I have been reading the first party of Ray's lake of fire series, and copied it to Word to go through it at my leisure so I can absorb the truths I find there - but one thing bothers me and it is getting in the way of my concentration. It could be that Ray answers this issue elsewhere. if so, my apologies for an unnecessary post.
I get the strong impression from Revelation 19:17 on that the scene is being set for Armageddon and that the location is earth, and that this is where the beast and the false prophet are thrown into a lake of fire (v20). How does this fit in with Ray's teaching I wonder?
Hi Pawz,
There certainly is a lot to study, absorb and meditate on, what can really inhibit us on our quest for spiritual wisdom is impatience, this can and will turn into frustration if left unchecked. By that I mean to attempt under our own power to understand everything now, that is not the way God works, in His plan and purpose for us is to develop a spiritual patience that is but another step in our spiritual growth.
I have seen many come through the Forum who after a quick review of the articles on Bible Truths come here with question after question that really are answered quite thoroughly in the articles, sometimes a member can rephrase or underline a point made but the scriptural meat is bountiful in these papers and they must be studied independently with our bibles at hand, we cannot gain wisdom by attempting to do it with the "Readers Digest" versions.
One thing (of many) that used to bother me about the (traditional) teachings on "the beast," "antichrist," and "end times" scenarios is the fact that all the time between Christ's ministry and resurrection seemed to be a vast wasteland, the only people that seemed to count whether it be for good or bad either lived in the time of Jesus or at the time of His return, "the last days." I had a difficult time with this and all the "Christian" books on the subject muddied the already murky water of my understanding.
The following helped me immensely.
This is a very small portion of "The Beast Within" http://bible-truths.com/lake14.htmlEveryone in religious circles is looking for the beast, OUT THERE somewhere. If we are to find the beast OUT THERE, we might question whether he was ever IN HERE? That there "is, was, and will be" a beast OUT THERE, I have no doubt. But of what great concern is that to us?
The only beast we need to concern ourselves with is the beast "within," "the man of sin." Just as the many-member beast comes "up out of the sea" [of humanity], we too came up out of the sea of humanity.
Ten times in Revelation, Jesus Christ is spoken of as "The First and the Last," The Beginning and the Ending," the "One Who IS, WAS, and WILL BE." Do we think that the Scriptures speak these ten times in vain? Is the beast of Revelation something with which only the last generation at the end of this age needs concern itself? Was the book of Revelation written for the last generation only? Of course not. The book of Revelation, which is the testimony of Jesus Christ was given to the Seven Churches of Asia—Asia representing the whole world and seven representing the complete and total church.
Some will retort: "Beast? What beast? I don’t see any beast within myself. I am not perfect by any means, but I am certainly not a beast." We shall see.
Please read this article after reading Part 13 (WHO IS THE BEAST?) http://bible-truths.com/lake13.htmlI can only say it really opened my eyes, this had bothered me from the time I was about 17 until I read it and reread these articles at age 51, 2 1/2 years ago. You are correct in saying this battle rages on earth (as well as heavenly places), in every believer's life in every generation at some point, that will hold true in this age or the one to come as we know all creation is to become not only believers but worshippers, Sons and Daughters of the Living God!
His Peace and Wisdom to you,
Joe