The Reformed Olive Press

  The Keys of Death and Hades in Revelation  In the Book of Revelation, Jesus declares, "I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades." (Revelation 1:18). This powerful statement reveals His authority over life, death, and the afterlife. But what exactly are the keys of death and Hades? In this blog, we’ll explore the biblical meaning of these keys and their significance in Preterism. Revelation 1:18 "and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the KEY of Death and Hades." NOTE: Jesus has the authority to use the key to open or close Sheol/Hades. Revelation 3:7 "And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: ‘The words of the holy one, the true one, who has the KEY of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens." NOTE: Similar to Revelation 1:18, Jesus has the authority to open or close Sheol/Hades  Revelation 9:1-3 "And the...

         The Revelation of Jesus Christ  You are NOT the "YOU" Revelation 1:1 English Standard Version 1 👉The revelation of Jesus Christ👈, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John. NOTE: Which servants? Who is the letter originally to?  ANSWER: The seven churches in Asia Minor. Not the modern day church. Galatians 1:12 English Standard Version 12 For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through 👉a revelation of Jesus Christ👈. NOTE: Who received the revelation? ANSWER: Paul 1 Peter 1:6-7 English Standard Version 6 In this YOU rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, YOU have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of YOUR faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at 👉the revelation of Jesus Christ...

                        Introduction to Exodus 4:24–26: A Mysterious and Puzzling Encounter Exodus 4:24–26 is one of the most intriguing and enigmatic passages in the Bible. After God calls Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, something unexpected happens on His journey back to Egypt. At first glance, this story can leave readers puzzled. Why would God, who had just commissioned Moses to deliver His people, suddenly seek to kill him? And why does Zipporah’s swift act of circumcision resolve the crisis? Understanding this passage requires exploring its cultural, covenantal, and theological context. This moment emphasizes the importance of covenant obedience—specifically the covenant of circumcision given to Abraham in Genesis 17. Some scholars suggest that Moses had neglected to circumcise his son, which was a serious breach of covenant law. Zipporah’s quick action not only saves Moses’ life but also highlights her key rol...

                                              Flesh and Blood and Better Promises   Flesh and Blood always meant Physical Body and Spiritual Body always meant Heavenly Body. It is not a body that comes out of the ground !! It is a body that you receive in Heaven. **There is only TWO PHYSICAL FLESH AND BLOOD RESURRECTIONS IN THE NEW TESTAMENT: Jesus the Christ and the dead saint of Matthew 27:50-53 (who are the 1st Fruits & Wave offering of the New Covenant-part of the 144,000 in Revelation). They are now "waving" their living bodies to the people of Jerusalem** It is when people get to 1 Corinthians 15 that their fear or cognitive dissonance kicks in and make all these interpretive and logic leaps to justify a physical resurrection. **Further down the word "BETTER" is associated with spiritual and heavenly things. Again, the BETTER resurrection is a spiritual body...

                                              Death in the New Heavens and Earth God's goal was to redeem/clean his people. It was never God's intention to remove sin. To remove the ability to sin completely is to remove free will and be a robot. He created a way (faith and repentance through Christ His Son) to be declared holy and have a relationship with the Father. Isaiah 4:3-4 English Standard Version 3 And he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy, everyone who has been recorded for life in Jerusalem, 4 when the Lord shall have WASHED AWAY THE FILTH of the daughters of Zion and CLEANSE THE BLOODSTAINS of Jerusalem from its midst by a spirit of judgment and by a spirit of burning. NOTE. See also Zechariah 13:1,8-9; Malachi 3:2-3; Jeremiah 33:8;Ezekiel 37:23, 43:12; Isaiah 2:25-26; Daniel 9:24. Revelation 21:1-4 English Standard Version 21 The...

The Covenantal Overlap/Transition Period: The Ages in the Bible Whenever, you see the phrase "The Ages" in the Bible, it is referring to the time that Jesus died on the cross and established an overlap between both New and Old Covenant. This is also referred to as the transition period. See Hebrews 8:13. Sometimes translators erroneous write "worlds" or "universe." It should says ages because that is how the writers describe the time: The Old Covenant Age and New Covenant Age. This transition period ended in 70AD when the Temple was destroyed. Jesus is the beginning of God's New Covenant Creation. Revelation 3:14 English Standard Version To the Church in Laodicea 14 “And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God's creation. NOTE: Jesus is the first to be glorified and he is creating a new people committed to God the Father. Ephesians 3:8-9 English S...

  The Witch of Endor: Was Samuel Really a Demon? The story of the Witch of Endor is one of the more mysterious and intriguing episodes in the Old Testament, found in 1 Samuel 28. In this passage, King Saul, desperate for guidance before a battle with the Philistines, seeks out a medium to summon the spirit of the prophet Samuel, who has died. The medium, often referred to as the Witch of Endor, performs the ritual, and Samuel's spirit appears—but is it really Samuel? And what does this story reveal about the nature of spirits, mediums, and deception? Many people are familiar with the image of the Witch of Endor conjuring the spirit of Samuel, but not everyone stops to consider the possibility that the entity that appeared might not have been Samuel at all. Instead, could it have been a demon masquerading as the prophet? In this blog, we will examine the account and explore why some biblical scholars and theologians suggest that the figure that appear...