LOL!
What, then, is the meaning of the beast from the earth in your ‘gap’ theory?
What do you mean by ‘gap’ theory?
The earth in 13:11 is better translated as “land” which was always symbolic of God’s people in the OT. This beast is a symbol of the Sanhedrin, who provided theological “cover” for the political machine of the Roman sea-beast. This false prophet imitated the greatest of the OT prophets, but it’s main strategy was deceit. Not only did they lead Jerusalem in revolt against their Messiah, but during the Jewish-Roman war, their false prophets said they should wait for deliverance from God behind the walls.
Rome gave the Sanhedrin authority. Nero, used the provincial government to enforce emperor worship, and the Sanhedrin’s cooperation with Roman idolatry made them enemies to the outlaw Jewish Zealots (who thought the Sanhedrin and priesthood in Jerusalem were blaspheming the Law of Moses by cooperating with the Roman religion).
The Jewish leadership had to compromise to survive, by performing daily sacrifices in the Temple, but the CHristian Church refused to participate in idol worship. This made the Christians traitors to Rome and they were hunted down and killed by Rome. The Sanhedrin encouraged and cooperated with Rome because Christians were teaching that the Temple worship was obsolete and that divisions between Jews and Gentiles had been superceded by Christ’s atonement (which was the mystery of the scroll that was unsealed in the initial vision). Jerusalem actually instigated the Roman persecution of Christians, but everything changed in 66 A.D. when they rebelled against Rome, and at that point the Roman Empire turned its wrath on them.
This image of the beast resembles the image Nebuchandnezzar built after his dream in Daniel (for good reason). Three Hebrews were thrown into the fiery furnace because they would not worship the king’s gods. St. John was reminding his Christian readers how the faithful Hebrews were spared death by the intervention of God, but they had clearly demonstrated their willingness to die rather than engage in idolotry.
The end of it (the spiritual struggle or war) will be as a flood. Some of the wise will fall to be refined in the buying of the gold in keeping with repentance. Surely, the good people are looking anxiously for The Good leader Messiah to come into His Kingdom in the Millennium Reign as well.
These 10 rulers are written to devour the whole earth, not only one major Empire, and it is known that the provinces of China were extant in this time period; and that the borders of Rome did not even include all of Nubia, Arabia, and Russia, and also India or Persia.
For Alexander did not go across the mountains but fell in accordance with the Prophecy of the lion conquerer given wings like an eagle.
How, then, can one take warning and prepare for the war to come with the believers Eve and all of Her children if one does not believe the Prophets?
For all intents and purposes it was the known world. The Greek empire fell to the Roman Empire, and the western empire (at least) has been gone for over 1500 years. (Eastern over 500 years ago). But like I said earlier, the land has always been the promised land in Apocalyptic literature.
Christ’s application of Daniel and the book of Revelation describe first century events. This is the original intent and fulfillment of events. We look to a second future fulfillment of these events which I don’t have a problem with. What I do have a problem with is, when people put a ‘gap’ in the coming of the kingdom. The kingdom was at hand and came during Christ’s first advent. We will see it in all it’s glory at the end of time.
:shrug: