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Post by shiloh on Jun 19, 2015 13:42:24 GMT
I know we'll be getting to this in Benjamin's teaching, but what does it mean where the Lord says, "I know where the seat of Satan is."? Is it an actual physical place or is it more symbolic in the sense that it can be all over the world? Any thoughts on that?
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Post by morningstar on Jun 19, 2015 16:20:06 GMT
I believe it's wherever Satan has a stronghold, whether a city, country e.t.c. In this case, Jesus was referring to the city of Pergamos in which there were many temples dedicated to different god's,it was the center of Idol Worship. T think it could be both a physical in the sense of an actual temple of pagan worship, and spiritual in the sense of worshipping false god's. Anyway that's my thoughts on it.
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Post by elizabeth on Jun 19, 2015 19:10:46 GMT
Is that in modern day Turkey, Morningstar?
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Post by morningstar on Jun 19, 2015 20:23:03 GMT
Yes it is Liz, the letters to the 7 churches were addressed to the churches in Asia Minor which is Turkey today. (see map below)
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Post by Leeza on Jun 20, 2015 0:00:40 GMT
You guys are smart. I would have no idea how to answer that question.
Let's see what Benjamin has to say.
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Post by Benjamin on Jun 20, 2015 3:15:41 GMT
Benjamin has nothing to say. Margaret nailed it.
Pergamos was a hub of pagan idolatry. The 'Seat of Satan' is a reference to the Throne of Zeus. Importantly, Pergamos also had a shrine dedicated to Antiochus Epiphanes, whom Daniel outlined in detail, and who serves as the first type for the Antichrist. ...it all ties in.
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Post by shiloh on Jun 20, 2015 4:37:23 GMT
Okay. Thanks for your input, guys. Now I understand. I just never really understood that before.
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Post by Benjamin on Jun 20, 2015 5:37:47 GMT
It's an odd phrase, isn't it - especially when it's out of its historical context. I imagine that John's readers knew exactly what he meant - it was probably an 'inside term' used by the church to refer to that temple.
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Post by shiloh on Jun 20, 2015 13:00:56 GMT
Yes, it is, and Antiochus Epiphanes was definitely a type of antichrist. Putting a pig on the altar in the temple?
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Post by Leeza on Jun 20, 2015 16:14:28 GMT
Yes, I remember reading that in the Catholic Bible.
I'm so glad that this site doesn't have a time limit of only one hour to edit posts like other sites do. I just wanted to add that I thought that was what the Abomination of Desolation was...when the Antichrist sacrificed a pig on the altar, which made the Jews realize that he was a false Messiah because they knew that a true Messiah would never sacrifice an unclean animal on the altar. It was then that they "flee to the mountains" to get away from him.
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Post by shiloh on Jun 21, 2015 1:28:43 GMT
Why? What did you have to edit out of there, Leeza? Seriously though, I always thought the same thing. Or maybe, he walks in there proclaiming himself to be God. But, the way you think is how I always thought too.
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Post by Leeza on Jun 21, 2015 1:42:12 GMT
Hahaha! Actually I edited in the second paragraph. I realized that I left the first sentence incomplete, so I wanted to finish the thought.
It's good to know that I wasn't alone in my thought about the Abomination of Desolation.
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