Isaiah (est. 740-681 BC)

Victims beheaded during Egypt's civil war

Isaiah, son of Amoz and he was given a message about Judah and Jerusalem, that they should turn from their wicked ways or face destruction.  Isaiah is told about Immanuel who will be born in the line of David and will be born of a virgin, and is also told about the coming of the Holy Spirit.  Isaiah says that he trusts the Lord, despite knowing that God is no longer pleased with Israel.

The philistines and arameans attacked Israel but even still people did not turn from their wickedness, the the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh turned against each other but then joined forces to attack Judah.  So God says that the Assyrians will attack Jerusalem and Mount Zion, but Isaiah is told to tell the people that once they trust in God then he will punish Assyria for their crimes, even destroying the forests of Lebanon.

The destruction of various places are foretold such as Babylon, Moab, Zoar, Damascus, Ethiopia, Tyre, Canaan, Sidon, and even the destruction of the world.  A civil war in Egypt is foretold, later an angel kills 185000 Assyrian soldiers who were on their way to destroy Jerusalem and it is declared that "None who are evil will live in peace."

Old Document Review 'On the Seven Seals of the Apocalypse'

This ancient document was written by Joachim of Fiore (d.1202) and features his interpretations of what the seals in the Book of Revelations represent.  Joachim sees the seals as representing the story of the church between the first and the second coming of Jesus.

However his understanding goes much deeper, when Joachim looks at history he sees a link to the Trinity, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are matched to the Old Testament, the life of Jesus and the New Testament.  Whats more, is that each of these eras can be broken down into seven periods of time which will match with the corresponding period in the next era.  These seven periods are also represented by the seven seals which are laid out in the Book of Revelations.  As always periods of time divided into seven can also be linked to how the Mayans viewed time, each period of time is seen to have seven days and six nights.

For example the first period in the Old Testament is seen from Abraham to the promised land, which is matched to the New Testament period of time from John the Baptist to the early church.  This matching carries on as far as the sixth seal which Joachim seen as matching against his own era, and everything that was happening during his lifetime such as the crusades and so on.  Joachim foretells that soon the Catholic Church shall be overthrown or challenged by a new church (the rise of Protestants?) and he sees this as the time where Satan will be bound up into his prison.  Then in the seventh seal will be the second coming.

Agabus (est30-60A.D.)

Agabus came with a group of prophets to Antioch from Jerusalem, as recorded in the Book of Acts, whilst there he predicted a famine which came true only a few years later in 45A.D. where a famine in Jerusalem was so bad that many people died.

It is also recorded that in 58A.D. that Agabus met Paul of Tarsus at Caesarea Maritima and foretold him of his imminent capture and even demonstrated to him what the Jews would do to him if he continued with his journey to Jerusalem. It is also worth while mentioning that Philip the Evangelist also resided in Caesarea Maritima and it is more than likely that the two men knew each other well. This supports the story told by the supporters of Montanus who said that he had learnt prophecy from Quadratus and Ammia who had learnt it from Agabus and Philip. Maybe Caesarea Maritima was the location of these teachings.