Posted by Dena on February 21, 2008, at 22:12:25
In reply to Lou's reply to Dena-beastoutvthesea » Dena, posted by Lou Pilder on February 21, 2008, at 8:58:01
Lou -
This is amazing to me... I've been known as a Christian for over 30 years now... since I was 15. I've had many, many teachings about this book, about what it means (most of the teachings conflict with each other, as everyone seems to KNOW what it means, and even whole denominational divisions have occurred over it... so much for "they'll know we're Christians by our love".... sad).
So, you're saying that the way a Jew would understand this book, is that it's symbolic... it's about how to go from one who is "lost" to one who is "found"; from one who is "dead" to one who is "alive"; to be born anew.
This is startling to me, for I was taught this was a book of coming events, the "end times" when a literal "antichrist" (which I now know is not even mentioned in this book) would become a world-leader, and usher in the worship of the Beast, and everyone would have to take on the "mark of the Beast" on their head or their hand, not being able to either buy or sell without it. Then would come the tribulation, with many, many people being killed (unless they take the mark of the Beast), and the overcomers would go to heaven, to be with God. Then, a great battle -- then the Millenniel Reign (with the beast, false prophet and Satan locked up for a while). THen the bad guys get released, and some folks are deceived. And then, the false prophet, the beast, and all those who worshipped the beast, would be thrown into the lake of fire, to burn endlessly, forever and ever with no chance of escape. And those who overcame would live in the New Jerusalem (new heaven and new earth) forever and ever.
That, with a few variations, was what I was taught, as a "Christian", by those who said they knew these things.
And then, God took me out of the institutional church, out of Christianity (which I now believe is a manmade system), and I realized that I was part of His Ekklesia -- the called-out ones. Called out of all things man-made, including that which "calls itself church". I learned that Church is a people to be, not a place to go, or a thing to join. And I learned that I'd been duped about all manner of things... about the system of Christianity, about what the gospel is, about the clergy-laity division, about how women being second-class citizens, and I came to believe that God's plan has always been to reconcile all things, including all people, to Himself. IOW, that He saves everyone. That the power of the atonement extends to ALL, and that all will, one way or another, no matter what it takes, no matter how many firey ordeals, or how long the age of correction/pruning, everyone will come to the end of themselves, having been salted by fire, and SEE Him for who He is, and CHOOSE Him (& there is an order, starting with firstfruits, and continuing) -- thus, every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that He is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. For He is the Savior of ALL, especially those who believe.
So, Lou, are you now telling me, after all this time of sharing your "experience", that the book known as "The Revelation" is not about future events, but about the wooing, delivering, transforming, refining process of what God does within each one's life...?
Wow.Ok, I have to go back in and read it (I use a more literal translation than what's commonly read). I want to delve into what HE says to each of the 7 assemblies (as my translation puts it).
I want to see what I get out of it, with this particular enlightening... and I'm asking the Holy Spirit to show me what He wants me to see...
Shalom, Dena
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> Dena,
> You wrote,[...symbolism..beast...sea...].
> When John penned the book called The revelation, I believe that what he penned was intended for at least Jewish people that were versed in their scriptures and so that the symbols used could be understood by them. Then they could speak the meanings of the symbols to those not versed in the scriptures that the Jews used.
> The book says that what is in it is {to the 7 "churches"}. The English word, "church" means {the called out by the God that the Jews worship}. It has been revealed to me that the "7" churches then are symbolic of the {complete} group of the called out by God, 7 being the symbolic number that Jews consider to be meaning to be {complete}. The people in those called out by the God that the Jews worship groups, then have been revealed to me to be all of those people in all ages. This then has been revealed to me to mean that the book is to all those at anytime that are reading it, be it in the time period when John penned it, or anytime after that, being now or 1000000 years from now.
> The book writes that anyone that reads it will be blessed. The book writes that the one that penned it, John, was in Spirit at the time of penning it. It was what was revealed to him by an angel of God. And the book writes that it is to {he that has an ear} to let him hear what {The Spirit} says to {the churches}.
> My friends, it is my deep conviction that anyone that is reading this has an ear to hear and that the hearing will be a spiritual hearing. I base this on what I believe to be that the Word of God is what the God that the Jews worship use to draw all men to Him.
> The Jews had a king, David. He was the king of the nation of Israel. It has been revealed to me that there is a spititual Israel. And in the book called Genesis, we read in the 28th chapter, about Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. and starting at verse 12, that the God of Israel tells Abraham that He will give him the land and to his seed. And then God says that his seed will spread to the west and to the north and to the east and to the south, and in his seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.
> Lou
>
>
poster:Dena
thread:799425
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/faith/20070227/msgs/814015.html