Revelation pt. 8 – Hail Of An Talent.



The city is divided into three parts.

Many people interpret this that the town (Jerusalem) is physically divided into three by an earthquake mentioned in Revelation. 16:17-21, we see that this has not happened. They believe then that this will happen in the future, but again, I refer to that previous post that Revelation is about the first-century events, specific to the events of the years 64-70 AD.

How was Jerusalem, the city, divided then? The city was divided in three by three different groups or parties which stood opposite to each other, i.e an internal conflict within the walls of Jerusalem. Josephus is well aware of this when he writes:



This was not a dispute anyone could take lightly, but a faction that was dangerous to the unity within Jerusalem and within the walls, and which brought much misery. For Josephus continues in the same section:


As Josephus said, “which I esteem the beginning of the city’s destruction”, John also prophesy, “And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell” It was thus the political disagreements and divisions into parties which divided the city into three parts.

Hail of an talent. 

Stone used in Roman catapult. This is found at Massada, Israel.

It have been many theories about what these shotguns are too. One of them is the bombs with poisonous gases such people “burn” alive. With today’s technology and knowledge could make it possible, but again, we are talking about the year 70 AD.

In Revelation part 3, I mentioned about the law of stoning an unfaithful woman (5.Mos. 22:21), and this does not pass John:


In comparison, Josephus also give a historical fact of what happened to the harlot, the old Jerusalem:


Just imagine and try put yourselves into their place. For at that time, it had to be a surprising sight to see these stones of 34.2 kg (one talent) flying over the big wall of Jerusalem and do the vast damage that they did. This experience set the perfect reality of John’s view of these enormous hailstone. Jerusalem was now stoned in accordance with the law for an unfaithful woman, for Jerusalem had become a harlot (Revelation 3 – The Harlot).

Blood up to the horse bridles 


John following up the Old Testament pattern her and gives us a picture of the wine. As known to many, Israel symbolizes as wine of God, which we find in Sal. 80:8, Isa. 5:1-7, Jer. 2:21; 12:10, Ezek. 17:2, 6; 19:1, 10, and Mat. 21:33-40. But do we believe that the blood actually flowed beyond 322 km (Greek: 1600 stages), and so deep as to bridle of the horses?

Israels land under Roman Empire. From Leontes River to Wadi el Arish in Egypt.

The interesting thing to note here is that the land of Israel during the Roman Empire, as a Roman province, stretching from the Litani River in Lebanon (Leontas River) to the Wadi el Arish in Egypt, a distance of 321.8 kilometers (200 miles ), or 1644 stadia. (Rev 14:20). We have also seen earlier that the “city” in Revelation is the place where Christ was crucified, ie Jerusalem. (Rev. 11:8). Harvest occurs in the earth, which is the land of Israel (Rev. 14:15-19 cf. Rev. 1:7). The place where Christ was crucified, that is, outside the city (John 19:20, cf. Heb. 13 :11-13). This pictorial language that John uses here, says that Israel will suffer a bloodbath that extends throughout the country, which Josephus also writes about:

“… because not only the whole country through which they fled was filled with slaughter, (War. 4:7:6). 

But the depth of the blood flow should be as up to bridle the horses may well not any seriously believe. It would coagulate quickly and not be able to run at large distances, but we see a symbolism of bloodshed in the Jewish War. Josephus continues:

“…and Jordan could not be passed over, by reason of the dead bodies that were in it, but because the lake Asphaltiris was also full of dead bodies, that were carried down into it by the river.” (War. 4:7:6). 

“insomuch that the sea was bloody a long way, and the maritime parts were full of dead bodies;”” (War. 3:9:3). 

one might then see the lake all bloody, and full of dead bodies, for not one of them escaped” (War 3:10:9). 

Now when Josephus describes the final destruction of Jerusalem, he writes:

“blood ran down over all the lower parts of the city, from the upper.” (War. 4:1:10) 

“And now the outer temple was all of it overflowed with blood; and that day, as it came on, they saw eight thousand five hundred dead bodies there.” (War. 4:5:1).

“the blood of all sorts of dead carcasses stood in lakes in the holy courts… ” (War. 5:1:3). 

“the whole city run down with blood, to such a degree indeed that the fire of many of the houses was quenched with these men’s blood.” (War. 6:8:5). 

That the sea became blood, we also see examples of in Rev. 8:8 and 16:3. The Lamb, the slaughtered lamb pours out his wrath (Rev. 6:16-17) of those who crucified Him (Rev. 1:7).

Although Revelation can not interpret literal, it portrays the historical events in the Jewish war in 70 AD, which we have considered. We have been through some incredible events that correspond between John and Josephus … and there are many more I could bring in, but it will take too much space.

What du you think? 


Bible verses are taken from the KJV.
War = War of the Jews, Flavius Josephus. 

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