Randy Green's Blog - Posts Tagged "revelation"

Oh Dear. What Next?

Life insurance. Death and disability insurance. Automobile insurance. Homeowners insurance. Retirement plans. Obviously we frequently wonder what tomorrow will bring, do we not?

If we know where to look, we can find some trustworthy answers. Only one person knows what tomorrow will bring. This Person is God, and He revealed a goodly amount of insight to us...sort of like pulling back the curtain of time a bit and giving us a sneak peek!

May I suggest we start a group of folks who want to explore this issue. We can read my book "Kingdom of Eretz, A Biblical Allegory of the Church Age" together. Then we can share our perspectives and decipher the meaning of this allegory.

Who's in? All volunteers will need to get the book from Red Lead Press. Google them to place an order. The book is available in paperback or as an eBook. So let the chase begin!
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Published on November 08, 2011 19:52 Tags: prophecy, puzzles-to-interpret, revelation

A Frightening Number, Part 1

Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for the number is that of a man; and his number is six hundred and sixty-six [Revelation 13:18].

If you were to do a bit of research on the numerous attempts to interpret the "number of the beast" over the centuries, you would come away knowing less about it than when you began! It is in some ways rather hilarious to read many of them.

One approach which yields the most untrustworthy results is to take the number as a man's name. Each letter of the alphabet is assigned a number, so the letters of a person's name add up to a total value. Find a man's name whose letters add up to 666 and you've found the identity of the beast.

Sounds logical enough, doesn't it? Uh, not so much. Here's the problem. Which letters do we use? The Book of Revelation is written in koine Greek, which employs different letters than English. Perhaps the name should add up to 666 in Persian...or Aramaic...or Hebrew.

And then there's the problem of which name is the correct one. In perusing the various commentaries, we discover that the letters of more than one name can be made to total 666. Do we put all those names in a hat and have a drawing? We could even sell tickets and award a prize to the winner!

Seriously, though, the Bible records, "the number is that of a man". It doesn't say "the number is that of a man's name", does it? No, it doesn't. So why would we try to make a man's name add up to 666? Duh? Go figure, why don'cha.

And right there we have Scripture's key for interpreting the number of the beast. The number is that of a man. Man was created on Day 6 of creation week. That is why the number of a man is 6. That is the first clue we have to go by. Scripture gave it to us: let's put it to good use.

So come with me now, roll up your sleeves, put on your work gloves, and let's work up a good sweat in solving this puzzle. Man's number is 6, while the beast's number is 666. The two are connected in Revelation by the words "the number is that of a man". See! The number 666 is connected with man and man's number.

Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes An Exposition of the Scriptures for Disciples and Young Christians Volume 1 Genesis by Randy Green Genesis Volume 1 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes (An Exposition of the Scriptures for Disciples and Young Christians, 630 pages) by Randy Green
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Published on December 02, 2011 02:24 Tags: 666, antichrist, number-of-the-beast, revelation

A Frightening Number, Part 2

Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for the number is that of a man; and his number is six hundred and sixty-six [Revelation 13:18].

Man's number is 6, while the beast's number is 666. The two are connected in Revelation by the words "the number is that of a man". See! The number 666 is connected with man and his number.

Okay. Now that we have that detail to go by, let's consider two possibilities with the number of the beast. One possibility is that the number is six hundred and sixty-six. In fact the original Greek has the number spelled out in letters as hundred and sixty-six.

Notwithstanding that fact, the Book of Revelation is highly symbolic, employing typology to teach future mysteries. Writing the number 666 with letters forces the reader to meditate on the text more, if he really wants to solve the mystery. Jesus spoke in parables in order to accomplish the same thing. If anyone really wanted to discover the truths of God's Word, such a one had to search them out as if digging for buried treasure. Superficial reading of short blips and Sunday School ditties won't suffice for us to mature spiritually, dear friends.

The clue, once more, is in the phrase "the number of a man", and I want to correct that translation. In the Greek there is no indefinite article attached to the word for "man". In other words it reads "man", not "a man". The number of man, as we've already noted, is the number 6.

Hurray! We've reached the last step of our analysis of the number 666. The number of man is 6. Now look at the number of the beast: 666. Stop reading it as six hundred sixty-six and start reading it as 6-6-6, i.e., as a triple 6.

The number for God is 3. The number 3 expresses the superlative degree. God is the MOST divine. He is the THRICE holy God. Oh, and don't leave out the fact that God revealed Himself to be a TRINITY.

The word Trinity is formed by combining "tri" with "unity". "Tri" means 3 and "unity" means 1. Voilà! Trinity means 3-in-1. God is one, yet He shows Himself to be three Persons simultaneously and for all eternity. God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—3 Persons comprising 1 God. We could easily express this by saying the number of God is 333. 3 is God's number and there are 3 Persons in the Godhead.

Do you see what the number of the beast means now? Compare 333 with 666. No, it's not that 666 is double 333. It's that there are 3 beasts identified in Revelation 12-13. There is the Dragon (i.e., Satan), and there is the beast out of the sea (i.e., the antichrist), and there is the beast out of the earth (i.e., the false religious leader).

The devil will forge his own pseudo-trinity, with the devil possessing the antichrist, who is a human male. The false religious leader is also a human male, though not possessed by the devil. This is Satan's mimicking of our precious Lord Jesus Christ, Who is God the Son taking on His own human body. The antichrist is the devil in a human body, though that human body is not the devil's own body. He possesses another man's body.

So the number of the beast is the number of man because the number represents who the beast is: he is a man. In fact he is 2 men and 1 devil! And since there are actually three beasts to mimic the Trinity, the number of man ("6") becomes written as "666" to expose the beast as the devil's human impersonation of the Trinity.

The Bible is unfathomable, dear people. We can never learn all it has to teach us...but we can have fun trying! Spend some time alone with the Lord now. Allow the Holy Spirit to work this teaching into your mind and down into your heart. That is the only way we can mature spiritually, so that we become all that the Lord wants us to be. To God be the glory! Amen. Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes An Exposition of the Scriptures for Disciples and Young Christians Volume 1 Genesis by Randy Green Genesis Volume 1 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes (An Exposition of the Scriptures for Disciples and Young Christians, 630 pages) by Randy Green
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Published on December 02, 2011 15:59 Tags: 666, antichrist, number-of-the-beast, revelation

Wow! I Can See God! – Part 1

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being [John 1:1-3].

It is eye-opening to discover in the original Greek that the writings of John are the simplest grammar in the New Testament. John’s Gospel account and his three letters to the churches wax eloquent in content. They are the most philosophical of all the four Gospel accounts, and they teach recondite concepts. In fine, they are not simple narrative.

The reason why it surprises those who learn to read the Greek New Testament is because the content soars above the heavens, while the grammar is that of a child. Only the Holy Spirit could accomplish such a feat! Anyone who is adroit enough to present such deep content has a vocabulary arsenal well beyond John’s.

The first three verses of John’s Gospel account are quoted at the start of this study. Folks, it doesn’t get more arcane than that! The Holy Spirit just last week shared an insight with me about these verses, a nuance which I trust you will enjoy.

First read the three verses of John again. We’ll pause a moment to give you time. Okay, now read this:

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light [Genesis 1:1-3].

In Genesis the word “beginning” refers to the beginning of time, space, and matter. It references the beginning of creation as we know it. In John’s account the word refers to eternity. Long before the Genesis “beginning” God existed…because God always is. At the same time “the Word” always is too: He always is with God.

Both God and the Word are eternal, and that is a characteristic which only God has. Hence John tells us, the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Those two clauses form a paradox, don’t you think? How can God be with God? Makes no sense to me! I mean, I can’t be with me. Duh! How can something identified as “the Word” be with God, while simultaneously being God? Go figure, why don’cha.

The only logical solution is to realize that God is a Trinity. He is three Persons in one God. O! but that makes even less sense, huh? Are you confused enough yet? Well, we’re just getting started, so get ready to implode!

Truthfully, the reason we cannot understand the Trinity is because nothing in time can be compared to this concept. If we view the Trinity as multiple personalities in one person, well, the Trinity is not one Person. The word Trinity comes from “tri” + “unity”. Tri means “three” and unity means “one”: three Persons in one God.

I do apologize, but time has escaped us. We will have to continue this study tomorrow.

To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Genesis: Volume 1 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...

Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes An Exposition of the Scriptures for Disciples and Young Christians Volume 1 Genesis by Randy Green Genesis Volume 1 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes by Randy Green
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Published on March 06, 2012 22:08 Tags: father, genesis-1, god, holy-spirit, john-1, knowing-god, revelation, son, trinity

Wow! I Can See God! – Part 2

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being [John 1:1-3].

We concluded our last study with a look into the concept of the Trinity. We will continue with that point now. If we use the analogy of H2O, there are three forms it can take:

1. water (a liquid)
2. ice (a solid)
3. steam (a gas)

The trouble with this analogy is that H2O can only be one of those forms at a time. Because this is true in time, the Pentecostals insist it applies to God in eternity. Ergo, God is only one Person at a time, not three, not a Trinity. At one time He is the Father, at another the Son, and still another the Holy Spirit.

Instead of trying to rewrite Scripture, methinks they would be wise to agree with the Word of God. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He is God while simultaneously being with God. Sorry, my Pentecostal brothers and sisters, but we must stick with the Word of God. He alone knows Who He is and can explain Himself. You and I are not qualified to perform such a feat.

If I wanted a cockroach to understand who and what I am, how could I go about it, hypothetically speaking, of course? I couldn’t write the roach a letter explaining the facts concerning my existence because it can’t read! I couldn’t just sit on the park bench and talk to it. I couldn’t hang out with it in the gym and rub shoulders to get acquainted. It’s a toughie. How to explain myself to a cockroach?

God faced the same dilemma in trying to reveal Himself to man. He is not one of us. He is incalculably superior to man. He created man so He understands us, but we are not up to the task of comprehending Him. Time cannot measure eternity, nor can time define eternity. Vice versa is the reality, dear friends.

God being God, He wasn’t stumped. He knew how to explain His Person and behaviors to man. He became a man like us, so that we could experience God within the context of time, space, and matter. God really took on our true humanity, sin excepted, and became one of us (cf., John 1:14).

When we study Jesus in the New Testament, we are seeing Father God, the Person, in action.

Jesus said to him, “Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?” [John 14:9]

This is how God revealed His Person and explained His character and purposes to man. I am getting all giddy! This is exciting stuff! I can’t get enough! More! More! More!

Oh, shucks. I’ll have to wait for my third heaping helping. Time’s a gone again. See you tomorrow.

To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Genesis: Volume 1 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...


Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes An Exposition of the Scriptures for Disciples and Young Christians Volume 1 Genesis by Randy Green Genesis Volume 1 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes by Randy Green
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Published on March 07, 2012 22:42 Tags: father, genesis-1, god, holy-spirit, john-1, knowing-god, revelation, son, trinity

Wow! I Can See God! – Part 3

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being [John 1:1-3].

Today we will start with Genesis 1:1-3. In the beginning God: there is the Father. And the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters: there is the Holy Spirit. And God said: there is the Word, the Son of God.

We can now understand John 1:1-3 with better insight about how almighty God reveals Himself to puny man.

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life [John 3:16].

Note in those words that God gave His Son. This means God in this verse is God the Father, else how can He have a Son? So we have God the Father and God the Son together simultaneously.

The Father sent the Son into the world to take upon true humanity, sin excepted. He did this in order to reveal His true Person and character to man. He had to reveal Himself to man again because, back in the garden in the beginning, man sinned and marred his ability to know God. In consequence man made up his own versions of God, which we now know as idolatry and man-made religions.

God is One, not two or twenty or ten thousand. This one God gave His Son, so now we know that there are two Persons as the one God. In other Scriptures, including Genesis 1:2, God teaches us that there is also the Person of the Holy Spirit.

In the creation account of Genesis God speaks. Since we cannot comprehend eternity, God uses man’s speech as an illustration of His Son, the Word. For the same reason He employs an earthly illustration to denote the Holy Spirit hovering like a helicopter over the waters covering the earth, generating transforming energy to create the present heavens and earth.

Look at it like this. A man wants to do something, so he thinks to himself, “I’m going to do such and so, in order to accomplish this goal.” After figuring out what he wants and how he will go about accomplishing it, he then puts his shoulder to the work and gets it done.

The man represents the Father, his thoughts and words represent the Son, and his actions represent the Holy Spirit. An earthly analogy, to be sure, making it very limited and demanding that we understand it relatively. But it is how God reveals Himself to us in Genesis 1 and John 1. That is all we can comprehend, but it is not all there is to know about the Person and Ministry of God.

If you don’t yet have enough to spend hours alone with Jesus, then you must be God! Let’s spend some quality time with Him now.

To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Genesis: Volume 1 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...

Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes An Exposition of the Scriptures for Disciples and Young Christians Volume 1 Genesis by Randy Green Genesis Volume 1 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes by Randy Green
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Published on March 08, 2012 22:14 Tags: father, genesis-1, god, holy-spirit, john-1, knowing-god, revelation, son, trinity

Kingdom of Eretz

Did you know...? I have already expounded upon all five books of Moses. These consist of the first five books of the Bible: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. The five Bible books together are known as the Law of Moses, aka Torah. Each and every verse of this major section of Scripture is vetted in detail. The Law of Moses is the foundation for the entire Bible. If you want to know the Bible, to really get a handle on it, you need to begin at the beginning and understand the foundation.

However, before initiating the Heavenly Citizens series I wrote my first book. It is title Kingdom of Eretz and is available from CreateSpace and Amazon Kindle. It is much smaller in pages than any of my Heavenly Citizens books, but it is no less ambitious. It is a Biblical Allegory of the Church Age, consisting of any exposition of two chapters in the Bible. You may purchase your copy from http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...

Kingdom of Eretz by Randy Green
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Published on November 04, 2012 22:08 Tags: bible, church-age, end-times, jesus, prophecy, revelation, scripture, the-lord

Of Nerds & Squints & Other Assorted Characters

What do CSIs and Squints have to do with Deuteronomy 21? Hmm... That's a toughie. If you want to know the answer, purchase your copy of Deuteronomy: Book III, Volume 5 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. It's very interesting.

Deuteronomy Book IV, Chapters 26-34 Volume 5 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes by Randy Green
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Sundays Are Great!

Greetings! one and all.

I am pumped today because it's Sunday! Under the Law of Moses the Sabbath was the day of rest, and the Sabbath was and always is the seventh day of the week, aka Saturday. More specifically, the Sabbath began at sundown on Friday and concluded at sundown on Saturday.

Then along came the prophet like Moses (Deut.18:15), viz., Messiah Jesus, and fulfilled the Law of Moses. He followed this up with dying on the cross as mankind's sin offering, then was put in a tomb, rose out of death on the third day, and ascended into heaven. He is there now serving as our great High Priest, while sending the Holy Spirit to indwell us and conform us into His image. Having fulfilled the Law, Jesus instituted a New Covenant, aka the Church. The Church is the spiritual family of God, with the fulfillment of the Law and death to sin and resurrection to new life being its makeup.

The day Jesus rose out of death was the first day of the week, aka Sunday. Hence the Church's day of rest is Sunday, the Resurrection Day, not the Sabbath. The New Testament notes that the disciples met together on the first day of the week, and refers to this day as the Lord's Day (Rev.1:10). I am pumped for Sunday because it is the Resurrection Day. I can't wait to be promoted to eternity to be with the Lord, which is far better (Phil.1:23). Sundays remind me of this imminent happening.

Joshua Books1-2, Volume 6 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes by Randy Green
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Published on November 06, 2012 22:06 Tags: bible, church-age, deuteronomy, end-times, jesus, revelation, scripture, the-law, the-lord, torah

Oh, dear. What’s next?

Life insurance. Death and disability insurance. Automobile insurance. Homeowners insurance. Retirement plans. Obviously we frequently wonder what tomorrow will bring, do we not?

If we know where to look, we can find some trustworthy answers. Only one person knows what tomorrow will bring. This Person is God, and He revealed a goodly amount of insight to us...sort of like pulling back the curtain of time a bit and giving us a sneak peek!

May I suggest we start a group of folks who want to explore this issue. We can read my book "Kingdom of Eretz, A Biblical Allegory of the Church Age" together. Then we can share our perspectives and decipher the meaning of this allegory.

Who's in? All volunteers will need to get the book from Amazon CreateSpace or Amazon Kindle, as a paperback or as an eBook. So let the chase begin!

Kingdom of Eretz by Randy Green
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Published on November 08, 2012 22:17 Tags: bible, church-age, end-times, jesus, prophecy, revelation, scripture, the-lord