you. But the wind will carry all of them up, And a breath will take them away. But he who takes refuge in Me shall inherit the land,And shall possess My holy mountain." -Isaiah57:13.
“Like an east wind I will scatter them Before the enemy; I will show them My back and not My face In the day of their calamity.'" –Jeremiah 18:17
Or, like where the Hebrew writer Hebrew writer quotes Psalm 104:4 in Hebrews 1:7 “And of the angels He says, "Who makes His angels winds, And His ministers a flame of fire.”
God rides on the cherubim (Psalm 18:10 & elsewhere) and also walks on the wings of the wind. .
THE POINT HERE IS “WIND” IS CONSTANTLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE ACTIVITY OF GOD.
These “SYMBOLS” are a part of the Bible’s way of teaching.
I have more to say, but will say it later. If you are interested, then email me: [email protected]