Reply to: Marilyn Agee

 

Thank you Marilyn. Back in 1998 when I first became interested in prophecy, I read your book, The End of the Age.  I guess that "launched" me into everything I've been into since.  I think I've come a long way since then, not always right, but gaining more understanding along the way. I call it "progressive revelation."  If there's one thing I know for sure, it's that nobody understands it ALL.  There's always more to learn.

 

I also checked the Blue Letter Bible versions before I wrote my previous post.  Here's my "consideration of them":  Notice the King James version does not have the word "the"> " they which came out of great tribulation".  They left it out simply because the word "the" was never there.  When they do insert a word that wasn't there originally, they use brackets or italics to indicate it has been inserted.  But the fact that they left "the" out of it completely doesn't mean they are "the most accurate" translators either.  They have made error translations with regard to other words that should have been translated otherwise.  We should keep in mind that the original scriptures were indeed inspired by the Holy Spirit and were written through His prophets and Apostles.  But translations of other languages are bound to have some errors, although most of the time the original meaning is NOT compromised.  But sometimes it is. (I'll show you what I mean at the end of this post).  

 

But back to "great tribulation" versus "the" great tribulation: The "other versions" do use the word "the;" however, "the" is an inserted word that didn't exist.  It was inserted for ease in our English reading.  BUT, extremely importantly, the KJV insertion of the word "the" shows the ERROR they've made in confusing a CONDITON with a TIME PERIOD.  Here's why: 

 

When one reads the entire Book of Revelation, and has a general outline in their mind of the progressive chronological time-frame of events, then one can't help but wonder HOW the "great multitude, which no man could number of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues," are "the" great tribulation (time period) martyrs" when the last half of the 70th Week has not even begun, nor has the 7th Seal even been opened.  So, there is a dilemma.  Again, the conclusion (dilemma) is that the wording ("the"), which was never even there to begin with, confuses a CONDITION "Thlipsis".....meaning "affliction, persecution, trouble, suffering, & tribulation." with a TIME PERIOD.

 

On another note regarding the "red heifer" --- I read in a recent article: 

"...while the preparations seem to be lining up, a major obstacle remains – the absence of a red heifer, required in the biblical book of Numbers, Chapter 19, for the purification that is essential before worship."

Well now, that "obstacle" seems to have been removed AT THIS TIME with a "naturally conceived" and "sudden appearance" of this now-6 month old red heifer!  My thinking is that it just may be "the one" that will be used for the 'purification' ritual if it stays red and never develops more than 2 or 3 white or black hairs, which would disqualify it.  The Red Heifer must be at least 2 years old when it is sacrificed; so if "Little Red" stays pure red as she grows, look at the timing:

    Jan. 2014 - red heifer born 

   

    Jan. 2015 - red heifer 1 year old

    Sept.2015 - start of a new Sabbatical Cycle / start of the 70th Week

                     presumed resurrection/rapture, removing the church before Daniel's 70th Week begins 

    

    Jan. 2016 - red heifer 2 years old

    Sept.2016 - 1 year into the 70th Week

 

As you can see, if the 70th Week begins at the new Sabbatical Cycle/ the head of the Jewish New Year/Rosh Hashanah, Sept. 13, 2015, and the Covenant is confirmed, which allows provision for Israel to rebuild their Temple, the Red Heifer will BE two years old!    But there is a catch!  To be ceremonially pure in order to perform service in the Temple, the priest must MIX the ashes of the red heifer WITH THE ASHES OF THE PREVIOUS ONE!  After 2,000 years, could anyone be sure that any ASHES which might allegedly be discovered actually belonged to the previous red heifer?  I think NOT. 

 

So now what?  Well, let's look at something which might explain whether THIS red heifer would be considered 'holy' and acceptable to God as much as a Temple which will be occupied by the antichrist. 

 

Jewish tradition says there have been nine red heifers sacrificed on behalf of the Jewish people, and the tenth (final) Red Heifer will be sacrificed by the Messiah at the time of the building of the Millennial Temple (that would be Ezekiel's Temple, which measurements are so large as to not even fit onto what today is called the Temple Mount. * Remember, when Jesus descends on the Mt. of Olives at His Second Coming, there will be a huge earthquake and the Mt. of Olives will cleave in two and water will rush out and flow down to the Dead Sea and heal it, and the topography of the area will change, rise up and be enlarged, which WILL accommodate Ezekiel's Millennial Temple.)   

 

I don't feel a lot of excitement for a newborn red heifer any more than I do about the rebuilt temple which the antichrist will defile when he commits the abomination.  This new red heifer, even if it remains pure red, will not sanctify the priests anymore than the priests will sanctify the rebuilt temple, for they will not be holy unto the God of Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob.  * But, what I DO find exciting is what the Red Heifer stands for, which also confirms for me that Jesus, our High Priest, will indeed offer the true 10th Red Heifer when He returns.  WHY do I feel sure about this?  Well, Messiah Jesus is the SUBSTANCE, or essential nature, of what the SHADOW of the Red Heifer represents!  In other words..... 

 

...All of the past Old Testament sacrifices represented the future ONCE FOR ALL SACRIFICE by Jesus our High Priest (after the order of Malchizedek > "ONCE FOR ALL").  This means that Jesus "preceded" the "rebuilding" of the Temple made without human hands by the Holy Spirit. (Hebrews 9:11-28).  It makes sense to me that He will offer the tenth Red Heifer, making the priesthood ceremonially clean and acceptable for service in the Millennial Temple.....REPLACING THE OLD ORDER LEVITICAL PRIESTHOOD AFTER THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK! 

 

Well, one last thing for this post >>> previously I mentioned translations into other languages are bound to have some errors, although most of the time the original meaning is NOT compromised.  But sometimes it is.  CASE IN POINT: 

 

I was doing a study in an effort to identify WHO are the "24 elders" sitting round about God's Throne (I was suspicious of the common acceptance that they "represented the 12 Tribes and 12 Apostles.")  So I took a closer look at the King James version of Revelation 5:9-10 where it appears that the 24 elders and the four living creatures are singing a "new song." >>> " "And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth."

 

This translation is not exactly accurate.  Though God inspired the manuscripts that came from the hands of the original writers,  it is impossible to copy a book of any length without making some mistakes in the translation of languages. There is no Greek manuscript that agrees exactly with other Greek manuscripts. There can be 'copyists' errors, extra words and phrases, similar words, or omissions & insertions, but the biggest 'mistakes' are in the translations of certain words.  Here is an example of how the translation of ONE WORD can alter the complete understanding of the scripture verse. Compare the King James Version (above) to these other versions:

Complete Jewish Bible

And they sang a new song,

“You are worthy to take the scroll and break its seals;
    because you were slaughtered;
at the cost of blood you ransomed for God
    persons from every tribe, language, people and nation.
You made them into a kingdom for God to rule,
    cohanim to serve him;
and they will rule over the earth.”

 

New Living Translation 

And they sang a new song with these words:

“You are worthy to take the scroll
    and break its seals and open it.
For you were slaughtered, and your blood has ransomed people for God
    from every tribe and language and people and nation.
 And you have caused them to become
    a Kingdom of priests for our God.
    And they will reign on the earth.

 

NIV

 And they sang a new song, saying:

“You are worthy to take the scroll
    and to open its seals,
because you were slain,
    and with your blood you purchased for God
    persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.
 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,
    and they will reign on the earth.”

 

Living Bible

They were singing him a new song with these words: “You are worthy to take the scroll and break its seals and open it; for you were slain, and your blood has bought people from every nation as gifts for God. And you have gathered them into a kingdom and made them priests of our God; they shall reign upon the earth.”

 

I checked many other translations including the NASB ad ASV and I could find no version other than the King James that used the words "we and us." All other translations used the words "they and them".  This is because the King James translated "hemas", "us" while other versions used "autous" as "them." Therefore, the passage in the King James version is a major reason for the TRADITIONAL INTERPRETATION that the 24 elders are representative of human believers in heaven.

 

So you can see where a couple of little pronouns can change the entire scope of one's belief. NOW HERE'S THE PROOF:   If we read and believe (without searching, testing, and trying) that the 24 elders and the four beasts are singing a new song UNTO THEMSELVES by use of the words "we and us" then we are going to believe they represent redeemed human beings who will reign on earth.  But clearly the four beasts are NOT human beings nor will they reign on earth, so "they" would not be singing this song about themselves!  The same goes for the 24 elders....it just does not make logical sense because these 24 elders are NOT representative of redeemed human beings, but are rather angelic entities (which can never be redeemed by the Blood of Jesus Christ.  What DOES make logical sense is that as they are angelic beings/heavenlty priest serving in the Heavenly Temple, they DO rejoice in heaven when a person is redeemed...which is what they are doing in Rev. 5 because of the sudden appearance of the Lord into the throne room after He ascended (read the context!).  They are celebrating the New Covenant that Christ had accomplished through His redeeming work and taking His rightful place in the throne room.

 

Let me prove who these 24 elders ARE:

    * "presbuteros" in Greek - the use of "presbuteros" means a human being on the earth.  The traditional pre-millennial interpretation is that these 24 elders represent human beings in a resurrected state, and therefore the resurrection/rapture must have already taken place in the Revelation chronology of events, even though Jesus had just arrived in the Throne Room after His ascension (again, look at the context.)  HOWEVER.....

    * these 24 elders are in heaven (not earth) seated around the throne of God and therefore are not represented as human beings on earth (presbuteros).  Remember, there is a Heavenly Temple  in which the earthly Temples mirrored the heavenly pattern of the Temple itself AND the Temple service.)  Therefore, with a heavenly temple and Christ as our Intercessor/Advocate/High Priest before the Father, there is also a representation of the Levitical priesthood on earth that was patterned after the heavenly which serves the High Priest Jesus Christ.

    * the heavenly priesthood is said to be in the order of the eternal "Melchizedek priesthood" in the heavenly Temple.  (Ahhh, we're back to the Melchizedek Priesthood which we already saw with regard to the Red Heifer!)

 

* I wondered what the difference was between the Melchizedek priesthood and the Aaronic priesthood and I learned that the priesthood of Melchizedek is superior because it required a single sacrifice once and for all (Jesus), while the Levitical priesthood made endless sacrifices. (Heb. 7:27)  And this must be why King David referred to the future King of kings or Messiah as a "priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek." (Psalm 110:1-4.)  He sacrificed Himself once and for all.

 

Because the earthly was patterned after the heavenly, scripture shows David received instructions from God and then showed Solomon how to divide the priests and the Levites and how they were to serve.

    1 Chronicles 23:2-6 > David assembled all the leaders of Israel, along with the  

    priests and the Levites.The Levites who were thirty years old and up were counted;

    there were 38,000 men.  David said, “Of these, 24,000 are to direct the

   work of the Lord’s temple; 6,000 are to be officials and judges; 4,000 are to be

    gatekeepers; and 4,000 are to praise the Lord with the instruments I supplied for

    worship.”  David divided them into groups corresponding to the sons of Levi:

    Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. 

They were divided into 24 courses according to their assignment. When a course was on duty, all its members were bound to appear in the Temple. 

   * Duties included:  Before the break of the day, the priests on duty were ready and they assembled to cast lots to decide the assignment of the various daily tasks. It started with filling the lavers and preparing the altar. At about 9:00 am, they opened the gates and blew the silver trumpets to announce the commencement of the morning service. The service included slaying the sacrificial lamb, salting the sacrifice, trimming the lampstand, burning the incense, presenting the burnt offering and drink offering, blessing the people and blasting the silver trumpets. This was followed by the Psalm of the day, presented by the singers, accompanied by instrumental music.

Immediately after the morning service, the Israelites might bring in their private sacrifices and offerings. It would occasionally continued till near the time for the evening sacrifice, which was about 2:30 pm. The evening service was similar to the morning service. It ended at about 4:00 pm.

At night, the priests kept watch about the innermost places of the Temple, including the inner court and the Temple itself. They also opened and closed all the inner gates.

On a Sabbath day, there were the weekly renewal of the showbread and an additional burnt offering of two lambs. Before the actual Sabbath commenced, the service of the new course of priests and Levites had already begun. After the evening service, the outgoing course handed over the keys of the sanctuary, the holy vessels, and everything else they had in charge to the new course. At sunset on Friday, the Sabbath began. Immediately followed was the renewal of the showbread. It had been prepared by the incoming course before the Sabbath itself, in one of the side chambers of the Temple. Although the service of the incoming priests had begun, that of the outgoing had not yet completely finished. In fact, the outgoing priests offered the morning sacrifice on the Sabbath (Saturday morning), and then the incoming course performed the evening sacrifice. Both courses spent the Sabbath in the Temple. The Sabbath service was the same as on other days, except that at the close of the morning sacrifice two additional lambs were offered, along with its appropriate meal and drink offerings (Numbers 28:9-10). When the Sabbath was over, the outgoing course left the Temple and parted from each other with a farewell.   * On New Moons and other festivals, there were additional rituals to be observed according to the Law.

There was, is, and will be ALOT of work to continue in the Heavenly Temple, as well as when Christ establishes His earthly kingdom and rebuilds the Millennial Temple.   

In trying to identify the 24 elders, it seems totally reasonable and scripturally compatible to identify them as a "heavenly angelic representation of priests serving the High Priest Jesus Christ in the Heavenly Temple. 

 

There are other clues to the indentity of the 24 elders in the description of their actions in the throne room as to whether they are human beings or angelic representations: 

    * the 24 elders were holding golden bowls full of incense which is described as being the prayers of the saints (Rev. 5:8).  If they were human beings they would not be holding golden bowls which contain their own prayers.

    * But if the 24 elders represent an angelic order of priests, it would make perfect sense for them to be holding the golden bowls with the prayers of the saints because we see later that they offer up the prayers as incense before the throne, where the High Priest (Jesus Christ) intercedes before the Father for the saints based on their prayers. 

    * The 24 elders are performing service in the heavenly temple by offering incense upon the altar.

    * The 24 elders and the four living creatures are singing a "new song."  The content of the song eliminates the possibility that they are, or represent, human beings.

 

Anyway, it's all interesting.  

Shalom, Until...... 

sherry vance

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