Question: According to Mark 9:1 Jesus said: "Verily I say unto you, that there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the kingdom of God come with power." For 2000 years Christians have been saying that the end is near. Why should it happen now? (Other verses also mentioned)

Answer:

Christians in the year 2001 can know why the prophecy of Revelation opens with the words: "The Revelation of Jesus Christ". It is to reveal that the words spoken by Jesus Christ while he was on earth were for the salvation of those living at the time, but also for those who after the Resurrection would hear the words through Scripture. Most importantly for us today, the words spoken by Jesus Christ, reveal the meaning of Revelation.

God made provision for "the little season" beyond 1996, the last time measurement. In the final time measurement of Revelation, that is the one in which the last days play out before the Second Coming, mankind will know that the Trinity directed the course and controlled the pace of Christianity on earth. In this final time measurement, the total onslaught of the deception caused to mankind through the ‘dragon’ and the ‘beast’ is taking place.

Through the revealing of the meaning of the prophecy of Revelation, through the words of Jesus Christ, Christians can know that Jesus Christ, even at the beginning of the first century, had insight into what was going to happen in the future. It is a final confirmation to mankind that Jesus Christ truly is the "Lion of the tribe of Judah" and "Root of David", the Messiah, the Son of God, the Father.

The understanding of Revelation has given greater insight as to why Jesus Christ and the disciples spoke of the coming of the kingdom of heaven and of a "short " time before the end.

Mark 9:1
For 2000 years Christians have understood the meaning of the words of Mark 9:1 through reading it in combination with Matthew 27:52-53, The Acts 10:40-41 and Romans 1:3-4.

Matthew 27:52 – 53
"And the graves were opened; and many of the bodies of the saints which slept arose, And came out of their graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many."

The Acts 10:40-41
"Him God raised up the third day, and showed him openly; Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead."

Romans 1:3-4
"Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; And to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.

The words of Mark 9:1
"some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the kingdom of God come with power" mean that the Apostles and some of the people there would witness the resurrection of Jesus Christ and other righteous persons. "Power" refers to the power of God through Jesus Christ that is able to resurrect persons from the dead to establish the "kingdom of God".

Revelation reveals that these words are also for the year 2001

The words of Christ in Mark 9:1 were not only for those present at the time, but for all Christians who lived in the past two thousand years.

The interpretation of Revelation reveals that the words that Christ spoke on earth also has meaning in the year 2001. Therefore he truly is the Messiah. We must now go to Revelation to see where the words "kingdom of God" and "power" are used. Note that Revelation uses these two words in the same verse.

Rev 12:10 ‘And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ, for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night."

This is one of the most difficult verses to interpret in Revelation, but once one understands it is absolutely crucial in Revelation’s time measurement.

We shall do Rev 12:10 in sections.

Section 1

"And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven"

It was established (see Q&A – VIII – the measurement of "heaven") that the time 2000 to 2004 can be the time regarded as "heaven " in Revelation. This is confirmed by the words "loud voice". The word "voice" relates to the time of the "seven thunders", that is the time that mankind will know that the "seven thunders" have to do with the opening of the book Revelation.

Rev 10:4
"And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices"

Section 2

"Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ, for the accuser of our brethren is cast down"

It is only when one realizes that "kingdom of God and the power of his Christ" refer back to Mark 9:1, that one can know that this verse relates to the time of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the time of "altar" in Revelation. Revelation indicates two times that the "dragon" is cast down to earth. The one is the year 1033 (calculated from AD1) that is a thousand years after the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and the other time 1996 or 2000 that is two thousand years after his birth.

Note the words "accuser of our brethren". Here Revelation reveals the identity of the ‘dragon’. It is the spirit of evil that is to be found in accusations that Christians make against fellow-Christians. These accusations would lead to dispute and division within the ranks of Christendom.

Section 3

"which accused them before our God day and night."

These time measurements 1033 and 1996 are confirmed by the words "day and night".

The year 1033 is the beginning of the measurement of "three nights" in Revelation.

From the time 1033 to the present day (that include the time measurements of "day" and "night" in Revelation) Christians will accuse their fellow-Christians. And the result would be division and the development of numerous Christian denominations. We just have to look at the divisions within the Christian ranks over the second millennium to understand the magnitude of the "dragon".

Revelation confirms this in Rev 12:3 "a great red dragon". The year 1996 or 2000 is the end of the "three and a half days" of the second millennium and is the beginning of the "short season"; that is the time that Satan is finally cast to earth and his influence is at its strongest. The year 2001 is also the time that the signs of the end time will begin and Christians will know that the Return is imminent. "Now is come salvation and strength".

The above verse reveals that at the time that the influence of the "beast" or Satan is at his most powerful on earth, the time of the ‘little season", the revealing of the meaning of the book Revelation will take place. The signs of the end time will reveal the end time to Christians. "Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ". Then the faithful will be saved through the power of Jesus Christ. That is the same "power" mentioned in Mark 9:1.

Revelation reveals that the words of Jesus Christ are true. Through the power of Jesus Christ, the Son (having been resurrected from the dead), Almighty God will make possible "the kingdom of God". We can therefore expect the Rapture and the resurrection of the dead in the time to come.

"Power" in relation to the beast out of the earth

[Note the use of the word "power" in Rev 13:14 and 15. Now that we know that the number 666 shows how the "great wonders" (Rev 13:13), that are the discoveries of men, would deceive the inhabitants of the earth. They would think that they are fully in control of their destiny.

Now we can know why Revelation uses the word "power" both in relation to the Resurrection and in Rev 13. Revelation reveals through the word "power" in relation to the number 666 that the discoveries of men are all part of the "power" of God. God gave man the ability to discover great scientific truths in the late 19^th and 20^th centuries.

The power of explosives was discovered in 1866 and 1932 - (1866 – "maketh fire" - Rev 13:13 - the year of the discovery of dynamite and 1932 – the discovery of nuclear fission). The discovery of rockets in 1926 (1926- the year in which the first rocket was launched - "fire come down from heaven on the earth" – Rev 13:13). The power to clone "give life" Rev 13:15 (1952-the time of the cloning of frogs) and 1998 (the cloning of Dolly the sheep).

Revelation says that these discoveries "causeth the earth and them that dwell therein to worship the first beast". When mankind saw in the 20^th century have far he could progress in scientific discovery unhindered by the laws of the Church, he believed that the separation of the Christian church and the Christian state were the best thing that happened to man. He came to "worship" the rule of the ballot (symbolized by the scale in the hand of the rider of the Apocalypse on the black horse) and the rule of men.

Revelation wishes to show how man was misled. But Revelation, through the word "power" wishes to reveal to man in his own understanding (man of the twentieth century was given some insight into the secrets of the universe, nuclear fission, cloning etc.) the power of the Resurrection. It is within the power of God to assemble the atoms that constitute "man". It is within the power of God to resurrect the dead.]

 We will now consider the verses in which it is said that the time is "short"

1 Corinthians 7:29 "But this I say brethren, the time is short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives, be as though they had none, And they that weep, as though they wept not."

In Greek "the time is short" relates to sailing and the time that is left in which the sails of a ship must be taken down before it reaches the harbour. In other words it means a length of time that is going to come to an end. We should therefore not be completely taken up in marriage or in grief. One does not look for permanent residence on a ship that is about to reach the harbour.

Paul is also saying that man’s life on earth comes to an end and he should therefore not be taken up by temporal matters and should look to the spiritual.

The word "short " appears in Revelation.

Rev 1:1 "The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass."

Rev 1:3
"for the time is at hand"

In these verses that are at the very beginning of Revelation the words "shortly" and "time is at hand" convey the same meaning. They mean, firstly that Revelation plays out within a specific time span. Secondly they relate particularly to the last time measurement of Revelation, "a short time" (Rev 12:12). The last time measurement is also the time that the influences of the dragon and the beast are at their strongest.

[In Rev 17:10 "a short space" relates to an heir to the throne that only lived for a short while. In other words people that are living in the last time measurement should know that they should not be taken up by the temporal for the time is short.]

Thirdly, "shortly" in the opening verse of Revelation, indicates that the hand of the Trinity would in certain times (soon after the prophecy of Revelation was given to John), intervene. One of the characteristics of apocalyptic literature is to show how God intervenes in man’s existence to determine the course of history.

Jude 14-5 " And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints to, to execute judgment upon all. "

The quotation is from the apocryphal book of Enoch. Enoch was a descendant of Adam in the line of Seth (1Chronicles 1-3). The book appeared in the first century BC and was a well respected writing in New Testament times. Jude uses the quotation to say that "godless men" will be judged at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Even from the time of the early descendants of Adam, a time of judgement was prophesied.

Revelation 22:6
"These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to show unto his servants the things that must shortly be done."

Here Revelation reveals that the words of the prophets that appear in Revelation must be used for the understanding of Revelation for they are true for all time. God inspired the words of the prophets. The meaning of "shortly" in Revelation 22:6 is also to indicate that the meaning of Revelation is to be found in specific measurement of time.

1 John 2:18 "Little children, it is the last time: and as thee heard that the antichrist shall come, even now there are many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time."

This verse is discussed in great detail in Q&A – IX. This verse may be linked to Revelation through the word "little". The word "little" is used in Revelation in the "little season", which is the last time measurement before Judgement. It reveals that in the last time measurement of Revelation, we will know the many antichrists. We know the antichrists, because the history of the past two millennia has revealed what "the beast out of the sea" and "the beast out of the earth", mean.

Matthew 10:23 "But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye to another: for verily I say unto you: ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of Man be come."

Revelation reveals why the above verse is of the greatest importance.

This verse comes from the section in Matthew where we are told about the sending out of the twelve apostles. From Matthew 10:16, what is said not only applies to the twelve apostles, but to all Christians that would carry the message of Christianity to the world.

This is of the greatest significance in relation to the meaning of Revelation. Where Revelation uses the number "twelve", what is said applies to the entire earth, to the entire time of the spread of Christianity to the ends of the earth.

Therefore "ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of Man be come" in Matthew 10:23 applies to the time of the Return of Jesus Christ to earth. Through Revelation we know that "city" in the end time refers to the entire earth. How true it is. It seems that even though Christians have for two thousand years preached the gospel to the cities of the world (and the cities of Israel), and been persecuted, many will still not believe. Even at the time of the Second Coming, they will still not believe that Jesus Christ is the Lion of the tribe of Judah and the Root of David, the Messiah.

Acts 2:17 " And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams.

The words that Peter uses here come from the book Joel (Joel 2:28). Peter replaces the word "afterward" as used in Joel, by the words "in the last days". This is of the greatest significance for Christians now in the year 2001, for despite the onslaught of the total beast (beast out of the sea and the beast out of the earth) in the last "little season" many will be saved by the pouring out of the Spirit. I believe that this is being done now through the revealing of the meaning of Revelation and the signs of the end, as revealed through the words of Jesus Christ. The power of the Spirit will strengthen the faith of Christians in the last time.

 Romans 13:11 "And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to wake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than we believed."

The New International Version says Romans 13:11 "And do this understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer than we first believed.

1 Peter 4:7 "But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober and watch unto prayer."

James 5:8 "Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.

Through what has been explained above in connection with the previous verses, we now know through Revelation that when Christ spoke of the last "hour" and "the last time", that he was also referring to a measurement of time before the Return.

In no way could the Apostles have understood the full implications of the words of Christ as we are privileged to know through the meaning of Revelation today. They certainly did believe that the Return could be in their lifetime. We should not however regard these references to a short time as misleading for God is righteous. Man is granted so much time to live and understand salvation in Jesus Christ. For two thousand years Christians have preached that time is of the essence and man must not become too attached to matters relating only to life on earth. Through prayer ("watch unto prayer") they would maintain a spiritual relationship with God. Through a Christian disposition in their hearts ("sober" and "stablish your hearts") they would prepare for the life to come.

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