REVELATION 17:10 ...
“They are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one
is, the other has not yet come; but when he does come, he must remain
for only a little while.”
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This passage, which speaks of
the line of rulers in Rome, tells us exactly how many rulers had already
come, which one was currently in power, and that the next one would
only last a short while. Take a look at how perfectly it fits with Nero
and the Roman Empire of the first century.
The rule of the first seven Roman Emperors is as follows:
“Five have fallen …”
Julius Caesar (49–44 BC)
Augustus (27 BC–AD 14)
Tiberius (AD 14–37)
Caligula (AD 37–41)
Claudius (AD 41–54)
“One is…” Nero (AD 54–68)
“the other has not yet come; but when he does come, he must remain for
only a little while.”
Galba (June AD 68–January AD 69, a six month
ruler-ship).
The current Caesar at the time of John’s writing was the sixth Caesar .. Nero.
While on the island of Patmos, John
wrote that the number is “the number of a man's name; and his number is
666" ... Known as "Nero Caesar" ... His name in Hebrew equals 666.
But first, let's understand why John was on the island in the first place.
We have the witness of one of the most ancient versions of
the New Testament, called The Syriac Peshitto ... which says the following on the Title page of Revelation
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John used a puzzle called gematria in which numbers are used to
represent certain letters. John used this puzzle to reveal Nero without
actually writing down his name. Remember, the early churches were being
persecuted during this time—not only from the Jews, but also from the
Romans.
“Nero Caesar” fits the gematria code number "666."
In Greek "Nero Caesar" renders to "Neron Kesar."
For the Hebrew rendering, "Neron Kesar" becomes "NRWN QSR."
The number values are:
N = 50 , R = 200 , W = 6 , N = 50 , Q = 100 , S = 60 , R = 200
Since the 7 headed Beast in the book of Revelation is generically portrayed as a KINGDOM ... we should
note that it is ONE OF THE HEADS (of the 7 Roman kings) which received a
death blow:
REV 13:3 ...“And I saw one of his heads as if it were wounded to death; and his deadly
wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.”
Nero killed himself with a dagger (June 8, A.D. 68) ... According to Suetonius, he drove a dagger into his own throat (suicide).
The mortal sword
wound to ONE OF THE HEADS is a wound that should have been fatal to the
Beast (Roman empire). But after Nero’s death ... the "Beast" (Roman
empire) continued to live on and dominate.
"At that point,
everyone was amazed and followed after the beast” (Rev.13:3 b). The
seven–headed Beast seems indestructible, for the cry goes up: “Who is
like the Beast, and who is able to wage war with him? (Rev 13:4 b).
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A Divided Kingdom / Daniel 2
The Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar had a dream of a large
statue that represents four kingdoms, the last of which is a "divided
kingdom" (a mixture of people who are not united). In verse 41, we find
this "divided kingdom" is portrayed on the statue as the feet and 10
toes (a mixture of iron & clay) ... a "divided people."
Now
FAST-FORWARD to the years of Jesus' earthly ministry. Caesar Augustus separated the Roman empire into 10 provinces ("ten toes") ...
1. Achaea
2. Africa
3. Asia
4. Crete et Cyrene
5. Cyprus
6. Gallia Narbonensis
7. Hispania Baetica
8. Macedonia
9. Pontus et Bithynia
10. Sicilia
Each of these provinces were ruled by governors (or kings) who represented the Roman empire.
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DANIEL
2:44 ... "In the time of those kings (10 toes) the God of heaven
WILL SET UP A KINGDOM THAT WILL NEVER BE DESTROYED (a Spiritual Kingdom) .
During
the time of those 10 “kings,” Jesus was put on trial ... and Israel
rejected her Messiah (spiritual husband) in favor of Caesar ("we have no
king but Caesar") ... This was depicted as an adulterous affair between
a whore (Israel) and a beast (Rome). This "affair" would continue for 40 years.
The Jewish historian JOSEPHUS wrote that in 64 AD, the Roman empire (led by Nero) ... brokered a "peace deal" with Israel's religious leaders. After 3.5 years of "peace," this "divided kingdom" of iron & clay fell into a civil war. Known
as the Jewish/Roman war, it ended in the destruction of the Jewish
temple & Jerusalem ... just as Jesus had predicted in Matt 24.
The FALSE PROPHET of Revelation was the
Levite priesthood (Israel's religious leaders) ... Notice John 8:44 - Jesus called Israel's religious leaders "CHILDREN OF
THE DEVIL," - messengers of the Law that kept the people of Israel trapped in
the OLD covenant dogma. They were the same leaders that rejected Christ ... and chose Caesar ... "We have no king but Caesar."
Rome was known as "the new Babylon," because both Rome and Babylon
shared a similar history of ruling over the nation of Israel.
The
book of Revelation portrays Israel as a "harlot" and "the whore of
Babylon" because both Israel and Rome became as one ... in the same way
as when a man has relations with a whore, the two become one flesh.
The “harlot” is an established label for Old covenant
Israel (Isa. 1:21; 57:8; Jer. 2:2, 20), and it could never be applied
to any other nation, because only Israel had a relationship with God.
It’s
not a future scenario. He already set up His Kingdom on the earth. He
dwells in His NEW TEMPLE right now (His people). The Bible says absolutely NOTHING about another PHYSICAL TEMPLE in JERUSALEM ... but it does say this ... "I am a sinner if I rebuild the old system of law I already tore down." - (GALATIANS 2:18)
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Speaking directly to His disciples, JESUS SAID ...
"For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done. Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not die before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”
Please understand that Matthew 16:27-28 was not written to YOU.
Modern Christians have tried to suggest that Jesus was referring to the "transfiguration" - which according to Matt 17:1 was only 6 days later.
And yet Matt 16:28 clearly says that only some of the disciples would still be alive to see it. So which of the disciples died during those 6 days ?? THE ANSWER IS ... None of them died in those 6 days. He was referring to what would take place in the fall of Jerusalem (70AD).
Revelation
1:7 ... "Behold He comes with the clouds, and will see Him every eye
indeed who Him pierced ...” (Young's Literal Translation).
Zechariah 12:10 clearly identifies who "every eye" referred to:
“I
will pour out on the HOUSE OF DAVID and on THE INHABITANTS OF
JERUSALEM, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that *THEY* will
LOOK ON ME whom *THEY* have pierced; and *THEY* will mourn for Him, as
one mourns for an only son, and *THEY* will weep bitterly over Him like
the bitter weeping over a firstborn."
IS THERE ANY PROOF THAT THIS ALREADY HAPPENED ?
Tacitus (Roman historian & eye witness) wrote ...
"In
the sky appeared a vision of armies in conflict, of glittering armour. A
sudden lightening flash from the clouds lit up the Temple. The doors of
the holy place abruptly opened, a superhuman voice was heard to declare
that God was leaving it, and in the same instant came the rushing
tumult of departure." (Histories, Book 5, v. 13).
Josephus (Jewish historian & eye witness) wrote ...
"I
suppose the account of it would seem to be a fable, were it not related
by those that saw it, and were not the events that followed it of so
considerable a nature as to deserve such signals; for, before
sun-setting, chariots and troops of soldiers in their armor were seen
running about among the clouds, and surrounding of cities. Moreover, at
that feast which we call Pentecost, as the priests were going by night
into the inner [court of the] temple, as their custom was, to perform
their sacred ministrations, they said that, in the first place, they
felt a quaking, and heard a great noise, and after that they heard a
sound as of a great multitude, saying, "Let us remove hence" (Jewish
Wars, VI-V-3).
.
Eusebius (the earliest "Church" historian) wrote ...
"For
before the setting of the sun chariots and armed troops were seen
throughout the whole region in mid-air, wheeling through the clouds and
encircling the cities" (Eusebius' Ecclesiastical History, Book 3, Ch. 8
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The
History is all there, and widely available ... the problem is ...
modern Christians don't look into the history books ... They simply want their Pastors to tell them what to believe.
KEEP IN MIND that even AFTER THE CROSS, the 1st century believers were still WAITING for SALVATION and RIGHTEOUSNESS.
How do we know this ??
...
Hebrews
9:28 ... "He will appear a second time, not to deal with our sins but
to BRING SALVATION to those who are WAITING for him."
.
Galatians 5:5 ... "For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the RIGHTEOUSNESS for which we hope.
.
Romans 13:11-12 ... "for now SALVATION is nearer to us than when WE first believed."
.
Ephesians
1:14 .. " The Spirit who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance
UNTIL THE REDEMPTION of those who are God's possession--to the praise of
his glory."
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SO WHEN WOULD THEY RECEIVE SALVATION & RIGHTEOUSNESS ??
(Here's a hint) ...
Guess what else happened in 70 AD ??
NOW THINK ABOUT THIS ...
HEB
9:8 "... the way into the Holy Place is not yet revealed as long as the
OLD temple is still standing; WHICH IS A SYMBOL OF THE PRESENT AGE."
(The age of the old covenant)
.
In other words ... The OLD covenant "age" would not fully pass away until the OLD temple fell.
.
1
Corinthians 10:11 ... "Now these things were written down for OUR
instruction, on whom the "end of the Ages" HAVE come. - (Paul was speaking to THAT generation).
As
the OLD temple burned to the ground in judgment (70AD), a NEW Temple
was RAISED UP. The "dead in Christ" were released from Sheol and ushered
directly into Heaven ... The believers who were still alive and waiting
were suddenly CHANGED in the "twinkling of an eye" when they received
the SALVATION & RIGHTEOUSNESS they had been waiting for. They
suddenly became the NEW dwelling place of God, the NEW Temple, the NEW
creation.
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Those believers remembered that Jesus said "flee to the mountains," and so they were spared from the destruction of Jerusalem.
.
LUKE
21:20-22 ... “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know
that its desolation is near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the
mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not
those who are in the country enter her. FOR THESE ARE THE DAYS OF
VENGEANCE, THAT ALL THINGS WHICH ARE WRITTEN MAY BE FULFILLED."
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E-mail : chaletsmith@protonmail.com
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