The Inward Journey

Editors Note:
John and Dorothea Gardner published a paper for many years called: “Lamps Unto His Feet.” According to Dorothea, “Erasing The Slate” is one of the most important articles she has written in thirty years. It is a lengthy article that sheds light on the historic context of many Biblical prophesies.

As I have read the Bible I have found that the Holy Spirit applies many verses to the inner work that is taking place in us and I believe this spiritual fulfillment is the most important, for it is the fulfillment of God’s plan of the ages — a revealing and manifestation of Himself in His people. However, I have found that we often carry with us interpretations that we learned in the system that originated in the mind of man and not God. I believe that the Holy Spirit is extracting these systems of interpretation that rob us of the understanding of what God is revealing in each of our lives. For me personally, a lot of things that I heard from the Spirit over many years became much clearer.

I believe for those who have been apprehended by God that the book of Revelation is a map of our journey as Christ is revealed in us and overcomes the man of sin — the adamic nature that wars against the seed of God in us. However, for those first Christians who were alive while Jesus walked the earth in his physical body some of the book of Revelation may have had a very literal interpretation pertaining to what they were facing. Why does this even matter? Because traditional interpretations direct our attention away from what God is doing in us right now and causes us to focus on future events. Additionally, futurism takes spiritual truth of the Kingdom of God and turns it into a physical kingdom patterned after the kingdoms of this world where Jesus is the extreme dictator. If there is one kingdom principal that the Holy Spirit has burned into my heart it is that the KINGDOM OF GOD IS WITHIN and the physical manifestation of His Kingdom will be the result of an inner work.

I ask you the reader to carefully consider what is presented in, “Erasing the Slate.” Some of you may be challenged by it. No one has all truth, though our understanding grows from experience to experience we are still looking through a glass darkly. Perhaps there may be something here that the Holy Spirit will apply to your understanding. Ultimately we must each walk in the truth that God has revealed to us.

DBC

Erasing The Slate
by Dorothea Gardner

Back in Daniel chapter 10 we read of a great revelation which came to the prophet Daniel while in the Babylonian captivity. Dan. 10:1 tells us:

“In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a thing was revealed unto Daniel whose name was called Belteshazzar. And the thing was true, but the time appointed was long; and he understood the thing, and had understanding of the vision,”

Then in this chapter Daniel goes on to relate how he came to under¬stand the vision. The man clothed in linen (Ezek. chapter 9) appeared to him telling Daniel why he came:

“Now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days. For yet the vision is for many days.” (vs. 14)

And the vision obviously was not anything pleasant as we see from Daniel’s reply to his visitor, for he said, “0 my lord, by the vision my sorrows (pain, pangs) are turned upon me, and I have retained no strength. ”

And when he actually saw the vision, Daniel said:

“And I Daniel alone saw the vision. For the men that were with me saw not the vision, but a great quaking fell upon them so that they fled to hide themselves. Therefore I was left alone, and saw this great vision and there remained no strength in me. For my comeliness (vigor) was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength.“ (vs. 7,8)

Daniel obviously had a vision of the holocaust of 70 AD at the fall of Jerusalem. No wonder it made him ill! He saw the same thing the Apostle John received in those “latter days,” the end of the Old Covenant days, on the Isle of Patmos in 66 AD. Only John saw it in symbol so that he could pass the information on safely to the believers in the Holy Land without the Romans understanding what was being said. The original material evidently was delivered to the believers along with the letters to the churches, but was not put into book form as we have it in the Book of Revelation until it was copied down in 96 AD. Or, and perhaps more in line with events, some think John was released from Patmos after Nero’s suicide in perhaps 68 AD before the holocaust of 70 AD. Thus he could have taken the notes with him and delivered them himself. No one knows for sure. But from the Scriptures, it is now evident to us that the contents of the Book of Revelation were received by John in 66 AD and they refer mainly to the fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD, the same event Daniel saw which made him ill.

With this in mind, consider the following writing. We realize it is an entirely new approach, is controversial and quite shattering to all we ever have been taught. But if we are to move on with God, we must at least be willing to consider new things, and be willing to change if the Spirit so directs. Really, we don’t need either a theology or eschatology. John 16:13 tells us that the Holy Spirit will lead us into all Truth and show us things to come. And our interpretation of the Book of Revelation isn’t going to keep us in or keep us out of the Kingdom of God. But it does have considerable influence on our outlook on life and our relationship with the Lord.

Background Information
From the time we received the baptism in the Holy Spirit 25 years ago we, like the others in this end-time Christ Body, have received bits and pieces, here a little, there a little — and on some of these we have pondered over the years. For some reason unknown to us, they just never fit the puzzle He was showing us. But as we have traveled on, we have come to learn that most of our problems have been that it was not yet time to show us some things. As with teaching our own children, it is a progressive thing as they mature. We also have learned that the Spirit does not just dump us into something brand new, but follows one rule of good teaching; i.e., you start where the pupil is. This is true because precept or concept is built upon precept or concept. Precepts or concepts grow in chains and if they are to grow, they must have each and every link in their chain. And we have learned that this is probably one of the reasons we often have to wait even years to get an answer to some of our questions. The other reason would be the timing per Gods calendar for the coming forth of certain Truth.

Another Scriptural principle we have learned from the Spirit is that, when He reveals something to us, unless it is something very personal, it is to be shared with the Christ Body. He does not give private revelations or in a corner, so to speak. Therefore, this writing is to give you a look at what we are seeing; not to cause you to agree with us necessarily, but to broaden your concept of things. It is through lack of knowledge that His people perish (Hosea 4:6), and some of these things can change one’s entire outlook on life and quite drastically.

So here is what we have been seeing. You are not asked to agree or disagree with us. Each must follow the Spirit and He will tell you as He sees fit. And whether you agree with us or not, this is not to build walls between us. It is only to pass on Information in case it should answer some of your questions as it did ours. It still hasn’t answered all of ours, but it has helped. We still have many more questions than answers.

During our 25 years with the Holy Spirit there have been certain Scriptures which “hit us” and have stuck there. They just didn’t add up with what we have been taught and always believed. That has happened to all of us. Matt. 20:6, 12 is one of them, (see below).

We always had been Futurists so far as interpretation of the Book of Revelation is concerned. In later years He had shown us the Historical Interpretation and we could see how it fit, but only in part. But it broadened our concepts and widened our understanding. Before that we thought we had the only interpretation of future things, and were surprised to learn that most of Christendom was Historical from early times. But we still had problems with Matt. 20:6, 12 plus others. This Scripture reads:

“And about the eleventh hour (5 p.m.) he went out and found others standing idle, and thus saith unto them, thy stand ye here alt the day idle?” So He hired them and when they all came in at the evening hour to get their pay, there was discontent with their wages. But this is not the point we are making here. The point we are making is found in verse 12 where they express their unhappiness and feeling of in-equality:

“These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.”

We were taught that the battle was going to get hotter and hotter until the Lord Jesus returned and settled it by rapturing the saints and judging the earth. But the heat of the day isn’t five o’clock in the afternoon! That was back in the time of the disciples and the early church as they began the spread of the Gospel. We have it comparatively easy and for only one hour out of the working hours of the day. Things just weren’t adding up.

Then there was Matt. 24:21. The Lord Jesus had just explained about the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel being in the holy place and that His people should flee into the mountains. Then He said, “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world (cosmos) to this time, no, nor ever shall be.”

I couldn’t get away from the words, “no, nor ever shall be.” We were looking for The Great Tribulation, the most terrible time of trouble in history. But I had learned, according to Luke 21:20-24, that the great abomination of desolation was the Roman Armies. Compare this to its parallel verse in Matt. 24:15-22. Read these portions. So this, too, placed this event behind us instead of ahead of us.

During these years we also had learned that the word “earth” can also be translated “land.” It was up to the translators. And from the context of Isa. 24:1-20 “earth” did not seem to fit, but “land” did because it refers to priests, usury, and especially verse 5 which talks about “they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.” Only Israel had these. So we wondered. Read Isa. 24:1-20 using “land” instead of “earth,” with the land of Israel in mind.

The real “stickler” was in Rev. 17:9-12. The Lord Jesus told John in this Scripture portion regarding the Beast and the Woman being carried or supported by the Beast:

“And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sitteth. And there are seven kings. Five are fallen, and ONE IS, and the other is not yet came, and when he cometh, he must continue a short space. And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition. And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.” And this one stayed with us until recently as a big question mark.

Then we received Information, which inferred to be something quite recent, that the Book of Revelation was received by John in 66 AD instead of 96 AD as we had been taught. So we went searching. Since then we have found that this was not any recent finding. It was spoken of by F. W. Farrar in “History of the Early Church” written in 1882; also by Bishop Thomas Newton in “Dissertations on The Prophecies” in 1754. It has been our later doctrines of future things which covered it up.

And learning that the Book of Revelation was written in 66 AD instead of 96 AD has opened up a whole new realm of revelation, an entirely new view of the Scriptures from another angle. It has put things behind which we thought were future and clarified our problem Scriptures. It also has opened up new avenues of understanding, and has upset our previous “theology” and “eschatology” very thoroughly! So check this out and see where you come out. But before going directly into the Book of Revelation, we should untangle our prophetic time-track which helps here.

Proper Sequence of Prophecy:
The first thing we must do is get events in their chronological order date-wise. Then they make sense. Recently we gave you a chart of the Four Ends. We are reprinting that here for your convenience. Then, way back in Lamps Unto His Feet No. 44 we included a chart showing the chronology of the New Testament writers. We also are reprinting that here with some revisions for your convenience. Study these carefully until you are oriented to these time tables. They are important. (See the following pages)

If there is one principle and basically important thing the Holy Spirit has done in this end-time, it is to straighten His people out on their time-track. The Scriptures are spiritual and heavenly, but they also are very sensible and down-to-earth.

And when we get them in sequence and in an orderly fashion, it brings us up out of fantasy, fiction and fable. And, regardless of what He may have shown us or will show us in the spiritual and revelatory area, taken from the angle of plain horse-sense, it becomes also a very practical Book. He was leading and directing people in ancient times just as He is doing today. And when we examine it from this angle we get some new and very valuable insights on Gods ways rather than just His acts. Most of the guidance and information He gave them then was for their use at that time, although He may re-emphasize a portion of it and bring it to bear on some particular situation in the present time for our guidance. Take Matt. 24:15-21 and Luke 21:20-24 for instance.

In these Scripture portions we find the Lord Jesus telling His followers what to do when they saw the Roman Armies surrounding Jerusalem. Luke explains in 21:20 that these were the abomination which would make Jerusalem desolate. The Lord Jesus was instructing His people how to escape this holocaust, and they did. It was very practical and for that particular time, and it was fulfilled in 70 AD. Yet we see the scholars still looking forward to this time and breeding a very unhealthy and unholy fear in Gods people. In this world there always will be trouble, tragedy, wars, etc., until HE straightens it out, but this is not 70 AD reenacted. We must not get stuck on our time-track. This is how we misinterpret Scripture.

THE FOUR “ENDS” IN HISTORY

1100 BC - (Dates are approximate)
1075 “ -
1050 “ -
1025 “ - Saul lived between 1050 and 1000 BC
1000 “ -
975 “ - David lived between 1000 and 950 BC
950 “ - Solomon lived between 975 and 925 BC
925 “ -
900 “ -
875 “ -
850 “ - 860 to 722 Elijah, Elisha, Joel, Amos and Hosea warned the
Ten tribes of coming judgment
825 “ -
800 “ -
775 “ -
750 “ -
725 “ -
*700 “ - 722 BC then Ten Tribes go into Assyrian Captivity-
END NUMBER ONE
675 “ -
650 “ - 750 to 690 Micah and Isaiah warned Judah of coming judgment
625 “ - 650 to 605 Jeremiah, Nahum, Zephaniah and Habakkuk
prophesied against Judah
*600 “ - 605 BC Judah went into Babylonian Captivity
END NUMBER TWO
575 “ -
550 “ - 605 TO 536 Jeremiah, Daniel and Ezekiel prophesied to Judah
525 “ - Beginning at 520 BC Zechariah and Haggai prophesied during
rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem
500 “ -
475 “ -
450 “ -
425 “ - 433 to 420 Malachi prophesied during restoration by Nehemiah
400 “ -

400-3 BC Apocryphal Period between the Old and New Testaments

0 - Change from BC to AD, although birth of Christ was in 3 BC
27 AD - Calvary
50 “ -
66 “ - 54 to 66 AD the Epistles were written and Revelation
received on Patmost
* 70 “ - Destruction of Jerusalem by Titus – END NUMBER THREE
75 “ -
96 “ - I, II and III John and Revelation written at Ephesus
100 “ –

* ? “ - END NUMBER FOUR – I Cor. 15:24, 52; Rev. 11:15

CHRONOLOGY OF NEW TESTAMENT WRITINGS

Roman Ruler B.C. Book Written Writer

Augustus 3 (Sept29) Jesus Christ born

A.D.

Tiberius 33 (Calvary)
Caligula 37 (Paul converted

Claudius 40-45 Gospel of Matthew Matthew writes
“ 52 Galatians Paul begins writing
“ 52,53 I Thessalonians
“ 52,53 II Thessalonians
“ 54 I Corinthians
“ 54 II Corinthians
Nero ; 56 Romans
“ 61 Gospel of Luke Luke begins writing
“ 61 Acts (Luke)
“ 60-62 Colossians
“ 61, 62 Philippians
“ 62 James James writes
“ 63-67 I Timothy
“ 64 Ephesians
“ 65-68 Gospel of Mark Mark writes
“ 65 Titus
“ 65 I Peter Peter begins writing
“ 66, 67 II Peter
“ 66 Jude Jude writes
“ 66-68 Revelation rec’d John writes letter to the 7 churches
“ 67,68 II Timothy
“ 67-69 Hebrews Author uncertain
Vespasian 70-79 Fall of Jerusalem
“ FALL OF JERUSALEM 70 AD
Titus 79-81
Dometian(81-96) 85-95 Gospel of John John begins writing
90-95 I John
95-96 Revelation John writes down the visions he rec’d on Patmos
96-98 II John
96-98 III John
Trajan(98-100) 98 John dies Tradition says this but there is no historical record.

The Old Testament ended with Malachi in 455 B.C.
Now the next section of this writing, up to the discussion of the Book of Revelation itself, is included here in an attempt to answer an apparent need among some of those to whom our writings are directed. The need was expressed by one of the end-timers as, in gist: “I can see all these pieces, but I can’t seem to put them all together. I think there is a need for a sort of summary which shows the full picture. Most people do not have the time nor background information to dig this out for themselves.” So we are trying to fulfill that need. 1F YOU ALREADY KNOW THESE THINGS, JUST SKIP THIS SECTION. Study to Show Thyself Approved;
II Titus 2:15 exhorts us to: “Study to show thyself approved unto God a workman that needeth not to be ashamedt rightly dividing the word of truth.” And this takes hours of time and effort with the Holy Spirit illuminating our spiritual understanding to comprehend what He is really telling us. So, obviously, all of the material presented here is simply a series of launch pads to help you blast off into the spiritual realm.

To begin with, take each book of the Bible and read it in its historical setting, majoring on that point. Every book of the Bible is not equally pertinent to this end-time, so you may want to leave some of them to a later date. In the following we have majored on the various Books which are pertinent to this hour of time.

By placing each of these Books properly time-wise, it will answer many questions, revealing motives, properly dating prophecies and thus illuminating their purpose. It will bring “rhyme and reason” out of “chaos and fantasy,” helping to rightly divide the Word of Truth, for “our God is not the author of confusion!” (I Cor. 14:33)

Scripture Sequence:
First, we will put the Scriptures in time sequence and in more-or-less narrative form which makes it easier to remember. This also will eliminate trying to remember exact dates which complicates things. The dates will be found on the chart entitled The Four Ends on the previous page.

The first five books of the Bible, the Pentateuch, were written by Moses. How did Moses know all about creation, the Tower of Babel, Noah, Abraham, etc? The Lord could have told him direct, but if you will check the Chart of Generations on the following page, you will see that the lives of these ancient ones overlapped. And they had a way in those days of keeping their history by memory. Thus the information contained in Genesis could, and probably was, transmitted to Moses by the progeny of Joseph in Egypt. Genesis is not a group of fairy tales!

From Moses, Joshua took over as leader of God’s people, followed by various judges who rescued Israel from her enemies at various times. These judges included Samuel. I and II Kings and I and II Chronicles, as well as Samuel, give the history of the kings of Israel from Saul, the first one, through the reign of David and Solomon to that of Rehoboam, Solomon1s son. His indiscretion divided the kingdom of Israel between himself and his servant, Jeroboam, who became king of the ten-tribes Israel known as the northern kingdom. But God was not pleased with this ten-tribes kingdom. Halley’s Handbook, p. 186 tells us:

“This (the Assyrian Captivity of the ten-tribed northern kingdom) was so because since the days Israel had come up out of Egypt they had sinned against Jehovah their God. They had secretly done things that were not right against Jehovah their God. They built altars and high places in every city, on every high hill, and under every green tree. They bowed themselves down to idols of silver and gold. They served Baal. They sold themselves to walk in all the evil ways of the nations that God had cast out before them. They practiced augury (fortune-telling, soothsaying), enchantment, sorcery. They made their own sons to pass through the fire. The land was full of injustice, oppression, adultery and murder. And God had sent unto them again and again and again his servants the prophets saying, Return unto me and walk in my ways, and you shall remain in the land. But they hardened their hearts. They rejected the prophets. They mocked the messengers of God till there was no remedy, and the wrath of God arose against them and removed them out of the land.”

And who were these prophets? Elijah, Elisha, Joel, Amos and Hosea. Remember the names of these prophets so you will associate them with what was going on at the time. If you are one who writes in your Bible, at the beginning of the books of Joel, Amos and Hosea note that they were prophesying regarding the .forthcoming captivity of the ten-tribed northern kingdom known as Israel to Assyria.

Tie this group of Scriptures together in one “bundle” in your mind as they lead up to End Number One on the chart of the Four Ends in History of God’s then-chosen people. You can use mnemonics here. Mnemonics are a memory hook to hang things on. Here just remember EEJAH-10 and you will be able to recall what names they represent — Elijah, Elisha, Joel, Amos, Hosea, and the 10-tribe kingdom. Tie them to the Assyrian Captivity.

Now let’s continue on about another hundred years. Here we find Judah, the southern kingdom, in trouble with the Lord. She was like her sister, Israel, but took a bit longer to come to judgment. Here we come to End Number Two on our chart, the Babylonian Captivity of the southern kingdom of Judah. And the mnemonic for this one relates well to the sequence of the alphabet — HIJ MN Z. Note the following books as relating to the Babylonian Captivity of the southern kingdom of Judah — Habakkuk, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Micah, Nahum and Zephaniah. Read these books with this situation in mind and their prophecies will make sense. Isaiah prophesied of later things also, however, which still have not been fulfilled.

The Book of Ezekiel is next. He and Jeremiah’s lifetime over-lapped. They both were priests, Jeremiah being the older. After Ezekiel was taken to Babylon in the captivity, he preached to the exiles the same thing Jeremiah was preaching to those who were left in Jerusalem; i.e. punishment for their sins and for relying on Egypt instead of God. There is much speculation regarding the Book of Ezekiel and his temple pain because it includes animal blood sacrifices. Our personal opinion is that God was showing His people that He would take them back and renew their chosen-people position if they would repent and follow Him. But it never materialized. We do not believe in a restored temple in Jerusalem or, of course, tne return to animal sacrifice. We are His temple made up of lively stones.

The Book of Daniel takes place during the Babylonian Captivity. Daniel was one of the captives and Josephus says he was a relative to king Zedekiah. The content of the book reaches from the then present-day situation with king Nebuchadnezzar’s dream image of future world governments to the fall of Babylon to the Medes and Persians which opened the way for King Cyrus who “diverted the Euphrates into a new channel and, guided by two deserters, marched by the dry bed into the city while the Babylonians were carousing at an annual feast of the gods.” (From historians Xenophon, Herodotus and Berosus) The book continues on then into prophecies some of which are still future.

The minor prophets can best be remembered by the period in which they prophesied. Zechariah and Haggai prophesied during the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem. Malachi prophesied nearly 200 years later during the restoration by Nehemiah.

Next we find a 400-year period between the Old Testament and the New Testament. It contains the history of the war fought by the Maccabees (who later became the Pharisees) to regain their city and temple. This history is contained in the Apocrypha along with other writing which are considered spurious by many scholars. (I thought so, too, until on Aug. l, 1974, the Spirit directed me to II Esdras 15:1-4 and told me to do as it said. And it said: “Behold, speak thou in the ears of my people the words of prophecy which I will put in thy mouth, saith the Lord. And cause them to be written in paper, for they are faithful and true. Fear not the imaginations against thee, let not the incredulity of them trouble thee, that speak against thee. For all the unfaithful shall die in their unfaithfulness.”)

Continuing now into the New Testament, we know now that the Lord Jesus Christ was born on Sept. 11, 3 BC — not on Dec. 25 of l AD. Dec. 25 was celebrated by the Jews as The Feast of Lights. This was -, a time when the Maccabees had succeeded in regaining their temple during the Apocryphal period. The celebration over this complete cleansing and renovation of the temple concluded with the entire temple area and the temple lighted. Also every horne was lighted. It is quite symbolic of the time to which we look forward when His real live temple (US!) will be filled with the glory of the Lord as well as our homes. Praise the Lord!
Calvary is dated somewhere between 33 AD and 37 AD. Matthew wrote his gospel between 40AD and 45 AD. But it was in 52 AD before Paul began his writings. All of the New Testament books were written by 66 AD, except for John’s writings. And it is believed that John’s Gospel, along with I, II and III John were written after his return from Patmos -and after the fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD. Unger’s Bible Handbook, -p. 470, tells us:

” It (John’s Gospel) is usually assigned to about 90 AD. … The three Synoptic Gospels had been in circulation for some years. Most churches had copies of all three. John’s Gospel is supplementary, giving an immense quantity of richest material not found in the others, and our most intimate view of the mind and heart of Jesus. Schaff calls John’s Gospel the most important literary production ever composed.”

Sometime between 66AD and 68 AD John was banished to Patmos by Nero. There he received his orders to write to the seven churches, which he did, warning them of soon coming judgment. How he delivered them to these churches is not clear. It is now believed that he also received his other visions written in the Book of Revelation at the same time, which he also transmitted to Ephesus. From there they were distributed and, being in symbol, the believers could interpret them and be warned of the coming judgment of 70 AD. There are no hard, historical facts on this matter, but that they were received by those who needed them is obvious. We don’t know when John was released from Patmos. It could have been at the death of Nero, dated June 9, 68 AD when Vespasian became king.

It is now believed, in the light of the visions of Revelation having been received before the fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD, that the historical traditional dating came from a dated copy made in 96 AD after John was released from Patmos and returned to Ephesus. These visions suddenly make sense when we see that they were aimed at 70 AD and not some future date, even to us. This misunderstanding of dates has caused all kinds of apprehension, misinterpretation and eschatological fairy tales. And, incidentally, you will find some discrepancies in datings within our charts, etc., as we have taken these from several sources and there is no agreement among the scholars. And there is no way, in most cases, of finding out the exact date.
As to how these seven letters to the churches could have been delivered to the specific churches, a consideration of Patmos might help. We always have seen Patmos as a chunk of rock protruding from the sea on which prisoners were left to exist and perhaps even starve in their exile. That’s tradition! Listen to this:

Patmos was a lot more than a chunk of rock although its terrain is basically rocky. It is some 1200 miles north of Palestine in the Aegean Sea near Crete. Some 20 years ago the population was 2700 according to the Hammond World Atlas. Hastings Bible Dictionary, p. 731 says:
“Patmos - an island west of Caria, now called Patino, with an area of 16 sq. miles and a population of about 4,000 (back in 1946). In the Middle Ages (Years between 500 AD and 1450 AD) its palms gained for it the title of Palmosa, but it is no longer fertile. Its Cyclopean remains show that it was very early inhabited. (having been mentioned in ancient Greek Mythology). … The chief remaining interest of the island is the monastery of St. John, founded in the llth century. …’ (parentheses ours)

If Patmos was still so fertile that its palm trees were well known enough to change its name to Palmosa, it obviously couldn’t have been a barren rock in the days of the Apostle John. Also, there had to be a good reason for there to be 4,000 people on an island of 16 sq. miles back in 1946. Unger’s Bible Dictionary, p. 830, 1973 edition, also paints a picture quite different from tradition:

“Patmos - a small rocky island belonging to the group called “Sporades,” in that part of the Aegean known as the Icarian Sea. On account of its rocky, barren, and desolate nature the Roman government used the island as a place of banishment for criminals. The prisoners were compelled to work the mines of the island. … The 50-mile-square Aegean island (we note that this size disagrees with that of Hastings Bible Dictionary) has magnificent scenery and the white crags of the shore line and the beauty of the open ocean furnish an example of a geographical background which aids the Biblical interpreter (Apostle John) to expound the events and the experiences of the revelator who was banished to its shores.” (Parentheses ours)

Unger’s description of “magnificent scenery” does not sound like a “rock pile,” and the American Peoples Encyclopedia, vol. 7, p. 198, speaking of the 14 largest islands of the southern group of the Sporades Islands known as the Dodecanese Islands of which PATMOS is one, records that in 1938 that “all of the islands are fertile, producing wheat and tobacco, and have extensive orchards, olive groves and vineyards.” But as we mentioned above in quoting Hastings Bible Dictionary in 1946 Patmos was no longer fertile.

So, from all this research, we find that Patmos probably was more desolate and rocky than the other islands in this group, but it was not some isolated spot somewhere out in nowhere. It was one of a group of then-fertile islands and had trade routes and communication with the outside world. John was a prisoner and perhaps had to work in the mines there, but undoubtedly he had limited communication with the mainland and these seven churches to which he was commanded to write warnings of the coming days of judgment.

The Book of Revelation from the 66 AD Angle;
First, we should realize that there are four basic interpretations to the Book of Revelation that have been accepted over the centuries by various sections of Christendom. They are: (from Halley’s Handbook)

1. Futurist Interpretation. This considers that most of the things in the book are still future and will come to pass in a short time just before the Lord’s coming.
2. Historical Interpretation. This considers that the book was designed to forecast a general view of the whole period of church history from John1s time to the end.
3. Preterist Interpretation. This considers that the book refers chiefly to events of its own day, just before the fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD. It is written in code that only the church of that day would understand.

4. Spiritualist Interpretation. (Not having to do with occult spiritualism as we think of it - Dmg) This separates the imagery of the book entirely from any reference to historical events, and regards it as a pictorial representation of the great principles of divine government applicable to all times.

But why, we ask, would the Lord permit man to come forth with varying interpretations? Our finite minds would say that this brings only confusion. However, God has a purpose for each and everything He does. And we recall what Heb. 5:13,14 says:

“For every one that useth milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness. FOT he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.”

And we here are classifying correct interpretation as good and misinterpretation as evil, because misinterpretation would be Untruth. However, we are not condemning those (including ourselves) who have, in the past or still in the present, sincerely believe in any one of the four interpretations. Our reason is double.

First, these interpretations are believed in all sincerity by those who follow them. We did! Really, they all are tradition to a point. And we have found ourselves being led through each of them, seeing their good points and their fallacies, but only after receiving the Holy Spirit to be our Teacher. And as we look back we see all this as schools of learning, maturing us to a point where we can make choices. And the ability to make choices, as mentioned above in Heb. 5:13,14 is part of maturity. But note that in this Hebrews portion, the context of the author’s reference to the ability to discern — not only good from evil but truth from Untruth — had to do with revelation regarding the Lord Jesus Christ as a High Priest after the Order of Melchizedek. Thus maturity is of prime importance in this day and hour. But in order to mature to the ability to make choices in spiritual matters, there must first of all be the opportunity to make choices. And we see this again and again as new revelations are brought forth, and tradition is exposed. Back in HOS. 4:6a He said:

“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.”
Reverting back into the physical world momentarily, how could one choose a good piece of meat if he had no knowledge that there was such a thing nor how to identify it? What if he didn’t know the danger of eating spoiled meat? Knowledge is required for wise and safe choices. And so it is in the spiritual.

Another reason for allowing misinterpretations, varying interpret¬ations and even downright error, is one of God’s way principlewise to lead us to the point of maturity where we can make the right choices. It is hard for us to understand and we even recoil against it, but the Scripture is there.

It tells us:

“… there must be also heresies among you, (Why?! - Dmg) that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.” (I Cor. 11:19)

It is another of His ways in which He separates, as we say, “the men from the boys.” Of course, that includes women-girls, but the criteria is MATURITY. Until we can make right choices, how could we become an overcomer?

The early church fathers followed the Historical Interpretation. It was only in the 1500s that the Futuristic Interpretation came into view was brought about by a Catholic Jesuit Priest by the name of Ribera. It became popular among the Protestants (mainly the Fundamentalists) until the present time and was brought into popularity by Dr. Scofield in 19099. But now, since realizing that Revelation was received in 66 AD before the fall of Jerusalem instead of 96 AD after this event, the end-time Christ Body, in part, is seeing it from a new angle, that of the Preterist, and it is making sense.

Those of us who are working in this area do not have all of the answers by any means, but in a general way we can see how Revelation chapters 1-18 fit the pattern. We are sure there is much more to be revealed in His timing, but what we have is a starter. Everyone isn’t going to agree with this, but it is worth consideration even if it is only to broaden knowledge, without which the people perish.

Our research material is taken mainly from the Scriptures, Halley’s Handbook, “The History of the Early Church” by F.W. Farrar, vol. 2, 1882 edition, “Great Prophecies of The Bible,” by Ralph Woodrow, “The Prophecy of Matthew 24″ by Bishop Thomas Newton, 1754 and “The Great Tribulation” by David Chilton. Chilton follows Dominion Theology which we do not follow, but all the others have some elements of difference from what we are seeing also. But surely we are mature enough to sort these out.

Outlinewise, the Preterists see the following:
The Beast (also individual Beast) - Nero
Sea Beast — Roman World Power
Dragon — Satan
False Prophet, Land Beast - Israel’s hierarchy who sided with
Rome against Christ Mystery Babylon the Harlot — Apostate Judaism (Tradition has
this as the Roman Catholic Church)
It may be difficult on the surface to see how these symbols could possibly fit, but when details are filled in, the picture clears.
In Rev. 1:1, note that it was God the Father who gave the visions to reveal to His own just WHO the Lord Jesus Christ really was! And to show His people what was coming in about 4 years at 70 AD.

“The Revelation (revealing of who He was) of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him3 to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass.’..”

In verse 3, a blessing is ahead for those who “keep” those things contained in these revelations. And this does not mean obedience, like keeping a law, but the word “keep” here means to guard from loss. He was showing them “things to come” per His premise in John 16:13 (although they didn’t, of course, yet have this book to refer to).

“Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy3 and keep those things which are written therein; for the time is at hand.” (Rev. 1:3)

In verses 7 and 8 we see the Father speaking in reference to the Son. And here we have an entirely new concept. If you jump at a con-occlusion you will say that we have gone off the deep end and departed from the faith. Well, we haven’t! So hear us out, whether you agree or not.

“Behold, he cometh with clouds and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him. And a11 kindreds of earth (the land) shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen, I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning (of the Old Covenant) and the ending (of the same), saith the Lord (kurios), which is} and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty (Father).” (Rev. 1:7,8)
Now, before we go any further —— First and foremost, WE STILL BELIEVE IN THE LITERAL, VISIBLE RETURN OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST per Acts 1:11:

“Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.”
He will be in His same body but glorified. This is His “Jesus” manifestation and fulfills Acts 1:11 and also Col. 3:20,21. His glorified body contains the nailprints (John 20:19,20). He is not a spirit and He can eat as we do and pass through material substances (Luke 24:36-43). We may be wrong, but to date we haven’t been able to see it any other way. And we want that clearly understood before we say one more word!

Now — is there another way in which He can manifest Himself? Yes there is. He has the ability to change His form (Mark 16:12). He did so on the Emmaus Road* He also can manifest invisibly as the Eternal Christ and entirely separate from the Jesus manifestation. But one does not obliterate the other. The Godhead is One although we see it in various manifestations.
In Matt. 28:18 the Lord Jesus Christ said, “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. ” And in John 5:22 He also said, “For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son.” And in the Book of Revelation the Father was revealing Him as that Judge to Apostate Judaism.

In Luke 19:12-27 in the parable of the ten pounds, it is obvious that He had already judged Israel because, per vs. 14, “But his citizens (Israel) hated him, and sent a message after him saying, We will not have this man to reign over us!” And we see the fulfillment of this in 70 AD, for He said in Luke 19:27, “But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me. ” HE WAS THERE IN 70 AD, but in invisible manifestation as Judge. The only manifestation that could be seen was the holocaust. Also in Acts 3:22,23, quoting Moses, Peter said:

“For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me. Him ye shall hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass, that every soul which will not hear that prophet SHALL BE DESTROZED FROM AMONG THE PEOPLE. ” So 70 AD fulfilled this to the letter! Also, the various reference materials we checked out came to the same conclusion. Whether or not they still held also to a visible return per Acts 1:11, we don’t know. But it was a new and interesting thought by which they explained their concept of this coming of the Lord Jesus. They refer to His coming with clouds, etc., to Dan. 7:13,14 as revealing the heavenly side of this action which was manifested on earth as the judgment of 70 AD. But we are not sure that we agree with them. That will take more study.

This is the way we see it at present. It is true that all power was given Him at Calvary. Stephen being martyred saw Him already standing on the right hand of God (Acts 7:56), and the judge stood in those days to declare sentence. Israel was doomed! He had already been brought to the Ancient of Days, the Father, and given His kingship prior to 70 AD. He had already come per Daniel’s vision when He ascended to the Father after the resurrection (John 20:17). Also, from Matt. 24:29-31,it would appear that there is some kind of a coming of the Son of man, the Jesus manifestation of the Christ of God AFTER the tribulation period of 70 AD. From this it would seem that one could say He came in the invisible sense and in judgment at 70 AD. But there also is a coming later which we connect with Acts 1:11 and Col. 3:21. Read it carefully: (vs. 29) “Immediately after (next in sequence) the tribulation of those days (referring to the fall of Jerusalem and the holocaust of 70 AD) shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken. (vs. 30) And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man (who is) in heaven. And then shall all the tribes of the earth (or land) mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. (vs. 31) And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”

We are not pretending here to have all the answers any more than we do for all the entire Book of Revelation. But all of these bits and pieces help. We understand from Bible symbolism that the sun and moon being darkened has to do with the fall of the government, and the fall of dignitaries as falling stars. Heavens here refers only to the powers of government and they were shaken to such an extent that they literally fell. As to the sign of the Son of man, we have yet to find anyone who has the answer. It could simply be His taking over His Kingship over the earth. The Holy Spirit will have to tell us. But as we said above, this portion of Matthew is said to come after “the tribulation of those days.” And, of course, we know that this happened to their government and dignitaries “immediately” after those days of tribulation. But as to the “sign of the Son of man” in any immediate sense appearing as next in sequence would be spiritually as the Lord Jesus Christ actively put the New Covenant into motion at that time.

Also please note that in verse 30 above we have inserted the words “who is.” We did not take this from some reference book at first. But after we had seen it, we read it in one of our references in researching this subject, and it also makes sense. Rather than being a sign in heaven, the sky, as we always were taught, it becomes a sign of One who is kept or retained in heaven (per Col. 3:21) until the restoration of all things and whose final coming will be with the Shekinah Glory and all power and great glory. We feel this would be the fulfillment of Acts 1:11, but still hold it as only our present opinion. We must not only be open to new revelation but also be willing to change if He so leads. In Rev. 1:10 we also note that John said that he was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day. A clearer translation is that he was in the Spirit on the Day of The Lord so far as Israel was concerned. The Day of The Lord is any time when a nation, a people or an individual has come to the time of judgment. And 70 AD was this for the land of Israel. (And when we refer to Israel we are not singling out the 10 tribes, but are speaking of the land of Israel, the City of Jerusalem, the ancient nation which God had chosen and who had apostatized.)

Further, as we read of His letters to the seven churches, note that He kept warning them that He would come in judgment to them also and He surely didn’t mean 1,000 or 2,000 years later. He repeatedly says in this Book, “I come quickly.” And as He comes in judgment, in a Day of The Lord, it is a time of darkness, trouble, disaster. Note Mal. 3:1,2:
“Behold I will send my messenger (John the Baptist) and “he shall prepare the way before me. And the Lord (their Messiah) whom ye (Israel) seek shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the (New) Covenant whom ye delight in. Behold, he shall come3 saith the Lord of hosts. BUT WHO MAY ABIDE THE DAY OF HIS COMING!? And who shall stand when he appeareth? For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap:”

When He comes in manifestations of judgment, His reward surely is with Him as Scripture tells us! (Rev. 22:12) Apostate Judaism found that out in 70 AD.
The Preterist Interpretation also irons out some other Scriptures so far as we are concerned. I always have wondered about John 21:21,22 and Matt. 16:28:
“Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, ‘Lord, and what shall this man do?’ Jesus saith unto him3 If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? Follow thou me.” (John 21:21,22 - in reference to the Apostle John)

“Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here which shall not taste of death till they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom (i.e., in all power).”

And HE MEANT WHAT HE SAID! Referring specifically to John in John 21:21,22, it happened. The other apostles had all been martyred, but John was on the Isle of Patmos during the fall of Jerusalem when His “all power” was manifested, or perhaps if released was in Ephesus. He is said to have lived many years after that in Ephesus and died of old age.
As to some not seeing death till they saw Him coming in His kingdom, they were the hierarchy of Israel who said they would not have this man to rule over them. 70 AD was about 37 years after Calvary, so some of His enemies had probably died, but many of them perished in 70 AD. They lived to see Him coming in His kingdom of power and they had no place to run! Perhaps they remembered the incident recorded in Matt. 23:33-36:

“Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes. And some of them ye shall kill and crucify, and some of them ye shall scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from City to city. (Why?) That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar. Verily I say unto you, ALL THESE THINGS SHALL COME UPON THIS GENERATION.” And it did — in 70 AD! Rev. 17:9-12;

Now let us consider the “stickler” we mentioned at the beginning of this writing. It was one of the first ones the Spirit gave me and has been a basic Scripture leading on into what we are seeing today. He showed this to me years ago but I didn’t know what to do with it. The Spirit told the Apostle John:

“And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sitteth. And there are seven kings. Five are fallen, and one IS, and the other is not yet come. And when he cometh, he must continue a short space. And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.”
The Lord told John “one is,” that is, in 66 AD. We used to think it was Dometian and 96 AD. But now we know that “one is” was in 66 AD and was Nero. And to understand what the Spirit is saying here, we have to go back into Roman history. The simplest way to do this is to consider the Roman Emperors from the beginning of their rulership to the beginning of the fall of the Roman Empire.

The 7 heads mentioned in verse 9 are 7 mountains or reigns of kings of the Roman Empire. Of these 7, 5 are fallen (dead), one IS at the time John is on Patmos, and the 7th one is yet to come, but he will only stay a short time. They are represented as follows:

5 are fallen:
1.Julius Caesar - 46-44 BC
2.Augustus ” - 31-14 AD (Jesus was born in this reign)
3.Tiberius ” - 14-37 ”
4.Caligula ” - 37-41 ”
5.Claudius ” - 41-54 ”
1 IS; 6.Nero ” - 54-68 ” (banished John to Patmos)
(this ends the Julian line of Caesars)
1 yet to come: 7. Galba - 68-69 ” (Galba began the Italian
line of Emperors and he was the last one before the Anny Generals took over.
Further, “But the fall of the Julio-Claudian dynasty and the severe political chaos attending it must not be interpreted by Christians to mean the end of troubles. For their real enemy is “the Beast, who will become incarnate in other Caesars as well. He is also an eighth king, yet is of the seven (i.e. Roman Emperor) and the antichristian brutality of succeeding tyrants will mark them as being of the same stripe as their predecessors. “Eight” is the number of resurrection in the Bible. St. John is warning that even though the Empire will seem to disintegrate after the rule of the seven kings, it will be “resurrected” again, to live on in other persecutors of the Church.” (From “The Days of Vengeance”, by David Chilton)

8 and of the 7: 8. Otho - 69 AD (He and the two army generals who
followed him only totaled about 7 months in power)
As number 8 of the 12 Caesars, Otho tried to revive the glory of Nero. “The public’s adoration of Nero, and the flowers placed by unknown hands upon his tomb disturbed Galba and later emperors. Otho, Galba’s successor, restored Nero’s fallen statues and proudly took the name of “Nero.” Vitellius, who overthrew Otho, publicly praised Nero’s name and even offered sacrifices to him. Years later the Emperor Dometian also revered his memory and executed some of his surviving foes.” (History of the Roman People,” Heichelheim & Yeo, p. 330, 1962)
The above explanations from other writings are attempts to explain how this beast No. 8, was and is not. And they may be correct if we consider “Beast” here to refer to the power of the Roman Empire rather than an individual ruler.

Now, as we follow on to verse 12 and 13 of Rev. 17, we read:
“And the ten horns which thou safest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet but receive power as kings one hour with the beast, ”

Following now our same line of Roman Emperors, we find there were ten who came to power in turn after “the one who has not yet come” who was Galba. They are, in order:
1. Otho 69 AD 6. Nerva 96- 98 AD
2. Vitellius ” ” ” 7. Trajan 98-117 ”
3. Vespasian 69-79 ” 8. Hardian 117-138 ”
4. Titus 79-81 ” 9. Antonius Pius 138-161 ”
5. Dometian 81-96 ” 10. Marcus Aurelius 161-180 ”
And from 180 AD began what is called “The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.” (Halley’s Handbook, p. 669)
Each of these gave their power to the Roman Empire, the Beast, in their “hour” or time per Gods calendar. Some have said these were the same as the ten toes of Nebuchnezzar’s image, but we see it differently. Here is what we see:
Just because a certain number is used in more than one place in Scripture, it does not necessarily mean that it refers to the same incident or situation. We are thinking of the number ten which is said to mean trials, testings, testimony, and or responsibility. Take your pick! We say this because in Rev. 17:12 there were ten horns or kings which we already have identified as the remaining rulers who ruled in sequence from 69 AD to 180 AD until the beginning of the decline of the Roman Empire. There also are ten toes on the dream-image of King Nebuchadnezzar referred to in Dan. 2:28-49. But we do not see these horns and toes as the same, even though they both are ten in number.
The ten horns of Revelation come in sequence. But in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream-image the ten toes are there simultaneously, and their ultimate power is broken by the Stone Kingdom. They couldn’t be the same.

The head of gold is generally identified as Babylon (Dan. 2:38), the breast of silver as Persia, the thighs of brass as Greece, and the feet of iron as Rome. This interpretation appears to be accurate, taking world history from the time of Daniel to the birth of Christ. And the Roman Empire, then imbued with all the power of the previous empires which had fallen, at this time “stood on its feet,” which included the ten toes.

Now an image of a man, or a man himself, cannot keep his balance without his toes. And so it was with the Roman Empire. THOSE TOES WERE THE TEN IMPERIAL PROVINCES OF ROME AT THE TIME OF CHRIST — the time when the Stone Kingdom came to earth at the birth of Jesus Christ, identified at Calvary and the resurrection, and empowered at Pentecost. In modern terms these ten toes would now have evolved into the following (taken from “The Early Days of Christianity” by F.W. Farrar, Vol. 2, 1882 edition, p. 532):
1. Italy 6.N. Africa
2. Achaia (Greece) 7.Spain
3. Asia 8.Gaul (France, Belgium)
4. Syria 9.Britain
5. Egypt 10.Germany

In their very beginning before they became recognized nations, they were known as Alimanni, Ostrogoths, Visigoths, Franks, Vandals, Suevi, Burgundians, Heruli, Anglo-Saxons and Lombards. And when they turned against the Roman Empire, those feet of iron and clay that were holding world power up, lost their toes, which took hundreds of years. But they eventually toppled the image, the Roman Empire representing it all at that time. As Dan. 2:44 says:
“And in the days of these kings (the ten toes) shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed.” AND OUR HEAVENLY FATHER DID JUST THAT! He sent the King of that final kingdom on earth, Jesus Christ the Messiah, when those ten kings were under the authority of Rome. Thus, in the over-all picture, Nebuchadnezzar’s Image gave the history of world powers from the time of Daniel to Christ. And in the Book of Revelation John was shown the continuing history of that fourth kingdom (Rome) to its downfall. The Book of Revelation is not limited to this history of Rome at the time, but it is included in chapter 17.

As a note of further interest, in 27 BC, during the time of the toes, under Caesar Augustus, the provinces of the Roman Empire also were divided into two groups — one group of peaceful provinces were put under proconsuls. The other group of provinces who were potential trouble spots were put under legal proprietors or authorities. In other words, there were two feet to control the ten toes. The names are a bit different than those we mentioned on the previous page, but they are the same provinces. And in 23 BC they were:
1. Egypt 6. Lugdunensis
2. Galatia 7. Aquitania
3. Lycaonia 8. Belgica
4. Moesia 9. Germania Superior
5. Narbonensis 10. Germania Inferior

Interesting!

The Mark of The Beast:
Now what about 666?? Rev. 14:18 tells us this is “the number of a man.” But it also says it is the number of “the Beast.” They are the same, probably because the Roman Emperor also represented the nation or empire. And the number 666 per Hebrew numerical value of letters adds up to “Neron Caesar,” the proper name of Nero. In Greek letters “Lateinos” totals 666 and means The Latin Kingdom which also would be Rome. Frankly, we have no problem accepting this in view of the Preterist Interpretation of Revelation. But in a spiritual sense we also agree that it is a stamp of the reprobate mind versus the mind of Christ. The stamp on the hand refers to identification by our works. As to not buying nor selling in “The Revelation of St. John the Divine,” p. 157, by Austin Farrer, we learn that:
“Jews demanded loyalty to Caesar. They organized economic boycotts against those who refused to submit to Caesar as Lord and forbade all dealings with the excommunicated ones.”
And when they said “submit to Caesar as Lord” they meant as God!

Recognizing symbolism is one of the secrets of interpretation of the Scriptures. Too much taken literally lends itself very easily to fantasy. Symbolically, the numbers 42 months is taken from Dan. 7:25 and this equals 1260 days or 3 1/2 years. They all total the same. Its symbolism is a limited period of time in which the wicked are victorious or a_ period of judgment due to apostasy. No calendar is necessary. The time is discerned by conditions and circumstances.
The number 7 symbolizes completion, wholeness, victory, but a 3 1/2 is a broken 7 or a time of sadness, death, destruction, defeat. And the total of 42 months symbolizes a period of waiting between a promise and its fulfillment and/or bondage and redemption or freedom from bondage. Thus, in summary:

1260 = limited time when wicked triumph or a time
of divine judgment for apostasy.
3 ½ = a broken 7, a time of sadness, death,
destruction or defeat.
7 = completion, wholeness or victory.
(All these numbers have to do with judgment)
This leaves us with the number 1335 mentioned in Dan. 12:9-13 in which Daniel had received the vision of the man clothed in linen, standing upon the waters with the little book, and Daniel asked for more enlightenment:

“And he said, Go thy way, Daniel. For the words (of the book in the hand of the man in linen) are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. Many shall be purified, and made white3 and tried. But the wicked shall do wickedly. And none of the wicked shall understand. But the wise shall understand. And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away ( Josephus refers to the day when the Jews mourned because there was no daily sacrifice for want of men to offer it) and the abomination that maketh desolate set up (Vespasian and Roman Army surrounds Jerusalem), there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days (1290 days). Blessed is he that waiteth and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days (1335 days, 75 extra days beyond the 1260). But go thou thy way till the end be. For thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days.”

The number 75 is 70+5, and this adds up to restoration and grace or God‘s goodness,. How fitting and how like Him to give to those who have been victorious through whatever 1260 period they may have had to go through! But we think especially here of those who made it through the holocaust of 70 AD. They spent that time in Pella where they fled to the mountains as the Lord Jesus told them to do, but they were restored and blessed through Gods goodness and survived through it all as the Body of Christ.

Halley’s Handbook, p. 635, has a paragraph which used to bring to me the inconsistency of the traditional interpretations of the Book of Revelation. But if applied to these symbolic meanings of numbers, it makes a lot of sense. Halley said:

“The woman was in the wilderness 3 1/2 years, or 1260 days (or 42 months). The Holy City was trodden under foot 42 months (3 1/2 years or 1260 days). The beast (Rome) lived 42 months (3 1/2 years, 1260 days) after his death stroke was healed. The two witnesses prophesied in sackcloth 1260 days (3 1/2 years or 42 months). (Parentheses ours)
Thus the Holy City was trodden down while the woman was in the wilderness while the two witnesses were prophesying in sackcloth while Babylon was on the throne, all at the same time.”

Apply this to the Preterist Interpretation and it makes sense! The woman (the true spiritual Israel) was in the mountains and the wilderness of Pella while the Roman Army was “stomping down” Jerusalem, while the prophecies of both the Old Testament and the New Testament (the 2 witnesses) were being literally fulfilled in the holocaust of 70 AD, while apostate Judaism, the hierarchy of Israel who had joined Rome against the Christians, was on the throne of victory and favor with Rome- all at the same time. It happened! Symbolism solves many knotty problems.

Isn’t it interesting that in Matt. 24:32-34 Jesus prophesied specifically:

“Now learn a parable of the fig tree. When his branch is yet tender (spring) and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh. So_ likewise, ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass till all these things be fulfilled.”

And we find that in Feb. 67 AD Vespasian received his orders from Nero and declared war on Jerusalem. It also was in the spring that Titus arrived for the final showdown. (”Story of the Bible World” p. 157) February is the month for the fig and almond trees to blossom, according to Davis Bible Dictionary, p. 872,873. It is the “month of tender branches.” This gave His disciples the season and the year would be within their lifetime, or a generation of 40 years, which it was. However, they were saved from “the wrath to come” because they were no longer alive then, except for the Apostle John who was spared because of his geographical location and, of course, through the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.

It also is of interest to note that according to Josephus, the final fall of Jerusalem occurred on Sept. 8, 70 AD. Actually, this is 3 1/2 years from the time Vespasian declared war.
Titus had Josephus brought before him to check out what he had heard and give him orders. Now we quote: “for he had been informed that on that very day of Paneus (Tamuz) the sacrifice called ‘the daily sacrifice1 had failed, and had not been offered to God for want of men to offer it, and that the people were grievously troubled at it.”

(footnote - still quoting) “This was a very remarkable day indeed, the 17th pf Paneus (Tamuz) AD 70 when, according to Daniel’s prediction 606 years before, the Romans in half a week (3 1/2 years) cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease.’ Dan. 9:27; for from the month of Feb. AD 66, about which time Vespasian ( the reigning Caesar and father of Prince Titus) entered on this war, to this very time, was just 3 1/2 years.

For further explanation, the Jewish year begins in April. Thus their year ends in March. So with the beginning of February leaves just 2 months of the previous year; i.e., February and March. Then we have the total years of AD 67,68 and 69. This gives us a total of 3 years and 2 months. Then we find the month of Tamuz as our July. So from the beginning of their year in April to July is another 4 months. Thus we have a total of 3 years and 6 months, 3 1/2 years.”
More Literal Predictions;

We might take time here to trace another path of Truth following the Lord’s prophecies. We note that in Luke 21:22 immediately after His warnings to flee to the mountains when they saw Jerusalem surrounded by Roman armies, He also told them why. He said:
“For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. ” (Luke 21:22) And then in verses 23b and 24 He identified Israel when He explained:

“…for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people. And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles (Romans), until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.” There is no doubt that this prophecy is literal and aimed at Apostate Judaism.

In passing we might mention another traditional error. The scholars have considered the Abomination of Desolation spoken of by Daniel to be Antiochus Ephiphanes who lived some 200 years before Christ. I have sat under teachers who professed this to be so. However, since Ephiphanes lived two centuries earlier in history, the Lord couldn’t be warning against this event when He said in Matt. 24:15:

“When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth (Daniel), let him understand;”
He is speaking this somewhere between 30-33 AD! And He is speaking of a future event; something to which they were to look forward. Antiochus Ephiphanes filled some of the characteristics, but the Abomination of Desolation was the Roman Armies!

In John 8:24 the Lord Jesus told the Jews: “… ye shall die in your sins for if ye believe not that I am he3 ye shall die in your sins.” And, of course, they would. Under the OldCovenant they were depending upon their sacrifices and Holy Days, their ceremonial rituals. Their faith was in the entrance of the High Priest into the Holy of Holies on Day of Atonement where he ministered before the Ark which was to them re-presentative of the Father. But the Ark was missing from their Holy of Holies ever since the Babylonian Captivity! Their sins were unforgiven.

Their only way to forgiveness was now through the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ whom they denied. But notice what He said through Malachi when upbraiding the priests for their infidelity, even under these conditions. He already had expressed what He thought in Isa. 1:13,14:

“Bring no more vain oblations. Incense is on abomination unto me. The new moons and sabbaths3 the calling of assemblies, I cannot —— away with (them). It is iniquity, even the solemn meeting, Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth. They are a trouble unto me. I am weary to bear them.”

And then in Mal. 2:3 He tells them what He is going to do about it. He said: “Behold I will corrupt your seed, and spread dung upon your faces, even the dung of your solemn feasts, AND ONE (of your solemn feasts) WILL TAKE YOU AWAY WITH IT. ”
Which one? Where would it take them? Believe it or not, this was literally fulfilled also. After the fall of Jerusalem the few Jews who escaped gathered at Masada. This was the summer house of King Herod on the coast of the Salt Sea about 30 miles south of Jerusalem. It was built on a high mesa quite impregnable on all sides. They were able to hide there for about three years from the Roman Army. But eventually the Romans built a huge ramp to the top of the mesa. The Apostate Jews saw what was coming and so each man murdered his own family. Then the men cast lots as to who would murder who until there was only one man left who committed suicide. History records this because there was a woman and two children who hid in a well and surrendered when the Roman Army entered and took Masada. She was able to tell what happened. This day finished the unbelieving Jews and IT WAS ON THE FIFTEENTH DAY OF NISAN OR ABIB — PASSOVER! Their solemn feast really had taken them away with it. They would not accept the Lord Jesus Christ as their Passover Lamb so they also literally died in their sins.

The Two Witnesses;
The two witnesses is another one of those nebulous, symbolic and most misunderstood of John’s revelations. They have been identified as various persons, etc. Seeing them symbolically, the following fits the picture fairly well, although we feel there is much more to it. First, the Lord Jesus said in Matt. 17:9 after His appearance with Moses and Elijah on the Mount of Transfiguration “Tell the vision to no man until the Son of Man be risen again from the dead.”

Traditional interpretation has these as two resurrected men and they may be correct, but the Preterist Interpretation seems more plausible. Where the Historicist recognizes them as the written word and the spoken word, the Bible and the Holy Spirit; the Preterist sees them as the line of Old Testament prophets, including Moses as representing the Law and Elijah representing the further line of the prophets of the Old Testament. The second witness would be the New Testament prophets under the Spirit of Prophecy which is the testimony of Jesus (Rev. 19:10). Their “death” was the apparent victory of Rome in 70 AD and it seemed so during the 3 1/2 years of tribulation. But they lived again in that 70 AD was manifested proof of the truth of their prophecies as they were fulfilled. Their resurrection and ascension was the ultimate victory of Christ as His prophecies were fulfilled and His followers escaped from the holocaust to live on, seated in the heavenlies with Jesus.

I wonder if these two witnesses as spirits of prophecy, were not the two referred to in Dan. 12:5. Did you ever notice these “two?” “Then I Daniel looked and, behold, there stood other two, one on this side of the bank of the river, and the other on that side of the bank of the river. And one said to the man clothed in linen, which was upon the water of the river, How long shall it be to the end of these wonders?”

These could very well represent the two lines of prophets; i.e. the “spirits of prophecy” — Old Testament and New Testament. The Old Testament line of prophets came before the River of Life began flowing through the Lord Jesus Christ, and the New Testament line came after it began flowing. This is just a thought but perhaps worthy of consideration.

The Woman of Revelation 12;
In chapter 12 of Revelation, the woman is considered to be the reproductive part of Ancient Israel laboring in pain to bring forth the promised Messiah. In individual type it was Mary bringing forth Jesus. It also was a type of Israel about to go into labor (70 AD) to separate and cut the umbilical cord between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant, and bring forth a remnant, a manchild. And this wasn’t to be a baby; it was to be brought forth mature, a man (although including both men and women as the Body of Christ).

As old Israel, this woman’s crown of glory was the Twelve Apostles, each representing one of the 12 tribes of Israel. Her travail and pain of birth is represented by the 3 1/2 years of tribulation from Feb. 66 AD to the time of the end in 70 AD.

When her “time was fulfilled” according to Gods calendar, Rome as the great red dragon (Satan incarnate as the Roman Empire), “having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon her heads” came forth to exterminate all Israel which would include “the woman,” Gods people among the Apostates. Comparing this with what we have said about Rev. 17:9^12 regarding “the seven kings, five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come”, this dragon is obviously Roman World Power coming against the Body of Christ.

However, unlike the unproductive part of Ancient Israel who tried in her own strength to bring forth the Messiah, spiritual Israel had brought forth before she travailed as Isaiah said in Isa. 66:7:
“Before she travailed, she brought forth. Before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child.”

Their Messiah had been born, lived His life here, died on Calvary and was ascended into heaven before old Israel completed her travail in 70 A.D. As we say, the Manchild was “long gone.” And those who were His on earth escaped with the woman into the wilderness.

Satan, through the Roman Army did his very best to stamp out Christianity, the woman. But these are the ones who had escaped as Jerusalem became surrounded, after which Vespasian withdrew temporarily which gave them their chance to follow the Lord’s directive in both Matthew 24 and Luke 21 to flee into the wilderness; i.e. Pella in this case. And there, outside the holocaust, the Lord took care of her during the 1260 days of the demise of those who had withstood the Messiah when He came. Insofar as Rev. 12:15,16 are concerned where it says, “And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood. And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth, ” — when Vespasian sent his army under Placidies to chase these believing refugees from Gadara where they had first gone, the swollen waters of the Jordan stopped them. In reality “the earth opened her mouth” releasing flood waters. This stopped the “flood” of the Roman Army. And armies are symbolized as floods in the Scriptures.

This does not undo, however, our firm belief in a yet future manifestation of the sons of God per Romans 8:14-23, which is sometimes referred to incorrectly as this manchild.
***

We realize, of course, that this writing is far from a complete exegesis of the Book of Revelation; nor is it intended to be. We are only bringing forth what we are seeing from the view of the Preterist Interpretation which causes a lot of Scripture to now make sense. It removes all the fantasy and wild imaginations of the past. After all, they all were works from the minds of men. And not only men (humans) but people not filled with the Holy Ghost, thus having no divine Teacher. What they worked out has been part truth and part error. Probably this Preterist Interpretation is also, but it has done some good. It has shaken loose some more tradition. So you should at least know about it.

If we can receive this interpretation, it will update us. It will move us forward from a rut of the past and stand us on new and firm ground overlooking the future. It can change our philosophy of life, even though we still have only bits and pieces.

Have we destroyed the Scriptures? NO!!! We have just removed that which is outdated by putting it in the past. There is much left yet to be fulfilled and the Spirit will still use certain Scriptures to speak to us out of context. And when we remove all of Rev. chapters l through 18, we still have chapter 19 through 22. READ THEM! Reread Matt. 24:30-31. The finale has not come yet!

Conclusions;
After reading all this material, one could well ask, “Why would the Lord wait until now to show us such a new thing? Really, we don’t need it.” And that is the point! We must learn to know what is past so that we can let go of it and begin to live in the NOW. He has promised to lead us day-by-day.

When the disciples were sent out, and during the early years of
the New Covenant Age, they didn’t have any theology (system of doctrines) or eschatology (system of future events). They went out with their testimony and good news that the Messiah, the Christ, had come, and inviting all to become believers and followers of Him. They didn’t carry New Testaments. There weren’t any! They didn’t carry Old Testament scrolls. Paul carried some of them in later years, but the average believer didn’t have any.
The Scriptures as we now have them are really a history of Israel from their early choosing through Abraham to the end of their earthly kingdom. Then we are told what will happen to the end of all things.

But what happens if we erase all of our eschatology, our doctrines of future events? We don’t have anything left — or do we? Yes, we do. And we think it would please the Lord if we did drop all those man-made theories and just stand before Him and ask, “What next?” Then we would be updated and could continue on as He reveals to us the content of Revelation chapters 19-22, Dan. 12:2-4,13 and Matt. 24:30-31. Read them! They tell us of the final “end,” the resurrection, total redemption, rewards, etc. — the final outcome of “all things” leading up to complete restoration, and the restitution of all things. And we can only see this clearly if we no longer have a bunch of manmade theories about future events hanging around our necks.
He obviously is erasing the slate clean so we can start over in the NOW with Him. As He said He would, He is shaking everything that can be shaken. He is peeling off our tradition, layer by layer.

Only today we received a word from one of God handmaidens which fits what we have written. She said, “There is coming a bombshell from the Lord regarding theology, eschatology and man‘s doctrines. A real house shaking and cleaning as I receive this word now.”
We wonder if all this is one of them and, if so, how many more there are in the offing. All this is very explosive and shattering,
to say the least. _ _
*** Dorothea Gardner