Aries in Latin means “the lamb.” John the Baptizer depicts Jesus as the redeemer, the sacrificial lamb saying: “Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.” John 1:29
The fishes was a symbol for Jesus’ life. He fed the multitude with two fishes. And fishes multiply, perhaps?.
That’s odd, because the Holy Spirit says we don’t wrestle against flesh and blood.
Ephesians 6:12 KJV — For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
And Jesus had disputes with the devil.
Matt. 4:1 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.
2And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.
3And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.
4¶But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
5¶Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,
6And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
7¶Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
8¶Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;
9And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
10¶Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
11¶Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.
No coincidences of the ages and symbolism/religion associated with them. Before the Age of Aries was the Age of Taurus when bull god worship was popular.
Classical church membership may continue to bleed, but spiritualism as a whole is sharply on the rise.
Yes. All the wickedness of men and women. I can’t think of one thing that is credited to a so-called Devil that is even a small fraction as bad as what some of the men in history were and are guilty of.
Yes. Jesus was tempted “on all points like we are.” We are drawn away of our own lusts. I don’t think the Apostle James lied when he said: " But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust."
Eve was drawn away of her own lusts. Why was she hanging around the tree lusting for it in the first place. She was told not to eat the fruit.
If we could blame everything on a supernatural boogeyman, does that mean we are blameless? If not, what percent would we be responsible for?
Can you think then, in the last approximately 2000 years since Jesus’s time here on earth where for 1,000 years…evil…whether in mankind or Satan…was bound and we had the peace on earth insinuated in this passage? I can’t…so I must conclude it hasn’t come yet.
One of the best commentaries I have read on the Book of Revelation was by William Barclay. It has been awhile since I have read it, so I may not recall everything correctly, but here goes.
Revelation is Apocalyptic literature, heavily based on images throughout the Old Testament and Jewish traditions/commentaries. Start with the six days of creation and add to it that to God a day is a thousand years…
One hundred years before Christ Jewish sages came to the conclusion (based on history) that mankind is too corrupt to rule over the earth. When the Messiah came, (Day 6/6000) there would be a thousand years of physical blessings. One grape would produce an amazing amount of wine; one grain of wheat an amazing amount of flour/bread. However not even the Jewish Messiah-King’s rule could last forever, mankind is too corrupt. For an uncorrupt rule on earth, God Himself would have to come down and rule (Day 7/7000).
Today’s year in Hebrew–5783.
As it can be seen–all quite symbolic which is why in many early Christian communities the millennium was not considered a part of Christianity. The argument Christians presented is that the one thousand years of prosperity had so much emphasis on bodily pleasures (food and drink). Many Christian leaders insisted that this was meant to be taken as spiritual prosperity, not earthly/physical prosperity.
Then there is the problem that when John wrote Revelation, the Jewish calendar year was only in the three thousands. John believed Christ is the Messiah, so there is that complication as well which is why so many early Christian communities rejected the idea of a literal millennium. They viewed John’s book for what it is–Apocalyptic literature, using symbolism and traditions of that time in making its points by using well-known Old Testament Jewish stories and traditions, and perhaps moving Christians on from them?
Revelation reminds Christians of all times that God is in our midst and will ever bring good out of all evil that befalls His people. Meanwhile, as Christ foretold, No one knows the day or the hour.
Evil will exist as long as humans exist on earth.
Jesus was the “firstborn from the dead.” Before Jesus, the dead were dead. With his resurrection, Jesus gave us the victory over death and the grave - hell. Death and the grave was our enemy. Jesus told Martha that those who believe in Him would “never die.” Our soul lives on.
Matthew 27:52 “the tombs also were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, 53 and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many.”
The last enemy Jesus destroyed was death. The meaning of the word grave also means hell.
Jesus gives us peace. . . . .
John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you.”
I don’t think that could be called world peace.
Where do you find where Jesus will bring world peace? For 1000 years?
Jesus has been reigning on God’s throne with God for 2000 years. The passage says “the saints will reign with Him.” Not that He will reign for 1000 years, . . . He has been reigning for 2000 years.
That goes along with the passage that tells us that we are heirs of God - Joint Heirs with Christ.
Romans 8;16 “. . . . .it is the Spirit himself bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.”
Thank you Meri for sharing the wise words. It’s been too long since we’ve spoke. I swear…things appear to be getting literally…crazier and it makes me ponder this subject?
Thank you @Piper. You’re well versed and my compliments. My thought is that in this matter, the following verse would apply? Maybe I’m wrong? I do not consider myself an authority in any way.
35 Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done? 36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my [a]servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.
So I’m wondering about all of the events happening all around the world and saying…hmmmmm…
Before we move along too far, I need to slip this passage in here.
The passage you quoted about Jesus takes us back to the sin and the Garden of Eden, IMO.
The first man Adam, the earthy one - from the earth, was tempted and he disobeyed God’s law and ate of the forbidden tree. Adam was not even allowed to touch it, much less eat the fruit.
Here, the second man Adam, - Jesus, did not sin when he was tempted.
Romans 5:12 “Therefore, just as through ONE MAN, sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned.”
I have to believe Scripture that says it was through “ONE MAN” that sin entered the world.
Not Eve.
Not Satan.
Only ONE MAN - Adam.
Another passage from Scripture is Matthew 16:23 - “But He (Jesus) turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me Satan! you are a stumbling block to me; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests but man’s.””
The apostle Peter was Satan - - same definition of Satan is adversary.
Who was Eve’s adversary?
The only man in the garden ----her husband - Adam himself.
It was by “ONE MAN”, not a fallen angel that enticed Eve.
Thoughts?
What I remember (and read about) is that the world has been through very crazy times before, and has pulled through without it being followed by the end of the world. Living in crazy times hasn’t equated to living in end times ever before. Revelation with all its symbolism relating to Old Testament times, is a grand reminder of this–that God will prevail–and that these crazy times will move us forward yet once again where people will seriously strive to, again, do God’s will on earth as it is done in heaven. Even through crazy times, there are enough of us to lay that foundation for the future.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ now that…is a positive, mental attitude ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 
Thanks Smyrna.
Peter says it’s “the eternal kingdom.” 1 Peter 1:11 " . . . . so there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."
Paul writing to the faithful in Christ at Colos’sae:
Col 1:12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. 13 He has delivered us from the dominion of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. 15 He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation; 16 for in him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or authorities–all things were created through him and for him."
Paul said believers in Jesus were in the eternal kingdom and since there is only one, and it is eternal, and God puts believers in it, it has to be the right one. We don’t have to worry about it.
Let’s get on out there a tad. If…we are now in the end times, the man of lawlessness will be revealed. Does this resemble anybody alive today IYO? I don’t know of anyone with “supernatural powers” so the answer must mean no but look at the other characteristics. Does it resemble anybody?
The following are further characteristics of the Man of Lawlessness:
He refuses to subject himself to any laws or authorities — he is the epitome of lawlessness, as his title suggests.
As a consequence of being above the law, he declares himself to be God and sits in His most Holy Place (2 Thessalonians 2:4; 1 John 4:3).
He is not Satan; however, he will be commandeered by the devil and will represent him physically on earth as the world’s final Antichrist (2 Thessalonians 2:9; 1 John 2:18).
He will rise to great prominence and will lure many away from God to their spiritual demise.
He will make a covenant with mankind during the first half of the seven-yearTribulation period, then break it (Daniel 9:27).
Although he is a man, he will possess supernatural powers and will be able to deceive people with fake signs and wonders (2 Thessalonians 2:9).
He is known as the Son of Perdition, meaning that he evokes wickedness and destruction in others and is himself doomed to be destroyed by God (2 Thessalonians 2:3,8).
If someone had them, would you even know?
Maybe not…if that was the individual’s wish? When I look at the other areas in the description, it resembles George Soros…which is my point.
Things that make you say…hmmmmmmmm.
Soros spent millions and millions getting City Prosecutors around the country elected that are turning criminals loose and enhancing lawlessness. So is he “the man of lawlessness”? Now…is the turning over of this lawless insanity to his son now evolving into the next stage of the end times…“the son of Perdition”?
Here’s a message warning what lies ahead from just over 50 years ago…if “we the people” continue down this path. Now ask yourself, are “we” there?
[2Th 2:1-17 RSV] 1 “Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our assembling to meet him, we beg you, brethren, 2 not to be quickly shaken in mind or excited, either by spirit or by word, or by letter purporting to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. 3 Let no one deceive you in any way; for that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of perdition, 4 who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. 5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you this? 6 And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, and the Lord Jesus will slay him with the breath of his mouth and destroy him by his appearing and his coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one by the activity of Satan will be with all power and with pretended signs and wonders, 10 and with all wicked deception for those who are to perish, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 Therefore God sends upon them a strong delusion, to make them believe what is false, 12 so that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. 13 But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God chose you from the beginning to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. 14 To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15 So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by letter. 16 Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, 17 comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.”
1Th 1:1 - “Paul, Silva’nus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalo’nians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace.”
The letters were addressed to the Thessalonian Saints.
As long as the Apostles were physically alive on earth they had the “gifts of the Holy Spirit.” – Supernatural gifts. The lawless - the evil people had evil powers at that time, but they did not have the Gifts from above. Paul calls it: “pretended signs and wonders.”
Scripture is good for us to read, but it was addressed to those saints in the first century.
The special gifts ceased with the deaths of the Apostles. The powerful working of the lawless people ceased at the same time, in the first century the same time that son of perdition and his lawless followers were defeated.
It is good for us to read and learn our history, how our country was formed; the sacrifice and the blood that was shed for us to live in freedom.
By the same token, it is good to read about Christ Jesus, the apostles and the early saints who sacrificed so that we could be free and be called children of God.
A quick note about this passage.
The day of the Lord has come.
This is the year of Our Lord 2023. This is the Day of Our Lord. July 4th. Celebrate with gladness.
