Heneni
Miss Independent
I have,for some reason, taken an interest in the book of Revelation. I've never really attempted to study it in detail, and most of the commentaries i have attempted to read about it has been confusing, and left me picking up other reading material. But during the last two days, I believe by the nudging of the HS, i have taken up this task of examining the puzzles contained in the book.
I'll post here what i believe im learning...but often times it takes a bit of time for the concepts to settle into their required place, in my own mind, before it settles permanently in my spirit, and so i cannot guarentee that what i write here is absolute truth, but it only a demonstration of hashing out questions i have and hopefully by the end of this study...i would have some concrete answers. I usually end up asking god tons of questions, and i am aware of the fact that he might not answer them all, and that he might not even give me personally all the answers, but that there are others who have information that is valuable too.
If you have anything to add or you believe you have a different perspective that could shed light on the matter please do so. But if your not a chirstains please refrain from trashing my words, however if you are not a christian, and you have some input that could help solve the puzzles, please to participate.
Also, English is not my first language, though it is my first love in languages. So my writing might not be all that clear. Also keep in mind that i sometimes struggle to put on paper what i see in my spirit.
Alright enough of that.
I will come back to the fist church and the first seal later. But first id like to show the links between the churches and the seals of the remaining 6 churches and 6 seals.
I believe that there are seven types of christians on this earth, but for now im going to have to call them seven types of people. In relation to their relationship with god that is.
The second church is described as follows:
9I know your afflictions and your poverty--yet you are rich! I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.
11He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death.
This is a description of a group of people who have suffered afllictions and poverty (yet they are rich). They have been slandered by people who call themselves Jews. The bad news is...these people are warned that they are going to suffer (some more). Their affliction and their poverty is a mystery. How can they be afflicted and poor, yet rich at the same time. I can only conclude that the poverty and /or riches is linked to spiritual poverty/material poverty and/or matrialistic afflictions/spriritual afflictions.
They are either rich in material possessions and poor in spiritual graces, or the other way around. However, since they are about to be put in prison, by the devil, in order to be tested, in can only conclude that the testing will be of a spiritual nature. So HOW poor they are spiritually will probably be determined by the test. A prison is a place of restriction. And i believe what that means, is that they will be restricted in the worldly system by spiritual forces to remain prosperious.
The scripture says...they are to remain faithfull, during the test, even to the point of death. Its my estimation that they could very well die. And that their faithfullness can only be demonstrated by not giving in and copping out, but giving their own lifes for the sake of their faith. However, it could also be that they must remain faithful to the point of death, but death is not necessarily the outcome. The bible continues to say...that they will not be hurt by the second death. I'm a bit uncertain why the bible calls it a second death..but that aside...it seems like there is death involved and that would be the indication that this group of people have passed their test.
Now the second church, I believe is linked to the third seal. Here is the third seal:
5When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, "Come!" I looked, and there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. 6Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, "A quart of wheat for a day's wages, and three quarts of barley for a day's wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine!"
The second church (group of people) were rich, and then they suffered. Probably because they losts their riches, maybe not all of it, but economic pressure can very well bring about the circumstances that the second church will find themselves in. If those people get offended by loosing their riches, they will not remain faithfull and hence will be hurt by the second death. The third seal talks about quarts of weat for a days wages, and three quarts of barley for a day's wages. This means...that these people will find themselves working but having less and less to feed their family with. They will become poorer as time goes on because the black horse rider is holding a pair of scales in his hand, which i believe represents the economy. But in any economy, as the rich get richer the poor get poorer. So the rich church, even though they were comfortable..will be segregated from the rest of the rich and become poorer. But will they remain faithfull? Prosperity teaching will probably be exposed as a bit of an overkill theology during this time in these people's lives.
Then there is the 'do not hurt the oil and wine' part of the seal. That i'm not too sure about, but as the oil prices drop or rise, some people get richer and others get poorer. And as for the wine...well.....I dont know.
Any comments and ideas before i go on to the next church and seal?
Love
Heneni
I'll post here what i believe im learning...but often times it takes a bit of time for the concepts to settle into their required place, in my own mind, before it settles permanently in my spirit, and so i cannot guarentee that what i write here is absolute truth, but it only a demonstration of hashing out questions i have and hopefully by the end of this study...i would have some concrete answers. I usually end up asking god tons of questions, and i am aware of the fact that he might not answer them all, and that he might not even give me personally all the answers, but that there are others who have information that is valuable too.
If you have anything to add or you believe you have a different perspective that could shed light on the matter please do so. But if your not a chirstains please refrain from trashing my words, however if you are not a christian, and you have some input that could help solve the puzzles, please to participate.
Also, English is not my first language, though it is my first love in languages. So my writing might not be all that clear. Also keep in mind that i sometimes struggle to put on paper what i see in my spirit.
Alright enough of that.
I will come back to the fist church and the first seal later. But first id like to show the links between the churches and the seals of the remaining 6 churches and 6 seals.
I believe that there are seven types of christians on this earth, but for now im going to have to call them seven types of people. In relation to their relationship with god that is.
The second church is described as follows:
9I know your afflictions and your poverty--yet you are rich! I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.
11He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death.
This is a description of a group of people who have suffered afllictions and poverty (yet they are rich). They have been slandered by people who call themselves Jews. The bad news is...these people are warned that they are going to suffer (some more). Their affliction and their poverty is a mystery. How can they be afflicted and poor, yet rich at the same time. I can only conclude that the poverty and /or riches is linked to spiritual poverty/material poverty and/or matrialistic afflictions/spriritual afflictions.
They are either rich in material possessions and poor in spiritual graces, or the other way around. However, since they are about to be put in prison, by the devil, in order to be tested, in can only conclude that the testing will be of a spiritual nature. So HOW poor they are spiritually will probably be determined by the test. A prison is a place of restriction. And i believe what that means, is that they will be restricted in the worldly system by spiritual forces to remain prosperious.
The scripture says...they are to remain faithfull, during the test, even to the point of death. Its my estimation that they could very well die. And that their faithfullness can only be demonstrated by not giving in and copping out, but giving their own lifes for the sake of their faith. However, it could also be that they must remain faithful to the point of death, but death is not necessarily the outcome. The bible continues to say...that they will not be hurt by the second death. I'm a bit uncertain why the bible calls it a second death..but that aside...it seems like there is death involved and that would be the indication that this group of people have passed their test.
Now the second church, I believe is linked to the third seal. Here is the third seal:
5When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, "Come!" I looked, and there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. 6Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, "A quart of wheat for a day's wages, and three quarts of barley for a day's wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine!"
The second church (group of people) were rich, and then they suffered. Probably because they losts their riches, maybe not all of it, but economic pressure can very well bring about the circumstances that the second church will find themselves in. If those people get offended by loosing their riches, they will not remain faithfull and hence will be hurt by the second death. The third seal talks about quarts of weat for a days wages, and three quarts of barley for a day's wages. This means...that these people will find themselves working but having less and less to feed their family with. They will become poorer as time goes on because the black horse rider is holding a pair of scales in his hand, which i believe represents the economy. But in any economy, as the rich get richer the poor get poorer. So the rich church, even though they were comfortable..will be segregated from the rest of the rich and become poorer. But will they remain faithfull? Prosperity teaching will probably be exposed as a bit of an overkill theology during this time in these people's lives.
Then there is the 'do not hurt the oil and wine' part of the seal. That i'm not too sure about, but as the oil prices drop or rise, some people get richer and others get poorer. And as for the wine...well.....I dont know.
Any comments and ideas before i go on to the next church and seal?
Love
Heneni