Teachinghearts	Bible Prophecy - Origin of the Symbols "Explore the Word. Change the World"	Statistics: Time: 25 minutes Print: 7 pages

Origin of the Symbols

Symbols
Creation
Three Zones
The Woman
Two Time Cycles
Two Life Streams
Purification
Bible Symbols
Numbers
Symbols in Prophecy

Since I learned that nothing is chosen by chance with God, I wondered about the origin of the symbols. In addition, the two time cycles of 7000 years and the jubilee cycles that started with the exodus kept me wondering also.
In considering how God chose the cycles and determined the times I had to consider several things:

1. God does not predestine anyone's fate.
2. God can see the future.
3. God acts at the right time and He does everything He can to convince each person what is right.
4. He made a plan of salvation before the earth was created.
5. He used His knowledge of the future to determine the symbols to use.

Creation
So I started with the symbolism that runs throughout all of God's work - the creation. Since God knew that we would sin and since He would be separated from us, it is not unreasonable to believe that some parts of creation were designed just for the temporary time when we would be separated from God.

Revelation seems to agree with this when it says there will be no sun or moon in heaven. The lion will lie down with the lamb - there will be only vegetarians among the human and animal kingdom. For this reason, the design of the carnivorous tooth is useful in these times. Other body parts may be just as temporary.

Let us look at what was created each day of creation in terms of how the bad was separated from the good. God treated darkness and the sea as bad symbols.

Day	Separated or Filled		Created		Symbols
1	Darkness		Light		Lamp, sun, moon, stars, light
2	Sea		Heaven		Cloud, rain, water, sea
3	Earth		Earth, trees		Earth, tree, land, wilderness, mountain, river, spring, fruit, seed, oil, bread, wine
4	Heavens		Sun, moon, stars		Sun, moon, stars, gospel
5	Sea		Sea monster, birds, fish		Sea monster, bird, frog, dragon, serpent
6	Earth		Animals, man		Woman, man, lamb, beasts, horn
7	Covenant		Sabbath		Blood

To explain the symbols I will explore the following concepts:

• The three zones. The battle ground
• The Pursuit of the Woman. Satan acts to destroy the man and the woman
• The Two Time Tables. Creation (Human decisions occur in this time period) and Recreation (God acts on the covenant at this point)
• The Two Streams. The water cycle and the blood cycle are two streams of life.
• The Purification Process. How the water and blood remove sin and how they are removed.

The Three Zones
The basis of all the symbols are the three zones from which they originate (heaven, sea and earth). The plan of salvation is the process of redeeming all three zones.

1. Heaven - is freed at the crucifixion. Satan is judged and thrown out of heaven.
2. Sea - is freed at the Second Coming. The saints go to heaven. The beast and dragon are judged and thrown into the abyss (earth).
3. Earth - is freed at the Third Coming. Heaven and the sea (people) comes to earth. The wicked people are judged and all receive their final punishment.

From the time of creation two symbols were declared not good:

1. Darkness
2. Sea

The process of creation not only made the earth suitable for man to live, it also separated or purified the environment, leaving us with three distinct environments.

1. Light and dark were separated.
2. Heaven was separated from the sea.
3. Earth was separated from the sea.

Within each of these zones, certain symbols operate. They are positive or negative symbols based on the zone that they are in.

Zone		Type		Access After Crucifixion		Symbols
Heaven		Positive		Humans		Sun, moon, stars, cloud, lightning, rain
Sea		Negative		Dragon, Humans		Dragon, people (good, evil), sea monster
Earth		Mixed		Humans, lamb beast		Wilderness, mountain, people, woman, trees, grass, seed, animals, birds, locusts, amphibious creatures (frogs), lamb, little horn

As time progresses, only certain events and people are allowed to operate in a particular zone. The devil is cast out of heaven after the crucifixion, the dragon cannot go beyond the shores of the sea to the earth - so he sends a human representative. All humans have access to all zones by virtue of God's grace.

Access to the three zones by the dragon changed after key events, he overcomes the difficulty by corrupting those who have access to all three zones (humans) and he sends his agents after the church. In Revelation 13 the dragon stood on the sand of the sea. In Revelation 12: 15 he poured out water in a flood (evil people) after the woman who flees to the wilderness (earth).

1. Sin - the dragon was allowed to rule the earth
2. Before crucifixion - the dragon had access to heaven
3. After crucifixion - the dragon was restricted to the earth and the sea. Jesus said that at that time the prince of the world was judged (John 16: 11).
   Revelation 12 : 12 For this reason, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them. Woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, knowing that he has only a short time

On the earth the little horn and the lamb who speaks like a dragon carries out the work of the beast from the sea and they begin acting just like that old beast. Just as Adam's sin gave him access to the three zones, the betrayal of the church by the lamb and the false prophet gives him access to the remnant in the earth.

The Pursuit of the Woman
The symbol of the woman as the church is based on the events in the garden of Eden. Adam and Eve were the formal rulers of the earth. Satan pursued the woman and caused her to sin, after they both sinned he took formal possession of the earth. God allowed him to rule for about 1656 years and then he destroyed the world and saved a remnant.

Fast forward another 1600 years and we arrive at the time of Christ - the new Adam. He and the woman were again pursued by the dragon. He did not sin and He was taken back to heaven. But the woman remained behind in the sea and she was pursued. God gave Satan another 1700 years, then he made a way in the earth for the woman to escape (The United States).

It is very significant that the flood happened after 1656 years and the pilgrims landed in the United States 1600 years after the crucifixion. If we assume that Adam and Eve did not sin until after several years, we can assume that the time given for Satan to operate before God took action was about 1600 years.

The Two Time Tables
Two separate time tables were in operation. I will refer to one as human history and the other as salvation history.

1. Human history (Creation). This is the 7000 years of earth history. God based this time on the Sabbath cycle. This is creation history.
2. Salvation history (Recreation). God based this time on the jubilee cycle. It reflects God's actions in human history to fulfill the terms of the covenant. He carved out a specific amount of time from the 7000 years. This day started during the third day of human history. On the third day of creation, the first signs of life appeared. This is recreation history.

The table above really shows the origins of the symbols. Each millennium represents the work accomplished on that day of creation. The pattern shows a major event accomplished in each 1000 years of history that is similar to that day of creation.

The Jubilee

Day	Normal Time	Jubilee Time	Battle Ground		Event		Created		Comment
1	1000		Heaven, sea, earth		Sin		Light, dark		Man and woman is pursued and defeated. A covenant is made. Darkness wins.
2	2000		Heaven, sea, earth		Flood		Heaven, water		Satan stopped after 1656 years - 8 righteous are saved. The light is separated from the darkness.
3	3000	1, 2 (1)	Heaven, sea, earth		Israel, exodus		Water, earth, trees, seed		The seed of the woman triumphs and keeps the covenant.
4	4000	3,4 (2, 3)	Sea, earth		Church, Christ		Sun, moon, stars		Man escaped to heaven, Heaven rejoices.
5	5000	5,6 (4, 5)	Sea, earth		Little horn		Sea monster		Dragon defeats the woman in the sea for 1700 years. Woman is pursued and finds help in the wilderness.
6	6000	7, 8 (6, 7)	Earth		Remnant		Man and animals		Little horn pursues the woman on the earth
7	7000	9, 10 (8)	Earth		Heaven		Sabbath		Woman escapes to heaven

This is where my speculation begins in trying to explain why God acted when He did and what He tried to accomplish at a particular time.

Since God cannot predestine what people do, He made at least these decisions.

• He would base His covenant on rest.
• He would allow only 7000 years to resolve the problem.
• He would act in history at the best time possible, while respecting our choices.
• Next He created the concept of the sanctuary and feasts and all the furniture to represent His actions in history. He used the jubilee time to fit these symbols into human time.

God protected the message by hiding it in symbols and in rituals that Israel practiced for centuries. I can imagine that even Satan did not realize how important every single detail was. God choose the foolish things of this world to shame the wise. (1 Corinthians 1: 27)

He used the creation as the pattern for the symbolism that he would use. He taught Israel the concept of clean and unclean things to show that something good can be corrupted and that there must be a process of cleansing. I will discuss this in more detail later.

He looked at human history and made code names of the activity and described prophetic events in terms of these code words. He saw that even with His best efforts to convince humans, that the church would be corrupted again. Bibles would be taken away and the leadership in power would have destroyed or altered the words - if they made sense the medieval church would have tampered with them.
Therefore, God kept details hidden until the faithful remnant appeared at the time of the end. When knowledge of the prophecy increased. When technical knowledge increased and a written record would be in everybody's hands. Now, the only weapons Satan has is not to tamper with the words, but to declare them no longer valid and subject to human change and interpretation.

The Two Streams of Life
When Jesus died, two streams flowed from His side - blood and water.
John 19: 34 - but one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out This was represented by the water and the wine at the feast of tabernacles. These streams represents cleansing from sin - which eventually leads to life.
In that day a fountain will be opened for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for impurity. (Zechariah 13: 1)

1. The blood cycle represents justification from sin - what Christ did to set us right with God.
2. The water cycle represents sanctification from impurity - what the Holy Spirit is doing to make us holy.
3. Fire is probably a third stream that represents perfection. This stream changes us at the Second Coming. It is what the Father does to give us eternal life in His presence. This stream also removes evil permanently.

The Stream of Water
The symbolism of cleansing is seen in the baptism, the laver and the former and latter rain. On a grand scale we see this cleansing by water in the flood and the baptism of Israel in the Red Sea.
Revelation links water to life when it talks about the river of life flowing from the throne of God.

The Clouds. The image of God in the cloud during the exodus and at the second coming, now makes more sense. He is the source of this life giving stream that rains on the earth in a purified form.

Sea . As the water cleans away the dirt and sin, it becomes impure. In the water cycle, the sea becomes the place where all the dirty water is deposited. It never gives up the dirt but it does give up the water. Therefore, the sea and any standing body of water becomes a symbol of evil because it can never get clean, it just gets dirtier.

Fresh Water. In contrast, flowing or fresh water from a spring or a stream is a good symbol. In the sanctuary, any water in the laver at the end of day must be emptied because it becomes impure. In the morning, before the services begin, the laver must be filled from a stream of flowing water.

The Cycle

• Rain descends - The Holy Spirit descends
• Water causes the harvest to grow - new people turn to God
• Water from the land flows to the sea - Baptism washes away sin
• The earth is watered and the seeds grow - People are changed by the gentle rain from the Spirit

The Feasts of Israel - The three major feasts of Israel are part of the water cycle. The rain causes these three harvests to grow.

• Spring Harvest
• Barley. Jesus crucified and resurrected (first fruits from the dead earth)
• Wheat. Holy Spirit sent
• Fall Harvest. Separating the righteous from the wicked at the Second Coming
• Fruit (olive oil, grapes)

The Stream of Blood
The symbolism of life is seen in the blood. The blood of the innocent is the only sacrifice that can restore life. Giving life as a sacrifice is good, taking or drinking blood is bad with the exception of the blood of Christ. This is the only blood that gives life.

The Sacrifice. Christ comes to the earth and is sacrificed for the sin of all. We have access to the stream of blood through prayer that ascends to God like a cloud.

The Earth. The earth becomes the place where the blood is absorbed and it becomes unclean and symbolizes the place where death exists.

The Cycle

• The sacrifice descends - Christ the sacrifice descends
• Prayers rise to God - Man can communicate with God
• Blood flows into the earth - the lake of fire cleanses the earth
• The righteous accept the sacrifice by faith and grow in grace.

The Sanctuary - The blood cycle is represented in the sanctuary.

• Altar of incense - prayers
• Altar of sacrifice - lamb sacrificed
• Mercy seat - sins are covered
• Lamp - Christ was the light that came to the world
• Shewbread - Christ was broken and his blood spilled as a sacrifice

The Purification process
Water can temporarily purify. The impure water runs to the sea. Blood can purify us from sin. The spilled blood is absorbed by the earth. In the temple sacrifices, the blood is stored on the altar and once each year at the cleansing of the sanctuary, the stored blood is removed and placed on the horns of the scapegoat. This goat dies in the wilderness and is absorbed by the earth.

Therefore both the earth and the sea absorbs the unclean. Both must be cleansed. The only thing that ultimately cleanses both is fire.

The saints are cleansed by fire with the ministry of the Holy Spirit. The earth and the wicked are cleansed by fire at the final judgment.

Satan
It is my belief that Satan did not understand the meaning of these symbols. If he did, the Bible and the prophecies would never have survived. Instead you will find him corrupting those symbols that he already knows. Symbols from heaven, the Sabbath and symbols from the promise made at Eden. The Pagan religions corrupt these basic symbols.
The mountain, green things, blood, the woman and the child, the seed and the harvest.
His goal is to gain the worship that God has. As a result, he used and corrupted symbols already familiar to him from heaven.
Therefore, you will find the Israelites worshipping under green trees. This is taken straight from the throne of God which is surrounded by an emerald rainbow over a sapphire blue floor.

You will also find Satan setting up worship on a mountain just as God sits on a holy mountain.

Creating Prophecy
Some symbols derive their meanings from the object, others derive or modify their meaning from the colors or actions on the object or interaction between symbols.

For every truth there is an evil copy. This is created by using an unclean version, mixing the pure with the unclean or changing its color.

We begin prophecy with the dragon in heaven. After the man child is resurrected, the dragon is restricted to the sea. He then sends his representatives, the little horn and the lamb who becomes a false prophet to the earth to continue his work. The bride tries to get ready for the wedding, but the evil forces try to corrupt or kill her. Then the man returns in power to take back the earth for His bride. The dragon and his forces are defeated and the earth is cleansed and made ready for the man and his bride.

It is in the context of this general story, that the details of all other prophecy takes place. Every other prophecy involves the following events:

• The dragon trying to destroy the woman through death or corruption.
• The response of God in heaven to fulfill the covenant.
• The response of God on earth.

Meaning	Sanctuary	Evil Version
Truth	Lamp, light	Darkness
Clean	Running water, springs	Sea (dirty water)
Pure, not corrupting	Grape drink	Wine, leaven, dregs
Life	Bread	Death
Life	Giving blood	Drinking blood
Prayer	Incense	Sorcery
Sacrifice	Clean animals	Dogs
Jesus	Lamb	Dragon
Teachers	Priest	Sorcerers
Word of God	Commandments	Disobedience
Church	Woman	Whore