ROBERT@kontu.utu.fi (Robert W. Johnson) (11/06/90)
The following is a continuation of the following letter and response. This will be one in a series of responses, so don't throw this away just cause you have seen the opening original letter. THIS IS NEW MATERIAL. > Subj: RE: Response to interpretation of Matthew 13 > > Robert Johnson writes: > > >I would like to take this opportunity to correct a misconception that many > >have concerning Christianity. That is, many confuse the Kingdom of God > >with Heaven. The Kingdom is the 1000 year reign of Christ on this earth > >immediately after the end of the current age (age of the Gentiles). The age > >of the Gentiles will last approximately 2000 years and is about over. Then > >their is the millemium, or 1000 year reign of Christ called the Kingdom in > >the Bible. The kingdom should not be confused with heaven. At the end of > >the Kingdom Satan will be loosed for a short time, and Isreal and Jerusalem > >will threatened by invaders from the north (Russia and Germany). After the > >defeat of this attacking force at the end of the 1000 year reign of Christ > >on this earth then Heaven will be brought down to this earth. Not until > >then. > > Robert, I would like to see some references for these > pronouncements. I would like to search the Scriptures > to see if these things that you say are so. > bob weiss Bob Weiss, you have asked for it. This will be one in a series expounding on Revelation 19-21. Probably of mos interest to the itchy ear is what I said concerning the fact that after the millenium (I finally got the spelling right) and just before the New Jerusalem Satan will be released from the abyss and stir up trouble for a short while on the earth--in fact, the four corners of the earth. he will get the Russians to attack (not Germans as reported in my previous letter) the Christian camp outside Jerusalem and and the Holy City itself. The following verse, footnotes, and cross references are from the Recovery version of the Bible (write to me if you would like to obtain a copy of this Bible, it is the most complete and accurate translation in existence). Revelation Chapter 20 2 And he laid hold of the (a)dragon, the ancient (b)serpent, who is the Devil and Satan, and (1c)bound him a thousand years. (1) Following the defeat of Antichrist is the binding and imprisonment of Satan to clear up the rebellious earth that the kingdom of Christ may come (vv. 4-6). (a) Rev. 12:3 (b) Rev. 12:9 (c) Jude 6 7 And when the thousand years are completed, Satan will be loosed out of his prison, 8 And shall go out to (a)deceive the nations which are in the (b)four corners of the earth, (1)Gog and (c)Magog, to (d)gather them together to (2)war, whose number is as the sand of the sea. (1) "Gog and Magog," according to Ezekiel 38:2-3 and 39:1-2, must be Russia Ezekiel 38:2 (ASV) indicates that Gog and Magog are of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, answering to Russia, Moscow, and Tobolsk. Ezekiel 39:2 (ASV) refers to these places as "the uttermost parts of the north." What is mentioned concerning Gog and Magog in Ezekiel 38 and 39 will occur before the millenium, whereas the record concerning them in revelation 20 will transpire after the millenium. Revelation 20:8 shows that Satan's deceiving of "the nations which are in the four corners of the earth" is his deceiving of "Gog and Magog." This may indicate that in the last rebellion of mankind against God instigated by Satan, Gog and Magog will take the lead and the nations will follow. (2) This will be the last "war" on earth. It will be caused by the last rebellion of mankind, instigated by Satan, God's enemy, after the millenium. Although mankind will be restored for one thousand years, his rebelliou nature will still remain. It will be exposed by Satan's last instigation and will be purged away by the Lord's final judgment on mankind. (a) Rev. 20:3 (b) rev. 7:1 (c) Gen. 10:2; Ezek. 38:2; 39:1,6 (d) cf. Ezek. 38:15; 39:2. 9 And they (a)went up over the breath of the earth and surrounded the (1) camp of the saints and the (b)beloved (1)city; and (c)fire came down (2)out of heaven and devoured them. (1) "The camp of the saints" us the lodging of the overcoming believers, who are the heavenly armies (19:14) camping on earth. "The beloved city" is the city of Jerusalem, the dwelling place of the remnant of Isreal. The overcoming believers and the remnant of Isreal are God's faithful people on earth in the millenium, standing with God and for God. At the end of the millenium, Satan will instigate rebellious mankind from the uttermost parts of the north to attack God's people. (2) Some ancient authorities insert, from God. (a) Ezek. 38:9, 16 (b) Psa. 87:2-3 (c) rev. 11:5; Ezek. 38:22; 39:6. ----- Robert W. Johnson Computer center, The University of Turku, Turku Finland robert@kontu.utu.fi (InterNet) robert@firien.bitnet (BITNET) The preceeding is my opinion and may not express the opinion of my employer and furthermore has nothing to do with my employment.
charles@rpi.edu (Charles K. Hurst) (11/09/90)
Well, summary almost says it all. Robert, you say the Recovery Bible is the most accurate translation of the bible. I realize you are busy expounding upon Revelations 19-21 right now, but I was hoping you could answer a quick question or two of mine on this bible. From sources I have, primarily material written by Josh McDowell, The NASV is the most current and accurate translation of the bible. Please give some of us out here a brief history and background of the Recovery Bible and why you feel it is the most accurate translation. Also, if anyone out there in netland has additional info about Recovery Bible, that is fairly accurate, please post it if you want to! Thanks-in-Advance, Charles K. Hurst charles@rpi.edu [The attempt to identify "the most accurate translation" is futile. It is never possible to get an exact translation of a document from a very different culture and language. Thus there are a number of different approaches, each of which shed their light. They vary from literal, word for word translations -- which are probably of most use when you are working through a commentary that comments of features of the Hebrew and Greek texts -- to "dynamic equivalence" translations that often illuminate figures of speech and other features that are not visible at all in the literal translations. Most translations are some compromise between the two. The NASV comes very near to being completely word for word. Although it is based on fairly recent scholarship, there is now a generation of translations that make somewhat more use of early papyrii. --clh]