Revelation- the two prophets

Dear Friends,

In order to understand the election results, fraudulent though they may be, one has to understand the hard core, millions of Christian Bush supporters, who they think Bush is, and why they worked so hard to get him elected.

These people are fanatics. They believe we are in the end-time described in the Bible, and that Bush is some sort of herald for Jesus.

Many are readers of the LEFT BEHIND series, a sci-fi narrative by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins, based on prophecies scattered through the Bible. Many of the prophecies come from the Book of Revelation. This book was written by the beloved apostle, John, in his late years, while in lonely exile on the island of Patmos.

Revelation consists of a series of fantastic visions, many of which have become part of our own collective unconscious. Words and phrases like "Armageddon", "the four horseman", "the new Jerusalem" come out of the Book of Revelation.

Many Christians believe that John's visions were totally accurate foretelling of the future, and that we have now arrived at the time foretold. They perceive an orderly timetable in the book of Revelation. www.raptureready.com lays out one such calendar.

Bush scoffs at "reality-based thinking". He evidently believes that he is supposed to fulfill some mission of God and create a new reality.

Both the theology and Bush's actions lead to nuclear holocaust and extinction of life on planet earth, with the goody-goody Christians going to heaven with Jesus. I call it hell, and they are taking us all with them.

I have an alternate interpretation of Revelation, which will lead us to life, not death. As my readers know, I endeavor to relate the Bible to current events. So I'll take a stab at the passage for today, one of the most specific and strangest prophecies in the entire Book.

My commentary follows the passage.

Rev 11:4-12 I, John, heard a voice from heaven speak to me: Here are my two witnesses: These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. If anyone wants to harm them, fire comes out of their mouths and devours their enemies. In this way, anyone wanting to harm them is sure to be slain. They have the power to close up the sky so that no rain can fall during the time of their prophesying. They also have power to turn water into blood and to afflict the earth with any plague as often as they wish.When they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the abyss will wage war against them and conquer them and kill them. Their corpses will lie in the main street of the great city, which has the symbolic names "Sodom" and "Egypt," where indeed their Lord was crucified. Those from every people, tribe, tongue, and nation will gaze on their corpses for three and a half days, and they will not allow their corpses to be buried. The inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them and be glad and exchange gifts because these two prophets tormented the inhabitants of the earth. But after the three and a half days, a breath of life from God entered them. When they stood on their feet, great fear fell on those who saw them. Then they heard a loud voice from heaven say to them, "Come up here." So they went up to heaven in a cloud as their enemies looked on.
http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/112004.htm

The two prophets who have "tormented the inhabitants of the earth," these two men of whom John says-
If anyone wants to harm them, fire comes out of their mouthsand devours their enemies. In this way, anyone wanting to harm them is sure to be slain.They have the power to close up the sky so that no rain can fall during the time of their prophesying. They also have power to turn water into bloodand to afflict the earth with any plague as often as they wish.

Who could these two men be? I nominate Bush and Bin Laden. Both are religious fanatics who are afflicting the earth with terrible plagues of hatred and fear, as often as they wish.

If they lay dead, I have no doubt that
Those from every people, tribe, tongue, and nation will gaze on their corpses for three and a half days,
(via TV satellite feed, of course)
and they will not allow their corpses to be buried. The inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them and be glad and exchange gifts.

It would be astounding to see those two false prophets resurrected, but I wouldn't care if they went to heaven, as long as they get the hell out of here.

In the name of the Prince of Peace,

Carol Wolman