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******************* INTRODUCTION TO THIS BOOK *******************

We are about to embark on a brief introduction study to a DEEP and
important BOOK of the Bible. We will especially be dealing with
the one MAIN CENTRAL THEME of the book of Revelation. That THEME
is the struggle between the TRUE CHURCH and the FALSE CHURCH
SYSTEMS that pretend to be the true. One of the most important
aspects of our study will be to PROVE to the reader THE CORRECT
METHOD FOR INTERPRETING the BOOK of REVELATION. We will not only
attempt to prove that the BOOK is SYMBOLIC, but we will also show
the BIBLE method for interpreting the symbolism BY THE BIBLE. In
this introduction, we would like to get the reader to THINKING by
illustrating our basic point; THAT REVELATION IS NOT LITERAL. Note
the following TWENTY FOUR BASIC examples:

(1) Revelation 3:1b "....thou hast a name that thou livest, and
art dead".   Were they LITERALLY DEAD? If so, why the statement?

(2) Revelation 5:5-6, the "LION of the tribe of Judah" in verse 5
is beheld by John in verse 6 to be a "LAMB". Obviously not literal.

(3) Revelation 19:15a  "And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword..."
This is OBVIOUSLY NOT TO BE TAKEN LITERALLY!!!

(4) Revelation 4:1b  "....the first voice which I heard was as it
were of a trumpet talking with me;..." TRUMPET TALKING LITERALLY???

(5) Revelation 5:5b "...the seven Spirits of God."  Other scriptures
teach God has only ONE SPIRIT so is this to be taken LITERALLY????

(6) Revelation 4 and 5  There are four beasts described as being
like various animals and 24 elders who are described in Revelation
5:9 as all of those who are redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. There
are no LITERAL beasts like those described, so are they LITERAL or
do they symbolize PEOPLE who are the children of God spiritually???

(7) Revelation 2:23 and 6:8 both speak of God killing with "death"
as well as by other means. Are these texts to be taken LITERALLY???

(8) Revelation 6:7b  "...the moon became as blood". Is this really
"air pollution" as some say, or is this SYMBOLIC OF THE SPIRITUAL??

(9) Revelation 7:1-8  In this list of twelve tribes, things are very
mixed up. The ORIGINAL twelve tribes were the same as listed here
except that DAN was in place of Manasses. After the tribe of Levi
was appointed to the priesthood, and were not given the same type of
inheritance in Canaan, Joseph was also removed from the list of
tribes and Manasses and Ephraim were added to replace Levi and
Joseph. The list in Revelation is different from any other in the
Bible. Is it to be taken literally, or does it symbolize something??

(10) Revelation 8:12  "And the fourth angel sounded, and the third
part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the
third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened,
and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night
likewise. "  Does this make sense LITERALLY?? Think about it!

(11) Revelation 9:1  The text calls the "star" a "him" and says a
"key" is given to "him" (the star). Is this LITERAL???

(12) Revelation 10:3-4  Do "thunders" really talk in a language that
can be written down, or are these things NOT LITERAL???

(13) Revelation 11:4-5  Do "olive trees" and "candlesticks"
LITERALLY HAVE A "MOUTH" and speak, or are these things SYMBOLIC???

(14) Revelation 12:4  Is it possible that this "DRAGON" could
LITERALLY cast "a third part of the stars of heaven" to "earth"???

(15) Revelation 12  The "woman" is in "heaven" (verse 1), and since
it does not say that she was cast out we can assume that she
remained there. The "dragon" is cast out to the "earth" (verse 9),
but it STILL continues to persecute the WOMAN (verse 13) who is
suppose to be in heaven and therefore OUT OF REACH. LITERAL??????

(16) Revelation 14:18-20  The "blood" to the "horse bridles" in
verse 20 is "grape" juice according to the context. LITERAL????

(17) According to Revelation 17:1, the "scarlet colored beast" that
"MYSTERY BABYLON" is sitting upon (verse 3) is also called "MANY
WATERS"; these are explained in verse 15 to be "peoples, multitudes,
nations, and tongues". Is this LITERAL????  It gets worse when we
learn in verse 9 that the "beast" is not only "waters" but also is
"seven mountains" ("on which the woman sitteth").

(18) Revelation 17:6  "And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of
the saints..."   Can one LITERALLY get DRUNK on human blood???

(19) Revelation 17:9b  "...The seven heads are seven mountains..."
This would be very STRANGE if it is LITERAL....

(20) Revelation 17:12a  "And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten
kings"... THIS IS STRANGE IF IT IS LITERAL.

(21) Revelation 17:18  If this verse is LITERAL then the WOMAN IS
ALSO A CITY.  WO-CITY-MAN????

(22) Revelation 20:1-3  How in the world can you use a "chain" to
bind a SPIRIT (if this is literal)????

(23) Revelation 21:18 and 21  LITERAL GOLD as clear as GLASS?????

(24) Revelation 21:21  My understanding is that PEARLS are formed by
a process that God ordained and it takes place literally in very
small creatures (in comparison to a LITERAL CITY GATE)....