The BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, has been pouring toxic matter into the ocean for more than a month now. Despite much talk and a little action, it continues to spew.
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The event has become so damaging to not only the ocean but to the current political administration, that Minerals Management Service Director Elizabeth Birnbaum has either resigned, or has been fired.
The potential this disaster has for becoming a global catastrophy, has led some prophecy minded believers to speculates as to whether this event could be related to specific prophecies in the Bible, most notably, those found in the book of Revelation.
The book of Revelation does certainly mention toxic contamination of the sea.
And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.
And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed.
And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea.
The question then remains, is the present eco-disaster which we see unfolding right before our eyes, related to the judgments found in the book of Revelation? Although this author believes that these events are indeed related to God’s judgment, they do not appear to be related to the above mentioned scriptures.
When considering Revelation 7:2-3, Christians having a prophetic perspective of currents events are naturally anxious. If this release of crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico is related to the foregoing verse, we would have reason for concern. That verse states in pertinent part:
Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.
If such is the case, it would indicate that those who are to escape damnation must have already been sealed. If this were the case, it would meant that, not only will the Great Tribulation have begun, but that the time for the inhabitants planet Earth to repent has passed. Thankfully, the verse preceding mitigates against such a conclusion:
And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.
Given the fact that the four winds of the earth still blow, we can be confident that this ecological disaster does not yet represent the event described in Revelation 7:2-3. We are not however, “out of the woods” yet. Should the winds cease before this spill can be contained (assuming it will be), we might have to rethink this postulation.
If the verse above does not refer to the current disaster in the Gulf, can we safely assume that any subsequent verse referencing a possible pollution of the sea cannot refer to this present catastrophe? Unfortunately, we cannot.
Consider what are known as the seven “trumpet judgments” which begin in Revelation chapter 8. In Chapters 8 and 9, we read of the blowing of the first six trumpets and the resulting judgment.
In chapter 10 however, there is no mention of the seventh trumpet. Instead, we hear of the “seven thunders.” The 10th chapter is parenthetic. We do not see the seventh angel sound his trumpet until Revelation 11:15, after God’s two witnesses have ascended into Heaven. Since this event cannot occur until the resurrection (ref: The last trump described in 1st Corinthians 15:52) we must realize that we cannot count upon all events described herein to be chronological.
So then, what about Revelation 8:9?
Again, when examining this event in context of the verse which goes before it, (Revelation 8:8) we see an event which has most certainly not yet occurred.
And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood;
In spite of the fact that there are some who will attempt to allegorize portrayals of prophetic events as mere symbolic parables, it is unreasonable to conclude that this even can be missed. This episode plainly describes something on the magnitude of an asteroid or comet fragment, landing in the ocean. Such an occurrence is unlikely to be missed. Consequently, it is unreasonable to assume that the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico can be tied to the prophecy of Revelation 8:9.
This leaves the final question; could the prophecy of Revelation 16: 3 be related to our present disaster? The answer is likewise, no.
In preceding verse, we see that before this prophecy can come to pass, we must see an outbreak of pestilence related to the “mark of the beast.” Although there is evidence that this mark of the beast is ready for implementation, it has not yet been widely accepted, nor have we seen any health consequences related to it.
And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image.
Given all of the foregoing, can we find comfort in the belief that this ecological disaster does not appear to be described in the book of Revelation. The answer again is no, we cannot.
Although this event cannot yet be tied to any ocean killing events described in the book of Revelation, a number of other occurrences most definitely show prophetic promise. This event is most likely another of those described as “the beginning of sorrows.”
Despite all the signs that the judgement of God is at hand, the world seems unready, unwilling, and unable to repent.
© 2010 Craig Portwood
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Comments
The imaginary events of Revelation do not occur in THIS universe... they occur in the imaginary universe that's created in Genesis and described in great detail in the Book of Enoch, which is the source-material for much of Revelation. That would be the universe that consists ONLY of the flat earth... a solid firmament (sky), with the sun, moon and stars UPON it, operated by angels... and God's abode (Heaven), an ACTUAL, physical place ON THE OTHER SIDE of the sky. That's where the rain, snow and dew are kept in vats... and the 'four winds' ACTUALLY ARE 'four winds', admitted to the earth via four GATES, operated by angels.
Quite simply, people who actually 'believe' (the ILLUSION of knowledge) this crap are quite nuts. People who PURPORT to 'believe' it, for purposes of bamboozling the stupid and gullible, are unconscionable, despicable liars.
How can this administration be to blame for this when it was the PREVIOUS administration that was letting these bastard have free reign over whatever they wanted to do? Will you people never be done blaming Obama for everything?
Duck,
I'm going to let you slide this time, but your post is not in line with the terms set forth above for posting. Disagreement is fine, even if it is passionate. Abusive postings are not.
anonymous,
This is a study on Bible prophecy, not an indictment of Obama. His name never came up in this article. Please visit my other articles which are critical of Obama, and post your disapproval there.
Thank you for your visit.
Great article Craig,
If you people don't agree, why do you have to resort to name calling? Can't you just agree to disagree? That is the humane thing to do.
I think you did a great job on this article. I was wondering the same thing a few days ago, but for some reason havnt looked it up in the bible, so you did all the work for me, so thank you very much, and your faith is a great testimonial to the Christian faith. it's good to see some of us are still around. And like you said, come, please, Lord Jesus. God bless you, you are doing great things for his name, even if it is a small look at the revelation. keep it up. God Bless
Hi Craig,
Funny that you wrote in this today. I was looking at Revelation 8:8-9 yesterday and considering if the oil spill applies. I drew pretty much the same conclusion that you did. One other suggestion I might make, though, is that the mountain burning with fire might actually be some kind of missile or nuclear warhead. Sometimes God uses men to carry out his judgment. Examples of that are illustrated throughout the Old Testament when Israel's enemies overcame her. Of course, no one knows exactly what John meant by a mountain burning with fire, but we can all agree that it equates to some kind of disaster -- either an "act of God" or God "stepping aside" and letting men do it for Him.
I just stumbled into your blog. I have been a Christian since 1972. With respect to something like a mountain being on fire and thrown into the sea, if you think about it, the rig is triangular shaped, like a mountain, it did catch fire and was thrown into the sea or at least portions. The catastrophe, the oil IS like the blood of a man - the color on the water is like blood. In my opinion, this could lead to a 1/3 of the sea life being killed as it makes its way up and down the gulf coast, perhaps even the east and west coast of the US and then is transported via the currents around the oceanic sections of the world until a 1/3 of the marine life is ultimately killed. I also have to wonder if the US is truly not Mystery Babylon having brought about the global economic collapse with more to come in the future since we have continued to progressively turn our back on the Lord over the past 30-40 years in a country who once honored Him. The murdered children cry out for justice!
Shoequeen2b,
I believe that it is a bit of a stretch to equate this disaster with Revelation 8:8.
As far as Babylon is concerned, I believe that New York City is the city described in Revelation 18. I believe it will be utterly destroyed. The third time's the charm as they say.
Jeremy and Judy,
Thank you for your kind comments.
Elizabeth,
Thank you also. I agree that God uses men to carry out his judgment. I’m not convinced that the mountain burning with fire will be a missile or nuclear warhead, but I cannot be dogmatic about this. I don’t yet know everything. I DID know everything when I was 15 years old, but somehow it wore off. ;-)
I’m sure that when these things do occur, we will know for sure, even as the world explains it away in disbelief.
The Book of Revelation was written to congregants living during the lifetime of John. It describes events prior to and including the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD. Everything contained within it's pages have already come to pass with the exception of the return of Christ.
The genre of the writing was chosen to protect the message and messenger of the writing. The reader must read the Book of Revelation within it's genre and context. Pulling it out of context and reading it from any other angle will cause a person to completely misunderstand what has been written and lose any spiritual message given by John.
This view is the scholarly view by those who read the actual Greek text and have studied in highly respected universities around the globe.
It isn't the popular view as it doesn't sell books. A televanelist cannot appear on t.v. and teach this point of view because people will change the channel for something more exciting.
However, it is the correct view.
Rich,
You make a grand assumption which is not wholly factual. You assume (as many do) that there can be only one fulfillment of a Bible prophecy. This is a common error of the Preterist. There are too many other prophecies which cannot have been said to have had fulfillment. One must make certain events out to be figurative in order to make such a perspective fly. Therefore, the stars falling from the heavens have to become similes of other, less dramatic occurrences to make them fit.
Your statement “This view is the scholarly view by those who read the actual Greek text and have studied in highly respected universities around the globe,” has me laughing. There were likewise many scholars in the time of Christ who declared that he was not the Messiah. They were also learned men. They were wrong BTW.
To even mention televangelists is ludicrous. Those people couldn’t exegete their way out of a paper bag. They are all false prophets in the best tradition of Matthew 24:4-5.
I personally believe that the Gulf Oil Spill, rather, Gusher is in fact what John saw in revelation regarding the Mountain burning in the sea and the waters turning to blood. We have to remember that, in those days, the descriptions of current events, in our wording was limited. John wouldn't have said an "oil rig" exploded. He saw the fire from above (looking down from Heaven) and then the red waters and dead sea life along with ships docked or abandoned. I believe he interpreted what he saw as a "mountain" of fire because of the rig protruding out of the waters and on fire. Even scientists are saying that they don't know why the "oil is showing up red" on the surface of the waters making it look like blood. (article: news.softpedia.com). Today (6/2/10) the Huffington Post has pictures of the oil slick that you can clearly see looks like "blood on the waters". My overall opinion is that what is happening is "the beginning of sorrows" or a foreshadow of what will fully occur.
I think the reason the oil is turning red is because of the toxic Corexit dispersant. It causes the blood vessels of marine life to rupture and makes them bleed to death. This whole disaster does seem like Revelation 8:9 but I just wonder why it is not in the correct order? There are some seal judments and trumpet judments that should come before this unless they are done in order but my Bible says that "God is the same, yesterday, today and forever." With that in mind, reading the judgments on Egypt and Pharoah in Exodus, we have God's example of executing His judgments one at a time in the order declared by Moses. So I just wonder if this BP disaster is another Illuminati false flag event, since it clearly was orchestrated by men under the control of evil spiritual principalities and powers, because no one can be as stupid as BP and the government beaurocracies have been in their handling of this situation, turning down numerous nontoxic and viable solutions.
What passes as scholarship these days is nothing more than an attempt by snake oil salesmen to make money selling books (i.e. Left Behind Series). In addition, most seminaries do not require any serious language requirements for their graduates. Here is a test...hand ANY Christian pastor a copy of the Bible in Hebrew/Greek and ask him to translate a passage on the spot and you'll find they can't. Why study scripture from someone who can't even read it in the language it was written? That would be like taking piano lessons from someone who can't read music. My guess is that you are just another self-appointed scholar who has no credentials. You aren't fluent in Hebrew, Aramaic or Greek and know just enough to keep the average person in awe. For guys like me who have been studying scripture before you were in diapers? We are not impressed. The Revelation is what it is...a warning to the people of the day to beware of coming tribulation/masacre (Rome).
Lynn D, Marie, Shoequeen2b, and Elizabeth,
Your questions and comments have been addressed in the latest examination of this subject “Part 1: Revelation 8:8 and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.”
Rich,
You seem to be full of yourself. Is it possible that you are full of more than that? You speak like a Pharisee.
Some are “ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
Thank you for your visit.
It's scary that there are people who believe in this nonsense...Mind boggling really...Religion will drive people to believe illogical situations and do unthinkable actions....Like they say, science will fly you to the moon but religion will fly you into buildings...
@Wowzers,
"Science" gave us the technology which led to the disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. "Science" is hard at work in an attempt to "fix" it. I wonder what all the dead and dying marine life think of science?
I agree that the oil spill SEEMS like the description of the opening of the second seal. As a Lutheran, I was taught that the book of Revelations was highly metaphorical. I do appreciate the scholarly comments on the Greek translation, but many Catholic priests do fluently study the Greek translations of this so to say that all pastors are looking to profit by mis-translation is really just plain mean.
As a practicing Christian (and I do mean "Practicing") I was taught that "no man will know the time or place of the tribulation". We also welcome it. As bad as this is, it is my opinion that we all will know as the prophesy of the interegnum and the opening of the first seal seems to be yet to occur.What John saw in his heart and mind on Patmos we cannot attain. I suggest prayers for all effected and that this lesson of our continued sin and failures take us to prayer.
The BP oil spill is one of many Biblical prophesies that have now occured: 1. Nation of Israel returned, 2. The Christ returned*, 3. Ronald(6 letters) Wilson(6) Reagan(6): "1st Beast", 4. George(6) Walker(6) Bush Jr(6): "2nd Beast", 5. United(6) States(6) Dollar(6): "mark of Beast to buy or sell", 6. "Book/scroll" w/ "7 seals": 'beyond Einstein theories' produced, 7. Literal "destruction of Babylon" (Iraq War), 8. Symbolic 'destruction of Babylon' world economic crisis, 9. Earthquake in Haiti when "7 seals" were posted on net, 10. 'End of Age', not 'end of time' or 'end of world' is correct. The Age of Piecies ended and the Age of Aquarius has started. 11. Oil spill. -
Brad, Your many postulations hold no water. I will address only one here. You intimate that the late Ronald Reagan was the first beast (666). Revelation 19:20 states that the beast and the false prophet were "...both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone." Also, your post has been edited. You are promoting your website here at my expense. This is not allowed. No spamming please.
This verse in Revelation 8:8 could well be what is happening today. Your a fool just to dismiss it. No the oil is not blood, HOWEVER it IS the "Life-blood" of the world economy.
I can honestly say "I don't know", but if it happens, as some religious figures have predicted for May of 2011, I will not be surprised.
Good Posibility,
I will overlook your comment which runs counter to the terms of posting shown above. I could say you’re an idiot for believing Harold Camping’s May 11th, 2011 prediction. I don’t believe it serves any useful purpose to be insulting.
I am not dogmatic as relates to the prophetic import of events in the Gulf. It most certainly represents a judgment of God.
The false prophecy of Harold Camping has nothing to do with it. The pre -tribulation rapture is false. So is Harold camping. He has proven this in his past, hysterical rantings.
for one the bible does not have to be in chronilogical order, they whiped that oil spill of the face of the news, its still goin , all of our water will be blood soon
I only believe in God and worship him and accept Jesus as my Savior and Lord but any man who may predict the day of rapture no one knows, because no one knows the day of the Lord and the hour of his coming. So, I do not worry. Only God knows and if it is true, then God will let us know and then we shall be raptured. So, I do not worry because God will worry for us. As the Lord said, do not worry for your life and what you shall eat and what you shall wear, sufficient for all, and let Heavenly Father worry for you. He said in the bible somewhere in Mathew. So, God will take the matters and lead us the way and he will provide.
I believe the mark of the beast is the tattoo which the people have used for so long. I investigated that the mark of the beast are only given to those who partake porno actors. These are the who receive the mark of the beast.
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