Montfortt
February 23rd 2005, 04:36 PM
Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.
I normally don't study with the King James Version but this verse is so wonderfully expanded in this version.Other versions translate it hiding the "inhabitants of the sea" because it is a written warning of WOE to inhabitants who must be human(God does not warn fish by his written word) Yet how can men live under water?
The answer is no one who can read scripture ever has or ever will spend their lives under water.
But this scripture is also written to those who dwell in heaven.They are told to rejoice.Yet who are the inhabitants of heaven?
Well the obvious answer would be the angels,the heavenly hosts and those who have left their earthly tents to be with the Lord.
Yet the answer is not that simple.When we as Christians have the life of Christ abiding in us we become citizens of heaven also.The Bible tells us we are to live in this land only as aliens and strangers.
That explains why this word is written to the citizens of heaven.If it were only to those who inhabit the throne of God I am sure that God would transmit this wonderful message by other means.
Okay but who are the inhabitants of the sea?
Revelation 17:15 (http://www.biblegateway.net/cgi-bin/bible?language=english&version=NIV&x=0&y=0&passage=Revelation+17%3A15) (In Part) The waters you saw where the prostitute sits are, are peoples, mulitudes, nations and languages.
Okay now we know that the inhabitants of the sea are a whole bunch of unsaved people. We know that because Revelation speaks woe to them when satan our enemy is cast down.Also this prostitute is sitting on them that cannot be a positive statement.
Yet since we have answered that question it brings up another.Who the hect are the inhabitants of the earth??
Without getting bogged down with a whole bunch of theory I think it can be answered with a story everybody knows.When Jesus was crucified there were 3 groups of people who played roles at his trial and his hearing before the governor.
GROUP 1.(Inhabiters of the Earth) The Pharisee's,Scribes the Priests,Judas and the Jews screaming for the death of Christ.
GROUP 2.(Those that dwell in the Heavens) Jesus,the Marys(all of them),The faithful disciples and Jews.
GROUP 3.(Inhabiters of the Sea) Pontius Pilate and the Roman soldiers.
This becomes an important point because we see that the peoples of this planet in God's eyes are all the same flesh yet divided into 3 parts.As a matter of fact this is supported by so much of creation and God himself since God is 3 yet one.
As has been accepted by everyone from Watchman Nee to Adrian Rogers, Man is also one yet 3 parts Body(Flesh),Soul(Mind) and Spirit (alive at rebirth).
To expand this point the earth itself is also in 3 parts Atmosphere (Heavens),Sea and the Earth. We see that shown clearly at the time of creation in Genesis.As well our universe is also Time,Space and Matter.
THE POINT IN ALL THIS
When we start studying this point it can make our little heads spin at how wonderous the word of God is.Some points to ponder are.
Saul= Citizen of the Earth
David= Citizen of Heaven
The Philistines= Citizens of the Sea
Notice how David's greatest trials came at the hands of Saul.As a matter of fact David actually found refuge dwelling amongst the Philitines.
Notice how Pilate tried to find a way to release Christ. He had other worries he really did not want to crucify Christ he was probably a little scared of him.
As Christians for the most part we can expect our greatest trials to come at the hands of citizens of the earth.The problem with this is that these people are in our churches.I am not one to judge but probably in some churches citizens of the earth make up the majority.
Yet we should take a Christlike additude when dealing with them.
David only fled Saul when Saul tried to kill him.
Even then he did not run alone he took a flock with him.
Some other points to ponder
1.We are told to be fishers of men.This tells us we should be preaching to the citizens of the sea.Leave the earthly ones to Christ.
2.In Daniel and Revelation some beasts come from the sea yet in Revelation one beast comes from the earth.This earthly beast is the greatest threat to God's people.
3.When we see the star falling called wormwood from heaven and poisioning the waters this is a scary thought because stars represent citizens of Heaven.
4.This brings new depth Christ's words about the end times being like the days of Noah.
I am sure that others can expand these points.
Wade Nye
I normally don't study with the King James Version but this verse is so wonderfully expanded in this version.Other versions translate it hiding the "inhabitants of the sea" because it is a written warning of WOE to inhabitants who must be human(God does not warn fish by his written word) Yet how can men live under water?
The answer is no one who can read scripture ever has or ever will spend their lives under water.
But this scripture is also written to those who dwell in heaven.They are told to rejoice.Yet who are the inhabitants of heaven?
Well the obvious answer would be the angels,the heavenly hosts and those who have left their earthly tents to be with the Lord.
Yet the answer is not that simple.When we as Christians have the life of Christ abiding in us we become citizens of heaven also.The Bible tells us we are to live in this land only as aliens and strangers.
That explains why this word is written to the citizens of heaven.If it were only to those who inhabit the throne of God I am sure that God would transmit this wonderful message by other means.
Okay but who are the inhabitants of the sea?
Revelation 17:15 (http://www.biblegateway.net/cgi-bin/bible?language=english&version=NIV&x=0&y=0&passage=Revelation+17%3A15) (In Part) The waters you saw where the prostitute sits are, are peoples, mulitudes, nations and languages.
Okay now we know that the inhabitants of the sea are a whole bunch of unsaved people. We know that because Revelation speaks woe to them when satan our enemy is cast down.Also this prostitute is sitting on them that cannot be a positive statement.
Yet since we have answered that question it brings up another.Who the hect are the inhabitants of the earth??
Without getting bogged down with a whole bunch of theory I think it can be answered with a story everybody knows.When Jesus was crucified there were 3 groups of people who played roles at his trial and his hearing before the governor.
GROUP 1.(Inhabiters of the Earth) The Pharisee's,Scribes the Priests,Judas and the Jews screaming for the death of Christ.
GROUP 2.(Those that dwell in the Heavens) Jesus,the Marys(all of them),The faithful disciples and Jews.
GROUP 3.(Inhabiters of the Sea) Pontius Pilate and the Roman soldiers.
This becomes an important point because we see that the peoples of this planet in God's eyes are all the same flesh yet divided into 3 parts.As a matter of fact this is supported by so much of creation and God himself since God is 3 yet one.
As has been accepted by everyone from Watchman Nee to Adrian Rogers, Man is also one yet 3 parts Body(Flesh),Soul(Mind) and Spirit (alive at rebirth).
To expand this point the earth itself is also in 3 parts Atmosphere (Heavens),Sea and the Earth. We see that shown clearly at the time of creation in Genesis.As well our universe is also Time,Space and Matter.
THE POINT IN ALL THIS
When we start studying this point it can make our little heads spin at how wonderous the word of God is.Some points to ponder are.
Saul= Citizen of the Earth
David= Citizen of Heaven
The Philistines= Citizens of the Sea
Notice how David's greatest trials came at the hands of Saul.As a matter of fact David actually found refuge dwelling amongst the Philitines.
Notice how Pilate tried to find a way to release Christ. He had other worries he really did not want to crucify Christ he was probably a little scared of him.
As Christians for the most part we can expect our greatest trials to come at the hands of citizens of the earth.The problem with this is that these people are in our churches.I am not one to judge but probably in some churches citizens of the earth make up the majority.
Yet we should take a Christlike additude when dealing with them.
David only fled Saul when Saul tried to kill him.
Even then he did not run alone he took a flock with him.
Some other points to ponder
1.We are told to be fishers of men.This tells us we should be preaching to the citizens of the sea.Leave the earthly ones to Christ.
2.In Daniel and Revelation some beasts come from the sea yet in Revelation one beast comes from the earth.This earthly beast is the greatest threat to God's people.
3.When we see the star falling called wormwood from heaven and poisioning the waters this is a scary thought because stars represent citizens of Heaven.
4.This brings new depth Christ's words about the end times being like the days of Noah.
I am sure that others can expand these points.
Wade Nye