The Beast of Revelation (15 of 25) Did the Merchants Mourn?

Question:- Does history record the merchants of the world mourning after Jerusalem was sacked, because no one buys their cargo? (Rev. 18)

Answer:- Those who mourn are the "merchants of the earth," i.e., the merchants of the Land.

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• Beast
• Revelation
• Antichrist
• Anti-Christ
• Bible
• Gentry
• eschatology
• end-times
• preterist
• preterism
• postmillennial

[PeterCornstalk]

I believe the merchants along with the monetary system that were the Second Beast of Rev 13. They made the people worship Nero by restricting access to the system, that is preventing buying and selling if you were a Christian. Rev 18:23 "for your merchants were the great ones of the earth, and all nations were deceived by your sorcery." I think this points to the fact the merchants performed or hired magicians/illusionists to "awe" the people with the false miracles of the empire/Nero system.

[jcr4runner]

Note that all the articles for sale mentioned in Revelation 18 and 19 are things necessary for Temple worship. John is saying that the Jew compromised first with Herod and Augustus to allow them to worship in th Temple and this had continued all the way up to the time of Nero and would continue until the time when they would be defeated, 1.1 million killed and over 2 million enslaved.

[superexyooper]

Thanks for posting these, I think this is the most logical explanation for the book of Revelation that I have seen. I have a question, is the New Jerusalem, the bride of the Lamb, on earth or in Heaven? Is it a terrestrial manifestation or is it the Kingdom of Heaven?

[jcr4runner]

Revelation is the "Tale of Two Cities" -- Jerusalem and Heavenly Jerusalem -- it is also the tale of two women -- The Great Prostitute and The Bride of Christ.

One is earthly the other is spiritual. But by "earthly" and "spiritual" there is no Gnostic dualism. The spiritual Jerusalem is heaven. It is a real place and it consists of the Temple built of living stones -- the people of God -- who will appear at last with real resurrected bodies. There will also be a New Heaven and a New Earth.

[lordrothchild21]

@jcr4runner but the spiritual jerusalem comes down out of heaven from God

[PeterCornstalk]

Yes and if you notice in 18:16 the fact that the "great city" was clothed in fine linen, in purple and scarlet, adorned with gold, with jewels, and with pearls!" is the same as the Great Prostitute riding the First Beast from the sea of chapter 17. This confirms she is Jerusalem.

[2008805]

The New Jerusalem is the Bride of Christ; Christ is one with the Holy Spirit and therefore he cannot be married to himself. Therefore, New Jerusalem is the Church, or the Kingdom of God on earth.

[damildlyshreddah]

I personally think the New Jerusalem is on earth since it comes down from heaven (21:10) and we know that the resurrection of the dead will take place on earth. But then again, I'm no Gentry ^__^