These next few chapters in
Revelation have been a particular area of continued discovery for me over the
last several years. The first step
towards making many of these discoveries was recognizing that previous teaching
in this area could be in error. After
all, I had listened to some of the most respected prophecy teachers in the
evangelical arena. I began doing lots of
outside reading and research to become acquainted with alternative teachings and
was rewarded to be able to pick up nuggets here and there that have helped me
to find more pieces that fit naturally into the prophetic puzzle and answer
some of the questions that had been left unanswered by previous teaching. (Wow that was a mouthful!)
I am going to slow the pace
quite a bit to allow time for meditation and consideration of the ideas
presented. My prayer is that you will
consider the thoughts presented in light of the scripture. Hopefully, you will find some of the
prophetic puzzle pieces fitting more naturally as well.
Revelation 4:1 “After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and
the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me;
which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be
hereafter.”
After receiving
the letters to the churches, John looks up to see a door opened in heaven. The very first voice he hears sounds like a
trumpet and calls him up to enter heaven.
This description connects directly to the voice of Divine nature
identified in chapter 1.
Revelation 1:10–11 “I
was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a
trumpet, Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last….”
Based on Paul’s
letter to the Thessalonians, I had always been taught to understand John’s
experience as representing the rapture of the church, but I no longer believe
that to be true.
1 Thessalonians 4:16 “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with
the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ
shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught
up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall
we ever be with the Lord.”
The
verses in Thessalonians detail the voice of the archangel and the trump
of God. They also detail Jesus coming to get us—not just calling out for
us. It makes more sense within the
context to represent a change in perspective—from earthly to heavenly, and I
believe that will become clearer as we progress through this study.
The
purpose for bringing John to heaven is to show him things that are yet to
happen. The majority of the Revelation
John is yet to receive is still future, but I believe a foundation is being
laid at this point which will help us better understand events to come.
The same can be said for the first half of chapter 12.
This
change in my understanding in no way precludes my belief in a pre-tribulation
rapture. I still strongly hold to that
belief; I just do not agree that events will occur as understood by most in the
pre-tribulation camp.
I
believe the tribulation, also known as the 70th week of Daniel, is
directed toward the people of Israel—not the church—to produce a believing
remnant through whom God will honor His covenants with Abraham and David. I believe that the coming time of God’s wrath
also known as “the day of the Lord” is directed in vengeance toward the enemies
of God; this is the time from which believers are promised deliverance. These actions of God are directed toward
different people groups for different purposes.
Though I believe these two times of judgment run basically concurrently,
I do not believe they necessarily have the same starting point. Some of the same judgments may be used,
however, in accomplishing both purposes—much as one fire can be used for
multiple purposes.
I
might add that I will continue to be open to scriptural teaching that may cause
me to modify my beliefs once again. I
only want to know the truth, and my beliefs will always be subject to the
enlightenment of the Spirit based on the study of God’s word. I never want to miss out on discovering the truth
because I am close-minded.
(to be continued…)
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