This Document Revised 11-2-97
In Marvin Byers work, The Final Victory, The Year 2000. he makes a prophetic point that the end is like the beginning.
And since Jesus declares in Revelation that He is the Beginning and the End, the beginning must be the same as the end. Since He Is the beginning and the end, and since He changes not, they must be the same.
While this is not a universal principle, it does apply to the Word of God, which is what Jesus is. His name is called the Word of God.
When it comes to understanding the Word of God, you'll find that events and patterns set out in the beginning are repeated in the end. Genesis is the book of beginning; Revelation is the book of ending. Trying to understand the end without knowing the beginning is futile. Yet so many students of the prophetic spend most of their efforts in Revelation.
There are many patterns, types and shadows that begin in Genesis and have fulfillment in Revelation. One of these that I have noticed is to do with the Mark of Cain and the Mark of the Beast.
The Mark of Cain is a type or foreshadowing of the Mark of the Beast.
The Story of Cain and Abel is the story of the beginning of religion. Revelation in the story of the end of religion.
In the Story of Cain and Abel, one pleased God, and one was cursed by God.
Abel's blood cried out for vengeance and Cain suffered that vengeance, eternal banishment.
In revelation, the blood of the saints cries out for vengeance. That vengeance comes with the Return of the Lord. And the eternal banishment of the lost.
Cain was of those who thought to serve God, Abel to obey Him.
The religion of Cain was a sacrifice from the fruit of the earth, which God had cursed. Abel offered a blood sacrifice.
The first murder was a religious murder, the first religion produced a martyr and a murderer.
The end time religions will be the murderers against the martyrs.
Cain's religion has a confrontation with Abel's and God gives favor to Abel. After losing out in this confrontation Cain rises up to smite Abel; and Abel does not resist. Cain is the religious, Able the remnant.
As Cain lost out in comparison when the Lord favored Abel, so the end time church will be favored by being able or allowed to show forth resurrection power. Resurrection power, the unmistakable miracle, is one thing the enemy forces cannot abide because it destroys the fear of death that keeps men in bondage. So that they will then likewise rise up and smite the church after it's triumphs. And then our blood will also cry out for vengeance.
That there will be such triumphs is foreshadowed in several passages.
Jesus three trips around Israel, ministering to the multitudes, before he went to the cross.
Paul made three great missionary trips before going to Jerusalem and ultimately to his death in Rome.
Elisha told the king to strike the arrows on the ground. He struck thrice and stopped. Hence Israel was to have three victories over Syria and then be overcome.
I believe that the end time church will experience three great waves of world evangelization, tremendous victories over powers of darkness. Then it will be overcome.
God has declared the end from the beginning.