He Who Kills With the Sword

 (Author) What follows below is a revelation that came upon me in 2009 during a period of intensive prayer and bible research. 

Revelation 13:9 If anyone has an ear, let him hear. He who leads into captivity shall go into captivity; he who kills with the sword shall be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

 (Author) The passage above consumed me for a season. What I really wanted to know was if this passage was granting us permission to kill and if so, what are the conditions and the situation that would allow this? Was the word sword used literally or figuratively?  What of the mention about captivity, what does this all mean? In researching this passage I purchased a library of information and a program called Logos that allowed me to search a specific word, like the word sword.

  For example, I would search the word sword and Logos would show the results, the word sword has been used ___ number of times throughout the bible and show all the passages where the original spelling or characters of the word sword had been used. I found that within this passage of Revelation (13:9) the word sword was used literally, but what does this mean, "those who kill with the sword shall be killed with the sword." To put that in context I thoroughly researched what was meant by "leading into captivity".  Over a few weeks time and after exhaustive research and prayer I concluded that this passage refers specifically to the time within the 7 year tribulation or very close to the end of times.

  A good indication of when this period will begin is marked by outlawing all religion except the approved world religion. Those who worship Christ are literally outlaws that are being rounded up and thrown in prison camps; Think of FEMA camps and prisoner of war camps. Imagine, a congregation that is holding out and has gathered food and supplies, because no one can buy or sell without the mark of the beast. These believers cannot hold a job because they cannot get paid. There will be no sympathy for these believers because they are perceived as unwilling to help themselves. Public sentiment will turn against them as guided by the media and many will find reason to horribly mistreat them while being held in camps "for their own good". The camps are a death sentence, most will not survive. During these times, imagine the pastor of a church who has a couple days of food and supplies remaining, so urges his congregation to turn themselves into authorities. The congregation agrees and they turn themselves in, however left all alone the pastor now has food for his family for another month; "Those who lead into captivity shall go into captivity." Cursed is the pastor and his family who violates this passage.

  As you might imagine, not all believers are willing to turn themselves into authorities and await their fate in the camps. Imagine a group of well trained warriors who plan missions to take the food and supplies they need to sustain themselves. Those they take from have taken the mark of the beast and are like those who have been foreshadowed in zombie culture for years. They are already dead as described in Rev 14:9.

  9And a third angel followed them, calling out in a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and its image, and receives its mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10he too will drink the wine of God’s anger, poured undiluted into the cup of His wrath. And he will be tormented in fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb.…

  However, imagine that these believers and nonconformists are comprised of people from all religions and they are ruthlessly hunted by special teams. If they are caught they don't get the relative pleasure of the FEMA camp, it's something worse. After taking up the sword expect that some of these may be tempted to turn themselves into authorities. Those who do will be in violation, "Those who kill with the sword shall be killed with the sword." What is meant, is that once you choose your path there is no turning back, embrace it until the end, whatever that looks like.

 Kshatriya are the warrior class, the second highest in ritual status of the four varnas, or social classes, of Hindu India. Members of this class are traditionally in government positions, such as governors or in high ranking military positions.

 Warriors are a special breed full of the power of the holy spirit and gifts of the spirit. In addition to all things required on the spiritual path they also live the disciplined life of the warrior. For this reason, warriors are a special breed respected and loved by God. They are strong mentally and physically and others survive and thrive because of them. In the end of this age the warriors who remain on this path will fight with a righteousness and fierceness never before seen. They are fueled with the understanding of child sex trafficking and unspeakable atrocities;  Not even of King Davids Mighty 30 were as resolute in their quest to extinguish the evil that exists.  Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.