Some Insights on the Book of Revelation
The Christian Bible's Book of Revelation is a collection of magnificent prophecies. It prophesied many major events that are currently taking place or will take place in the world. But over a long period of time, people have had many different interpretations of this Book. There are many misunderstandings and misconceptions. Many people mistakenly think that the events described in the Book of Revelation are taking place or will take place in Middle East and have ignored major events that are truly shaping the future of humankind. This article explores a few passages from the Book of Revelation in the hope that it will inspire more in-depth research and discussions. It is hoped that governments and people from all over the world will gain a correct understanding of the many events that are currently taking place in China, recognize the serious nature of the issues that the entire human race faces, and position themselves correctly, which will bring benefits to themselves and their people.
(1) The Red Dragon is the Chinese Communist Party
"A great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads." (Rev. 12:3) In order to interpret the Book of Revelation correctly, a key is to recognize what the "red dragon" is because "the dragon gave him [the beast who fought against God] his power, and his seat, and great authority." (Rev 13:2). Once people understand who the "red dragon" is, it will be easy for them to find the beast whose "number is Six hundred threescore and six." (Rev. 13:18)
"And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. (Rev 12:9). People today generally view the "red dragon" as simply a symbol of the Devil or Satan. In reality, the "red dragon" in the Book of Revelation not only represents the Devil or Satan, it actually refers to something specific. "In the lowest dimension of the heavens, China's Communist party manifests as an evil red dragon." ("Deciphering the Last Three Stanzas of the Plum Blossom Poem") The favorite color of the Chinese Communist Party in the human world is also red.
Once we realize that this "red dragon" refers to the Chinese Communist Party, it is not difficult to recognize that the prophecies in the Book of Revelation center around China and not the Middle East. "And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them." (Rev.9:16) There is no other country in the world except China where "every citizen is also a soldier" that has the ability to organize an army of two billion people. In Chapter 16 Verse 12 of the Book of Revelation, it also mentions "the east," which should also refer to China.
(2) The Demon Whose "Number is Six Hundred Three Scores and Six" is Jiang Zemin
"Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six." (Rev.13:18) "And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority." (Rev 13:2) Based on the passages, we know that this beast is in China and happens to be in control of the Chinese Communist Party. This is no other than the current Secretary General of the Chinese Communist Party, Jiang Zemin. The Chinese Communist Party has given Jiang every one of these things.
A Pureinsight article unveiled the secret behind "666." The Chinese language is quite unique in that it puts emphasis on the strokes of characters. In Chinese, the two characters that make up the word "Communism" have six strokes each. The character "Jiang" also has six strokes. So this "666" represents the Chinese Communist regime headed by Jiang. The Jiang regime is the demon mentioned in the Book of Revelation whose number is "666." Jiang is the head of the evil.
Chapter 13 Verses 13 and 14 describe the beast as someone who "doeth great wonders…And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles." According to the Book of Daniel of the Old Testament, the following are some of the characteristics of this beast: beastly, selfish and self-centered, dictatorial, having no regard for the law, boastful, deceitful, cunning, decadent, frenzied, despicable, and sexually immoral, just like the Demon. In other words, he is someone who is so despicable and sinful that he is beyond redemption. Let's take a look at the deeds of Jiang. He is extremely selfish, dictatorial, self-centered, vicious, sexually immoral, and he is a publicity seeker who places his own power above the law. When he flies into a rage, he acts no differently than the Demon. His behavior perfectly matches that described in the Book of Daniel.
(3) The Final Battle
The Book of Revelation and many other prophecies in the Bible describe a "Final Battle" between the good and the evil that will occur right before the Final Judgment of God. People are very interested in this matter and generally view this "Final Battle" as a large-scale destructive military confrontation that will take place in the Middle East among many different countries. In reality, this is a very big misunderstanding.
The beast is described as "having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy." (Rev.13:1) "And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies….And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven." (Rev 13:5-6). In modern terms, this refers to the beast's using every kind of media outlet to attack and blaspheme God. The Book of Daniel of the Old Testament also talks about how the beast keeps using his mouth to blaspheme against God. God is the one "which searcheth the reins and hearts" (Rev.2:23). All these prove that the "Final Battle" is not referring to the type of military confrontation that people are familiar with. Besides blaspheming against God, "it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations." (Rev.13:7). Therefore, the "Final Battle" is not a war in the human world. It is more similar to the persecution suffered by Jesus and his followers under the Roman Empire.
Then what is this "Final Battle?" The answer is clear once we take a look at what Jiang has done since July 20th of 1999. Out of selfishness and jealousy, he has used his power to set aside the laws and has taken advantage of all the media outlets to manufacture lies and to frame and slander Falun Gong. He has treated "Truthfulness Benevolence Forbearance" as his Number One Enemy. He has done everything he could and used all the resources available throughout China to persecute Falun Gong. He has used every kind of torture method known to man from the ancient time to today in both China and abroad to persecute the numerous Falun Gong practitioners. How similar this is to the persecution that Christians had suffered at the hands of the Roman Empire! The only differences are that today's events are much larger and wider in the scope that they cover, and Jiang's methods are even more cunning, vicious and evil. Therefore, the extremely evil, vicious and villainous activities being used to persecute "Truthfulness Benevolence Forbearance" are the real "Final Battle."
"And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty." (Rev.16:13-14) The two verses above make it clear that three dirty beings like frogs come out of the mouths of the dragon, the beast and the false prophet, and have gathered the leaders of some countries on earth. Chapter 13 Verses 7 and 8 of the Book of Revelation state that the beast would have his ways throughout the world. "With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been mad sorceries were all nations deceived drunk with the wine of her fornication." (Rev.17:2) Therefore it is clear that this "Final Battle" that will determine the fate of humanity is not only confined within China but waged all around the world.
Over the past three years, Jiang Zemin's political cronies have not only been frenziedly persecuting and suppressing "Truthfulness Benevolence Forbearance" within China, they have also been using media outlets and diplomatic channels to spread malicious lies about Falun Gong to governments and people all over the world and tried to poison people everywhere. Breaking from the normal patterns of the Chinese leaders of the past, Jiang has been making frequent trips to countries all over the world. Selling out China's national interest, he has been trying to make illegitimate deals in exchange for certain countries' support for his persecution of Falun Gong or limitations of Falun Gong practitioners' legal rights within these countries. He has consistently tried to use all kinds of despicable methods to spread the state mandated campaign of persecution of Falun Gong to countries all around the world.
The Book of Revelation mentions that "the red dragon is good at deceiving people" (12:9), "the beast is good at deceiving people" (13:14), and the fornicator's "sorceries were all nations deceived." (18:23). Precisely because of these deceits and tricks, people all over the world have yet to see through the evil nature of Jiang's political gang. They have yet to recognize the true nature of Jiang Zemin as the killer who has butchered innocent and kind-hearted Falun Gong practitioners. They have yet to see through the danger that Jiang poses to humanity.
(4) The Mark of the Beast
Verses 14 through 16 in chapter 13 of the Book of Revelation mention that the beast deceives people to the point where those people who have been deceived by the beast will wear the mark of the beast. "And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth. 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." (Rev.16:1-2) "And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name." (Rev.14:9-11). To every single person in the world, it is extremely important to fully recognize the true nature of the beast and the mark of the beast. The above sections have illustrated that Jiang's political faction is the beast. Worshipping the political faction headed by Jiang is worshipping the beast. The mark of the beast obviously comes from the head of the evil, Jiang Zemin. Then what is "the mark of the beast?" The above passages have illustrated that Jiang's evil, vicious and villainous persecution of "Truthfulness Benevolence Forbearance" is the real "final battle." If a person has been deceived by Jiang and believes in his lies and therefore has developed negative thoughts toward the great law of the universe, "Truthfulness Benevolence Forbearance," then this person is in an extremely dangerous position. That is because all these negative thoughts are precisely the "marks" of the beast. On the imminent arrival of the moment when the Fa rectifies the human world, all the people whose heads contain negative thoughts toward Falun Dafa will drink "the wine of the wrath of God."
(5) Great Babylon
Chapter 16, 17 and 18 of the Book of Revelation describe how angels send "Great Babylon" to the bottom of the ocean. When people recognize the truly evil nature of Jiang Zemin's political group, they will see that "Great Babylon" is an analogy. It does not refer to either the reappearance of ancient Babylon where the present day Iraq is or the reemergence of the ancient Roman Empire where the present day Europe is. The role that "Great Babylon" plays in the final battle is similar to the role that the Roman Empire had planned against Jesus and his followers in the early days of Christianity. The destruction of the prior "Great Babylon" perhaps is an example of the fate that the current "Great Babylon" faces.
Chapter 14 Verse 8 and Chapter 17 Verse 2 of the Book of Revelation both point out that the kings of the earth have committed fornication with the "Fornicator." That refers to the dirty deals that the "Fornicator" has made with the heads of certain countries. Many countries have been deceived by the "miracles" fabricated by the beast, and forgotten their senses of righteousness and compassion in the face of the tiny bit of political and economic gains that are dangled in front of them. As a result, they are indifferent toward the evil and have drunken "the wine of her fornication."
"…And the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived." (Rev.18:23) When the final judgment comes, the merchants "cried when they saw the smoke of her burning." (Rev.18:18) The Book of Revelation prophesized this point a long time ago. It is a shame that the "merchants" have been easily deceived by the fabricated economic "miracles" (false rapid improvement of economy) and in the end will lose everything.
Great Babylon is the source of evil. It is "the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth." (Rev.17:5). It is the "habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit." (Rev.18:2). It is where Jiang's political group lives. They will not be able to escape from the righteous judgment in the end.
(6) New Jerusalem
It has been three years since Jiang Zemin's despicable political group first started to persecute Falun Gong on July 20th of 1999. "And there was given unto him [the beast] a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months." (Rev.13:5) That is three and a half years. (We now know that, because of certain reasons, this length of time could change.) Therefore there is only a very limited time left. Humankind should treasure this remaining time that is incomparably precious. But there are many people in the world who still have not seen the truth and recognized the danger that humanity faces. They have not recognized the true evil nature of Jiang's political faction and its damages to humanity. Some people even admire Jiang's group and accept its slanderous lies against Falun Gong. Some have even made dirty deals with Jiang to gain a tiny bit of immediate personal gain. In the words of the Book of Revelation, this is "committing fornication" with the beast. There are even those evil beings who are assisting the beast to commit unspeakable deeds.
The Book of Revelation mentions that among the many large disasters that the humanity faces, some have disappeared and some have become far less serious. That is because "the king of kings" is suffering on behalf of humanity. That is because the great law of the cosmos is being spread in the human world. That is because there are hundreds of millions of Dafa disciples who are displaying tremendous amount of courage and letting go life and death by insisting on upholding the truth.
The king of kings "that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new." (Rev.21:5). The "New Jerusalem" mentioned in chapter 21 verse 2 is just an analogy. It is not the Middle East's Jerusalem that today's people think of. "New Jerusalem" refers to the new humankind, earth and cosmos, which will be very pure and beautiful.