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Page 1 of 7 Pages The "6000 YEAR WAIT" and the ESSENE "MILLENNIAL WEEK", provide clues to the REV 13:5-18 SECOND BEAST, FALSE PROPHET, AND THE MARK of the BEAST, WHOSE NUMBER IS 666
I disagree with Dr. Barbara Thiering's premise that Jesus Himself was not behind the Rev. 13 picture of the second [two horned] lamb-like beast which was actually a DRAGON posing as a lamb.
Thiering proposes that this BEAST is actually SIMON MAGUS the GNOSTIC LEADER that Jesus' followers Peter and Paul were able to defeat in the first to fourth centuries, but whose modern followers [Gnostic and Charismatic] have had an impressive resurgence in the 20th century as the new PENTECOSTAL REVIVAL!
What we can agree on, however, is that between these TWO EVENTS or RELIGIOUS MOVEMENTS, a gap of about 1500 - 1800 years, there was a sense or period of WAITING, that for Christians, at least, was WAITING FOR JESUS TO RETURN
while for those disappointed by Middle Ages Ecclesiastic PAPAL AUTHORITY and CORRUPTION these were waiting for the return or LATTER REIGN OF THE
HOLY SPIRIT! Now that we have witnessed what actually happened on Oct 22, 1844 and the Pentecostal Revival in Wales and on Azusa Street around 1900. And the "Rapture 88" movement on Sept 11-13, 1988. And what happened in Japan [Atomic Bombs] Aug. 4, 1945. And in Israel and Jerusalem in 1948 and on June 7, 1967 [Jerusalem regained as Israel's capital] -- we can decide what was really meant by the ESSENE authors of Rev. 13.
Dr. Barbara Thiering PhD, an expert in "Gospel Pesher" and author of the 1992 book "Jesus and the Riddle of the Dead Sea Scrolls" identifies 2 major Essene leaders [both with a Taw on their foreheads and or right hands] who could qualify as the two beasts of Rev. 13 in Essene symbolism. Jesus and Simon Magus!
6 "Then He opened His MOUTH in blasphemy against God [Jehovah-Yahweh], to blaspheme His NAME [YHWH], His tabernacle ["Destroy this temple and I will rebuild it in THREE DAYS!] and Those who dwell in "Heaven"." [The ESSENES who dwell in Qumran-Heaven.] 7 "It was granted to Him [Jesus and Rome] OR maybe [Simon Magus and Rome] to make war with the SAINTS [Essenes] and overcome them." [Since this didn't occur until 74 AD, at Masada's mass suicide, I'll say Jesus wrote this in Kashmir.]
"And AUTHORITY was given Him over every tribe, tongue, and nation." [Not true until Christianity defeated ROME. in the 4th Century AD]
8 "All who dwell on the EARTH will WORSHIP Him. whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." [Since Jesus and Simon Magus reigned TOGETHER at Qumran for FORTY-TWO months, and both were crucified TOGETHER, and both survived crucifixion, ["resurrected"], Rev. 13 can apply equally to both of them. Also both of them claimed to be "God" ["blasphemy"] and both at one time or another, was at "war" with part or all of the other ESSENES. [verses 6 and 7] However, to support my view that Jesus Himself, not Simon Magus is ALSO the SECOND BEAST, verses 7b and 8 can only apply to HIM, and not until after Constantine and the Council of Nicaea.
Simon Magus was never declared part of a "Divine Trinity" while Jesus was so declared in the Fourth century AD at the Council of Nicaea!
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