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Comments on: Erasing The Slate http://www.theinwardjourney.net/blog/2007/03/31/erasing-the-slate/ Sun, 05 Feb 2012 01:26:32 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.1.2 By: gpickren http://www.theinwardjourney.net/blog/2007/03/31/erasing-the-slate/#comment-7 gpickren Fri, 24 Aug 2007 21:05:20 +0000 http://www.theinwardjourney.net/blog/2007/03/31/erasing-the-slate/#comment-7 I also had my slate erased regarding the popular schools of thought on Revelation, but it came after my slate was erased on many other popular interpretations of verses that are far simpler than the apocalyptic writing of Daniel and the Revelation. Like many, I had read the various positions or interpretations and then chose which one seemed most reasonable to me. I had done this on other disputable matters. Then, the Lord erased my slate showing me that if a matter was in dispute and there were two or three theological schools, that it did not follow that any of them were necessarily correct. Then, He took me back to the first coming of the Lord. To do that He brought me to Isaac Newton. Yeah, that's what I thought, "Isaac Newton?" Turns out Newton spent much of his life trying to interpret the book of Daniel and Revelation and most of his scientific discoveries were a by-product of his spiritual pursuits. For example, Newton invented calculus because he needed to calculate the motions of the celestial bodies and he needed to calculate the motions of the celestial bodies to establish an accurate chronology of the events of history because he was trying to establish the times spoken of by Daniel. In the process he discovered the universal law of gravity and the laws of motion. I found it very interesting that he never published his writings on Daniel during his lifetime and he had not even published Principia Mathematica until a friend saw it and persuaded him to do so. A website called Historicist.com had some very good information on this,It is offline, but a cached version is on Google if you Google "observations book daniel newton." Observations on the Book of Daniel is available online here: http://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/isaac_newton/prophecies/index.html In any case, one the things that Newton said that stood out for me: God gave the prophecies, not to gratify men's curiosity by enabling them to fore know things, but that after they were fulfilled they might be interpreted by the event, and His own providence, not the interpreters, be thereby manifested to the world. Sir Isaac Newton (1642 - 1727) When I read this statement it bore witness and this began my erasure. Then, I was led to what I consider to be compelling proof -- the first coming of the Lord. As I examined the scriptures I found, that not one person recognized Jesus from the scriptures. Not one. All those who recognized Jesus as the Christ, not to mention the Son of God, did so as it was revealed to them by the Spirit. The shepherd's were told by angels, the Magi were led by a "star" that appeared, disappeared and moved before them so as to identify a specific house three miles from Herod's palace. Simon was filled with the Spirit, and Anna prayed in the temple day and night. And, then of course, there is Peter's famous confession which Jesus plainly credits not to flesh and blood, but the Father in heaven. If all these things are written for us as examples, then this was a huge one. Israel expected a Messiah, but all of the details of His coming were hidden from those who read the scriptures. Yet, this did not prevent them from coming up with their own expectations of the Messiah. He would be a King who would destroy their enemies and restore to them the riches of the kingdom of Israel. As I looked at this with new eyes, I was struck with how similar the expectation of Israel's religious leaders is to those of the current age as they await the second coming of Christ who will rapture all of the Christians to heaven and then bring unspeakable suffering and destruction on everyone else. All of I sudden, this teaching seemed highly suspect given the experience Christians for the last 2,000 years. Therefore, after erasing the slate I began to reread Revelation. One of the first things I noticed was that it opens and closes with a similar promise -- that those who read and hear the words of prophesy and keep ( or heed) the things which are written it it will be blessed. This is a specific promise to the one who does so and it applies to all of the ones who do so, not just those in some distant past or future, but all who read and take heed. So I began to pray and told the Lord that I wanted to receive the blessing He spoke of and I wanted to heed the things that are written that are applicable to me. Therefore I asked HIm to show me that I might read Revelation with new eyes. So I began to read. I didn't make it past the first verse. The book is the Revelation that God gave Jesus in order to show His BONDSERVANTS the things which must soon take place and He communicated this message to His BONDSERVANT John. Hello! What does that do to the Pre-trib doctrinaires? This book is written to the bondservants, not to unbelievers, nor for that matter (I think) to lukewarm Christians. And it says for "the time is near." Is the Lord using hyperbole here; calling 2,000+ years "near." The book ends as it began with a reminder that the Lord is coming quickly and blessed is the man who heeds the words of this book and John is instructed, unlike Daniel, that the words of prophesy are not to be sealed because the time is near. This is the door that opened the Revelation to me. It is written for the benefit of the bondservants of the Lord of all ages if they would take heed of the prophesy, for John is told to write the things he has seen and which are to come. Since that door opened to me, even as I hope that it will for anyone who reads this and seeks the Lord for understanding. The Revelation is instruction for the bondservants of the Lord for all time, eminently relevant and eminently practical. "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." I also had my slate erased regarding the popular schools of thought on Revelation, but it came after my slate was erased on many other popular interpretations of verses that are far simpler than the apocalyptic writing of Daniel and the Revelation.

Like many, I had read the various positions or interpretations and then chose which one seemed most reasonable to me. I had done this on other disputable matters. Then, the Lord erased my slate showing me that if a matter was in dispute and there were two or three theological schools, that it did not follow that any of them were necessarily correct. Then, He took me back to the first coming of the Lord.

To do that He brought me to Isaac Newton. Yeah, that’s what I thought, “Isaac Newton?” Turns out Newton spent much of his life trying to interpret the book of Daniel and Revelation and most of his scientific discoveries were a by-product of his spiritual pursuits. For example, Newton invented calculus because he needed to calculate the motions of the celestial bodies and he needed to calculate the motions of the celestial bodies to establish an accurate chronology of the events of history because he was trying to establish the times spoken of by Daniel. In the process he discovered the universal law of gravity and the laws of motion. I found it very interesting that he never published his writings on Daniel during his lifetime and he had not even published Principia Mathematica until a friend saw it and persuaded him to do so. A website called Historicist.com had some very good information on this,It is offline, but a cached version is on Google if you Google “observations book daniel newton.” Observations on the Book of Daniel is available online here:

http://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/isaac_newton/prophecies/index.html

In any case, one the things that Newton said that stood out for me:

God gave the prophecies, not to gratify men’s curiosity by enabling them to fore know things, but that after they were fulfilled they might be interpreted by the event, and His own providence, not the interpreters, be thereby manifested to the world.

Sir Isaac Newton (1642 - 1727)

When I read this statement it bore witness and this began my erasure. Then, I was led to what I consider to be compelling proof — the first coming of the Lord. As I examined the scriptures I found, that not one person recognized Jesus from the scriptures. Not one. All those who recognized Jesus as the Christ, not to mention the Son of God, did so as it was revealed to them by the Spirit. The shepherd’s were told by angels, the Magi were led by a “star” that appeared, disappeared and moved before them so as to identify a specific house three miles from Herod’s palace. Simon was filled with the Spirit, and Anna prayed in the temple day and night. And, then of course, there is Peter’s famous confession which Jesus plainly credits not to flesh and blood, but the Father in heaven.

If all these things are written for us as examples, then this was a huge one. Israel expected a Messiah, but all of the details of His coming were hidden from those who read the scriptures. Yet, this did not prevent them from coming up with their own expectations of the Messiah. He would be a King who would destroy their enemies and restore to them the riches of the kingdom of Israel. As I looked at this with new eyes, I was struck with how similar the expectation of Israel’s religious leaders is to those of the current age as they await the second coming of Christ who will rapture all of the Christians to heaven and then bring unspeakable suffering and destruction on everyone else. All of I sudden, this teaching seemed highly suspect given the experience Christians for the last 2,000 years.

Therefore, after erasing the slate I began to reread Revelation. One of the first things I noticed was that it opens and closes with a similar promise — that those who read and hear the words of prophesy and keep ( or heed) the things which are written it it will be blessed. This is a specific promise to the one who does so and it applies to all of the ones who do so, not just those in some distant past or future, but all who read and take heed. So I began to pray and told the Lord that I wanted to receive the blessing He spoke of and I wanted to heed the things that are written that are applicable to me. Therefore I asked HIm to show me that I might read Revelation with new eyes. So I began to read.

I didn’t make it past the first verse. The book is the Revelation that God gave Jesus in order to show His BONDSERVANTS the things which must soon take place and He communicated this message to His BONDSERVANT John. Hello! What does that do to the Pre-trib doctrinaires? This book is written to the bondservants, not to unbelievers, nor for that matter (I think) to lukewarm Christians. And it says for “the time is near.” Is the Lord using hyperbole here; calling 2,000+ years “near.” The book ends as it began with a reminder that the Lord is coming quickly and blessed is the man who heeds the words of this book and John is instructed, unlike Daniel, that the words of prophesy are not to be sealed because the time is near.

This is the door that opened the Revelation to me. It is written for the benefit of the bondservants of the Lord of all ages if they would take heed of the prophesy, for John is told to write the things he has seen and which are to come. Since that door opened to me, even as I hope that it will for anyone who reads this and seeks the Lord for understanding. The Revelation is instruction for the bondservants of the Lord for all time, eminently relevant and eminently practical.

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

]]> By: gpickren http://www.theinwardjourney.net/blog/2007/03/31/erasing-the-slate/#comment-8 gpickren Sat, 25 Aug 2007 02:38:22 +0000 http://www.theinwardjourney.net/blog/2007/03/31/erasing-the-slate/#comment-8 I missed this verse before but it points out what the Revelation covers -- past, present, and future. Rev 1:19 (19) "Therefore write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after these things. The message to the Lord's bondservants is highly relevant to Christians of all the ages. It's importance perhaps is indicated by the quantity of deceptive spins put on it, all of which can be summed as "someone else, some other time." Yet, that directly contradicts it's first verse. I missed this verse before but it points out what the Revelation covers — past, present, and future.

Rev 1:19
(19) “Therefore write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after these things.

The message to the Lord’s bondservants is highly relevant to Christians of all the ages. It’s importance perhaps is indicated by the quantity of deceptive spins put on it, all of which can be summed as “someone else, some other time.” Yet, that directly contradicts it’s first verse.

]]>