Revelation 12:1

[Major]

Revelation 12:1-2
" And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:
And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered. And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born. And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne. And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days."

Who is the "WOMAN" in verse #1 and why do you say that ?

 

[Decoder]

Don't generate any doctrine out of the Rev that is not crystal clear elsewhere.

Remember, the book starts with a whole page saying the things in it are about to take place. Not take place quickly once they start, but to take place soon.

 

[2404]

Hello Major
The woman is God's people - the delivery: the orthodox church - the moon: the dispensation of the law (now being under her feet - the sun: the dispensation of grace, and of course the dragon is a 'no brainer' lol...

 

[Major]

Don't generate any doctrine out of the Rev that is not crystal clear elsewhere.

Remember, the book starts with a whole page saying the things in it are about to take place. Not take place quickly once they start, but to take place soon.

Please understand that I am not generating a doctrine at all. I just asked a simple question about who the woman is in Rev. 12.

But since you are going in a different direction I have to say with all respect that I do not agree brother.

People who read Revelation sometimes feel perplexed by the use of the words “soon” and “near” given in first three verses of Revelation.

Revelation 1:1-3......
“The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants, the things which must soon take place; and He sent and communicated it by His angel to His bond-servant John, 2who testified to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. 3Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it; for the time is near.”

The word in verse 1 that is translated as “soon” or “shortly” is the Greek word “tachei” [Strong’s #5034]. Notice how this word is defined:
Strong’s — quickness, speed; hastily, immediately
HELPS — swiftness (speed), i.e. done as quickly (speedily) as is appropriate to the particular situation (HELPS Word-studies, The Discovery Bible New Testament, Gary Hill).

It’s important to notice that the primary meaning of this word refers to the speed by which an event approaches rather than the duration of time before it arrives. In fact, this very same Greek is translated in terms of speed elsewhere in the New Testament.

Luke 8 — 8I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?
Acts 12 — 7And behold, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared and a light shone in the cell; and he struck Peter’s side and woke him up, saying, “Get up quickly.” And his chains fell off his hands.
Acts 22 — 18and I saw Him saying to me, ‘Make haste, and get out of Jerusalem quickly."

In fact.......
Young’s Literal, Holman Christian Standard, Berean Literal, Jubilee 2000) do in fact translate Rev. 1:1 using “quickly” instead of “soon“.

Then there is the phrase of....."the time is NEAR".

The word in verse 3 that is the Greek word “kairos” [Strong’s #2540]. Let’s see how this word is defined:

Strong’s — fitting season, season, opportunity, occasion, time
HELPS — time as opportunity … (“opportune time”) is derived from kara (“head”) referring to things “coming to a head” to take full-advantage of … “the suitable time” … “ the right moment” …. “a favorable moment”. (HELPS Word-studies, The Discovery Bible New Testament, Gary Hill).

Notice that the primary notion of “time” conveyed by this word isn’t “elapsed time” (as in relation to a clock or calendar), but rather it is “appropriate time”.

So, where John’s says “for the time is near“, it means that it is now (or it is becoming) the appropriate time for these things to happen and when they do...they will come quickly!

 

[Major]

Hello Major
The woman is God's people - the delivery: the orthodox church - the moon: the dispensation of the law (now being under her feet - the sun: the dispensation of grace, and of course the dragon is a 'no brainer' lol...

Good answer.

Now may I ask you what Scriptures can you post that would validate that thought?

The woman is the church?
The Moon is the Law?
The Sun is God's grace?

Yes, I agree .......the "Dragon" is Satan.

 

[Decoder]

Please understand that I am not generating a doctrine at all. I just asked a simple question about who the woman is in Rev. 12.

But since you are going in a different direction I have to say with all respect that I do not agree brother.

People who read Revelation sometimes feel perplexed by the use of the words “soon” and “near” given in first three verses of Revelation.

Revelation 1:1-3......
“The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants, the things which must soon take place; and He sent and communicated it by His angel to His bond-servant John, 2who testified to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. 3Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it; for the time is near.”

The word in verse 1 that is translated as “soon” or “shortly” is the Greek word “tachei” [Strong’s #5034]. Notice how this word is defined:
Strong’s — quickness, speed; hastily, immediately
HELPS — swiftness (speed), i.e. done as quickly (speedily) as is appropriate to the particular situation (HELPS Word-studies, The Discovery Bible New Testament, Gary Hill).

It’s important to notice that the primary meaning of this word refers to the speed by which an event approaches rather than the duration of time before it arrives. In fact, this very same Greek is translated in terms of speed elsewhere in the New Testament.

Luke 8 — 8I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?
Acts 12 — 7And behold, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared and a light shone in the cell; and he struck Peter’s side and woke him up, saying, “Get up quickly.” And his chains fell off his hands.
Acts 22 — 18and I saw Him saying to me, ‘Make haste, and get out of Jerusalem quickly."

In fact.......
Young’s Literal, Holman Christian Standard, Berean Literal, Jubilee 2000) do in fact translate Rev. 1:1 using “quickly” instead of “soon“.

Then there is the phrase of....."the time is NEAR".

The word in verse 3 that is the Greek word “kairos” [Strong’s #2540]. Let’s see how this word is defined:

Strong’s — fitting season, season, opportunity, occasion, time
HELPS — time as opportunity … (“opportune time”) is derived from kara (“head”) referring to things “coming to a head” to take full-advantage of … “the suitable time” … “ the right moment” …. “a favorable moment”. (HELPS Word-studies, The Discovery Bible New Testament, Gary Hill).

Notice that the primary notion of “time” conveyed by this word isn’t “elapsed time” (as in relation to a clock or calendar), but rather it is “appropriate time”.

So, where John’s says “for the time is near“, it means that it is now (or it is becoming) the appropriate time for these things to happen and when they do...they will come quickly!

I'm aware of them, but the Lk 8, Acts 12 and Acts 22 support immediacy, and 'kairos' is not an adjective. The question about 'kairos' is near would fall on 'near.'

I don't know how it sounds to you, but when the person is speaking very directly, warning, appealing, but nothing is going to happen for at least several thousand years...you kind of wonder.

As for the generating of doctrine, I simply mean if you do come to a conclusion on the woman, it must be totally clear elsewhere. This method of interp was developed during the Reformation, which said:
the NT must interp the OT
the letters must interp the Gospels
the complete statements must interp the incidental
the ordinary must interp the symbolic.
One historical location for that 3.5 year segment is the final period of the destructive collapse of Israel from 66--70 (otherwise the 3.5 would have been right after the death of Christ). The Rev 12 might be saying that church had to go to the desert for safety when major persecution broke out. But then we learn that those who were Christians and still in Jerusalem in 67 during the pause in the Roman attack left for Pella which is in the desert, for safety. Since the Rev does not mention the destruction of the city details, but suggests them, and talks of the fall of Babylon with a description as 'the city which kills the prophets and stones the apostles' (same Jerusalem in the Rev) then he may have meant the 67 escape.

 

[crossnote]

The woman is Israel.
The church didn't give birth to the Son.

Revelation 12:5 (KJV) And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.

 

[2404]

Good answer.

Now may I ask you what Scriptures can you post that would validate that thought?

The woman is the church?
The Moon is the Law?
The Sun is God's grace?

Yes, I agree .......the "Dragon" is Satan.

It is the book of Revelation so it is primarily symbolic. The understanding does not come by studying the ABCs but by entering into the spirit of the author.
But since you asked, is not Jesus a type of a groom and the church the bride? And we know the law has no power in itself but it is a reflection of that which is higher?

 

[Decoder]

The woman is Israel.
The church didn't give birth to the Son.

Revelation 12:5 (KJV) And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.

True about the church, but neither did the child get caught up to God and his throne. It must be taken another way. Maybe the woman is all believers all through time...

 

[crossnote]

True about the church, but neither did the child get caught up to God and his throne. It must be taken another way. Maybe the woman is all believers all through time...

I'm not sure I follow...

Revelation 12:5 And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.

1 Corinthians 15:25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.

 

[Major]

It is the book of Revelation so it is primarily symbolic. The understanding does not come by studying the ABCs but by entering into the spirit of the author.
But since you asked, is not Jesus a type of a groom and the church the bride? And we know the law has no power in itself but it is a reflection of that which is higher?

That is correct and I agree about Jesus as a groom and the church. That is a symbolic representation based on Jewish marriage customs.

However, I would say that all biblical language is religious language, not scientific, so there is a lot of it that is symbolic, even figurative, which does not mean that it is not true. As a matter of fact, it may even be truer than plain literary or scientific language. In the same way in which you don't use religious language to describe electricity, you don't use scientific language to describe the resurrection or salvation, just to give a couple of examples from the biblical record.

The key to ALL prophetic Scriptures is understanding what that "symbolic" word or words mean.

That being the case IMHO, you did not respond to your thoughts of.....

Now may I ask you what Scriptures can you post that would validate that thought?

The woman is the church?
The Moon is the Law?
The Sun is God's grace?

 

[Major]

The woman is Israel.
The church didn't give birth to the Son.

Revelation 12:5 (KJV) And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.

There You go!

 

[Major]

True about the church, but neither did the child get caught up to God and his throne. It must be taken another way. Maybe the woman is all believers all through time...

That is true up to this very moment......but there is a Bible teaching based on 1 Corth. and 2 Thess. along with about 100 other Scriptures describing a "Catching Away" of the church to God.

If the "Child" as you say has not been caught away YET but will very soon, then does that not annswer your position.

 

[Major]

The woman is Israel.
The church didn't give birth to the Son.

Revelation 12:5 (KJV) And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.

I'm aware of them, but the Lk 8, Acts 12 and Acts 22 support immediacy, and 'kairos' is not an adjective. The question about 'kairos' is near would fall on 'near.'

I don't know how it sounds to you, but when the person is speaking very directly, warning, appealing, but nothing is going to happen for at least several thousand years...you kind of wonder.

As for the generating of doctrine, I simply mean if you do come to a conclusion on the woman, it must be totally clear elsewhere. This method of interp was developed during the Reformation, which said:
the NT must interp the OT
the letters must interp the Gospels
the complete statements must interp the incidental
the ordinary must interp the symbolic.
One historical location for that 3.5 year segment is the final period of the destructive collapse of Israel from 66--70 (otherwise the 3.5 would have been right after the death of Christ). The Rev 12 might be saying that church had to go to the desert for safety when major persecution broke out. But then we learn that those who were Christians and still in Jerusalem in 67 during the pause in the Roman attack left for Pella which is in the desert, for safety. Since the Rev does not mention the destruction of the city details, but suggests them, and talks of the fall of Babylon with a description as 'the city which kills the prophets and stones the apostles' (same Jerusalem in the Rev) then he may have meant the 67 escape.

Please understand that I can not and could never generate any Doctrine. I can only make thoughts and opinions on what I think the Bible says to me.

I would say that First, in the OT, the imagery of the sun, moon, and stars refers to the nation of Israel. Joseph said in Gen. 37:9......
, “I have had still another dream; and behold, the sun and the moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me”.

It is a well established understanding that In Jewish literature ‘twelve stars’ refers to the twelve patriarchs or the twelve tribes.

Then I would say that in the OT, the image of a woman is frequently associated with Israel, Zion, or Jerusalem.
Paul writes in Galatians 4:26 that......
“The Jerusalem above is free; she is our mother”.

Jeremiah writes in 3:20.......
“Surely, as a woman treacherously departs from her lover, so you have dealt treacherously with Me, O house of Israel”

Third, in the OT, the image of being protected by eagle’s wings refers to Israel. In Exodus 19:4, we read......
“You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings, and brought you to Myself.”

This seems to fit with the language in Revelation 12:14, where we read,.....
“The two wings of the great eagle were given to the woman, so that she could fly into the wilderness to her place, where she was nourished.”

Unfortunately, some commentators have taken that Scripture to read into the verse that it means that the USA in involved because of the word EAGLE. That IMHO is totally incorrect. Eagle here simply means "SPEED"/Quickness.

Fourth, the Woman is protected in the wilderness for 1,260 days. This fits with the prophecy of Daniel 9:24-27, which is directed to Israel (“your people and your holy city”). This iteration of 3.5 years is mention five times through this section of Revelation (Rev. 11:2; 11:3; 12:6; 12:14; 13:5). Clearly, this time span of three and a half years must be important to the author. This seems to fit with half of the seven years, where the Antichrist will be in power (Dan. 9:26-27).

Fifth, Daniel 12 predicted that Michael would rise up at this time to protect Israel—not the Church (Dan. 12:1). Daniel writesin 12:1....
“Now at that time Michael, the great prince who stands guard over the sons of your people, will arise. And there will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time; and at that time your people, everyone who is found written in the book, will be rescued”.

We see a fulfillment of this, when John writes in Rev. 12:7.....
“And there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels waging war with the dragon. The dragon and his angels waged war”..

 

[Decoder]

Please understand that I can not and could never generate any Doctrine. I can only make thoughts and opinions on what I think the Bible says to me.

I would say that First, in the OT, the imagery of the sun, moon, and stars refers to the nation of Israel. Joseph said in Gen. 37:9......
, “I have had still another dream; and behold, the sun and the moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me”.

It is a well established understanding that In Jewish literature ‘twelve stars’ refers to the twelve patriarchs or the twelve tribes.

Then I would say that in the OT, the image of a woman is frequently associated with Israel, Zion, or Jerusalem.
Paul writes in Galatians 4:26 that......
“The Jerusalem above is free; she is our mother”.

Jeremiah writes in 3:20.......
“Surely, as a woman treacherously departs from her lover, so you have dealt treacherously with Me, O house of Israel”

Third, in the OT, the image of being protected by eagle’s wings refers to Israel. In Exodus 19:4, we read......
“You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings, and brought you to Myself.”

This seems to fit with the language in Revelation 12:14, where we read,.....
“The two wings of the great eagle were given to the woman, so that she could fly into the wilderness to her place, where she was nourished.”

Unfortunately, some commentators have taken that Scripture to read into the verse that it means that the USA in involved because of the word EAGLE. That IMHO is totally incorrect. Eagle here simply means "SPEED"/Quickness.

Fourth, the Woman is protected in the wilderness for 1,260 days. This fits with the prophecy of Daniel 9:24-27, which is directed to Israel (“your people and your holy city”). This iteration of 3.5 years is mention five times through this section of Revelation (Rev. 11:2; 11:3; 12:6; 12:14; 13:5). Clearly, this time span of three and a half years must be important to the author. This seems to fit with half of the seven years, where the Antichrist will be in power (Dan. 9:26-27).

Fifth, Daniel 12 predicted that Michael would rise up at this time to protect Israel—not the Church (Dan. 12:1). Daniel writesin 12:1....
“Now at that time Michael, the great prince who stands guard over the sons of your people, will arise. And there will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time; and at that time your people, everyone who is found written in the book, will be rescued”.

We see a fulfillment of this, when John writes in Rev. 12:7.....
“And there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels waging war with the dragon. The dragon and his angels waged war”..

Yes, all those things are there, yet not definitive of who the Israel is, nor some of the individual times (Dan 9 is not necessarily future to us).

If Israel did not listen and serve the new Moses, as Peter said in Acts 3, they were 'utterly disinherited' from it. That means "Israel" must always be qualified as faith-based; no statements about the race-nation amount to anything.

There are some 2500 uses of the OT by the apostles, and if they did not make use of things like Dan 12 or Ezek 36, etc., then we must go with what they did affirm in clear passages like Acts 3 (Deut 18 and Lev 23).

 

[Major]

Yes, all those things are there, yet not definitive of who the Israel is, nor some of the individual times (Dan 9 is not necessarily future to us).

If Israel did not listen and serve the new Moses, as Peter said in Acts 3, they were 'utterly disinherited' from it. That means "Israel" must always be qualified as faith-based; no statements about the race-nation amount to anything.

There are some 2500 uses of the OT by the apostles, and if they did not make use of things like Dan 12 or Ezek 36, etc., then we must go with what they did affirm in clear passages like Acts 3 (Deut 18 and Lev 23).

I agree, however we must not forget Romans 11:25 and 26:
“For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery–so that you will not be wise in your own estimation–that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; and so all Israel will be saved.”

So then, when the last Gentile is saved whom God has ordained to be saved, the age of the Church will be over. Do you know what the end of the Gentile age will be? It will be the Rapture of the Church–when the Church is suddenly taken away from the earth. When the Rapture occurs, then begins the final seven years of earth’s history.

It is referred to as the Great Tribulation; the Old Testament called it the day of the Lord, the time of Jacob’s trouble, and Daniel’s 70th week.

During these final seven years, God will give Israel one last chance to repent. The purpose of the Tribulation is not just God’s retribution; it is His redemption of Israel. Revelation 7 tells us that during the Tribulation, there will be numerous Jews who will be saved. There will be many Gentiles who will be saved as well. And it culminates with the Second Coming of Christ. Paul was saying, “At that time, all Israel will be saved.”

Does that mean every Jew by birth will be saved? No.
Does it mean every Jew alive when Christ returns will be saved? No.
It means all those whom God has predestined of Israel, the true Israel, will be saved; and at that time God will fulfill His promise to Israel.

 

[Decoder]

I agree, however we must not forget Romans 11:25 and 26:
“For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery–so that you will not be wise in your own estimation–that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; and so all Israel will be saved.”

So then, when the last Gentile is saved whom God has ordained to be saved, the age of the Church will be over. Do you know what the end of the Gentile age will be? It will be the Rapture of the Church–when the Church is suddenly taken away from the earth. When the Rapture occurs, then begins the final seven years of earth’s history.

It is referred to as the Great Tribulation; the Old Testament called it the day of the Lord, the time of Jacob’s trouble, and Daniel’s 70th week.

During these final seven years, God will give Israel one last chance to repent. The purpose of the Tribulation is not just God’s retribution; it is His redemption of Israel. Revelation 7 tells us that during the Tribulation, there will be numerous Jews who will be saved. There will be many Gentiles who will be saved as well. And it culminates with the Second Coming of Christ. Paul was saying, “At that time, all Israel will be saved.”

Does that mean every Jew by birth will be saved? No.
Does it mean every Jew alive when Christ returns will be saved? No.
It means all those whom God has predestined of Israel, the true Israel, will be saved; and at that time God will fulfill His promise to Israel.

Check the lexicons on 'kai houtos' (in this manner) of 11:25. The Israel identified all through chs 9-11 is faith-based. That one will be saved while the race-nation is mostly unbelief. That's the manner. In 11:14 Paul only expects a few of the race-nation to be saved, not too many. Saved in Romans never is about promises just to Israel; it is justification from our sins through Christ.

The expression times of the Gentiles is actually from Judaism, and they did have it right: that when Messiah came, there was to be a great outreach to the nations; that's the faith-based "Israel", the other Israel in Rom 9:6. But obviously Judaism's own missionaries were an abject failure, Mt. 23. The time is also the kingdom of God as Jesus said. You can point at headlines against saying so, but you cannot deny the subtle and continuous improvement of the world by this kingdom 'even though the eye of sinful man, its glory cannot see.' I'm referring to things directly attributed to the Law's and Gospel's presence in a society. The rabbi Dennis Prager says the Torah is vital for a free world, but he keeps his distance from the Gospel, of course.

It is very easy to show that the 'no stone on another' speech of Jesus (Mk 13, Matt 24, Lk 21) is about 1st century Judea; the marks are everywhere, the features are already in Daniel 9, provided a person doesn't split it up. Some of the hazards were already listed in Mt 10 as being faced already, solidifying this point. The question then becomes (in Matt 24:29) what became of 'right after' (all the turmoil in Judea)? The world should have ended at that point, but God decided otherwise, as 3 passages say:
1, the four possible return times of the Master parable, Mk 13,
2. "Only the Father knows" of Mt 24, and
3, Peter in 2 Peter 3 speaking on this question (where is the promised return?). He said God simply delayed, for the sake of the salvation of many more.

The historian Lattourrette on p44 says 'every indication in the Gospels and letters is that the world should have ended right after the destruction of Jerusalem. When nothing happened, the apostles still living simply continued the reach of evangelism, to this day.'

 

[Decoder]

I am generally skeptical of Revelation being too much of a blow by blow description, because I inventoried population and resources as I read it once, and got to -275%, and yet both were going to be obliterated again. I think you can see the inherent problem.

 

[Major]

Check the lexicons on 'kai houtos' (in this manner) of 11:25. The Israel identified all through chs 9-11 is faith-based. That one will be saved while the race-nation is mostly unbelief. That's the manner. In 11:14 Paul only expects a few of the race-nation to be saved, not too many. Saved in Romans never is about promises just to Israel; it is justification from our sins through Christ.

The expression times of the Gentiles is actually from Judaism, and they did have it right: that when Messiah came, there was to be a great outreach to the nations; that's the faith-based "Israel", the other Israel in Rom 9:6. But obviously Judaism's own missionaries were an abject failure, Mt. 23. The time is also the kingdom of God as Jesus said. You can point at headlines against saying so, but you cannot deny the subtle and continuous improvement of the world by this kingdom 'even though the eye of sinful man, its glory cannot see.' I'm referring to things directly attributed to the Law's and Gospel's presence in a society. The rabbi Dennis Prager says the Torah is vital for a free world, but he keeps his distance from the Gospel, of course.

It is very easy to show that the 'no stone on another' speech of Jesus (Mk 13, Matt 24, Lk 21) is about 1st century Judea; the marks are everywhere, the features are already in Daniel 9, provided a person doesn't split it up. Some of the hazards were already listed in Mt 10 as being faced already, solidifying this point. The question then becomes (in Matt 24:29) what became of 'right after' (all the turmoil in Judea)? The world should have ended at that point, but God decided otherwise, as 3 passages say:
1, the four possible return times of the Master parable, Mk 13,
2. "Only the Father knows" of Mt 24, and
3, Peter in 2 Peter 3 speaking on this question (where is the promised return?). He said God simply delayed, for the sake of the salvation of many more.

The historian Lattourrette on p44 says 'every indication in the Gospels and letters is that the world should have ended right after the destruction of Jerusalem. When nothing happened, the apostles still living simply continued the reach of evangelism, to this day.'

I am not sure how your response speaks to who the woman in Rev. 12 is.

 

[Major]

I am generally skeptical of Revelation being too much of a blow by blow description, because I inventoried population and resources as I read it once, and got to -275%, and yet both were going to be obliterated again. I think you can see the inherent problem.

Again....I am struggeling to grasp what you are aiming at, but if I am, understanding you then....

Revelation 6:7-8 says,
"When he opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, “Come!” And I looked, and behold, a pale horse! And its rider’s name was Death, and Hades followed him. And they were given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by wild beasts of the earth."

So in rapid order, 25% of the earth’s people will die. A quarter of 7.3 billion people is 1,830,398,495 dead. That’s 1.8 Billion dead.

So after a fourth of the population dies, we have 5,491,195,486 remaining on earth. That’s 5.4 Billion people.

Revelation 9:18 says that another third will die quickly also, this time in the Trumpet Judgment. “By these three plagues a third of mankind was killed, by the fire and smoke and sulfur coming out of their mouths.”

This means that a third of 5.4 billion people will die. That’s another 1,812,094,510 billion dead. Billion with a B.

By now there are 3,679,100,976 people left.

Jesus said that if he did not come back, ALL FLESH would die. (Matthew 24:22)

Is that where you get the -275%???