05-15-2008, 10:21 AM
Hi Brother Dave,
Many thanks for your posts and enlightening info.
Sorry about repeating the post; at first I though I failed to post it properly.
It could be Nero that John was writing about (most probably he was) and I am sure he had a reason unknown to us yet as why he didn???t mention the real name of this beast. But I don???t get myself bogged in such arguments that don???t build the believer in Jesus Christ, whatever and whoever 666 was based on words in any language. As I mentioned in my post that: what is utmost important for wise believers is not identifying the beast as a person, but to discern any such beast today from what he demands, and to expect and be certain of persecution at the hands of such people/systems/(the ....isms of our days and coming days) against all those who believe, confess and preach the Gospel of Christ crucified and Christ???s Lordship, and yet at the same time the assurance and certainty of victory in Christ and His judgement upon those who persecute His body the true Church of Christ (as we discover this fact within the context of the book of Revelation); hence and as Christians we don???t have to be afraid, confused or bewildered as if this was not expected to happen ever to us anytime anywhere.
This is what the Holy and eternal Word of God is teaching us in this section and book.
People are, and according to the spirit of this age, fascinated about mysteries, secrets, codes, conspiracy theories ???etc; so even some Christians are mislead into non beneficial interpretations of the Bible. The Word of God in both Testaments is not a coded message; the Gospel is not a coded message. How can a coded message tell me/you anything about human sins and sinful fallen confused and unrighteous nature, and condemned before God? More importantly, how can a coded message tell me anything about God? This would be against what Paul teaches in (Romans 1:18-20)!
The Old Testament as a whole is a prophecy about the person and work of Jesus Christ the Son of God for salvation and judgement, a prophecy that was fulfilled according to the New Testament in Jesus??? first coming and awaits farther fulfilment in his second coming; the Righteousness of God necessary for salvation that was concealed in the Old Testament has been revealed now in Jesus Christ, through faith in Christ Jesus alone; there is no coded message here, rather a clear message. This is how we should read the Word of God.
Yours in Him
Pastor Henry
Many thanks for your posts and enlightening info.
Sorry about repeating the post; at first I though I failed to post it properly.
It could be Nero that John was writing about (most probably he was) and I am sure he had a reason unknown to us yet as why he didn???t mention the real name of this beast. But I don???t get myself bogged in such arguments that don???t build the believer in Jesus Christ, whatever and whoever 666 was based on words in any language. As I mentioned in my post that: what is utmost important for wise believers is not identifying the beast as a person, but to discern any such beast today from what he demands, and to expect and be certain of persecution at the hands of such people/systems/(the ....isms of our days and coming days) against all those who believe, confess and preach the Gospel of Christ crucified and Christ???s Lordship, and yet at the same time the assurance and certainty of victory in Christ and His judgement upon those who persecute His body the true Church of Christ (as we discover this fact within the context of the book of Revelation); hence and as Christians we don???t have to be afraid, confused or bewildered as if this was not expected to happen ever to us anytime anywhere.
This is what the Holy and eternal Word of God is teaching us in this section and book.
People are, and according to the spirit of this age, fascinated about mysteries, secrets, codes, conspiracy theories ???etc; so even some Christians are mislead into non beneficial interpretations of the Bible. The Word of God in both Testaments is not a coded message; the Gospel is not a coded message. How can a coded message tell me/you anything about human sins and sinful fallen confused and unrighteous nature, and condemned before God? More importantly, how can a coded message tell me anything about God? This would be against what Paul teaches in (Romans 1:18-20)!
The Old Testament as a whole is a prophecy about the person and work of Jesus Christ the Son of God for salvation and judgement, a prophecy that was fulfilled according to the New Testament in Jesus??? first coming and awaits farther fulfilment in his second coming; the Righteousness of God necessary for salvation that was concealed in the Old Testament has been revealed now in Jesus Christ, through faith in Christ Jesus alone; there is no coded message here, rather a clear message. This is how we should read the Word of God.
Yours in Him
Pastor Henry