Disclaimer

If symbols are used consistently throughout the Bible, then we should be able to identify what they mean by comparing their use throughout different prophecies. This seems to be the case from studying symbols so far and we are going to assume this is the case unless we are proven wrong by further research. If we find even one case of a prophetic symbol meaning one thing in one prophecy and different thing in another prophecy, then this assumption is incorrect and there is no hope for us to glean any meaning from prophecies before they come to pass.