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Thursday, April 01, 2004

Revelation 9: Trumpet 5 - An Army of... Locust? - destination

Revelation 9:  Trumpet 5 - An army of... Locust?

Are you ready for some fun stuff?  Let's dig in!

And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.  And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.  (vs 1-2)

STAR FALLS FROM HEAVEN.   I've done a TON of reading, trying to figure out who or what the star is.  Some say it's Satan, who was cast out of heaven.  Some say Mohammed.  Some say the Pope. But first let's look at the word 'star'. A star is someone of importance in the church - in Revelation 1 the stars in Jesus' hand were the 'bishops' (church heads).  So this is a man of importance in the church.  The next word to look at is 'fall'... because I looked up the Greek, and it means to be cast down, or removed from position.  This 'star' is Satan. Look at Isaiah 14:  How art thou fallen from heaven, 0 Lucifer, son of the morning!  And at first I wasn't sure, because it has to be someone of importance in the church... but if scripture is right, Satan will be a person of importance in the church... from within the AntiChrist.  But Anna, you say, you believe the pope is the False Prophet!  Well, bear with me here a moment, and you'll see.

First, the Bible calls the AntiChrist 'the son of perdition'.  The only other person called 'the son of perdition' is Judas Iscariot, and as I've written, Satan only possesses two people in scripture - Judas and the AntiChrist - who is elevated to power by the person of importance in the 'church' in the end times - the False Prophet.   I'm also looking at the prophecies of St. Malachay when I read this - I have not been shown where he was ever wrong, so I am playing devil's advocate and referring to the popes to come from his list.  After John Paul II (that's the current guy, right?), there are two more popes before the end: The Glory of Olives and then Peter the Roman.  I'm wondering if Gloria Olivae might not be the False Prophet, and at this point (Trumpet #5) Satan (as the AntiChrist) usurps or is given over the False Prophet's title as head of the church, and is given power over the earth.   Peter the Roman. 

And one more thing to note of importance:  I said at the end of Chapter 8 that it was a strange place to divide the Tribulation... in the middle of the trumpet judgments.  But here in Trump 5, we see Satan being given power on the earth.  It's the perfect timing for when the AC exalts himself and takes over the temple (declares himself God)... which is right up Satan's alley.  ((also note that this desecration occurs 3.5 years into the Trib.))  So this may be the point where that happens.  It fits well... very well.   And ((again)) I don't know how it's gonna go.  Not that it matters - I don't plan on being here.

Following thru with my scenario, the AC (now a god presiding on the earth, with power over economy, government, finance, and every other facet of life) takes the reigns of religion, and 'unites' them all together to complete the universal picture.

The verse says the smoke 'darkens the sun and the air'.   The sun is symbolic of Christ, the light of the World... and if the sun is darkened, the air must also be, for the air is lit by the sun.  The ‘air’ symbolizes the Church, because the Church receives her light from Christ as does the air from the sun.  So the AC's 'religious unity' will darken the message of Christ and His church.  It's not truth at all, and yes - this is a BAD THING.

And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.  And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads. And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man.  And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them. (vs 3-6)

borrowed from RevelationIllustrated

Thought you'd like some visuals this time.  ((wink!))  It's a wicked picture, I'll give it that, but it's not keeping with what I think this trumpet refers to.  Although there are folks who really believe there will be a freakish strain of locusts that hatch and attack.  I have some problems with it.  First, if they were *really* locusts, they would be naturally drawn to the grass and trees and vegetation ((what's left of it, anyhow)).  They aren't - they're after men.  Second, they aren't after men in general - just the men who don't have the seal of God on their forehead.  I'm not guessing locust-critters could differentiate man from man by a seal.  Besides, wait until you hear what these babies look like:

And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men. And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions.  And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle.  And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months. (vs 7-10)

borrowed from RevelationIllustrated

Kinda reminds me of the centinels of The Matrix... how about you?  ((wink!))  Sorry, couldn't resist.  The picture is interesting, but (again), I'm not sold on them being actual locusts

Let's look at what the theologians thought.  I'm going to draw heavily from here on out from Dr. Daniel Botkin in this article:  Writer Robert Wieland states that the Reformers “clearly recognized Islam” in this passage.  John Foxe, author of Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, said that it is “clearer than light itself” that this a prophecy of the Muslim conquests.  Albert Barnes wrote: “With surprising unanimity, commentators have agreed in regarding this to the empire of the Saracens [Arab Muslims}, or to the rise and the progress of the religion and the empire set up by Muhammed.”   W.B. Godbey began his comments on Revelation 9 by stating, “This chapter is a thrilling description of the rise and progress of the Mohammedan wars.”  Adam Clarke said that John’s description of the army of locusts “certainly agrees better with the Saracens than with any other people or nation” and “agrees very well with the troops of Mohammed.”  Matthew Henry referred to the army of locusts as “the armies of the Mohamedan empire.”  John Wesley said, “All this agrees with the slaughter which the Saracens made for a long time after Mahomet’s [Mohammed’s] death.”

LOCUST = ISLAM?  Why an army of locusts to represent an army of Muslims? About 900 years before Revelation, Joel symbolically described an invading, attacking army as a swarm of locusts.  Any large, invading army might be compared to a swarm of locusts, but the Arabs and Muhammed have a unique connection to the locust: “In the Bedoween romance Antar, the locust is introduced as the national emblem of the Ishmaelites, the ancestors of the Arabs.   And it is a remarkable coincidence that Muslim tradition speaks of locusts having dropped into the hands of Muhammed, bearing on their wings this inscription – ‘We are the army of the Great God.’ As we saw a Muslim writer unwittingly connect Islam’s beginnings to the Abyss, here we see Muslim writers unwittingly connect Islam to the locusts that come from the Abyss.

THE ISLAMIC ABYSS.  The army of locusts came forth from a dark cloud of smoke that rolled out of the bottomless pit. The “bottomless pit” in Greek is abussos (abussoß), the source of our English word abyss. Some Bibles simply translate it as “the abyss.” It is remarkable that Abul A’la Mawdudi, one of Islam’s most prominent scholars of the 20th century, used the very word abyss when writing about the beginnings of Islam. In a book written to introduce English-speaking people to the basics of Islam, Mawdudi tells his readers that Muhammed and his message came out of “Arabia – the Abyss of Darkness.” These are his exact words, and they appear in bold print as a sub-heading in his book.

THE RESTRICTIONS.  "And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads” (Rev. 9:4).   Concerning trees and vegetation, the Koran says: “When you fight the battles of the Lord…destroy no palm trees, nor burn any fields of grain. Cut down no fruit trees…” (Forster’s Mohammedism Unveiled, vol.i. p.217)   Commentator Albert Barnes wrote: “This precept is the more remarkable because it has been the usual custom in war, and particularly among barbarians and semi-barbarians, to destroy grain and fruit, and especially to cut down fruit trees, in order to do the greater injury to an enemy."

THEIR APPEARANCE  (citing this site and it's references)

• "The shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle.”  Adam Clarke wrote: “The Arabs are the most expert horsemen in the world: they live so much on horseback that the horse and his rider seem to make but one animal.”  
• John describes the locusts as wearing “as it were crowns like gold”. In the Arab story Antar, it is written that God intended for Arabs “that their turbans should be unto them instead of diadems.” Godbey points out that yellow turbans were worn by Muslims.  
• John’s locusts had faces of men and hair of women. Historical references from the 3rd, 4th, and 5th centuries mention that Arabs wore beards (“faces of men”) and long, uncut hair (“as the hair of women”).  Quoting again from the Arab poem Antar, we see a reference to beards, shoulder-length hair, and turbans on Arab men: “He adjusted himself properly, twisted his whiskers, and folded up his hair under his turban, drawing it from off his shoulders.”  
• The “teeth as the teeth of lions,” a phrase borrowed from Joel 1:6, speaks of the ferociousness and violence of the army.
• The “breastplates of iron” speak of the Arabs’ armor. The poem Antar makes at least four references to a warrior’s cuirass or breastplate. The Koran says, “God hath given you coats of mail to defend you in your wars.”
• The locusts’ “tails like unto scorpions” may be understood refer to the victorious Muslims “infecting the conquered with their pernicious doctrines” by forcing them to convert to Islam.

FIVE MONTHS.  The normal life expectancy of locust are five months, born in the spring and dying at the end of the summer. However, we know John better than to leave this number with a biological interpretation.  The number "five" usually means a "small amount," somewhat similar to our "handful." Uses of the number five in Jesus' parables include five talents placed in the care of a servant, and two sets of five bridesmaids watching for the groom.

NO HARM TO THE SEALED.   Here's where I wonder if this 'locust=Islam' is right.  I'm trying to put all of this together.  We have the AC/Satan taking the final step in becoming Universal sovreign - he becomes the head of all religion, and the mix of these pagan/christian faiths creates a smoke that darkens truth.  As a result of this action taken by AC/Satan, we see an army rise.  It doesn't say that Satan puts together this army, it simply says the army comes from the pit. 

I'm guessing that since the Koran specifies that all Christians/Jews/non-Muslims are infidels, this 'unity' results in an Islamic uprising in protest, and they would.  It's kind of sobering to think, because Solana has said that he intends to unify Christianity, Islam, and Judaism under the fact that they all share roots to Abraham.  Only he forgets the most important thing - Abraham might have united, except that Jesus divides.  So much so that this is an inscription at Dome of the Rock - the Muslim shrine on Temple Mount:  "O you People of the Book, overstep not bounds in your religion, and of God speak only the truth. The Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, is only an apostle of God, and his Word which he conveyed unto Mary, and a Spirit proceeding from him. Believe therefore in God and his apostles, and say not Three. It will be better for you. God is only one God. Far be it from his glory that he should have a son." 

TORMENTED, NOT KILLED  I don't get this, either.  And the torment is so that they would wish to die.   I guess we'll have to wait and see.  Or they will, anyhow...

Monday, November 10, 2003

Matrix: Revolutions - destination

Matrix: Revolutions [Spoilers]
Everything that has a beginning, has an end...

...But not this story.  They claim to have told the whole thing - there will be no more sequels... but the whole tale is not told.  We are given the Gospels alone.  I will explain as we go.

For those who don't remember, The Matrix was about a man who discovered that what he percieved to be reality was really a program that his mind thought was real, (the Matrix), while his body was held captives by machines in 'reality'.  He was set free to fulfill a prophecy and thought to be 'the One' (Savior) by a John-the-Baptist type (Morpheus).  The role of Neo begins as that of the christian walk, but by the end of the movie, they flip that role to being Messianic.  He fulfills that role, stopping bullets, raising from the dead, flying, and destroying Agent Smith.

Then came Matrix: Reloaded in which we realize that the community of freed people (Christians) - known as Zion - has been discovered by the machines, and an attack is coming, which only Neo can save them from.  So Neo has to go back into the Matrix and get to the Source and save Zion.  Only when he gets to the entrance to the source, he meets the Architect, a cat who tells Neo he's the fifth version of 'the One' and that there is no prophecy.  He gives Neo a choice: go to the Source and be part of the making of Matrix 6.0, or save Trinity, who's about to die.  Unlike the other Neos before him (5 books of the law in the OT) this Neo ("New" covenant) is one of love and grace, and he chooses Trinity, instead.  Love over Logic.  At the same time, we also discover that while the program Smith was destroyed, he chose not to be deleted, but to become a virus, and he's duplicating over and over, filling the Matrix with copies of himself.  He even infects a Zionist (Bane) and uses Bane's body to move into 'reality'.

The Matrix: Revolutions takes up where Reloaded ended, Neo tried to stop centinels (aka squiddies) in 'reality' and put himself in a coma.  BTW, this made a lot of people believe that the 'reality' is a Matrix within the Matrix - this is not true.  The fact of the matter is that the Matrix and 'Reality' are both in the same plane.  Just as Christians and Nonnies are on the same plane, only with different levels of enlightenment.  Got it?

And at the end of Reloaded, Smith hand-stabbed Bane (a Zionite) and 'possessed' him in the real world... then sabotaged the mission to stop the squiddie army from reaching Zion.  He basically gave away their position by firing an EMP too early.  All but one ship was toasted, and Niobe's ship (that wasn't there) is 'missing' - she's stuck somewhere in the grid with a dead battery.  So begins the Revolutions.  For those of you who are already lost... there's no hope for you to catch up with out the first two movies.

MOBIL AVE.  When Neo wakes up, he's in an underground train station called "Mobil Ave".  Mobil scrambled is 'Limbo'.  He's between 'reality' and 'the Matrix' somewheres.  His body is in 'reality', but he's 'jacked into' another realm, and without physically being 'jacked in'.  That kind of thing happens when you're the One, I guess.

DEFINITIONS.  Here we meet a father, mother, and child.  Many reviewers have said that because they appear to be Indian, this is a Buddist reference.  I say that's completely and utterly discriminatory.  That's like saying because someone's Arabic, their a jihad member.  In actuality, the man discusses how words are just words - they are as you interpret them.  Karma, for example.  Heck, I know some Wiccans that are gonna end up slugs in their next life because of their scewed definition of karma.  He uses "love" as another example, and I'm right with him - love to one person is not the same to another.  ((Think Anna's Biblical love vs. LUVVVV)) Anyhow, this couple explain to Neo about the train being a program written by the Merovingian that transports programs hither and yon.  It's operated by the trainman.  A half-psycho bum with freaky hair and bad teeth.  Who isn't about to give Neo a ride out of the station.  So Neo's trapped there.

ORACLE'S NEW SHELL.  Meanwhile, Morpheus and Trinity go to the Oracle to find out what's up with Neo's 'coma'... and the Oracle looks different (the chick playing her in the first two movies died of a heart attack).  She says her 'shell' was taken from her by the Merovingian as punishment for helping Neo.  She tells M&T about the train station and that the only way to get Neo out is to get the Merovingian to let him go.  She sends Seraph (guardian angel) with them to the Merovingian.

CLUB HEL.  So we go to Club Hel.  It's Merovingian's hang-out.  Aptly named, since his wife Persephone is the wife of the God of Hades (Hell) in Mythology.  Aptly portrayed, too - as we see a sadomasochistic, homosexual, bi-sexual, mutilations-galore scene with partial nudity and other ugly-buglies.  It's everything profane to scripture... so it's fitting to Club Hel.  ((Get it - hell?))  The Merovingian looks at Seraph (guardian angel) and says "the prodigal son returns"... it has something to do with the Animatrix, which I have yet to see, so I don't know.  Anyhoo, Merovingian says he's willing to bargain: he'll give them Neo if they bring him the eyes of the Oracle.  ((He wants Biblical foreknowledge.))  Trinity pulls a gun on him (resulting in guns being pointed on everyone) and simply says 'give us Neo or we all die right here, right now'.  Kudos to the WB for writing it this way - the Holy Spirit (Trinity) doesn't mess with the BS of spiritual wickedness.

REVELATION.  Neo is freed and goes to the Oracle.  She tells him frankly that Smith is the sum of the equation trying to balance itself out - some people have said this is the 'ying and yang' philosophy.  They're wrong - Ying and Yang are balance - Smith and Neo never balance out.  Smith is the Anti-Christ to Neo's Christ, and this plays itself out as we will see.  There is no ying or yang when one is defeated by the other.  Nuff said on that.  It's an illusionary measure.  The Oracle does say that one or the other will be defeated by the end of that day.  So much for ying and yang.

RAMPANT VIRUS ACTION.  After Neo leaves, Smith (50 or so of him) show up and challenge the Oracle.  Calls her 'mom', but she doesn't bite, and neither should you - it's another red herring.  If you want to know about Smith, read Isaiah 54:16.  You'll be shocked.  ((wink!))  Anyhow, Smith hand-stabs the Oracle and takes over her.  Smiths all over the Matrix are multiplying at an insane rate.  Neo realizes that if he isn't stopped, the Matrix will be destroyed regardless of what happens to Zion.  So he decides he is going to the Machine City to work out an ending to the Smith issue.

THE PLAN.  Only problem is, there are only two ships left, and neither of them in Zion (which is about to be creamed).  The one captain refuses to give Neo his ship, telling Neo to get bent.  But Niobe gives him her ship.  It's interesting to note people's stance in regards to Neo, btw.  So everyone piles in the other ship and head back to Zion via a shortcut to try to help save the city of the free, while Trinity and Neo take Niobe's ship to the Machine City (which is - in my opinion - the Holy of Holies.  See OT.  Because the WB have done some weird circling, and although the killed Neo in the first film, they haven't taken the story forward from there, but backed up to hit that spot again.  I don't know why.  It's kinda redundant, but then, that's what Revolutions means - to circle around or cycle events.  Get it?) 

THE BANE.  Unbeknownst to Neo & Trinity,  Bane/Smith is hiding in the ship, poised to kill them.  Bane shuts Trinity up in the 'basement' and burns Neo's eyesight out with electrical cables.  ((Jesus is scourged with whips, Neo is scourged with cables)).  Neo - being Christ - has spiritual sight and still destroys Bane/Smith.  So much for ying/yang.  Again.

BATTLE!  In the meantime, Zion is being toasted.  It's graphic, I didn't look.  Zee and 'the kid' join the volunteer forces and fight the good fight, but because Zion is relying on it's own works and not putting faith in the Lord (or the One), they're getting creamed.  It's gross.  But it's interesting that 'the Kid' says the reason he can't fight on a grand scale is because he 'never finished his training' and Captain Mifune says he never did, either - a christian's learning is never done.

MACHINE CITY.  Neo and Trinity fly into the Machine City and Trinity is killed in the process.  ((Hey, I warned you.))  I find it interesting that both Neo and Trinity die to their physical bodies in the Machine City - unlike any other human ever had or would.  Only the Holy Spirit and the Son of God could go into the presence of God.  Neo goes to speak to 'deus ex machina'... which is Latin for 'God in the Machine'... and it's literary meaning is 'one who will help the protagonist out of a difficult situation.'  Fitting.  I've read reviews that said that this is the 'reality' version of the Architect - that's BS.  The Architect was the False Prophet figure.  Just as Smith is the Anti-Christ figure that the FP elevates in order to fulfill a purpose against the will of God.  The Architect never wanted peace, he wanted perfection and was seeking destruction of imperfection... which is why at the end of Revolutions he's peevish about what happened.

Deus Ex Machina (God from here on out) says that He (the three in one) needs no one's help.  And it's true - God the Father and God the Son need no one else to defeat spiritual wickedness.  God then utilizes Neo (Jesus) to take upon himself the final battle against death and sin.  He raises up Neo on cables (Christ is raised up on a cross) and jacks him in, and Neo has a face-off with Smith(sin) in the Matrix(earth) for the benefit of all mankind - plugged or unplugged (believer or nonbeliever). 

THE OUTCOME.  The outcome?  Neo allows Smith to hand-stab him and 'overcome' him... remember, thru all three movies, choice is the main theme.  Neo knows that, as in the first movie - to destroy Smith is to crush him from within.  Once again, this is what happens.  All of the Smith's explode.  But because He is overcome by Smith (now allegory for sin), he must be destroyed, too.  Just as Christ took all sin upon him and died with it on the cross.  In fact, when this happens in Revolutions, you see a cross of light burst from Neo's body.  This is no accident.  Neo gives his life as a ransom for all.

This ends the threat of the destruction of Zion and the Matrix, just as Jesus wins the victory over sin and death for nonnies and Christians alike - but this is not the end of the story, by any means.  For even as the sun rises at the end of the movie, a new day dawns in reality, and as the Architect says, how long can it last?  It doesn't.  Those who choose to remain plugged in will still be fed off by the machines in 'reality', and those who unplug will still seek freedom for the enslaved minds.  Which means the war begins anew... only this time with a permanent redeemer replacing the 5 books of the law that atoned for sin before. 

CONCLUSION?  There is none.  Regardless of what WB and everyone says, this story is not ended.  It is merely a cyber-punk parable of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  The Gospel story is finished, but the war is far from over.  Until they have the second coming prophecy and fulfillment, the new Heaven, new Earth, and new 'Zion'... it's not over.  It's merely suspended until the end of the age of Grace, which is the Matrix... 5.0. 

Friday, September 26, 2003

Kings II - destination

Daniel & Prophecy: The Kings II
The Last of the Red Hot Kings

I’m skipping the end of chapter 11.  Two reasons: we’ve covered Antiochus Epiphanes in “The Little Horn”… this account of Antiochus is just more detail to prove the prophecies of Daniel true. I simply don’t have the time at this point to go into it and dig. I have time to wrap this up, and to do so, I’m moving on.

First, let's talk about "that time".  The final verse of Chapter 11 (which will set the time for Chapter 12) says:

...yet he [Antiochus] shall come to his end, and none shall help him.

At the end of Antiochus' reign, Daniel prophesied a certain amount of time (do you remember?) which took us to the death of Christ, and this was the end of the "Time of the Jews" - LESS ONE WEEK.  We have been in (and now are in) the "Time of the Gentiles", but there is one week left of the "Time of the Jews"... and that is the Tribulation period.  This is where we are.  Antiochus came to his end at the end of Chapter 11... and now we're

And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time... (12:1a)

Michael is the 'great prince' who guards the nation of Israel.  This statement about his standing up means "that time" is the "Time of the Jews" again... The time of trouble is the period of Tribulation, which has never been, and never will be again, since "that time" is the end.  Some people argue that "that time" is the time of Antiochus; however, the rest of this will disprove that.

...and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. (12:1b)

First reason it can't be Antiochus' time:  "the book" refers to the Lamb's book of Life, and John (in AD96) wrote that the judgment that utilizes that book hasn't occurred yet.  (Rev. 20 & 21)  Shoots that theory, don't it?

So Michael stands up, signifying the beginning of the tribulation period.  And as this starts, we have (in verse two) a 'deliverance'... all of the people whose names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life.  That would be the rapture, my friends.  However, note that it's only those written in the Lamb's book - that's not OT saints.  They were under blood sacrifices, not under the atoning blood of Christ.  They don't rise here.  Only the Christ-followers from the cross to the present.  We will be 'harpazo' - snatched away and judged at the FIRST judgment seat - the Lamb's throne.

And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.  (vs 2-3)

Second reason this is not Antiochus' time: the Bible states that Christ is the firstfruits of those that sleep who will rise (1 Thess 4:13-17).  Everyone else is still sleeping.  Paul wrote Thessalonians, and "that time" hadn't come even in Paul's day, and Paul of all people would know - He had been (before converting) of the ruling class of the Jews - he knew the prophecies better than any of us do.

This is a separate verse, a separate sentence from the one before, and for a good reason.  This is the second judgment - which is AFTER the Millennium.  According to Matthew 25:32, the dead will be resurrected (this is OT and Trib) and they will be separated and judged at the Final judgment throne. 

But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.  (vs 4)

Daniel was told to shut up the rest and seal the book... and in Revelation 5:1 we see a sealed book... and inside of it are the things that will happen to the earth.  Could they be the same book?  I would think it's a good possibility, wouldn't you?  It's interesting to note that while Daniel was told to seal the book, John (in Revelation 22:10) was told not to seal the book of prophecy.  Yet another reason it wasn't the time of Antiochus.

As for the running to and fro, and increase of knowledge... did you know that in 1910 the fastest man could travel was about 25 mph?  We now can reach the speed of sound.  Did you know that from the year 4000 B.C. until the year 1 B.C. knowledge doubled once, it took until 1780 for it to double again, and today, knowledge is doubling every 22 months?  Amazing.  (And another reason this couldn't refer to Antiochus' time.)

Then I Daniel looked, and, behold, there stood other two, the one on this side of the bank of the river, and the other on that side of the bank of the river.  And one said to the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, How long shall it be to the end of these wonders?  And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished. (vs 5-7)

We have three 'men' here... one on each side of the river and one dressed in linen upon the waters.  (Note: waters in biblical symbolism stand for the peoples of the earth.)  The man in linen would be Christ and He is over the peoples of the earth, his attendants at hand to do His bidding.  When asked how long it will be to the end of these wonders (remember, we're talking about the time of troubles, here), Christ answers "a time, times and an half".  Which we talked about in "The Little Horn", too - in regards to the rule of the Tribulation.  (yet another reason why this doesn't refer to Antiochus.)  Add up a year, two years and a half to equal three and a half years. 

And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things?  And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.  Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand. (vs 8-10)

I frankly don't know why Daniel was saying at this point that he didn't understand - if you think about it, none of this should've made sense to him, considering that none of it happened in his lifetime.  But then, maybe I'm a lot denser than Daniel.  ((Okay, guilty.))  I'm not wise, and I'm still trying to understand.

And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.   Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.  But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days. (vs 11-12)

Yes, Antiochus took away the sacrifice, but he was merely a precursor of the AntiChrist.  Jesus warned about the abomination that maketh desolate in Matt 24:15 and Mark 13:14, so it hadn't been accomplished yet, even hundreds of years after Antiochus.  Another reason it couldn't be Antiochus' time.  Apparently, the Anti-Christ will also stop the sacrificeing, and enstate the abomination of desolations... and that will start the final 1290 days (equals three and a half years). 

Further, a blessing is given to them that come into the extra 45 days... speculation is that that is a time for the New Earth to be set up.  I don't know.  But it sounds good to me.

And here I stop.  Hope this has been interesting. 

Wednesday, September 17, 2003

The Kings I - destination, 3 stars

Daniel & Prophecy: The Kings
       (Part 1 of 2 - Intricate Detailing in History)

It's been awhile (again).  Can you believe I started this Daniel series in June?  Gotta wrap it up - time is short.  This one might seem a little dry and irrelevant to you - it's history to us.  But to Daniel's day, it was prophecy.  It's another example of fulfilled prophecy by Daniel... and the detailing is incredible.

NoTe:  this is a two-part thang again, because it's rather lengthy.  'The Kings' is Daniel chapters 11 and 12... but the chapters aren't the dividing lines.  So today I'm in 11 only, and next time we'll wrap up 11 and hit 12.  'kay?

And now will I shew thee the truth. Behold, there shall stand up yet three kings in Persia; and the fourth shall be far richer than they all: and by his strength through his riches he shall stir up all against the realm of Grecia. (vs. 2)

The three kings of Persia were Cyrus, Artaxasta, and Artaxerxes.  The fourth king was Xerxes.  Of course, they weren't in power yet in Daniel's time - his was the Babylonian Empire, not the Medo-Persian.  That's why I have names for you - they came to be.

 And a mighty king shall stand up, that shall rule with great dominion, and do according to his will.  And when he shall stand up, his kingdom shall be broken, and shall be divided toward the four winds of heaven; and not to his posterity, nor according to his dominion which he ruled: for his kingdom shall be plucked up, even for others beside those.  (vs 3-4)

The guy with 'great' dominion would be Alexander... the 'great'.  As we know, his four generals divided the empire among them.  That's because his 'posterity' (family) had some issues.  Mama the Great did all of them in.  Nice lady, eh?

And the king of the south shall be strong, and one of his princes; and he shall be strong above him, and have dominion; his dominion shall be a great dominion.  And in the end of years they shall join themselves together; for the king's daughter of the south shall come to the king of the north to make an agreement: but she shall not retain the power of the arm; neither shall he stand, nor his arm: but she shall be given up, and they that brought her, and he that begat her, and he that strengthened her in these times.  (vs. 5-6)

Ptolemy was king of the south.  Seleucus was king of the north.  The marriage uniting the two kingdoms was between Antiochus II (N) and Bernice (S)... the grandkids.  Unfortunately, AII was married before he hitched to Bernice, and wife #1 (Laodice) got jealous and poisoned AII and murdered Bernice, her kids, and her servants.  She and Mama the Great ought to have gotten together or something.

NoTe:  Do you notice that this is all like a big ol' soap opera?  I mean, we're getting so many details... and to think none of this had happened when Daniel wrote it... mindboggling!

But out of a branch of her roots shall one stand up in his estate, which shall come with an army, and shall enter into the fortress of the king of the north, and shall deal against them, and shall prevail:  And shall also carry captives into Egypt their gods, with their princes, and with their precious vessels of silver and of gold; and he shall continue more years than the king of the north.  So the king of the south shall come into his kingdom, and shall return into his own land.  (vs 7-9)

Ptolemy III - Bernice's brother, attacked the North to avenge his sister.  He looted the joint and went home with the booty.  Seleceuse II - now in power up north, tried a counter-attack, but it failed.  Years pass.

But his sons shall be stirred up, and shall assemble a multitude of great forces: and one shall certainly come, and overflow, and pass through: then shall he return, and be stirred up, even to his fortress.  And the king of the south shall be moved with choler, and shall come forth and fight with him, even with the king of the north: and he shall set forth a great multitude; but the multitude shall be given into his hand.  And when he hath taken away the multitude, his heart shall be lifted up; and he shall cast down many ten thousands: but he shall not be strengthened by it.  (vs 10-12)

So now we have a new generation: P-IV to the south and AIII & Seleucus Callinicus to the north.  Only one comes because SC is poisoned by his friends.  P-IV  & AIII do some battling (of course), and in the end, P-IV wins.  AIII returns with a 'multitude'... this included 102 elephants, by the way.  and 62,000 foot soldiers.  It doesn't help.  P-IV da man.

For the king of the north shall return, and shall set forth a multitude greater than the former, and shall certainly come after certain years with a great army and with much riches.  And in those times there shall many stand up against the king of the south: also the robbers of thy people shall exalt themselves to establish the vision; but they shall fall.  So the king of the north shall come, and cast up a mount, and take the most fenced cities: and the arms of the south shall not withstand, neither his chosen people, neither shall there be any strength to withstand.  But he that cometh against him shall do according to his own will, and none shall stand before him: and he shall stand in the glorious land, which by his hand shall be consumed. (vs. 13-16)

This time AIII brings with him the Macedonians.  No go.  So in a final effort, AIII comes to Israel (which was the dividing line, as it were, between North and South) and finally wins.

 He shall also set his face to enter with the strength of his whole kingdom, and upright ones with him; thus shall he do: and he shall give him the daughter of women, corrupting her: but she shall not stand on his side, neither be for him.  After this shall he turn his face unto the isles, and shall take many: but a prince for his own behalf shall cause the reproach offered by him to cease; without his own reproach he shall cause it to turn upon him.  Then he shall turn his face toward the fort of his own land: but he shall stumble and fall, and not be found.  (vs 17-19)

The 'upright ones' would be the Jews.  They went with him on that one.  The daughter of women is Cleopatra - AIII gave her to the P-V (we've got a new king again) in an attempt to mess things up on the south side, but it didn't work, either.  He tries to take the Greek islands, and does, but 'a prince' (the Romans with Hannibal at the helm) ended up being his demise.  They sent him home, and taxed him, and because he squeezed too much out of his people trying to pay the tax, they killed him.

Then shall stand up in his estate a raiser of taxes in the glory of the kingdom: but within few days he shall be destroyed, neither in anger, nor in battle.  (vs 20)

Seleucus Philopater, the elder son of AIII, who was an extortionist.  He was poisoned by a servant after only twelve years, and nothing really big or notable happened during his reign.  Which is why his mention is little.

And in his estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honour of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries.  (vs. 21)

Which brings us back around to Antiochus Epiphanes - the template for the Anti-Christ.  And with him we will start Part II.  Stay tuned.

Monday, September 01, 2003

News - destination

NoteWorthy News 8-31-03

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle....storyID=3296812
U.S. Plans Naval Exercises in Message to N. Korea
CRAWFORD, Texas (Reuters) - The United States and several allies will carry out joint naval exercises next month as part of a new initiative to block North Korea and other nations from exporting weapons of mass destruction, U.S. officials said on Monday.

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGADP0X2IJD.html
America and Prison time
WASHINGTON (AP) - About one in every 37 U.S. adults was either imprisoned at the end of 2001 or had been incarcerated at one time, the government says.

http://www.cnsnews.com/ThisHour.asp
Ten Commandments Standoff Inspires Bible Lawsuit in Texas (CNSNews.com) - A woman from Texas who says she was inspired by the dispute over the Ten Commandments monument in Montgomery, Ala., has filed a lawsuit to remove a King James Bible from a county courthouse in Houston.

Earthquakes, Earthquakes everywhere…
Link
Civil Defence officials are assessing the impact of an earthquake measuring 7.1 on the Richter scale which rocked the bottom of the South Island just after midnight.
www.DrudgeReport2003.com
Aug. 21 (UPI) -- An "uncommon" earthquake has shaken Wyoming, the World Data Center for Seismology reported Thursday. The event began just before 2 a.m. local time, and registered 4.4 on the open-ended Richter scale, the Denver-based center said in a news release.
Link
ECUADOR'S Tungurahua volcano, in a state of simmering eruption since October 1999, rumbled to life overnight, sending a column of smoke and ash three kilometres high, the Geophysical Institute said.

ESA sees stardust storms heading for Solar System
http://www.esa.int/sci_mediacentre/...html?release=36
Until ten years ago, most astronomers did not believe stardust could enter our Solar System. Now, the ESA spaceprobe has shown that a flood of dusty particles is heading our way. What is surprising in this new Ulysses discovery is that the amount of stardust has continued to increase even after the solar activity calmed down and the magnetic field resumed its ordered shape in 2001.

Moreover, this influx could increase by as much as ten times until the end of the current solar cycle in 2012. It is unlikely to have much effect on the planets but it is bound to collide with asteroids, chipping off larger dust particles, again increasing the amount of dust in the inner Solar System.

Isreal begins strikes against Hamas
http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/333892.html
An Israeli warplane killed a Hamas militant on Thursday with a missile strike on a donkey cart he was riding in the Gaza Strip, Palestinian witnesses and medics said.

Isreal reoccupies Gaza Strip http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,95912,00.html
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Two Israeli jeeps and an army bulldozer entered the Gaza Strip (search) and began clearing Palestinian land Thursday after militants fired homemade rockets into Israel.

Palestinians fire rockets into Ashkelon http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/333892.html
Palestinians fired four Qassam rockets into Israel on Thursday, one of which landed in Ashkelon's southern industrial zone. This is the first time that rockets have landed as far north as the coastal city of Ashkelon.

Zec 9:5 Ashkelon shall see [it], and fear; Gaza also [shall see it], and be very sorrowful, and Ekron; for her expectation shall be ashamed; and the king shall perish from Gaza, and Ashkelon shall not be inhabited.
Jeremiah 47:5 "The cities of Gaza and Ashkelon will be razed to the ground and lie in ruins".
Amos 1:6 "The Lord says Gaza has sinned again and again,and I will not forget it.I will not leave her unpunished any more. For she sent my people into exile,selling them as slaves in Edom.So I will set fire to the walls of Gaza and all her forts shall be destroyed. I will kill the people of Ashdod,and destroy Ekron and the king of Ashkelon;all Philistines left will perish."
Zephaniah 2:4-6 "Gaza,Ashkelon,Ashdod,Ekron- these Philistine cities too will be rooted out and left in desolation. And woe to you Philistines living on the coast and in the land of Caanan,for the judgement is against you too.The Lord will destroy you until not one of you is left.The coastland will become a pasture,a place of sheperd camps and folds for sheep.7)There the little remnant of the tribe of Judah will be pastured.They will lie down to rest in the abandoned houses of Ashkelon. For the Lord God will visit His people in kindness and restore their prosperity again."
Zechariah 9:1-8 "This is the message concerning Gods' curse on the lands of Hadrach and Damascas,for the Lord is closely watching all mankind,as well as Israel.Doomed is Hamath,near Damascas and Tyre,and Zidon,too,shrewed tho they be.Though Tyre has armed herself to the hilt,and become so rich that silver is like dirt to her,and fine gold like dust in the streets,yet the Lord will dispossess her,and hurl her fortifications into the sea and she shall be set on fire and burned to the ground.Ashkelon will see it happen and be filled with fear;Gaza will huddle in desperation and Ekron will shake with terror,for their hopes that Tyre would stop the enemies advance will all be dashed.Gaza will be conquered,her king killed,,and Ashkelon will be completely destroyed.Foreigners will take over the city of Ashdod,the rich city of the Philistines.I will yank her idolatry out of her mouth and pull from her teeth her sacrifices that she eats with blood.Everyone left will worship God and be adopted into Israel as a new clan:the Philistines of Ekron will intermarry with the Jews,just as the Jebusites did so long ago.And I will surround My Temple like a guard to keep invading armies from entering Israel.  I am closely watching their movements and I will keep them away; no foreign oppressors will again overrun my people's land".

Seems like whatever is brewing over there in Israel will be the last battle Israel may fight on her own land...Ashkelon and Gaza have a little time left as scripture indicates they will see the destruction of Tyre etc.

Solana – Bringer of Peace http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/334281.html
Solana to tour Mideast, will focus on boosting peace process. ((Solana is the guy to watch in the EU… possible AC figure))

Isreal preparing Bombing Plan for Iran http://www.jnewswire.com/index.asp
THE WASHINGTON TIMES - Israel has ready a plan to bomb Iran's Bushehr nuclear-power plant should the Persian Gulf coast facility, now under construction, begin producing weapons-grade material, an insider tells us.

Wheat crop struggles http://news.telegraph.co.uk/news/ma.../ixnewstop.html
Temperature changes caused by global warming are likely to transform agriculture on both sides of the Atlantic. The long weeks of sunshine might please holiday makers, but the persistent drought has reduced yields by up to a quarter in many parts of Europe for major crops such as wheat, sunflower and potato.

With many of the crops used as livestock feed, the shortfall is thought likely to have a knock-on effect on meat prices. But more worrying than a likely increase in bread, vegetable and other food prices is that the effect of the European heatwave on agriculture almost perfectly matches predictions of the consequences of global warming for the next century. ((Does this explain Revelation 6:6?))

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