Further examples of self-explanation of the Bible based on Revelation

Deutsch

It’s always appropriate to point out that no special training is required to understand the Bible correctly. The greatest help in understanding what has previously been misunderstood is the Word of God itself. The Bible explains itself! A thorn in the side for many apologists of the “Roman faith.” But never mind, who cares? Further examples of the Bible’s self-explanation.

Hit dogs bark

The statement that “the Bible interprets itself” is often met with scorn and ridicule. After all, how could it be possible for the written word to explain itself? Unsurprisingly, one is ridiculed when dealing with a devout Catholic, let alone a cleric of this Church. This is hardly to be blamed, since from an early age, the Catholic, sprinkled with water as an infant (not baptized – Info), learns very little from the Bible, but a disproportionate amount from the Catholic Catechism.

After all, in addition to Catholic traditions, the Catechism also declares that the Word of God may only be interpreted in light of traditions. The interpretation of the Bible, of course, is only possible for qualified personnel, i.e., “certified” priests, bishops, and the clergy of the Pontifical Biblical Commission. And if they say the Bible doesn’t interpret itself, then that must be true. So why bother with it yourself when the “top personnel” of this church explain it that way?

One of the church’s laws, to which one is subject even as a sheep “sprinkled” with water as an infant, ultimately prescribes unquestioning, unconditional obedience to the Church. Otherwise, one threatens exclusion from the sacrament, claiming that the Church itself brings salvation, and this would result directly in a permanent stay in hell.

One must not be distracted by the constant cries of a “ravenous lion” (Psalm 22:14; 1 Peter 5:8) that is slowly roaring uncontrollably at this time. Take it with composure, as Paul did, Romans 8:31:
“What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?”
Exactly like this and nothing else!

God left His Word for all people

Essentially, God had His Word put on paper to proclaim the good news of possible salvation to all of humanity. Not to a relatively small number of imaginary figures who consider themselves high and holy, giving the impression that they were former members of a carnival club who were expelled for persistent abuses of the young members (keyword: abuse by clergy) and have since developed a strange life of their own.

So, take God literally at his word and pick up the Bible yourself to read, or better yet, study, and not rely on the authority of some jugglers feigned by colorfully decorated clothes!

The Bible interprets itself! That’s the way it is, and will remain so! Of course, this doesn’t mean a mystical voice whispering explanations for some of the mysteries of biblical symbolism into your ear, or a ghostly finger writing down the answers as a footnote. What “the Bible explains itself” means is that, especially for the symbolic language found in the Book of Revelation, an explanation can be found as to what these symbols actually mean.

Often in “close proximity,” but usually in a completely different place, especially in the Old Testament. A complete list of keywords of symbolism in Revelation and their explanations, along with their sources, can be found here.

Very fitting to the topic of the Roman Catholic Church, there is also an example of the “biblical self-explanation” of the “Whore of Babylon” – here.

Further examples of self-interpretation of the Bible

Since Revelation is (actually) the hot topic of our time, it’s not without reason that it makes sense to highlight further examples of self-interpretation of symbolic representations in the realm of the Apocalypse. The last book of the Bible should actually be the focus of all churches, but the reality is usually quite different.

Instead of pointing people to what’s to come, preparing them for it, let alone encouraging them to overcome sin, the message is mostly something like: “Sin? Whatever! Jesus loves you. He doesn’t want you to perish because he loves you so much, and his love is so great that he won’t let you perish because of all his love. So, sit back and enjoy his love”

Example 6. Plague

In the book of Revelation, chapter 16, the seven final plagues are listed in order. These will ultimately fall upon humanity (Revelation 15:1 announces these plagues). The description of the sixth plague begins in chapter 16, verse 12. It states:
“And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.“

In verse 16, the insertion occurs before the seventh and final plague occurs:
“And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.“

There are numerous stories, visions, and legends surrounding the famous Armageddon. In other words, there are completely different interpretations. This “colorful diversity” is only possible, however, if the Bible itself, which would provide the explanation elsewhere, is not even consulted.

The drying Euphrates

Verse 12 explains the drying up of the Euphrates River. In 2024, there were many reports of a drying up Euphrates in Iraq. Horrible! The end is here! As so often happens, a scene from the Bible has simply been ripped out and placed in a completely new context. But before the sixth plague occurs, five plagues must have occurred first, right? But who even looks for themselves today to see that another hoax, i.e., pure nonsense, is circulating?

Jeremiah explains

The “rising of the sun” is almost self-explanatory. Where does the sun rise? In the east. Hence the (symbolic) kings from the east. That’s a first clue. Is there a passage in the Bible where the Euphrates dried up before, which could explain this depiction? Yes, there is.

In Jeremiah 51:36-37:
“Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will plead thy cause, and take vengeance for thee; and I will dry up her sea, and make her springs dry. And Babylon shall become heaps, a dwellingplace for dragons, an astonishment, and an hissing, without an inhabitant.“

The preceding verse 35 explains that this refers to the city of Babylon and its surroundings, for God announces judgment on the inhabitants of Chaldea. This is what ultimately happened. After Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem had been in exile in Babylon for 70 years, a “twin team” of kings came from the east: the king of the Medes and the king of the Persians, united to conquer Babylon.

Their approach was both simple and ingenious. Babylon and its famous walls were impregnable. Even a starvation siege seemed hopeless. For the “Wonder of the World,” the “Hanging Gardens of Babylon,” were not just decorations but also ensured the city’s self-sufficiency in the event of a siege.

Daniel was a witness

However, Babylon’s lifeline was also its weak point. The Euphrates River flowed through Babylon. The Medes and Persians simply ensured that the Euphrates River dried up before reaching Babylon, practically drying up. They diverted the river kilometers before reaching Babylon. Since Babylon’s king and his guards were in a great celebratory mood one night, no one noticed that the river dried up and a vanguard of enemy soldiers simply walked through the riverbed into the city. They then opened the gates for the great assault. Babylon fell within a very short time, without any real resistance.

This moment, the end of Babylon’s last king, Belshazzar, is recorded by the prophet and contemporary witness Daniel in chapter 5. The penultimate verse of chapter 5 states:
“In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain.“

Type becomes antitype

So back to Revelation 16, verse 12. The great river, the Euphrates, dried up so that the way would be prepared for the kings of the East. This symbolizes what literally (in the type) has already happened and will happen again in the antitype. Babylon’s lifeline dries up. Water (river or sea) is a symbol for peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages (explanation in Revelation 17:15).

The Babylon of today is deprived of its people, that is, its support. For it has already had to endure five plagues, and the fifth plague brought total darkness. They have realized that they have been deceived and lied to by Babylon.

Which King (of kings) is coming from the East? It is Jesus Christ himself. In the total darkness, the first signs of the coming of Jesus Christ are already visible. This is the reason for the still completely deluded “kings of the earth” to gather (symbolically) at Armageddon to fight the coming one. Either in the belief that the “Antichrist” is coming, or as a last desperate act to somehow avert their impending destruction. It doesn’t matter, because they will be destroyed. Revelation 6:15-17 also clearly states this:

“And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?“

Answer: No one can stand. None of this will help them!

Example Smoke of the Glory of God

Many things and descriptions in the Bible are simply overlooked. It’s not a big deal if you actually think about this or that topic and “someday” come across the same passage again in a different context. Suddenly, it’s like “scales falling from your eyes” and you recognize something you didn’t see before. One such example, also relevant to the upcoming final seven plagues, is a statement in Revelation 15:8:

“And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.“

1 Kings gives answer

Hmm. “Smoke, the glory of God, no one could enter the temple?” What might this mean? Here, too, it helps to let the Bible itself explain this question. The answer is found in 1 Kings 8:10-11, again in the Old Testament:
“And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the LORD, So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of the LORD.“

If you read the entire chapter, it becomes clear that this happened at the time when the Ark of the Covenant was placed in the temple built by Solomon. It was placed in the Holy of Holies of the sanctuary (Info).

Type becomes antitype

As long as the priests could not enter the temple because of the glory of God, for that would have killed them immediately, they could not perform sacrificial services. The priests (from the tribe of Levi) were the mediators between people and God. After the death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ, Jesus Himself became the High Priest of us all. He immediately began what the earthly priests had previously done: interceding for sinners.

When the seven last plagues arrive, everything has already been decided. For every person who has already died, as well as for those still alive at that time, the final judgment has been passed. No mediator is needed anymore; Jesus Christ will end His ministry as High Priest and leave the sanctuary. The mercy seat (lid of the Ark of the Covenant) now becomes the throne of glory, upon which Jesus Christ will sit and return.

Jesus Christ will end His mediatory ministry

The termination of the mediational ministry in the Heavenly Sanctuary is also depicted in Revelation 8:4-5:
“And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel’s hand. And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake.“

Prayers for forgiveness are no longer necessary, nor even possible. The censer lies on the ground. When voices, thunder, and lightning are seen, then God raises His voice. Things are getting truly uncomfortable for the condemned. Also a component of the last of the seven plagues, Revelation 16:18:
“And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great.“

In Revelation 22:11-12, the end of Jesus Christ’s mediatory ministry is once again addressed as a final warning. The gates will be closed, just as the gate to Noah’s Ark was closed, and everyone outside was lost.

Nothing works anymore, every person has made a decision, either God or the adversary, and thus has brought about his own judgment.
“He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.“

Fact: The Bible explains itself!

There’s no need to really puzzle over what the respective symbols and representations might actually mean. The Bible explains it all itself. Therefore, anyone who reads or hears an interpretation but is unfamiliar with it before is well advised to check it out for themselves using the Bible. Ideally, the interpreter will support their explanations with the Bible. But even in such a case, it’s still important to understand this independently.

Individual verses are not sufficient to declare an interpretation watertight. Each verse must always be considered in its context. Often, it’s sufficient to start reading a little earlier and even a little beyond the verse in question to grasp the context. If not, then read the entire chapter, and if necessary, the previous and subsequent chapters as well.

The quest for truth must always be the greatest motivator. The unshakeable truth can be found only and exclusively in the Bible (Info). This way, even the venom and bile of the dogs you’ve met simply runs off you.

Theses that proclaim special qualifications for the correct interpretation of the Bible merely serve to establish a monopoly position and make the flock dependent. Thus, they are profane, base motives of the greedy desire for power.

Bible verses from King James Version (1611)

Deutsch

English