Part #2 (con't from post 203).
Having said that, in the book of Revelation, I have come across a suggested "word insertion" by the translators that if it was an ERROR, it would be an error that is so egregious, that NO ONE would want to know of it. However, in the mentioning of it, even though it repels one to think of it, at the same time it draws one in to seek the truth of it.
It's one of those situations whereby "once you see it, you cannot un-see it".
What makes this particular insertion so difficult, is due to the issue of how one understands the 1000 years, commonly called "The Millennium". I for one hold to the concept of "Amillennialism". Therefore, my understanding of Revelation is that God speaks in the Past, in the Present and in the Future, all at the SAME TIME (Isa. 55:8-9). As a result, I do not view the book of Revelation to be only about the far future of today only, but rather even since the First manifestation of Christ in the flesh.
God Himself spoke through the book of Revelation THEN, and HAS HAD MUCH TO SAY about then, as well as into the far future, from that point on. Rev. 1:1.
So now, for the word insertion by the translators. For reference, let's go to Revelation 11:1-13. We are going to examine verse 8.
Rev. 11:8 And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.
The word insertion of the 1611 KJV bible by the translators are the words "shall lie" in the street......
Though the words "shall lie" are the words of insertion by the translators, as an Ammillennial believer in Christ, the word "lie" as IF one be DEAD in the street, is that which I am seriously concerned about.
Since the translators are allowed the freedom of word suggestion and choice, I have discovered that through the Ammillennial viewpoint, the word "lie" is a most terrible choice of a word to insert, and therefore for purposes of our own understanding of "The Truth", as I have conveyed in detail earlier, I suggest that their insertion be changed to the word " WALK".
As a result, we can now understand Rev. 11:8 as being so:
Rev. 11:8 And their dead bodies shall "walk" in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.
I am suggesting that the "Dead bodies" are in meaning that they were RESURRECTED bodies that the people were seeing in Jerusalem, that were walking around, which is conducive to the Resurrection of Christ, the OC Saints, with John the Baptist being among them.
Mat. 27:50-54
As a Reminder, I am not changing the words of God here!!
I am suggesting that in our personal Bible studies, the human insertion of the word "LIE" be changed to the word "WALK", which is acceptable for a better understanding in the concept of Ammillenialism.
I agree with you that Revelation should not be forced into a strictly future, chronological scheme. However, once you reach Revelation 11:1–13, I believe your interpretation goes in the wrong direction—especially when you attempt to replace
“lie” with “walk” in Revelation 11:8.
There is simply
no textual basis for inserting “walk.”
The Greek of Revelation 11:8 reads:
καὶ τὸ πτῶμα αὐτῶν ἐπὶ τῆς πλατείας τῆς πόλεως τῆς μεγάλης
Literally:
“and their corpse/body [is] upon the street of the great city.”
The important word is
πτῶμα (ptōma)—a fallen body, corpse, or dead body. The KJV supplied “shall lie” because English requires a verb to make the sentence natural. The translators were not "inventing" the idea that the witnesses were dead.
The Greek noun itself communicates that!
Therefore, replacing “lie” with
“walk” does not merely substitute one harmless English word for another. It changes the meaning of the Greek text. A
πτῶμα is not a resurrected person walking around.
The context makes this even clearer:
“The beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and KILL them.” — Revelation 11:7
Then:
“Their dead bodies…” — Revelation 11:8
Then:
“They…shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.” — Revelation 11:9
And only
afterward:
“The Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet.” — Revelation 11:11
Notice the sequence:
Killed → dead bodies → remain dead → Spirit of life enters them → they stand.
If the “dead bodies” of verse 8 are already resurrected saints
walking around, then what exactly happens in verse 11 when the Spirit of life enters them and
they stand upon their feet?
Your interpretation effectively moves the resurrection into verse 8 even though Revelation itself places their revival in
verse 11.
I also disagree that the “great city” must be literal first-century Jerusalem. John himself warns us against such a simplistic geographical identification:
“the great city, which SPIRITUALLY is called Sodom and Egypt…” — Revelation 11:8.
That word
“spiritually” matters.
This city is characterized spiritually as
Sodom,
Egypt, and the place
“where also our Lord was crucified.” The imagery describes the
spiritual condition of the New Testament congregation that has become hostile to Christ and His testimony. Revelation uses “city” imagery symbolically elsewhere as well.
From the amillennial understanding I am presenting, the
Two Witnesses represent the witnessing Church—the Elect people of God—not resurrected Old Testament saints walking around first-century Jerusalem. Selah!
Revelation 11:3 says:
“I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy…”
Verse 4 immediately identifies them symbolically:
“These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.”
That deliberately draws upon Zechariah 4 while also using Revelation's own established symbolism of
candlesticks/lampstands for churches (Revelation 1:20).
The
1,260 days therefore portray the Church's divinely appointed period of Salvation Gospel Witness. God's people proclaim the Gospel under His authority until their testimony has accomplished God's purpose to ensure all Elect are secured, Revelation 7:1-4.
Then comes the beast's spiritual war against them.
Their “death” signifies the
silencing of their faithful testimony during the final apostasy/Great Tribulation. They have not suddenly become "resurrected Old Testament saints strolling through Jerusalem" as you think! Not at all!
Their testimony has been overcome and publicly treated as dead as if they do not care about the Truth.
That also explains why those dwelling upon the earth
“rejoice over them…make merry, and shall send gifts one to another” (Revelation 11:10). The faithful prophetic testimony that tormented them about their sin has finally been silenced. Professed Christians of the fallen congregation then can celebrate because the voice that exposed it appears defeated.
But it does not remain defeated.
After the symbolic three-and-a-half days:
“The Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet.” — Revelation 11:11.
God vindicates and revives His witnesses.
So I cannot accept changing your
“lie” to “walk.” There is no Greek manuscript evidence supporting “walk,” the Greek word
πτῶμα means a corpse/dead body, verse 7 explicitly says they are
killed, verse 9 continues calling them dead bodies, and verse 11—not verse 8—is where they finally stand again.
We should interpret Revelation symbolically where Revelation itself signals symbolism, but
symbolism does not give you the permission to replace the words of the text to make them fit your interpretation.
Let Scripture determine our interpretation—not alter Scripture to accommodate one.
Selah!
@rwb 
from My Interlinear: -
