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Prophetic Symbols: Interpreting Bible Prophecy

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Prophetic Symbols: Interpreting Bible Prophecy Prophetic Symbols: Interpreting Bible Prophecy Spoken since the beginning of the world (Luke 1:70), Bible prophecies are testaments of Jesus Christ, given freely for all to understand (Rev 1:1), but especially to those who honor and obey Him (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12). Prophecy reflects God's loving character and timelessness, showing that He not only speaks history before it occurs (revealing present truth and foretelling future truths), but gives men insight to that which would cause them to stray from His salvation (John 14:6). Bible prophecies, spoken and interpreted only by God’s Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:19-21), were often written using symbols and imagery. These literary tools would first protect the message from tampering, while they sift-out the casual, carefree reader, in exchange for those who would diligently seek God's understanding [(Hebrews 11:6; Jeremiah 29:13; 2 Chronicles 16:9) – spiritual things are spiritually discerned (1 Corinthians 2:12- 16)]. When reading Bible prophecy, it is important to apply God’s given rules (see the study: William Miller’s 14 Rules of Bible Interpretation) for understanding and interpreting the symbols and figures, recognizing that symbolic prophecies have literal statements interspersed, which serve as a key for the rest: i.e. they have a mixed character. Below is a glossary of Biblical terms and symbols whose explanation is taken directly from Scripture, and/or confirmed on the testimony of two or three witnesses (John 8:17; 2 Corinthians 13:1). A prophetic half hour = approximately 7.5 literal days (Rev 8:1; derived from (A prophetic day) / 48) A prophetic hour = approximately 15 literal days (derived from A prophetic day / 24) A prophetic day: 1 literal year (Ezekiel 4:6, Rev 12:6, Numbers 14:34) A prophetic month: 30 prophetic days = 30 literal years (Rev 13:5) A prophetic year: 360 prophetic days = 360 literal years (12 x A biblical month) "A time" = a term signifying 1 prophetic year = 360 prophetic days = 360 literal years (Daniel 4:16, 32, Rev 12:14); Jewish calendar year began ~March 22nd and ended the following March 21st "A times" = a term denoting 2 prophetic years = 720 prophetic days = 720 literal years "A dividing [half] of time" = a term denoting 1/2 of a prophetic year = 180 prophetic days = 180 literal years Abel = Second son of Adam; foreshadowing the righteous through all generations who embrace God’s free gift of salvation by grace through faith, the token of their faith being humble obedience. Abel’s fate foreshadows the persecution the righteous will suffer at the hands of the wicked (Genesis 4:4; Galatians 4:28-30; Hebrews 11:4; 1 John 3:12; Hebrews 10:32, 33) [see Cain] Abomination of Desolation = The Papal system, founded upon pagan beliefs and practices that promotes the exaltation of man over God; introduces man-made dogmas and worldly traditions over the Bible; exalts idolatry and pagan worship over pure Christianity [Ecclesiastes 12:13, 14; Revelation 14:7; James 1:27], seeks to change God’s eternal 10 commandments [Daniel 7:8, 25; Exodus 20:1-17], and compels its self-professed moral and religious authority over all through the empowerment of the state [forced and legislated morality] which the Bible deems the act of spiritual fornication. The man of sin who "opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God." John similarly describes this power as antichrist. (Matt 24:15; Luke 21:12; Mark 13:9; 2 Thessalonians 2:3-10; Daniel 7:24, 25; 9:27; Isaiah 42:8; 1 John 2:18, 22; Revelation 13:1-7). [see Shepherd (Idol); Beast (leopard-like); Transgression of Desolation; Fornication; Iron Mixed with Miry Clay; Paganism/Heathenism] Abyss = see Bottomless Pit/Abyss Ahab = wicked and immoral king of Israel who thought it light to walk in the ways of Jeroboam, so he married Jezebel, the Phoenician princess, daughter of the High Priest of Baal. Wanting to purposely lead the people away from the worship of God, Ahab erected sanctuaries and shrines to every foreign god, until the Lord raised up the mighty prophet Elijah to stay Ahab's efforts (1 Kings 16:28-18:46). Prophetic Symbols: Interpreting Bible Prophecy Prophetically in type, Ahab plays the role of the Dragon in the threefold power of Dragon, Beast and False Prophet [see Jezebel, Elijah (Elias); Dragon, Beast and False Prophet] Alpha and Omega = the profession of God to be the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End of all things, which makes Him God, being the Creator of all things, having perfect clarity and insight to all mysteries. Jesus declares and requires the end from the beginning (Ecclesiastes 3:15), symbolizing that world events at the end of the world will mirror the former events. This principle is most important in understanding last day events as they relate to the Advent Movement’s Alpha (beginning) and Omega (ending), as they will be paralleled (Isaiah 44:6-8, 42:9, 48:12; Revelation 1:8, 11; 21:6; 22:13) Ammonites (Ammon) = distant cousins to the Israelites, born of fornication/incest and perversion [son of Lot born of his daughter] (Genesis 19:1-38). The pagan god of the Ammonites was Molech whose image was that of an owl. The symbol of an owl is used today to denote education or wisdom and is therefore synonymous with "reason" [Adventist and Protestant Scholasticism]. Those who have knowledge of the true God but do not heed his commandments, pervert His truths, and are idolaters [spiritual fornicators] (Jeremiah 49:4). Never were the sons of Ammon or Moab to enter into the congregation of God because they thought to curse Israel (Nehemiah 13:1, 2; Jeremiah 49:1, 2; Ezekiel 25:1-7). [see Moabite, Edom, Ammon & Moab] Angel1 = a messenger; a member of the angelic host of heaven; those who ascend and descend upon the Ladder (Christ), bringing revelation of truths to men from God (Genesis 29:12, 13; Luke 1:19, 26-38; John 1:51; Daniel 8:15, 16; ); those who will separate and gather the wheat and the tare at the end of the age; (Daniel 8:16, Hebrews 1:14, Psalms 103:21; Matthew 24:31); every child of God is granted a ministering angel that is given to protect him/her from the wiles of the devil (Job 1:9, 10; Psalm 34:7; Matthew 18:10); A church leader (Rev 2:1, 8, 12, 18, 3:1, 7, 14). [see Host of Heaven1,3; Ladder] Angel2 = a messenger or a spiritual leader (a pastor/elder/bishop); a human agent carrying a worldwide message of God’s grace, mercy, salvation and judgment. The messengers are noted to be of human origin based on the breadth of the message – the entire world (Revelation 2:1, 8, 12, 18, 3:1, 7, 14; 14:6- 12; Matthew 28:18-20) Angel (of the Lord) = a term used to refer to a heavenly messenger of God, but often more specifically, to Jesus Christ Himself. Contextually, the Bible identifies unique characteristics belonging only to God when it uses the term, referring to the pre-incarnate manifestation of Christ (Genesis 16:7-13; 18:1-3, 10, 13, 14, 17-19; 22:15, 16; Exodus 3:1-6; 13:21, 22; Numbers 22:22-35; Joshua 5:13-15; Judges 6:11-24; 13:8-23) [see Michael]. Apostle = meaning "one who is sent", the group of men, chosen specifically by Jesus who received personal face-to-face instruction, counsel, and a calling by Jesus Christ Himself. The Apostles were to begin the work of spreading the gospel and forming the Christian Church after Christ. All who heard the Apostles' message and would be saved were to become disciples of Jesus Christ (John 17:6-26; Acts 1:2-8; 1 Corinthians 15:1-9) Ark of the Testimony = Ark of the Covenant/ Mercy Seat (Ex 25:10-22; Psalm 80:1) Armageddon = comprised of two Hebrew words: har (meaning mountain) Megiddo or giddeon (meaning crowd or feller) – “Mountain of the Feller [Slaughter]”, the place where the wicked will be gathered together by the deceptive influence of frogs out of the mouth of the Dragon, Beast, and False Prophet, to fight against God and the faithful (2 Chronicles 35:20-22) and ultimately be destroyed by the wrath of God (Judges 5:19, 20; Rev 16:12-16; 19:17-20; 20:9; Ezekiel 38:14-23; Job 38:22, 23). Not an actual geographic location, but spiritually speaking, indicative of the frame of mind and character of those who reject the gospel of Christ (1st Angel’s Message), despise God’s commandments (2nd Angel’s Message), and will ultimately be overthrown (3rd Angel’s Message). That which brings all the forces of evil together in confederacy is Spiritualism (the frogs), and is marshaled together to establish a Sunday 2 | P a g e Life More Abundant – Interpreting Bible Prophecy P.O. Box 334 Goshen, VA 24439 * www.lifemoreabundantpa.com Prophetic Symbols: Interpreting Bible Prophecy Law, the catalyst for the battle of Armageddon. [see Kishon; Time of Trouble; Confederate/Confederacy; Spiritualism; Three Angels’ Message; Overthrown; Supper of the Great God] Arm (Right) = strength, safety, defense, security (Jeremiah 17:5; Lamentation 2:3) Arms = military forces and might (Daniel 11:31) [see A Host] Ass by the way = The ass [a beast of burden] which appears in the story of the Man of God sent from Judah to give warning to the King of Israel, Jeroboam, to the North, symbolizes that which the false prophet (Apostate Protestantism) rides upon and which will bear the burden of, and accompany Apostate Adventism to its demise, Spiritualism (the Dragon Power).
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