Tag Archives: fire from heaven

THE LAND BEAST & GREAT SIGNS (2)

Revelation September 30, 2022 Comments: 5

High priestPMW 2022-074 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

This is the second in a two-part study of the heavenly fire by the beast from the earth in Revelation 13. In the previous study I showed that the beast is from the “Land,” and not just the “earth.” That is, he is the beast from Israel. I see the Land beast as picturing the high priestly aristocracy. And in the last article I noted how this fire from heaven reflected several OT episodes in which God himself lit altar fires miraculously. John’s imagery here is echoing those events. Continue reading →

THE LAND BEAST & GREAT SIGNS (1)

Revelation September 27, 2022 Comments: 3

FirePMW 2022-073 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

In Rev 13:11 we see a beast “coming up out of the earth” in order to serve the beast from the sea (which is Rome). I argue that we might better translate the beast from “the earth” as the beast from “the Land,” i.e., the Promised Land, Israel. Specifically I hold that this Land Beast refers to the high-priestly aristocracy of Israel (as I have argued elsewhere).

But in Rev 13:13 we read of a remarkable action of the Land Beast: “He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down out of heaven to the earth in the presence of men” (Rev 13:13). What is going on here? How is this relevant to the first century high-priesthood? Continue reading →