Who is the manchild described in Revelations 5:6 "and she brought forth a man child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron and her child was caught up unto God and to His throne. And the woman fled into the wilderness where she hath a placed prepared that they should feer her there a thousand two hundred and threscore days." How does this tie in with Romans 8:14 "For as many as led by the Sprirt they are the sons of God" 19 "For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God" 22 "For we know that whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now." ALSO Eph 3:5-6 "Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men as it now revealed unto his holy apostles and prohpets by the Spirit That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs and of the same body and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel" Okay.....now the Great Harlot in Revelations 17 could she be the representation of the Catholic Church and her offsprings (meaning churches which broke from her) or just a medaphor of the one world goverment? In Eph 3:5 who are the HOLY APOSTLES AND PROPHETS? Are they now on the earth or they in travail waiting to appear? I hope this is NOT too much to answer!!!

-- Anonymous, December 29, 2000

Answers

This may take a day or two. As I said before, Revelation is a mysterious, though wholly inerrant Book. It's difficult to get too specific on future events without a word of prophesy from the Holy Spirit, so my answer could prove to be wrong when the events occur. I don't intend to be here though. I expect I'll be engaged in perfect worship at His feet at that time.

-- Anonymous, December 29, 2000

Sister Lori, OK, I'm back. First, I think you mean Rev 12:5-6, not Rev 5:6. I've always understood the child to be Jesus, and the woman to be the nation of Israel (though my Catholic friends hold her to be Mary). The indicators are: 1. His destiny to rule the nations with a rod of iron 2. Satan's attempt to kill Him 3. God's protection 4. The child's being caught up to God's throne. The identity of the child seems pretty easy.

How this ties in with the Romans verses I can't easily see. Rom 8:14 is a passage where Paul exhorts us to live not according to the sinful nature. As Christians we are "led by the Spirit and are sons of God". This means our gratifying sinful desires is inconsistent with our position as King's kids. We're supposed to be Spirit led, and the Spirit never led us THAT way!

Rom 8:22 speaks of how our new nature in Christ causes us to long for Heaven and to "groan" in anticipation. Not only us, but all creation because when Adam and Eve committed that first sin even creation was damaged. How exciting to think not only of how we'll be transformed in the Millenium, but also how nature will be transformed. The wolf will lie with the lamb, and the child will play by the cobra's den. EEHAW!

Eph 3:5-6 concerns yet another subject. It tells how the mystery of the Gospel was revealed in New Testament times, namely that Gentiles can be saved along with the nation of Israel. Remember this was a new concept to the early church, which consisted mainly of Jews at first.

Rev 17's harlot: I take her to be the false religion set up by the anti-christ.

The apostles and prophets Paul speaks of I think were originally those of the early church. In Old Testament times the idea of Gentiles being God's children along with Israel was an alien concept. God had to deal powerfully with the apostles to convince them Gentiles could be saved. See Peter's visit with Cornelius in Acts 10 and 11. Peter had some tall explaining to do when he returned to Jerusalem, but the evidence of tongues was sufficient to prove that the Gentiles had received the baptism in the Holy Spirit. Now do I believe the offices of apostle and prophet exist today? Absolutely! Where does it say these things had a time limit other than Christ's return?

Now as for your question on the Catholic church? I personally believe there will be plenty of Catholics who will be raptured as long as their hearts meet God's minimums for salvation. I also believe that ANY religious institutions or individuals that don't rise to meet Him can and probably will be used by the anti-christ to make up all or part of the great harlot.

This has been fun, but I think you have something else to tell us. I don't see on the surface where these scriptures are connected. What's on your mind?

-- Anonymous, December 30, 2000