Chapter 20 - Revelation's impact on the
world
The Prima Facie for
the seven decades cycle “prophecy” or repeated prediction from an outside
historical source:
The source is from
Book III of The Sibylline Oracles or The Pseudo-Sibylline Oracles.
The section highlights evidence and includes footnotes to the Prima Facie of
the seven decades false prediction. After the evidence is presented the commentary
will be presented on why this supposed forgery from the second or sixth century
C.E. is very important to the overall seventy year theory. I will then present
another section with evidence and commentary.
EVIDENCE:
(345) Of time seven
decades shall thy
fruitful land
And the wonders of
thy temple all be waste.
But there remains for
thee a goodly end
And greatest glory,
as the immortal God
Granted thee. But do
thou wait and confide
(350) In the great
God's pure laws, when he shall lift
Thy wearied knee
upright unto the light.
And then will God
from heaven send a king
To judge each man in
blood and light of fire.
There is a royal
tribe, the race of which
(355) Shall be
unfailing; and as times revolve
This race shall bear
rule and begin to build
God's temple new. And
all the Persian kings
Shall aid with bronze
and gold and well-wrought iron.
For God himself will
give the holy dream
(360) By night. And
then the temple shall again
Be, as it was before.
. . .
[345. Seven
decades.--See Jer. xxv, 9-12.
352. The king here referred to is perhaps best explained of Cyrus, and the description should be compared with Isa. xliv, 28; xlv, 14. Ewald (p. 32) understands the king to be the Messiah, and, indeed, the language of lines 352 and 353 (Greek text, 286, 287), taken apart from the context, naturally suggests a supernatural ruler and judge. The poet may have intended to connect the advent of the Messiah with the restoration of the Jews and the rebuilding of their temple. But the context here and in the parallel passage, lines 817-826 below, points rather to Cyrus, whom Isaiah calls the anointed one of Jehovah and represents as the conqueror of nations, "saying of Jerusalem, She shall be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid."
954. Royal tribe.--Judah, which returned from Babylonian exile, and under Zerubbabel, a descendant of the house of David (Matt. i, 12; Luke iii, 27), rebuilt the temple.
357, 358 Kings shall aid.--Comp. Ezra i, 4; vi, 8; vii, 15, 16, 22.
369. The holy dream.--Perhaps alluding to the visions and prophecies of Zechariah and Haggai (comp. Ezra v, i).]
The commentary of the Historical evidence above:
1. Despite the historical forgery it is a very important source and evidence because it expresses the feeling of the writer or writers during the supposed era. The evidence is very important because it is an expressed idea stated after A.D. 140.
2. The stated "Seven Decades" is evidence that the people of those times were conscious of the seventy year cycle. Even though, not explicitly stated by Paul or other early Church fathers or other early Christian leaders, it was implied through parts of the New Testament canon. This would mean that Paul's own words in Ephesians 4:8 and through one of his loyal Gospel writer – Luke (Luke 21:24) expressed the proposed seventy year “prophecy” or prediction through the use of connected terms. The connected terms are "captive" or "captivity". The previous evidence implies the cycle started with the destruction of the Temple by the Romans copying an earlier action by the Babylonians. It is understood that the captivity is seventy years and that this number was meant to be literal. Therefore; the verse in Revelation (Revelation 6:13), mentioning "fig tree", is implying a literal seventy years “prophecy” or prediction of captivity(AD 70) and return from Roman exile(AD 140). The proposed “prophecy” or prediction was expressed in an earlier form by the Gospel writer Matthew in Matthew chapter twenty-four. The previous was also borrowed and eventually adopted by Paul and the writer of the Book of Revelation. Therefore, the “prophecy” and predictions by the New Testament writers are proven to be false through historical evidence. Also, this would mean that Nero is the anti-Christ (beast) mentioned in Revelation chapter 13 (Revelation 13:10). The theory concerning Nero will be explained more thoroughly in the next evidence below within the chapter proving the influence and method of identification using numbers (and letters). The evidence is proof that the numbering identification system was an employed method of encoding messages and it was a common theme.
3. The New Testament writers including the writer of the Book of Revelation all expressed a later preterist position. What is a "preterist" interpretation of the New Testament as it pertains to supposed future events? The definition of "preterist" is to suggest that all the prophecies contained in the canon of the New Testament were meant to be fulfilled during the era of the early church leaders. The above evidence gives us proof of the preterist position. Nevertheless, despite its forgery it was rewritten between the second and sixth century. If it was rewritten but yet expresses a seven decades return after exile then this final form is expressing the feelings and ideas of the population which were passed on proving at least the preterist position over the millennialist position. The meaning of the previous statement is to suggest that the Millennialist viewpoint expired within the proven Preterist opinion. The previous statements would then positively identify Paul's suggestion concerning marriage (1st Corinthians chapter seven) to be a hint by Paul that he expected the return of his "messiah" seventy years after the destruction of the Temple. Nevertheless, Paul never expected the Temple’s destruction but rather its desecration by the Roman emperors copying an assumption stated through the words of Daniel. Moreover, Matthew and other New Testament writers all expected a desecration but when the Temple was destroyed it forced John to compose the Gospel of John (John 2:19-21) and later expressed Jesus as the Temple (Revelation 21:22). John was later arrested by the Roman emperor Vespasian for writing the Gospel of John. John later encodes and composes a court document against the Roman Empire calling it: “Revelation of Messiah Jesus” (Revelation 1:1). Revelation 1:2 exposes the true name of the Gospel of Matthew, the first Gospel, as it was called: “The Testimony of Messiah Jesus”.
4. The further evidence which goes contrary to the preterist position is the idea that if the message of Paul has expired at A.D. 140 then Jesus is not returning and therefore Jesus is not god. The preterist position expresses that most of the New Testament prophecies were fulfilled at A.D. 140 but yet this position opens the possibility that Jesus is not divine. It also opens the idea that Paul and most of the New Testament writers created a fictional Jesus. The central theme among the Gentile Christians, Jewish-Christians, and Jews in general is the subject of the Temple. All three previous groups expressed a return to the land seventy years after the imposed Roman exile (Revelation 21:2). The evidence of this competition between ideas: The Gospel of John 2:19-22, Revelation 21:22 and Jeremiah 29:10, 28. The last evidence expressing the hope of the Jews in general through the writings and ideas of Flavius Josephus expressed in his treatise. The New Testament evidence is expressing that the rebuilding is not a central theme for the new tribe called "Christians" (Romans chapter eleven and Revelation 21:22).
352. The king here referred to is perhaps best explained of Cyrus, and the description should be compared with Isa. xliv, 28; xlv, 14. Ewald (p. 32) understands the king to be the Messiah, and, indeed, the language of lines 352 and 353 (Greek text, 286, 287), taken apart from the context, naturally suggests a supernatural ruler and judge. The poet may have intended to connect the advent of the Messiah with the restoration of the Jews and the rebuilding of their temple. But the context here and in the parallel passage, lines 817-826 below, points rather to Cyrus, whom Isaiah calls the anointed one of Jehovah and represents as the conqueror of nations, "saying of Jerusalem, She shall be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid."
954. Royal tribe.--Judah, which returned from Babylonian exile, and under Zerubbabel, a descendant of the house of David (Matt. i, 12; Luke iii, 27), rebuilt the temple.
357, 358 Kings shall aid.--Comp. Ezra i, 4; vi, 8; vii, 15, 16, 22.
369. The holy dream.--Perhaps alluding to the visions and prophecies of Zechariah and Haggai (comp. Ezra v, i).]
The commentary of the Historical evidence above:
1. Despite the historical forgery it is a very important source and evidence because it expresses the feeling of the writer or writers during the supposed era. The evidence is very important because it is an expressed idea stated after A.D. 140.
2. The stated "Seven Decades" is evidence that the people of those times were conscious of the seventy year cycle. Even though, not explicitly stated by Paul or other early Church fathers or other early Christian leaders, it was implied through parts of the New Testament canon. This would mean that Paul's own words in Ephesians 4:8 and through one of his loyal Gospel writer – Luke (Luke 21:24) expressed the proposed seventy year “prophecy” or prediction through the use of connected terms. The connected terms are "captive" or "captivity". The previous evidence implies the cycle started with the destruction of the Temple by the Romans copying an earlier action by the Babylonians. It is understood that the captivity is seventy years and that this number was meant to be literal. Therefore; the verse in Revelation (Revelation 6:13), mentioning "fig tree", is implying a literal seventy years “prophecy” or prediction of captivity(AD 70) and return from Roman exile(AD 140). The proposed “prophecy” or prediction was expressed in an earlier form by the Gospel writer Matthew in Matthew chapter twenty-four. The previous was also borrowed and eventually adopted by Paul and the writer of the Book of Revelation. Therefore, the “prophecy” and predictions by the New Testament writers are proven to be false through historical evidence. Also, this would mean that Nero is the anti-Christ (beast) mentioned in Revelation chapter 13 (Revelation 13:10). The theory concerning Nero will be explained more thoroughly in the next evidence below within the chapter proving the influence and method of identification using numbers (and letters). The evidence is proof that the numbering identification system was an employed method of encoding messages and it was a common theme.
3. The New Testament writers including the writer of the Book of Revelation all expressed a later preterist position. What is a "preterist" interpretation of the New Testament as it pertains to supposed future events? The definition of "preterist" is to suggest that all the prophecies contained in the canon of the New Testament were meant to be fulfilled during the era of the early church leaders. The above evidence gives us proof of the preterist position. Nevertheless, despite its forgery it was rewritten between the second and sixth century. If it was rewritten but yet expresses a seven decades return after exile then this final form is expressing the feelings and ideas of the population which were passed on proving at least the preterist position over the millennialist position. The meaning of the previous statement is to suggest that the Millennialist viewpoint expired within the proven Preterist opinion. The previous statements would then positively identify Paul's suggestion concerning marriage (1st Corinthians chapter seven) to be a hint by Paul that he expected the return of his "messiah" seventy years after the destruction of the Temple. Nevertheless, Paul never expected the Temple’s destruction but rather its desecration by the Roman emperors copying an assumption stated through the words of Daniel. Moreover, Matthew and other New Testament writers all expected a desecration but when the Temple was destroyed it forced John to compose the Gospel of John (John 2:19-21) and later expressed Jesus as the Temple (Revelation 21:22). John was later arrested by the Roman emperor Vespasian for writing the Gospel of John. John later encodes and composes a court document against the Roman Empire calling it: “Revelation of Messiah Jesus” (Revelation 1:1). Revelation 1:2 exposes the true name of the Gospel of Matthew, the first Gospel, as it was called: “The Testimony of Messiah Jesus”.
4. The further evidence which goes contrary to the preterist position is the idea that if the message of Paul has expired at A.D. 140 then Jesus is not returning and therefore Jesus is not god. The preterist position expresses that most of the New Testament prophecies were fulfilled at A.D. 140 but yet this position opens the possibility that Jesus is not divine. It also opens the idea that Paul and most of the New Testament writers created a fictional Jesus. The central theme among the Gentile Christians, Jewish-Christians, and Jews in general is the subject of the Temple. All three previous groups expressed a return to the land seventy years after the imposed Roman exile (Revelation 21:2). The evidence of this competition between ideas: The Gospel of John 2:19-22, Revelation 21:22 and Jeremiah 29:10, 28. The last evidence expressing the hope of the Jews in general through the writings and ideas of Flavius Josephus expressed in his treatise. The New Testament evidence is expressing that the rebuilding is not a central theme for the new tribe called "Christians" (Romans chapter eleven and Revelation 21:22).
5. Why would early Christians
put their life on the line for a lie? It is evidently a fanatical supposition
to a lie. It may be the case they created a fictional Jesus but were attempting
to construct a new man on the scene (Romans chapter eleven). The new
constructed man was someone who was loyal to the new Christian law (Revelation
14:3) despite the origin of the individual (Romans 10:12). The previous idea is
worth dying for knowing that after the seven decades exile, the return of their
messiah king would show up (Revelation 19:11). The reason for the counter
position by the early Christian leadership was to “cut off” the repeated
pattern of disobedience (Daniel 9:26) and stop invasions by another nation.
Paul and other early church leaders envisioned this repeated problem and were
attempting through intellectual evolution to create this new individual which
would have ended the cycle of disobedience and reconquest by other nations.
However, the idea of expanding the local tribe was also borrowed by the early
Christian leadership by adopting Caesar’s earlier position of expanding Roman
citizenship. Therefore, the fictional Jesus represented a new individual and
new citizen within the Jewish population which would have universalized the
identity of what is considered a godly citizen and individual (Romans chapter
eleven, Ezekiel chapter nine, Revelation chapters eleven and twelve). However,
the problem is presented: Where are the Jewish-Christians which make up fifty
percent of the two witnesses? (Revelation chapter eleven and Revelation chapter
fourteen; and Hebrews 7:13). The previous question proves that the early
Christian leadership under James, the half-brother of Jesus, created a
fictional character and created an ideology using Old Testament source.
EVIDENCE:
On earth shall be.
When in the starry heaven
Swords shall by night
point straight toward west and east,
Straightway shalt
there be also from the heaven
A cloud of dust borne
forth to all the earth,
995 And the sun's
brightness in the midst of heaven
Shall be eclipsed,
and the moon's beams appear
And come again on
earth; by drops of blood
Distilling from the
rocks a sign shalt be;
And in the cloud
shalt ye behold a war
1000 Of foot and
horse, like the chase of wild beasts
In the dense fog.
This end of all things God
Shalt consummate,
whose dwelling is in heaven.
But all must
sacrifice to the great King.
These things I show
thee, I who madly left
1005 The long walls
of Assyrian Babylon
For Hellas to
proclaim to all the wrath
Of God, fire sent. .
. .
. . . . . . .
And that I might to
mortals prophesy
Of mysteries divine.
And men shalt say
1010 In Hellas that I
am of foreign Land,
Of Erythre born,
shameless; others say
That I'm a Sibyl,
born of mother Circe
And father Gnostos
raving mad and false;
But at that time when
all thing come to pass
1015 Ye shall
remember me, and no one more
[991-1000. Comp. with
this section Josephus,Wars, vi, v, 3.
1005. Babylon.--Lactantius understood the Sibyl to predict that she would be called Erythræan, "although she was born in Babylon." Div. Inst., i, 6 [L., 6, 145].
1013. Gnostos.--Some have thought that Glaucus is intended, the seagod and father of Deiphobe. See Vergil, Æn., vi, 36.
1014-1016. Cited by Lactantius, Div, iv, 15 [L, 6, 495].]
1005. Babylon.--Lactantius understood the Sibyl to predict that she would be called Erythræan, "although she was born in Babylon." Div. Inst., i, 6 [L., 6, 145].
1013. Gnostos.--Some have thought that Glaucus is intended, the seagod and father of Deiphobe. See Vergil, Æn., vi, 36.
1014-1016. Cited by Lactantius, Div, iv, 15 [L, 6, 495].]
My
Commentary:
1. Both of the above underlined and bolded words are expressing the seventy year cycle of repeat and its alternative source. Peter and the writer of the Book of Revelation have both expressed and implied the term "Babylon" - 1st Peter 5:13 and Revelation 14:8,17:5, 16:12,19. The Book of Revelation usage of the term "Euphrates" is directed towards the theme of a symbolic Babylon, i.e. the Roman Empire.
2. Therefore, the Book of Revelation is expressing a falsely predicted overall repeated historical cycle: The destruction of the Temple, the seventy years exile, the return of the new tribe or new citizens, the struggle to keep loyal to the new "messiah" King Jesus/Temple, the spiritual desolation by a new spiritual "Gog and Magog" (Revelation 20:8), and the final triumph of the universal King. It starts in A.D. 70, the return in A.D. 140, and the 1,000 year reign of the new "messiah" King to A.D. 1140.
3. The previous false prediction is rather a proposed historical, material and physical manifestation which did not materialize. The initial starting point is with the various metaphysical and epistemological errors within the Gospel of Matthew, i.e. The Testament of Messiah Jesus. For example, the verse Matthew 24:20 which falsely details the prediction of the desecration of the Temple by a Roman emperor and Matthew 27:52-53 falsely details many witnesses to a resurrection which never occurred. Furthermore, the expected return of Paul's Jesus in 1st Corinthians chapter seven never materialized. Paul also created a fictional Jesus in 1st Corinthians chapter fifteen for his Gentile Christian audience.
1. Both of the above underlined and bolded words are expressing the seventy year cycle of repeat and its alternative source. Peter and the writer of the Book of Revelation have both expressed and implied the term "Babylon" - 1st Peter 5:13 and Revelation 14:8,17:5, 16:12,19. The Book of Revelation usage of the term "Euphrates" is directed towards the theme of a symbolic Babylon, i.e. the Roman Empire.
2. Therefore, the Book of Revelation is expressing a falsely predicted overall repeated historical cycle: The destruction of the Temple, the seventy years exile, the return of the new tribe or new citizens, the struggle to keep loyal to the new "messiah" King Jesus/Temple, the spiritual desolation by a new spiritual "Gog and Magog" (Revelation 20:8), and the final triumph of the universal King. It starts in A.D. 70, the return in A.D. 140, and the 1,000 year reign of the new "messiah" King to A.D. 1140.
3. The previous false prediction is rather a proposed historical, material and physical manifestation which did not materialize. The initial starting point is with the various metaphysical and epistemological errors within the Gospel of Matthew, i.e. The Testament of Messiah Jesus. For example, the verse Matthew 24:20 which falsely details the prediction of the desecration of the Temple by a Roman emperor and Matthew 27:52-53 falsely details many witnesses to a resurrection which never occurred. Furthermore, the expected return of Paul's Jesus in 1st Corinthians chapter seven never materialized. Paul also created a fictional Jesus in 1st Corinthians chapter fifteen for his Gentile Christian audience.
There is also plenty
of evidence that the numerical identification theme expressed in Revelation
chapter thirteen was a common theme among the populace. It may have taken
another 200 years for the Book of Revelation to be added officially into the
canon. It is known that it was through the act of Pope Innocent I. in A.D. 405,
in which he included it in his personal collection while the Book of Revelation
was still in dispute. Nevertheless, there may be evidence that the Book of
Revelation was in circulation among the population and it may have influenced
other interpretations and interpolated writings. The evidence below is proof of
this influence derived from the same source above:
EVIDENCE:
CONTENTS OF BOOK XIV.
Warning against the
lust of power, 1-14. The bull-destroyer, 16-22. The man known by the number
one, 23-27. Two rulers of the number forty, 28-34. Young ruler of the number
seventy, 115-55. Ruler of the number forty, 66-61. Wolf from the West, 62-65.
Ruler known by the letter A, 66-73. Three kings of haughty soul, of the numbers
one, thirty, and three hundred, 74-93. King known by the number three, 94-98.
The old king of the number four, 99-101. Wars and woes on various peoples,
102-120. The venerable king of the number five, 121-134. Two kings of the
numbers three hundred and three, 115-147. The king of many schemes, 148-159.
King of the number three hundred, 160-172. King like a wild beast, of the
number thirty, 173-188. Ruler of the number four, 189-200. Great sign from
heaven, 201-205. Ruler out of Asia, of the number fifty, 206-216. Ruler out of
Egypt, 217-223. The man of potent signs and the peaceful king of the number
five, 224-245. Many tyrants and the holy king known by the letter A, 246-261.
Burning and restoration of Rome, 262-271. Woo for various Greeks, 272-278. The
fratricide, 279-283. The fierce king of the number eighty and the terrors of
his time, 284-508. Many obtain royal power, 309-312. Three kings and their
destruction, 313-329. Many spearmen, 330-335. God's judgment on the shameless,
336-343. Rome's wretched plight and the last race of Latin kings, 344-358.
Egypt and her prudent king, 359-375. The Alexandrians, 376-381. Fearful
nameless woe, 382-398. The Sicilians, 399-406. The lion and lioness, 407-418.
The dragon and the ram, 419-425. Second war in Egypt, 426-433. Destructive
slaughter, 434-447. The Messianic era, 448-468.
And then there shall
be a lord confident
In his might, and
named with four syllables,
25 And shown forth
clearly fromthe number one;
Then shall two other
princely men bear rule,
Both of the number
forty; and with them
30 Shall great peace
be in the world and to all
And then again a
dreadful lord shall rule,
Young, fighting hand
to hand, whose name shall show
The
number seventy,
life-destroying, fierce,
Who to the army
basely shall betray
The people of Rome,
slain by wickedness
40 Because of wrath
of kings, and he shall hurl
[18. Shepherds.--Chiefs
of the various tribes and nations whom Odenatus subdued.
21. A dog.--Mæonius,
the assassin of Odenatus. Comp. book viii, 208.
24. Four syllables.--Aureolus.
29. Both . . .
forty.--Macrianus, father and son of same name. But from this point onward
the identification of the persons intended is purely conjectural and uncertain.
37.
Seventy-Represented by O, and possibly denoting the Achaian pretender, Valens.]
55 And wolves, for he
a martial people spoiled.
After him, numbering
forty, there shall rule
Another, famous
Parthian-destroyer,
German-destroyer,
putting down dread beasts
That kill men, which
upon the ocean's streams
60 And the Euphrates
press continuous on.
And then shall Rome again
be as before.
But when there comes
a great wolf in thy plains,
A ruler marching
onward from the West,
Then shall he under
powerful Ares die
65 Being cleft
asunder by the piercing brass.
And o'er the very
mighty Romans then
Shall there rule yet
again another man
Of great heart, from.
Assyria brought to light,
Of the first letter,
and he shall himself
70 By means of wars
put all things under him,
[67. Parthian-destroyer.--Macrinus (M = 40).
62. Wolf.--Reference, perhaps, to Quintilius, the brother of Claudius.
66-73. Aurelian.]
Having destroyed a Scythian race, the king
Shall die in his own lot unloosing life.
And yet another of the number four
190 Shall rule thereafter, openly made known
A dreadful man, whom all Armenians,
Who drink the best ice of the flowing stream
Araxes, and the Persians of great soul
Shall fear in wars. And between Colchians
195 And very strong Pelasgi there shall be
Wars, fights, and homicides. And those who hold
The cities of the land of Phrygia
And those of the Propontis, and make bare
From out their scabbards the two-edged swords,
200 Shall smite each other through sore impiousness.
And then shall God to mortal men display
From heaven a great sign with the rolling years,
A bat, the portent of bad war to come.
And then the king shall not escape stern fate,
205 But die by hand, slain by the gleaming iron.
After him, numbering fifty, there shall rule
Again another coming out of Asia,
A dreadful terror, fighting hand to hand;
And he shall set war on Rome's stately walls,
210 And among Colchians, and Heniochi,
And the milk-drinking Agathyrsians
By Euxine sea, at Thracia's sandy bay.
And then the king shall not escape stern fate,
And they will tear in pieces his dead corpse.
[189. Four.--{Greek D}, representing, as Ewald suggests, Dreskyllas, another form of the name Threskyllas.
203. A bat.--The Greek work is {Greek fa'lkh}. Can it mean a falcon?
206. Fifty.--N, initial of Nepos, emperor in A. D. 474.]
MY
COMMENT:
1. The evidence above tells the readers the feelings of the writer or writers. It tells of a prediction in which Rome will be conquered therefore repeating the pattern of Babylonian captivity and liberation. All of the indicators are underlined.
2. The indicators are categorized into two groups: The numbering system applied to code the identity of several rulers and another nation from the east to replace the new "Babylonian" nation, i.e. Roman Empire.
3. The indicators involving the numbering system are proof that the practice continued before and after the Book of Revelation. According to previous evidence, the identity of the "beast" of Revelation chapter thirteen was properly identified as the Roman Emperor Nero. The above evidence gives the readers evidence that this practice was common and it does highlight historical context.
4. The prediction by the writer above exposes the intent of the early Christian community. The intentions are that they expected a repeat of the Babylonian captivity culminating in the physical return of Jesus. The false prediction is a collective error initiated by Paul and the early church leaders in Jerusalem and later expressed by John in the Book of Revelation. They all expected a desecration with exception of John who introduced the seven decades captivity after the Temple's destruction. The interpretation and introduction of the seventy years captivity was definitely added to possibly defend the Christian movement in the face of surmountable naysayers. John may have disagreed with Paul concerning ‘foods sacrificed to idols’ (1st Corinthians chapter eight and Revelation 2:14, 20)(and the emphasize on “stumbling block”(1st Corinthians 8:9 and Revelation 2:14)). John and Paul agreed on one issue and the issue was expansion of the Christian tribe to include Gentiles (Romans chapter eleven and Revelation chapter seven, eleven and fourteen). Furthermore, one of the most important indicators within the Book of Revelation details another "Persian" like nation to demolish the Roman empire (Revelation 14:8, 16:12). This demolishing is something of a repeat of Daniel's vision (Daniel 2:31-45, Daniel 9:2) which means that these ideas were circulated even during the time of Paul and other prominent New Testament writers. They expected the Temple's desecration (then later its destruction and seven decades of exile). However, the difference between the early Christian leaders and Josephus is the physical bodily return of Jesus as King/Messiah rather than the rebuilding of the Temple (Revelation 21:22).
5. These predictions have been proven through time to be false. There is no return of a physically bodily Jesus because the seven decades exile has expired beyond its predicted date. The supposed writings by Sibyl, or rather a group of unnamed writers, presents to the reader the continuing hope for the fictional redeemer to return despite the physical proof of a false prediction by the early church leaders. It could be said that the Gnostic gospels could be factored into the body of writings which may have been influenced by the possible circulation of the Book of Revelation. Obviously, the supposed historical forgery of the The Sibylline Oraclesor The Pseudo-Sibylline Oracles were influenced by the circulation of the Book of Revelation. The other reason is that its populace held on to the pre-Revelation practices of using the numbering system which was popularly used as entertainment. The population also adopted the Book of Revelation's contents of apocalyptic images and a portion of the fictionalized Jesus expressed through various writings. These writings were composed when the prophecies did not materialize according to a specific calculated time - A.D.140. The Gnostic manuscripts and other writings were done to express a hope and to explain away, implicitly, a false prediction. These signs of protests, the extra "heretical" canonical writings, were then put down by several Christian councils and gatherings of various church leaders who canonized the texts, i.e. New Testament. Therefore, the obvious rationale for the fictional creation of Jesus was to create a new citizen to interact with the general Jewish population and to prevent future invasions of the Jewish nation, i.e. to end the cycle of captivity.
6. The absence of a physical literal return of Jesus among the Gnostic Gospels is prime evidence to suggest that there was a “falling away” of faith among the Christian community around A.D.140. The failed prediction had created the need to produce literature like the various Gnostic Gospels which encouraged the nascent Christian community. A copying of the Babylonian captivity of a literal seventy years never materialized. The seventy years theory is supported by the various spiritualized gnostic writings towards the absent and failed subject of the supposed Jesus' return. The “falling away” was a natural prediction because Paul may have expected people to turn away from the “Gospels” when it was proven to be false.
1. The evidence above tells the readers the feelings of the writer or writers. It tells of a prediction in which Rome will be conquered therefore repeating the pattern of Babylonian captivity and liberation. All of the indicators are underlined.
2. The indicators are categorized into two groups: The numbering system applied to code the identity of several rulers and another nation from the east to replace the new "Babylonian" nation, i.e. Roman Empire.
3. The indicators involving the numbering system are proof that the practice continued before and after the Book of Revelation. According to previous evidence, the identity of the "beast" of Revelation chapter thirteen was properly identified as the Roman Emperor Nero. The above evidence gives the readers evidence that this practice was common and it does highlight historical context.
4. The prediction by the writer above exposes the intent of the early Christian community. The intentions are that they expected a repeat of the Babylonian captivity culminating in the physical return of Jesus. The false prediction is a collective error initiated by Paul and the early church leaders in Jerusalem and later expressed by John in the Book of Revelation. They all expected a desecration with exception of John who introduced the seven decades captivity after the Temple's destruction. The interpretation and introduction of the seventy years captivity was definitely added to possibly defend the Christian movement in the face of surmountable naysayers. John may have disagreed with Paul concerning ‘foods sacrificed to idols’ (1st Corinthians chapter eight and Revelation 2:14, 20)(and the emphasize on “stumbling block”(1st Corinthians 8:9 and Revelation 2:14)). John and Paul agreed on one issue and the issue was expansion of the Christian tribe to include Gentiles (Romans chapter eleven and Revelation chapter seven, eleven and fourteen). Furthermore, one of the most important indicators within the Book of Revelation details another "Persian" like nation to demolish the Roman empire (Revelation 14:8, 16:12). This demolishing is something of a repeat of Daniel's vision (Daniel 2:31-45, Daniel 9:2) which means that these ideas were circulated even during the time of Paul and other prominent New Testament writers. They expected the Temple's desecration (then later its destruction and seven decades of exile). However, the difference between the early Christian leaders and Josephus is the physical bodily return of Jesus as King/Messiah rather than the rebuilding of the Temple (Revelation 21:22).
5. These predictions have been proven through time to be false. There is no return of a physically bodily Jesus because the seven decades exile has expired beyond its predicted date. The supposed writings by Sibyl, or rather a group of unnamed writers, presents to the reader the continuing hope for the fictional redeemer to return despite the physical proof of a false prediction by the early church leaders. It could be said that the Gnostic gospels could be factored into the body of writings which may have been influenced by the possible circulation of the Book of Revelation. Obviously, the supposed historical forgery of the The Sibylline Oraclesor The Pseudo-Sibylline Oracles were influenced by the circulation of the Book of Revelation. The other reason is that its populace held on to the pre-Revelation practices of using the numbering system which was popularly used as entertainment. The population also adopted the Book of Revelation's contents of apocalyptic images and a portion of the fictionalized Jesus expressed through various writings. These writings were composed when the prophecies did not materialize according to a specific calculated time - A.D.140. The Gnostic manuscripts and other writings were done to express a hope and to explain away, implicitly, a false prediction. These signs of protests, the extra "heretical" canonical writings, were then put down by several Christian councils and gatherings of various church leaders who canonized the texts, i.e. New Testament. Therefore, the obvious rationale for the fictional creation of Jesus was to create a new citizen to interact with the general Jewish population and to prevent future invasions of the Jewish nation, i.e. to end the cycle of captivity.
6. The absence of a physical literal return of Jesus among the Gnostic Gospels is prime evidence to suggest that there was a “falling away” of faith among the Christian community around A.D.140. The failed prediction had created the need to produce literature like the various Gnostic Gospels which encouraged the nascent Christian community. A copying of the Babylonian captivity of a literal seventy years never materialized. The seventy years theory is supported by the various spiritualized gnostic writings towards the absent and failed subject of the supposed Jesus' return. The “falling away” was a natural prediction because Paul may have expected people to turn away from the “Gospels” when it was proven to be false.
7. The evidence to
show that this "falling away" stated by Paul (2nd
Thessalonians 2:3) was intended to be at the time before the Temple's
"desecration" is the term: "Perdition". The term is located
in Revelation 17:11 and 2nd Thessalonians 2:3. It is supported by Paul's
position towards marriage in 1st Corinthians chapter seven and his statement in
verse 7:29 - "the time is short"! and "present distress" in
7:26. The mention by Paul was intended before the Temple's
"desecration" or destruction. John then developed an alternative
theory after Paul's "desecration" did not materialize hence the
reason why John repeated the term in the Book of Revelation. The repeat,
mentioned in the Book of Revelation, was simply to keep the Gentile Christians
from giving up the faith or belief. In other words, the Book of Revelation was
a rally book or natural manifesto to keep the morale up within the early
Christian community.
8. The
misunderstandings developed out of poor interpretations and poor research
concerning the Book of Revelation has caused people to "demonize"
each other and warp public policy between nations. It has created suspicions
and mistrust between groups of people. In another aspect, it may have
introduced the concept of classical liberalism (Revelation chapter fourteen).
Even though, it one aspect it promotes classical conservatism of public policy
application. The inclusion of others outside of a particular group (Revelation
chapter eleven, Revelation 4:9, Revelation chapter fourteen, Romans chapter
eleven) and a form of Jewish-Christian authoritarianism (Revelation 2:27). The
meaning of the preservation of a classical conservative structure model is
implied in the last verse because of James behavior towards non-Jews (Galatians
2:12). However, Paul rebukes him in Galatians 2:14-15 which is also expressed
in Romans 11:23-25 and also implied by the writer of the Book of Revelation
(Revelation 11:2) when "gentiles" is used.
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