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The Birth of a Nation: Revelation 12 Study Part I




As we get closer to the "Great American Eclipse" in August and the unprecedented "Great Sign" in September, those who are just now looking up will need a crash-course on why many of us believe these signs in the sky herald the Day of the LORD. For others this will be a refresher—hopefully with some additional insight. No need for newcomers to reinvent the wheel or grasp at straws, however. There's a whole host of diligent seekers on the internet who have already done their homework (start here).

Investigate for yourself, and test all things. The 12th chapter of Revelation is the final exam on biblical prophecy, and, sadly, many have failed to distinguish between the future prophecies regarding Israel and the Church and discern the dispensational transition in God's plan for the end of the age.

Specifically, in this two-part post, we'll focus on why so many in the online watching community have concluded that the "Revelation 12 sign" means that, not only is the 7-year Tribulation dead-ahead, but also the pre-tribulation resurrection and rapture of the Church—the miraculous birth of a nation in one day.  Let's dig into the Greek and Hebrew Scriptures, examining the apostle John's intentional link to Isaiah 66. Then we'll bring in Isaiah 26 to further support this early prophetic picture of the birth of the body of Christ—the mystery once hidden but now revealed (c.f. 1 Cor. 15:51-52; Eph. 3:1-12; 5:32; 1 Thess. 4:16-17).


Begin at Revelation 12, Then Turn Left

Some preliminary assumptions are crucial for a correct interpretation of chapter 12:

1. Chapter 12 is future prophecy (if you're stuck in the past, just think to yourself—types and shadows)
2. Chapter 12 is a brief, kaleidoscopic overview of the entire Tribulation period (not strictly linear or chronological as you go line-by-line)
3. Chapter 12 is a stumbling block for both the anti-dispensationalist and anti-Zionist crowd (don't want to distinguish between the Church and Israel? Ok, interpret at your own risk)
4. Chapter 12 is not an isolated text divorced from the rest of Scripture, especially the Old Testament; on the contrary, the author assumes that you know the writings of the other prophets in the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible)

Ok, now then, let's address the male-child of Rev. 12:5 and the implications of his birth. In order to really grasp what's going on in this verse, we gotta go to the Greek. It's in the original languages where you'll often find some serious wordplay and deliberate inner/inter-textual connections. The authors of Scripture do this all the time, and it's humbling to study the skillful literary constructions of these ancient writers and editors.

The inspired authors of Scripture don't merely transcribe what they see and hear like a stenographer would in a courtroom. They carefully arrange God's written word in a creative, even cryptic manner at times. For instance, have you ever noticed that John rarely uses explicit names for people, opting instead for attributes or code names (e.g. the lamb that was slain, the beast, the dragon, Armageddon, 666, etc.)?

In short, we should ask this question: What's the author doing with what he is saying? In the apostle John's case, he purposefully links the grammatically incorrect term arsen (male) with huiov (son), "And she gave birth to a son, a male..." These two words do not agree in gender (one is masculine, the other neuter), which is a huge blunder if this came from the pen of a prophet fresh out of grade school. Not so, as John is a seasoned, wily veteran at this point in his life. He knows Greek. And he knows his Old Testament.

The key to unlocking the mystery of the male-child, his identity and especially the timing of the birth and rapture, is the Greek term arsen in Rev. 12:5. Turn left. We're going to the book of Isaiah.


The Way to Isaiah: Route 66

One of the main arguments offered up by Dr. Michael Svigel in defense of the male-child being identified as the body of Christ is the glaring absence of the death and resurrection of Jesus. The royal heir of Rev. 12:5 is "birthed" and immediately "snatched up" to heaven. If this was referring to Jesus alone, where is His essential substitutionary death and bodily resurrection? These key details of the gospel are curiously absent. But like the supposed "grammatical error" noted above, this is not a rookie mistake, either.

The "birth" and subsequent "rapture" of the male-child has its roots in the Old Testament, and in this context, specifically the Greek translation of Isaiah 66:7-8 (LXX). John uses the term arsen in 12:5 as a subtle clue, indicating to his readers that his own vision of the end is a final unveiling of Isaiah's prophecy written over 700 years prior to Patmos.

As odd as it may sound, the idea of a resurrection is not absent from Rev. 12:5. It's bound up in the birth metaphor. And as we'll see shortly, this "birth" depicts the resurrection and instantaneous glorification of a corporate entity—the birth of a nation (c.f. 1 Pet. 2:9).

Moises Silva has a solid rendering of the Greek text from Isaiah 66:7-8 in the NETS (New English Translation of the Septuagint), which is available online (here).

For convenience, here is his translation of Isaiah 66:7-8 (LXX) with my highlights:

Before she who was in labor gave birth, before the pain of her pangs came, she escaped and gave birth to a male [arsen]. Who has heard of such a thing? And who has seen thus? Did the earth give birth in one day? Was also a nation born all at once? Because Sion was in labor and she gave birth to her children."

The language of the LXX is often pretty clunky at times, but when matched up with the Masoretic Text (MT) of the Hebrew, a clear interpretation can be discerned. It's my understanding after chewing on these texts that the LXX translator got a little confused about this prophecy. Prophecy is like that, though. That's why it often takes further revelation to shed light on the former (e.g. the apostle Paul's remark about being "a steward of the mysteries of God" —1 Cor. 4:1).

My thoughts on this pivotal passage (Isa. 66:7-8):

1) First and foremost, in regard to the timing of the birth of the male, one thing is clear between the Hebrew and the Greek manuscripts. The emphasis in 66:7 is before the woman goes into labor. The following verse (66:8a) reveals that this is unheard of. Miraculous. Stupendous. It's, well, undeserved favor shown toward a certain nation [Greek: ethnos; Hebrew: goy; both singular]. Oh, and in case it's not clear: "Before" means that this birth and snatching away of the male-child (Rev. 12:5) precedes Zion/Israel's labor [a.k.a. Tribulation, or Jacob's trouble]. Don't we have terminology for this eschatological doctrine regarding the Church's rescue and escape that occurs prior to the time of Jacob/Israel's trouble?

2) For a while I was perplexed by the LXX rendering of "...she escaped [Greek: pheugo] and gave birth to a male." It didn't quite jive to have the woman escape and give birth at the same time, because the previous clause stated that she had yet to enter into her time of trial. Thankfully, the light bulb went on today. I realized that the translator/scribe did his best to literally convey the Hebrew term malat, which has a range of meanings depending on the stem of the verb and its surrounding context. According to HALOT (Hebrew Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament), there are several options: to flee, to save, to rescue, and to bear, give birth (pg. 589). The particular stem of this verb used in Isa. 66:7 [Hiphil] is found only here and in Isa. 31:5. Therefore, the context then leads me to go with the sense of "to deliver," or "to bring forth/give birth." It's awkward to translate this as the woman "escaping a child."

3) And so, the verbs "delivered" and "gave birth" in 66:7b are synonymous and describe the same action performed by the woman (most English translations agree). However, as we have discovered in Revelation 12, the woman does indeed escape, but not before she gives birth to the male-child (Rev. 12:6; 13-17; for further study on the two great escapes of chapter 12, see my previous post, "Revelation 12: Escape to a Place Prepared").

4) Observe the helpful parallelism at work in Isa. 66:7-8 (cited from the NKJV):

66:7a:  Before she was in labor,
                   she gave birth;
66:7b:  Before she was in pain,
                   she delivered a male child.
66:8a:  Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things?
66:8b:        shall the earth be made to give birth in one day? Or shall a nation be born at once?
66:8c:                 For as soon as Zion was in labor, she gave birth to her children.

Highlighted in red: These interrelated lines regard God doing the impossible—a birth before labor.

Highlighted in blue: These interrelated lines identify the recipient of this miraculous delivery with an additional detail about timing (c.f. 1 Cor. 15:51-52).

Highlighted in orange: This last line denotes a shift in thought as there is a transition: the Church Age concludes and the time of Jacob's trouble begins. After the birth of the male-child (Church), Zion (Israel) goes into Labor (not just general tribulation, but capital "T" tribulation; not just general labor, but capital "L" labor) and then gives birth to more children [in Hebrew, literally "her sons"]. Logically, these "children" are either "the brothers" returning as recorded in Mic. 5:3, or "her seed" fleeing the dragon in Rev. 12:17 [commonly known as Tribulation saints]. See Brad's post at Revelation 12 Daily for an excellent summary of an integral piece of the puzzle found in Micah.

In Bold: The "male-child" and "nation" born suddenly, in one day, are terms referring to the same corporate entity, a group also called the Church, or the body of Christ. Thus, the male-child/nation is delivered swiftly and suddenly as one body, and yet also has many members (c.f. 1 Cor. 12:12-27).

Underlined: The woman is Zion [Israel], and her destiny is intricately tied to the eretz—the earth, the land (c.f. Gen. 15:18-19; Rev. 12:16).


Another Favored Nation Goes First

Some folks may be hesitant to accept what I have relayed above and insist that Isa. 66:8 is a no-brainer fulfillment of the birth (or, rebirth) of the nation of Israel in 1948. That's understandable. I thought it fit nicely, too. But I don't anymore. Therefore, please don't let it become a stumbling block that might prevent you from reevaluating this passage in light of what I have shared with you. This new insight in no way diminishes the significance of the 1947-48 milestone, especially as it pertains to the prophetic countdown begun back in 1897 with the First Zionist Congress (see Gary's post, "Learn the Parable of the Fig Tree").

If you're looking for a prophetic passage related to Israel's rebirth and return to her promised land, then try Ezekiel 37. In one sense Israel has already been born as a nation (Ex. 4:22; Hos. 11:1), but she still awaits her final return and full salvation (c.f. Rom. 11). And so, the nation born in Isa. 66:8 is not Israel, but rather the body of Christ, the "holy nation" spoken of in 1 Pet. 2:9.

Additionally, by the testimony of two authoritative witnesses, John and Paul (George and Ringo not included), we have confirmation that the male-child/nation of Isa. 66:7-8 born in an instant is the Church, the body of Christ. We've already seen what John thinks, but why bring Paul into this?

Well, in a previous post I wrote about an event that would provoke Israel to jealousy based on a prophecy nestled in the Torah, found in Deuteronomy 32—the very portion to be read on September 23, 2017 by devout Jews all over the world (see, "The Salvation of the Church and the Torah Portion for September 23, 2017"). The LORD told the Israelites that He would anger and provoke them to jealousy by means of "a foolish nation" and those who were "not a people."

Take a guess at which verse of Scripture the apostle Paul cites to link the Church with the "foolish nation" of Deuteronomy 32:21? Turn left from Route 66, one chapter over to Isaiah 65:

I was sought by those who did not ask for Me; I was found by those who did not seek Me. I said, 'Here I am, here I am,' to a nation that was not called by My name" (Isa. 65:1, NKJV).

To recap and connect the dots: The foolish nation of Deuteronomy 32:21, whose salvation serves to testify against Israel and her unfaithfulness, is the same nation born in Isaiah 66:7-8, referred to by Paul in Romans 10:19-20 (citing Deut. 32:21 + Isa. 65:1), and finally hinted at by John in Revelation 12:5. Whoa! Is the Bible inspired, or what?

Stay tuned for Part II of this study...
Post A Comment

55 comments:

  1. Love it! Great study and presentation of truth. Maranatha!

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  2. Jeff! I am rejoicing at your article and can't wait for Part 2. I'm so grateful for your work and all of the others here at Unsealed. Thank you!

    You wrote, After the birth of the male-child, Zion goes into Labor and then gives birth to more children [in Hebrew, literally "her sons"]. Logically, these "children" are either "the brothers" returning in Mic. 5:3, or "her seed" fleeing the dragon in Rev. 12:17 [commonly known as Tribulation saints].

    I have been exploring this myself (not nearly as succinctly or eloquently as you) and would love your thoughts & corrections. I wrote on my own blog:

    Here we see two corporate descendants of the woman:

    1. The male Child, described as "our brethren" in verse 10, who "overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death," (Rev. 12:11)

    And:

    2. Those who are "the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." (Rev. 12:17)

    These powerful descriptions create a portrait that shows us clearly who they are.

    Who are those who hold to the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony, other than those who are saved by faith in the atoning work of Christ during the Church age, this Age of Grace? Jesus describes them as the faithful church in Revelation 3:8.

    Once the Age of Grace is past, who are they who keep the commandments of God (works) and have the testimony of Jesus Christ? "He who has received His testimony has certified that God is true." (John 3:33) I believe these are the tribulation saints, or the Jews and Gentiles who come to faith during the final seven years on earth. We see this again later, in Revelation 14:12-14. Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.”

    https://hillaryrain.co/blog/revelation-12

    Does this seem like a plausible explanation to you?

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    1. I have come to the same conclusion. The woman is Israel, and all the elect Jews (Israelites, not just Judah but all the tribes) who come into her become part of her, the woman. The Israelites who get sucked into the AC's deception (2/3) become mystery Babylon, a different woman who rides the beast. The offspring of the woman is 1)the church 2) more gentile believers, the rest of her offspring, who become tribulation saints as you mentioned. Yes rev 12:17.

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    2. Hi, Hillary! Thank you for your encouragement. I'm tracking with you on the two distinct corporate descendants of the woman in Rev. 12.

      I've got a few thoughts and suggestions to run by you:

      1) I totally affirm that this Church age, or Age of Grace, is unique and unparalleled with the sealing and indwelling presence of the Spirit in the body of Christ. However, I'm a bit wary of accepting that Tribulation saints will have to add anything to the once-and-for-all atoning sacrifice of Jesus in order to keep their eternal security.

      We need to keep in mind Paul's words in Romans 4, where he states, "But to the one who does not work, but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited for righteousness" (4:5). This whole chapter in Romans stresses justification by faith even in an earlier dispensation before the coming of Christ and the Spirit at Pentecost (see also Gal. 3:6-9).

      2) A word on the phrase "keeping the commandments of God" (Rev. 12:17). This is a stock phrase from the apostle John, used not just in Revelation, but in his other books written to the Church as well. For example, take a look at 1 John 3:21-24 and 5:1-5. Especially instructive is 5:1, "Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ [Messiah] has been born of God..."

      Huge emphasis on being born of God first before you can even keep anything, let alone your own salvation. John defines his term "overcomer" (victor, conqueror, etc.) in 5:4-5, "...whatever has been born of God conquers the world...who is the one who conquers the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?"

      So, when you study through Revelation again, use this lens to help you stay consistent with your interpretation.

      3) I agree that the rejoicing in heaven in Rev. 12:10-12 comes from the chorus of a newly resurrected, raptured, and glorified Church, and verse 11 most certainly applies to us as Church-age believers, "...by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony..." But also take a look at Rev. 7:13-14, "...who are these people robed in white and where did they come from?' ...Then he told me, 'These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." Trib saints...redeemed...by the blood of the Lamb.

      Stay strong, sister. I appreciate your question.

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    3. I agree completely. Also, you can see the difference between the two here:
      Rev 5:9  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; 
      Rev 5:10  And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. 
      Rev 5:11  And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; 

      Rev 7:13  And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? 
      Rev 7:14  And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 

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    4. Jeff, thank you so much for taking the time to reply. I've edited my article to remove that part so I can do some more research. It brings great relief to hear your explanation of salvation for trib saints. I am new to dispensations and heard a dispensationalist teacher explain that things will go back to the "gospel of the kingdom" rather than the gospel of grace given through Paul (Paul's gospel in 1 Cor. 15:1-4 to simply believe & be saved) while the gospel of the kingdom is "repent & be baptized" and ties in to the "everlasting gospel" in Rev. 14:6-7 given by the angel: "Fear God and give glory to Him..." and Joel 2:13.

      Thank you again for your response...I'm so hungry for this! Many blessings to you and your family.

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    5. Correction above: I meant Joel 2:32.

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    6. Dear Hillary, dear Jeff: please consider into your notes the DIFFERENT kind of GOSPEL preached during tribulation period explicitely mentioned in Revelation 14,6-7 it will be the "everlasting gospel" of worlds creator and judge, not of the Saviour at the cross having died for our sins. Logically, if the resurrected Saviour from 2000 years ago is currently active as almighty judge of the whole earth He will not present Himself to the tribulation saints as the humble man on the cross. This dispensation is closed then. This fact has to be considered when looking at some kind of "works theology" during this special dispensation: the saints will nevertheless be sealed by the Holy Spirit but they will have other things to "do" (i.e. wash their robes = Rev7,14 instead of what is believe and confess today in grace era = Rom10,9 which BOTH you cannot do by yourself but only out of the Spirit of God so it is always Philippians 2,13 "at work"). Much love and regards to both of you and thanks God for your diligent work, MARANATHA

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  3. Wow, you can really see the light shine here!

    What a blessing!!!!!!!!
    I was sought by those who did not ask for Me; I was found by those who did not seek Me. I said, 'Here I am, here I am,' to a nation that was not called by My name" (Isa. 65:1, NKJV).

    [Isa 65:1 KJV] I am sought of [them that] asked not [for me]; I am found of [them that] sought me not: I said, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation [that] was not called by my name.

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    1. I'm reminded of Jesus' preaching to the Jews in Matthew 7:14:

      "But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."

      Something never quite fit in my mind with how people interpret that verse. They make simply a statement about how the vast majority will be lost. I think there is some truth to that, but at the same time, I'm reminded of Isaiah 65.

      We weren't seeking God. We didn't find Him, He found us. Revelation 7, though likely about Trib Saints described A GREAT, INNUMERABLE MULTITUDE. Doesn't sound like just a few.

      Perhaps Matthew 7:14 is not so much a statement about only a few ultimately being saved, but more a statement about how those who strive/work toward God can't make it. This would then parallel verses 21-23 in the same chapter and then later in Matthew 19:16-26.

      It appears that Jesus' message all along was that "you can't do it, but I can". Notice also that in Luke 13:23-on Jesus deflects the question, "will only a few be saved?"

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    2. I have come to think that Jesus made those statements because he had not shed his blood yet to cover our sins.

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    3. Right on, Gary. The effect of hearing the Sermon on the Mount should make one go, "Uh, oh. I'm not gonna make it."

      The religious leaders were putting a heavy yoke on the people and causing them to stumble. Jesus sets the tone with this, "For I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 5:20). This was both a shot at the hypocritical teachers of Israel and cause for concern to those in attendance. After all, the people looked up to these scribes and teachers of the Law. If they can't get in, then who can?

      Basically, you aren't getting in unless you have the Messiah's imputed righteousness...and you gotta ask for it (Matt. 7:7-11).

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  4. So good, Jeff. So good. The dots have been connected like never before - the LORD is coming!

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  5. About Rev 12 Virgo sign.....

    I have read the article where Michael Heiser dismisses this connection between the constellation and Rev Ch 12. Even with his advanced degree and knowledge of (extinct) languages, he is quite arrogant and has a condescending tone in his talks about various subjects. Someone should mention to him so as to correct.

    Heiser actually pokes fun at the ones who see the connections ('I can't wait until October') and has a very smarmy attitude about it. This is arrogance! I find it fishy that not only Heiser but also Stearman from Prophecy in the News channel are not at all interested in this thing. As someone as said before, perhaps they subconsciously frightened by the prospect that this could be something colossal. It might just put a damper on their selling books and pamphlets!

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    1. I noticed his condescending tone, too. I'm not impressed.

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    2. Dear friend Anonymous, I have drawn the same conclusions about Michael Heiser and from all this do NOT recognize him as my brother in Christ at all (not by any stretch of imagination!). I cannot understand how anyone of Christs newborn can consider him as a true brother and buy his books or expecting deep insight from this guy. But there's no need to correct him inside church as he is not family but an unsaved scholar making money from scriptures (1 Peter 5,2) and God will judge him like he does to the pharisees too. Blessings to you! MARANATHA

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    3. Dear Annabel,

      Heiser has his specialty and he would be a great weapon against a Rabbi or Jew in showing who the Messiah was/is. The man studied and has knowledge, but he is wrong to treat this Rev 12 sign as if it's a sideshow and he knows better than all. He ought to be shouting about this from the rooftops.

      I don't know if he is unsaved or saved, but let us hope the man changes his attitude to things.

      Thanks

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    4. Gary Stearman is no longer hosting Prophesy in the News. He is now hosting Prophesy Watchers. Check out their website to see what they are discussing currently. You might be surprised.

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  6. I've heard different interpretations of Revelation 12, but this is the best one by far. You crossed all your Ts and dotted all your Is. Consistency is key, which is why other interpretations fail.

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  7. I will enjoy putting all my thoughts together about this later. I love how God reveals bits and pieces to His people and we can put it all together. One thing I noticed when studying Revelation 12:5 is that, in the same sentence, John used two different words for child... huios and teknon. It seems to me that the first one is most offen translated Son, Son of Man, Son of God, etc, whereas the second "child" is sometimes translated as child, but most often it is translated as children.

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    1. Hi Natalie,

      Sorry for the late reply. On the subject of "teknon" in Rev. 12:5, check out this link: https://billmounce.com/greek-dictionary/teknon

      Bill Mounce is a Greek scholar and the author of the introductory Greek grammars that I studied while in seminary. The noun in 12:4 and 5 is definitely singular, so it should be translated, "child, descendant, etc." The plural would be "tekna," which is found in Rev. 2:23.

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    2. Thank you! That's a little more clear than Blue Letter Bible, which I was using. It does not seem to have the singular vs plural broken down like the link you gave me.

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    3. I still find it interesting that John would use two different words.

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    4. Natalie, I had been looking for this and finally found it. Dan Matson posted this link at the bottom of his article "Birth Before Labor?"

      It's a study on the two different words used in 12:5: https://philologos.org/bpr/files/word_studies/rev-1-f.htm

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  8. Has anyone considered that on August 21, 2017 is also the first day of Elul. Yom Kippur is 40 days after which is September 30, 2017. This will be 7 days after the Revelation 12:5 sign on September 23, 2017. This is the same time Moses went back up the mountain to come down on Yom Kippur. Jesus was tested in the desert for 40 days before beginning his ministry on Yom Kippur. Could the this point to a time when Jacobs trouble will begin? Could this give us a time line for the rapture?

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  9. Hey Jeff... Where's part two? It's been like 30 minutes since I finished reading part one... You can't keep us waiting like this. It's down right mean.

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    1. Just what I was thinking...I can't get enough of this stuff...I feel like the scales have finally fallen from my eyes and I can understand the Scriptures...please more.

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    2. Lol, thank you, James. Patience, patience.

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    3. 1 Corinthians 15:3 For what I received I passed on to you...

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  10. And I am the one who says by Revelation from the Holy Spirit, that the Woman of Rev, 12 is the Holy Spirit Herself, the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity, which all scripture confirms as being feminine, but rejected by the church. The Woman is not Israel. The Great Sign is a real woman, not a nation. When you say that the woman is Israel, what nation do you mean- secular, still unbelieving Israel now - or the kingdom of Judah who also rejected the Messiah and went into captivity, - or the House of Israel, who also went into captivity for idolatry? Also, the nation of Israel consists of people. So, in saying that the Woman is Israel, is saying that people, consisting of unbelievers as a nation, is giving birth to people who are believers. A body of people is giving birth to another body of people. No, that is error of interpretation. The Woman in Rev. 12 is Divine. She is God Herself, Heavenly Jerusalem, "the Mother of us all". Don't grieve the Holy Spirit by denying her of her children which She has labored for ever since the Garden of Eden, when She is referred to as the Tree of Life (see Proverbs) that Adam and Eve rejected when they ate of the forbidden fruit instead of partaking of Her fruit (see Proverbs) which results in living forever. She, who possessed the Seed (the Holy seed) of the Woman was the woman who "became barren", while Eve, who, by disobedience, now carried the corruptible seed of Satan, became "the mother of all living", which broke God' heart. Don't break God's heart again by rejecting this Glorious Woman clothed with Heaven's Jewelry as She becomes triumphant in giving birth to Her Holy Seed, the corporate Body of Christ in this greatest event in the history of God's calendar, aside from the Atonement of Her Son Jesus Christ when the "Wise" men followed the Star of Bethlehem in the sky with the Virgin Mary foreshadowing the Original Woman, the Holy Spirit, our Heavenly Mother, giving birth to all those who trust in Jesus Christ at The Last TRUMP! The Church Triumphant!


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    1. The Holy Spirit is called HE many times. Plus does the Holy Spirit flee from the Dragon into the wilderness? Clearly the woman is Israel like Jeff said and Isaiah 66 said.

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    2. afterdarkness7/07/2017 11:11 PM

      Greetings, Carol, so happy you're here!

      Just wanted to speak to your take on God, and the Holy Spirit. In his revealed word, even though 'spirit' can be translated as a feminine noun, when God reveals himself he chooses the masculine pronouns, even when speaking of the Holy Spirit. He reveals himself as Father and as Son. Jesus said he would give us his Spirit.

      Just take those things into consideration as you study. You're spot-on in affirming that the Spirit of the Godhead has what we would call feminine traits. He does not come to proclaim himself but to glorify Christ. He takes our dead hearts and quickens us to life in regeneration, he seals us, he is our Comforter and Teacher, and he nurtures the tiny seed of faith. And while we are created in God's image, and as male and female we showcase the different character qualities of the Godhead, and as male and female we take different roles, especially in marriage, God the Father chooses to reveal himself using the masculine pronouns. He calls himself our Father. Yes, he speaks of his love toward us in terms of a mother's love, because we are most familiar with the tender, solicitous, nurturing qualities of a mother.
      He has those things as part of his nature and in relationship to us as our Father. And he does nothing by accident.
      So while I affirm that there are what we would call both masculine and feminine qualities about the three-personed God, I must also affirm that when he reveals himself, or speaks of another of the persons of the Godhead, he has chosen to do so in exclusively masculine terms.

      God could have chosen to reveal his nature otherwise, especially in either a blend of pronouns, or feminine pronouns only, or in neuter pronouns. But he did not. He chose the masculine, even before he chose to be incarnate in the body of a man.

      Which prerogative the children of his house must humbly acknowledge.

      Welcome aboard, and I hope you are blessed in your study, and encouraged along with the rest of us that we may very soon be going home!

      Grace and peace,
      ad

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    3. Disagree Carol. People do exactly that... they give birth to other people. I mean really. Are you serious?

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    4. In regard to the spirit being feminine,I checked out Strongs for the Greek. In John 14:26 the Comforter is masculine in the Greek. The word Spirit in other places is neuter. Am I missing something? Barbara

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  11. Wonderful study. Thank you, and looking forward to Part 2. Come quickly Lord Jesus.
    Megan

    ReplyDelete
  12. It would be very interesting to hear what Dr. Michael Svigel thinks about all of this! I'd be surprised if he hasn't heard about the Revelation 12 sign. My guess he's between a rock and a hard place. Maybe best not to say anything!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Well, George, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but according to Svigel's own Twitter page, he scoffs at the thought. He's been getting a lot of phone calls about it and pretty irritated: https://twitter.com/Svigel/status/880524632213860353

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Jeff...I just can't get your response of Dr. Svigel out of my head. I feel like I'm missing something if he (more than anyone) is scoffing what he pointed to in the first place.....make sense? I've read EVERYTHING, and I do mean EVERYTHING. I've done my homework and I've been a good Berean. I've taught and written about this and I'm all in.....but the scoffing from Dr. S is so bothersome. YSIC, Annie

      Delete
    2. Hi Annie,

      You're doing well. Keep studying and trusting in what the Lord has revealed. Dr. Svigel's work has been so helpful to our understanding of Revelation 12, especially seeing the Rapture of the Church in 12:5. However, while I believe he means well, trying to protect others from another failed date of Christ's return, he is to quick to dismiss this one. It's certainly a knee-jerk reaction coupled with a dash of sarcasm, so I wouldn't put any stock in his Twitter comment.

      He's still a brother, a great teacher, and has a pastor's heart. But I hope you'll continue to stand firm on the Rev12 sign and everything that has come to light. Also, we'll just have to pray that he actually takes the time to listen to someone or research the heavenly alignment himself.

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    3. Thank you Jeff :)

      This has been the most amazing journey EVER...and I can't even imagine not sharing WHAT COULD BE for fear of being wrong....My whole family and the ladies in my Bible study know how excited I am....however, if the EVENT does not happen this year...I'm not going anywhere. Where would I go? (echoing Simon Peter's words) For Jesus, our Lord, has the words of eternal life. 🦋 Maranatha!!!

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    4. P.S. I am so looking forward to Part II ✝️

      Delete
  14. Hi there from South Africa!
    Just a catch up of what has been going on here:
    On 22 April 2017 we had a day of prayer as a nation, the day was called "It's Time" and the theme of the preacher, Angus Buchan, was "Can a nation be born in a day!" - we were almost 2 million believers together down on our knees. Repenting and calling for God to save us. He made Himself present through a whirlwind. I think the videos are on YouTube. Just saying, we have all been hearing the same thing. Our eyes are on our Saviour!!

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  15. Loli, it's great to here from you. All the way from South Africa.

    Thank you for this wonderful testimony. I looked it up on YouTube, and so many have posted videos of this gathering back in April, even the sudden wind that came upon the crowd.

    Amen, and amen! All eyes on Him. We are waiting for Jesus to gather us all together soon!

    What a blessing. Thank you.

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  16. Jeff,
    Gary,

    Has anyone considered that on August 21, 2017 is also the first day of Elul. Yom Kippur is 40 days after which is September 30, 2017. This will be 7 days after the Revelation 12:5 sign on September 23, 2017. This is the same time Moses went back up the mountain to come down on Yom Kippur. Jesus was tested in the desert for 40 days before beginning his ministry on Yom Kippur. Could the this point to a time when Jacobs trouble will begin? Could this give us a time line for the rapture?

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    Replies
    1. Yes, Gary noted that the August eclipse is the 40 days from Yom Kippur: http://www.unsealed.org/2017/06/the-divine-message-of-august-eclipse.html

      It is entirely plausible given the independent research here and elsewhere, that we have a timeline of events indicating the window of the Rapture and subsequent 7-year Tribulation: http://www.unsealed.org/2015/11/2017-to-2024-tribulation-theory.html

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    2. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  17. Wow, wow, wow, this study gave me the chills!!!

    I am in awe that Deut 32 will be read on September 23, 2017 in synagogue the world over!

    I am in awe at how Paul quotes Deut. 32:21 and Isa. 65:1 in Romans 10:19-20, which gives more light to Rev 12! I am in awe that you, Jeff, were able to figure all that out! AMAZING!!! This article is a breakthrough for me, convincing me fully of a pre-trib rapture (I have been uncertain up to this point, lingering between pre=trib and pre-wrath). THANK YOU!!!

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    Replies
    1. Wow! Thank you, Annabelle. You're comments are a blessing. Praise the LORD!

      Delete
  18. About your statement, "John rarely uses explicit names for people, opting instead for attributes or code names." You are so right! Even in his own gospel he refers to himself only as "disciple whom Jesus loved".

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  19. Yes! And I love this subtle jab at Peter from "the disciple whom Jesus loved" in John 20:3-4, "At that, Peter and the other disciple went out, heading for the tomb. The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and got to the tomb first."

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  20. In an offer to figuring out how to learn,http://fightinggames5.com/buy-paper-college-2/ students are relied upon to acclimate to their novel learning aptitudes relying upon the job needing to be done.

    ReplyDelete
  21. The woman clothed with the sun is not earthly Jerusalem. She is Sarah, our mother, the heavenly Jerusalem (Galatians).

    ReplyDelete
  22. The Male Child was birthed BEFORE Zion labored, THEN Zion's children are birthed BECAUSE OF Zion's labor.

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  23. Excellent!!! opening up so much!

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