|
Revelation divides the "earth" into three parts in several verses, because the Spiritual world is divided into three parts today. The three parts exist because of God's direction and His blessings to inspired people, people who have devoted themselves to searching Him out, and have devoted themselves to the betterment of their own people through His Word. After thousands of years of idolotry and paganism, today more than 80% of earth's population believe in a monotheistic (one) God. Nearly all of these beliefs fall under one of the three major belief systems: Islam, Judeo-Christianity, and Eastern Religion (Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, and others). Islam and Judeo-Christianity share belief in God as represented by the first 5 books of the Old Testament. The other inspired scriptures of the three major belief systems are: the complete Holy Bible (Judaism the Old Testament, Christianity Old and New Testaments), Islam's Holy Quran, and the prophetic scripture of the East that introduced salvation to the common man there, the Lotus of the Wonderful Law Sutra.
Click here to read about the prophet Daniel's vision in which appeared the three major belief systems represented by prophetic symbols of beasts. Three is an important and much used number in the Bible. Reading many of its verses with the idea of three belief systems being behind them makes perfect sense: Here is Jesus' comparison of the Kingdom of Heaven as seeded in three parts, presented in a parable:
"And
again he said, Whereunto shall I liken the kingdom of God? It is
like leaven, which a woman took and hid
in three measures of meal, till the
whole was leavened." When Jesus was transfigured on the mountain as Peter, James, and John watched, the number three figured prominently again: "And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them. And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses: and they were talking with Jesus. And Peter answered and said to Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. For he wist not what to say; for they were sore afraid." (Mark 9:3-6 KJV) Peter's vision that opened the preaching of the Gospel to the Gentiles also implied a world of three parts, in the form of the "great sheet" that he saw descend from heaven containing unclean beasts, fowls, and creeping things: "And I heard a voice saying unto me, Arise, Peter; slay and eat. But I said, Not so, Lord: for nothing common or unclean hath at any time entered into my mouth. But the voice answered me again from heaven, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. And this was done three times: and all were drawn up again into heaven." (Acts 11:7-10) In the book of Revelation, the majority of the times that a "third part" is referred to it is plain that John is referring to Judeo-Christianity. For good historical reasons: "...For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more." (Luke 12:48 KJV) Jesus gave His life on the cross for us. It will be Jesus' followers who utilize the Light of the World he bestowed on them to discover His Truth in the Holy Bible. Revelation tells us it is we who must recognize God's true character - and witness His true Character - to the other two thirds of the earth and sea. God speaks of this spiritual division of the world in Ezekiel, and also Zechariah, where He makes it clear that the one third for whom He came will be third that sanctifies His name: "And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the LORD, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein. And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God." (Zechariah 13:8-9 KJV) In short, it will be up to Judeo-Christianity to finally take up the teachings of Jesus Christ, to be born again through the refining fire of conversion, and to be the example of Jesus' character to the remaining two-thirds of Spiritual earth. Our instructions are to begin instituting the government of brotherhood when we are ready: "Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people. Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the LORD thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee. "Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. "For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. "For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands." (Isaiah 55:4-12 KJV) All peoples of the world have now seen His witness. His work as our Leader and Master has brought us to the point where - if we but open our eyes - we can see that our attempts at living in peace with iniquity have failed... and confess that we need His Way. We who call ourselves Christians, who have been given so much from God, must step forth in faith and live His Law of brotherhood. We must follow His teachings rather the Apostles' teachings - or any other man's teachings. Islam and Eastern Religions are prepared and will follow Him when we begin truly witnessing Him through our own characters. "And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, saith the Lord GOD, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes." (Ezekiel 36:23 KJV) "Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth." (Hosea 6:1-3 KJV) [But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day... 2 Peter 3:8 KJV] He will return when we return to Him by witnessing His true teachings to the other two-thirds of our Spiritual earth.
|
It's
important for us to realize that God views the world in terms of
SPIRITUALITY, not according to national borders as men have drawn them.