Posted on 09/15/2001 12:11:44 PM PDT by Hebrews 11:6
THE NEW YORK ATTACKS WERE THE FULFILLMENT OF REVELATION 17 & 18
1. IT FITS THE SCRIPTURAL CONTEXT
The description of "Babylons" destruction in Rev. 17-18 follows the depiction of 28 judgments: the 7 Seals, 7 Trumpets, 7 Plagues, and 7 Bowls (Rev. 6-16), so the natural presumption is that it must follow them in time. Since those judgments have not yet occurred, it seems logical to conclude that this event must still lie in the future. However, a closer reading suggests just the opposite: that the destruction of Babylon precedes these judgments. There are two reasons:
(1) Internal Timing Clues
In Rev. 18 an angel announces, "Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the great!" A description of Babylons fall follows. However, the same event is described earlier in Rev. 14:8, where an angel makes exactly the same announcement. Note that both are given in the past tense: Babylon is already fallen. The first-occurring reference, in chapter 14, comes before the Plague and Bowl judgments, and we are not told how far back it refers, only that it is already accomplished. Thus, the placement of the narrative describing Babylons fall, coming after the judgments, is not indicative of its actual occurrence in time. Indeed, the Bible does not seem to place it in time at all, beyond a general indication that it occurs as part of the end-times.
(2) Lack of Reference to the Judgments
Nowhere in chapters 17-18 is there anything that suggests that any of the judgments have already occurred. However, the severity and omnipresence of many of those judgments, had they already happened, would be highly likely to cause them to be noticeable within the narrative. Instead, we see ships still at sea and the destruction of a booming trade in every conceivable commodity; moreover, immediately prior to its destruction Babylon is described as still being the epitome of luxury, which would be impossible after the judgments.
2. SYMBOLIC "BABYLONS" DESCRIPTION FITS ONLY NEW YORK CITY
(1) "Babylon" Is Surely Symbolic
The Babylon we see destroyed in Ch. 18 is a world-leading city near an ocean (vv. 17-19), which could not fit the original Babylon in modern times. Moreover, the author finds it necessary to identify which city (17:18: "
the great city that rules
"), which would be pointless if the actual Babylon were intended.
(2) The Specific Political Description Fits Only New York City
In 17:18 we are told, "The woman you saw is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth." This is a political description: Kings are the rulers of countries, and the only entity that even purports to rule over them is the United Nations, which is based in New York City.
(3) The Specific Economic Description Fits Only New York City
The extensive economic description in 18:11-24 fits only New York. It is the financial center of the world, housing Wall Street (NYSE, ASE, NASDAQ), and the US Dollar it controls commands the utmost respect worldwide. Thus, it rules over the merchants of the earth, who control the kings.
3. THE DESTRUCTION DESCRIBED AGREES
(1) The Timing Agrees
Three times in Chapter 18, in verses 10, 17, and 19, the destruction is described as having occurred in one hour. Note that the destruction took some time to occur: it was not instantaneous, for the text does not say "Your doom has come in an instant (or moment)." The two New York attacks came within one hour of each other (actually eighteen minutes apart; "minutes" were not used in Biblical times).
(2) The Method Agrees
The Bible specifies fire and overwhelming smoke (18:18), which certainly describes what occurred in New York.
(3) The Target Agrees
The target was the World Trade Center, the most visible New York symbol of international commerce. The entire last half of chapter eighteen describes the "merchants of the earth" and the economic devastation.
4. WHAT IT ALL MEANS
The 28 judgments described in Revelation 6-16 have a specific purpose: to warn people that this is their last chance to turn to God before the end. Many will finally do so. That is the context in which the destruction of "Babylon" occurs.
Gods people rejected Him, and Babylon was the agent God used when He finally expelled Judah from the Promised Land. As such, Babylon represents their rejection of Him. People continue to reject Him today. Instead of trusting Him, they put their trust in man-made hopes: "world peace" and "personal wealth." New York represents both. The United Nations is the most visible symbol of mans attempt to achieve peace, and Wall Street is the corresponding symbol for achieving material wealth and comfort.
Man has been striving to save himself, rather than permitting God to save him, since the Garden. God allowed that striving for a time, but now He has signalled that that time is over. He demonstrated in one hour that those who trust in mans peace and wealth are without hope. He will follow with 28 more judgments, increasingly severe.
Heed the warning. God sent His Son to save us. You cannot save yourself--instead, you must trust Him. If you seek Him earnestly, He will find you.
I'm not buying it.
The destruction of Babylon takes place after the rapture of the church. IMO, your timetable is wrong.
The word "hear" in Hebrew is "shama," and means to hear intelligently and is translated many, many times "OBEY," or "understand" instead of "hear" (merely to perceive sound.) That is a major and vital concept lost to most of the apostate church which is stuck in "simply believe and receive" mode and think it means to merely "perceive sound." Two examples:
De 6:4 Hear [shama`], O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:
5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.
9 And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.
Sh'ma Yisrael Adonai Elohaynu Adonai Echad.
Hear, Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is One.
De 11:26 Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse;
27 A blessing, if ye obey [shama`] the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you this day:
28 And a curse, if ye will not obey [shama`] the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known.
[Heb. 8085] shama` (shaw-mah')God really does mean what He says! If one does not "believe" enough to "do" what He says, that man's faith is in vain, of none effect and even that which he hast shall be taken from him. He needs no man to deceive him, he has deceived his own self.
a primitive root; to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.):--X attentively, call (gather) together, X carefully, X certainly, consent, consider, be content, declare, X diligently, discern, give ear, (cause to, let, make to) hear(-ken, tell), X indeed, listen, make (a) noise, (be) obedient, obey, perceive, (make a) proclaim(-ation), publish, regard, report, shew (forth), (make a) sound, X surely, tell, understand, whosoever (heareth), witness.[Heb. 8091] Shama` (shaw-maw')
from 8085; obedient; Shama, an Israelite:--Shama.
Jas 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
Ps 66:18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:
Look at this promise -- "THEY KNEW NOT!"
Mt 24:39 And *knew* not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
Knew:Ps 53:2 God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God.
1097. ginosko*
ginosko ghin-oce'-koa prolonged form of a primary verb; to "know" (absolutely) in a great variety of applications and with many implications (as follow, with others not thus clearly expressed):--allow, be aware (of), feel, (have) know(-ledge), perceived, be resolved, can speak, be sure, understand.
It is time to lay every tradition and every doctrine at the foot of the cross and REPENT! Start over! The timeframe in the word above is consistent with a look at this year's Jewish Feasts. Sept. 11 was the towers of Babel/Babylon falling. "Yet 7 days" -- the same words the Lord said to Noah before the Judgment of the flood -- brings us to Sept. 18 -- Rosh Hashanah, the Feast of TRUMPETS, and the head of the New Year, and perhaps JUDGMENT and THE DAY OF THE LORD.
The number 18 equals Judgment. Trumpets equals Judgment. The number 23 in the Bible means death. On July 23, a fireball shaped like a trumpet fell into the Northeast. Tropical Storm Gabrielle is currently blowing in! Apparently the trumpet needs to blow enough to wake the spiritually dead. Wake up! Wake up!
Judgment is coming like the headlights of an oncoming train and people persist in doctrines and traditions of men and of devils! I tell you for a truth that the Lord Jesus Christ IS the Messiah, the son of the God and He is coming back in vengeance on those that know not God and obey not the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and that includes those who SAY but do not DO. 2Th 1:8. Most of the American church is apostate and so far from the true gospel that the "Christian Church" is not recognizable to one who just simply reads the Bible, Genesis through Revelation, with a submitted heart.
The false church has exalted itself like Jezebel, allowed the wicked one, that old serpent and his ministers to preach and seduce the saints. He has been given pulpit time and voting rights and has deceived the church. If one wants to go to heaven, it is through the shed blood, the sacrifice of the Lamb of God, and in obeying Him, in departing from evil, purifying oneself and preferring HIM and what He says rather than what the false prophets say He says. One understanding of the wicked one standing in the holy place, is sin, standing in the heart of the so-called believer. "Believer "should not be used as synonomous for "Christian." Devils believe and tremble. Most Christians don't have sense enough to tremble and shall perish for lack of knowledge because they have rejected God by not acknowledging Him by their works and doing what He says.
Isa 8:14 And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
Where does the Bible end?
1Th 5:20 Despise not prophesyings.
What timing.
Religious enthusiasm and euphoria is no substitute for reasoned analysis. That's how the Church Fathers determined what actually constituted Canon in the first place.
Lu 12:56 Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time?
As to your Church fathers --
Jer 16:19 O LORD, my strength, and my fortress, and my refuge in the day of affliction, the Gentiles shall come unto thee from the ends of the earth, and shall say, Surely our fathers have inherited lies, vanity, and things wherein there is no profit.
Mt 23:9 And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.
A Mini-Test
1. Please complete this verse: "Vengeance is mine, saith the ___, I will repay." -- Pick one of these words for the blank: Buick, hammer, Lord, duck. Hint: Rom 12:19.
2. Please complete this verse: "In flaming fire taking ______ on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ," -- Pick one of these words for the blank: mercy, lovingkindness, hand-holding, teary-eyed adoration, vengeance. 2Th 1:8.
3. Please explain the Flood in 20 words or less, including who told Noah to build an ark, who shut the door, who turned on the rain, how many lived. Why did He do it?
4. Why was God going to kill Moses? Ex. 4.
5. When did God change? Chapter and verse please.
The way you use this verse will have us throw out the very people who decided what actual Scripture consisted of. If they were full of lies and vanity, then so is the Bible you quote, for it was they who put it all together by 367 AD.
".... And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven."
There goes the Founders of our country, as well.
This sort of loose-leaf, cut and paste, mix and match, Chinese menu (two from column A, three from column B) sort of Biblical interpretation makes us look like a bunch of hysterical nit wits and makes room for an endless amount of additional Scripture. This undermines Biblical authority, undermines historical Christianity, and as such is dangerous.
how the book of Revelations can be interpreted as prophecy
The style that Revelations is written in
In your study did you perchance read Revelation 1:1
Re. 1:1 The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show
his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by
sending his angel to his servant John,
There is only one revelation ; the one given to Y'shua HaMashiach by G-d (YAHWEH) to give to the servant John.
Tehillim (Psalm) 119:105 Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.
XeniaSt
New York City was not:
1) PLAGUED
2) suffering from FAMINE
3) or utterly BURNED with fire
all in one day.
The problem is that you guys want this to be the end so bad that it coulds your judgement.
Matthew 23
Mark 13
Jesus Foretells the Future
1As Jesus was leaving the Temple that day, one of his disciples said, "Teacher, look at these tremendous buildings! Look at the massive stones in the walls!"
2Jesus replied, "These magnificent buildings will be so completely demolished that not one stone will be left on top of another."
Here is the answer. Jesus loved Jerusalem, but even He could not save Her unless the inhabitants saw Him as the Messiah.
I do think Jesus loves America, but we need to ensure He is our Savior also.
Do I think Tuesday was Revelation 18? No, not yet. It will be MUCH worse!
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