Posted by Elana Janson on April 28, 2009 at 15:26:21:
In Reply to: Re: Voting posted by Richard on April 21, 2009 at 07:19:44:
Voting within the context of my understanding of Revelation
Revelation deals essentially with the prediction of the spread of Christianity within the nations of the globe in the time after the coming of the Christ. This is revealed in the knowledge of the symbolism of the entire Revelation, but significantly in the verse where the angel speaks directly to John in Rev 10:11 “And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues and kings.”
Revelation reveals that the prophecy of Revelation will be read and ultimately understood by many nations and the leadership (“kings”) of the nations. I believe we are living the time of the signs of the end time therefore the role that individual citizens of the world play in electing the leadership of nations is a very important issue. Particularly in this time that I also believe the power of the forces of “the beast” or anti-Christ are extremely powerful readers should fully understand the implication of their right to vote within the context of the understanding of Revelation.
I believe that all Christians should vote. Harsh rule can develop in a democracy, but it is the best form of government that man could devise. Because of international law and the constitution of a nation, the international community can put pressure on leaders and governments that neglect the well-being of their citizens and a citizen’s right to equality before the law.
Change of rule from way back in history
Readers of this website will know that I have shown in great detail how I believe the symbolism of Revelation (the “beast out of the sea”) reveals that - through the course of the second millennium after the coming of the Christ - the leadership of the Christian nations would change.
The “beast out of the sea”
I shall summarize the concept of the ‘beast out of the sea’ for the sake of first time readers of this website. I would advise a study of the full explanation of the concept as set out in the Q&A section of this website as well as posts explaining the ‘beasts’ on this Forum. The “beast out of the sea” is a ‘gestalt’ that gradually ‘develops’ into a fiercer form as Revelation informs the reader as to its subtle deceptive traits. The explanation of the “beast out of the sea” in Revelation 13:1 is firstly to inform that “the beast out of the sea” is a massive concept that encompasses development over centuries. Therefore Revelation 13:1 says “I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.” In Rev 17:12 we are told that “the ten horns which thou saw are ten kings”, but these kings “have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast”.
The words, “have received no kingdom as yet” are significant for I believe they so very aptly show how ultimately all nations would remove the power of the absolute monarch. The kings would ultimately share their authority with another ruling order that would also be anti-Christ (“with the beast”). This situation would only be allowed to continue for a certain amount of time (“one hour”).
Seven heads
It should be noted, firstly, that it has “seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns” and, secondly, “upon his heads the name of blasphemy”. The “heads” are therefore I believe the beginning of a process of blasphemy, from which would emerge rulers that would ‘extend’ blasphemy for the “horns” and “crowns” are joined to the “heads”.
So what does this gestalt of the “beast out of the sea” symbolize? It reveals that in the transition from the rule of Christian kings there would be the tendencies not to honor that which God prescribed: “the name of blasphemy” (that is the breaking of God’s commandments and the sins of greed, extortion and harm and death to subordinates) that came about through centuries of misrule by Christian kings and governments of Europe and later the nations across the seas. With the knowledge of history and on the one hand the great expansion of wealth that came to the rulers and governments of the nations through the crossing of the oceans of the globe for trade and commerce – but on the other hand the harm, wars and death brought on ordinary peoples in conquered lands as a result of harsh foreign policies - all contribute to form this great gestalt of ever growing misrule moving away from the directives of God’s commandments. Therefore I believe the “beast out of the sea” can be described as an ideology or thinking in the leadership of the nations that prescribes that the laws and guidelines of Scripture can if necessary be subjected to the will of man. This subjection would through the ages be implemented to a greater and greater degree. This would continue to the point that man would no longer even consider the possibility that he was blaspheming against God most high.
This deception Revelation reveals came in the form of leadership that undermined the directives of Scripture in the treatment of their subjects and particularly fellow Christians (the symbol of “the dragon” in Revelation). This deception, in turn, unleashed through centuries and in all nations a revolt against authority and the strife for the rights of man. There came as a result of all this a form of government and a free society as we have today, but with it a movement away from the Christian faith and man’s dependence on God. This whole process of change - from a rule of kings to a rule of men - through history, is what I believe, is hidden essentially in the symbolism of the “beast out of the sea” but also the symbolism of “the beast out of the earth” in Revelation. The “beast out of the earth” reveals other aspects of society, but emphasizes the turning away from the faith.
In reading the description of the “beast” we are so inclined to focus only on the information of the “heads”, “horns” and “crowns” that we are inclined not to realize that these are only parts of the gestalt the “beast”. One can only fathom the total gestalt with the knowledge of what is meant by the “heads”, “horns” and “crowns”. There is a greater part that is revealed through the words “with the beast”. The words “with the beast” I believe are all those who through their power to rule the nations through the ballot were also gradually moving away from the directives of God’s commandments and becoming full of greed and sinful. (This knowledge was derived from the insight that I believed was given me that Revelation covers large periods of specific times in history and in this way meaning of the verses were revealed). I believe that Revelation is therefore in the twenty-first century revealing the “beast out of the sea” as both rulers and the citizens that follow an ideology of the world that is blasphemous.
All the world wondered after the beast
As I believe that we are living the end time we have in the twenty-first century reached the point that Revelation describes in Rev 13:3 “And all the world wondered after the beast.” These words reveal that the entire world will ultimately be misled by an attitude of anti-Christ and this implies not only that even the Christians will be influenced, but that most will not even be aware of the power of the “beast”.
Information and not judgment
We are inclined to see the revelations in the book of Revelation as judgment. I believe we should keep the perspective that Revelation is a revealing of what has happened in history in order to enlighten us as to the historic development of the forces of sinfulness that in the end time are upon us and understand why these are so powerful at the present time. I believe that God has through his great wisdom kept this book’s great revelations, for the present time for there are so many people who today say but why do we find ourselves in this sinful world after all the good things that man has tried to do to make a better world. Revelation should be seen as the message of a loving God who is revealing and informing his followers in the last days. It is not a book of judgment, doom and gloom; instead it is informative and of course, scary, for God does not want us to be misled by the forces of evil. Those forces that modern man does not even want to acknowledge exist in the twenty-first century.
Good and bad
It has also been explained in great detail on this website how I believe Revelation reveals that this change would come about but that it would also be for the protection of the Christian Church (Rev 12:16 “And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.”) The explanation of this verse is the following: The development of the “beast out of the earth” (“earth”) was a deception, but with it came “help” for the Christian faith (“woman”). With the development of the ‘bad’ there was also ‘good’ for there were those who were trying to bring about a better world. The transition to the new world order - though “upon his heads the name of blasphemy” brought relief (“the earth swallowed up the flood”) to the strife between Christians (“which the dragon cast out of its mouth”).
God knows and has always known
Therefore Revelation reveals that God was keeping a close watch on this whole transition in history from the rule of kings to the rule of ordinary men. Also because Revelation is a prophecy, God knew that this was going to happen two thousand years ago. Therefore the form of government that has been accepted virtually throughout the world today is under God’s watchful eye. So great is God.
The message of the cross
As I have often said on this website the rule of leaders from the ranks of ordinary men is that this form of government brought with it a separation of church and state and a turning away from and cooling down of the Christian faith. Revelation reveals that this would happen: Rev 17:17 “For God hath put it in their hearts to fulfill his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast “. God knows man’s passions (“put it in their hearts”), and through these he would bring about that which he had planned (“fulfill his will”). From the total understanding of Revelation that reveals that ultimately the bad would accompany the good: the final ruling of the nations will have in it anti-Christ (“the beast”). As I see it the good is the equality of faiths before the law in present day society, the bad is the equalization of faiths that has come about through religious toleration. Revelation reveals that this came about through centuries of strife between Christians (‘the dragon”) and in the nations’ of the world’s pursuit for wealth (“the whore” – Rev 17:1-2). This came about through centuries of the undermining the directives of Scripture and the laws of God. In time and through the centuries the attitude of turning away of the authority of Scripture there would come about the present day lack of understanding and knowledge of the Christian faith.
Why is this so important today?
Why did God deem it necessary to keep this book shut to the present day? Why did God deem it necessary to understand its meaning in the twenty-first century? What in the present society would make God, the Father so angry and full of wrath? I believe that with regard to the government of the nations, the answer is in the political philosophy of the nations where an equalization of faiths has become essential to try and maintain world peace in the twenty-first century, but the philosophy contributes to injure the essence of the Christian faith. The philosophy that started out as equalization before the law has through a lack of knowledge of the Christian faith today and the continual emphasis and importance given to the equalization of world faiths led to an undermining of the message of the cross - only through the blood of Christ and rebirth in the faith is there salvation and entry into the kingdom of heaven.
Therefore I believe that Revelation gives us the insight into our present day situation and the governing of the land. God knows and has always known the course that the ruling of the nations would take for he knows ‘man’ that he created. Therefore we should vote. We should vote for the best candidate. Christians should not however be misled by those who just do not have the knowledge of the New Testament and the Christian faith. We have the assurance of Revelation that anti-Christ will only have power for a certain length of time.
Jesus Christ said in Matt 22:21 “Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesars” – but as Jesus Christ continued to say “and unto God the things that are God’s.” Jesus had to contend with a hostile rule. Today we have to contend with anti-Christ in many forms. Therefore vote…but remain in the faith that Jesus Christ is the Messiah and there will be a Return and Judgment.