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NASB | Revelation 17:16 "And the ten horns which you saw, and the beast, these will hate the harlot and will make her desolate and naked, and will eat her flesh and will burn her up with fire. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Revelation 17:16 "And the ten horns which you saw, and the beast, these will hate the prostitute and will make her desolate and naked [stripped of her power and influence], and will eat her flesh and completely consume her with fire. |
Subject: Does this mean that it is wrong to ask? |
Bible Note: To: EdB, Pastor Glenn, Debbie, John and other participants in this little discussion we are enjoying :-) : Greetings! I am NOT advocating the setting aside of the Revelation or any other apocalyptic writings that are a part of Scripture, and neither, I am convinced, is John Reformed suggesting any such measure as that. What I am opposed to for reasons that I believe are justified is any attempt to put a specific tag on world events and teach with the air of certainty, "Aha, see here, this or that event or this or that person is exactly what the Revelation is speaking of -- so and so is the antichrist or this very event is spoken of in Chapter so and so of Revelation -- or it won't be long now, probably less than six months, before Christ returns. We simply can't KNOW the specifics simply because God has not revealed them right down to the name of the person, the exact day and hour, the minute detail concerning persons, places, events and times. It is thus fatuous and inane that we should take it upon ourselves to paint in the details upon God's broad canvas. It is not handling the word of God properly when we try to make it say what it in fact does not say.... In his introduction to Revelation, John MacArthur says in his Study Bible (Word Publishing): "No other New Testament book poses more serious and difficult interpretative challenges than Revelation. The book's vivid imagery and striking symbolism have produced four main interpretative approaches." MacArthur lists these as [1] preterist [2] historicist [3] idealist and [4] futurist. He describes the main points expressed in each view, assesses each view, and gives his reasons for leaning toward the fourth view, futurist, which also happens to be the view I favor..... Will we ever understand this side of heaven all that is revealed in the Book of Revelation? The answer is obvious, isn't it? But are you the man or woman who understands everything there is to know about the other 65 books of the Bible, or have you ever met anyone who does? But our imperfect understanding does not give us the license to give up and cease to learn as much as the Spirit wills to reveal to us of the perfect word of God, now does it? --Hank |