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Question: Can three frogs on the coat of arms of a king be connected to Revelation 16:13? Answer: Now that we know that the global history of Christianity can be correlated with the book Revelation, we do not have to wonder, as in the Dark Ages, if the symbolism of Revelation has all kinds of sinister associations. For example, through the ages people were uneasy about anything that could be associated with the number 666. This was understandable, for one is always fearful of something that you cannot comprehend. Particularly, in the book Revelation that is so full of strange symbols like the dragon, with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns upon its heads and the beast with seven heads and ten horns and upon his horns ten crowns. In Revelation 16:13-14 it is said An important aspect about the “three unclean spirits like frogs” is that they only appear ONCE in Revelation. Therefore its meaning cannot be directly verified in another text of Revelation. You have to do it indirectly. This means that you have to go, firstly, to the words that are used in the verse where the word “frogs” appear, and then see where they are placed in other verses of Revelation. Thirdly, one must take into account the time construction of Revelation to place the meaning of the three frogs. You must bear in mind that every word that appears in Revelation is there with a specific purpose: to reveal the meaning of Revelation at the end time. As the words of Revelation refer back to almost all the books of the Bible, Revelation also reveals that God undoubtedly inspired himself the words of the Bible himself. WORDS USED WITH FROGS Three “three measures of wheat” This verse is part of the information that is given with the opening of the third seal. We therefore know that it has to do with the time 1896 (the time of the Rider on the black horse) to the end time. We also know that time in the period of the 144 years, 1860 to 2004 can be interpreted according to the colours of “the fruits of the earth”. Revelation gives all the necessary information so that readers can understand what it wishes to convey. The word ‘midst’ indicates the time 1932, the midpoint of the time 1860 to 2004 and the time 2002, which is midpoint of the time 2000 to 2004, the time regarded as “heaven” (See also Q&A VIII). Colour chart Note: the history of wheat and barley are of the greatest significance in Revelation. All the grains that are cultivated to day, are improved grasses. In the very beginning man always looked for the best seeds on the grasses, like wheat and barley, and planted them. In this way both seeds and plants were improved. The selection of seeds for cultivation is an important way to improve plants. As botanists later discovered, improved plants can be cultivated by cross-pollination: the pollination of one kind of plant’s flowers with the pollen of another kind of plant. In this way new grasses and grains were produced. This history of wheat and barley assumes greater meaning when we look at the “chart” of the “manner of fruits”. In the Q&A – X and Q&A- XI, I explained that in order to interpret colour in Revelation, the second millennium has to be divided into fourteen equal sections, and the colours of the gemstones of the foundations of the New Jerusalem have to placed on twelve sections. Likewise the last 144 years, from 1860 to 2004 have to be divided into twelve sections and words that relate to “fruits of the earth” can then be interpreted. Wheat and barley are fruits of the earth. Now take a good look at the times that is indicated by yellow-green, yellow and green, after the time 1932(“midst”). Revelation 6:6 says This verse indicates the time 1932 to 1980 (one measure on the chart is yellow (ninth foundation) and three have the colour green (seventh, eighth and tenth). Do not harm the oil and the wine Through the combination of the word “three” with “frogs”, in Rev 16:13, Revelation augments the meaning to indicate that this was the time of the discovery of the structure of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) and the cloning of frogs in 1953. This was important because DNA is the molecule that transmits hereditary information from generation to generation. An explosion in molecular biology began in the 1970’s with the development of gene cloning techniques. penny Mark 12:15-17 Through the word “penny” and the words of Jesus Christ it may be indicated that in the time 1932 to 1980 the Christian Church and the ruling of the nations world–wide would be separate, as in the time of the Roman Empire. Between 1932 and 1980 laborers in many countries disputed what were formerly accepted amounts paid in wages. After the Second World War, there was great poverty in many countries, particularly in the Soviet Union, where meager rations of food were given to farm laborers.] Rich and poor The verses of Revelation that contain the word “three” reveal that the time 1860 to 2004 is divided into sections or that the earth is divided into three sections The times of the sounding of the three last trumpets relate to the times 1896 to 1996, 1968 to 2000 and the last beyond 2000. 2. Rev 9:18 “By these three was the third part of men killed” “Three” indicates the times 1980 to 1992, 1992 to 2000 and 2000 to 2004 and the Middle East (third) section if the earth. 3. Rev 16:19 “The great city was divided into three parts.” In 1999, when three earthquakes struck in succession in, the Middle East (Turkey), the Far East (Taiwan) and the Far West (the vicinity of Mexico) it was the time that the meaning of the book of Revelation, in How near Armageddon, was published. The meaning of Revelation is found by dividing the earth into three sections. 4. Rev 21:13 “on the east three gates, on the north three gates; on the south three gates and on the west three gates”. Revelation reveals that the time 1860 to 2004 must be divided into four sections of 36 years, but also that in the time 1860 to 2004, the world will be ‘a global village’ or according to Revelation “the great city”. What happens in the one section (east, north south or west) will effect the entire earth. Threescore and six Rev 13:15 The Statue of Liberty that was completed in 1886 was built to commemorate the alliance of the United States and France during the American Civil War. It was also a symbol of French gratitude to the people of America for support and sympathy especially during the French Revolution. It was the French Revolution that finally gave the impetus to remove the Christian Church from the rule of the nations in Europe and European colonies all over the world. What Revelation is conveying is that the establishment of a government, free of the directives of the Christian Church would free man’s conscience in many ways. It would make him less mindful of what he may or may not do according to the words of Scripture. Therefore Revelation says, “the beast had power to give life to the image of the beast”. In other words by removing the influence of the Christian Church, in time, the “beast” would have the “power” (Rev 13:15) to influence man in his quest to understand the origins of “life”. He would make great discoveries (like the discovery of DNA) and could proceed to clone animals. An arrogance that would accompany his freedom would however lead him to misuse his expertise. Note how Revelation reveals this 1886+66=1952 “power to give life” Rev 13:15 – the time of the cloning of frogs. 1906+66= 1972 – Rev 13:15 - 1926+66=1992 – Rev 13:13 “unclean spirits like frogs” “like frogs” The reason why I believe that these three species of frogs have symbolic significance is not to dishonour the progress of medical or other related sciences. Science is a gift to man that can be used to great advantage. But man would also misuse it. In the time 1932 to 1980, society would through the progress of science, (for example, the development of oral contraceptives and medication) be in a position to make sexual promiscuity ‘easier’, but also to persist it. Man would through his acquired expertise in understanding the origins of life proceed to genetic engineering. “out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet”. The dragon, the beast and the false prophet are enormous concepts in Revelation. Out of the mouth of the dragon The dragon in Revelation is the symbol for division among Christians that leads to death. It is a “red” dragon (Rev. 12:3). Through the word “red” it is linked to the Rider on the red horse carrying the sword. This means that this evil spirit has been at work from the time that Christians came into conflict with one another, but particularly from the time that the Christian king opposed the Christian Church. In other words the dragon brought about a rift between the Christian Church and the ruling of the Christian nations. What is more, in the twentieth century, as a result of man wanting to be totally free, this political philosophy would be readily accepted by western nations. Out of the mouth of the beast The beast of Revelation is a vast concept consisting of the “beast out of the sea” and the “beast out of the earth”. The beast out of the sea is linked to numerous lines of kings that ruled in the second millennium in Europe. After the fall of the kings of Europe there would be put in place a rule of men that would give priority to issues pertaining to humanity. The beast out of the earth is linked to the time measurement of six hundred and sixty-six years and illustrates how man through amongst other things, his expertise and greed, would be misled to thinking that man has no eternal purpose (see also Q&A – IX- antichrist). To put it in another way, the total effect of the beast manifests itself in the thinking that man can live and be governed by man made laws alone. Out of the mouth of the false prophet The ‘false prophet’ is a concept that develops through centuries. It is discovered through the word “wisdom” in Rev 13:18. “False prophet” is linked to the year 1266 that is the first year of the time measurement of 666 years in Revelation. That is the time 1266 to 1932. “Wisdom” relates to man’s thinking and philosophy. It is linked to the year 1266, the time that Thomas Aquinas was writing the Summa Theologica. It was at that time that man’s outlook began to focus more on humanity than on spiritual matters. It was also the year that the army of the Roman Catholic Church killed the heir to the Holy Roman Empire. After that time the king was elected. In time, as the centuries passed, elected by men to whom Christianity was no priority. Through the centuries the focus on humanity would contribute to misleading man in thinking that in certain aspects of his life he need not involve God. It also led man to focus more on humanity, than the gospel of Jesus Christ. This was particularly obvious in the development of political thought during the centuries of the second millenium. One of the results of this evil spirit was that man came to think that a Christian nation could be ruled on the laws of the economy alone – as happened in the Soviet Union. {One knows this through the identification of the “ten crowns” on the ten horns of the beast out of the sea (Rev 13:1) and what happened in that time in history.} It manifests itself in the thinking that the interests of humanity, is man’s priority. It is apparent in the equalization of world religions. “out of the mouth” The word “mouth” in Revelation relates to earthquakes. In this way Revelation reveals the section of the earth (Far East, Middle East or Far West) where the history of Christians can be correlated with the words of Revelation. The place indicated by the word “mouth” in Rev 13:5 is the Far West. The time is the year 1906, the year of the San Francisco earthquake and the year that the radiotelephone was demonstrated in the United States of America (revealed by the word “speak” in Rev. 13:15. You will recall that the year 1906 is the second number of the “threescore” (Rev 13:18 - “six hundred, threescore and six”) in the number 666. Rev 16:14 “For they are the spirits of devils working miracles” Bringing it all together In the time 1932 to 1980 man reached the point that the Christian Church could no longer directly influence the ruling of the Western nations (the result of the power of dragon and the beast). Man was deceived in thinking that his purpose in life was to place humanity first and ignore the presence of the Holy Spirit in man’s existence (the result of the false concept that man only needs to consider God in some of his thinking). Through the time measurement, 1932 to 1980, the history of the improvement of grasses and the cloning of frogs in that time, Revelation says that man will in time be influenced to intervene in God’s creation. That is unacceptable. On 22 January 2001, the House of Lords, in the United Kingdom, backed new government rules to allow limited cloning of human embryos. Religious leaders from across the spectrum urged them to oppose the measures. In the interpretation of “out of the mouth” we cannot ignore that in Rev 1:16 these words are linked to “a two edged sword”. It indicates that God will avenge severely the death of Christians and the innocent. Are we therefore allowed to use a human foetus as a tool? “Frogs” are a plague in the Bible. Plagues lead to illness and death. Should we not learn from the results of the changing of the natural feed of livestock? Can we know the ultimate results of genetic engineering in human beings? What we cannot ignore in 2001, is that Revelation brings the “three evil spirits like frogs directly into relation with Armageddon (Rev 16:14-16) Rev 16:14 Rev 16:16 Time measurement Therefore, the answer the question put in the “Forum”: Can three frogs on the coat of arms of a king be related to “ the three like frogs” in Revelation 16:13. The answer is definitely no, for Revelation in no way directly indicates this. Revelation deals with large time measurements and enormous concepts. When it refers to kings, it includes numerous lines of kings from at least seven or ten countries. [Amphibians, animals, birds and mythical beasts all appear on coats of arms: to mention some, the bear, bull, deer, goat, dog, lion, eagle, falcon, mole, mouse, unicorn and dragon.] Clovis, king of the Franks [In answer to some comments concerning Clovis made in the Forum] The first millennium Revelation divides the two millennia from the birth of Jesus Christ into two units of time measurement, each is a period of time that is “three days and a half” (Rev 11:9 and 11 – this time measurement is mentioned twice in Revelation, therefore a total of ‘seven days’.) Only the very end time is measured in “days”, as we know a day to be twenty-four hours (Rev 10:7) “in the days of the voice of the seventh angel”. The length of the time measurement of a “day” (as in “three days and a half”) in Revelation, is 288 years and is revealed by Revelation itself (See Q&A - V). The meaning of this time measurement comes from the words of Jesus Christ, in Matthew 26:61 “I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days”. When Christ said these words on earth, no one understood him, because he spoke of the Christian Church, which would rise after his death and resurrection. Through the ‘double’ meaning of the word “temple” in the New Testament – meaning both the temple in Jerusalem as well as Christ who referred to his body as the temple- we can through Revelation to-day know what he meant. It meant that in the time after the year AD 70 (the time that the Romans destroyed the temple in Jerusalem), the Church of Jesus Christ would rise in Western Europe. As mentioned above, a “day” in Revelation’s time measurement is 288 years. “Three days” is therefore 288 years times 3, which is 864 years. If we add 70 years to 864 years then we reach the time 934. By 934, time the Christian faith had spread Westward from Jerusalem surrounds to all of Europe. In Revelation this spread of the Christian faith in a western direction, is symbolized by the Rider on the white horse wearing the crown. The Rider is Jesus Christ himself, for in Revelation, the Christian Church is through Holy Communion, one with Christ. This is revealed through the words of Revelation 1:13, where the Son of Man is in the midst of the candlesticks. In Revelation 1:20 we are told that the seven candlesticks are the seven churches. “Seven” in Revelation is a number that indicates a ‘totality’. It signifies not only the seven churches in Asia Minor, but also ultimately all Christian Churches that would be established after c AD 97. Rev 1:19 Through the correlation of Revelation with history, we know that certain symbols of Revelation relate to the time after John was on Patmos, c AD 97 The time of the Rider on the white horse, is AD 216. This was the time at which the Trinity, intervened to set history on course to achieve a unity between the Christian Church and state (this unity is symbolized by the “crown” on the head of the Rider on the white horse). This was the very the beginning of the decline of the Roman Empire (West). The “bow” in the hand of the rider symbolizes the Parthians (East). The Parthians were hard riding horsemen who fought their battles with bow and arrow. It was in Parthian Persia, in the early years of the first millennium, that Asian Christianity grew, to develop a related, but eventually separated existence. In 313, Emperor Constantine, by the Edict of Milan, put an end to the persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire and established Christianity as the official religion of the Empire. All the kings of Western Europe that converted to Christianity and promoted a unity of the State with the Christian Church, particularly in the first millennium, is symbolized by the “crown “on the Rider on the white horse. Clovis (c 465-511), founder of the powerful kingdom of the Franks, was one of these kings. He was a Merovingian king, because he was the grandson of Merovec, a former chief of the tribe known as the Salian Franks. Clovis, after his conversion to Christianity won the support of the Romanised Gauls. He enlarged his kingdom to include most of present day France and part of Germany. He upheld the doctrine of the unity of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit and denounced Arianism. His leadership brought about greater unity in the Christian Church of Western Europe. Arianism, a doctrine held by Arius of Alexander (250–336), who denied that God the Son, was truly divine had brought much division between Christians in North Africa and Eastern Europe in the first quarter of the first millennium. According to my historical sources it was Clovis who adopted the symbol of the waterlily or “flower of the lily” (fleur-de-lis) as a symbol of his purification upon his conversion to Christianity. It is a symbol of perfection light and life. Others claim that he adopted the symbol when waterlilies showed him how to safely cross a river and thus succeed in battle. In the twelfth century the French monarch used the symbol of the ‘fleur-de-lis’ on his shield. King and priest Rev 1:6 In other words, according to Revelation, a Christian “priest-king”, a king who rules his realm in harmony with the Christian Church is a near perfect situation. This was proved by history in the rapid growth of Christianity in Western Europe, when the unison of the Christian State and the Christian Church was vested in the authority of the Christian king. Later, the history of Western Europe would prove that man could not maintain, and even later (through the influence of the “beast”) did not wish to maintain this unity. He wanted greater freedom from the bonds of the Christian Church. [In at least ten countries mentioned in How near Armageddon, “the hour” of the fall of the Christian king is about 24 years. In France the ‘fall’ of the king begins in 1774. This was the time that Louis XVI succeeded as king to the throne. It ends in 1798 (the time that Napoleon would rule France in conjunction with a constitution). It was also the time of the French Revolution. Revelation indicates the transition in Europe through the words of Rev 17:12. The systems of government, after the fall of the kings of Europe, would spread globally. Rev 17:12 “And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet, but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.”] Revelation extends the concept “king and priest” to every person on earth in Rev 1:6 (see above). If any person on earth accepts in his mind that he is ‘governed’ by Jesus Christ and believes that his sins are forgiven through Jesus Christ, he is a “king and priest”, even though in reality he may be ruled by non Christian government. At the beginning of Revelation this fact is stressed, for in the centuries that the gospel of Jesus Christ would spread to the ends of the earth, Christians would be confronted by regimes that would influence them to denounce their Christian “crown” or Christian ‘priest-king’ status. As time progressed the many influences of a non-Christian society would make maintaining this status more difficult. Therefore Rev. 3:11 says, “hold fast that which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.” Today, in the Western nations, the ‘spirit of antichrist’ and ‘the rule of man’, are subtly taking many ‘crowns of everlasting life’.
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