536 A.D.

[Ian Liddle]

I was studying the first half of the Book of Revelation, knowing that most Christians take the prophecies in chapters 6 to 9 to refer to the End of the Age.  It seems to me that the Book of Revelation is much more chronologically ordered than many people might think.  Chapter 11 starts in 688 A.D., as we know, with the Abomination of Desolation (Dome of the Rock) constructed in the outer courtyard of the former temple of Solomon, which area was given to the Gentiles (Muslims) for forty-two months (i.e. until 1967, using the principle of "days" = years).  It seems to me that the content of the earlier chapters (including chapters 6 to 9) refers to things that happened prior to 688 A.D.  The events prophesied in chapters 6 to 9, thinking particularly of the cosmic disturbances (in Revelation 6:12-16) and the disasters associated with the first five trumpets (Revelation 8:7 to 9:12) up to the end of the "first woe", all seemed to me to be fairly contemporaneous.  The associated timescale is quoted as "five months" in Revelation 9:5.  Since "five months" would be 152 days (using the Julian calendar), this timespan would represent 152 years.  If the 152 years end in 688 A.D., which is where we have reached by the beginning of chapter 11, then the 152 years must start in 536 A.D.  The date of 536 A.D. meant nothing to me, so I did a "Google" search for 536 A.D., and others may wish to try this.  It seems that 536 A.D. was an exceptionally calamitous time for those on planet Earth.  There are historical records that speak of eighteen months of darkness, famine, disease and death.  In other words, the catastrophic events of Revelation 6:12-16 and Revelation 8:7 to 9:12 really happened in 536 A.D.  An article in 'New Scientist' attributed these catastrophic events to multiple comet impacts and a resulting 'dust cloud' that filled the atmosphere.  I invite others to check this.  Revelation 9:13-19 then describes the rise of Islam after the effects of the catastrophe of 536 A.D. were beginning to wear off.  The catastrophe of 536 A.D., in which (according to John) one third of everything was afflicted, gives us some insight regarding what will happen at the very end of the Age when everything will be afflicted - see the 'Bowl Judgments' of Revelation 16.  Whether the events of Revelation 16 will be caused by an even greater cometary impact is a matter of speculation, but I am watching!  Does anyone else have similar thoughts on Revelation chapters 6 to 9?

[PeteWaldo]

Hi Ian, and welcome to the forum!

I was studying the first half of the Book of Revelation, knowing that most Christians take the prophecies in chapters 6 to 9 to refer to the End of the Age.  It seems to me that the Book of Revelation is much more chronologically ordered than many people might think.

Please note this page on bifids and chiasms. It's a bit technical but worth the read. It inspired Ellis Skolfield's first book "Daniel is Out of Order".
He had been puzzling about how Daniel was out of chronological order, and one day (35 years or so ago) he was browsing a Christian book store and picked up an almanac of the Bible (or something like that) and it opened itself to a discussion on bifids and chiasms, which opened his eyes as to why Daniel (and Revelation and other passages) is out of order.
http://www.beholdthebeast.com/bifids_chiasms.htm

Chapter 11 starts in 688 A.D., as we know, with the Abomination of Desolation (Dome of the Rock) constructed in the outer courtyard of the former temple of Solomon, which area was given to the Gentiles (Muslims) for forty-two months (i.e. until 1967, using the principle of "days" = years).  It seems to me that the content of the earlier chapters (including chapters 6 to 9) refers to things that happened prior to 688 A.D.  The events prophesied in chapters 6 to 9, thinking particularly of the cosmic disturbances (in Revelation 6:12-16) and the disasters associated with the first five trumpets (Revelation 8:7 to 9:12) up to the end of the "first woe", all seemed to me to be fairly contemporaneous.  The associated timescale is quoted as "five months" in Revelation 9:5.  Since "five months" would be 152 days (using the Julian calendar), this timespan would represent 152 years.

Same time span as the length of the Islamic First Jihad.
http://www.falseprophetmuhammad.com/jihad_islamic_terrorism.htm#islamic_first_jihad
This was recognized by reformers such as:
http://www.christianeschatology.com/historicism.htm

Of Revelation chapter 9:  John Foxe who authored Foxe’s Book of Martyrs wrote that it is “clearer than light itself” as being a prophecy of the Muslim conquests.

Albert Barnes: “With surprising unanimity, commentators have agreed in regarding this to the empire of the Saracens (Muslims), or to the rise and the progress of the religion and the empire set up by Muhammed.”

W.B. Godbey: “This chapter is a thrilling description of the rise and progress of the Mohammedan wars.”

Of the locusts of Revelation 9:  Adam Clarke: “certainly agrees better with the Saracens than with any other people or nation” and “agrees very well with the troops of Mohammed.”

Matthew Henry: “the armies of the Mohamedan empire.”

John Wesley: “All this agrees with the slaughter which the Saracens made for a long time after Mahomet’s death.”
http://www.islamchristianforum.com/index.php?topic=1289.0

If the 152 years end in 688 A.D., which is where we have reached by the beginning of chapter 11, then the 152 years must start in 536 A.D.  The date of 536 A.D. meant nothing to me, so I did a "Google" search for 536 A.D., and others may wish to try this.  It seems that 536 A.D. was an exceptionally calamitous time for those on planet Earth.  There are historical records that speak of eighteen months of darkness, famine, disease and death.  In other words, the catastrophic events of Revelation 6:12-16 and Revelation 8:7 to 9:12 really happened in 536 A.D.  An article in 'New Scientist' attributed these catastrophic events to multiple comet impacts and a resulting 'dust cloud' that filled the atmosphere.  I invite others to check this.  Revelation 9:13-19 then describes the rise of Islam after the effects of the catastrophe of 536 A.D. were beginning to wear off.  The catastrophe of 536 A.D., in which (according to John) one third of everything was afflicted, gives us some insight regarding what will happen at the very end of the Age when everything will be afflicted - see the 'Bowl Judgments' of Revelation 16.  Whether the events of Revelation 16 will be caused by an even greater cometary impact is a matter of speculation, but I am watching!  Does anyone else have similar thoughts on Revelation chapters 6 to 9?

Here's a video on it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1Nhx-bf44Q

Again, welcome to the forum!

[Ian Liddle]

Thanks for your welcome Pete, and for your useful comments and links.  I was aware that some of the parables of Jesus were chiastic, but I had not linked that structure to Daniel and Revelation.

[PeteWaldo]

Thanks for your welcome Pete, and for your useful comments and links.  I was aware that some of the parables of Jesus were chiastic, but I had not linked that structure to Daniel and Revelation.

Ellis had included it in an earlier work "Hidden Beast", but decided it too technical for most, so he left it out of later books so he wouldn't loose his audience.
I'm not convinced it was necessarily a good idea, to make each book after, shorter.

[YHWHisLove]

Thanks Peter for all the links you provided in this thread. I read Bifids and Chiasms online recently and found a link to here.

Ian, I have found the study guide for Revelation to be very interesting from what I have read so far. Perhaps Peter can link to where it is on here. The Holy Spirit has repeatedly told me that many expect things differently abothis at is yet to come based on mans misinterpretation of His Word. so I continue in my search for YHWHs truth.

[PeteWaldo]

Thanks Peter for all the links you provided in this thread. I read Bifids and Chiasms online recently and found a link to here.

Ian, I have found the study guide for Revelation to be very interesting from what I have read so far. Perhaps Peter can link to where it is on here. The Holy Spirit has repeatedly told me that many expect things differently abothis at is yet to come based on mans misinterpretation of His Word. so I continue in my search for YHWHs truth.

Hi HisLove and welcome to the forum!

And Ian, in case you don't know about the study guide you can find links to it on this forum thread:
http://www.islamchristianforum.com/index.php?topic=2655.0