Does the Lake of Fire Symbolize Eternal Torment for all cast into it?
When “Death and Hades” are cast into the lake of fire” they are destroyed (1 Cor. 15:26), but the Devil, Beast and False Prophet receive eternal torment (Rev. 20:10).

These different fates require the symbolism of a consuming fire that cannot be quenched (Isa. 66:24; Mk. 9:44, 46, 48) is not pertinent to the duration of whatever is cast into it; Whatever is cast in can be immediately destroyed or endure for an undetermined period of time. Their lot or destiny, “their part” (3313 μέρος meros, Rev. 21:8) of “eternity” in the lake of fire, is “according to their works” (Rev. 20:12), in proportion to their deeds.

Some would object claiming “Death and Hades” are personified in this context, but as “sea” is also listed as a place the dead rise from, that is impossible. In context they are places the dead rise from that God created, therefore Guilty of nothing. Their being tossed into the fire is to symbolize their destruction, never to return. Whereas Satan and crew are guilty of eternal sins, therefore, “they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” (Rev. 20:10 NKJ)

13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works.
14 Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire. (Rev. 20:13-15 NKJ)

“But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part (3313 μέρος meros) in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” (Rev. 21:8 NKJ)

3313 μέρος meros {mer’-os}
Meaning: 1) a part 1a) a part due or assigned to one 1b) lot, destiny

“The sea…the death and the Hades” (ἡ θάλασσα… ὁ Θάνατος καὶ ὁ ᾍδης Rev. 20:13) are different places that “give up” the dead in them. Christ has the keys to Death and Hades (Rev. 1:13) to symbolize His authority to release or lock up prisoners therein. None of the dead are left out.

Notice the wording in Revelation 20:15: “Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire”. This is not a hypothetical “first class condition” where something is implied, to argue against it. In context, its a statement of fact. Its prose, John is reporting what he sees. John must have seen some rise whose names WERE written in the book of life (Compare Rom. 11:25-32).

Judgement Day is when some humans rise to life, and others to condemnation:

28 “Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice
29 “and come forth– those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation. (Jn. 5:28-29 NKJ)

Those in the grave (Hades) who done good by repenting for sins done in flesh but then living according to God in the Spirit (1 Pet. 4:6) will rise to life, “that his spirit may be saved in the Day of the Lord Jesus” (1 Cor. 5:5). Their names are written in the “book of life” and so are not cast into the lake of fire.

27 And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,
28 so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation. (Heb. 9:27-28 NKJ)

Those who committed eternal sins while alive (Mk. 3:28-29) or refused to repent in Hades are judged according to their works. Each has a different ‘lot’ or ‘destiny’ in the lake of fire according to their works.

Different duration of torment also follows from the warning of “eternal torment” for accepting the Mark of the Beast (Rev. 14:9-11). That requires all guilty of works of lesser evil than accepting the Mark must receive “less than eternal torment” or the warning of “eternal torment” is without force. The Judgment for their different works must result in a different “part” (3313 μέρος meros) or “destiny”, “less evil work” is judged “less torment” in the Lake of Fire.

43 ‘And if thy hand may cause thee to stumble, cut it off; it is better for thee maimed to enter into the life, than having the two hands, to go away to the gehenna, to the fire — the unquenchable —
44 where their worm is not dying, and the fire is not being quenched.
45 ‘And if thy foot may cause thee to stumble, cut it off; it is better for thee to enter into the life lame, than having the two feet to be cast to the gehenna, to the fire — the unquenchable —
46 where their worm is not dying, and the fire is not being quenched.
47 And if thine eye may cause thee to stumble, cast it out; it is better for thee one-eyed to enter into the reign of God, than having two eyes, to be cast to the gehenna of the fire –
48 where their worm is not dying, and the fire is not being quenched; (Mk. 9:43-48 YLT)

The fire is not quenched, the maggot dies not. Each symbol implies a different “destiny” or “part” (3313 μέρος meros, Rev. 21:8) “Fire that cannot be quenched” implies total destruction, “fire continually burning everlasting destruction” (compare Jude 1:7; Mal. 4:3; Isa. 26:14). “Undying worms” implies eternal torment as undying maggots require a body to continue forever. The symbol of an abominable resurrection body reeking of corruption (Isa. 66:24; Dan. 12:2; Gal. 6:8) that continues forever, communicating the wrath of an offended Holy God to the soul or angelic spirit imprisoned within for all eternity.

So “everyone” cast into Gehenna (aka Abyss, Lake of Fire) has a different destiny according to their works (Rev. 20:11-15). All sacrificed in Gehenna either are consumed by unquenchable fire (Mk. 9:43, 44, 45, 46, 48) or their worm dies not (Mk. 9:43, 44, 45, 46, 48).

49 for every one with fire shall be salted, and every sacrifice with salt shall be salted. (Mk. 9:49 YLT)

Everyone sacrificed in Gehenna is salted with destruction by fire (cp. Jude 1:7); or salted to be preserved as meat is preserved with salt.

The different “part” or “destiny” of those cast into Gehenna is evident by the threat of “eternal torment” for accepting the Mark (Rev. 14:9-11 cp. Mark 3:28-29). That requires “less than eternal torment” must exist or the threat has no force.

[The correct interpretation is clear in the Textus Receptus, the repetition of the symbols[1] aid understanding as each applies to a different category of sin unveiling it, but modern eclectic texts obscure the meaning by its deletions. See “The Revision Revised” (1881) Dr. Dean John Burgon.]
The Revision Revised pdf
The Dean Burgon Society

Likewise, Jesus’ warning against blaspheming the Holy Spirit, forgiveness of lesser evil works implies less duration of torment as never forgiving blasphemy implies eternal torment, the contrast implying “their part” or “destiny” (3313 μέρος meros) has some reference to duration of torment.

31 “Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men.
32 “Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come. (Matt. 12:31-32 NKJ)

This is consistent with the destiny of some cast into the Lake of fire being one of destruction after a time of torment, but for others eternal torment without end. God has “punished and destroyed them” “according to their works” (Rev. 20:12-13). All cast into the Lake of fire suffer the “second death”, they “die the death” from which they will not rise:

They are dead, they will not live; They are deceased, they will not rise. Therefore You have punished and destroyed (08045 שָׁמַד shamad ) them, And made all their memory to perish. (Isa. 26:14 NKJ)

08045 שָׁמַד shamad Meaning: 1) to destroy, exterminate, be destroyed, be exterminated -Strong’s Concordance

16 Thus says the LORD, who makes a way in the sea And a path through the mighty waters,
17 Who brings forth the chariot and horse, The army and the power (They shall lie down together, they shall not rise; They are extinguished, they are quenched like a wick): (Isa. 43:16-17 NKJ)

You shall trample the wicked, For they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet On the day that I do this,” Says the LORD of hosts. (Mal. 4:3 NKJ)

A thought experiment: Let’s suppose 1). That God’s Mercy is absent; 2). That using God’s gift of Free Will is not a work so not a factor in judgment of reward or punishment. 3). That its possible to reject Christ’s offer of salvation and yet be innocent of evil works.

For example, the Bingo lady who cares nothing about Jesus, only goes to church to play Bingo. Otherwise, the Bingo lady is good person, no evil works. In that situation, when the Bingo lady is cast into the lake of fire (she rejected salvation in Christ), as torment is according to works, she wouldn’t suffer any torment, like Death and Hades her destruction would be immediate and without pain.

When we factor in God’s mercy, Christ’s words have greater application. “Every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven”, it implies all not guilty of eternal sin will not suffer beyond their immediate destruction. The fire consumes totally (Mal. 4:3; Jude 1:7), they are exterminated (Isa. 26:14) extinguished like a wick that no longer burns (Isa. 43:16-17).

28 “Assuredly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they may utter;
29 “but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation “– (Mk. 3:28-29 NKJ)

Considering all of the above, it was a “hasty generalization fallacy” to group all the wicked into the same “eternal torment bin”. Only those guilty of eternal sin suffer eternal torment. God’s mercy would limit the torment or even remove it for everyone else. Everyone judged worthy of that punishment will be seasoned with fire that consumes unto destruction or preserved as meat is preserved salt (Mark 9:49) “according to their works” (Rev. 20:13) and not a second longer.

As these Goat survivors of Armageddon are cast into Gehenna “lake of fire” “soul and body” (Mt. 25:41-46; 18:8-9; 5:22; Mk. 9:43-47) just like the Beast and False Prophet (Rev. 19:20), the severity of this judgment implies their denial of aid to Christ’s Brethren occurred during the Great Tribulation of the church and may have crossed the line into near collaboration with the Beast, even if they did not receive the Mark or worship him (Rev. 14:9-11). The Goats have their Final Judgment before the millennial reign of Christ; denied the last opportunity to repent in Hades and rise to life on Judgment Day (John 5:28-29; Rev. 20:11-15):

41 “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, `Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels:
42 `for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink;
43 `I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’
44 “Then they also will answer Him, saying, `Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’
45 “Then He will answer them, saying, `Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’
46 “And these will go away into everlasting punishment (2851 κόλασις kolasis), but the righteous into eternal life.” (Matt. 25:41-46 NKJ)

This is, however, the only time we meet the phrase “eternal punishment” in Matthew, or indeed in the whole NT. It appears to be synonymous with the “eternal fire” of v. 41 and of 18:8, and cf. the “hell-fire” of 5:22 and 18:9. All these passages raise the question whether this fire is regarded as destroying and thus annihilating those consigned to it, or as a continuing agony of conscious punishment such as is explicitly attributed to the devil, the beast and the false prophet in the lake of fire in Rev 20:10 (see above on v. 41). In the debate among evangelical theologians on the issue of annihiliation as against continuing punishment,94 the phrase “eternal punishment” here in Matt 25:46 is commonly cited as a proof-text for the latter position. But this is usually on the assumption that “eternal” is a synonym for “everlasting.” That assumption depends more on modern English usage than on the meaning of aiōnios, which we have seen to be related to the concept of the two ages. [2] “Eternal punishment”, so understood, is punishment which relates to the age to come rather than punishment which continues for ever, so that the term does not in itself favor one side or the other in the annihilationist debate. In so far as the metaphor of fire may be pressed, however, it suggests destruction rather than punishment, especially if the imagery of the incineration of rubbish is understood to underlie the idea of hell (see on 5:22); the fire of Gehenna goes on burning not because the rubbish is not destroyed by it, but because more is continually added. The imagery of incineration in relation to the final destiny of the wicked also occurs more explicitly in 13:42: the weeds are destroyed, not kept burning for ever. We have noted also the use of the verb “destroy” in relation to hell in 10:28. These pointers suggest that an annihilationist theology (sometimes described as “conditional immortality”) does more justice to Matthew’s language in general, and if so the sense of “eternal punishment” here will not be “punishment which goes on for ever”96 but “punishment which has eternal consequences”, the loss of eternal life through being destroyed by fire.-France, R. T. (2007). The Gospel of Matthew (pp. 966–967). Wm. B. Eerdmans Publication Co.

Eternally cut off does not require continuance, only a “Second Death” (Rev. 20:14) from which there is no resurrection (return). If the Lake of Fire symbolized eternal torment why did John fell the need to declare the Devil, Beast and False Prophet “will be tormented day and night forever and ever” in it? (Rev. 20:10).

The wicked are punished with “everlasting destruction from the face of the Lord” (2 Thess. 1:9), that is their place before God is destroyed which implies nothing about their continuance elsewhere.

END NOTE
The Fire that Consumes

Fire can symbolize many things, including destruction:

“Therefore her plagues will come in one day– death and mourning and famine. And she will be utterly burned with fire, for strong is the Lord God who judges her. (Rev. 18:8 NKJ)

They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. (Rev. 20:9 NKJ)

Fire is used throughout the scripture to imply total destruction EW Fudge wrote a book about it titled “The Fire That Consumes: A Biblical and Historical Study of the Doctrine of Final Punishment”.

The Lake of Fire symbolizes destruction, “Death and Hades” (places of the dead Rev. 20:13) are cast into the Lake to destroy them, not to torment them. These places can’t be “personified” in this context because they are places the dead rise from, just as they do from “the sea”:

13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works.
14 Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. (Rev. 20:13-14 NKJ)

Scripture says everyone tossed into the lake receives “their part” which could be translated their “part due” what is assigned to them, their “lot, destiny”

“But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part (3313 μέρος meros) in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” (Rev. 21:8 NKJ)

3313 μέρος meros {mer’-os}
Meaning: 1) a part 1a) a part due or assigned to one 1b) lot, destiny 2) one of the constituent parts of a whole 2a) in part, partly, in a measure, to some degree, as respects a part, severally, individually 2b) any particular, in regard to this, in this respect.-Strong’s Concordance

Therefore, everyone cast into the lake receives punishment according to their works.

12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.
13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. (Rev. 20:12-13 NKJ)

When the Beast, False Prophet, Satan are cast into the Lake they suffer eternally:

The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. (Rev. 20:10 NKJ)

If the symbolism meant all tossed into the Lake of Fire receive eternal torment, then its redundant for John to add “they will be tormented …forever.”

Details matter. Historically the Catholic church ignored these details, adopting much pagan thought about Hades. Protestants inherited that eisegesis, defending it.

God is just. He punishes according to deeds. What a surprise, the God of Justice displays justice. Go figure.

[1] Rabbinic argument in both Talmud and New Testament often employ symbol in place of premises. It is assumed the reader will realize the implication. For example, when proving the resurrection of the body Jesus cites:

26 “But concerning the dead, that they rise, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the burning bush passage, how God spoke to him, saying,`I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’?
27 “He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living. You are therefore greatly mistaken.”
28 Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well… (Mk. 12:26-28 NKJ)

At first read it seems Jesus proved life after death only, not the resurrection of the body. But from the symbol of God being the “God of the living” it is inconsistent the patriarchs remain physically dead, and therefore the resurrection of their bodies must occur because of who God is. Accordingly, the scribe declares Jesus proved the resurrection to the Sadducees “well”.

Example from Talmud:

‘ Whence is the doctrine of the Resurrection derived from the Torah? As it is said, ‘ Ye shall give the Lord’s heave-offering to Aaron the priest’ (Num. xviii. 28).

But did Aaron live for ever to receive the offering? Is it not true that he did not enter the land of Israel? Consequently the text teaches that he is to be restored to life (in the Hereafter) and will receive the heave-offering. Hence the Resurrection is deducible from the Torah’ (Sanh. 90b). – Abraham Cohen, Everyman’s Talmud (Schocken Books, NY, 1995), p 358.

[2]

V 3, p 98 κόλασις G3136κολάζω G3134 (kolazō), punish; κόλασις G3136 (kolasis), punishment.

CL J. Schneider links the original meaning of kolazō with its etymology, i.e. to maim, cut off. “Punishment is designed to cut off what is bad or disorderly” (TDNT III 814). Both the noun and the vb. were fixed terms in Gk. sacral jurisprudence. In inscriptions there are references to the deity punishing violations of the cultic laws. Plato put forward the view that he who punishes aright does good, and that punishment is a blessing since it frees one from a false frame of soul (Grg. 476a ff.; cf. TDNT III 815).

OT The two terms occur chiefly in non-canonical literature. The vb. kolazō is without Heb. equivalent and is found in 1 Esd. 8:24; Wis. 3:4; 11:5, 8, 16; 12:14f., 27; 14:10; 16:1, 9; 18:11, 22; Sir. 23:21; Dan. 6:13 (12); 1 Macc. 7:7; 2 Macc. 6:14; 3 Macc. 3:26; 7:3, 14; 4 Macc. 2:11; 8:6; 18:5. kolasis stands for miḵšôl, cause of guilt, offense, in Ezek. 14:3, 4, 7; 18:30; 44:12. It is used in connexion with the vb. kālam in the niph., be put to shame, in Ezek. 43:11. It has no Heb. equivalent in Wis. 11:13; 16:2, 24; 19:4; Jer. 18:20; 2 Macc. 4:38; 3 Macc. 1:3; 4 Macc. 8:9; 13:7.
Philo distinguished between the beneficent power of God with which he made the world and which is called God, and the judicial power in virtue of which he rules what is created and which is called Lord (Rer. Div. Her. 166; cf. TDNT III 815 for further references). God’s mercy is older than punishment (Deus. Imm. 76) and God prefers to forgive rather than to punish (Spec. Leg. 2, 196). Punishment is for those who will not listen to reason (Agric. 40). Both Josephus (e.g. Ant. 1, 60) and Philo speak of kolasis as divine retribution. For other instances in non-biblical literature see Arndt, 440. The idea of eternal punishment kolasis aiōnios is found in Test.Reub. 5:5.

NT Both words occur only twice each in the NT. The vb. is found in Acts 4:21 of the Jewish leaders’ treatment of Peter and John: “And when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them, because of the people; for all men praised God for what had happened.” It is used of divine chastisement in 2 Pet. 2:9: “then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trial, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment.”
The noun occurs in 1 Jn. 4:18: “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and he who fears is not perfected in love.” Schneider takes this to mean that “the man who lives in fear (before God) is already punished by this fear. His fear is his punishment” (TDNT III 817). He notes, however, that most commentators do not take it in this way. Rather, the meaning would seem to be that continued existence in fear is a sign of an inadequate relationship with God which is meant to exist on the plane of love. The love in question is both God’s love for us and ours for him and the brethren (cf. v. 19 with 2:9ff.; 3:11–18; 4:7–12). When men live on that level, they have “confidence for the day of judgment” (v. 17).

Matt. 25:46 raises the question of eternal punishment. At the end of the parable of the sheep and the goats the Lord separates the blessed, who manifested their righteousness in practical love, from the cursed who failed to do so, not recognizing the incognito presence of Christ in the needy brethren. “Then he will say to those at his left hand, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.…’ And they will go away into eternal punishment [eis kolasin aiōnion], but the righteous into eternal life [eis zoēn aiōnion]” (Matt. 25:41, 46). The passage has often been cited in support of the doctrine of endless torment. But it may be questioned whether it implies more than the finality of judgment. The term eternal has both qualitative and quantitative overtones (→ Time, art. ἐλαιών). Jesus did not teach, like Plato and others, that the → soul was intrinsically immortal and that it would necessarily go on after death. References to the eternal → fire (Matt. 18:8; cf. Mk. 9:43–48; Jude 7) are necessarily figurative.

In attempting to determine the meaning of such passages, attention needs to be paid to semantics and the philosophical analysis of the structure and function of language. The words “life” and “judgment” are what I. T. Ramsey called models which describe something in familiar terms which is, in fact, not capable of being described in a purely literal way. For although eternal life can be entered into now, its future character lies hidden beyond this life. The word “eternal” is what Ramsey termed a qualifier which serves as a directive to understand the model in a special way (Religious Language: An Empirical Placing of Theological Phrases, 1957, 61 f.; cf. also Freedom and Immortality, 1960, 91–148). The qualifier is not simply a literal description of the noun but a reminder that it is being used in a non-literal sense (cf. such phrases as “heavenly Father”, “infinite love”). Similarly the phrase “eternal sin” (Mk. 3:29) does not mean an endless sin but one which has dimensions and ramifications beyond the present life.

Eternal → judgment is referred to in Heb. 6:2 and 2 Thess. 1:9. This, like the idea of eternal fire, does not necessarily imply that those concerned go on being judged or continue to be consumed. If the metaphor of fire is to be pressed at all, it would imply that the fire of righteousness continues to burn, but that what is consumed once is consumed for good (cf. also Paul’s observation about works being consumed by fire, 1 Cor. 3:15)-Brown, C. (1986). κόλασις. In L. Coenen, E. Beyreuther, & H. Bietenhard (Eds.), New international dictionary of New Testament theology (Vol. 3, pp. 98–99). Zondervan Publishing House.

Lazarus and the Rich Man
God’s Plan for the Lost
Preaching to the Dead (Postmortem evangelism)
Predestination unto Salvation: Was Divine Election Conditional or Unconditional?
Where Is The Judgment Of Fallen Angels?

Share your Beliefs Christian Forum

“Implication” is the interpretive key opening the door to a mass of evidence for postmortem opportunity for salvation.

36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?”
37 Jesus said to him, “`You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’
38 “This is the first and great commandment.
39 “And the second is like it:`You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’
40 “On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matt. 22:36-40 NKJ)

In Jesus’ day Rabbinic argument often pivoted upon an implied premise: Jesus asked the Pharisees “if David calls Christ ‘my Lord’ how can he be David’s son? (Mt 22:41-45); ” I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob” proves Sadducees twice wrong, not only about the afterlife but the resurrection of the body for daily God is reminded He promised they and their offspring would inhabit the land physically forever (Gen. 17:7-8; 26:3; 28:13). James quotes Amos 9:11-12 to prove Gentiles were always participants in God’s salvation (Acts. 15:15-18); Paul argues “This, ‘He ascended’– what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth?'” (Eph. 4:9).

18 You have ascended on high, You have led captivity captive; You have received gifts among men, Even from the rebellious, That the LORD God might dwell there.
19 Blessed be the Lord, Who daily loads us with benefits, The God of our salvation! Selah
20 Our God is the God of salvation; And to GOD the Lord belong escapes from death. (Ps. 68:18-20 NKJ)

Today scholars believe Paul’s application is “contextually problematic.” Not to the School of Hillel where Paul learned exegesis at the feet of Gamaliel (Ac. 22:1-3). Both the translators of the Greek Septuagint and Aramaic Targums of this verse parallel Paul’s Holy Spirit-inspired application. They conclude similar premises from the implication of David’s prophecy.

The prophet David speaks of Christ’s descent into hell and preaching to the formerly disobedient “spirits in prison” (1 Pt. 3:18-22) who gladly give gifts for being shown the LORD could dwell among them. Like the Church, they responded to Christ’s preaching “with the answer of a good conscience towards God”. That is the “like figure” Peter saw in Baptism, not referring to water at all. Having believed Christ’s preaching the formerly dead were raised to a newness of life (Rom. 6:4. Col. 2:12. Eph. 2:3-7) “through the resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Pt. 3:21-22). Upon learning Christ is the only way to Salvation; the formerly rebellious become God’s gift to the church of apostles prophets evangelists pastors teachers “for the edifying of the body of Christ.” (Eph. 4:7-16). Without postmortem opportunity, none of these connections can be made.

Postmortem Opportunity does not exist for those who deliberately and in full knowledge reject the gospel of Christ (Heb. 6:4-8). Ignorance of God is the only ground for divine mercy. Christ made this clear: “He who is not with me is against me”, which implies Christ’s identity is fully known. However, if “anyone speaks a word against the Son of Man” (incarnation veiling Jesus’ identity) “it will be forgiven” “in the age to come” (Mt. 12:30, 32) for he spoke in ignorance of God.

Explanation of how postmortem opportunity fits into the larger Christian theology of salvation.

This theory of Universal Opportunity is Exclusive to Christ: “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (Jn. 14:6 NKJ). “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12 NKJ). It does not require temporal or geographical luck, everyone from Adam and Eve hears the gospel of Christ preached when their appointed deaths occur. Then is the “Judgment/trial” if Christ’s sacrifice “to bear the sins of many” includes them. To finite creatures living in spacetime this “is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible” (Mk. 10:27 NKJ).

https://endtimenews.net/does-the-bible-teach-a-second-chance/

Can you show from the scriptures where to find the gifts of special revelation ended in the 1st century?-JLB

“Not explicitly” but the extraordinary gifts of revelation were ceasing in Paul’s day as can be inferred from 1 Cor. 13:8-13

8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.
9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part.
10 But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.
11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.
13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. (1 Cor. 13:8-13 NKJ)

The question you posed asks: “Can you show from the scriptures where to find the gifts of special revelation ended in the 1st century?” The scriptures may not explicitly state this, but a careful interpretation of 1 Corinthians 13:8-13 suggests the cessation of the extraordinary gifts of revelation.
In this passage, Apostle Paul speaks of love as a constant, unfailing force, but he foretells that prophecies, tongues, and knowledge will eventually cease or vanish. He describes these revelatory gifts as “partial”, indicating they are temporary and will be replaced when the “perfect” or “complete” comes. This has often been interpreted as a reference to Christ’s return. Paul, along with many early Christians, believed this return could be imminent.
Paul uses the metaphor of childhood and adulthood in verses 11-12 to illustrate this transformation. As he puts it, “When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.” These “partial” gifts of revelation can be seen as the “childish things”, becoming obsolete as we transition into spiritual “adulthood”, a time when we will see God “face to face” and “know just as I am known”.
It’s conceivable that as these gifts began to fade, it might have prompted fears of abandonment by God among the Corinthians. This might explain why Paul starts his letter with words of reassurance, emphasizing God’s faithfulness and the grace given through Christ Jesus (1 Cor. 1:3-9).
As this transition took place, it led to divisions within the Corinthian church, separating those seeking “signs” from those pursuing “wisdom” (1 Cor. 1:17-24). The majority, seemingly focused on non-charismatic issues, appeared less concerned about the cessation of the gifts (1 Cor. 14:39).
Paul’s expectation of the imminent arrival of “the Perfect” or “Complete”, combined with historical records that suggest a gradual disappearance of the extraordinary gifts after the 1st century, lend support to the cessationist view. Furthermore, passages such as Hebrews 2:2-4 refer to the extraordinary gifts as past events, bolstering the notion that the era of special revelation ended sometime after the apostolic age.
While the cessation of these extraordinary gifts isn’t explicitly declared, careful interpretation of the scriptures, in combination with early Christian tradition, strongly supports the cessationist position over continualism.

Are they a demonic manifestation?

Although it is reasonable to conclude demons inspire the wild sensual excesses we see in “Charismania” among the TARES (Mt. 13:24-30; 36-43) in the church, demons can only deceive true believers, they cannot work signs and wonders through them (Mt. 7:9-11; 1 John 4:4; 5:18).

It could be demonic. It could be satanic; I think it was in Corinth in some cases. It could be that. Ecstatic speech is a part of many pagan religions in Africa, East Africa. Tonga people of Africa, when a demon is exorcised, sing in Zulu, even though they say they don’t know the Zulu language. Ecstatic speech is found today among Muslims, Eskimos, Tibetan monks. It’s involved in parapsychological occult groups. Did you know that the Mormons – even Joseph Smith himself – advocate speaking in tongues? It could be demonic.

Secondly, it could be learned behavior. You just learn how to do it. If you can go to the Hunter’s seminar, they’ll jump start you. It could be psychological; it could be a kind of a self-induced hypnosis, a kind of a trance where you just yield up all of your will and you yield up your vocal chords, and you empty out your brain. And the power of suggestion takes over, and you become psychologically induced. And once you’ve had that experience, you then learn to do it and just do it. Many studies have been done to show that it is psychological.-Pastor John F. MacArthur, Grace Community Church

Does 1 Corinthians 1:7 and 1 Corinthians 13:10 prove Continuance of the Revelatory Gifts
Baptism In The Spirit: The Experience
In the last days, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy
Was the New Testament Church like a modern Pentecostal Church?
What did the apostle John reveal when he said: “It is the last hour”?
The Coming False Christ and His Followers Revealed
Share Bible Insights with other Believers

The “Baptism in the Spirit” or “New Birth” is the same today as on the Day of Pentecost

On the day of Pentecost two separate groups received the Baptism in the Spirit, numbering 120 (Ac. 1:15; 2:1-4) and 3,000 (Ac. 2:38-41).

The First Group (Ac. 1:15-22; 2:1-4) were followers of Jesus from the days of John the Baptist to His resurrection (Ac. 1:21-22). A sound from heaven like rushing wind filled the house, and tongues of fire sat upon each of their heads and they spoke in languages of Parthians, Medes, Elamites, Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, Libya, Cyrene, and Rome (Acts. 2:8-10).

The Holy Spirit filled (Ac. 2:4) their spirit (Rom. 8:5-16), God breathing into their souls the breath of lives (Gen. 2:7), they became “new creatures” (2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 6:15) risen in Christ (Rom. 6:3-4; Col. 2:12), born “from above” (John 3:7-8; 1 Pet. 1:3) .The “washing of regeneration and renewing” (Tit. 3:5) gave birth to their “inner man” (Eph. 3:16; Col. 3:10). They became partakers of divine nature (2 Pet. 1:4) passing from death into life (John 5:21, 24-26).

Only their soul was made alive, all of this was Spirit to spirit (Rom. 8:5-16) because our Holy God cannot abide with sin and touches no unclean thing (Rom. 7:18; 8:7-13). The flesh must wait for the resurrection yet future (1 Cor. 15:12, 51-55; Rev. 20:5).

Of these 120 unique followers of Christ only the Twelve Apostles did signs and wonders (Ac. 2:42-43).

When the Second Group received the Holy Spirit (Ac. 2:38-39) there was no sound from heaven like a rushing wind. Tongues of fire did not rest upon their heads. They did not speak foreign languages.

Precisely as the Holy Spirit filled the 120, so did He the 3,000 just as Peter promised (Ac. 2:38; Rom. 8:5-16). God breathed into their souls the breath of lives (Gen. 2:7), they became “new creatures” (2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 6:15) risen in Christ (Rom. 6:3-4; Col. 2:12), born “from above” (John 3:7-8; 1 Pet. 1:3) .The “washing of regeneration and renewing” (Tit. 3:5) gave birth to their “inner man” (Eph. 3:16; Col. 3:10). They became partakers of divine nature (2 Pet. 1:4) passing from death into life (John 5:21, 24-26).

Confirming the 3,000 saved that day did not manifest revelatory gifts is the fact these were so uncommon they were deemed a “sign from God” of something new (Acts 10:44-47; 15:7-8). God also employed this sign to confirm salvation is only by public confession Jesus is LORD (Acts 19:1-7; 4:12). That this was a special group of Jews who received the revelatory gifts is evident by it being specially noted these were “Twelve” in number (Acts 19:7), clearly implying they were part of this exclusive group of Jews who would establish the Church (1 Cor. 12:28). “Salvation is of the Jews” (John 4:22)

The “outward physical evidence” the 3,000 were filled with the Holy Spirit was their changed heart and mind towards God and His Truth, and love for His people (Acts. 2:42-47 Compare 1 Pet. 1:22-23).

That the “outward physical evidence” was the SAME for BOTH the 120 and 3,000 organically follows from it being a function of “the One Body of Christ”, “the One Spirit who regenerates”, “the One Faith all belong to”, “the One Baptism common to every believer”. Every believer is baptized in the Holy Spirit of God whether they “feel” Him or not.

Just as the “soul” cannot be “physically felt”, neither can the soul’s regeneration into a new creature be “physically felt”, it happens in the dimension of the spirit senses cannot sense. That is why Scripture is silent about “physical sensations in body or brain” as though any could indicate when the Holy Spirit is working. They do not exist.

Because this radical change in the “spirit in the machine” may cause the brain produce electromagnetic pulses or an Adrenaline/Endorphin cocktail causing experiences, some mistake those as caused by the Holy Spirit. But that is like “putting the cart before the horse”.

The regeneration of the human soul into a “new creature” can only be spiritually discerned (1 Cor. 2:14) and logically inferred from many lines of evidence in the Holy Scriptures.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (Gal. 5:22-23 NKJ; Eph. 5:8-10; Mt. 7:16-18).

Unless God specially reveal the experience of the new birth nothing will be “felt” as the Holy Spirit communicates to the human spirit Divine Nature, quickening it with eternal life. Then one is “born again”, “born from above” (γεννηθῇ ἄνωθεν). What formerly was like “a shade” is now a “new creature in Christ” born of the regenerative power of the Holy Spirit. This new reality can only be spiritually discerned, the changes in personality and perception are clearly evident. Now they “KNOW” God is their Father! Bible Truth that formerly was obscure is now wonderfully illuminated. The beauty and necessity of Christ’s sacrifice, the Incarnation of God the Son now understood beyond natural understanding.

To prove this conclusion we must see the same evidence of the “New Birth” in the 120 who received special empowerment and the 3,000 saved who did not. Then compare that with what happens today in Christian churches throughout the earth.

Both the 120 and 3000 show “holy fear” at the signs done by the Twelve Apostles, and BOTH manifest the Holy Spirit is in them by their devotion to God’s Truth and His people:

43 Then fear came upon EVERY soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.
44 Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common,
45 and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.
46 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart,
47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved. (Acts 2:43-47 NKJ)

The “outward physical evidence” they were baptized in the Spirit was in their changed perception, their love for God, His Truth, and His children. Being baptized in the Spirit, the “washing of regeneration” is the SAME for every born from above believer from the Day of Pentecost until today:

4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling;
5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism;
6 one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. (Eph. 4:4-6 NKJ)

The one Spirit Personally indwells every member of the body of Christ, BUT to “each one” was given “the grace” (ἡ χάρις) to accomplish the work God appointed they do (Eph. 2:10):

But unto each one of us was the grace (ἡ χάρις) given according to the measure of the gift of Christ. (Eph. 4:7 ASV)

The church receives gifts (Eph. 4:10-13) according to God’s will (Eph. 4:7; 1 Cor. 12:11), but the One Spirit Personally indwells every member of the church equally so all are “the children of God”.

The 120 unique followers of Christ who received special grace to establish Christianity while the New Testament was still being written, were precisely like the 3000 born from above on that day. Never is it said they were superior in any way, to the 3,000 saved that day. Therefore, every born-again believer in Christ is just as much a child of God, as the apostles and prophets who founded the Church.

Today’s “born again experience” is the exactly the same believers experienced on the Day of Pentecost, the time of the maximum manifestation of the gifts of the Spirit. All perceive they are changed, loving God, His Truth and His People like never before.

According to Romans 8:5-16 the Holy Spirit bypasses carnal nature and communes directly with the human spirit, bypassing the flesh entirely. Therefore, everything is beyond physical sensory detection. Without special revelation by God, the “new birth” cannot be physically experienced. We can only spiritually discern the reality of our translation from death into life by love for God as our Father (Rom. 8:15-16), God’s Truth and God’s people (John 13:35; 2 Thess. 2:13-14; 1 Pet. 1:22)

As it is “Spirit to spirit” communion, the flesh is bypassed entirely:

16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: (Rom. 8:16 KJV)

This “bearing witness” isn’t to body or brain, it is to the human spirit and so manifests itself as conscience:

But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. (1 Cor. 2:14 KJV)

I tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit, (Rom. 9:1 NKJ)

The realm of the spirit is beyond physical senses (1 Cor. 2:13-14). God speaks to us “face to face” through our conscience (Rom. 9:1) as we read the Word of God the Bible—the “sword of the Spirit” (Heb. 4:12):

12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account. (Heb. 4:12-13 NKJ)

27 “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.
28 “And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. (Jn. 10:27-28 NKJ)

Therefore, no born-again Christian is a “second class citizen” because the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit were reserved for the Twelve Apostles and founding prophets (Acts 1:1-5; 21-22), and not given to them.

If anyone still feels like a foreigner among His people, a “dry tree”, hear the Word of the LORD:

3 Let no foreigner who is bound to the LORD say, “The LORD will surely exclude me from his people.” And let no eunuch complain, “I am only a dry tree.”
4 For this is what the LORD says: “To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths, who choose what pleases me and hold fast to my covenant–
5 to them I will give within my temple and its walls a memorial and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that will endure forever.
6 And foreigners who bind themselves to the LORD to minister to him, to love the name of the LORD, and to be his servants, all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it and who hold fast to my covenant–
7 these I will bring to my holy mountain and give them joy in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.”

8 The Sovereign LORD declares– he who gathers the exiles of Israel: “I will gather still others to them besides those already gathered.” (Isa. 56:3-8 NIV)

END NOTE

It is alleged I am a “Cessationist” because I never experienced a Pentecostal Church service. That is not correct. I was baptized in Bethany Christian, a four-square “full gospel” Pentecostal Church. “We can’t throw the Baby out with the Bathwater” is what I often said when everyone could discern a “tongues and prophecy” was “of the flesh” and not “of the Spirit.”

Jesus’ and His Apostles miracles are impeccable, modern “manifestations” are not. The facts show their miracles have not continued in churches today.

It is written:

“We ought to obey God rather than men. (Acts 5:29 NKJ)

God commands we “test the spirits”

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. (1 Jn. 4:1 NKJ)

We are commanded to “test whether the supernatural in church is of God”, and “hold fast what is good” abstaining from every form of evil:

21 Test all things; hold fast what is good.
22 Abstain from every form of evil. (1 Thess. 5:21-22 NKJ)

God commands all “Examine yourselves” to be certain spiritual experiences are “in the faith”:

Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. (2 Cor. 13:5 NKJ)

A Personal Testimony of “Testing myself”:

As a Pentecostal I believed the Holy Spirit would respond to questions with “a leading” that was either “yes” or “no”. I believed that 100% for a couple of years.

Over time it became clear I often went in circles accomplishing nothing for Christ. I decided to “test” the “leading”, I walked to the corner and asked “should I turn left or right?” The “leading” indicated “turn right”, but I turned “left”. As I walked I justified turning left was the only correct thing to do, and as I did this the “leading” reassured me “you are correct!”

That’s when I realized it was all experiential self-delusion, a fabrication of my mind. At first I was heartbroken as if I lost a companion.

The despair was soon replaced by a sense of liberation! What a slave I was! How many times did it “lead me to nowhere without the resources even to live!” (comp. Isa. 8:21). As the “brain fog” lifted, my critical thinking skills returned restoring autonomy.

“Oh, what a feeling! Free at last, Free at last! Freedom! Nothing can replace it!”

As I evaluated the “fact pattern” of modern “Pentecostalism” their claim of “continuity with NT Church” became impossible. Whatever is occurring among Pentecostalism today is “something different” than what was in the New Testament Church.

That is why I am a “Cessationist.” In 1 Corinthians 13:8-13 Paul discusses the cessation of the revelatory gifts because they were already ceasing everywhere in the Church, and he had to reassure them God still loved them (1 Cor. 1:4-9). The Reader must factor in the fact Paul believed Christ could return in the 1st century, so the time of their cessation would be seen as “near” to that date. Because “tongues prophecy knowledge” were “partial revelation” it logically follows they would end as the complete revelation of God appears with Christ’s second coming.

The Bible alone is 100% reliable and true, experiences are subjective and possibly self-deception (Jer. 17:9; 23:26; Jas. 1:26-27).

“Extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof”-Carl Sagan, “The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark,” Carl Sagan.

Pentecostals have failed to provide extraordinary proof. The burden of proof is on Pentecostals.

The supernatural events in churches today must be authenticated by rigorous investigation and examination of their “fact-pattern” by a team of experts as truly “supernatural”.

Moreover, Lovers of God’s Truth must insist the “fact pattern” is 100% consistent with scriptural data and teaching.

For example, it is impossible the “fallible prophecy” appearing in Pentecostal churches today is the same “word of the Lord” spoken in the Bible because Scripture declares “fallible prophecy” is “the thing which the LORD has not spoken.”

21 “And if you say in your heart,`How shall we know the word which the LORD has not spoken?’–
22 “when a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him. (Deut. 18:21-22 NKJ)

So why haven’t Pentecostal churches authenticated the supernatural in their churches?

Without it, Bible Believers cannot accept their claims as true.

Was the NT Church like a Modern Pentecostal Church?
Paul’s Teaching about Tongues Ceasing implies they were already ceasing
Have we not prophesied in your Name?
Does 1 Corinthians 1:7 and 1 Corinthians 13:10 prove Continuance of the Revelatory Gifts
The Coming False Christ and His Followers Revealed

Many believers have been deceived; they have been made to question if Christ’s words are accurate:

“For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. (Matt. 5:18 NKJ)

Literal Jots and titles have no meaning to fulfill.

“Jot” and “tittle” symbolize “the smallest meaning”: “Not the smallest meaning in scripture will pass until its fulfilled.”

Christ never promised copyists wouldn’t make errors in copying, that diacritical marks would never change. Or that synonyms wouldn’t be used, or some words misspelled, left our or added, or other minor changes in word order.

He promised none of these “errors of transmission” would change even the smallest meaning and prevent its fulfillment.

AND beyond any reasonable doubt, that is precisely what the Majority Text proves happened. Nothing has changed, we have the same bible of the apostles, its in the Majority Text.

None of this implies there is no value to newer translations. I like the NIV and sometimes its use of “dynamic equivalence” explains obscure idiom.

One NIV translation I really like is Isaiah 56:3-7.

Its like a prophetic “word of the LORD” to all born again believers, who love the LORD and carry His cross daily, but made to feel like a foreigner in God’s House—“a dry tree” because they manifest only the miracle of a changed heart and spirit 100% given to Jesus, and not tongues signs or wonders.

3 Let no foreigner who is bound to the LORD say, “The LORD will surely exclude me from his people.” And let no eunuch complain, “I am only a dry tree.”

4 For this is what the LORD says: “To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths, who choose what pleases me and hold fast to my covenant–
5 to them I will give within my temple and its walls a memorial and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that will endure forever.

6 And foreigners who bind themselves to the LORD to minister to him, to love the name of the LORD, and to be his servants, all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it and who hold fast to my covenant–
7 these I will bring to my holy mountain and give them joy in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.”
(Isa. 56:3-7 NIV)

Revelation 13:1 “I stood” versus “He stood”

Christians are told scholars establish the “original text” through careful analysis, picking the best variant that conforms to their idea of what the original said. However, that is unsound being circular. They produce a text in their own preconceived image and believe its the truth!

They assume where John “stood” or whether he “stood” at all is “wholly immaterial; where the dragon stood is material”. Of course the variant conforming to their presupposition is the one they prefer: “he [the Dragon] stood”, not “I [John] stood”. Dr. Bruce Metzger opines “The latter reading appears to have arisen when copyists accommodated ἐστάθη to the first person of the following εἶδον.”-Metzger, B. M., United Bible Societies. (1994). A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament, Second Edition a companion volume to the United Bible Societies’ Greek New Testament (4th rev. ed.) (p. 673). United Bible Societies.

Consider the stupidity of having John and the Dragon as tourists calmly gazing out to the sea. Weren’t we just told “the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ” (Rev. 12:17 NKJ). Wow! That was a short war!

If we let the blind Scholars rewrite our scriptures, what does that say about us? Let the shiny dragon capture their attention.

We must interpret the phrase “I stood upon the sand of the sea” as allusion to Daniel 7:4-8:27 where the “interpretive keys to the symbolism of beasts and horns are found.

The monster having seven heads and ten horns (Rev. 13:1-5) is the last global government to rise in the seven-year end time “week” before the coming Kingdom of God. In the book of Daniel this is the fourth and last government beast to rise (Dan. 7:7). Because it is a Grecian version of the old Byzantine Roman Empire (before the split) it has 7 heads (count the heads Dan. 7:2-7) in a leopard body. The head that died and was revived is Ancient Babylon, its first head. So this entire beast is in effect the Eighth king “out of seven” (Rev. 17:7-10). The Beast is both Empire and Emperor just as in Daniel 7:17.

John saw two phases of this revived Grecian Roman Babylonian Empire Beast. It rises from a sea of spiritism (Job 38:16-17; Isa. 27:1; Ps. 74:13; Dan. 7:2 compare Rev. 21:1) when Satan and his fallen angels appear on earth (Rev. 12:7-9) insisting they can only work through global government to deliver global peace and safety (1 Thess. 5:3).

They install the False Christ Rider on the White Horse as its first “Chancellor”, “the mouth of a lion” (Rev. 13:2). The second phase begins at mid week, after 3.5 years when Adonikam the false Christ breaks the covenant he made with the world’s religions and reveals he actually is the Seed of Satan “Son of Destruction” (Dan. 9:27; 2 Thess. 2:3-4; Rev. 13:5). He now denies the Father and Son and blasphemes Yehovah God, both His dwelling and His angels:

⁵ And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months.
⁶ Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven.
⁷ It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation.
⁸ All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
⁹ If anyone has an ear, let him hear.
¹⁰ He who leads into captivity shall go into captivity; he who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints. (Rev. 13:5-10 NKJV)

The Majority Text: Divine Preservation and Christian Reason
The Grecian-Roman Empire with Seven Heads and Ten Horns

11 (for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls),
12 it was said to her, “The older shall serve the younger.”
13 As it is written, “Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.”
14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not! (Rom. 9:11-14 NKJ)

A Thought Experiment: Imagine the Elect aren’t the only ones saved. What shall we say then?

Paul names two Groups that will be saved: The ELECT and Israel.

Israel was blinded at first but “have they stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not!”

Therefore, both Elect and Non-Elect (their fullness) will be saved.

7 What then? Israel has not obtained what it seeks; but the elect have obtained it, and the rest were blinded.
8 Just as it is written: “God has given them a spirit of stupor, Eyes that they should not see And ears that they should not hear, To this very day.”
9 And David says: “Let their table become a snare and a trap, A stumbling block and a recompense to them.
10 Let their eyes be darkened, so that they do not see, and bow down their back always.”
11 I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles.
12 Now if their fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness (4138 πλήρωμα pleroma)! (Rom. 11:7-12 NKJ)

4138 πλήρωμα pleroma
Meaning: 1) that which is (has been) filled.-Strong’s

Compare:

Now if their stumbling brings riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full number bring! (Rom. 11:12 CSB)

Where and When was their “fullness” achieved?

In hell. They were blinded, didn’t obtain salvation. They died “enemies of the gospel” so they went to hell and in hell they repented and believed in Christ:

25 For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.
26 And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The Deliverer will come out of Zion, And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob;
27 For this is My covenant with them, When I take away their sins.”
28 Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers.
29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.
30 For as you were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedience,
31 even so these also have now been disobedient, that through the mercy shown you they also may obtain mercy.
32 For God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all.
33 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! (Rom. 11:26-33 NKJ)

Paul began distinguishing Israel (who was blinded and did not obtain salvation) from “the Elect” (who weren’t blinded and did obtain salvation) Rom. 11:7. Therefore, “election for the sake of the fathers” (Rom. 11:28) is an “election” of the Nation of Israel granted for the sake of the fathers. Israel as a nation was Elect, not individually as in Romans 11:7.

Its a different kind of election, not equivocation.

There certainly is no unrighteousness with God when He Elects individuals unto salvation whoever He chooses to have mercy upon, because He did not thereby Reprobate unto damnation those He did not elect.

Do other scriptures imply its not just the Elect that can be saved? Yes, in the symbolism of the book of life:

The names of the Elect are in the Book of Life (Phil. 4:3; Rev. 13:8; 17:8) but other names written in this Book cannot be of the “Elect” because those names can be blotted out (Rev. 3:5; Exod. 32:32; Ps. 69:28) or written in (Ps. 69:28; 87:6; Mal. 3:16).

Blotted Out:

“He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. (Rev. 3:5 NKJ)

32 “Yet now, if You will forgive their sin– but if not, I pray, blot me out of Your book which You have written.”
33 And the LORD said to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against Me, I will blot him out of My book. (Exod. 32:32-33 NKJ)

Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, And not be written with the righteous. (Ps. 69:28 NKJ)

Written In:

Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, And not be written with the righteous. (Ps. 69:28 NKJ)

The LORD will record, When He registers the peoples: “This one was born there.” Selah (Ps. 87:6 NKJ)

Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another, And the LORD listened and heard them; So a book of remembrance was written before Him For those who fear the LORD And who meditate on His name. (Mal. 3:16 NKJ)

As God did not arbitrarily exclude people from the Book of Life when He wrote the names of the Elect in, others beside the Elect can be saved. Therefore, all the scriptures inviting everyone to believe, to choose life, aren’t a charade. They are genuine offers for life.

Moreover, everyone assumes Esau is unsaved. He clearly wasn’t one of God’s Elect. But is he unsaved eternally?

Although the writer of Hebrews describes him as a Godless profane person who sold his birth right for a meal (Heb. 12:16), he also notes Esau and Jacob both were blessed “concerning things to come”:

By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. (Heb. 11:20 NKJ)

It doesn’t appear from this “concerning things to come” Esau is eternally damned. Just the opposite.

Although the sins of the descendants of Esau led to their destruction, God enriched Esau’s first descendants and destroyed the Horites from before them just as He did for Israel:

The Horites formerly dwelt in Seir, but the descendants of Esau dispossessed them and destroyed them from before them, and dwelt in their place, just as Israel did to the land of their possession which the LORD gave them.) (Deut. 2:12 NKJ)

3 `Then I took your father Abraham from the other side of the River, led him throughout all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his descendants and gave him Isaac.
4 `To Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. To Esau I gave the mountains of Seir to possess, but Jacob and his children went down to Egypt. (Jos. 24:3-4 NKJ)

Although Paul focuses on God’s right to do with His creation as He wills, that wouldn’t exhaust all the reasons why “there is no unrighteousness with God”. When it comes to salvation, God isn’t partial:

4 Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?
5 But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,
6 who “will render to each one according to his deeds”:
7 eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality;
8 but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness– indignation and wrath,
9 tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek;
10 but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
11 For there is no partiality with God.
12 For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law
13 (for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified;
14 for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves,
15 who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them)
16 in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel. (Rom. 2:4-16 NKJ)

From Frame 5:15

John MacArthur explains Continuationist vs. Cessationist

“I think the argument is when you read the chapter and you see how unique the apostles were and when they passed away what finality that was; that defines cessationism when you cease to have apostles you cease to have the signs that were unique to the apostles. So when someone says he’s Cessationist…[he doesn’t] mean the Holy Spirit ceased to work or Christ ceased to work. I only mean that the things that attended the apostles have ceased when the apostles ceased.” -John MacArthur

[Host]
“One of the arguments I’ve made is that every charismatic except the really bizarre quirky ones if you take the better charismatics the ones whose theology are more on the sound end of the spectrum they’re all Cessationists as well because and in fact they would admit this. Wayne grudem says contemporary prophecy the prophecies we’re hearing today are fallible; everybody would acknowledge that the tongues people speak today are not like the tongues at Pentecost, they’re not translatable languages. So clearly something has changed and unless you want to deny that you’ve embraced the kind of Cessationism.” – Interviewer

[John MacArthur resumes]
“Yeah you just put your finger on what I think is the knockout punch in the final chapter of the book. The last chapter is an open letter to my continuationist friends—and my continuation friends are my friends even friends theologically in many cases, and they want to be continuationist. But in that chapter and exactly what Phil said is the case:
1) they believe in tongues that aren’t languages whereas clearly in the New Testament they were languages.
2) they believe in miracles that aren’t necessarily like the miracles Jesus and the apostles did.
3) and they say that they believe in revelation divine revelation but not infallible revelation.

So, they have miracles that aren’t the same as the New Testament miracles; terms that aren’t the same as the New Testament tongues; prophecies that aren’t the same as the New Testament prophecies; that’s not continuation that is cessation and inventing something else.

So, we need to come up with a new name for them, you know they are “inventionists”. I don’t know what but that that is not a continuity— once you say it’s not what was then you’re not really a continuationist. So I try to back them into a corner and make them admit that they’re not really continuationist but rather they’re guilty of putting the stamp of divine approval and labeling the work of the Holy Spirit on things that have no biblical parallel.”-John MacArthur

Does 1 Corinthians 1:7 and 1 Corinthians 13:10 prove Continuance of the Revelatory Gifts?

4 I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus,
5 that you were enriched in everything by Him in all utterance and all knowledge,
6 even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you,
7 so that you come short (ὑστερεῖσθαι) in no gift (μηδενὶ χαρίσματι), eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ,
8 who will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
10 Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
11 For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe’s household , that there are contentions among you.
…
22 For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; (1 Cor. 1:4-11, 22 NKJ)

Continualists claim the words “ANY [3367 μηδείς medeis lit., not one] GIFT” in 1 Corinthians 1:7 requires all gifts remain till our LORD comes. However, that does not logically follow because then those manifesting those gifts would continue till Christ come also. The verse does not separate them. However, Paul only spoke about their present situation without regard to the future, the verb 5302 ὑστερέω hustereo is in the present tense. At that time they were like all other churches, not behind in spiritual gifts, as they eagerly waited for the LORD.

Nor does “[God] will also confirm you to the end” imply the gifts will continue because the apostle always wrote as though Christ would return soon even though he knew it could be a long time off (Mt. 24:42-51). Moreover, this “confirmation” must refer to something apart from the revelatory gifts as both those who manifested gifts and those who wanted to forbid some of them (1 Cor. 14:39) receive this promised confirmation.

Rather than “Continualism”, the entire epistle implies Cessationism, that the tide of gifts was ebbing and that caused divisions among the majority “have nots” against the minority of “haves”. Paul’s reference to those “who seek wisdom versus those who seek signs” also implies this general division (1 Cor. 1:22). The “have-nots” must have been the majority because only a majority could successfully “forbid the speaking of tongues” compelling Paul’s direct intervention (1 Cor. 14:39). Most of the epistle treats other concerns. In context Paul’s greeting has the appearance of “reassurance” not to believe the ebbing gifts indicated God was displeased with them. On the contrary, the same situation was evident in other churches.

Paul devotes almost an entire chapter to end the schism caused by the ebbing of the gifts, rising to the defense of those suffering spiritual abuse because of their lack of gifts. As God gifts as He wills it is not their fault:

4 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
5 There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord.
6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all.
7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:
8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit,
9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit,
10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.
11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.
12 For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ.
13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body– whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free– and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.
14 For in fact the body is not one member but many.
15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body?
16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body?
17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling?
18 But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased.
19 And if they were all one member, where would the body be?
20 But now indeed there are many members, yet one body.
21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.”
22 No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary.
23 And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty,
24 but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it,
25 that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another.
26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
27 Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.
28 And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues.
29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles?
30 Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? (1 Cor. 12:4-30 NKJ)

That would explain why Paul felt compelled to discuss the cessation of these gifts in 1 Corinthians 13:8-13, they were already ceasing causing divisions in the church (1 Cor. 12:3-12). It is noteworthy he begins this discussion reminding Corinthians of their former occult practices and how it led them by the nose to idols who can neither speak or hear (1 Cor. 12:1-3), and giving them objective means by which to identify when a demon spirit was inspiring the prophecy (1 Cor. 12:4). After Pastoring to restore unity in the body, Paul seeks to lessen their dismay over the ceasing of the revelatory gifts noting that was always inevitable.

Paul believed Christ might return in the 1st century. Therefore, the implied date for the cessation of tongues prophecy and [supernatural] knowledge is the 1st century.

8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.
9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part.
10 But when that which is perfect (5046 τέλειος teleios) has come, then that which is in part (3313 μέρος meros) will be done away.
11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.
13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. (1 Cor. 13:8-13 NKJ)

Continualists misread this text, what must remain until the teleios is the meros, not any particular item in it.
Paul did not say WHEN prophecies tongues and [supernatural] knowledge would cease, he only says “it will happen” once the “complete revelation” arrives possibly in the 1st century. Paul only says there is no need for partial revelation once the complete has arrived. Just as childhood things are no longer needed in adulthood.

To illustrate, Paul is not promising the continuance of these gifts: Some in the audience had ice cream cones that were melting in the hot sun. They were sad about this, so Paul consoles them: “When the ice cream factory comes, which only sells ice cream by the gallon, ice cream cones will cease, vanish, be done away. No one will miss the partial portions of ice cream once the complete portions have arrived.”

Paul’s three-two arrangement confirms this.
8) prophecies tongues knowledge: 9)know in part, prophesy in part
11) spoke…understood….thought as a child: became a man, put away childish things
12) see in a mirror dimly, then face to face; know in part: know… as I am known
13) Now abide faith hope love: but the greatest is love. Love is repeated twice.

As neither “faith” nor “hope” are revelatory gifts verse 13 does not imply continuance, rather this reinforces the universal thought of “cessation.” No need for “faith in” and “hope for” the Kingdom to come after it has arrived. Only love remains.

Therefore, in context Paul seems to be saying “Pursue love because it will remain unlike prophecy tongues and knowledge (which are failing), but while these are still available like faith and hope, desire them to edify the church.

1 Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.
2 For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries.
3 But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men. (1 Cor. 14:1-3 NKJ)

The NT is a “non-charismanic book”, the universal born-again experience was manifested by the 3000 saved on the Day of Pentecost, and it is precisely what believers manifest today. No mention of tongues or prophecy, rather the “outward physical evidence” is a changed heart, sincere devotion to God’s Word and love for their fellow believers:

38 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
39 “For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”
40 And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.”
41 Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.
42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.
43 Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.
44 Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common,
45 and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.
46 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart,
47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved. (Acts 2:38-47 NKJ)

Passages cited FOR the gift of tongues (Ac. 10:46-47; 19:4-7) actually prove how unusual it was, for these are cited as signs. In the first that the Way was open to Gentiles (Ac. 11:1-18), and the second that salvation can occur only in the name of Jesus (Ac. 19:3-6; 4:12).

That these gifts passed from the scene as the New Testament was being written is clear from a chronological survey of the data. About 67 A.D. these special revelatory gifts are spoken of in the past tense:

3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;
4 God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will? (Heb 2:3-4 KJV)

We see the “timeline of cessation” quite clearly in this survey of the NT data. While some will object “this is an argument from silence, therefore unsound”, that wouldn’t apply when “silence is impossible”. The NT writers made it a point to record all extra-ordinary events, it is impossible they not do so. To illustrate this principle, if a body is silent for hours not breathing, to a high degree of probability it is dead, a corpse. That deduction would not be unsound.

Pentecost was the time of maximum manifestation of the special gifts. If we calculate those present on that day, 120 receive the gifts while 3,000 do not (120/3120=.038) only 4% of the church manifested these gifts. Everything in the NT indicates this percentage decreased as the Bible grew, as Holy Scripture began to take the place of the revelatory gifts.

A.D.30 According to Scripture only 3.85% (120/(3000+120)) percent of believers spoke in tongues when they received the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost-Acts 1:15, 2:1ff; 41-47.

A.D.49 Paul lists fruits of the Spirit rather than special gifts-Galatians 5:2-23.

A.D.51 Timothy brings Paul news about faith and love, not charismata-1 Thessalonians 3:6.

A.D.51 Paul says love is evidence of God’s choosing, not special gifts-2 Thessalonians 1:3-5.

A.D.51 “May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.”-2 Thessalonians 3:5 NIV

A.D.53 The unusual is recorded: Twelve followers of John the Baptist receive the Holy Spirit and speak in tongues and prophesy-Acts 19:1-7.

A.D.55 Paul appeals to the Corinthians desire to excel in every sign of spirituality to add to their zeal generosity 2 Corinthians 8:7.

A.D.55 New birth confirms one is in Christ, not revelatory gifts-2 Corinthians 5:17.

A.D.55 Paul exhorts unto righteousness and holiness, not revelatory gifts-2 Corinthians 7:1.

A.D.56, Only prophecy is mentioned in a way that implies it is rare and the other gifts surprisingly are not named at all-Romans 12:4-13.

A.D.60 The absence here of revelatory gifts in this context is very conspicuous; it should be here in a number of places. The text lists prophets with apostles, signifying they are few in number-Ephesians 4:2-5:21.

A.D.60 This context would have been perfect to mention the revelatory gifts, he doesn’t Colossians 2:9-18.

A.D.60 Paul neither hears about revelatory gifts nor does he pray for Philemon to receive them-Philemon 1:4-7.

A.D.62 Renewing of the Holy Ghost connected to holy lifestyle and God’s grace, not gifts-Titus 3:1-8.

A.D.62 Revelatory gifts not part of the requirements for the office of overseer or deacon-1 Timothy 3:2-13.

A.D.62 Paul had to exhort Timothy to use his gift (ministry? cp. 2 Tim. 1:6f) and the example he is to set is for holy living, not gift seeking-1 Timothy 4:12-16.

A.D. 62 Neither Paul or others can heal Timothy: Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach’s sake and thine often infirmities. (1Ti 5:23 KJV)

A.D.67 The special gifts are referred to in the past tense-Hebrews 2:3-4. [That is consistent with tongues being a sign to the Jews 1 Cor. 14:20-22 that would organically end with the 70 A.D. destruction of all alternatives to Jesus’ sacrifice with the destruction of the Temple with all its genealogical records necessary for Mosaic sacrifice and identification of the Messiah].

A.D.67 Spur one another unto love and good deeds, not tongues-Hebrews 10:24-25.

A.D.67 Peter does not mention these gifts amongst those who share the divine nature and this is in contrast to the false prophets in next chapter-2 Peter 1:4-9.

A.D.90 God’s love shown not by gifts but by Christ ransom sacrifice-1 John 4:9-10.

A.D.90 Evidence of having the Spirit is love and true doctrine-1 John 4:12-17.

Some argue Revelation may have been written as early as A.D.68 If the earlier date is accepted, it would better fit our survey chronicling the cessation of these gifts for they seem to have ceased about this time.

A.D.94 The seven churches in the book of Revelation make no mention of these revelatory gifts at all, only to a false prophetess called Jezebel (Rev. 2:20f).

A.D.94 Testimony of Jesus is spirit of prophecy-Revelation 19:10.

A.D.94 If prophecy were still in operation in the church, Revelation 22:18 would not forbid adding to the book.

A.D.94 Ethical imperatives not gift seeking-Revelation 22:11.

Satan has been known to step into a Christian void (John 14:30). With the decline of true Prophets the false increased. (2 Cor. 11:3-12:13) They became numerous enough to upset the Church to the point where believers were despising prophecy altogether. About A.D.51, five years before Paul wrote 1 Corinthians Paul had to stop the Thessalonians from despising prophecy. Notice Paul calls for testing it which implies enough of it was false prophecy to make the Thessalonians despise it:

20 Do not despise prophecies.
21 Test all things; hold fast what is good.
22 Abstain from every form of evil. (1 Thess. 5:20-22 NKJ)

This was probably the reason why the majority in Corinth wanted to forbid speaking in tongues (1 Cor. 14:29; cp. 2 Pet. 1:20-2:1ff).” By A.D.90 the apostle John says: “do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. (1 Jn. 4:1 NKJ)

Although this is an “apples to oranges” comparison (what is true of an Apostle many not be true of ordinary believers), parallel to the decline of the revelatory gifts is the ebbing of miraculous healing in Paul’s ministry. Around 60 A.D. while Paul was in Ephesus we read God worked “unusual miracles” by the hands of Paul:

11 Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul,
12 so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them. (Acts 19:11-12 NKJ)

However, not too long after this Paul evidently cannot heal his fellow worker Epaphroditus nor did he do anything for Timothy’s “frequent infirmities” and still later we read Paul had to leave Trophimus behind in Miletus when he got sick:

25 Yet I considered it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier, but your messenger and the one who ministered to my need;
26 since he was longing for you all, and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick.
27 For indeed he was sick almost unto death; but God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. (Phil. 2:25-27 NKJ)

No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for your stomach’s sake and your frequent infirmities. (1 Tim. 5:23 NKJ)

Erastus stayed in Corinth, but Trophimus I have left in Miletus sick. (2 Tim. 4:20 NKJ)

Acts 28:3-8 doesn’t contradict this ebbing of Paul’s healing ministry, it clearly is a special case being an entirely new mission field and God stepped in to save his life.

To sum up, the cessation of the revelatory gifts can be deduced from the New Testament data where Paul doesn’t mention tongues again after 1 Corinthians, and prophecy only once in Romans in a context that is consistent with the ebbing of these gifts. The absence of tongues and interpretation of tongues is glaring:

4 For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function,
5 so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.
6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith;
7 or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching;
8 he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.
9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good (Rom. 12:4-9 NKJ)

Nor do tongues appear in any of the Bible books written later. John doesn’t mention togues, Jude doesn’t mention tongues. Tongues seem to vanish until the second century Montanus cult.

It is reasonable to deduce these revelatory gifts became redundant as the Scripture took their place. Scripture is far superior to these revelatory gifts. Whereas prophecies tongues etc. had to be “judged” because “false prophecy” was always present, Holy Scripture can be trusted completely to make the man of God fully equipped for every good work:

16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Tim. 3:16-17 NKJ)

END NOTE:

14 Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen.
15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
16 “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.

17 “And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues;
18 “they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

[As individual Pentecostal and Non-Pentecostal believers today DO NOT DO ALL the signs (cast out demons, speak with new tongues, take up serpents, drink deadly poison) must we conclude there are no believers today on planet earth?

Of course not.

There is a transition implied by the context, from believers preached to in the world, to the special group of “believing preachers” Christ is sending thousands and these signs will distinguish them from unbelievers (con men) who feigned belief. Therefore, the pronouns “they, them” in Mark 16:17-18 refer to this group who uniquely establish the Christian faith in all the earth.

The Eleven would know if they truly believe, they would do all the signs that confirmed their word was from God (Comp. Heb. 2:3-4).

After teaching the eleven, the writer confirms the prophecy was fulfilled in the first century Mark 16:19-20). In the NT book of Acts we see Paul claimed to do all these signs of an apostle specially sent by Christ (2 Cor. 12:12; Compare Acts 16:18; 20:9-12; 28:3-5, 8; 1 Cor. 14:18).]

19 So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.
20 And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen. (Mk. 16:13-20 NKJ)

Baptism In The Spirit: The Experience

Was the NT Church like a Modern Pentecostal Church?
Paul’s Teaching about Tongues Ceasing implies they were already ceasing
Have we not prophesied in your Name?
The Coming False Christ and His Followers Revealed

Was the New Testament Church like a modern Pentecostal Church?

Former cessationist Dr. Jack Deere believes “Yes” is the obvious answer:

If you take a new convert, who prior to his conversion knew nothing about the history of Christianity or the New Testament, and you lock him in a room with a Bible for a week, he will come out believing that he is a member of a body that is passionately in love with the Lord Jesus Christ and a body that consistently experiences miracles and works miracles. It would take a clever theologian with no experience of the miraculous to convince this young convert differently.-Deere, Jack. Surprised by the Power of the Spirit (p. 114). Zondervan Academic. Kindle Edition.

Dr. Jack and most everyone else assumes the Corinthian “prophets” were like the prophets in the book of Acts. But in context, Paul says everyone in Church “can all prophesy one by one.” Later, he explicitly says the “Word of God” came to the Corinthians [through the apostles like him], not from any of the tongues prophecy or revelations the Corinthians were giving:

29 Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge (1252 διακρίνω diakrino).
30 But if anything is revealed to another who sits by, let the first keep silent.
31 For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged.
32 And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.
33 For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.
…
36 Or did the word of God come originally from you? Or was it you only that it reached?
37 If anyone thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things which I write to you are the commandments of the Lord.
38 But if anyone is ignorant, let him be ignorant. (1 Cor. 14:29-38 NKJ)

Everyone can “judge/discriminate/separate” (1252 διακρίνω diakrino) prophecy, if it is of the flesh or really some great insight given by the Holy Spirit into the Word of God.

Whoever “forth tells” Scripture is a prophet in the truest sense of the world, speaking the word of God. Any believer can do that. When the pews are filled with on fire believers, this could easily describe them as they share their testimonies and do Bible readings:

How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. (1 Cor. 14:26 NKJ)

Every believer receives revelations from God the Holy Spirit while reading Scripture, psalms or teaching and we share that with each other in church and during Bible Study.

So apart from tongues, which were a sign to the Jews (1 Cor. 14:21-22) that Jesus Christ is now the way the truth and the life; That sign was no longer needed once the Temple was destroyed and with it Judaism because the genealogical tables that made the Levitical Priesthood possible were destroyed with it.

The Corinthian Church actually resembles a Cessationist church MORE than a modern Pentecostal Church. The majority in Corinth wanted to forbid the speaking in tongues but Paul wouldn’t let them (1 Cor. 14:39). That don’t sound like a Pentecostal Church where everyone is speaking in tongues, at all. But one can easily see its like a modern Cessationist Church.

Does 1 Corinthians 1:7 and 1 Corinthians 13:10 prove Continuance of the Revelatory Gifts
Baptism In The Spirit: The Experience
What did the apostle John reveal when he said: “It is the last hour”?
The Two Phases of Antichrist: Man of Sin and Son of Destruction

23 “Then if anyone says to you, `Look, here is the Christ!’ or `There!’ do not believe it.
24 “For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.
25 “See, I have told you beforehand.
26 “Therefore if they say to you, `Look, He is in the desert!’ do not go out; or `Look, He is in the inner rooms!’ do not believe it.
27 “For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be (Matt. 24:23-27 NKJ) See also Mark 13:22; Matt. 24:4-5-3; Mark 13:5-6; Luke 21:8

Christians disagree whether the False Christ and Antichrist[1] can be the same person. The final false Christ comes “in My name, saying, `I am He” (Mk. 13:6) but the Antichrist denies Christ’s Name denying both Father and Son (1 John 2:18, 22; 4:3; 2 John 1:7).

However, if there are two phases of the Antichrist, first coming as the “Man of Sin” False Christ who after 3 ½ years morphs into the Antichrist “Son of Destruction” denying both Father and Son, there is no conflict.

Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition,
4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. (2 Thess. 2:3-4 NKJ)

Paul’s words imply these two phases. The “falling away of the Church” would be irrelevant to a destroyer of Christianity, but necessary to a false Christ wanting the Church to believe “I am he”. A progression is implied, the apostate Church accepts the Lawless One as Christ who leads it into further apostasy, and then he and his followers cast off all pretense of Christianity denying both Father and Son. That happens in the “last hour” John saw so well:

18 Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour.
19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.
…
22 Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son.
23 Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.
24 Therefore let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father. (1 Jn. 2:18-24 NKJ)

This clarifies how many on Judgment Day plead they once intimately knew Christ having done wonders in His name, but He denies their claim testifying His Spirit NEVER knew them, fully documented by their practicing “lawlessness” (Mt. 7:15-20):

21 “Not everyone who says to Me,` Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.
22 “Many will say to Me in that day, `Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’
23 “And then I will declare to them, `I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ (Matt. 7:21-23 NKJ)

This fits Daniel’s prediction the “prince who is to come” (Dan. 9:26) is friendly to religion, but then is its enemy 3 ½ years later:

Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; But in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, Even until the consummation, which is determined, Is poured out on the desolate.” (Dan. 9:27 NKJ)

The symbolism of Revelation 13:1-5 also implies the Beast has two stages. At first he speaks with a “lion’s mouth” in parody to Christ, but then after 3 ½ years the Beast is given a new mouth, one that speaks blasphemies against God:

1 Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name.
2 Now the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority.
3 And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast.
4 So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?”
5 And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months.
6 Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven.
7 It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation. (Rev. 13:1-7 NKJ)

Moreover, this is consistent with Antiochus IV Epiphanes[2] being a type of Antichrist. During the approximate seven years he dealt with Israel, he first sought to corrupt it with lawlessness peaceably Hellenizing Judaism and Jews (Dan. 11:28). About three years later he returns to Jerusalem with an army slaughtering Jews and seeking to destroy Judaism entirely (Dan. 11:30-31).

Now the contrast Paul made is clear: Antichrists deceived by the energia of Satan “mystery of lawlessness” (2 Th. 2:7) who loved not God’s truth the Bible, versus Christians inspired by the “mystery of Godliness” (1 Tim. 3:16) sanctified by the Holy Spirit to believe God’s truth and remain faithful to apostolic tradition:

9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working (1753 ἐνέργεια energeia) of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders,
10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie,
12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

13 But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth,
14 to which He called you by our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle. (2 Thess. 2:9-15 NKJ)

The lying wonders false Christ and his followers do corrupt the church to accept lawlessness, paralleling Antiochus IV Hellenizing Judea to accept homosexuality, transgenderism and prostitution for the first half of the end time week:

22 “Many will say to Me in that day,`Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’
23 “And then I will declare to them,`I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ (Matt. 7:22-23 NKJ)

After 3 ½ years False Christ discards Christianity all together, seating himself in the Church the Temple of God (1 Cor. 3:16-17; 6:19; 2 Cor. 6:16; Eph. 2:21) as God, denying the Father and the Son. His former charismaniac followers remain loyal accepting the mark of the beast, leaving the church for good:

18 Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour.
19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us. (1 Jn. 2:18-19 NKJ)

These Antichrists rise from the TARES sown among the WHEAT, they always were children of the devil disguised as children of God:

24 Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field;
25 “but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way.
26 “But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared.
27 “So the servants of the owner came and said to him, `Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’
28 “He said to them, `An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, `Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’
29 “But he said, `No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them.
30 `Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.”‘”
…
34 All these things Jesus spoke to the multitude in parables; and without a parable He did not speak to them,
35 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: “I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world.
36 Then Jesus sent the multitude away and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field.”
37 He answered and said to them: “He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man.
38 “The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one.
39 “The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels.
40 “Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age.
41 “The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness,
42 “and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
43 “Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear! (Matt. 13:24-30, 34-43 NKJ)

Always False prophesying, filled with greed and lust they are not afraid to speak evil of Satan and demons, so they disrespect God’s authority who gave them permission to separate wheat from the chaff (2 Pet. 2:10-12):

4 For certain men [3] have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.
5 But I want to remind you, though you once knew this, that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe.
6 And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day;
7 as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
8 Likewise also these dreamers defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak evil of dignitaries.
9 Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”
10 But these speak evil of whatever they do not know; and whatever they know naturally, like brute beasts, in these things they corrupt themselves.
11 Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah.
12 These are spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots;
13 raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.
14 Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints,
15 “to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.”
16 These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage. (Jude 1:4-16 NKJ)

9 then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment,
10 and especially those who walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise authority. They are presumptuous, self-willed. They are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries,
11 whereas angels, who are greater in power and might, do not bring a reviling accusation against them before the Lord.
12 But these, like natural brute beasts made to be caught and destroyed, speak evil of the things they do not understand, and will utterly perish in their own corruption,
13 and will receive the wages of unrighteousness, as those who count it pleasure to carouse in the daytime. They are spots and blemishes, carousing in their own deceptions while they feast with you,
14 having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls. They have a heart trained in covetous practices, and are accursed children.
15 They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;
16 but he was rebuked for his iniquity: a dumb donkey speaking with a man’s voice restrained the madness of the prophet.
17 These are wells without water, clouds carried by a tempest, for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.
18 For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error.
19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage.
20 For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning.
21 For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them.
22 But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: “A dog returns to his own vomit,” and, “a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.” (2 Pet. 2:9-22 NKJ)

Energized by Satan like the magicians Jannes and Jambres, they deny the power of God to live righteously:

1 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come:
2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good,
4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!
6 For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts,
7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
8 Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith;
9 but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was. (2 Tim. 3:1-9 NKJ)

ENDNOTE
[1]

ANTICHRIST
antichristos (ἀντίχριστος, 500) can mean either “against Christ” or “instead of Christ,” or perhaps, combining the two, “one who, assuming the guise of Christ, opposes Christ”-Vine, W. E., Unger, M. F., White, W., Jr. (1996). In Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words (Vol. 2, p. 30). T. Nelson.

[2]

In the book of Daniel the Seleucid ruler Antiochus IV Epiphanes (175-164 BC) appears as a forerunner to the End Time Antichrist. That divine linkage implies Antiochus casts light on the rise of Antichrist. The Antichrist is from ancient Nineveh (Nah. 1:11) the ruins of which are in the outskirts of modern Mosul, Northern Iraq. Ancient Antioch, once the capital of the Seleucid Kingdom in modern Turkey, is the likely place for the rise of the miracle working Jewish Christian (2 Th. 2:2 cp. Jn. 17:12 “son of perdition”; Dan. 11:37-38 cf. “God of his fathers” Jewish idiom). John’s Asymmetric Janus Parallelism (Rev. 13:18), pivoting on the number 666 “Adonikam” is “of 666” (Ezra 2:13); is from a “count 667-1” Neh. 7:18) where father and son are both named Adonikam the name of the Beast.

Confirming Adonikam will be an Assyrian (Mic. 5:5-6; Isa. 14:25-27) rising from obscurity to become “Chancellor” of Grecian Empire (Rev. 13:2 from the remnants of East and West Roman Empire, both legs have five toes Dan. 2:41-42; 7:7; 8:9; cf. Ten Horns). He is the King of the North in Daniel 11:40. The Jewish historian Josephus reports an immense multitude of Israelites such as the Tribe of Dan still lived in the country of Babylon (Ant. 11:133) in his day. That is consistent with Antichrist being of the “tribe of Dan” (Gen. 49:17).

There are two phases to his revelation. The miracle working Adonikam rises in the apostate Church to become the “man of sin” false Christ Paul prophesied would come. His signs and wonders are “lying” as they sanction falsehood contrary to God’s Word the Bible (2 Th. 2:3, 9-11). False prophets in and outside of the church hail his arrival as “The Christ” (Mk. 13:6; Lk. 21:8; Mt. 24:5). At mid-week the ‘man who condones sin’ declares he actually is a hybrid human-Elohim, the “seed of Satan” (Gen. 3:15) “Son of Destruction” (2 Th. 2:3 cf. Rev. 9:11) claiming to be the next stage of evolution above all called Elohim. Thus he seeks to change times and law (Dan. 7:25 “divine right”) upon which human society is built. He opposes all Elohim exalting himself above them all, claiming to be alone God. He backs up his claims by working great signs and wonders Satan enabled him to do (2 Th. 2:4, 9-10; Rev. 13:4); not by his own power (Dan. 8:24; 11:38-39).

The two phases of Antichrist are implied by the changes in the Beast’s mouth. As False Christ he has a “mouth like a lion”, as “Son of Destruction” he is “given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies” (Revelation 13:2, 5-6 cf. Dan. 7:8, 11, 20, 25; 8:11-12; 11:36). The first half of the end time seven-year week he is friendly to the world’s religions, but at mid-week abrogates his agreement and ends all sacrifice and offering (other than to himself) world-wide (Dan. 9:27). That is when his supporters destroy the religious harlot Babylon the Great, her services no longer required (Rev. 17:16). When the political power she afforded the church is gone (Dan. 12:7), the great tribulation of the true Church begins (Dan. 7:21, 25; Rev. 13:7; 14:8-12).

When Michael casts Satan and his angels out of heaven, signifying intensity and certainty it is thrice repeated they were cast to the earth (Rev. 12:7-12). This cannot be symbolic language. The rise of UFO cults claiming contact with “Alien Designers” of life on earth who twist scripture, coupled with UFO spectacle in the skies that even the US Government does not deny, reveals immense Satanic effort to condition humanity accept the coming “aliens.” It is most unlikely Satan would expend all that energy and time on UFO deception if they played no role when he “deceives the whole world” (Rev. 12:9). Satan has great wrath against God and knows he has little time left (Rev. 12:12) to hurt God the only way he can, destroy as many humans as possible so God mourn their absence for all eternity.

The four demon riders of the apocalypse reveal Satan’s strategy. First False Christ preaching cooperation with the “aliens” conquers the earth. Mass media and UFO spectacle has conditioned mankind to accept the “aliens” as friendly (Rev. 16:13-14), as saviors of the human race. When they insist a New World Order be created through which they aid mankind the world will willingly oblige, the Grecian Roman Empire will rise from the sea of spiritism (Rev. 13:1-2). But rather than peace and security destruction comes upon the earth as Satan sends out three more riders who overwhelm the earth’s ability to cope with global calamities of civil unrest, wars, famines and pestilence. Fearing an extinction level event, the world’s governments will submit to the New World Order despite their concerns. The Anglo-American beast headed by the False Prophet will deceive the world into constructing the AI Network to manage the earth’s scarce resources, making everyone slaves to the Beast (Rev. 13:11-17). In real time, with quantum computing resources filtering unimportant events, the Beast will “see” and “hear” like God everywhere a device is connected.

[3]

Various clues identify these “certain men”. They are traveling prophets (“dreamers” Jude 1:8; Jer. 23:25; 27:9), ungodly Christians judging by their forerunner Israelites God “afterward destroyed” (Jude 1:5) and “angels who did not keep their proper domain” giving themselves over to lust (Jude 1:6-7; Gen. 6:2). Their lawlessness is how they denied God is Master (1203 δεσπότης despotes) and Christ Lord. Like miracle working TARES today, they rail against Satan even though much more powerful Michael the Archangel shows respect. Immorality and love for money characterized them, even as it does today.

The Two Phases of Antichrist: Man of Sin and Son of Destruction
The Little Horn in Daniel with the Big Mouth
Adonikam is the Name of the Beast having 666 meaning
Antichrist will sit in the Temple of God: Third Temple or the Church?
The Antichrist: His Names Titles and Descriptions
What did the apostle John reveal when he said: “It is the last hour”?