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Heavenly Jerusalem is in the new heavens and earth (Revelation 21:10).The city he awaited was going to rule from heaven…
Heb 12:22-23…
“But you have approached a Mount Zion and a city of the living God, heavenly Jerusalem, and myriads of angels 23 in general assembly, and the congregation of the firstborn who have been enrolled in the heavens, and God the Judge of all, and the spiritual lives of righteous ones who have been made perfect”.
“Heavenly Jerusalem” is the one God promised….the place where angels reside…..literal Jerusalem is no longer featured in God’s purpose….neither are literal Israel, who have not accepted Christ as Messiah today any more than they did back in the first century. It is a requirement for salvation.
“The congregation of the firstborn…have been enrolled in heaven”….disciples of Christ who have been “made perfect”.
Satan possessed the serpent and deceived Eve (Genesis chapter 3).The fact that demon-possession was introduced during Jesus' lifetime and never in the OT, tells us that the fallen angels, the minions of Satan, were cast down to earth not long after Jesus' birth.
Prophetic Scripture reveals this.
No other 'interpretation" can change what Scripture teaches.
If,as you imply in referring to the Revelation 12:7 verse is true, Satan isn't yet cast from Heaven,wouldn't you then be saying all that Lucifer ,who still lives in Heaven, has done on Earth thus far is under God's directive?The 1st thing to understand, is that the Revelation 12:7 war in Heaven between Archangel Michael and his angels against Satan and his angels, did NOT... happen back in history. It is an event still future to us today. We only need to read that prophecy as written to know this...
Rev 12:7-17
7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,
8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
That idea that Satan and his angel's place will no more be found in the heavenly dimension once that heavenly war happens, is an eye opener showing many doctrines of men about this are simply junk, and made up.
There are only TWO different dimensions of existence written of in all of God's Word, the Heavenly dimension where God and the angels dwell, including where Satan and his angel's place is, and then this earthly dimension in which we live in. The sky atmosphere around the earth, which some confuse because God's Word also refers to it as a heaven, is actually part of our earthly material dimension.
When that Revelation 12:7-8 Scripture says no more place 'in heaven' will be found for Satan and his angels after that war in heaven, it means exactly that. During this present world time Satan is allowed to roam up and down, and in the earth, like he answered God in the Book of Job when God asked him what he'd been up to. And Apostle Peter in 1 Peter 5:8 warned us that Satan still roams about today like a lion, seeking whom he may devour.
But after this war in Heaven, Satan will no longer be allowed to approach God's Throne and accuse us before God. He simply won't be allowed there in Heaven. That means only one other... place he can come, and that is here, on earth, in our earthly dimension, and in plain sight. That is something the world is not prepared for, including most brethren in today's Church.
9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, "Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.
11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
That especially is about the persecution during the coming tribulation by Satan and his of Christ's very elect who are to give a TESTIMONY against the beast at the end of this world. Some of us will be delivered up to give that TESTIMONY by The Holy Spirit like Jesus forewarned in Mark 13. We will overcome Satan and his host on earth by The Blood of The Lamb, Jesus Christ, not loving our lives even to the death, if it comes to that.
12 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.
That "short time" the devil knows he has is about the latter day "great tribulation" at the end of this present world. Satan will be given to reign over all nations on earth for a period of 42 months, per the Revelation 13:4-8 Scripture.
13 And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.
14 And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.
This symbolic "woman" represents BOTH 'houses' of Israel, the "house of Judah" (Jews), and the "house of Israel" (ten lost tribes of Israel). Don't be concerned with those who go against that, because they don't study their Old Testament histories, which the subject about the two separate 'houses' of Israel is written all throughout The Old Testament Scriptures, and even in some places in The New Testament that quotes The Old Testament, like in Hebrews 8 and Hebrews 10.
That "a time, and times, and half a time" is equal to the 1260 days at the end, per the Book of Daniel, and per God's two witnesses that are to appear in Jerusalem at the end, per Revelation 11. It is equivalent to the 42 months reign by Satan and his host at the end.
15 And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.
16 And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.
That's a metaphor used by our Lord Jesus Christ. That shows we are to grasp a deeper meaning behind the giving of that, which is how all metaphors, allegories, and parables work.
Why did Lord Jesus use the time of the flood in Noah's day as symbolic for all this working by that old serpent the devil? It is because like Jesus said in Matthew 24, that He shortened the time of the coming tribulation at the end of this world, for His elect's sake. The original prophecy says it will last 1260 days, or 42 months. Jesus changed that. What to?
If you go back into Genesis and look at the actual amount of time that the ark of Noah was upon the 'height' of flood waters, you will notice it was a total of 150 days. Per the old Hebrew calendar of 30 days a month, that 150 days equals a period of "five months". And "five months" is how long the symbolic 'stinging' by the locusts in Revelation 9 is to last upon the deceived. Truly, Lord Jesus has told us all things. We just have to pay attention. Jesus used here the flood waters of Noah's day to represent the LIES to cause deception out of the serpent's mouth, which is a type of attack upon God's people at the end. The time that Noah's ark was upon the 'height' of flood waters represents that 1260 days shortened to "five months."
17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
KJV
Beware of the Pre-tribbers who reject the above being about Christ's Church also. They reject it because of the lie they are taught by charlatans that they will be raptured prior to these tribulation events at the end. Jesus showed His coming to gather His saints will be after... the tribulation (Matthew 24:29-31 and Mark 13:24-27).
Thus the main idea in this latter section of Revelation 12 after the war in Heaven, is that Satan is coming to OUR world, in plain sight, with his angels. Those of us alive then will see him on earth. Even per God's parable in Ezekiel 28, Satan's future destruction will happen ON EARTH. Those who try to convince brethren that Satan was bound at Jesus' cross omit many of these prophecies about the very end, so you will be in danger if you heed those doctrines of men. Stay in God's Word. Check everything out in God's written Word.
Continued...
If,as you imply in referring to the Revelation 12:7 verse is true, Satan isn't yet cast from Heaven,wouldn't you then be saying all that Lucifer ,who still lives in Heaven, has done on Earth thus far is under God's directive?
How do you explain God making Lucifer lord,prince,of the Earth? If he still lives in Heaven with God as his adversary.
o. Satan was cast down in the early history of the earth, and he tempted Eve to sin (Genesis 3:1-7, Revelation 20:1-3).The fact that demon-possession was introduced during Jesus' lifetime and never in the OT, tells us that the fallen angels, the minions of Satan, were cast down to earth not long after Jesus' birth.
Prophetic Scripture reveals this.
No other 'interpretation" can change what Scripture teaches.
The problem with this view is that the book of Job shows Satan appearing before God in heaven well after his original fall.I see three options for when Satan was cast out of heaven (depending on your eschatological view)
1) His original fall (I lean towards this)
I believe this is clearly the best option because it talks about Satan having accused believers before God before being cast out and no one can accuse believers before God anymore because of what Christ accomplished (Romans 8:33).2)When Jesus went into the true Holy of Holies and offered up His own Blood
I can't take this option seriously.3)Right after the antichrist commits the abomination of desolation
For me,if we believe Lucifer still resides in Heaven with God,makes God appear complicit in all the evil Lucifer does .
I appreciate your opinion there.Is that the way it is here on earth too, that there can not exist any 'good' people because evil people exist here on earth? The Heavenly dimension is no different, God's Word tells us of places of separation in the heavenly apart from Him and His host vs. Satan and his abode and the wicked dead in hell. Jesus even showed us that 'hell' (Hades), the abode of the wicked is in Paradise, but across a great fixed gulf from where Abraham is on the other side.
I appreciate your opinion there.
I see Earth's culture as unrelated to Heaven'.
I see it as Judicial symmetry. Heaven gives blessings. Hell gives condemnation and suffering.
Heaven brings us into the presence of God. Hell insures eternal separation.
Heaven extols the virtues of peace,holy light, and mercies.
Hell is a culture of darkness, wrath and deceit.
I think you presume quite a bit there.You will eventually learn that Heaven and hell are 'real' places, and not some philosophical construct.
These aliens that Satan's representatives here on earth today are preparing the world to accept are not aliens, as there is no such thing. They are angelic beings that dwell in the heavenly realm. They are able to manifest in both our earthly realm, and in the heavenly realm, going back and forth at will. They are not monsters. Nor are they just a figment of one's imagination. Understanding this is a requirement of belief of The Bible. We cannot just slice n' dice The Bible up into parts we want and parts we don't want.
I think you presume quite a bit there.
I have not said I do not believe Heaven and Hell are a real place.
My prior post did not even imply such a thing.
I think you're mistaken in your reply and meant it for someone else.
I appreciate your effort to clarify your prior opinion of my thoughts.I'll do this then, just so you know my line of thinking based on your choice of words...
You said:
I see Earth's culture as unrelated to Heaven'.I see it as Judicial symmetry. Heaven gives blessings. Hell gives condemnation and suffering.Heaven brings us into the presence of God. Hell insures eternal separation.Heaven extols the virtues of peace,holy light, and mercies.Hell is a culture of darkness, wrath and deceit.
Those underlined areas are philosophical speech. The word 'culture' can be interpreted many different ways. The phrase 'Judicial symmetry', that I don't what is in relation to God's Word. Heaven does not necessarily bring us into the presence of God, because the abode of the wicked called Hades (or hell) is in... the heavenly dimension also, across the great fixed gulf of Paradise which Jesus revealed in Luke 16. The preaching and hearing of God's Word is what brings us to God through His Son Jesus Christ. And for wrath, God has His Wrath too, upon the rebellious and wicked, as it is on earth as also in Heaven.
o. Satan has been here many years.I see three options for when Satan was cast out of heaven (depending on your eschatological view)
1) His original fall (I lean towards this)
2)When Jesus went into the true Holy of Holies and offered up His own Blood
3)Right after the antichrist commits the abomination of desolation
It appears you have a different ideology as pertains to the teachings of Jesus than what is my own understanding.
It is insurmountable. Because Jesus did not tell us Heaven and Hell are in the same realm.
Heaven is described in Matthew 6