Nichols (I wish I knew your christian name - I don't like referring to you as 'Nickols' - but that's entirely your deceision.)
You ask me to publish comments on where I think you have a wrong understanding of prophesy - or as I would say - where you are yourself phrophesying false information that is not substantiated by God's Word the Bible. I would like to restrict myself to your opening statement on the number < 666 > being 'the mark of the beast'. May I say I am not speaking on my own authority, or telling what I think- I am trying to get an overall and true understanding of what St John was describing in the book of his revelations from God.
1. Rev. 1 vs 3 : We are encouraged to read and understand - which means not hiding away from the book, but reading it and letting God's Holy Spirit explain what He wants us to know about former times, current times and times to yet appear.
2. Rev 22 vs 18/19 - here is a strict warning not to add or take away anything from God's word. This, Nickols , is where I trhink I disagree most strongly with you, as some of your statements comprehensively contradict what the Bibke says - that's not on - God says you are wrong. Period.
3. Rev 13, 15-18. This is the only passage that mentions the numbers 666, but they appear to be numbers put by God onto the Devil AND ALL THOSE WHO FOLLOW HIM. The beast will ATTEMPT to forced this number on people - and when they receive it - they will worship the beast. You are right about buying and selling - all commerce will be withheld from those who refuse to have that sign. That sign is DEATH to all who wear it. It means great persecution to those who don't - but those will be the true believers who will be willing to even give up their lives so as NOT to wear the cursed sign of the beast. God promises great reward to those who resist this cursed temptation.
4. Rev 14, 9-11 tell us how God will judge those who wear the sign for all eternity. The sign shows they have joined the devil in rebellion against God and He will put them into the same place He prepares for the devil....eternal damnnation...... a horrendous thought.
You say to my horror that you believe you have - in the future - already received the seal of the beast. Firstly , that is impossible - it has not happened yet - either in reality - or even in your fantasies. If you are of a mind to ACCEPT IT - then the Scriptures that I quote above......FROM GOD.....will show you are condemned to eternal damnation. That is GOd's promise and John's prophesy - which I accept above anything you may say.
Friend Nichols - I believe that you have
been deceived by 'THE GREAT DECEIVER - THE FATHER OF LIES' and whatever you experienced in your youth has - in your meditation since, been blown out of all proportion to the truth.
Paul writes to the Thessalonians (4,16-18) That "The Lord himself shall decend from heaven with a shout - with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God: and the dead in Christ (all true Believers who have died) shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain (as true believers) shall be caught up together with them in the clouds and meet the Lord in the air: and so we shall for ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words".
So Nichols, true Believers don't meet the Beast / Devil, etc first - WE MEET JESUS CHRIST OUR SAVIOUR and the only time we see the beast is when we look down on him in triumph as he burns in hell. Rev 20 teaches us that Satan, the devil, the beast, the false prophet (yes - all of them) shall be cast into the lake of eternal fire......
and all those who did not have their named written in the lambs Book of Life will join them for ever. I don't believ that God allowed anything to be written or even translated in a way to confuse us, certainly not to deceive us - so what we read is GOD'S WORD' and should be believed, first and formost and above everything else. Anything less is "Building on sand".
That's strong talk - but it's what the Bible says and what I believe you should seriously be considering, because your current position of belief is extremely precarious.
I'm praying for you, N.K - where-ever you are - God knows.
Andrew
<andrewblow@hotmail.com>