FOR FAIR USE AND EDUCATION AND DISCUSSION PURPOSES



Few Christians, including myself until recently, have paid any attention to what it says in I Corinthians 15:32:

"If after the manner of men I have FOUGHT WITH THE BEASTS at Ephesus, what advantageth it me, if the dead rise not? let us eat and drink; for to morrow we die."

Most of us know the last part of that verse, but what about the first part and the fight with the "beasts" that Paul encountered?


http://www.thegoodseed.org/insights/revelation13.html


“If anyone has an ear, let him hear.” (v.9) This is God’s method of calling our attention to the fact that a spiritual message can only be heard by spiritual ears. It cannot be understood by the natural mind. We are to understand that the words used have a symbolic meaning. In other words, we are to pay attention to the spiritual message encoded in these word pictures.

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Arlene

FOR FAIR USE AND EDUCATION AND DISCUSSION PURPOSES



This Commentary is for those who can "see" with spiritual eyes and "hear" with spiritual ears. Previously I posted Rev. chapter 7.

If you believe that the Book of Revelation is absolutely literal, you will have no understanding of this. I understand it perfectly, however. But I wouldn't a couple of years ago.


This is Revelation Chapter 11, according to the "Good Seed" Commentary:


http://www.thegoodseed.org/insights/revelation11.html


Piece of the link article which contains an explanation of the 3 1/2 years, or 1260 days people are expecting to be literal....and isn't.


The NAOS (Spiritual Temple consisting of believers) cannot be destroyed, but there is a part that can be destroyed for a season. "For they will tread under foot the holy city for forty-two months." Again, forty-two months or 3« years is not a literal number. It is sending us a coded message. Jesus ministered under the anointing of the Holy Spirit for 3« years, so this number refers to ministry. During our time of ministry on earth, those who live according to the flesh consider the spiritual realm to be of no significance. They not only look down on those who understand the spiritual message of the scriptures, but even persecute them. This is happening all the time.

In this vision God is giving us a message of encouragement! Even though your ministry can be touched, you cannot be touched! He is saying, "Don't worry about the flesh. It doesn't belong to you! You are a spiritual body, and I am concerned about what is in your inner being."

"And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for twelve hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth. These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth." (vv.3-4)

Here the vision suddenly changes, and our attention is drawn to two witnesses, namely, two olive trees and two lampstands. The word authority is not in the Greek text - it has been inserted by the translators. Jesus Christ is saying that He will give us two witnesses.

Again we go to the scriptures for our interpretation. Why two witnesses? It says, "In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established." No testimony is valid until it has been confirmed in the mouth of at least two or three witnesses. Two witnesses are a shorthand symbol for a perfect and complete testimony to truth. Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. He is truth personified. People search for truth and argue over doctrines in their search, but refuse to come to the One who is truth.

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Arlene

FOR FAIR USE AND EDUCATION AND DISCUSSION PURPOSES



In my internet travels I found a Book of Revelation commentary which completely held my interest for most of the evening. It's a very rare find.

It's called "The Good Seed" which is written by ordinary, Spirit-filled, Christians who live today. That's a rare change from reading commentaries from someone who lived hundreds of years ago. It's like another part of the "body of Christ" popped into our world to give us all some of what they know.

In any commentary on Revelation, I ALWAYS, read Chapter 7 first. If anyone gets that one wrong, then the rest has no appeal to me either.

This one got it SPOT ON!!

The whole commentary is extremely long, and I don't like to post anything without having read it myself first....and this one part of it is genuinely wonderful!


http://www.thegoodseed.org/insights/revelation7.html


Piece of the article link:


This great firstfruit company is described by these twelve names! They are sealed with the Holy Spirit! 144,000 is not a mathematical number; it is the description of spiritual Israel - the people of promise. They are a people of faith, and this company includes people from all nations and all walks of life! They are a people who are governed by God through the Holy Spirit. This company is perfect and complete.

Now we understand why Dan and Ephraim are not mentioned. Dan means "judged". The new creation man is not judged. All things are made new! Christ is the believer's righteousness, and His righteousness is perfect. It does not receive judgment. There is no condemnation in Christ. Ephraim means being "fruitful in the land of my affliction". We no longer belong to Egypt - the world. We have been transferred to the kingdom of God! We are living in a new kingdom, and are under a new government!

"After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands; and they cry out with a loud voice, saying, `Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.'" (vv.9-10)

Here John saw an innumerable multitude before the throne. Picture this glorious scene. A vast multitude, beyond our imagination and comprehension, from every tribe and nation, all in white robes, waving palm branches and unitedly proclaiming the glory of God's salvation! What an awesome scene!

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This is enough for today! It's getting to know the "corporate body" of Spritual Israel....BELIEVERS!

If one can't understand this, than none of the rest of the book will make sense. But once this is understood, it is such a BLESSING!! That's why Revelation 1:3 promises such a blessing:

"Blessed is he that readeth, and they that HEAR (understand) the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written: for the time is at hand."

The Book of Revelation is for all people of all times....everyone can learn its truths from understanding all the signs and symbols. But it takes time, prayer, and study....and the results are beyond compare!

For those who have the time and interest, and are more ambitious than most, there are links on the bottom with other parts of the commentary. Those finding parts that are exceptionally interesting, please post them!! And I will do the same as I go through them...one by one.

Arlene

FOR FAIR USE AND EDUCATION AND DISCUSSION PURPOSES



Another fascinating installment on the Book of Revelation...chapter 4

Insights on what is around the Throne of God:


http://www.thegoodseed.org/insights/revelation4.html


Piece of the link article:

"Twenty-four elders." Numbers in this book have nothing to do with arithmetic. They describe ideas, not numerical facts. They are not to be used to try to figure out when this or that will happen. Twelve is the number of divine government, and two is the number of witness. So 24 is a witness to the government of God. The royal priesthood is a witness to what the government of God has accomplished. It is a witness to the power of God to change us! His rule has changed us from selfish, greedy, power-hungry individuals, to loving, compassionate and forgiving creatures! We are being changed into the image of Christ!

What a beautiful picture this is of Christ ruling in and through His priesthood! His throne is within us, and we are seated with Him in heavenly places. He is in the midst of us, in our spirit, ruling us from within!

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Arlene

FOR FAIR USE AND EDUCATION AND DISCUSSION PURPOSES



The "spiritual" interpretation of Revelation chapter 9,....for those who are searching for more spiritual insight, that is, "they who have ears to hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches"....Rev.2:7


http://www.thegoodseed.org/insights/revelation9.html


Piece of the link article:

What does the bottomless pit symbolize? A bottomless pit has no bottom and therefore does not have any foundation. Neither do lies and deception! There is no limit or bottom to the lies that are fabricated in the carnal mind. Lies do not have foundation. So this bottomless pit is not in the center of the earth or in a far-away land, but it is actually our carnal mind, for there is no limit to its lies and depravity. Lies have no foundation so they are a bottomless pit. Christ has the key that opens our carnal mind. He is the truth, and only truth can expose the lie. It is truth that cleanses us from the lies we thought were truth.

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Arlene