John reveals further information about things already discussed in the OT. He uses OT symbols to disguise things. He writes in Apocalyptic literary style so that only true believers will understand the meaning and not the Romans should they find his letters. This style of writing was very popular in his day and all the way into the 18th century as people would be arrested and killed if they wrote anything critical against their government or church. Nostradamus wrote in this same style.
Hello Plainword,
I have to disagree in that, John is not writing anything from his own understanding, for he was told by the Lord to do the following:
"The revelation from Jesus Christ, w
hich God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John,
who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ"
"On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, which said: “
Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.”
"Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later."
Regarding the above, none of Revelation is of John's own interpretation nor is he quoting OT scripture, nor is he writing in a certain style, nor is anything in Revelation from John's own personal thoughts or understanding. John did exactly what he was told to do, which was to write exactly what he saw and heard as provided through all that God was revealing to him through the visions and he didn't deviate from that by adding his own commentaries.
The church is already wiped out for the most part by the time God pours His wrath out against the Beast kingdom. The Tribulation is aimed at God's people.
The church isn't even here during the time of God's wrath! Jesus said, "I will build my church and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it." Yet, you are saying that he is going to build his church and then pour out his wrath upon it, even though scripture states that Jesus rescues us from the coming wrath and that we are not appointed to suffer God's wrath. I challenge you to find the word "Church(s)" anywhere within Revelation chapter 4 through 18, which is where God's wrath is taking place. You won't find it and that because the church is already gone.
God doesn't need to shorten His own days. God's wrath is in response to Satan's tribulation which is what Paul teaches in 2 Thes 1. This is crystal clear.
Well, it is not so crystal clear in that, Paul is not teaching anything that you mentioned. God did shorten the time to 3 1/2 years and that because Jesus said that if he hadn't, no one would be left alive on the earth. Everyone can read about the time being shortened right in scripture. In fact I'll post it here:
"
If those days had not been shortened, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened."
In the above verse, Jesus is speaking in reference to when the abomination is set up, which according to Dan.9:27 is in the middle of that seven year period, with the last 3 1/2 years being the great tribulation period. The church is not here during that last seven years and that because God's wrath is being poured out during that time and we are not appointed to suffer wrath. Again, this error brought about because of not recognizing that the gathering of the church, which takes place prior to the seven years, as being a separate event from the Lord's return to the earth to end the age, which takes place at the end of the seven years.
