Is That in the Bible? the Mysteries of the Book of Revelation! 1 2 Is That in the Bible? the Mysteries of the Book of Revelation! Introduction
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
IS THAT IN THE BIBLE? THE MYSTERIES OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION! This booklet is a free educational service, provided by the “Church of God, a Christian Fellowship” in Canada, in collaboration with the “Church of the Eternal God” in the United States of America and the “Global Church of God” in the United Kingdom. Printed in Canada 2008. Reprinted in 2018. This booklet is not to be sold. Scriptures in the booklet are quoted from the New King James version ((c)1988 Thomas Nelson, Inc. Publishers) unless otherwise noted. Author: Norbert Link, with additional material provided by Dave Harris and Edwin Pope (1936–2006). Editorial Review Team: Norbert Link, Dave Harris, Rene Messier, Brian Gale, Phyllis Bourque, Margaret Adair and Johanna Link Graphic Design: Shelly Bruno; Cover Image: Shelly Bruno and Jody Garrett Contents Preface ....................................................................1 Introduction ..............................................................3 Chapter 1 Christ’s Message to the Seven Churches..........5 Chapter 2 The “Synagogue of Satan” .........................15 Meaning of the Word, “Synagogue” ........................15 The Synagogue of Satan ........................................16 Evolution of a False Religious System ......................17 Chapter 3 The Nicolaitans ........................................19 Speculation About the Nicolaitans ............................19 Origin and Nature of the Nicolaitans ........................21 Chapter 4 The “Key of David” ..................................23 Meaning of the Word, “Key” ..................................23 Meaning of the “Key of David” ...............................24 God’s Covenant With David ....................................25 Shebna and Eliakim ..............................................26 Chapter 5 The “Open Door” ..................................29 Ability to Preach the Gospel ....................................29 Ability to Enter the Kingdom of God .........................29 Christ—the Open Door .........................................31 Protection from Physical Persecution ........................32 Chapter 6 Christ—The Beginning of the Creation of God ...33 God the Father Without Beginning ...........................33 Christ Without Beginning ........................................33 Christ Was Melchizedek .........................................34 Meaning of, “Christ the Beginning” .........................35 Chapter 7 The Heavenly Throne Without a Human Soul ...37 No Human Souls in Heaven ....................................37 What Is Death? ....................................................38 Christians Won’t Go to Heaven When They Die ..........39 1 Thessalonians 4:16–17 .....................................39 John 14:2–3—“Many Mansions in My Father’s House” ...............................................................39 King David Not in Heaven ......................................40 Only Jesus Went Back to Heaven ............................40 Jesus Will Return to This Earth ................................40 Enoch Is Not in Heaven ..........................................41 Enoch “Translated” ...............................................42 Elijah Not in God’s Heaven .....................................43 Three Heavens .....................................................43 Elijah Died ...........................................................45 Death Is A Sleep ...................................................46 Chapter 8 The Scroll With the Seven Seals .................47 The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse ......................47 The Great Tribulation .............................................48 The Souls Under the Altar .......................................48 The Heavenly Signs ...............................................49 God’s Servants Sealed ...........................................50 No Secret Rapture .................................................50 Origin of the Secret Rapture Theory .........................51 Protection Here on Earth ........................................52 The Day of the Lord ...............................................53 Armageddon ........................................................55 The Return of Jesus Christ ......................................56 After Christ Has Returned .......................................56 Millennium on Earth ..............................................57 The Seven Seals of the Book of Revelation ...............58 Chapter 9 The 144,000 and the Great Multitude ........59 The 144,000 .......................................................59 The Great Multitude ..............................................60 What We Can Know From Scripture .........................60 Repentance in the Last Days ...................................61 Chapter 10 The Little Book .......................................63 Chapter 11 The Temple of God .................................65 A Physical Temple in Jerusalem Before Christ’s Return ...65 The Abomination of Desolation ................................65 The Temple Will Be Measured .................................66 The Man of Sin in the Temple of God .......................67 More Biblical Evidence for a Physical Temple .............68 Chapter 12 The “Two Witnesses”...............................71 Moses? Elijah? Enoch? .........................................72 What We DO Know From Scripture ..........................72 The Death and Resurrection of the Two Witnesses ......73 Chapter 13 The Dragon and the Woman .....................75 The Dragon ..........................................................75 The Woman ........................................................75 The Dragon’s Future Fight Against the Woman ..........76 Chapter 14 The Two Beasts .......................................79 The First Beast (Revelation 13:1–10) .....................79 The Ten Revivals of the Roman Empire .....................80 The Second Beast (Revelation 13:11–18) ...............81 The Image of the First Beast (Revelation 13:14).......82 Chapter 15 The Mark of the Beast ............................85 Chapter 16 666—The Number of the Beast ...............87 Chapter 17 The 144,000 .........................................89 Chapter 18 The Torment of the Wicked .......................91 No Everlasting Torment of the Wicked ......................91 What IS the Meaning of Revelation 14:11? .............92 What ”Forever” Means… .....................................93 The Smoke of Their Torment ...................................94 An Ever-Burning Hell? ............................................95 Origin of the Idea of an Ever-Burning Hell .................95 Origin of the Concept of Limbo and Purgatory ...........96 The Gehenna Fire ..................................................96 Fate of the Wicked ...............................................97 Fire Won’t Be Quenched ........................................98 “Their Worms Won’t Die” ......................................99 Chapter 19 The Woman Riding the Beast ..................101 The Fallen Woman or Harlot .................................101 The Great City on Seven Hills ................................102 Identity of the Great City ......................................103 The Scarlet-Colored Beast with Seven Heads and Ten Horns ..........................................................106 Seven Heads and Ten Horns .................................107 Seven Last Revivals of the Ancient (Holy) Roman Empire 107 Chapter 20 The Fall of Babylon the Great .................111 Don’t Be a Part of the Babylonian System ..............111 Chapter 21 The Marriage Supper Between Christ and His Church .............................................113 Location ............................................................113 Parable of the Wedding Feast ...............................113 Five Wise and Five Foolish Virgins .........................114 Christ Returns Only Once ......................................114 God’s Transportable Throne ...................................115 The Sea of Glass .................................................115 The Great Multitude Before the Throne ...................116 The Bride of God .................................................117 Christ the Bridegroom ..........................................117 Christians Betrothed to Christ ................................118 Christ Will Marry His Bride ....................................118 Bride Includes ALL Christians .................................119 The Heavenly Jerusalem Called the Bride ................120 Chapter 22 The Resurrections ..................................123 The First Resurrection ..........................................123 The Second Resurrection ......................................125 Resurrection of Israel ...........................................125 Resurrection of Non-Israelite Peoples ......................126 The Third Resurrection .........................................126 The Nature of the First Resurrection .......................129 The Nature of the Second Resurrection ...................131 The Nature of the Third Resurrection ......................133 Chapter 23 Eternal Torment of the Beast and the False Prophet? .....................................................135 Torture of the Beast and the False Prophet ..............135 Lake of Fire Prepared For Satan and His Angels .......137 Chapter 24 The “New Jerusalem” ...........................139 The Tabernacle of God With Men ...........................140 Description