Monthly Archives: June 2019

Zechariah: A Key Prophetic Book

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Poor, poor, neglected Zechariah. Zechariah is one of the smaller books in our Bible. Also Zechariah is one of the most difficult books of our Bible. Perhaps it is more difficult than the book of Revelation. Even many scholars just avoid the book. On the other hand, I would not say there is any book of the Bible of which I can say, I understand ALL of it. Still Zechariah deals with some central themes.

Zechariah deals with the first coming of the Christ.

It even quotes particulars such as His violent death.

“Awake, sword, against my shepherd,
And against the man who is close to me,” says Yahweh of Hosts.
Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered; And I will turn my hand against the little ones.”
Zech 13:7 WEB

There is more about Jesus in Zechariah, but this verse is quoted as such in Mtt 26:31

Zechariah and Revelation often use similar imagery.

There are horns, there four chariots that sort of remind one of some of the images of heaven in Revelation. There are angels ministering to men, and more.

Zechariah deals with the Jews coming to Jesus.

It deals with this explicitly in Zechariah chapters 12 and 13. It seemingly speaks of all of Israel turning to Yahweh and His Christ, and it is discussed in connect with some heavy attacks on both “Judah” and “Jerusalem.” Such a national conversion has not happened to the Jews overall … so far!

Zechariah deals with TWO massive assaults on “Jerusalem,”.

“… and all the nations of the earth will be gathered together against it.” Zech 12:3 WEB

But is this talking about earthly Jerusalem as in Gal 4:24? Or is it talking about the church, Jerusalem above of the “kingdom of heaven,” as in many passages, including:

“But the Jerusalem that is above is free, which is the mother of us all.” Gal 4:26 WEB

Earthly Jerusalem has NEVER been assaulted this way, nor has the church, EVER, by “ALL the nations of the earth.” Either way, as described, these assaults have NEVER happened in any way. So we are either talking about a false prophecy … or one that is yet to happen.

Zechariah deals with a special “worthless shepherd.”

He is called an “idol shepherd” Zech 11:17 KJV. In a wandering discussion over several chapters Zechariah compares him with the true shepherd (Jesus the Christ). Both are killed by “the sword” according to Zechariah. Both have a recovery from death of one sort or another, according to Zechariah. Could this be speaking of the beast of Rev 13:3, who is “wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed,” KJV, and who is worshiped by the entire world?

There is more to tell, but this is a sampler.

Really, I do not think you can unravel the prophecies of the Christian Age, of Revelation, or of the end of the age, without Zechariah. Really we should not even be trying to do that.

KJV is the King James Versiom, 1611

WEB is the World English Bible, a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901

Psalms: A Key Prophetic Book

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When we think of the book of Psalms, most people think of it as a book of songs for the ancient assembly of Israel, which indeed it is. Also many think of it as an in depth devotional book, to help us think about God, and to learn to draw nearer to Him. It is indeed also that. Psalms is one the loftiest and most inspiring of the books of the Bible. Almost no complete view of God can be made without dealing with the Psalms. And when you are having those major trials and difficulties which come upon men, Psalms is an extraordinary source of comfort and help. Psalms helps us to keep in mind that God is still in control and that He will hear the pleas of His saints, and answer their calls for help.

Most do not think of Psalms as a prophetic book at all. I didn’t. Then came a time when I need some shorter lessons for a once a month evening assembly that was to be followed by other activities. I decided to do lessons on the psalms. Over a period of nearly nine years I covered about 100 of the 150 psalms, taking each in turn, analyzing their message, declaring these things in sermons. It was only after covering over half of the psalms that I slowly began to realize, Hey, this is an important prophetic book! I admit to being a slow learner at times, and duller than I should be, but that was a shock to me.

It actually begins in Psalm 1 with talk of the wicked not being able to survive the judgement, Psa 1:5.

It continues with speaking of Jesus ruling the kings and judges of the earth during the Christian Age, in Psalm 2. This is clearly before the end of this age when it says,

“Then the end comes, when he will deliver up the Kingdom to God, even the Father; when he will have abolished all rule and all authority and power.” 1Cor 15:24 WEB

In fact, I call Psalm 2 the “New Testament Psalm.”

Psalms continually speaks of eternal things of hope and prosperity in a better world. The psalmist David says,

“For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.” Psa 84:10 KJV

It continually speaks of end things.

He makes wars cease to the end of the earth.
He breaks the bow, and shatters the spear.
He burns the chariots in the fire.
Psa 46:9 WEB

Further Psalms is a primary source on the great uproar which will occur among nations, leading up to the end of our age.

“Why do the nations rage,
And the peoples plot a vain thing?”
Psa 2:1 WEB

In fact I do not think that any comprehensive view of the end things can be formed without the Psalms.

No wonder that the second most quoted book in the New Testament is that of Psalms.

KJV is the King James Version, 1611.

WEB is the World English Bible, a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901

ALL Old Testament prophecy has been fulfilled?

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Jesus is walking with two of His disciples toward the village of Emmaus and is talking about the things that happened to Jesus in His trial and execution at the hands of the Jews and the Romans. He assured them that these things had to happen.

25   He said to them, “Foolish men, and slow of heart to believe in ALL that the prophets have spoken! 26 Didn’t the Christ have to suffer these things and to enter into his glory?” 27 Beginning from Moses and from all the prophets, he explained to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.” Lk 24:25-27 WEB

It does almost seem to speak as if Jesus had by then (early in the first century AD) fulfilled all Old Testament prophecy concerning himself. And a similar point seems to also be made by Peter in Acts 3.

“But the things which God announced by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he thus fulfilled.”
Acts 3:18 WEB

Similarly, one might initially think that Peter also was saying that Jesus had fulfilled all Old Testament prophecy. But then Peter goes on further says,

“ “Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, so that there may come times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord,” ” Acts 3:19 WEB

Well, why Peter, why repent? Peter says it is so “times of refreshing” might come from the Lord. So there are times of refreshing which are still yet to come! Well Peter, who will bring those “times of refreshing”?

“ “and that he may send Christ Jesus, who was ordained for you before” ,” Acts 3:20

So how long must Jesus stay in heaven?

“ “whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God spoke long ago by the mouth of his holy prophets.” ” Acts 3:21 WEB

So how long must Jesus stay in heaven? Until what is now called “the times of restoration of all things.” Then Peter says something else in the same verse. These future things, “the times of restoration of all things,” and the “times of refreshing,” were spoken of long ago by the mouth of God’s holy prophets. Then Peter speaks even more explicitly.

“ “Yes, and all the prophets from Samuel and those who followed after, as many as have spoken, they also told of these days.” ” Acts 3:24 WEB

So all the prophets from Samuel forward spoke of these future days.

So looking back, Jesus in Luke 24, and Peter in Acts 3:18 are merely saying that Jesus fulfilled all the prophecies of His first coming. And also clearly, there are some Old Testament prophecies which are yet to be fulfilled.

Also, this is not counting the many Old Testament prophecies of Judgement Day and the Second Coming of Christ. It is beyond me how anyone can so twist Isaiah 24 so that it turns into anything more than the final destruction of this present universe.

WEB is the World English Bible, a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901

Time in Jeremiah 31, Part III of III

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But Jer 31:1 describes “ALL the families of Israel” as being faithful at some point.

In contrast, true atheists are rare in most nations, but common among the Jews. Further, the number of modern Jews who are not really atheists, but who are actually very secular, or even anti-religious in their thinking and outlook, seem to be in the majority among modern Jews. The Jews will on one hand claim to you and me that God was the one who promised Palestine to them, but on the other hand, treat Genesis as a children’s fairy tale if serious discussion of Scripture starts. Still Jeremiah says that,

“At that time, says Yahweh, will I be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be my people.”
Jer 31:1 WEB

Over two thousand years have passed and
this has NEVER happened!

Is this a false prophecy?

In truth, this present rejection of God and His Messiah was clearly forecast in many Scriptures, such as Isa 8:14-15. It is even implied in the grand context of Jeremiah himself that this glorious time will come only after much correction and hardship and suffering because of the ongoing sins of the Jews.. We might assume that since so much time has past, that the prophecy is now void. Jesus says something else:

“Scripture Cannot Be Broken,” Jn 10:35 KJV

If you believe the Word of God, then what do you make of Jer 31:1? This means it just has not happened yet! After over 2,000 years? YES! This in fact is dealt with in innumerable Old Testament passages, and several in New Testament, including Roman chapters 9 to 11.

Then look at Time in Jeremiah 31.

See first that the order in which things are discussed is NOT necessarily the order in which things will happen! It is a conversational order of discussion in much of Bible prophecy. Just like in a human conversation, not everything is in sequential time order. God is having a conversation with your and me about the future.

Secondly it should be seen that it is not a human time perspective in Scripture, but an eternal time perspective. That is the real time scale we are on. Remember “that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” 2Pe 3:8 WEB. So an interruption of two thousand years is as nothing in this perspective, as Yahweh works to save as many men as possible. We do not really know how much more there is to come, even though we are clearly told to be watching.

It is as if God said, Yes one day all the families of Israel will be my people. I will send my Son as a baby. Many will be killed in the attempt to kill Him, and He will bring a New Covenant that will write My law on the hearts of My people. In the end it will be well for the Jews.

Clearly it is easy to make naïve assumptions
about time in prophecy!

WEB is the World English Bible, a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901

Time in Jeremiah 31, Part II of III

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We have talked about Jer 31:15 as a time marker in Jeremiah’s prophecy in chapter 31. That would be about 4 BC.

In the next part of Jeremiah 31 God talks about Ephraim as a pseudonym for Israel and the Jews, and says,

“Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a darling child? for as often as I speak against him, I do earnestly remember him still: therefore my heart yearns for him; I will surely have mercy on him, says Yahweh.” Jer 31:20 WEB

That is still very much in line with the general subject of Jeremiah 31 as was outlined in Part I. Jeremiah is talking about the Jews, and He also says,

“27 Behold, the days come, says Yahweh, that I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man, and with the seed of animal. 28 It shall happen that, like as I have watched over them to pluck up and to break down and to overthrow and to destroy and to afflict, so will I watch over them to build and to plant, says Yahweh.”
Jer 31:27-28 WEB

Again Yahweh is clearly talking about physical Israel, Israel after the flesh, the Jews. Also this once again is clearly in line with Jer 31:1-2 and also verse 20.

Then God talks about the coming of the a New Covenant

Paul quotes Jer 31:31 of the New Covenant in Jesus Christ, and the Jews, as was noted in Part I. Additionally the author of Hebrews quotes Jeremiah 31 in Heb 8:8-12 and again in Heb 10:16-17 of the new covenant as it applies to both Jews and gentiles. It should be noted that God says,

“But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says Yahweh: I will put my law in their inward parts, and in their heart will I write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people:” Jer 31:33 WEB

Now when did this New Covenant happen? In approximately 30 AD Jesus twas setting up this New Covenant. He was instituting the Lord’s Supper which was to be in commemoration of the shedding of His blood.

“for this is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many for the remission of sins” Mtt 26:28 WEB

Then there was the actual shedding of Jesus blood on the cross at Golgotha, a little later. Then there was Jesus resurrection. Just before Jesus went up to heaven in Acts 1, He told them it was not for them to know the times or seasons, but to wait for the Holy Spirit to come upon them., Acts 1:7-8. The Holy Spirit came in Acts 2 with the first gospel sermon by Peter. In all it is safe to date the New Covenant as coming in 30 AD. So here is another date marker in Jeremiah 31, and it does follow in time “Rachel weeping for her children” in Jer 31:15.

But then comes a problem …

WEB is the World English Bible, a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901

Time in Jeremiah 31, Part I of III

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We are trying to understand time in prophecy. Many passages of prophecy could be used, but here we are going to use Jeremiah chapter 31 as sort of a prophecy laboratory. Jeremiah says that one day ALL the families of Israel will belong to the Lord. It is at a certain “time.”

“At that time, says Yahweh, will I be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be my people.” Jer 31:1 WEB

Jeremiah is speaking during the period of time when Israel and Judah were going into captivity into foreign countries and he says,

“Thus says Yahweh, The people who were left of the sword found favor in the wilderness; even Israel, when I went to cause him to rest.” Jer 31:2 WEB

Now because of the usages of Jeremiah 31 in Scripture, it should be nailed down that this is talking about the Jews, not just about the new and broader Israel of the New Covenant. So Paul quotes Jer 31:31 of the Jews in the book of Romans.

27 This is my covenant to them,
When I will take away their sins.”
28 Concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sake. But concerning the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sake.
Rom 11:27-28 WEB.

So indeed we shall have to return to Jer 31:1 again, before this study is over. God says in Jer 31:3 that “Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love …” WEB. God says in verse 7 that they should sing aloud with joy, and publish this good news. God says that He is indeed going to bring them back from the foreign counties, and goes into talking in several verses following about their singing for joy. There was a return in time of Ezra, around 536 BC. Is that what was talked about? We will have to see.

Then God talks about crying and weeping in Ramah

“Thus says Yahweh: A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping, Rachel weeping for her children; she refuses to be comforted for her children, because they are no more.” Jer 31:15 WEB

At this point we have a certain time marker. The Apostle Matthew says that was when Herod the Great killed all of the infants in a certain place called Ramah near Gibeon, and not far from Jerusalem. When exactly did this happen? It was when Jesus was a baby. Our modern calendar is off a little bit in calculating the birth of Christ. We know from secular history that Herod the Great died in 4 BC. So the date of the slaughter of the infants is say, somewhere between 4 BC and say 6 BC. Without know the time exactly, we still have a pretty good time marker in Jeremiah 31 here.

Jeremiah goes to say that Rachel should stop crying. The children shall return.

“Thus says Yahweh: Refrain your voice from weeping, and your eyes from tears; for your work shall be rewarded, says Yahweh; and they shall come again from the land of the enemy.” Jer 31:61

WEB is the World English Bible, a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901

“But that is just figurative. How can we believe it?” Part III of III

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Jesus was to come with dark sayings.

“ I will open my mouth in a parable.
I will utter dark sayings of old, ”
Psa 78:2 WEB

Notice that most of the Sermon on the Mount is in figurative, symbolic language, and what does it say?

“Jesus spoke all these things in parables to the multitudes; and without a parable, he didn’t speak to them,” Mtt 13:34 WEB

Should we say, Well that’s just figurative? And ignore these “parables”? Are they understandable? Yes but parts of Sermon on the mount indeed have been frequently misunderstood. All of this means that Jesus was fulfilling Psa 78:2, according to Mtt 13:35.

What should we do? Why not be study diligently? 2Tim 2:15.

Objection to figurative / symbolic language in prophecy
is a Cop-Out, double talk,
often unconsciously used because
what is said stretches beyond
what we are willing to believe
or accept, or even study.

For instance, Abraham could have found it “unbelievable” that he would have a child at age 99, Rom 4:13. He could have just said, “Oh yeah?”

Against what could be reasonably expected, Abraham believed God.

“Who in hope believed against hope, to the end that he might become a father of many nations, according to that which had been spoken, “So will your seed be.” ” Rom 4:18 WEB.

Without weakening, Abraham believed God, Rom 4:19-21.

Theological liberals find almost all Scripture beyond believing, especially prophecy, and some of that leaven has through graduate schools infected many of our own.

God often stretches us beyond we find “believable,” just to see if we will believe HIM, even when it seems to us “unbelievable.”

Seriously! Was this symbolic, or did it literally happen, or is it both?

Abraham is an example as Paul discusses in Romans 4. God often announces things we have trouble believing, and often we just reject these things out of hand. As Isaiah said, “Who has believed our message? …” Isa 53:1 WEB.

And what are some of the unbelievable things God announces in Isaiah 53? The messiah will be put to death by judicial murder, Isa 53:7-8. The Messiah? Unbelievable.

But He will prolong his days, Isa 53:10. Wait a minute. That’s a contradiction isn’t it? How can I believe that? And many didn’t believe what seemed to contradict common sense!

Beware! Unbelief, even of “figurative” prophecies, can cost you your soul. It did the Pharisees!

It could have cost Abraham his soul, if he had not believed those “unbelievable” things, and so it can us, and that is the point of Romans 4.

If we read the clear words, figurative or not, and say in our heart, “It isn’t so,” then we have made God a liar, 1Jn 5:10.

This is no drill.

Does this make you feel uncomfortable? Maybe it should. Especially if you have neglected large stretches of the Bible. It is ALL meant for our instruction, 2Tim 3:16-17, so that you will be thoroughly furnished. So that you will live forever.

Maybe we have been playing with half a deck.

WEB is the World English Bible, a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901

“But that is just figurative. How can we believe it?” Part II of III

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And there is figurative language later in Romans! In more than one place. For instance in Romans 12.

“Therefore
“If your enemy is hungry, feed him.
If he is thirsty, give him a drink. For in doing so, you will heap coals of fire on his head.””
Rom. 12:20 WEB.

So Rom 12:20 says that if you do this (present tense), then it “will” have (future, and so also it is in Greek) the effect of heaping coals of fire on his head.

Is this literal? Is that soft coal or hard coal? Bituminous? High sulfur? Low Sulfur? Oh NO! Is this [shudder-r-r-r!] figurative? And it is future! It is a prophecy. It means God “will” (future) avenge you!

If you believe this prophecy, you will in “the present” obey this command.

If you don’t believe this prophecy (and many, perhaps most, even in the Lord, don’t) then you will not obey this command in the present, because you are not sure you can trust God to avenge you, therefore you need to avenge yourself.

Was this symbolic, or did it literally happen, or is it both?

Also there is figurative language about the second coming in Romans 13. When most people say, “Oh that is figurative,” they often really mean, it has no real meaning we can discern, and should be ignored.

“The night is far gone, and the day is near. Let’s therefore throw off the works of darkness, and let’s put on the armor of light.”
Rom. 13:12 WEB.

Should I now reject Romans 13 for teaching? This is a prophecy and uses [shudder-r-r-r!] figurative language of the future!

You might say, I reject this! It is so imprecise! Well, yes, in a way it is. It does not tell us “exactly” what “at hand” means!

Throw this verse out for figurative language and being in men’s terms “imprecise”? Only at your own risk.

Can we misuse this verse? Absolutely! Peter says of the apostle Paul,

“as also in all of his letters, speaking in them of these things. In those are some things hard to be understood, which the ignorant and unsettled twist, as they also do to the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.” 2Pe 3:16 WEB.

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: ” 2Tim 3:16 KJV

So Scripture is not a cafeteria where you can choose to avoid parts of the Word of God just because you think someone misunderstood this one time. Throw this out? At your own risk.

If you call some man a pig, that is indeed symbolic language, figurative language. But it not without meaning.

Is it imprecise in some ways? Yes. But it is not without meaning.

KJV is the King James Version, 1611.

WEB is the World English Bible, a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901

“But that is just figurative. How can we believe it?” Part I of III

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This is a common complaint about prophecy today. People often say this to mean: This has no real meaning, it is figurative. Ignore it.

Lets look at the book of Romans. Romans 1 refers to fulfilled prophecy of Jesus resurrection and views it as having been understandable.

“2 which he promised before through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, 3 concerning his Son, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, 4 who was declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,”
Rom. 1:2-4. WEB

Look closely at the verses following Rom 1:2. Is not Paul right in treating these things as understandable?

Now most of these prophecies used symbolic language.

“He was oppressed, yet when he was afflicted he didn’t open his mouth; as a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and as a sheep that before its shearers is mute, so he didn’t open his mouth.” Isa 53:7

Was Isaiah 53:7 about a sheep or a person. (We jest.) (Oh no! we might say, We cannot accept Isaiah 53 as evidence about Jesus. It includes [shudder-r-r-r!] figurative language!)

Was this symbolic, or did it literally happen, or is it both?

But then Paul goes on to discuss some of this subject as if Isaiah 53 and many other passages, all of which included figurative language, were very understandable, unless you have trouble accepting the Word of God, OR if you have decided that God cannot or would not ever foretell the future, Or have decided, “Well God would NEVER allow His Christ to die.” Was Paul wrong?

Was “prophecy” beyond comprehension?

Clearly if figurative language [shudder-r-r-r!] puts a prophecy out of bounds for evidence about the resurrection, then you do not have any prophetic evidence for the resurrection, and Isaiah 53 and Psalm 22 and all the rest, would be clearly out of bounds for use as evidence.

There is plenty about prophecy in Romans chapter 2 for instance, including:

“But according to your hardness and unrepentant heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath, revelation, and of the righteous judgment of God;” Rom. 2:5 WEB.

And,

“oppression and anguish, on every soul of man who works evil, on the Jew first, and also on the Greek.” Rom. 2:9 WEB.

These are prophecies of what God will do, which demand action on our part.

Romans 3 speaks a future justification by faith.

“since indeed there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith, and the uncircumcised through faith.” Rom 3:30 WEB

It says “God who will,” or perhaps in your translation says “God shall,” all of which is future. That is right. It will be when God raises us from the dead. This is a prophecy of what God “will do, and that is the fabric of the discussion.

The whole book of Romans is about what God WILL do, and why you and I must change to fit what WILL happen! Is it understandable? Yes. But our resistance to the message may make all of this beyond what we are willing to comprehend.

WEB is the World English Bible, a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901

The Mystery Religions: An Overview

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The Mystery Religions are special type of religion which many people do not know much about. The Greek word for “mystery” is mus-t?-ri-on. A good place to start might be the definition given in A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, by Arndt and Gingrich, University of Chicago, 1957.

“secret, secret rite, secret teaching, mystery, a religious technical term, applied mostly to the mysteries with their secret teachings, religious and political in nature, concealed with many strange customs and ceremonies …

“A secret or mystery, too profound for human ingenuity …” pgs 531-532 (bold emphasis added. Abbreviations were eliminated in the above quote)

So “mystery” referred to a special class of religions which claimed to have special truths (mysteries) revealed to them by some “god” or “gods.” This revelation was supposedly made to some ancient and worthy person: Plato, or Pythagoras, or whoever. When some Jews and Christians became involved in such things, the claim was often made that the secret revelation was first made to Solomon, or Moses, or Abraham, or Enoch, or sometimes even to Adam himself.

These revelations were often communicated to the novice in powerful religious dramas in which the new person participated, knowing only his or her own part, and when to say their lines.

Then comes the next part: this revelation of truth was so high and holy, and so far above any public revelations of the “gods,” that it could never be revealed to just anyone. It had to be kept totally secret, and only revealed to certain specially selected “worthy” persons, who were just a little better than everyone else, and who could be trusted to keep these things a secret.

These “secrets,” these “mysteries,” were never to be revealed to the common man, and were never to be written down. They were memorized, and passed on verbally from generation to generation. The novice in such groups had to take terrible oaths of secrecy before being admitted, and even then were not given any true secrets at the beginning level. Some people just cannot a secret, no matter what they swear to.

Mystery religions were started for various reasons. Some for religious reasons, some merely to form social clubs, and some obviously for “religious and political” reasons. Despite that, if these groups grew and were viable, they almost always ended up being used for political purposes, whether good or bad. I was just too easy. Here were ready-made groups which were already trained in keeping secrets. Awesome power to rig the political process was also here, with few being the wiser.

There is more about the mystery religions in Prophecy Principles in the section on “Some Age Long Mysteries,” and in Revealing the Christian Age in the section “Excursus, What Might look This Look Like in History.”

Lastly, mystery religions were also a natural for concealing criminal activities or organizations, and as such often provoked the ire of governing authorities. Scripture mentions a “mystery of lawlessness” which is already at work, 2Thes 2:7. Also it mentions one Mystery Babylon the Great, a religio-commercial entity which seems to both facilitate and dominate world trade (Revelation 18), which rules over the kings of the earth (Rev 17:18), and which is drunk with the blood of the saints (Rev 17:6).