Our next study will be the symbolism of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, which are revealed under the seals on the scroll. But before we can delve into this fascinating study, we must first establish historically the timeline for the inception of the visions. By doing so we will understand to whom the message in chapter 6 of Revelation is directed.
Once we have compared and analyzed the scriptures for ourselves, rather than blindly accepting someone else's interpretation and conclusion, I believe that historical and scriptural documentation will shed new light on this subject for you. If nothing else, you will finally have a choice as to their meaning.
The modern viewpoint on the Revelation purports that these visions have not been fulfilled from chapter 4 forward. It seems they miss the message and warnings given by Jesus Christ to Israel and their coming punishment for rejecting Him as the Messiah, which was accomplished in 70 A.D.
Why don't modern interpreters understand that this message is to Israel of old? To answer this question we must delve into history, before we can define the symbolism of the Four Horsemen.
Tradition of the church accepts that John, one of the 12 apostles of Jesus Christ wrote the vision of Revelation. But it wasn't until the middle of the second century that church leadership attributed the writing of the visions to the Apostle John. This attribution was designated by deduction, because there simply was no evidence to authenticate the identity of the writer - even though only a century had passed since they were given.
The modern church has embraced the traditions of men without question. Traditions have been passed down through the generations, but sadly with time some traditions have taken the form of "fact" in modern times. I don't believe this was intentional, but simply evolved. It is like the "theory" of evolution has evolved over the decades into "fact" in modern government schools, when they eliminated the "fact" that God created the world.
A lie or myth spoken over and over - devoid of the truth - becomes the new truth. Over the decades, Christianity has been slowly removed from public schools, and now Paganism is celebrated. If truth isn't guarded and protected, falsehood is eventually embraced as "fact."
Some common traditions of the church that are accepted as truth: Eve ate and apple - it was fruit. Three wise men visited Jesus - but it was three gifts. Adam & Eve were forced out of the Garden of Eden because they sinned. While they did sin, they were forced out so they wouldn't eat of the Tree of Life and make permanent their death - separation from God. This is a very important "fact" lost by tradition.
Who wrote the Revelation? This is a question that no one asks anymore because a "tradition" has become a "fact" in the minds of all modern scholars. Historians don't hide the "fact" that they really didn't know who wrote the visions - this is why it took them so long to assign attribution. They simply made an educated guess that it must be the Apostle John. Over time the "guess" evolved into "fact."
In the 21st century there are movies and books depicting an old, decrepit Apostle John on the island of Patmos in 90 A.D. receiving these visions, one right after another. Does historical documentation confirm this delineation?
The reign of Roman Emperor Nero initiated the first persecution of terror upon the new Christians in 54-68 A.D. Emperor Nero proudly proclaimed himself to be the "chief enemy of God." He referred to the Christians as a sect of people with a new superstition, which "because of its magic" was a menace to the commonwealth. His government scrutinized the Christians as part of a conspiracy against the state, creating disharmony between the chosen gods of the state, and their One God.
Does history really shed light on who received the visions and in what year? Stay tuned...
God's sheep question the doctrines of men...sheeple follow without question...
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