Mark 6:27 And immediately the king sent an executioner, and commanded his head to be brought: and he went and beheaded him in the prison,
When the word "beheaded" was used concerning John the Baptist in the above verse it meant to be decapitated (Strong's #607) But, in the following verse it has a different meaning....
There the word beheaded could mean to have one's head chopped off or to be inflicted with calamity....as in trials and tribulation.
So what is meant where it is written of His witnesses being killed, slain and beheaded in the last days? My thought is the translators chose to use "beheaded" in the Revelation prophesy of John instead of "calamities" as they didn't realize the spiritual implications of what is prophesied. They saw the action of "being killed" in the last days in a literal context instead of seeing the spirit of the word. Compare the three accounts of the [Revelation 20:4] event as prophesied in the Olivet Prophecies....
Jesus first warns about deception..."take heed lest any man deceive you." He then tells us we will be delivered up, hated, betrayed, afflicted....but those that endure shall be saved and "there shall not an hair of your head perish." We couldn't endure a literal beheading and it would negate His promise about the hair on our head perishing....unless He means our spiritual bodies coming through the process unscathed, which of course...they will. I believe that the deception He warns of is the affliction and calamity we are to endure to the end.
Our purpose, as His elect, is to be placed in front of others to allow His Spirit to teach through us, to give His testimony....as we do on forums, as we do in church groups, as we do with friends and family. If that testimony received from the Spirit disagrees with the beliefs of church, family, friends and those on forums then......we can be hated and betrayed, afflicted. We can even be killed but it is a figurative killing. We are banned on forums, we are excommunicated from churches, we are shunned by family and friends...that is how we are killed.
Where it is written in the above prophecies, "Shall be beaten, Shall kill you, Betrayed to death, put to death," consider what that means. One of Satan's names is Death....
If we are "put to death," or "betrayed to death," it could mean we are delivered to testify before Death and his cronies...his false prophets, as we do on forums, in churches, in families, etc. We are put before him to face his deception. He kills spiritually with the deception of his sword (twisted word), with hunger (for the true word), with the death (of souls), with the beasts....(the two beasts of [Revelation 13], the one world system and antichrist).
When the word "beheaded" was used concerning John the Baptist in the above verse it meant to be decapitated (Strong's #607) But, in the following verse it has a different meaning....
Revelation 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
There the word beheaded could mean to have one's head chopped off or to be inflicted with calamity....as in trials and tribulation.
Beheaded #3990 ~ pelekizo from a der. of 4141 (mean. an axe); to chop off (the head), i.e. truncate: - behead #4141 ~ plesso another form of 4111 (through the idea of flattening out); to pound, i.e (fig) to inflict with (calamity): - smite
Word Origin & History - calamity
ca·lam·i·ty /kəˈlæmɪti/ Show Spelled[kuh-lam-i-tee] Show IPA
–noun, plural -ties.
1. a great misfortune or disaster, as a flood or serious injury.
2. grievous affliction; adversity; misery: the calamity of war.
early 15c., from M.Fr. calamite (14c.), from L. calamitatem (nom. calamitas ) "damage, loss, failure; disaster, misfortune, adversity," origin obscure. L. writers associated it with calamus "straw," but it is perhaps from a lost root preserved in incolumis "uninjured."
–noun, plural -ties.
1. a great misfortune or disaster, as a flood or serious injury.
2. grievous affliction; adversity; misery: the calamity of war.
early 15c., from M.Fr. calamite (14c.), from L. calamitatem (nom. calamitas ) "damage, loss, failure; disaster, misfortune, adversity," origin obscure. L. writers associated it with calamus "straw," but it is perhaps from a lost root preserved in incolumis "uninjured."
So what is meant where it is written of His witnesses being killed, slain and beheaded in the last days? My thought is the translators chose to use "beheaded" in the Revelation prophesy of John instead of "calamities" as they didn't realize the spiritual implications of what is prophesied. They saw the action of "being killed" in the last days in a literal context instead of seeing the spirit of the word. Compare the three accounts of the [Revelation 20:4] event as prophesied in the Olivet Prophecies....
Mark 13:3-6 And as He sat upon the mount of Olives over against the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked Him privately, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled? And Jesus answering them began to say, Take heed lest any man deceive you: For many shall come in My name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
13:9-13 But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for My sake, for a testimony against them. And the gospel must first be published among all nations. But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost. Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for My name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
Matthew 24:8-10 All these are the beginning of sorrows. Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for My name's sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
Luke 21:12-18 But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for My name's sake. And it shall turn to you for a testimony. Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer: For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist. And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for My name's sake. But there shall not an hair of your head perish.
13:9-13 But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for My sake, for a testimony against them. And the gospel must first be published among all nations. But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost. Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for My name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
Matthew 24:8-10 All these are the beginning of sorrows. Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for My name's sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
Luke 21:12-18 But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for My name's sake. And it shall turn to you for a testimony. Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer: For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist. And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for My name's sake. But there shall not an hair of your head perish.
Jesus first warns about deception..."take heed lest any man deceive you." He then tells us we will be delivered up, hated, betrayed, afflicted....but those that endure shall be saved and "there shall not an hair of your head perish." We couldn't endure a literal beheading and it would negate His promise about the hair on our head perishing....unless He means our spiritual bodies coming through the process unscathed, which of course...they will. I believe that the deception He warns of is the affliction and calamity we are to endure to the end.
Our purpose, as His elect, is to be placed in front of others to allow His Spirit to teach through us, to give His testimony....as we do on forums, as we do in church groups, as we do with friends and family. If that testimony received from the Spirit disagrees with the beliefs of church, family, friends and those on forums then......we can be hated and betrayed, afflicted. We can even be killed but it is a figurative killing. We are banned on forums, we are excommunicated from churches, we are shunned by family and friends...that is how we are killed.
Where it is written in the above prophecies, "Shall be beaten, Shall kill you, Betrayed to death, put to death," consider what that means. One of Satan's names is Death....
Revelation 6:8-11 And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth. And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.
If we are "put to death," or "betrayed to death," it could mean we are delivered to testify before Death and his cronies...his false prophets, as we do on forums, in churches, in families, etc. We are put before him to face his deception. He kills spiritually with the deception of his sword (twisted word), with hunger (for the true word), with the death (of souls), with the beasts....(the two beasts of [Revelation 13], the one world system and antichrist).