Written in code, Revelation 13:10

It would seem that most of Revelation is written in code.

An example would be beasts with multiple heads, all of which represent empires, kingdoms, and rulers, but you are not given the rules to break the code directly.

If I only looked at Revelation 13:10, in the KJV, it would come across as a riddle and take a very different meaning from many other translations. The question is, which one is right?

He that leads into captivity shall go into captivity: he that kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.
(Revelation 13:10 KJV)

A, not so common, alternative is the Moffatt translation.

Revelation 13:10 Moffatt NT 10) Whoever is destined for captivity, to captivity he goes: whoever kills with the sword, by the sword must he be killed. This is what shows the patience and the faith of the saints.

One might assume that the one leading others into captivity would be the antichrist, and since Islam is the primary proponent of beheading by sword, this would fit the mold of the false prophet quite nicely.

In this modern world, where technological advancements are rapidly changing and improving the way we kill people, why the sword?

The sword within Islam almost takes on a religious theme and may well fall under that category.

We already have a large collection of FEMA detainment camps, sometimes referred to as protective facilities, here in the United States.

Who is being protected?

They might want you to think that they are protecting the Christians from those who wish to remove our rights and freedoms. Don't be deceived. You can't really believe that Christ followers will be treated respectfully while detained there.

Other versions of this passage read like this:

“Whoever is to be a prisoner, will be a prisoner. Whoever is to be killed with a sword, will be killed with a sword. This means that God's holy people must have patience and faith.” (Revelation 13:10 ERV)

The Easy to Read version takes an entirely different approach from King James. It shifts the focus from the perpetrator to the victim, as though they had done something wrong. In theory, this may be one way God has chosen for us to understand what will befall those who remain after the church is gone.

Penn Jillette of the magical act, Penn and Teller, has been very vocal about being an agnostic and his disappointment in Christians not taking the responsibility to tell someone like him if something akin to a devastating train wreck is about to befall him. At least then, he could logically decide how to react to that information.

What I am doing could equate to something like that. Having seen in scripture what is coming for those who wait, I warn you: this world after the rapture will not be pretty.

Sure, the man who shows up will be handsome (maybe), well-spoken, charismatic, and have all the right things to say, calming most people down. Following him will be a tragic and last error in judgment, for worshiping that man and taking any marks he demands will end your chances for God's redemption.

It is clear to me that there will still be a chance for some, kind of like playing a card trick, only God owns the deck of cards, and Mr. Penn Jillette will not be able to figure out what he is doing should he end up before the white throne of judgment.

Translating Revelation 13:10 from the victim’s point of view enlightens and possibly misdirects the world from looking at reality.

Let’s look at the words being used because I want to understand.

“He thatG1536 leadeth intoG4863 captivityG161 shall goG5217 intoG1519 captivity:G161 he thatG1536 killethG615 withG1722 the swordG3162 mustG1163 be(G846) killedG615 withG1722 the sword.G3162 HereG5602 isG2076 theG3588 patienceG5281 andG2532 theG3588 faithG4102 of theG3588 saints.G40”
(Revelation 13:10 KJV+)

It’s nothing short of confusing when you look at it like this.

These Bibles we use were initially written in a lost form of Greek, then Hebrew, and finally transliterated into the English of King James under the guidance of the Catholic Church—the state Church. Guys like me are seemingly at the mercy of those who study ancient languages, and therefore, it is beneficial to compare texts because, for the most part, there is a common thread between the two translations.

Here is the perseverance and the faith of the saints.

If the focus is on the perpetrator, then it seems God is spelling out the type of retribution they shall receive.

Why would it be necessary for the Saints to have perseverance and faith?

This statement makes perfect sense if the focus is on the victims.

What does it mean to have perseverance and faith?

Perseverance, according to the Greek, means to be steadfast, constant, and to endure. But what are you enduring? And for what purpose?

The ISBE and Vine’s expository call it a different Greek word. The ISBE says it occurs only once in the NT, in Ephesians 6:18.

“Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;”
(Ephesians 6:18 KJV)

The KJV states it this way: Here is the patience and the faith of the saints. I suppose it is safe to say that the words endurance and patience lean in the same direction.

Strong's tells us that the word patience is: Hupomonē - From G5278; cheerful (or hopeful) endurance, constancy:- enduring, patience, patient continuance (waiting).

So then, what are the Saints, going through the tribulation, waiting for?

God will rescue them and also give them a home in his arms.

If I could warn you of impending death or imprisonment with torture, then adding a statement that allows you to mentally prepare might be a good thing. I am certain that a statement like this does that very thing for some.

As I sat down to dinner one night at Chick-fil-A, a business known for its Christian stance, a man walked up to the counter wearing a T-shirt that expressed some aspect of how he felt. It said some name and the words, “standing at hell's gates.” It would seem to me that he has no hope of a future with God.

Focusing on verse 10 alone, I believe that for some there will be a separation from the body only to find themselves in the presence of the Lord, while others may find themselves faced with hell's gates and the sudden realization that this is not really where they wanted to be.

I am almost embarrassed to tell you this because it is the environment I grew up in, but the religious assumptions I heard left me with the idea that there was no hope for anyone after the rapture.

Clearly, that is not the case. Why?

1. ) The verse we have dealt with speaks to the Saints and implies the necessity of faith and patience.

   In writing to the church body in Ephesus and referring to them as Saints, Paul is writing to Christians. The reference to saints in the Revelation are those who were not part of the church body, did not go up in the rapture, and have been martyred during the time of God's wrath.

2. ) Peter stood on the day of Pentecost, as recorded in Acts chapter 2, and told those scoffers that what they were hearing was the prophecy of Joel chapter 2 being fulfilled in their hearing.

   Do you realize that Joel's prophecy is about the last days? The fact that Peter announced that the prophecy was fulfilled on that day establishes a freedom to act a certain way from that point on.

   In our Christian circles, we love to use the prophecy of Joel to describe something out of the ordinary that typically happens to the youth in the realm of the prophetic, primarily with our pre-rapture church body. (Note: You will not see anything like this at my church; It is not allowed. - A warning: God will tear the walls off your church building if you try to keep him out.)

   While Peter's statements give us the precedent to use it, it is primarily directed to a handful, maybe larger, of Saints who not merely surviving the horrors of the great tribulation but living in extraordinary victory during this time. They will come to understand that they are not of this world. Filled with the Holy Spirit, they walk in the freedom and power of the most feared prophets who walked this earth. (Consider. If you came to a person like this, humbly seeking to know and understand the God they have come to know and understand, how do you think they would respond? They respond with the loving, merciful nature of the God who empowers them.

   Take the time to read Joel’s first two chapters. You will find that the emphasis is on the Day of the Lord, a day of darkness and gloom, and that aspect alone is at the end of the seven years.

One of the New Testament’s main themes is our hope for a future with Jesus Christ and the Father That is what these Saints of the tribulation years have come to understand and hope in, too.

A hope like this is built within you, but what is it based upon?

The scriptures are a witness, a testimony, and a faith in a message.

Nothing has changed, for the scriptures tell us that faith comes by hearing, but if this time frame puts these people in the time of wrath, then we might logically assume that no one is left to tell them.

Think about it. Why send two witnesses to Earth?

These two witnesses will impact Israel, and their actions will be broadcast on global television. The entire world will see what men of God really act like and say.

We also know that an angel flies around the globe preaching the good news of Jesus Christ. And then there are not only copies of the bible left everywhere, but guys like me that post it on the Internet.

I am asking you to look into the scriptures for yourself. Yes, it is appropriate to compare your notes against what scholars have ascertained; doing that has multiple effects:

1. ) It gives you a compass that tells you that you might be headed in the right direction and

2. ) It allows you to confirm that your thoughts are sound (keep in mind that if you are Born Again and filled with the Holy Spirit, then you have a guide and teacher—trust him).

   But remember, even scholars will spin the result to satisfy those who are paying their bills. No one is paying my bills, and that is why I am attempting to rock the boat a little.

The only way to gain assurance that your hope is in heaven is to accept Jesus as Lord of your life, and that the Father has promised a life with him in heaven. Choosing against that pits you against the time of judgment that was meant for those who reject him; that includes Israel. Even Israel will be shown mercy, but not without a cost. You do not have to go through something not meant for you. To go there is purely your choice. Choose wisely was the phrase used in the Raiders of the Lost Ark movie. I would hope that you do.