Yes, I know how the words have been changed to mean future. One reads the words that say his servants should know what will soon take place and real churches are mentioned but your theology changes it into those who got that revelation couldn't have a clue since it was for people 2000+ years away and so absolutely useless to them. The churches the letters were sent to that would have comforted them was equally useless since none of it was meant for them.
I have one poster here who insisted, maybe it was you, who said it doesnt mean "soon" but quickly and they have seen these developments over the last 40 years. Now 40 years is not quickly by any stretch of the imagination. So I know the theology. A vision given to John for the church so that they would understand what is about to happen was not so they could understand what was about to happen at all. That is your position.
I will have to address the rest of your post later (I have other things I need to tend to ATM), but no, that wasn't me (but another poster)... what I've said is that [very briefly, zeroing in on THIS part of your post ^ ]]:
--
v.1 says "IN QUICKNESS [NOUN]" (which aspect refers to the "far-future" [7] trib yrs which lead UP TO His "RETURN"), it does
not say "
SOON / QUICK
LY [
ADVERBS]" (speaking of
v.1, mind you!); and that this word is used elsewhere (I've pointed out where and how used);
--that it was addressed to "the church
ES" ("...let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the church
ES" 7x), and that this is
not the equivalent of saying "to the Church
WHICH IS HIS BODY" [this IS part of it, tho]; the former is made up of BOTH the "saved" AND "those who come in His name,
but who are NOT connected WITH HIM" (i.e. they are NOT "saved"--for example, the ones He is calling "LUKEWARM"... this does
not mean "
milquetoast, wimpy, weak, weasly CHRISTIANS/BELIEVERS" but are the UNSAVED in the church
ES, see); the latter (meaning, "the Church WHICH IS HIS BODY") is made up of
ONLY BELIEVERS [
all those who are saved "in this present age [singular]"]; these 2 chpts addressed to "the church
ES";
--the word for
"about to happen" (in your post, and in the passage) is
"mello" and carries the meaning, "
IS SURE/CERTAIN [to happen]"... meaning, it will CERTAINLY HAPPEN because it has been prophesied to take place (not that it has to take place immediately, soon, at any moment, but is "SURE/CERTAIN [
mello]" to)
--"the things
WHICH ARE" [which are of long duration]
are contrasted with "the things which must come to pass
IN QUICKNESS [NOUN]" (NOT "soon" or "immediate
ly" [adverbs]) [which,
by contrast, are NOT of long duration]; additionally, Rev17:8 says, "[when they behold] the beast that WAS, and
IS NOT, and YET SHALL BE [FUTURE tense]"... how long do you think the "and
IS NOT" situation lasted (re: "beast" issues), in your view?
--since it was addressed to "the church
ES" ("...let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the church
ES" 7x), then I certainly DO believe it was applicable and beneficial for them to read it (recall, chpts 2-3 especially pertain to "the things WHICH ARE" [i.e. the NOW... and I think it will also benefit those who find themselves in the trib years, to read it])
--another thing... I believe MID-trib is at the "5th Trumpet/1st Woe unto the earth" point in time (Rev12:12, Rev8:13, Rev9:1), and that the "2W's 1260 days of testimony" will END at the 6th Trumpet/2nd Woe events time-slot, meaning AFTER the MID-trib events, and yet we see that ppl will [have the capacity to] "
SEND GIFTS one to another" in their celebration of their death and cessation of their "testimony" / "torment[-ing of them via plagues]"... I see no real problem with the "FLEE" issue at MID-trib (prior to this point in the chronology, even)... And I don't see "come out" of Babylon as being the equivalent of FLEEING to a remote LOCATION somewhere else on the earth from where said person is located... Recall, they [MANY] that will be dwelling on the earth at that time (meaning, FOLLOWING "our Rapture") will be RELIGIOUS PEOPLE, even those who "come in His name" but who are NOT vitally connected WITH CHRIST (i.e. they're not actually "saved" persons), and can you see how *their* viewpoint (of the situation they will now be in) might be problematic in a way that hasn't been thus far... yes, some of them (perhaps some being those to whom "God shall SEND" the delusion to, "
THAT they should believe the lie/the false/the
pseudei"[involving what just happened!]) will be "explaining the situation" in a "Babylonian" kind of way, see. "Come out from among them / 'Come out of her'"
doesn't necessarily mean
"run for the hills [in a remote location]," in this case, see...
Does any of that ("picture" I'm endeavoring to paint in "practical" terms) make sense, per your question? (
I could say more, but was trying to stay BRIEF. LOL)