Posted by Elana Janson on October 16, 2004 at 14:37:05:
With the knowledge of the time measures of Revelation, I believe that we have to take note of the four hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan and Jeanne that developed in the Atlantic Ocean and caused devastation on the islands and lands in their path in the short period of about six weeks in August and September 2004. By the end of September 2004, a record number of 25 tropical storms had developed in the Asia Pacific region and a record number of 8 typhoons struck Japan.
Firstly, I say this in the light of my previous posts where I placed the time of Rev 7:1 “And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree” at August 2003.
Secondly, those who have studied How near Armageddon, the Afrikaans book “Ek is die Begin en die Einde” and this website will know that I have always placed emphasis on the year 2004, for it seemed from my understanding of the time measures of Revelation that by 2004 we would see signs of the end revealed. Therefore in 2004 it seems that we are seeing the ‘release’ of the “four winds of the earth” held by the four angels. Rev 9:14 “Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates”, links the time of the release to the Euphrates River. At this point in time that we see the devastation caused by hurricanes and typhoons, the world is also seeing much violence in the Middle East section of the earth (Euphrates River).
If the increase in tropical storms and typhoons in 2004 and the unusual four hurricanes that hit the islands of the Caribbean and the United States are the ‘sign’ of the release of the four angels then the “four angels” that measured the times hour, day, month and year are finally released in 2004. Rev 9:15 “And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour and a day, and a month, and a year”. Then we have come to the end of the time measures “hour”, “day”, “month” and also the time measure of “man”, that is the time measure “six hundred, threescore and six”, that we know is in ‘years’. If this is so we are at the point of the time of the sounding of the sixth trumpet.
Measure the temple of God
The sequence of events in the last five months of 2003, measured back from December to August 2003 coincided with the opening of the sixth seal. This reverse measurement substantiates my premise stated in “How near Armageddon” and “Ek is die Begin en die Einde” that Revelation measures time back from a point in the time about 2003 and 2004. In the post on this Forum “Measure the temple of God”, it was said that the end time of “temple” (Rev 11:1), that is the end of the three days and a half” was at the time August 2003, the time that the planet Mars rose as the “morning star” in August 2003. It seems from my understanding of the symbolism of Revelation that the appearance of Mars at its nearest point to the earth in 2003 was the ‘sign’ of the “morning star” (Rev 2:28 “And I will give him the morning star”). The ‘sign’ of the morning star being the end of a time measure that began at the time of the birth of Jesus Christ, derived from the words of Rev 22:16 “I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star”. According to my understanding that the length of a “day” in Revelation is about 287 years it seemed that at that point in time we had come to the end of two measures of “three days and a half”. Because the time measure of “temple” came to an end in December 2003, time was measured back from the time of the great earthquake in Bam in December 2003. See the post “Measure the temple of God”.
Sharp CO2 rise
Europe’s very hot July and August of 2003 was one of the events mentioned in the reverse sequence of events from December to August 2003 correlated with the verses of the opening of the sixth seal. This was also the time that the planet Mars appeared as the morning star. It was of interest therefore to learn that in 2004 there has been a recent acceleration in levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2). In this regard Europe’s summer of 2003 was mentioned. The rising levels of CO2 could be a sign of imminent and rapid global warming. CO2 is the main gas given off by human activities which scientists believe is exacerbating natural climate change. Dr Peter Cox, a leading UK carbon cycle scientist, suggested that the cause of this recent rapid rise could be due to something unusual that happened in the Northern Hemisphere. He suggested that Europe’s very hot 2003 summer and a larger than usual number of forest fires could have killed off vegetation and increased carbon releases from the soil.
It is of significance that the hot European summer of 2003 that seems to correlate with Revelation is also a possible cause for climate change. Scientists believe that the occurrence of more tropical systems developing in the Pacific and the Atlantic Oceans in 2004 is the result of global warming. What is more another prediction of “four winds” no longer being held back has possibly been fulfilled in the 2004 hurricane season. Is this the meaning of Rev 2:18 “I will give him the morning star”? It is the time that Christians in the end time will become aware of the signs of the end?
Measure the altar
The words of Rev 9:13 “I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar”, at the opening of the sounding of the sixth trumpet, reveals that the sounding of the sixth trumpet, is in the time measure (voice) related to the word “altar”, that is the “short season” (Rev 6:9-11).
Outer court
It seems that in 2004 we are in the time of the “short season”, but also in the time of the “outer court”. Rev 11:1 “And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying: Rise, and measure the temple of God and the altar, and them that worship therein. But the court that is without the temple leave out, and measure it not, for it is given unto the Gentiles”.
We are in the time period that is described in Luke 21:24 “until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled”. At present the final times of the Gentiles, that cannot be measured (“the court that is without” or “outer court”), are being fulfilled. It is a time that we cannot measure and will be revealed by the signs of the end.
The understanding of the words “outer court” lies in the knowledge that Revelation measures the “temple” from 4BC to 2003. Revelation uses the figurative image of a structure, “temple”, that is the rise of the Christian Church throughout the world in that time. This figurative structure relates to Jesus Christ that used the words “temple” in relation to “his body” (John 2:21).
Each millennium is figuratively the ‘length’ and ‘breadth’ of the figurative “temple”. The ‘length’ and ‘breadth’ are each also “three days and a half”, so therefore the time of “three days and a half” is about the time of 1000 years or a millennium. Revelation uses this figurative structure to reveal its meaning.
The “outer court” is the area outside the measurement of the temple.
In this regard I believe there is a reference in Scripture that reveals that the time of the “outer court” lies beyond the time of the “four angels standing on the four corners of the earth”. This reference is Ezekiel 46:21 “Then he brought me forth into the outer court, and caused me to pass by the four corners of the court.”
The book Revelation reveals its meaning over two millennia, according to the figurative structure of the ‘temple’ to show that the “body” of the church on earth is ultimately the ‘New Jerusalem’. Readers of my books and this website know that the colours of the precious stones of the “foundations of the wall of the city” (Rev 21:19) of the New Jerusalem were placed on the time measures of “generations” of about seventy two years in the past two millennia. (The reason for doing this was indicated by the verse Isaiah 58:12 “Thou shall raise up the foundations of many generations”.) Through these ‘colours’ and the time measures of the riders of the apocalypse, pertaining to certain verses in Revelation, insight was given into the history of the Christian church in the nations. This ‘construction’ of the temple had to be done so that we can understand the relationship between “temple’ in Revelation, which deals with the time of the two millennia and the “New Jerusalem” which is described in terms of a structure that has a ‘length’ and a ‘breadth’ and ‘height’ and is symbolic of where those who inherit everlasting life will dwell after death. Rev 21:2 says “And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband”. Those that are pure of sin, washed in the blood of the Lamb, are going to enter the New Jerusalem. They are those that lived in the turbulent times of the past two millennia and are part of the “temple” or body of Christ, that is, part of the Christian Church and partook in Holy Communion, with the full acceptance and understanding of what the sacrament involves.
Came out
It is only with this knowledge of this symbolic structure of the temple that we can understand why it is said in Revelation 15:5 “ And after that I looked, and, behold the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony of heaven was opened:”
Revelation reveals that with the sign of the “four winds”, the ‘construction’ of the temple is complete and we are in the time of the ‘outer court’. It is a symbolic construction reminiscent of the vision seen by Ezekiel. The temple of Revelation could only be constructed when the message of Jesus Christ had reached the ends of the earth. The temple of Revelation encompasses the entire earth. Through this understanding of Revelation the symbol of the Old Testament “temple” as seen by Ezekiel is brought symbolically to have bearing on the past two thousand years and the “temple of the tabernacle of the testimony of heaven” (Rev 15:5) is opened at this point in time.
For this reason Revelation refers to the temple as a structure and uses the words “came out of the temple”. Rev. 15:6 says “And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles.” Of significance here is the use of the words “came out”. The word “out” relates to the “outer” court. (Once again we see how important is was that no words of Revelation were changed - see Rev 22:18-19)
We must at this point take a closer look at the use of the words “came out of ” in Revelation. It seems that Revelation uses the words “came out” to show what is taking place in the time of the “outer court’. Where Revelation 15:16 says “And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues”, it indicates that the end of the time of the seven “bowls of wrath” is in the time of the “outer court”.
In Rev 14:15 –20 three angels are mentioned. Rev 14:15 “And another angel came out of the temple crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle and reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe.” (The use of the word “earth” substantiates the end of the time of “the beast out of the earth”.)
Rev 14:17 “And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven”
It seems from the words “out of the temple” in Rev 14:15 and “out of the temple which is in heaven” in Rev 14:17 that the times that these two angels is the time of the understanding of “outer court”. The time of the awareness that Revelation is understood through a symbolic construction of a temple relating to the development of the Christian church over two thousand years. But it is also the understanding that the souls of the symbolic temple are ‘within’ the coming reality of everlasting life in the New Jerusalem. The New Jerusalem encompasses Christians of the entire globe.
Rev 14:18 “And another angel came out from the altar”. This angel seems to reveal the end of the time of the “short season” in Rev 14:18 – 20. We have not yet reached that time.
Out of
Revelation uses its words very sparingly, but repetition is of importance for I believe in this way Revelation indicates an augmentation of an idea or the same time. The repetition of the words “out of” in “came out of” as mentioned above, also relates to the same time as “come out of” as used in Rev 16:13 “And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet.”
“Out of” also substantiates my understanding that Revelation 16:13 (above) indicates the culmination of the extent to which man is allowed to exploit his freedom. It relates to man’s ability to give life. How does “out of “ reveal man’s ability to clone? The answer is in Scripture. Genesis 2:22-23 “And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, “This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called woman, because she was taken out of Man.”” Note “out of Man”. Also Daniel 7:5 “it (a second beast) had three ribs in the mouth of it”.
How, you may ask, did we reach this time of “fire” from the altar (Rev 14:18) and “smoke” from the abyss (Rev 9:1), smoke that symbolically makes man spiritually blind in a time that he believes that he has mastered much of the understanding of the earth and the universe? For an answer to this we should look at James 3:10. Note the use of the words “out of the mouth” that are the same as the words used in Rev 16:13 mentioned in a paragraph above.
James 3:10 “Out of the mouth proceeds both blessing and cursing. My brothers these things ought not to be.” Therefore let us consider Rev 16:13 “out of the mouth of the dragon”. With our knowledge of the “dragon” that according to Rev 12:10 is the “accuser of the brethren” and with the knowledge of the time measures of Revelation, through the centuries Christians accused fellow Christians for their views or behaviour. These accusations led to disputes and many bloody wars. Also corruption among Christians was the reason for these wars and amidst the strife, death and division purification and a return to the truths of Scripture occurred. Although there was blessing and cursing Revelation reveals that through “the dragon” that forces of evil that work against Christendom were at work.
Rev 16:13 “Out of the mouth of the beast”. The development of what is understood through the “beast out of the sea” brought about the rule of men, which destroyed the might of ruthless kings. It brought about legislation and religious equality so that the Christian Church could survive in areas at the ends of the earth were Christianity is a minority.
With the knowledge of the time measures of the “beast out of the earth”, this image of deception is revealed in scientific progress made by men through the exploitation of the minerals of the earth. The formidable development in the twentieth century was accomplished through science and engineering. Superior weaponry destroyed ruthless rulers and governments and lives saved through modern medicine. In the process man would however become arrogant and liberty would no longer be a privilege within an adherence to Christian principle.
Rev 16:13 “Out of the mouth of the false prophet”. Through the centuries man would place ever more accent on humanity and move away from the spiritual. The accent on humanity would lead to the ‘rights of man’. This was good and would alleviate suffering in wars, prisons, workplace and home. With the accent on humanity, however, more attention would be given to the philosophies of men than to the truths of Scripture. In placing the authority of Scripture in a secondary position, and a falling away from faith man would reach 2004 and find himself in a position that he can no longer change what had developed through history. Where the actions of man were influenced by the forces of evil it would contribute to the spirit of antichrist, which is a denial of the truths of Christianity. 1 John 4:3 “And every spirit that confesses not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not from God: and this is the spirit of antichrist.”
In 2004, despite antichrist, man has been given a discerning mind and therefore every man must do God’s will until the end, despite the power of the beast. With the insight into the constant presence of evil through the ages as revealed through the symbolism of Revelation - in the struggle to right wrong through deeds, legislation and war and alleviate suffering in the face of tyranny – all this within the framework of Christian living - we can better understand Rev 17:17 “For God has put it into their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.”