Three Keys to Unlock Revelation, Notes for Key #2

THREE KEYS TO UNLOCKING REVELATION By Johnny D. Taylor

(NOTES, OUTLINE AND REFERENCES FOR THE VIDEOS)

LINK TO VIDEO ON KEY #2: https://www.johnnydtaylor.com/three-keys-to-unlock-revelation-key-2/

KEY #2: LITERAL OR SYMBOLIC? HOW TO KNOW THE DIFFERENCE

FILLED WITH SYMBOLISM AND METAPHOR

CONFUSING: SYMBOLIC OR LITERAL?

CAN’T ARBITRARILY DECIDE

JUST BECAUSE IT SEEMS IMPOSSIBLE TODAY

RULE OF THUMB: TAKE IT TO BE LITERAL UNLESS BIBLE REASON TO TAKE IT SYMBOLIC

EXAMPLE: CHAPTER 12:1-9

DRAGON IS SATAN (VS 9). SO WOMAN IS ISRAEL…

BUT: IF NO BIBLE REASON TO TAKE AS SYMBOLIC, TAKE IT LITERALLY;

EXAMPLE: CHAPTER 9:1-12 DEMON SCORPIONS

“BLACKHAWK HELICOPTERS W/TAILGUN…”,

NO, BECAUSE VS 5 SAYS THEY “COULD NOT KILL, ONLY TORMENT”.

LITERAL, DEMON SCORPIONS

PROBLEM: OVERLAPPING OF SPIRITUAL AND PHYSICAL REALMS

JOHN WAS “IN THE SPIRIT” SO SAW BOTH REALMS

SAW MEN, ARMIES, ANGELS, DEMONS, HEAVEN, TREES,… ALL

PROBLEM: FIRST CENTURY MAN DESCRIBING MODERN EVENTS WITH NO REFERENCES CONCERNING EVENTS POSSIBLY OCCURING WELL INTO OUR OWN FUTURE

OLD COMMENTATORS DECIDED MUCH HAD TO BE SYMBOLIC BECAUSE IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE IN THEIR DAY.

WHOLE WORLD WITNESSING EVENTS IN REAL TIME…

200 MILLION-MAN ARMY… CHINA HAS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HUMAN HISTORY.

PROBLEM: THE SUPERNATURAL HAPPENS IN SEASONS, AND IS NOT HAPPENING TODAY. BUT CERTAINLY DOES IN THE END TIMES.

LITERAL: CHAPTER 8:7-13 CLEARLY LITERAL PLAGUES DESCRIBED BY 1^ST CENTURY WRITER.

HAIL, FIRE, BLOOD… TREES AND GRASS BURNT

MOUNTAIN OF FIRE INTO SEA… SEA LIFE DIED

FRESH WATER LIFE DIED

DARKNESS

13 CLEAR TIE-IN TO CHAPTER 9:

¹³ And I looked, and I heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, “Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!”

THEREFORE TAKE CHAPTER 9 JUST AS LITERALLY

200 MILLION ARMY

9:17-19. LITERAL FIRE-BREATHING HORSES WITH SNAKE TAILS, OR WEAPONS OF MODERN WARFARE DESCRIBED IN FIRST CENTURY LANGUAGE?

I DON’T KNOW, but personally lean toward modern weapons. YOU DECIDE

LITERAL AND TRAGIC: VS 20-21 ABOUT UNREPENTENT MANKIND.

CHAPTER 13 DESCRIPTION OF BEAST AND FALSE PROPHET ARE SYMBOLIC BECAUSE THEY ARE WITH THE “DRAGON” WHOM WE HAVE ALREADY BEEN TOLD IS SYMBOLIC OF SATAN.

CHAPTER 16 IS TO BE TAKEN LITERALLY IN ALL ITS HORRORS

BOILS;

WATER TO BLOOD (AS IN EGYPT);

SCORCHING HEAT FROM SUN;

DARKNESS AND PAIN;

ARMAGEDDON;

WORLDWIDE EARTHQUAKES;

HUNDRED POUND HAILSTONES.

SO STUDY AND REMEMBER KEY #2: LITERAL UNLESS BIBLE REASON TO TAKE IT AS SYMBOLIC.

THESE ARE ALSO LITERAL EVENTS:

2ND COMING OF CHRIST

MILLENIAL KINGDOM