Book of Revelation

Sriracha said:
I enjoy my Life Application bible, as it is written like a study guide giving references to other verses while it explains the verse.


Perhaps what would be a good idea is if [MENTION=4717]subwayrider[/MENTION] created a group for this discussion, b/c then he can post individual threads regarding the reading homework. It think it would be easier to find. What do you think?
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Very nice idea! We could have a thread for each book in the Bible (maybe starting with the new testament) and share our thoughts on it and discuss our thoughts and discuss us discussing our thoughts. lol
uberrogo said:
Roman Priest Scott Hahn wrote a book called The Lambs Supper which I found interesting back in my Protestant days because of how he explained everything as being in context with the current Roman liturgy.
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Funny you mention that! Quote from the Bible @magister343 suggested, YLT
Revelations 1 said:
[SUP]9[/SUP]I, John, who also [am] your brother, and fellow-partner in the tribulation, and in the reign and endurance, of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, because of the word of God, and because of the testimony of Jesus Christ;
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Does that suggest they were already in the tribulation?
 
The group thing is a good idea. I can create it tonight, unless someone else wants to.
 
Regarding the outcome of the cleansing of earth by fire, it matters not for consciousness is eternal. I see the human species continuing on earth to build utopia. That's what it means by believing in Jesus, or accepting him as your lord and savior-- you must believe God made a man who was part man, part divinity. You must believe that you are part man, part divinity, and are eternal through the realization that the body, mind (Holy Ghost), and spirit are united.
 
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subwayrider said:
That sounds like a good idea. My parents are letting me borrow theirs.

How about we read up to the end of 9?

And then we come back and post on Friday.

@uberrogo
@Kmal
@just me
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I would quite enjoy that if time were present and I felt well. However, I could never go over that many chapters so quickly. I will drop in and touch base here and there as time permits.

Versions? I like my King James Version, but with seasoning, which is why it took me so long to study when I studied. Strong's Exhaustive Concordance, a Greek Lexicon, and the interlinear translations kept me pretty busy. I like the KJV that will have red lettering in the New Testament and footnotes of other verses to read with specific verses. Call me old-fashioned if you will.

I may start reading a chapter and end up reading three verses there, then be off for an hour or two following wherever the books and the Spirit lead me.

It is so much more than just words, btw (the sword). INFJs most likely will be apt to look deeply into this if they are truly interested, rather than skimming the surface. Just to speak my mind with no harm meant, I would much rather talk about the Bible than compare it with other writings, too; but that's just me. You guys do it the way you desire.
 
I have created the group. If anyone wants to join, let me know, and I will send the invite.
 
@magister343

You and I have similar thoughts on this. The YLT has obvious advantages in its own right. Later, I discovered the NLT to be a fresh look at the stories.
 
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If you want to get a jumpstart on Revelation, keep in mind the possible perspective that many of the events describe the events that have already occurred. While this view may be objectionable on further analysis, it can be a nice anchor on the wordy debates and analyses out there.
And the balance of events—I would say a minority of them—are possibly events that have already begun to occur or, in many views, will occur.
 
I don't personally care for Apocalyptic writings (or end times talk in general). However, I grew up pretty religious, so I had to study it just to kind of get along. Here are what I think are the basics:

1. Apocalyptic literature is a distinct genre with its own set of rules. It is filled with symbolism and metaphor, and trying to read it literally is nutty. The book of the Revelation of John begins as simple letters to some of the local churches, but soon enters into the Apocalyptic realm.

2. This genre tends to be written by people who believe they are in the last days, and the events they describe are CURRENT for their day. Trying to look into Daniel or Revelation to get clues for the future makes no sense.

3. The "rapture" is an interpretation first imagined in the 1800s. The only verse that actually uses "caught up" (rapture in latin) is most traditionally associated with the second coming, not any in between rapture doohicky. Belief in a rapture became more common among evangelicals in the 1970s when Chuck Smith's Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa became the hub of the Jesus People movement.

4. John's Revelation is really very simple, speaking a message of hope to the Christians suffering under the persecutions of Nero and his successor Domitian. John basically says, "Things seem beyond awful, but if you pull back the curtain, the truth is revealed that G-d is in control and has a plan." It is ultimately this central message which has given hope to many Christians suffering in various places throughout the last two millenia. IOW, although the symbols refer directly to current events (Nero adds to 666 in numerology) the general message is one that resounds on a more universal level.

I remember in high school one of my friends was remarking how difficult she found Revelation to understand. Another friend gave the best response ever. He said, "Actually Revelation is the easiest book to understand: Jesus wins."
 
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Kmal said:
Regarding the outcome of the cleansing of earth by fire, it matters not for consciousness is eternal. I see the human species continuing on earth to build utopia. That's what it means by believing in Jesus, or accepting him as your lord and savior-- you must believe God made a man who was part man, part divinity. You must believe that you are part man, part divinity, and are eternal through the realization that the body, mind (Holy Ghost), and spirit are united.
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I think most Christians would consider your idea that you are part man and part divinity to be... unusual... at best.
 
Kmal said:
@just me the two edged sword is words. domestication allows the pen to be mightier than the sword. what do you think?
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The sword represents discernment.
 
uberrogo said:
Roman Priest Scott Hahn wrote a book called The Lambs Supper which I found interesting back in my Protestant days because of how he explained everything as being in context with the current Roman liturgy.
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I'm curious why you refer to him as a Roman Priest rather than a Catholic priest. Scott Hahn is one of the best known converts from evangelicalism to Catholicism, and he is interesting in that he reasons for catholic points using a manner associated more with evangelicals. Because he speaks "protestantese" so fluently, his writings have managed to pull quite few protestants into the Catholic church.
 
I recently began reading an Aramaic to English translation of the New Testament.

It's quite good.

I'll read some Revelations tonight and see if I'm inspired to share anything.
 
I read through this book. I devoured it. I was completely fascinated with this subject matter for a long time before I got a bit overwhelmed by it. I might just pick it up again to keep up with the thread.
 
I used to be quite an expert on Revelation. I read it 8 times in a row when I was 8 years old, and researched it a fair amount since. It has been a while though, so I may have forgotten a lot of it.



Actually, the notion that there will be a rapture before the second coming is a fiction invented by Increase and Cotton Mather in the 1600s, not the 1800s. It was not very respected for the first couple centuries though. I was raised in a family that believes in it strongly, but have never been able to find any scriptural basis for it. The verses usually used to support it only do so when twisted wildly out of context.


Technically "Nero" in biblical numerology adds up to 616. However, in eastern portions of empire Nero's name was typically rendered as "Neron" (the Greek 3rd declension uses the whole stem as the nominative case, whereas in Latin the second n is present only in oblique cases), which does add up to 666. It is also worth noting that many of the oldest manuscripts used 616 instead of 666.

I've also read that the number 666 could be represented by three sigmas, which was a symbol associated with the Cult of Isis (the heavily Hellenized one that the Ptolemies pretty much made up to bolster their political power, not the older Egyptian beliefs on which it was based).



The sword represents the Word of God, not just words in general. Being two edged means that it can cut both ways. One must be careful when trying to use it against others, as one can easily hurt oneself at the same time. It is not safe for hypocrites to use, especially if they cannot handle an honest rebuke.
 
One small bite to add about the sword before leaving for work: the two edges cut to reveal truth and heal by doing so. Those that wish to be healed by it must adhere to The Word of God; those that wish not to be healed, they will only feel the cutting part of the sword. Thus, it is viewed differently. There is a place in the Bible where it will "smite the nations". That has the same double meaning, as the smiting can also heal.

There is still so much more, discernment sounding realistically a valid part of it.

[MENTION=4576]GracieRuth[/MENTION], the first three chapters mean so much to me before trying to read the rest of it for obvious reasons..

I will join the group if I can somewhat sideline while we are finally busy a bit. I am quite looking forward to reading the thread.
 
Bird said:
@Barnabas may have some insight though I haven't seen
him around in quite some time.



Well hell he changed his name?


@The Doctor


how ironic I was lurking your profile just yesterday trying
to figure out who you were with 4000+ posts and a name
I didn't recognize. I didn't lurk your posts or else it would
have been obvious. Sorry for the derailment sub.


A side note: I'm really interested in the barbarity of the
original texts of the book of Leviticus.
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Looks like I have been outed. So I guess I'll check back in on this on friday, anyone feel free PM me if you have any questions especially where the imagery is related as it's often the hardest part to digest.
 
Revelation: Christianity can be applied very broadly. Simply said, it is the worship of the body housing the spirit. In the old testament, the body was vile and full of sin. Now, with the revelation of Christ, we are to live forever through the body housing the spirit because we worship and love the body housing the spirit (and the earth which it needs to live on). Jesus was the template, the perfect unity of Man and God. If we continue on our path, which is essentially directed by the spirit towards perfection on the inside of the body and on the outside, the perfect unity of Man and God will come again on the outside.

Or at least that's what I got from the New testament.
 
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