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Armageddon Is Not A Battle Plan: What Revelation Actually Says — And Why It Matters Right Now

...ixion and resurrection from a heavenly vantage point. This is like a spiritual “behind the scenes” view of what was really happening when Christ was born into a world of imperial power, was apparently defeated by it, and then vindicated by God. The dragon is not defeated at some future Armageddon. He is defeated at the cross, and Revelation 12:10-11 tells us so plainly. That cosmic victory connects to the detail in Revelation 14:20 — the Victor arriving from outside the city, garments already stained — which echoes Isaiah 63 but also the sin offering of Leviticus 16:27, burned outside the camp. Jesus was crucified outside Jerusalem precisely as...

The Coming of Jesus: Coming on the clouds

...e, death, resurrection and forgiveness of Christ! Jesus's coming which he spoke of here was never to do with a physical return, but was always a prophetic reference to him visiting Jerusalem in judgement, just like God had done in previous generations, when he spoke to the people through prophets using this type of figurative language. When we can clearly see that all of these visitations by God in the Old Testament, using the same phrases and language that Jesus used, were prophetic and symbolic references to God using armies and other nations to bring war and destruction on something as judgement against them as though God himself had done it, why then do...

Lent: Day 15 - Justin Martyr: First Apology, Chaps. 36-47

...death and resurrection of Jesus, he goes on to show that “through the same David, intimated that Christ, after He had been crucified, should reign” and quotes 1 Chron. 16: 23-27 and merges that with Ps. 96 to make up one long prophetic statement. There’s an interesting bit here where Justin quotes Ps 96:10 as saying: “Let them rejoice among the nations. The Lord hath reigned from the tree.” Which he uses as his proof for Jesus reigning after his death. But if you look this up in a Bible now, it will say: Say among the nations, “The Lord is king!The world is firmly established; it shall never be moved.He will judge the peoples with equity....

Lent: Day 16 - Justin Martyr: First Apology, Chaps. 48-59

...Day Sixteen: St. Justin Martyr: First Apology, Chaps. 48-59 Who: Justin Martyr was a Philosopher who converted to Christianity and became a tireless evangelist and apologist. Justin wrote more Christianity than any other person prior to his time. He is classified herein as Eastern, since he a native of Samaria and his thought patterns were Eastern. However, he spent the last years of his life in Rome, where he was executed as a martyr (c. 165). What: An apologetic (defence) essay to explain what Christians believe and do. Why: Justin is demanding the Emperor to investigate accusations and unjust persecution against Christians so that they at least may face...

Lent: Day 17 - Justin Martyr: First Apology: Chaps. 60-68

...rough the resurrection of Jesus Christ Baptismal regeneration is something most, if not all, churches would teach against today, and find ways to reinterpret 1 Peter, so I find this section particularly interesting as an early teaching. Imitation by demons Following on with baptism, Justin goes on to say that due to Isaiah prophesying this, the demons knew what to imitate in the temples to false gods, who would have all their worshippers sprinkled with water on entering and fully immersed on the way out, and also have them remove their shoes as Moses did at the burning bush when “Christ conversed with him under the appearance of fire”. This too shows a...

Lent Day 21: Athanasius: Life of Anthony: Chaps. 1-10

...death and resurrection, that those “who truly fight can say, 'not I but the grace of God which was with me’ (1 Corinthians 15:10)” because we can do nothing of our own. Not boasting nor being puffed up in this victory, he, “having learned from the Scriptures that the devices of the devil are many (Ephesians 6:11), zealously continued the discipline”, because he knew that the devil “would endeavour to ensnare him by other means” still. Continuing more with his discipline, he would not focus nor remember the past, but would press on with the current day and what lay before, meditating on Paul's words; Philippians 3:14I press on toward the goal...