End of Days by Sylvia Browne

Posted by admin_akashic on Aug 9th, 2022 in Stories

he really did author the book of Revelation, how surprising can it be that much of its imagery is every bit as bleak, cruel, and desolate?

It’s worth adding that John’s temper was a widely known facet of his generally passionate personality, and he was enraged about the politics of the day. He’d seen a transition from a tolerant atmosphere toward the fledgling religion of Christianity to such violent intolerance that Christians who refused to disavow their faith were routinely executed, crucified, or fed to the lions for sport. So why would a man imprisoned for heresy against a political regime that demanded to be worshipped write a book meant to be taken literally, exalting the ultimate power of God, that could only make his life even more of a nightmare?

One of the analyses of Revelation I have the least patience with is the exercise of reducing its symbolism to a word game. For example, Revelation 13:2 reads, “And the beast I saw was like a leopard, its feet were like a bear’s and its mouth was like a lion’s mouth.” I’ve heard more than one theologian point out the “obvious” reference to Russia because of the phrase “its feet were like a bear’s.” Now, admittedly, Revelation wasn’t added to the Bible until three hundred years after the fact, but even then I doubt that anyone was starting the preliminary plans for a country called Russia, let alone deciding that its symbol would be a bear. Why John would be making even a subtle reference to Russia for the benefit of readers in the first century AD I can’t begin to imagine.

Let’s also remember that none of the original manuscripts of the New Testament, including Revelation, still exist. And no written manuscript of Revelation from the first century still exists. Much of what we know of the New Testament comes from Greek manuscripts dating from the second to the eighth centuries, translated again and again, including writings from early theologians recording from memory what they’d read or been told about the actual text of the New Testament. Revelation is one of several books that exists only in fragments, heavily edited passages, and translations of translations. I’m not sure how taking it literally is even a consideration without John’s original manuscript to work with—again, assuming John is its author to begin with.

As you read or reread the book of Revelation, I hope you’ll keep all of that in mind, and consider a couple of other theories as well:

Many biblical scholars consider it to be a fiery political essay—understandable considering John’s circumstances and his temperament.

Others theorize that it was a series of tortured dreams committed to paper.

“The beast” referred to so often throughout the book of Revelation, and associated with the number 666 that has come to symbolize evil, is commonly thought to be Nero, whose name, in the Hebrew form of numerology called gematria, translated to the number 666.

The wonderful prophet and clairvoyant Edgar Cayce interpreted Revelation to have nothing to do with outward battles but instead to be an expression of the spiritual struggle between good and evil that every one of us experiences.

In the end, I think the greatest danger in examining Revelation too literally is the likelihood of missing its ultimate message: that no matter how vicious and powerful the “beast” or how deadly the battle, in the end the victory, glory, and joy belong to God.

And I heard a great voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling of God is with men. He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God himself will be with them; he will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain and more, for the former things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:3-4)