Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Prophecy - 67 - I know thy works...
I know thy works...
Rev 2:12 And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges;
*******
Who has a sharp sword with two edges?
What is the two edged sword all about?
Psa 149:1 Praise ye the LORD. Sing unto the LORD a new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints.
Psa 149:2 Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: let the children of Zion be joyful in their King.
Psa 149:3 Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp.
Psa 149:4 For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation.
Psa 149:5 Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds.
Psa 149:6 Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a twoedged sword in their hand;
Psa 149:7 To execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people;
Psa 149:8 To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron;
Psa 149:9 To execute upon them the judgment written: this honour have all his saints. Praise ye the LORD.
Hebrews
{4:12} For the word of God [is] quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and [is] a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart
Revelation
{1:13} And in the midst of the seven candlesticks [one] like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.
{1:14} His head and [his] hairs [were] white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes [were] as a flame of fire;
{1:15} And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.
{1:16} And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance [was] as the sun shineth in his strength.
He who has the two-edged sword is Jesus.
And from just noting a bit more about the two-edged sword it's easy to see that it's symbolic of God's quick and decisive manner. There is no deception, no guile, no toying when it comes to God, and all He does is precise. His word is more powerful and sharper than a two-edged sword. And the power and sharpness of such a sword is tremendous. Jesus speaks with such exacting vengeance in such a way that there leaves no doubt to the truth of his actions- none.
Jesus speaks to us holding nothing back.
Rev 2:13 I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.
He knows our works! He knew them back in the days of John, He knew them in the early years of God's people- His church historically, and He knows us even now. It's safe to say Jesus has known us through all time and there was never a time He didn't know His people. Even when His people have caused Him grief He has known and has tried to guide them down the right path of His righteousness.
He knows thy works, where thou dwellest- where we live. He knows. And He has known where Satan's seat is and make no mistake about it- Satan has his foothold in this world he was cast out upon at the birth of salvation realized in Jesus' entrance into our world as He took on the flesh of humanity. Satan cast to this earth was never more to call heaven (God's seat) his home. Yes, Satan has his powers and his influence and he's used them to form his own plans that include a place where he would dwell and rule from. Satan's seat. Living among the very place where the evil one, the one who opposes, the deceiver was in power and holding fast to the true faith of Christ- what wonder! Holding fast to Christ! Not denying Christ's faith!
People say that there are no more martyrs, I say they're wrong. There are many, many martyrs today. In fact just writing what I'm writing would be cause for my death in some countries. We don't want to believe it, but it's true.
Wherever we are living, in whatever situation we find ourselves even if it's the worst place imaginable- if we hold fast to Christ and remain faithful then we will have His blessing. I'm not just talking a life or death situation with a true sword ready to slice our head from our shoulders. I'm talking living in the world that Satan claims as His and holding fast. It's all too easy for us to give in and go along with the crowd. To laugh and smile, and seemingly agree with the goings on even when they bold-facedly ridicule all that is Godly. Inwardly we might condemn the actions going on about us and we cling to that inward man, but outwardly we seem to agree with the ungodliness and what does that mean? We're ashamed of our beliefs.
If we won't hold fast to Christ and our faith in Him now in the little things, how will we do so later on when our very lives may depend on seemingly agreeing with the ungodly? Will we align ourselves with the ungodly so that we can live? Or be martyrs to hold fast to Christ?
The historical message, the message for all time, we need to learn, to listen, to take to heart what is being said.
Rev 2:14 But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.
Rev 2:15 So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.
Hold the doctrine of Balaam... idol worship in all its ugly forms. The Nicolaitans are mentioned once more and we know these are all that about things, people and their actions, that Jesus hates.
Again, just because you don't live in a town where they have festivals to worship the sun god Baal, does not mean there is no idol worship today. Among God's people there are those who hold fast to the belief that worshipping the world rather than God means the most. We can't worship any other than God! Search our hearts and our lives and examine what lies within- is it worship to anything other than God? Is there a self-worship? The worship of any thing that would take us from God?
Rev 2:16 Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.
Rev 2:17 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.
Repent.
We need to repent and not face the righteous wrath of Christ.
Listen! We are told to LISTEN!
If we overcome through Christ we will be given hidden manna- heavenly food so precious. We will be given a white stone- a stone of purity and innocence in Christ. In that stone we'll receive our new name, a new name only we know. God made a point to give Abram and Sari new names and He also gave Jacob a new name. We who overcome as they overcame by faith in God and His righteousness we too will receive a new name.
By His mercy, by His grace, by His love and by His righteousness alone may we cling to Him and be found in Him to be overcomers through Him and Him alone. Forgive us oh Lord, forgive us our many, many tresspasses, our many failings and set us on Your path to Your righteousness- now and forever!
Amen
Note- here is an excerpt from a prophecy booklet called- 'These Times - The amazing prophecies of Daniel and Revelation. A Special Issue.' pg. 24-25
'Verses 12-17. The city of Pergamos (or Pergamum) was the capital of the Roman province of Asia. A rich, important city, it served as a center of emperor worship and various pagan religions. Jesus perceptively described Pergamum as a city in bondage to the dictatorship of Satan, the leader of all evil forces (see Revelation 12:9;13:1,2). The great failure of the church at Pergamum was that it allowed pagan, unchristian influences into its midst, accepting the teaching of "Balaam" -- a reference to a man who influenced the Israelites shortly after they left Egypt to unite with pagans and become involved in idolatry and immorality (Numbers 22-25; 31:13-16).
The experience of the whole church following AD 313, when Emperor Constantine legalized Christianity, resembled that of Pergamum. Following this time the church increasingly accepted pagan ideas and practices into its midst and advanced steadily down the path of apostasy foretold by Paul in 2 Thessalonians 2:3. The church's only hope lay in its willingness to let the sharp "two-edged sword" of truth wielded by Jesus cut away their selfishness and pride (cf Hebrews 4:12). '
*******
The reason I wanted to insert this note is because we need to touch on the specific historically applied aspect to the prophecy as well as the time of John the prophet, and we most certainly can tell already how it's applied to us now and to all of God's people through history in a broad meaningful way.
The historical time period this covers- Constantine, or perhaps, rather, from his professed conversion to Christianity in A.D. 313 to the establishment of the papacy in A.D. 538.
In 313, Constantine proclaimed the Edict of Milan which legalized Christian worship. Go to Wikipedia, look up Constantine and this is in there. We've already gone over these dates when we studied the prophecy of Daniel. Daniel and Revelation both deal with prophecy in a huge way and go hand in hand in so much. This all fits together and the placing of the puzzle pieces will mean we need to go back and forth between these two books and truly throughout the entire Bible.
By God's grace, through His will, now and forever!
Amen.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Prophecy - 66 - Faithful unto death
Rev 2:8 And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive;
Rev 2:9 I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.
Rev 2:10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.
Rev 2:11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.
If, as we talked about already, the seven churches spoken of represent God's people throughout time- the period of time suggested by others who have studied Revelation for the first chruch- Ephesus is.. 'the period from the resurrection of Christ to the close of the first century, or to the death of the last of the apostles.' And the second church - Smyrna - 'the date of the Smyrna church would be A.D. 100-323.' The big question is….how did they come to this date?
Well first let's look at what's said.
'And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write...These things saith the first and the last which was dead and is alive'
John through the Spirit is writing to the angel of the people of God in Smyrna. The first, the last, which was dead and is alive- this could be none other than- Jesus.
'I know thy works and tribulation and poverty but thou art rich'
He knows the works- the actions of His people in Smyrna. He also knows their tribulation. He understands what they're going through. Tribulation. If I say I'm going through tribulation am I talking about a little bit of a hard time? No. I'm talking about a very hard time, a time of such suffering, of such affliction it doesn't compare to ordinary upsets. Jesus knows the actions, the works, and He knows of the intense suffering of those people. He also knows of their poverty- their deficiencies, unproductiveness, their lacking, but He also knows they are rich.
A conflict? Can one be in poverty and be rich at the same time? They sure can be if we are thinking along the lines of being poor in one thing while rich in another. You can have a person poor in finances and rich in optimism. Jesus knows it all- the suffering the poverty and the riches. We are told in the Bible this--
Matthew {19:24} And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
With this in mind it's easy to imagine the 'rich'es spoken of here as something other than monetary riches. These are riches of God- heavenly treasure, not an earthly treasure.
Matthew {6:20} But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth
corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal
Heavenly riches.
A person can be rich in heavenly treasures and in extreme poverty upon the earth.
Yes, you can be rich in one thing and lacking in another. You can have a richness of love and a poverty of kindness. Jesus knows all of us, the good and the bad in us - His people throughout time.
'and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews and are not but are the synagogue of Satan.
Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison- that ye may be tried and ye shall have tribulation ten days'
Blasphemy- 1. a. A contemptuous or profane act, utterance, or writing concerning God or a sacred entity. b. The act of claiming for oneself the attributes and rights of God.
2. An irreverent or impious act, attitude, or utterance in regard to something considered inviolable or sacrosanct.
Excerpted from The American Heritage® Dictionary
There are those who claim to be God's but are really from where?
The 'synagogue of Satan.'
Devil worshippers who claim to be God's people.
God knows who those people are and truly there are those in all ages who are guilty of this- of claiming to be God's people while their lives, their hearts, the truth says otherwise.
God doesn't want His people to fear things that will be suffered by them. Again in all ages we face suffering for our faith and yet we are to fear not.
The devil will put some of God's people in prison- those people will be tried and have tribulation ten days. Now this is where we have to ask ourselves a question- ten days? In prophecy days can stand for years. Is there any notable ten year period of tribulation for God's people?
There is...
'The Diocletianic Persecution (or Great Persecution) was the last and most severe persecution of Christians in the Roman empire.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diocletianic_Persecution
In 303, Emperor Diocletian and his colleagues Maximian, Galerius, and Constantius issued a series of edicts rescinding Christians' legal rights and demanding they comply with traditional religious practices. Later edicts targeted the clergy and demanded universal sacrifice, ordering all inhabitants to sacrifice to the gods. The persecution varied in intensity across the empire—weakest in Gaul and Britain, where only the first edict was applied, and strongest in the Eastern provinces. Persecutionary laws were nullified by different emperors at different times, but Constantine and Licinius's Edict of Milan (313) has traditionally marked the end of the persecution.'
303 to 313 - ten years!
The revelation was-
'the devil shall cast some of you into prison- that ye may be tried and ye shall have tribulation ten days'
Ten days- Ten years of GREAT tribulation, great suffering, great persecution.
The prophecy goes on to say-
'be thou faithful unto death
and I will give thee a crown of life.
He that hath an ear,
let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches
He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death'
Be faithful unto death. Telling them what? They would die! God's people, His church, would be persecuted to the death.
Faithful unto death. In truth we all throughout time must be faithful unto death, we must be determined to be God's until we die no matter what the cost might be. Faithful unto death.
The reward for such faithfulness is a crown of life! The crown of life given for those who receive life eternal in Jesus. The price is well worth the sacrifice to obtain such a priceless gift.
We are told once more--
'He that hath an ear,
let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches'
LISTEN!
And the promise-
'He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death'
Meaning the death that is eternal- the death that comes when the 1000 years in heaven with Jesus are over and evil and sin are wiped out of existence the death of all those who are evil and are destroyed forever- that deah will not hurt those who are God's faithful.
Rev 20:6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years
Rev 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
Rev 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
May God bless and keep us through the tribulations we have and will have, may we remain faithful unto Him forever. May the second death not hurt any of us as we seek life in Jesus, our Lord and Savior now and forever!
Amen
Rev 2:9 I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.
Rev 2:10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.
Rev 2:11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.
If, as we talked about already, the seven churches spoken of represent God's people throughout time- the period of time suggested by others who have studied Revelation for the first chruch- Ephesus is.. 'the period from the resurrection of Christ to the close of the first century, or to the death of the last of the apostles.' And the second church - Smyrna - 'the date of the Smyrna church would be A.D. 100-323.' The big question is….how did they come to this date?
Well first let's look at what's said.
'And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write...These things saith the first and the last which was dead and is alive'
John through the Spirit is writing to the angel of the people of God in Smyrna. The first, the last, which was dead and is alive- this could be none other than- Jesus.
'I know thy works and tribulation and poverty but thou art rich'
He knows the works- the actions of His people in Smyrna. He also knows their tribulation. He understands what they're going through. Tribulation. If I say I'm going through tribulation am I talking about a little bit of a hard time? No. I'm talking about a very hard time, a time of such suffering, of such affliction it doesn't compare to ordinary upsets. Jesus knows the actions, the works, and He knows of the intense suffering of those people. He also knows of their poverty- their deficiencies, unproductiveness, their lacking, but He also knows they are rich.
A conflict? Can one be in poverty and be rich at the same time? They sure can be if we are thinking along the lines of being poor in one thing while rich in another. You can have a person poor in finances and rich in optimism. Jesus knows it all- the suffering the poverty and the riches. We are told in the Bible this--
Matthew {19:24} And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
With this in mind it's easy to imagine the 'rich'es spoken of here as something other than monetary riches. These are riches of God- heavenly treasure, not an earthly treasure.
Matthew {6:20} But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth
corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal
Heavenly riches.
A person can be rich in heavenly treasures and in extreme poverty upon the earth.
Yes, you can be rich in one thing and lacking in another. You can have a richness of love and a poverty of kindness. Jesus knows all of us, the good and the bad in us - His people throughout time.
'and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews and are not but are the synagogue of Satan.
Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison- that ye may be tried and ye shall have tribulation ten days'
Blasphemy- 1. a. A contemptuous or profane act, utterance, or writing concerning God or a sacred entity. b. The act of claiming for oneself the attributes and rights of God.
2. An irreverent or impious act, attitude, or utterance in regard to something considered inviolable or sacrosanct.
Excerpted from The American Heritage® Dictionary
There are those who claim to be God's but are really from where?
The 'synagogue of Satan.'
Devil worshippers who claim to be God's people.
God knows who those people are and truly there are those in all ages who are guilty of this- of claiming to be God's people while their lives, their hearts, the truth says otherwise.
God doesn't want His people to fear things that will be suffered by them. Again in all ages we face suffering for our faith and yet we are to fear not.
The devil will put some of God's people in prison- those people will be tried and have tribulation ten days. Now this is where we have to ask ourselves a question- ten days? In prophecy days can stand for years. Is there any notable ten year period of tribulation for God's people?
There is...
'The Diocletianic Persecution (or Great Persecution) was the last and most severe persecution of Christians in the Roman empire.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diocletianic_Persecution
In 303, Emperor Diocletian and his colleagues Maximian, Galerius, and Constantius issued a series of edicts rescinding Christians' legal rights and demanding they comply with traditional religious practices. Later edicts targeted the clergy and demanded universal sacrifice, ordering all inhabitants to sacrifice to the gods. The persecution varied in intensity across the empire—weakest in Gaul and Britain, where only the first edict was applied, and strongest in the Eastern provinces. Persecutionary laws were nullified by different emperors at different times, but Constantine and Licinius's Edict of Milan (313) has traditionally marked the end of the persecution.'
303 to 313 - ten years!
The revelation was-
'the devil shall cast some of you into prison- that ye may be tried and ye shall have tribulation ten days'
Ten days- Ten years of GREAT tribulation, great suffering, great persecution.
The prophecy goes on to say-
'be thou faithful unto death
and I will give thee a crown of life.
He that hath an ear,
let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches
He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death'
Be faithful unto death. Telling them what? They would die! God's people, His church, would be persecuted to the death.
Faithful unto death. In truth we all throughout time must be faithful unto death, we must be determined to be God's until we die no matter what the cost might be. Faithful unto death.
The reward for such faithfulness is a crown of life! The crown of life given for those who receive life eternal in Jesus. The price is well worth the sacrifice to obtain such a priceless gift.
We are told once more--
'He that hath an ear,
let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches'
LISTEN!
And the promise-
'He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death'
Meaning the death that is eternal- the death that comes when the 1000 years in heaven with Jesus are over and evil and sin are wiped out of existence the death of all those who are evil and are destroyed forever- that deah will not hurt those who are God's faithful.
Rev 20:6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years
Rev 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
Rev 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
May God bless and keep us through the tribulations we have and will have, may we remain faithful unto Him forever. May the second death not hurt any of us as we seek life in Jesus, our Lord and Savior now and forever!
Amen
Monday, August 29, 2011
Prophecy - 65 - To Him that Overcometh
To him that overcometh
Rev 2:6 But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
Jesus commends His people in Ephesus for yet another thing - Hating the deeds of the Nicolaitanes. It didn't say hating the Nicolaitanes, but hating the deeds of the Nicolaitanes; deeds that Jesus himself hates. What are some things Jesus hates?
Heb. {1:9} Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, [even] thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
Deut. {16:21} Thou shalt not plant thee a grove of any trees near unto the altar of the LORD thy God, which thou shalt make thee. {16:22} Neither shalt thou set thee up [any] image; which the LORD thy God hateth.
Ps. {5:5} The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity.
Ps. {45:7} Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows
It's easy to see what God hates- sin, graven images, worship to other gods, wickedness, workers of sin.
What is sin?
1 John {3:4} Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
Transgressing the law.
What is the law?
Matthew {22:36} Master, which is the great commandment in the law? {22:37} Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. {22:38} This is the first and great commandment. {22:39} And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. {22:40} On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
So Jesus hates the actions of those who hate God and those who hate others treating them as they would not want to be treated.
Any actions that hurt others are sinful.
There is a lot to hate in our world, a lot of sinful acts. The fact God's people hated those who were wicked -committing wicked deeds- was a good thing, because Jesus hates sin.
The trouble people run into a lot of times is hating what God hates and believing God would have them act on that hate in ways that Jesus condemned over and over . While we are to hate sin, while we are to hate what God hates whether it's Nicolaitanes or any who love what is sin to God, we are NOT to judge them, but judge their deeds. Hating the DEEDS that God hates is what we need to focus on, not on the individual who commits those deeds. God will judge them, we cannot. We can't cast that first stone because we are NOT without sin. We are not to strike out- physically, verbally, mentally, or emotionally - Jesus would not have us do this-- not even to save His life. When Peter went to defend Jesus as the soldiers were taking Him away to be tried Jesus stopped Him. We are NOT to judge people, we are to judge actions and if their actions are against God's will as we know it from His word to us, then we are to hate those actions they commit just as those of Ephesus hated the deeds of the Nicolaitanes.
Rev 2:7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
'He that hath an ear'
Don't we all?
'let him hear'
Can we choose not to hear? Yes. We can choose not to hear, we don't have to listen, we aren't forced to listen. We who have ears need to hear, we need to choose to listen.
What are we to listen to? 'let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches' We have to listen to what we are being told! What the Spirit is relating to us through His prophets. And a promise is given...
'To him that overcometh...'
Overcomes what? Overcomes that which would bring us down- losing our first love.
'To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life which is in the midst of the paradise of God.'
If we keep to our first love, if our first love is Christ we will eat of the tree of life, a tree that is in the midst of God's paradise!
If we eat of the tree of life we will have life forever in Christ. How beautiful is that promise? How wondrous is that knowledge!
Let us ALL overcome! Let us all hear! Let us all keep our first love in Christ! By His amazing grace, by His mercy unlike any other mercy.
Amen.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Prophecy - 64 - Remember from when thou art fallen
Remember from whence thou art fallen
Rev 1:19 Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter;
Rev 1:20 The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.
John is being told to write the things he had just seen. The things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter.
Amazing isn't it? Told to write the things which are- something we all could do. I could sit here and write about the things I'm seeing right now without a problem- what I can't do is write about how things will be in the future because I don't know the future. John is being asked to write about things which shall be hereafter - that's the future - that's prophecy.
John is told the mystery of the seven stars which he saw in Jesus' right hand and the seven golden candlesticks.
The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches.
The seven candlesticks are the seven churches.
God's people make up God's church. The perfect church. The true church. God's people throughout all time. God's people from then and hereafter- future.
God's people will one day be before Him. There is no wonder that the seven candlesticks represent the perfectness of God's people before Him.
The mystery was revealed. John saw a vision and the vision was interpreted.
Rev 2:1 Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;
Rev 2:6 But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
Rev 2:7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
Unto the angel write- the seven stars in Jesus' hand were the seven angels of the churches. John was to write to the first of those angels - the angel of the church of Ephesus.
Jesus who was and is, who died and lives, the alpha and omega; Jesus who holds the seven stars, the seven angels, who walks among the seven churches- Jesus who lives among His people. This message was being sent to them by Jesus' and the message was...
Rev 2:2 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:
Rev 2:3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted
God's people working- their laboring, their patience, their abhorrence of those who do evil and claim to follow God, their patience all for Jesus and without fainting- Jesus recognizes it all! The work does not go unnoticed and yet there is more He notices.
Rev 2:4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
Jesus has somewhat against the first church, against His people, those who lived when the apostles lived and this message is for all time because we learn from mistakes of the past don't we? Shouldn't we? If we don't learn from mistakes then we are guilty of being negligent aren't we? Of not learning when we had everything available to us to learn.
Jesus has somewhat against His people of Ephesus, He says- Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee because thou hast left thy first love.
Thy first love.
How easy it is to leave our first love in all things. Think about it. How many things have you once love and no longer love? How many things do you love but not in the same way? Most people who have experienced love understand how easy it is to lose that newness of first love. When we lose our first love with Jesus what are we losing? Our first love - losing it is losing what it's all truly about. If we lose Jesus as first and foremost in our lives then we've lost it all. Anything that comes before Jesus will only get in the way of Jesus. We can't lose our first love of Jesus. The love is everlasting and if we find ourselves putting anything before the love of Jesus we need to repent. We have to keep Jesus as our first love.
Another important thing to note is that the Papacy loves to proclaim that it has existed from the time of the Apostles. We know for a fact that deception infiltrated the new church from the get go.
1Jn 2:18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.
Antichrists- those in place of Christ. Right then in the new church, those who claim to believe in all Jesus brought to them, the gospel of the kingdom, salvation, were infiltrated by those who would take the place of Christ. So when the Papacy holds up its proud head it really has no reason to because we know what prophecy has shown us to be true. The counterfeit which is close to the truth, the deception which is so close to the truth is alive and well. Jesus knew it would enter the church quickly, Jesus had warnings. The first love would be lost- the pure love of Jesus would be lost and in its place a false love.
Rev 2:5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.
Remember! Remember from whence thou art fallen and repent! Repent! Do the first works. Works brought on by having the first love- Jesus. Jesus first! Or else Jesus will come quickly and take away the fact you are God's people. You will no longer be God's people, because the candlestick is the church, the church is God's people, and if the candlestick is taken away then the consequence is the people that were once making up the church are no longer the same people making up the church. Repent.
Repent- ask for forgiveness and return to the first love, to putting Jesus first above all else. Amazing advice, amazing encouragement, loving guidance from the source of Love. May we all heed the advice given to us by our Lord and Savior! By His mercy and grace may we repent and keep Him our first love, forever!
Amen.
Rev 1:19 Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter;
Rev 1:20 The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.
John is being told to write the things he had just seen. The things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter.
Amazing isn't it? Told to write the things which are- something we all could do. I could sit here and write about the things I'm seeing right now without a problem- what I can't do is write about how things will be in the future because I don't know the future. John is being asked to write about things which shall be hereafter - that's the future - that's prophecy.
John is told the mystery of the seven stars which he saw in Jesus' right hand and the seven golden candlesticks.
The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches.
The seven candlesticks are the seven churches.
God's people make up God's church. The perfect church. The true church. God's people throughout all time. God's people from then and hereafter- future.
God's people will one day be before Him. There is no wonder that the seven candlesticks represent the perfectness of God's people before Him.
The mystery was revealed. John saw a vision and the vision was interpreted.
Rev 2:1 Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;
Rev 2:6 But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
Rev 2:7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
Unto the angel write- the seven stars in Jesus' hand were the seven angels of the churches. John was to write to the first of those angels - the angel of the church of Ephesus.
Jesus who was and is, who died and lives, the alpha and omega; Jesus who holds the seven stars, the seven angels, who walks among the seven churches- Jesus who lives among His people. This message was being sent to them by Jesus' and the message was...
Rev 2:2 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:
Rev 2:3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted
God's people working- their laboring, their patience, their abhorrence of those who do evil and claim to follow God, their patience all for Jesus and without fainting- Jesus recognizes it all! The work does not go unnoticed and yet there is more He notices.
Rev 2:4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
Jesus has somewhat against the first church, against His people, those who lived when the apostles lived and this message is for all time because we learn from mistakes of the past don't we? Shouldn't we? If we don't learn from mistakes then we are guilty of being negligent aren't we? Of not learning when we had everything available to us to learn.
Jesus has somewhat against His people of Ephesus, He says- Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee because thou hast left thy first love.
Thy first love.
How easy it is to leave our first love in all things. Think about it. How many things have you once love and no longer love? How many things do you love but not in the same way? Most people who have experienced love understand how easy it is to lose that newness of first love. When we lose our first love with Jesus what are we losing? Our first love - losing it is losing what it's all truly about. If we lose Jesus as first and foremost in our lives then we've lost it all. Anything that comes before Jesus will only get in the way of Jesus. We can't lose our first love of Jesus. The love is everlasting and if we find ourselves putting anything before the love of Jesus we need to repent. We have to keep Jesus as our first love.
Another important thing to note is that the Papacy loves to proclaim that it has existed from the time of the Apostles. We know for a fact that deception infiltrated the new church from the get go.
1Jn 2:18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.
Antichrists- those in place of Christ. Right then in the new church, those who claim to believe in all Jesus brought to them, the gospel of the kingdom, salvation, were infiltrated by those who would take the place of Christ. So when the Papacy holds up its proud head it really has no reason to because we know what prophecy has shown us to be true. The counterfeit which is close to the truth, the deception which is so close to the truth is alive and well. Jesus knew it would enter the church quickly, Jesus had warnings. The first love would be lost- the pure love of Jesus would be lost and in its place a false love.
Rev 2:5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.
Remember! Remember from whence thou art fallen and repent! Repent! Do the first works. Works brought on by having the first love- Jesus. Jesus first! Or else Jesus will come quickly and take away the fact you are God's people. You will no longer be God's people, because the candlestick is the church, the church is God's people, and if the candlestick is taken away then the consequence is the people that were once making up the church are no longer the same people making up the church. Repent.
Repent- ask for forgiveness and return to the first love, to putting Jesus first above all else. Amazing advice, amazing encouragement, loving guidance from the source of Love. May we all heed the advice given to us by our Lord and Savior! By His mercy and grace may we repent and keep Him our first love, forever!
Amen.
Saturday, August 27, 2011
The Lord heard my cry
Psa 40:1 I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.
Psa 40:2 He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.
The horrible pit.
The miry clay.
Pit-
bôr
bore
From H952 (in the sense of H877); a pit hole (especially one used as a cistern or prison): - cistern, dungeon, fountain, pit, well.
Clay-
ṭı̂yṭ
teet
From an unused root meaning apparently to be sticky (rather perhaps a denominative from H2894, through the idea of dirt to be swept away); mud or clay; figuratively calamity: - clay, dirt, mire.
Have you ever been in a horrible pit? What about being stuck in miry clay? There are probably very few people who could claim to have been stuck in a horrible pit, and truly well stuck, unable to free themselves from miry clay. Yet we know exactly what David is talking about here, don't we? Most of us have had experience being stuck in a deep pit of despair, of hopelessness, of pain, anguish- emotional, mental agonies that have left us feeling as if we were trapped in our existence with no possible way to get ourselves out. That thick miry clay of life pouring down over us so that we are covered up to our necks in the dark things of life, unable to escape.
It's a fact that depression has overtaken so many people that they now exist by slipping pills into their mouths - hoping the contents of those little pills will alter something within their brains- cutting off that sense of despair- so they can no longer feel the heavy pain of worthlessness. And it's a fact that our brain chemistry has been tampered with and for a lot of people it no longer functions in the way it was intended- through no fault of their own. Aside from taking recreational drugs that can affect the brain, people can't mess with their brain chemistry. Some might yell that it is just an excuse for not being able to have faith, but that's not true any more than a person with type 1 diabetes, or a thin, otherwise healthy person with high blood pressure, or someone with congenital diseases, or deformities - could alter their problems. Those who claim that faith should be able to cure anyone from anything- haven't looked upon the tiny, dead body of a child who had pneumonia whose parents prayed over that child but refused to get the baby medical attention. They haven't watched the mental deterioration of a new mother caught in severe post partum depression - told to snap out of it, but instead ends up hurting their child and themselves- all because they refused to seek medical help. I'm ALL for natural cures, for faith healing- but sometimes the hope God offers is in the form of medical technology. I'm not encouraging people to seek pills to help them crawl out of the pit, or free themselves from the miry clay- I know this verse here we're studying reveals that it was GOD who helped David escape from his pit, from the miry clay that trapped him. And people will be quick to point out that they didn't have pills back in David's day so it was God, it was faith alone that helped David. I can't dispute that, I'm not even going to try. What I think I'm trying to say is God deals with us ALL in a personal, unique manner and I cannot pound the podium, stomp my foot on the soapbox and yell that there is only one cure. I CAN pound the podium and stomp my foot, I CAN shout and scream that God is the only answer. I can do that and not be contradictory because as I mentioned before- medical technology isn't all of the devil just because many people have abused it. A lot of great good has come from medical technology. Without it my mother would not have survived the miscarriage she had, and my little sister would never have been born later on, and I would have grown up without my mother. Without technology my daughter and I would have died together- her unborn. So many of us can recite the same sort of true stories- we are able to look back at the last hundred years and to our ancestors and know that without medical intervention multitudes would not exist. Of course the naysayers will be quick to point out that for thousands of years mankind survived without modern medical inventions - those who died were not meant to live- survival of the fittest and all. They're right, for thousands of years it was that way, but that doesn't make the medical advancements all of Satan, not by a long, long shot.
So, back to the pit and miry clay- if a person relies completely upon medicine to keep them out of the emotional turmoil they experience, if a person takes their pills and life doesn't seem so worthless, yet they ignore God- they are still lost eternally. God is the answer for those who know that this world isn't the way it was meant to be, life truly is meaningless without God, without the hope of the world God intended.
Psa 40:1 I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.
Psa 40:2 He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.
Waiting patiently while in the horrible pit, while stuck in the miry clay. We don't like to wait patiently when we are trapped, when we are stuck. Waiting patiently doesn't mean not crying out- some might assume that if we cry out we aren't being patient and in some instances that'd be true. If we were crying out, rushing things, and if we are crying out cursing and denying God, that's not patience at all. If we turn our back on God - that's not patience. Patience is holding fast knowing God is, knowing that God was, and that God will be forever. People might cry out their hate for God, but in their hearts the truth is strong- God was, God is, God will be.
While called on to endure agonies untold - that truth exists within their hearts and must live within their hearts and that is patience- the truth, that deep down truth that exists in those who truly love God. David waited patiently even while crying out to the LORD. The LORD brought David up out of the pit, and out of the miry clay and set Him on a rock and established His way. Does that mean David was never again struck with despair, never ever faced another calamity? No. It does mean that God was the truth to David, God was the hope to David, God was the all in all to David, God was in David's heart. David wasn't perfect by far, and neither are we.
Psa 40:1 I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.
Psa 40:2 He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.
Psa 40:3 And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.
Psa 40:4 Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.
Psa 40:5 Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.
Blessed is the man that makes the LORD his trust.
Blessed is the man that respects not the proud.
Blessed is the man that doesn't respect those that turn to lies.
God's thoughts are towards us.
Many are the LORD's wonderful works!
We cannot count the number of times God has worked for us.
When we think God has abandoned us, He hasn't, He never will. We might be inside a fiery furnace of trial, we might be caught in the thickest miry clay ever, we might be down in a pit so deep we haven't seen light in days, weeks, months, years… but God has not abandoned us. Any chastising we are call to endure is meant for our EVENTUAL good. While being chastised we don't always understand it's for our good, instead we feel as if we're being punished senselessly and if only the one punishing us would truly understand us then we wouldn't be chastised that way. A child might not always understand a parents chastising even if the parent tries to explain it over and over. The parent however understands why the chastising was necessary and someday the child will look back and understand too.
God's love is pure in all ways. We have to determine within our hearts to trust God no matter what. Easy to say, yes, and harder to do, it can be especially hard when Satan will try with every wily way he has to get us not to trust God.
By the grace of God we will cry out to Him and wait patiently for Him even while we are trapped in many deep pits, and stuck in the thick miry clay of life and all its agonizing pain!
By His love! By His mercy! All in Christ's righteousness! All through His forgiveness!
Amen.
Psa 40:2 He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.
The horrible pit.
The miry clay.
Pit-
bôr
bore
From H952 (in the sense of H877); a pit hole (especially one used as a cistern or prison): - cistern, dungeon, fountain, pit, well.
Clay-
ṭı̂yṭ
teet
From an unused root meaning apparently to be sticky (rather perhaps a denominative from H2894, through the idea of dirt to be swept away); mud or clay; figuratively calamity: - clay, dirt, mire.
Have you ever been in a horrible pit? What about being stuck in miry clay? There are probably very few people who could claim to have been stuck in a horrible pit, and truly well stuck, unable to free themselves from miry clay. Yet we know exactly what David is talking about here, don't we? Most of us have had experience being stuck in a deep pit of despair, of hopelessness, of pain, anguish- emotional, mental agonies that have left us feeling as if we were trapped in our existence with no possible way to get ourselves out. That thick miry clay of life pouring down over us so that we are covered up to our necks in the dark things of life, unable to escape.
It's a fact that depression has overtaken so many people that they now exist by slipping pills into their mouths - hoping the contents of those little pills will alter something within their brains- cutting off that sense of despair- so they can no longer feel the heavy pain of worthlessness. And it's a fact that our brain chemistry has been tampered with and for a lot of people it no longer functions in the way it was intended- through no fault of their own. Aside from taking recreational drugs that can affect the brain, people can't mess with their brain chemistry. Some might yell that it is just an excuse for not being able to have faith, but that's not true any more than a person with type 1 diabetes, or a thin, otherwise healthy person with high blood pressure, or someone with congenital diseases, or deformities - could alter their problems. Those who claim that faith should be able to cure anyone from anything- haven't looked upon the tiny, dead body of a child who had pneumonia whose parents prayed over that child but refused to get the baby medical attention. They haven't watched the mental deterioration of a new mother caught in severe post partum depression - told to snap out of it, but instead ends up hurting their child and themselves- all because they refused to seek medical help. I'm ALL for natural cures, for faith healing- but sometimes the hope God offers is in the form of medical technology. I'm not encouraging people to seek pills to help them crawl out of the pit, or free themselves from the miry clay- I know this verse here we're studying reveals that it was GOD who helped David escape from his pit, from the miry clay that trapped him. And people will be quick to point out that they didn't have pills back in David's day so it was God, it was faith alone that helped David. I can't dispute that, I'm not even going to try. What I think I'm trying to say is God deals with us ALL in a personal, unique manner and I cannot pound the podium, stomp my foot on the soapbox and yell that there is only one cure. I CAN pound the podium and stomp my foot, I CAN shout and scream that God is the only answer. I can do that and not be contradictory because as I mentioned before- medical technology isn't all of the devil just because many people have abused it. A lot of great good has come from medical technology. Without it my mother would not have survived the miscarriage she had, and my little sister would never have been born later on, and I would have grown up without my mother. Without technology my daughter and I would have died together- her unborn. So many of us can recite the same sort of true stories- we are able to look back at the last hundred years and to our ancestors and know that without medical intervention multitudes would not exist. Of course the naysayers will be quick to point out that for thousands of years mankind survived without modern medical inventions - those who died were not meant to live- survival of the fittest and all. They're right, for thousands of years it was that way, but that doesn't make the medical advancements all of Satan, not by a long, long shot.
So, back to the pit and miry clay- if a person relies completely upon medicine to keep them out of the emotional turmoil they experience, if a person takes their pills and life doesn't seem so worthless, yet they ignore God- they are still lost eternally. God is the answer for those who know that this world isn't the way it was meant to be, life truly is meaningless without God, without the hope of the world God intended.
Psa 40:1 I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.
Psa 40:2 He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.
Waiting patiently while in the horrible pit, while stuck in the miry clay. We don't like to wait patiently when we are trapped, when we are stuck. Waiting patiently doesn't mean not crying out- some might assume that if we cry out we aren't being patient and in some instances that'd be true. If we were crying out, rushing things, and if we are crying out cursing and denying God, that's not patience at all. If we turn our back on God - that's not patience. Patience is holding fast knowing God is, knowing that God was, and that God will be forever. People might cry out their hate for God, but in their hearts the truth is strong- God was, God is, God will be.
While called on to endure agonies untold - that truth exists within their hearts and must live within their hearts and that is patience- the truth, that deep down truth that exists in those who truly love God. David waited patiently even while crying out to the LORD. The LORD brought David up out of the pit, and out of the miry clay and set Him on a rock and established His way. Does that mean David was never again struck with despair, never ever faced another calamity? No. It does mean that God was the truth to David, God was the hope to David, God was the all in all to David, God was in David's heart. David wasn't perfect by far, and neither are we.
Psa 40:1 I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.
Psa 40:2 He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.
Psa 40:3 And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.
Psa 40:4 Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.
Psa 40:5 Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.
Blessed is the man that makes the LORD his trust.
Blessed is the man that respects not the proud.
Blessed is the man that doesn't respect those that turn to lies.
God's thoughts are towards us.
Many are the LORD's wonderful works!
We cannot count the number of times God has worked for us.
When we think God has abandoned us, He hasn't, He never will. We might be inside a fiery furnace of trial, we might be caught in the thickest miry clay ever, we might be down in a pit so deep we haven't seen light in days, weeks, months, years… but God has not abandoned us. Any chastising we are call to endure is meant for our EVENTUAL good. While being chastised we don't always understand it's for our good, instead we feel as if we're being punished senselessly and if only the one punishing us would truly understand us then we wouldn't be chastised that way. A child might not always understand a parents chastising even if the parent tries to explain it over and over. The parent however understands why the chastising was necessary and someday the child will look back and understand too.
God's love is pure in all ways. We have to determine within our hearts to trust God no matter what. Easy to say, yes, and harder to do, it can be especially hard when Satan will try with every wily way he has to get us not to trust God.
By the grace of God we will cry out to Him and wait patiently for Him even while we are trapped in many deep pits, and stuck in the thick miry clay of life and all its agonizing pain!
By His love! By His mercy! All in Christ's righteousness! All through His forgiveness!
Amen.
Friday, August 26, 2011
Prophecy -62- Such an amazing vision!
Such a Vision!
Rev 1:12 And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks;
Rev 1:13 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.
Rev 1:14 His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;
Rev 1:15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.
Rev 1:16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.
...
John turned- the voice was coming from behind him as noted earlier, but tell me, did John turn right away upon first hearing the booming trumpet-like voice behind him? No. The voice had time to tell John --
Rev 1:11 … I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.
If you read that aloud you realize that's quite a bit of talking to someone's back. A knee-jerk reaction you'd think would have been to turn upon the first few words. But John isn't himself here is he? What I mean is, John is being guided by the Spirit. If he's in the Spirit then he has to be guided by the Spirit and obviously he wasn't guided to jerk about, but able to listen and then turn to see the voice that had spoken with him. It's just interesting to imagine the situation, isn't it? John is on an island, he's in the Spirit. I'm picturing him sitting outside in some nice spot, and yes, I imagine there are nice spots there- I've seen pictures of the Island of Patmos and while they are modern pictures I can't believe the island was some desolate rock unable to sustain life. Anyway, I imagine John sitting outside and while he's praying the Spirit fills him fully and he hears the great voice behind him. Taking a moment to listen to the voice John I imagine is amazed and turns to see from whom this voice is coming because clearly it's behind him and not just generally surrounding him on all sides. He turns and what does he see...
Rev 1:12 '.... And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks'
Candlesticks--
Exo 25:31 And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work shall the candlestick be made: his shaft, and his branches, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, shall be of the same.
Exo 25:32 And six branches shall come out of the sides of it; three branches of the candlestick out of the one side, and three branches of the candlestick out of the other side:
Exo 25:33 Three bowls made like unto almonds, with a knop and a flower in one branch; and three bowls made like almonds in the other branch, with a knop and a flower: so in the six branches that come out of the candlestick.
Exo 25:34 And in the candlestick shall be four bowls made like unto almonds, with their knops and their flowers.
Exo 25:35 And there shall be a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, according to the six branches that proceed out of the candlestick.
Exo 25:36 Their knops and their branches shall be of the same: all it shall be one beaten work of pure gold.
Exo 25:37 And thou shalt make the seven lamps thereof: and they shall light the lamps thereof, that they may give light over against it.
Exo 25:38 And the tongs thereof, and the snuffdishes thereof, shall be of pure gold.
Exo 25:39 Of a talent of pure gold shall he make it, with all these vessels.
Exo 25:40 And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was shewed thee in the mount.
Exo 39:32 Thus was all the work of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation finished: and the children of Israel did according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so did they.
Exo 39:33 And they brought the tabernacle unto Moses, the tent, and all his furniture, his taches, his boards, his bars, and his pillars, and his sockets,
Exo 39:34 And the covering of rams' skins dyed red, and the covering of badgers' skins, and the vail of the covering,
Exo 39:35 The ark of the testimony, and the staves thereof, and the mercy seat,
Exo 39:36 The table, and all the vessels thereof, and the shewbread,
Exo 39:37 The pure candlestick, with the lamps thereof, even with the lamps to be set in order, and all the vessels thereof, and the oil for light,
Exo 39:38 And the golden altar, and the anointing oil, and the sweet incense, and the hanging for the tabernacle door,
Exo 39:39 The brasen altar, and his grate of brass, his staves, and all his vessels, the laver and his foot,
Exo 39:40 The hangings of the court, his pillars, and his sockets, and the hanging for the court gate, his cords, and his pins, and all the vessels of the service of the tabernacle, for the tent of the congregation,
Exo 39:41 The cloths of service to do service in the holy place, and the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and his sons' garments, to minister in the priest's office.
Exo 39:42 According to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so the children of Israel made all the work.
Exo 39:43 And Moses did look upon all the work, and, behold, they had done it as the LORD had commanded, even so had they done it: and Moses blessed them.
2Ch 4:19 And Solomon made all the vessels that were for the house of God, the golden altar also, and the tables whereon the shewbread was set;
2Ch 4:20 Moreover the candlesticks with their lamps, that they should burn after the manner before the oracle, of pure gold;
2Ch 4:21 And the flowers, and the lamps, and the tongs, made he of gold, and that perfect gold
Seven candlesticks- were placed in the tabernacle erected in the wilderness by Moses, and by Solomon for the permanent temple- the house of God. And John turns to look at who spoke to him and saw seven golden candlesticks. There's that number again- seven. And we know for a fact that God placed importance upon having seven lamps in His temple, so what is John seeing? No longer is the terrain behind him the same as it was when he walked to where he was. Everything had been changed. The Spirit had altered things and in this vision he was seeing seven golden candlesticks a sure sign of the temple of God, only not the temple John knew on earth in Jerusalem. He didn't say he'd been taken to the Jerusalem temple, but here he was seeing a very amazing sight, seven golden candlesticks but not only that...
Rev 1:13 'And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man…'
One like unto the Son of Man- where have we read this already?
Dan 7:13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.
Dan 7:14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.
Jesus!
Mat 8:18 Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side.
Mat 8:19 And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.
Mat 8:20 And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.
Jesus!
Mat 11:16 But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows,
Mat 11:17 And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented.
Mat 11:18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil.
Mat 11:19 The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.
Jesus!
Mat 12:8 For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.
Jesus!
Mat 13:41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity
Is it safe to say that the Son of man John was seeing was Jesus? Yes!
Rev 1:13 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.
Rev 1:14 His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;
Rev 1:15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.
Rev 1:16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.
What a vision! What a sight to behold! Clearly John is describing something very magnificent! What did John do upon seeing such a wonder?
...
Rev 1:17 'And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead…'
He fell down! And not only did he fall down, he fell as one DEAD. What's that mean? He lost all ability to remain standing. His very strength was gone. The shock of what he was seeing completely floored him. We hear about people being frightened into fainting, frightened into falling down in fact we may have done it ourselves a time or two, but it would be a very amazing fright to cause us to just fall down as dead, yes? John fell at the feet of the Son of man as dead and no wonder by how he's described Him. Fear coursed through John, such a fear that it had him all but fainting.
Was John the only prophet who fell down like that? No. Remember this...
Dan 10:7 And I Daniel alone saw the vision: for the men that were with me saw not the vision; but a great quaking fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves.
Dan 10:8 Therefore I was left alone, and saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me: for my comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength.
Dan 10:9 Yet heard I the voice of his words: and when I heard the voice of his words, then was I in a deep sleep on my face, and my face toward the ground.
In a deep sleep on his face. A deep sleep- as one dead, yes? Death is a very deep sleep.
What happened next...
Rev 1:17 '…And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:
Rev 1:18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. '
And for Daniel was it similar?
Dan 10:10 And, behold, an hand touched me, which set me upon my knees and upon the palms of my hands.
Dan 10:11 And he said unto me, O Daniel, a man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak unto thee, and stand upright: for unto thee am I now sent. And when he had spoken this word unto me, I stood trembling.
Dan 10:12 Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words.
Fear not!
Now John had JESUS touching Him once more, after being gone so long from Him. How amazing it had to be for John to see Jesus again and not only see Him, but see Him in all His glory as one who hadn't aged. Yes, that's a factor here too because John was an old man by now. Time had surely shown its ravages upon John's features. Yet time had not altered the Savior save to have Him appear more glorious than ever.
The Son of man laid his right hand - the hand that held seven stars- upon John and spoke. What's the first thing He says to John after being seen by him? 'Fear not'
Fear not! John was filled with fear! We like to imagine that the only encounter one could have with the Spirit and such would be peaceful and calm, we envision an otherworldly tranquility associated with God. It's not altogether wrong to believe in such because Jesus was a peaceful man upon earth and He advocated peace and love. He admonished His disciples for their fear when they were in the stormy seas. But it's understandable that fear isn't altogether unexpected when we deal with the Spirit. Is it a crippling fear? Well, it was a fear that knocked John off his feet as if he were dead, falling to the ground. Obviously it wasn't a fear that sent him running for the hills. This fear took total control of John and then the Son of man said to him...'Fear not'
He didn't stop there did he? He went on to explain why John should not fear.
He says... 'I am the first and the last' Again the association of God! The ever was and the ever will be.
He says... 'I am he that liveth and was dead.' John knows who died and rose- the Son of God, the Son of man.
He continues... 'And, behold, I am alive for evermore, amen!' Never will death touch Him again. Death took the Son of man, the man who was the Son of God and pulled Him down to the grave. Released from death He would live forever!
And He says... 'And have the keys of hell and death.' The keys! What do keys do? They unlock and when you unlock something you're opening it, you're freeing what was locked within. The keys of hell and death are whose? Jesus! Jesus the Son of God, the Son of man, who died and rose from death- defeating death -has the keys that can free everyone from death and the grave! Everyone!
Jesus!
Jesus in the heavenly temple of God surrounded by the seven golden candlesticks! Jesus reaching to touch John to revive him from his stupor over the very sight of all he was being shown. What wonder! What amazing, miraculous sights to be seeing! To be in the presence of Jesus in all His glory, so unlike Jesus when He walked the earth so unassuming. This is Jesus in all His power, His heavenly garb, His transformed self. No wonder John needed reviving.
Amazing the setting for this message to us, and make no mistake-- it is for us. For God's people throughout time and we are God's people. We need to study this thoroughly, we need the blessings offered to us. May we truly be blessed and guided by the Spirit as we endeavor to understand more fully all that was given to John and in what manner it was given to Him. Such an amazing description of the setting deserves a true recognition for the importance placed upon what message is being told to John for us.
By His mercy and His grace, His everlasting love, now and forever! Amen!
All praise to our God and King!
Rev 1:12 And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks;
Rev 1:13 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.
Rev 1:14 His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;
Rev 1:15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.
Rev 1:16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.
...
John turned- the voice was coming from behind him as noted earlier, but tell me, did John turn right away upon first hearing the booming trumpet-like voice behind him? No. The voice had time to tell John --
Rev 1:11 … I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.
If you read that aloud you realize that's quite a bit of talking to someone's back. A knee-jerk reaction you'd think would have been to turn upon the first few words. But John isn't himself here is he? What I mean is, John is being guided by the Spirit. If he's in the Spirit then he has to be guided by the Spirit and obviously he wasn't guided to jerk about, but able to listen and then turn to see the voice that had spoken with him. It's just interesting to imagine the situation, isn't it? John is on an island, he's in the Spirit. I'm picturing him sitting outside in some nice spot, and yes, I imagine there are nice spots there- I've seen pictures of the Island of Patmos and while they are modern pictures I can't believe the island was some desolate rock unable to sustain life. Anyway, I imagine John sitting outside and while he's praying the Spirit fills him fully and he hears the great voice behind him. Taking a moment to listen to the voice John I imagine is amazed and turns to see from whom this voice is coming because clearly it's behind him and not just generally surrounding him on all sides. He turns and what does he see...
Rev 1:12 '.... And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks'
Candlesticks--
Exo 25:31 And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work shall the candlestick be made: his shaft, and his branches, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, shall be of the same.
Exo 25:32 And six branches shall come out of the sides of it; three branches of the candlestick out of the one side, and three branches of the candlestick out of the other side:
Exo 25:33 Three bowls made like unto almonds, with a knop and a flower in one branch; and three bowls made like almonds in the other branch, with a knop and a flower: so in the six branches that come out of the candlestick.
Exo 25:34 And in the candlestick shall be four bowls made like unto almonds, with their knops and their flowers.
Exo 25:35 And there shall be a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, according to the six branches that proceed out of the candlestick.
Exo 25:36 Their knops and their branches shall be of the same: all it shall be one beaten work of pure gold.
Exo 25:37 And thou shalt make the seven lamps thereof: and they shall light the lamps thereof, that they may give light over against it.
Exo 25:38 And the tongs thereof, and the snuffdishes thereof, shall be of pure gold.
Exo 25:39 Of a talent of pure gold shall he make it, with all these vessels.
Exo 25:40 And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was shewed thee in the mount.
Exo 39:32 Thus was all the work of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation finished: and the children of Israel did according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so did they.
Exo 39:33 And they brought the tabernacle unto Moses, the tent, and all his furniture, his taches, his boards, his bars, and his pillars, and his sockets,
Exo 39:34 And the covering of rams' skins dyed red, and the covering of badgers' skins, and the vail of the covering,
Exo 39:35 The ark of the testimony, and the staves thereof, and the mercy seat,
Exo 39:36 The table, and all the vessels thereof, and the shewbread,
Exo 39:37 The pure candlestick, with the lamps thereof, even with the lamps to be set in order, and all the vessels thereof, and the oil for light,
Exo 39:38 And the golden altar, and the anointing oil, and the sweet incense, and the hanging for the tabernacle door,
Exo 39:39 The brasen altar, and his grate of brass, his staves, and all his vessels, the laver and his foot,
Exo 39:40 The hangings of the court, his pillars, and his sockets, and the hanging for the court gate, his cords, and his pins, and all the vessels of the service of the tabernacle, for the tent of the congregation,
Exo 39:41 The cloths of service to do service in the holy place, and the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and his sons' garments, to minister in the priest's office.
Exo 39:42 According to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so the children of Israel made all the work.
Exo 39:43 And Moses did look upon all the work, and, behold, they had done it as the LORD had commanded, even so had they done it: and Moses blessed them.
2Ch 4:19 And Solomon made all the vessels that were for the house of God, the golden altar also, and the tables whereon the shewbread was set;
2Ch 4:20 Moreover the candlesticks with their lamps, that they should burn after the manner before the oracle, of pure gold;
2Ch 4:21 And the flowers, and the lamps, and the tongs, made he of gold, and that perfect gold
Seven candlesticks- were placed in the tabernacle erected in the wilderness by Moses, and by Solomon for the permanent temple- the house of God. And John turns to look at who spoke to him and saw seven golden candlesticks. There's that number again- seven. And we know for a fact that God placed importance upon having seven lamps in His temple, so what is John seeing? No longer is the terrain behind him the same as it was when he walked to where he was. Everything had been changed. The Spirit had altered things and in this vision he was seeing seven golden candlesticks a sure sign of the temple of God, only not the temple John knew on earth in Jerusalem. He didn't say he'd been taken to the Jerusalem temple, but here he was seeing a very amazing sight, seven golden candlesticks but not only that...
Rev 1:13 'And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man…'
One like unto the Son of Man- where have we read this already?
Dan 7:13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.
Dan 7:14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.
Jesus!
Mat 8:18 Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side.
Mat 8:19 And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.
Mat 8:20 And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.
Jesus!
Mat 11:16 But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows,
Mat 11:17 And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented.
Mat 11:18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil.
Mat 11:19 The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.
Jesus!
Mat 12:8 For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.
Jesus!
Mat 13:41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity
Is it safe to say that the Son of man John was seeing was Jesus? Yes!
Rev 1:13 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.
Rev 1:14 His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;
Rev 1:15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.
Rev 1:16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.
What a vision! What a sight to behold! Clearly John is describing something very magnificent! What did John do upon seeing such a wonder?
...
Rev 1:17 'And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead…'
He fell down! And not only did he fall down, he fell as one DEAD. What's that mean? He lost all ability to remain standing. His very strength was gone. The shock of what he was seeing completely floored him. We hear about people being frightened into fainting, frightened into falling down in fact we may have done it ourselves a time or two, but it would be a very amazing fright to cause us to just fall down as dead, yes? John fell at the feet of the Son of man as dead and no wonder by how he's described Him. Fear coursed through John, such a fear that it had him all but fainting.
Was John the only prophet who fell down like that? No. Remember this...
Dan 10:7 And I Daniel alone saw the vision: for the men that were with me saw not the vision; but a great quaking fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves.
Dan 10:8 Therefore I was left alone, and saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me: for my comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength.
Dan 10:9 Yet heard I the voice of his words: and when I heard the voice of his words, then was I in a deep sleep on my face, and my face toward the ground.
In a deep sleep on his face. A deep sleep- as one dead, yes? Death is a very deep sleep.
What happened next...
Rev 1:17 '…And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:
Rev 1:18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. '
And for Daniel was it similar?
Dan 10:10 And, behold, an hand touched me, which set me upon my knees and upon the palms of my hands.
Dan 10:11 And he said unto me, O Daniel, a man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak unto thee, and stand upright: for unto thee am I now sent. And when he had spoken this word unto me, I stood trembling.
Dan 10:12 Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words.
Fear not!
Now John had JESUS touching Him once more, after being gone so long from Him. How amazing it had to be for John to see Jesus again and not only see Him, but see Him in all His glory as one who hadn't aged. Yes, that's a factor here too because John was an old man by now. Time had surely shown its ravages upon John's features. Yet time had not altered the Savior save to have Him appear more glorious than ever.
The Son of man laid his right hand - the hand that held seven stars- upon John and spoke. What's the first thing He says to John after being seen by him? 'Fear not'
Fear not! John was filled with fear! We like to imagine that the only encounter one could have with the Spirit and such would be peaceful and calm, we envision an otherworldly tranquility associated with God. It's not altogether wrong to believe in such because Jesus was a peaceful man upon earth and He advocated peace and love. He admonished His disciples for their fear when they were in the stormy seas. But it's understandable that fear isn't altogether unexpected when we deal with the Spirit. Is it a crippling fear? Well, it was a fear that knocked John off his feet as if he were dead, falling to the ground. Obviously it wasn't a fear that sent him running for the hills. This fear took total control of John and then the Son of man said to him...'Fear not'
He didn't stop there did he? He went on to explain why John should not fear.
He says... 'I am the first and the last' Again the association of God! The ever was and the ever will be.
He says... 'I am he that liveth and was dead.' John knows who died and rose- the Son of God, the Son of man.
He continues... 'And, behold, I am alive for evermore, amen!' Never will death touch Him again. Death took the Son of man, the man who was the Son of God and pulled Him down to the grave. Released from death He would live forever!
And He says... 'And have the keys of hell and death.' The keys! What do keys do? They unlock and when you unlock something you're opening it, you're freeing what was locked within. The keys of hell and death are whose? Jesus! Jesus the Son of God, the Son of man, who died and rose from death- defeating death -has the keys that can free everyone from death and the grave! Everyone!
Jesus!
Jesus in the heavenly temple of God surrounded by the seven golden candlesticks! Jesus reaching to touch John to revive him from his stupor over the very sight of all he was being shown. What wonder! What amazing, miraculous sights to be seeing! To be in the presence of Jesus in all His glory, so unlike Jesus when He walked the earth so unassuming. This is Jesus in all His power, His heavenly garb, His transformed self. No wonder John needed reviving.
Amazing the setting for this message to us, and make no mistake-- it is for us. For God's people throughout time and we are God's people. We need to study this thoroughly, we need the blessings offered to us. May we truly be blessed and guided by the Spirit as we endeavor to understand more fully all that was given to John and in what manner it was given to Him. Such an amazing description of the setting deserves a true recognition for the importance placed upon what message is being told to John for us.
By His mercy and His grace, His everlasting love, now and forever! Amen!
All praise to our God and King!
Thursday, August 25, 2011
A Message for All
A Message for All
Rev 1:9 I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.
John was on an isle called Patmos- why? For the word of God, for the testimony of Jesus Christ which we read later is --
Rev 19:10 '... for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.'
John was in the isle of Patmos for the word of God and for the Spirit of prophecy- the testimony of Jesus.
John, who, like all who are followers of Christ from the beginning until the end-are brothers and companions in tribulation- the tribulation the world offers us.
John 16:33 'These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.'
John was no stranger to the world's tribulations that followers of Christ suffer. John was a part of it all, he had his part in the suffering of the tribulation and his part in the kingdom- the promise of the kingdom in Jesus- the patience. For what Christian can truly be a Christian without the patience necessary to endure all that the world offers and be victorious in Christ?
John - a brother, a companion, a believer in the kingdom, a possessor of the patience of Jesus Christ- John was where he was for God, for the Spirit of Prophecy for the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Rev 1:10 'I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet'
John was in the Spirit. John was is the Holy Spirit- the Holy Comforter -
John- 16:7 'Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. 16:8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 16:9 Of sin, because they believe not on me; 16:10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; 16:11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. 16:12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, [that] shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come'
Jesus talked of sending the Spirit, the Comforter to us after He was to leave the world. This Comforter, this Spirit of truth is for all of us. John was in the Spirit, John was given the Comforter, the Spirit of truth, and while He was absorbed in the Spirit he heard a great voice, as of a trumpet. Can you imagine the sound of that voice?! As of a trumpet. Now I've heard a trumpet before and they're nothing like a soft flute are they? They are loud and commanding. Trumpets are used to bring people to attention, to make them listen, to be heard. A great voice as of a trumpet- this would indeed be a voice commanding attention, a voice that could not be ignored.
What did the voice say?
...
Rev 1:11 'Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and…'
Again the emphasis on the beginning and the end, the first and the last, and there is only one Alpha and Omega, only one! God.
Rev 1:11 '...What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.'
Write in a book, the voice, the commanding voice from the Alpha and Omega wants John to write a book and even tells him where the book was to go to. Was it to be broken up and part sent here and part there? No. A book was to be written and sent to all seven churches. So clearly the first church- Ephesus would read what John had to say to the six after them. The last church Laodicea would be able to read all that was written for the six churches before them. This book was clearly to be written for all seven churches with specific points mentioned for each church and yet all the churches would read what was written for all of them. What was meant for Laodicea would also be read by Ephesus, and Laodicea would read what had been written for Ephesus and each church in between.
Remember talking about the number seven in and earlier study? Remember talking about what constitutes God's church? The number seven is a number signifying completeness, perfection. God's church isn't a building- but God's people. Think about it... John wrote a book and sent it to seven churches, were there more than seven churches then? More than seven groups of God's people? Did they feel neglected and left out because they weren't given a specific message? Or is it possible that the message given to each of God's people in those various seven locations was a message that would travel with those people and be given to all of God's people? Seriously, if I have an important message from my mother I'm going to share it with my sisters and brother, aren't I? I won't say this important message is just for me and for me alone. It's important and like most important things they are shared with others.
The ways of God aren't our ways. We do know that we, who are alive today, are getting the same message that was given to those seven churches. We are part of God's church, we are part of God's people and as such we share in this important message. So yes, John was to write a book and send it to seven groups of God's people in seven different areas, and yet we know this message was for ALL of God's people to live before His return, from that time unto our time and right up until the time of Jesus' return.
Another point can't be overlooked here-
Rev 1:10 'I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet'
Way too many people think the Lord's day mentioned means Sunday, but it can't. The ONLY Sabbath ever kept by Jesus was the seventh day Sabbath. The ONLY Sabbath kept by His Apostles was the seventh day Sabbath. A few centuries later it became common place to consider the Lord's day - Sunday but ONLY because MAN authorized the change, not God. Don't you think that there would be a lot, I mean volumes written on the change of the Lord's Day from Sabbath to Sunday- if the Apostles believed that Jesus authorized such a change? Did Jesus change ANY of the ten commandments? No. Jesus reinforced them to their true meaning, but He did not null and void any one of those ten commandments. Did Jesus take away any of the commandments? NO! You have to believe that if Jesus meant for people to change the Sabbath from one day to another He would have given specific instruction about doing so and yet NO where is that instruction found, no where. People confuse things and say- but they broke bread on the first day of the week. Yeah, so they did and they broke bread on the second, the third, the fourth, the fifth, etc. Then they say that people were told to set aside their money so it could be collected on the first day of the week. Money wasn't dealt with on the SABBATH! Didn't Jesus throw out moneychangers to show His disdain for things dealing with money and the temple? Throughout our Bible over and over again the breaking of the Sabbath by dealing with buying and selling on the Sabbath is mentioned and it does NOT please God! So why would ANYONE use the fact that money is dealt with on the first day of the week as a sign of it being God's new Sabbath?! Do you see? People pervert the truth in order to suit their own form of truth that is far from being God's. Satan has used this deception on such a grand scale that millions and millions and millions of people are deceived by it. Here, in the book of Revelation, John was in the Spirit on the LORD'S Day, on the Sabbath. God's prophecy, God's message was initiated on the Day that John would be closest to our Lord, on the day that John was worshipping the Creator, the Redeemer. Praise God!
May God open our hearts and minds to Him, may we be in the Spirit, may we have the Spirit of truth in us comforting us, guiding us leading us as Jesus would have us led. When we read and study God's word to His people may our hearts be in Him, open to receive any blessing He would bestow upon us. May our insight be solely guided by Him, our Savior, our Redeemer, by His grace and His mercy now and forever!
Amen.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Prophecy -61- The Beginning and the End
The Beginning and the End
Rev 1:8 'I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. '
Rev 1:4 'John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come…'
The similarities right there within such a short bit of writing between verse 4 and 8 means what?
Usually we call such repetitiveness redundant and any writer worth their salt would have deleted such reiteration as unnecessary use of words. Change things up we say; learn how to say the same thing in a new way so it doesn't come off as repetitive. But here in the Bible we know for a fact that the writers of this holy book got it right the first time with no need for an editors sharp pen to run through any lines and make little notations to change things up a bit. These are God's words to man through the Holy Spirit inspiring them to write, and if these are holy words we are reading they are being written for a reason. If there is any repetition it is there for a reason as well, there to show emphasis perhaps? There to indicate important knowledge that we shouldn't overlook. The Bible isn't a novel, the Bible is a unique book, and the message it holds for any who reads it is also unique.
Read the beginning of Revelation and these words- which is, which was, which is to come, we can find again further along in another chapter of Revelation--
Rev. {4:8} '...saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.'
There is no mistaking the importance of this is there? The fullness glorified in those words is amazing. The Alpha and the Omega - the beginning and the ending. Through it ALL the Lord is present, in all stages- past, present, and future. Never was there a time, and never will there be a time without the Lord living in it, never.
People tend to read the Bible as if it's OLD news, or confusing and complicated, and for those interested in such things, but certainly not a book for everybody. People look for the spectacular all over the place. People thrive watching movies, reading books, all about the supernatural and one of the supernatural beings that fascinates them is the vampire who can supposedly live forever and ever. The idea of a being living hundreds of centuries, thousands of years is just incredible and secretly people wish they were able to live that long- that they could be one of these beings with this power over death in life, not power over death and living on another plane of existence after death or at some future time. The wondrous idea of being able to live among finite creatures holds an allure that has captured the imagination of many people and it's no wonder- Satan's lie way back in the garden of Eden was what? Gen. {3:4} 'And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die.'
Power over death. Satan has His own brand of life and he offers the allure of living forever in any way that pleases man so long as man doesn't believe in living forever through Jesus' Christ. Did God lie when He told Adam and Eve they would die? No. We are living proof of that fact and yet Satan will use all the tricks He can to get us to believe that we can live forever without God.
Satan was a created being. Satan can not lay hold of the claim that he is from the beginning, yet he would have people think he is. He wants people to believe that he is God. That they too can be God. It's no joke. There are a lot of people searching for inner power and laying claim to their lives and finding empowerment from themselves. In fact there are a whole slew of people who will try and convince you that you are the captain of your own ship, the ruler of your own destiny, the power over a good life is in your own hands. The stress on self is the same lie satan used at the start. Gen. {3:5} 'For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.' Do you hear the lies? Yet that same lie is being spouted today and embraced as something wonderful. People want to be as gods. People want to believe they have a godly power.
Truthfully, while we get all caught up in the fantasy and lies of satan, while he projects his evil into every facet of our lives. When we find a certain hope or wish fulfillment from reading of beings that live forever we are showing that we do have a need for such hope in our lives- only Satan has twisted it and pulled it down to the level of man as men exist full of sin-- the very opposite of the truth.
There is a being who 'was, is, and is to come', God.
There will never be a time without God. Never. He is all.
He is the beginning and the end, there is nothing before and nothing after God.
We can struggle to find understanding and bring God down to our level and we can even pretend we are gods ourselves, but realizing that as creatures of the Creator we will never be the Creator ourselves is paramount. There is no shame in a son wanting to be like his father, but there is shame in the son wanting to be the father as if the father never was, as if the father isn't, and as if the father will no longer be. If you want to be like your father that's a good thing if you are embracing the good qualities of your father. But if you want to push your father aside and take his place, that's not so good. Usurping the life of another is never right. Creatures trying to usurp the Creator is completely wrong. If I'm told to be like someone, it's not the same as being told to take over that person's life.
Satan full of pride wanted to take over the Creator's position. He didn't want to be like God, he wanted to be God, the same as God without any distinction. And failing at that he wants us to believe we can obtain that position. He wants us to desire to have control over ourselves in place of us allowing God to control us. He's twisted things around perfectly and many have fallen for his deception.
...
I am Alpha and Omega,
the beginning and the ending,
saith the Lord,
which is,
and which was,
and which is to come,
the Almighty.
No other can make this claim. We can know this wonderful, amazing, Alpha, Omega, which was, which is, and is to come. We can cling to Him and the promises we find in Him knowing there is no other like Him nor will there ever be. We will always have had a beginning that includes many before ourselves, we will never be the Was at the beginning no matter what we believe. Some can embrace Satan's lies and most will, but by the grace of God I pray I'm not among them; that my Creator, my Redeemer, my God will always be first and foremost in all that I am and all that I do, it's only by His great mercy and love that this can be and I cling to Him through the Holy Spirit, hoping and praying in His everlasting, ever-existing love!
Amen!
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Prophecy - 60- Every Eye Shall See Him
Every Eye Shall See Him
*******
Rev 1:7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
Look! Look!
Behold-- Dictionary Meaning -- for the purpose of calling attention.
Attention! Look! Look at this! Jesus comes with clouds! This is amazing imagery.
The Bible uses imagery. The Bible uses mysteries and words that may mean more than one thing, especially in prophecy. The Bible interprets itself though. It's not some master puzzle without a master key. The key is within the puzzle itself. When we talk of Jesus coming with clouds it is true that perhaps He will be in the clouds, or on the clouds.
Clouds those vaporous puffs and wisps, the angry, full dark gray bodies of pure moisture are all at Jesus' command. So sure, the imagery of Jesus standing upon a cloud using it as a magic carpet of sorts is possible, but so too is this-
Matthew {25:31} '...the Son of man shall come in his glory and all the holy angels with him...'
We know Jesus will return and call His people to Him while He is still in the air with ALL the holy angels, perhaps they're all upon the misty clouds but truly they do not need to rest upon vapors, do they? Clouds and angels, just the image of Jesus returning is amazing! Clouds of angels! Angels so numerous they fill the sky around our Savior! This is a vision we should hold dear, a vision we should long to behold.
This next bit is amazing too-
'and every eye shall see him.' (Rev. 1:7)
The eyes of the people who are awake?
The eyes of people on one location upon the earth?
The eyes of a few?
The eyes of only His chosen people?
No, no, no, and no.
EVERY eye shall see him! EVERY!
Dictionary def- every (èv´rê) adjective- Constituting each and all members of a group without exception.
EVERY eye shall see him! How will this be possible with the whole round earth thing where daylight shines upon only one part at a time? A mystery for sure and one that I hope and pray I'm alive in Jesus to see!
Get this though- not only every eye of the living shall see Him but read on-
'and they also which pierced him' (Rev. 1:7)
Wait! Does this mean what I think it means? Who pierced Jesus? Who killed Him? Some might argue and could be right, that we all played our part in His death with our sins. Our sins killed Jesus because He died to save us from our sins, all of us. He wouldn't have died if we'd not sinned. So even if the arguing person chooses that scenario that we ALL killed Him, we all pierced Him that just reinforces the fact that every eye shall see Him doesn't it? It does. It could also be stressing the point that those who are dead- those who actually physically pierced His hands, His feet, His side will be brought to life just to see Him return triumphant!
Such mysteries!
'and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.' (Rev. 1:7)
ALL kindreds--
Dictionary Definition- kindred (kîn´drîd) noun
1.A group of related persons, as a clan or tribe.
2.(used with a pl. verb). A person's relatives; kinfolk.
adjective
1. Of the same ancestry or family: kindred clans.
2. Having a similar or related origin, nature, or character: kindred emotions.
All kindreds, all of the earth... shall wail?! Wait, what?! Jesus has returned and everyone is wailing?! How can that be. We know that God's chosen people who are waiting for His return should be happy, they should be rejoicing so how can everyone wail? It doesn't mean EVERYONE on earth does it? But... read this...
John {17:14} 'I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. {17:15} I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. {17:16} They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. {17:17} Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. {17:18} As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.'
'THEY ARE NOT OF THIS WORLD'
1 John {2:15} 'Love not the world, neither the things [that are] in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. {2:16} For all that [is] in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. {2:17} And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.'
Is it possible all kindreds of the earth are those who claim the earth as their own; those who love this world and live for this world and not the world to come? Those who aren't God's are this world's, they are ruled by the lust of the flesh, the eyes, by pride of life. All those who have put their hopes and dreams, their love into this world's existence, counting on the things this world has to offer for their happiness will be sorely disappointed when Jesus returns, won't they? When they realize that it's all true, that Jesus, the Son of God is real and all His promises are real. There will be wailing and I imagine quite a lot of wailing.
Rev 1:7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
1Th 4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
We can't forget this because it goes hand in hand with our Lord's return. He WILL descend from heaven. The dead in Christ shall rise first.
Remember how we just read that the eyes of those who pierced Him would witness this amazing event? The dead are rising!
Joh 5:28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
Joh 5:29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
ALL that are in the graves shall hear His voice and…. COME FORTH! The dead will rise, only they aren't going to be zombies rising from the grave to some shell of a former life. The dead will rise both the good dead and evil dead and they are going to witness Christ's return! We can rack our brains and come up with NO logical way for any of that to happen none whatsoever. We've made fantasy out of what will be a reality- the dead rising. We've made horror out of something that has the potential for beauty beyond comprehension. The dead rising. We cannot logically imagine this ever happen let alone how it would be accomplished and that's a good thing really, because for us to truly comprehend it in a logical manner would be stripping God of His Godhood. Many, many want to do this, many want to strip God of His Godhood by introducing scientific, logical explanations for every thing. None could ever explain the logic behind the dead rising- ALL the dead, not just one or two but ALL that are in their graves will hear our Savior's voice and rise in a miraculous, inexplicable way. They will rise - both good and evil- some to life, others to death once more.
The prophecy in Revelation connects to Daniel, and to all the prophecies of Jesus, we cannot separate them. When we read about Christ's second coming, we know without fail everything written will come to pass.
Daniel had visions of the end of the world, the end of all earthly kingdoms and the coming of a heavenly kingdom. The heavenly kingdom would destroy the earthly. Our Savior's coming does this. Every eye shall see Him and we know that the dead in Christ will go with Him and those not in Christ will then be killed by His brightness.
2Th 2:7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
2Th 2:8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
2Th 2:9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
2Th 2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
2Th 2:11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
2Th 2:12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
Those who do NOT receive the love of the truth will be destroyed, they will NOT be saved!
Those who do NOT love JESUS who is the TRUTH will be destroyed.
2Th 2:8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming.
The brightness of our Savior's coming will kill those who are not His, yes, even those who have been called from their graves if they are NOT Christ's then they will be destroyed by the brightness of Christ's coming.
Rev 1:7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
This is an amazing prophecy and it is factual, it will come to pass without any doubt whatsoever. By the Lord's mercy and grace may we be His when He returns and may we see Him as He returns for us with gladness in our hearts as we rise up to meet Him in the air!
By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior may we be with Him now and forever. In Christ's amazing righteousness!
Amen.
*******
Rev 1:7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
Look! Look!
Behold-- Dictionary Meaning -- for the purpose of calling attention.
Attention! Look! Look at this! Jesus comes with clouds! This is amazing imagery.
The Bible uses imagery. The Bible uses mysteries and words that may mean more than one thing, especially in prophecy. The Bible interprets itself though. It's not some master puzzle without a master key. The key is within the puzzle itself. When we talk of Jesus coming with clouds it is true that perhaps He will be in the clouds, or on the clouds.
Clouds those vaporous puffs and wisps, the angry, full dark gray bodies of pure moisture are all at Jesus' command. So sure, the imagery of Jesus standing upon a cloud using it as a magic carpet of sorts is possible, but so too is this-
Matthew {25:31} '...the Son of man shall come in his glory and all the holy angels with him...'
We know Jesus will return and call His people to Him while He is still in the air with ALL the holy angels, perhaps they're all upon the misty clouds but truly they do not need to rest upon vapors, do they? Clouds and angels, just the image of Jesus returning is amazing! Clouds of angels! Angels so numerous they fill the sky around our Savior! This is a vision we should hold dear, a vision we should long to behold.
This next bit is amazing too-
'and every eye shall see him.' (Rev. 1:7)
The eyes of the people who are awake?
The eyes of people on one location upon the earth?
The eyes of a few?
The eyes of only His chosen people?
No, no, no, and no.
EVERY eye shall see him! EVERY!
Dictionary def- every (èv´rê) adjective- Constituting each and all members of a group without exception.
EVERY eye shall see him! How will this be possible with the whole round earth thing where daylight shines upon only one part at a time? A mystery for sure and one that I hope and pray I'm alive in Jesus to see!
Get this though- not only every eye of the living shall see Him but read on-
'and they also which pierced him' (Rev. 1:7)
Wait! Does this mean what I think it means? Who pierced Jesus? Who killed Him? Some might argue and could be right, that we all played our part in His death with our sins. Our sins killed Jesus because He died to save us from our sins, all of us. He wouldn't have died if we'd not sinned. So even if the arguing person chooses that scenario that we ALL killed Him, we all pierced Him that just reinforces the fact that every eye shall see Him doesn't it? It does. It could also be stressing the point that those who are dead- those who actually physically pierced His hands, His feet, His side will be brought to life just to see Him return triumphant!
Such mysteries!
'and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.' (Rev. 1:7)
ALL kindreds--
Dictionary Definition- kindred (kîn´drîd) noun
1.A group of related persons, as a clan or tribe.
2.(used with a pl. verb). A person's relatives; kinfolk.
adjective
1. Of the same ancestry or family: kindred clans.
2. Having a similar or related origin, nature, or character: kindred emotions.
All kindreds, all of the earth... shall wail?! Wait, what?! Jesus has returned and everyone is wailing?! How can that be. We know that God's chosen people who are waiting for His return should be happy, they should be rejoicing so how can everyone wail? It doesn't mean EVERYONE on earth does it? But... read this...
John {17:14} 'I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. {17:15} I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. {17:16} They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. {17:17} Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. {17:18} As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.'
'THEY ARE NOT OF THIS WORLD'
1 John {2:15} 'Love not the world, neither the things [that are] in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. {2:16} For all that [is] in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. {2:17} And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.'
Is it possible all kindreds of the earth are those who claim the earth as their own; those who love this world and live for this world and not the world to come? Those who aren't God's are this world's, they are ruled by the lust of the flesh, the eyes, by pride of life. All those who have put their hopes and dreams, their love into this world's existence, counting on the things this world has to offer for their happiness will be sorely disappointed when Jesus returns, won't they? When they realize that it's all true, that Jesus, the Son of God is real and all His promises are real. There will be wailing and I imagine quite a lot of wailing.
Rev 1:7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
1Th 4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
We can't forget this because it goes hand in hand with our Lord's return. He WILL descend from heaven. The dead in Christ shall rise first.
Remember how we just read that the eyes of those who pierced Him would witness this amazing event? The dead are rising!
Joh 5:28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
Joh 5:29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
ALL that are in the graves shall hear His voice and…. COME FORTH! The dead will rise, only they aren't going to be zombies rising from the grave to some shell of a former life. The dead will rise both the good dead and evil dead and they are going to witness Christ's return! We can rack our brains and come up with NO logical way for any of that to happen none whatsoever. We've made fantasy out of what will be a reality- the dead rising. We've made horror out of something that has the potential for beauty beyond comprehension. The dead rising. We cannot logically imagine this ever happen let alone how it would be accomplished and that's a good thing really, because for us to truly comprehend it in a logical manner would be stripping God of His Godhood. Many, many want to do this, many want to strip God of His Godhood by introducing scientific, logical explanations for every thing. None could ever explain the logic behind the dead rising- ALL the dead, not just one or two but ALL that are in their graves will hear our Savior's voice and rise in a miraculous, inexplicable way. They will rise - both good and evil- some to life, others to death once more.
The prophecy in Revelation connects to Daniel, and to all the prophecies of Jesus, we cannot separate them. When we read about Christ's second coming, we know without fail everything written will come to pass.
Daniel had visions of the end of the world, the end of all earthly kingdoms and the coming of a heavenly kingdom. The heavenly kingdom would destroy the earthly. Our Savior's coming does this. Every eye shall see Him and we know that the dead in Christ will go with Him and those not in Christ will then be killed by His brightness.
2Th 2:7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
2Th 2:8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
2Th 2:9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
2Th 2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
2Th 2:11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
2Th 2:12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
Those who do NOT receive the love of the truth will be destroyed, they will NOT be saved!
Those who do NOT love JESUS who is the TRUTH will be destroyed.
2Th 2:8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming.
The brightness of our Savior's coming will kill those who are not His, yes, even those who have been called from their graves if they are NOT Christ's then they will be destroyed by the brightness of Christ's coming.
Rev 1:7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
This is an amazing prophecy and it is factual, it will come to pass without any doubt whatsoever. By the Lord's mercy and grace may we be His when He returns and may we see Him as He returns for us with gladness in our hearts as we rise up to meet Him in the air!
By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior may we be with Him now and forever. In Christ's amazing righteousness!
Amen.
Monday, August 22, 2011
Prophecy - 59 - Revelation 1 continued
Rev 1:2 Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.
Rev 1:3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.
(We already studied verses 2 and 3 a few days ago so we won't study them again here. Once more I am picking up with the Revelation study I did in my blog in Aug. 2009. I will be revising as the Spirit leads- all by God's amazing grace.)
Rev 1:4 John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne;
Rev 1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
Rev 1:6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen
John to the seven churches
Seven churches. Biblically the number seven is used many, many times. It was used in the beginning of the Bible- God made the world and all that was in it- in seven days. God made the seventh day a memorial for eternity. Our lives are still influenced by the seven day week and will be forever.
'The first pages of the Bible explain how God created the world in six days and rested on the seventh. This seventh day became the Jewish day of rest, the Sabbath, Saturday.
Extra-biblical locations sometimes mentioned as the birthplace of the 7-day week include: Babylon, Persia, and several others. The week was known in Rome before the advent of Christianity.' http://www.webexhibits.org/calendars/week.html#anchor-origin
With seven denoting a sense of completeness - of perfection- it truly is perfect for indicating the beginning and the end of the prophecy. And these seven churches not only represent churches in existence when John wrote the prophecies, but they serve yet another purpose - that of representing the time from John's existence right on down until Christ comes again. This is a familiar setup, isn't it? It is, because we just studied Daniel and in the book of Daniel more than once a vision was given and that vision extended from the time of Daniel down until the end of time at Christ's second coming. We are no stranger to this sort of prophecy, not at all. Now let's look at Sevens in the Bible.
Seven days of creation. Genesis 1
Seven days for Noah to fill the Ark. Genesis 7:4-10
Seven years Jacob serves for each wife. Genesis 28:18-20; 29:27-30
Seven plentiful years and seven famine years in Egypt. Genesis 41
Seven days the waters turn to blood. Exodus 7:25
Seven lamps of the Menorah. Exodus 25:37
Seven feasts of Israel. Leviticus 23
Seven years to the sabbatical year. Leviticus 25:4
Seven times seven to the jubilee year. Leviticus 25:8
Seven priests with seven trumpets circle Jericho seven times. Joshua 6
Solomon spent seven years building the temple. 1 Kings 6:38
Daniel’s seventy sevens prophecy. Daniel 9:24-27
Seventy years in Babylonian exile. Jeremiah 25:11-12
Seven loaves fed the 4,000, seven baskets are leftover. Matthew 15:32-39
Seven deacons in the early church. Acts 6:5
Seven miracles in the gospel of John. John
Seven discourses in the gospel of John. John
Seven “I am” statements in the gospel of John. John
Paul sent letters to seven different churches. Paul’s epistles
Seven churches in Revelation. Revelation 2,3
Seven promises, seals, trumpets, angels, plagues, bowls etc. Revelation
Seven promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Genesis
Seven miracles on the Sabbath. Gospels
Seven sayings of Jesus from the cross. Gospels
Seven appearances of angels. Gospels and Acts
Seven elements of the armor of God. Ephesians 6:14-18
Yes, the number seven is a number of completeness and we can easily understand that while Christ chose to give God's Revelation through His angel to John to go to seven churches it would be a message for all time as well. The fulness of history from that point on. Seriously, the revelation would be complete and that means a revelation for all of God's servants through time. The blessing given to all who read, hear, and keep the words within are for all- for you and for me. The blessings were for those living in that time as well. Knowing this- we have to read these words and pray for a clear understanding to be blessed with all that we need to hear and keep.
Rev. 1:4… 'John to the seven churches…'
Churches- a church Biblically is what? A building? No. The church essentially denotes God's people, period. It's not a building erected and named. God's people in each of these places are being addressed. We could also say, God's people in each of these times are being addressed. God's people- His church throughout all time are being called to attention.
Rev. 1:4 '...which are in Asia Grace be unto you and peace from him which is and which was and which is to come…'
Grace and peace- this is all God has ever wanted for us, His people, isn't it? His grace to cover their sins, His peace which isn't of this world but a peace in knowing Him and Him knowing us.
John {14:27} 'Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you'
Grace and peace from HIM which is, which was, and which is to come. God.
John {17:1} 'These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee'
John {17:9} 'I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine. {17:10} And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them.'
We are all God's.
We are God's- Jesus even said so.
Rev1:4 '...and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne'
From the perfect Spirit- seven the perfect completeness of the Spirit.
Seven churches- the complete church.
Seven Spirits- the complete Spirit.
Rev. 1:5 'And from Jesus Christ who is the faithful witness and the first begotten of the dead and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood
And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever.'
From Jesus Christ. The faithful witness. The first begotten of the dead- the first begotten- Jesus was the first begotten of His kind wasn't He? Think about it. The Son of God. There was no other Son of God that took on humanity. Jesus was the first begotten in the manner He was begotten and yes- the first begotten and the only one by whom the dead - those promised death through sin- will live again. The dead will find life in the first begotten. Jesus truly is the first begotten of the dead- we only find life in Christ.
'The prince of the kings of the earth.' Jesus is the ultimate prince of all the kings. There is no other prince of the kings of the earth but Jesus- He reigns.
'Unto him that loved us.' No other has ever loved us like Jesus- no other!
'and washed us from our sins in his own blood.' Only Jesus the innocent Son of God could cleanse us from our sins by His amazing sacrifice. By His blood we are freed from sin.
'And hath made us kings and priests unto God' We are to serve God as His kings, his priests-- we are God's through Jesus!
'And His Father! To him be the Glory! And dominion!
Forever and ever!
Amen!
Rev 1:3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.
(We already studied verses 2 and 3 a few days ago so we won't study them again here. Once more I am picking up with the Revelation study I did in my blog in Aug. 2009. I will be revising as the Spirit leads- all by God's amazing grace.)
Rev 1:4 John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne;
Rev 1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
Rev 1:6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen
John to the seven churches
Seven churches. Biblically the number seven is used many, many times. It was used in the beginning of the Bible- God made the world and all that was in it- in seven days. God made the seventh day a memorial for eternity. Our lives are still influenced by the seven day week and will be forever.
'The first pages of the Bible explain how God created the world in six days and rested on the seventh. This seventh day became the Jewish day of rest, the Sabbath, Saturday.
Extra-biblical locations sometimes mentioned as the birthplace of the 7-day week include: Babylon, Persia, and several others. The week was known in Rome before the advent of Christianity.' http://www.webexhibits.org/calendars/week.html#anchor-origin
With seven denoting a sense of completeness - of perfection- it truly is perfect for indicating the beginning and the end of the prophecy. And these seven churches not only represent churches in existence when John wrote the prophecies, but they serve yet another purpose - that of representing the time from John's existence right on down until Christ comes again. This is a familiar setup, isn't it? It is, because we just studied Daniel and in the book of Daniel more than once a vision was given and that vision extended from the time of Daniel down until the end of time at Christ's second coming. We are no stranger to this sort of prophecy, not at all. Now let's look at Sevens in the Bible.
Seven days of creation. Genesis 1
Seven days for Noah to fill the Ark. Genesis 7:4-10
Seven years Jacob serves for each wife. Genesis 28:18-20; 29:27-30
Seven plentiful years and seven famine years in Egypt. Genesis 41
Seven days the waters turn to blood. Exodus 7:25
Seven lamps of the Menorah. Exodus 25:37
Seven feasts of Israel. Leviticus 23
Seven years to the sabbatical year. Leviticus 25:4
Seven times seven to the jubilee year. Leviticus 25:8
Seven priests with seven trumpets circle Jericho seven times. Joshua 6
Solomon spent seven years building the temple. 1 Kings 6:38
Daniel’s seventy sevens prophecy. Daniel 9:24-27
Seventy years in Babylonian exile. Jeremiah 25:11-12
Seven loaves fed the 4,000, seven baskets are leftover. Matthew 15:32-39
Seven deacons in the early church. Acts 6:5
Seven miracles in the gospel of John. John
Seven discourses in the gospel of John. John
Seven “I am” statements in the gospel of John. John
Paul sent letters to seven different churches. Paul’s epistles
Seven churches in Revelation. Revelation 2,3
Seven promises, seals, trumpets, angels, plagues, bowls etc. Revelation
Seven promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Genesis
Seven miracles on the Sabbath. Gospels
Seven sayings of Jesus from the cross. Gospels
Seven appearances of angels. Gospels and Acts
Seven elements of the armor of God. Ephesians 6:14-18
Yes, the number seven is a number of completeness and we can easily understand that while Christ chose to give God's Revelation through His angel to John to go to seven churches it would be a message for all time as well. The fulness of history from that point on. Seriously, the revelation would be complete and that means a revelation for all of God's servants through time. The blessing given to all who read, hear, and keep the words within are for all- for you and for me. The blessings were for those living in that time as well. Knowing this- we have to read these words and pray for a clear understanding to be blessed with all that we need to hear and keep.
Rev. 1:4… 'John to the seven churches…'
Churches- a church Biblically is what? A building? No. The church essentially denotes God's people, period. It's not a building erected and named. God's people in each of these places are being addressed. We could also say, God's people in each of these times are being addressed. God's people- His church throughout all time are being called to attention.
Rev. 1:4 '...which are in Asia Grace be unto you and peace from him which is and which was and which is to come…'
Grace and peace- this is all God has ever wanted for us, His people, isn't it? His grace to cover their sins, His peace which isn't of this world but a peace in knowing Him and Him knowing us.
John {14:27} 'Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you'
Grace and peace from HIM which is, which was, and which is to come. God.
John {17:1} 'These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee'
John {17:9} 'I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine. {17:10} And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them.'
We are all God's.
We are God's- Jesus even said so.
Rev1:4 '...and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne'
From the perfect Spirit- seven the perfect completeness of the Spirit.
Seven churches- the complete church.
Seven Spirits- the complete Spirit.
Rev. 1:5 'And from Jesus Christ who is the faithful witness and the first begotten of the dead and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood
And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever.'
From Jesus Christ. The faithful witness. The first begotten of the dead- the first begotten- Jesus was the first begotten of His kind wasn't He? Think about it. The Son of God. There was no other Son of God that took on humanity. Jesus was the first begotten in the manner He was begotten and yes- the first begotten and the only one by whom the dead - those promised death through sin- will live again. The dead will find life in the first begotten. Jesus truly is the first begotten of the dead- we only find life in Christ.
'The prince of the kings of the earth.' Jesus is the ultimate prince of all the kings. There is no other prince of the kings of the earth but Jesus- He reigns.
'Unto him that loved us.' No other has ever loved us like Jesus- no other!
'and washed us from our sins in his own blood.' Only Jesus the innocent Son of God could cleanse us from our sins by His amazing sacrifice. By His blood we are freed from sin.
'And hath made us kings and priests unto God' We are to serve God as His kings, his priests-- we are God's through Jesus!
'And His Father! To him be the Glory! And dominion!
Forever and ever!
Amen!
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Prophecy 58 - Revelation 1
Revelation 1
This is taken from a blog post I did in 2009. I'm going to be reviewing my Revelation studies from the blog and editing- adding things where the Spirit leads. By His grace may we only grow closer and closer to Him in all truth! Watching and praying until He comes.
Rev 1:1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John
The Revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave unto him to shew unto his servants things which must
Shortly come to pass
(((God gave this revelation to Jesus to show to his followers- his servants. --
Servants-
Col. {4:12} Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ
Titus {1:1} Paul, a servant of God
James {1:1} James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ
2 Pet.{1:1} Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ
Jude {1:1} Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ
1 Cor.{7:22} For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord’s freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ’s servant
Matthew {20:27} And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: {20:28} Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
Matthew {23:11} But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.
John {15:20} Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord.
God gave this revelation to Jesus to show it to His servants, us, we who are reading and trying to understand, we who are followers of Christ seeking to serve Him, and to serve others for Him. We are being shown things and these things MUST SHORTLY COME TO PASS.
We are being shown things that will come to pass without a doubt. Things that WILL happen. There are certainties in life, a lot of them. There are positives in life. If you mix sugar with water without a doubt that sugar will dissolve. It's a positive. There are things which are positives and nothing can alter them, nothing. We can't hold back time it marches on whether we want it to or not- that's a positive. It's a must. When God says something MUST come to pass it's a certainty, it's a positive, it's inevitable.
So from the time the revelation was given to Jesus by God to give to us, given to the angel by Jesus to give to John, and from the moment John's pen hit the page and the word was sent out to the people, those things written were to come to pass from that moment on.
The revelation came to us shrouded in mystery. We couldn't be told things straight out as if one person was instructing another, things had to be done in cryptic manners so that the message would be pertinent to ALL that would follow- to ALL of Christ's servants throughout time until He returns to take us to Heaven.
The mystery had to be such that it wasn't impossible to comprehend, but that time would unfold it as necessary, preparing all of Christ's servants.
These things we are to see must shortly come to pass, what does that mean?
What is shortly to God?
Shortly as opposed to eternity when we're dealing with the end of chances for all of mankind to be Christ's servants- is in truth very short.
When all those that will be saved are saved and all that will not be saved are not saved, then Jesus will return and the short time from His return, to life and to heaven will be over- it's not something to rush even if it has to be short.
You might have a short bit of time to accomplish something but you don't have to rush to make the time even shorter.
When we as humans are faced with a chance to save lives in one profession or another- fireman, policeman, coastguard, doctors, etc.. and the situations call for many people needing to be saved all at once- the regret felt when time runs out and many people are left dead because time ran out, is immense. The sorrow is overpowering and the wish that time had just stretched out somehow long enough to save everyone is a wish that is truly felt and yet a wish that cannot come true.
Time WILL run out for people, for mankind. We all will have had a chance to choose to serve Christ or not to serve Him, to be counted as Jesus' servants or not be counted among them. Jesus believes time is short because He does not want to lose one person, not one!
Time is the shortest when you run out of it, isn't it?
*******
By His grace always!
Amen.
This is taken from a blog post I did in 2009. I'm going to be reviewing my Revelation studies from the blog and editing- adding things where the Spirit leads. By His grace may we only grow closer and closer to Him in all truth! Watching and praying until He comes.
Rev 1:1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John
The Revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave unto him to shew unto his servants things which must
Shortly come to pass
(((God gave this revelation to Jesus to show to his followers- his servants. --
Servants-
Col. {4:12} Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ
Titus {1:1} Paul, a servant of God
James {1:1} James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ
2 Pet.{1:1} Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ
Jude {1:1} Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ
1 Cor.{7:22} For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord’s freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ’s servant
Matthew {20:27} And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: {20:28} Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
Matthew {23:11} But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.
John {15:20} Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord.
God gave this revelation to Jesus to show it to His servants, us, we who are reading and trying to understand, we who are followers of Christ seeking to serve Him, and to serve others for Him. We are being shown things and these things MUST SHORTLY COME TO PASS.
We are being shown things that will come to pass without a doubt. Things that WILL happen. There are certainties in life, a lot of them. There are positives in life. If you mix sugar with water without a doubt that sugar will dissolve. It's a positive. There are things which are positives and nothing can alter them, nothing. We can't hold back time it marches on whether we want it to or not- that's a positive. It's a must. When God says something MUST come to pass it's a certainty, it's a positive, it's inevitable.
So from the time the revelation was given to Jesus by God to give to us, given to the angel by Jesus to give to John, and from the moment John's pen hit the page and the word was sent out to the people, those things written were to come to pass from that moment on.
The revelation came to us shrouded in mystery. We couldn't be told things straight out as if one person was instructing another, things had to be done in cryptic manners so that the message would be pertinent to ALL that would follow- to ALL of Christ's servants throughout time until He returns to take us to Heaven.
The mystery had to be such that it wasn't impossible to comprehend, but that time would unfold it as necessary, preparing all of Christ's servants.
These things we are to see must shortly come to pass, what does that mean?
What is shortly to God?
Shortly as opposed to eternity when we're dealing with the end of chances for all of mankind to be Christ's servants- is in truth very short.
When all those that will be saved are saved and all that will not be saved are not saved, then Jesus will return and the short time from His return, to life and to heaven will be over- it's not something to rush even if it has to be short.
You might have a short bit of time to accomplish something but you don't have to rush to make the time even shorter.
When we as humans are faced with a chance to save lives in one profession or another- fireman, policeman, coastguard, doctors, etc.. and the situations call for many people needing to be saved all at once- the regret felt when time runs out and many people are left dead because time ran out, is immense. The sorrow is overpowering and the wish that time had just stretched out somehow long enough to save everyone is a wish that is truly felt and yet a wish that cannot come true.
Time WILL run out for people, for mankind. We all will have had a chance to choose to serve Christ or not to serve Him, to be counted as Jesus' servants or not be counted among them. Jesus believes time is short because He does not want to lose one person, not one!
Time is the shortest when you run out of it, isn't it?
*******
By His grace always!
Amen.
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Discern both good and evil
Isa 5:20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
How do people call evil good? Shouldn't it be obvious to everyone exactly what is evil? How can anyone look at evil and know it's evil and call it good? How can someone know that something is bad and yet call it good? I can understand someone committing evil knowing it's evil, but to call it good and believe that it really is something good, how is that deception possible?
On the opposite side of the situation how can anyone know something is good and then call it evil?
How does one call dark - light? How?
And how does one call light - dark?
Can you take something bitter and call it sweet? It's impossible isn't it?
If I have something sweet I cannot make it bitter just upon my say so, it doesn't happen.
We are given a warning- WOE. Woe is that warning.
woe
noun
1.
grievous distress, affliction, or trouble: His woe was almost beyond description.
2.
an affliction: She suffered a fall, among her other woes.
interjection
3.
an exclamation of grief, distress, or lamentation.
Pasted from
Woe unto them. Distress, affliction, trouble, grief unto them. We are warned that if we lie it will mean grief, affliction, trouble, and distress unto us. Because isn't calling something the opposite of what it truly is- a lie?
How many things in our world do people call harmless fun that are really not harmless at all? We've become so incredibly desensitized to evil we are very guilty of calling evil good, and of calling good evil.
2Co 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves.
We have to examine ourselves, we have to prove our own selves, whether or not we are in the faith- whether or not we are among those who could be calling evil good. We don't want to think for a moment that we are doing that, do we? How much better is it to recognize evil for what it is and NOT try to make it out to be something it is not. When we let ourselves begin that deception we are treading on very dangerous ground. How much better is it to call evil - evil and good- good? If we do get caught up in evil at least then we can repent of that evil, but if we are stuck believing that evil is really good then we won't repent, will we? Why would we repent of what we believe is good? We wouldn't. We'd be caught up in Satan's deception.
Isa 5:20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
Is it any wonder at all whatsoever that the pronouncement is - Woe? This is something to be very concerned about. We have to examine ourselves, something we don't really like to do. The world around us is filled so deeply with deceit, with evils that are passed off for good that discernment must come from God, and we must desire this discernment.
Heb 5:14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
Strong meat. We've talked about this before but it bears repeating again and again as the Lord wills.
Heb 5:13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
We need the ability to discern what is good and what is evil and we only get that ability by making our Savior our life study, our life's work, our life's desire. If we are not taking strong meat then we are just babes and in danger of not being able to discern between good and evil. Our senses need to be EXERCISED and they are exercised by the strong meat of the word of God, skilled in the WORD of RIGHTEOUSNESS! How can we be skilled in the word of righteousness- the word of Christ our righteousness- if we don't study all that He's given us to study? If we truly wish to be able to discern between evil and good we need to study deeply, not superficially.
1Co 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
Spiritual discernment only comes through the Spirit of God.
1Co 2:10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
1Co 2:11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
1Co 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
1Co 2:13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
1Co 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
We need spiritual discernment! If we are not given spiritual discernment then the natural man- which cannot receive the things of the Spirit of God- is in control and that natural man will only call the things of God foolish. Oh please God help us to have Your within us, help us have spiritual discernment! We need this so desperately because there is so much wickedness around us, in us, that we need to discern for what it is and repent, seeking forgiveness and a new life in Christ without the evil deceiving us.
1Th 5:21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
Do we do this? Do we prove all things? Do we truly understand that we need to do this rather than just go along with things because that's the way things are? All too often we settle for things in life, we compromise with principles because the world dictates we should. So many people will be lost for conforming to the world, for not wanting to stand out and be God's as God would have them be. There's a temporary, fleeting comfort in conformity but one thing is most certain- whenever we conform the guilt that conformity brings to us later is great and we end up wishing we hadn't conformed. Too often regret overcomes any sense of comfort we might have. What good is it to have our lives now if we are lost to eternity? What good is it to *fit* in and not be considered *strange* if it means that to fit in we are giving up salvation in our Savior. In a world where so much evil is now call good, and so much good is now called evil we are living on a very, very slippery slope and our only hope is to cling to Christ and study His word, pray for the Spirit of God to enlighten us, to give us all we need to belong to our Lord.
Isa 8:20 To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.
To the law and to the testimony- some will say that is outdated by Christ's coming- I say this…
Rev 12:17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Keep the commandments of God- TO THE LAW.
And have the testimony of Jesus Christ- TO THE TESTIMONY.
There is NO light in those who do not keep the law and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. We'd love to believe that all people will choose God over Satan, but the sad truth is that very few will. Is it any wonder we HAVE to take anything we find ourselves tempted to believe in and hold it up to the standard of the law of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ?
Mat 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
Mat 7:16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
Mat 7:17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
Mat 7:18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
Mat 7:19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
Mat 7:20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
Amen.
Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
We cannot be conformed to this world, and the only way to keep from being conformed to this world is to be transformed by the renewing of our minds- proving what is good, what is acceptable, and perfect- will of GOD.
Pro 3:1 My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:
Pro 3:2 For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.
Pro 3:3 Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:
Pro 3:4 So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.
Pro 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
Pro 3:6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Pro 3:7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
Amen!
Pro 4:13 Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life.
Joh 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
Joh 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
Continue in Jesus' word!
Rev 3:3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.
Hold fast and repent.
Watch.
Rev 3:11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.
Hold fast.
All by the grace and mercy of our Lord, through the amazing love of our Savior. Please Lord help us, renew our minds, let the Holy Spirit guide us into all truth. Please God we don't want to call evil good, or call good evil… help us we desperately need Your help and it's only through You, through YOUR righteousness that we have hope. You are our Hope! You are Life!
In Your amazing love!
Amen.
How do people call evil good? Shouldn't it be obvious to everyone exactly what is evil? How can anyone look at evil and know it's evil and call it good? How can someone know that something is bad and yet call it good? I can understand someone committing evil knowing it's evil, but to call it good and believe that it really is something good, how is that deception possible?
On the opposite side of the situation how can anyone know something is good and then call it evil?
How does one call dark - light? How?
And how does one call light - dark?
Can you take something bitter and call it sweet? It's impossible isn't it?
If I have something sweet I cannot make it bitter just upon my say so, it doesn't happen.
We are given a warning- WOE. Woe is that warning.
woe
noun
1.
grievous distress, affliction, or trouble: His woe was almost beyond description.
2.
an affliction: She suffered a fall, among her other woes.
interjection
3.
an exclamation of grief, distress, or lamentation.
Pasted from
Woe unto them. Distress, affliction, trouble, grief unto them. We are warned that if we lie it will mean grief, affliction, trouble, and distress unto us. Because isn't calling something the opposite of what it truly is- a lie?
How many things in our world do people call harmless fun that are really not harmless at all? We've become so incredibly desensitized to evil we are very guilty of calling evil good, and of calling good evil.
2Co 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves.
We have to examine ourselves, we have to prove our own selves, whether or not we are in the faith- whether or not we are among those who could be calling evil good. We don't want to think for a moment that we are doing that, do we? How much better is it to recognize evil for what it is and NOT try to make it out to be something it is not. When we let ourselves begin that deception we are treading on very dangerous ground. How much better is it to call evil - evil and good- good? If we do get caught up in evil at least then we can repent of that evil, but if we are stuck believing that evil is really good then we won't repent, will we? Why would we repent of what we believe is good? We wouldn't. We'd be caught up in Satan's deception.
Isa 5:20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
Is it any wonder at all whatsoever that the pronouncement is - Woe? This is something to be very concerned about. We have to examine ourselves, something we don't really like to do. The world around us is filled so deeply with deceit, with evils that are passed off for good that discernment must come from God, and we must desire this discernment.
Heb 5:14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
Strong meat. We've talked about this before but it bears repeating again and again as the Lord wills.
Heb 5:13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
We need the ability to discern what is good and what is evil and we only get that ability by making our Savior our life study, our life's work, our life's desire. If we are not taking strong meat then we are just babes and in danger of not being able to discern between good and evil. Our senses need to be EXERCISED and they are exercised by the strong meat of the word of God, skilled in the WORD of RIGHTEOUSNESS! How can we be skilled in the word of righteousness- the word of Christ our righteousness- if we don't study all that He's given us to study? If we truly wish to be able to discern between evil and good we need to study deeply, not superficially.
1Co 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
Spiritual discernment only comes through the Spirit of God.
1Co 2:10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
1Co 2:11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
1Co 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
1Co 2:13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
1Co 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
We need spiritual discernment! If we are not given spiritual discernment then the natural man- which cannot receive the things of the Spirit of God- is in control and that natural man will only call the things of God foolish. Oh please God help us to have Your within us, help us have spiritual discernment! We need this so desperately because there is so much wickedness around us, in us, that we need to discern for what it is and repent, seeking forgiveness and a new life in Christ without the evil deceiving us.
1Th 5:21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
Do we do this? Do we prove all things? Do we truly understand that we need to do this rather than just go along with things because that's the way things are? All too often we settle for things in life, we compromise with principles because the world dictates we should. So many people will be lost for conforming to the world, for not wanting to stand out and be God's as God would have them be. There's a temporary, fleeting comfort in conformity but one thing is most certain- whenever we conform the guilt that conformity brings to us later is great and we end up wishing we hadn't conformed. Too often regret overcomes any sense of comfort we might have. What good is it to have our lives now if we are lost to eternity? What good is it to *fit* in and not be considered *strange* if it means that to fit in we are giving up salvation in our Savior. In a world where so much evil is now call good, and so much good is now called evil we are living on a very, very slippery slope and our only hope is to cling to Christ and study His word, pray for the Spirit of God to enlighten us, to give us all we need to belong to our Lord.
Isa 8:20 To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.
To the law and to the testimony- some will say that is outdated by Christ's coming- I say this…
Rev 12:17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Keep the commandments of God- TO THE LAW.
And have the testimony of Jesus Christ- TO THE TESTIMONY.
There is NO light in those who do not keep the law and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. We'd love to believe that all people will choose God over Satan, but the sad truth is that very few will. Is it any wonder we HAVE to take anything we find ourselves tempted to believe in and hold it up to the standard of the law of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ?
Mat 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
Mat 7:16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
Mat 7:17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
Mat 7:18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
Mat 7:19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
Mat 7:20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
Amen.
Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
We cannot be conformed to this world, and the only way to keep from being conformed to this world is to be transformed by the renewing of our minds- proving what is good, what is acceptable, and perfect- will of GOD.
Pro 3:1 My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:
Pro 3:2 For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.
Pro 3:3 Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:
Pro 3:4 So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.
Pro 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
Pro 3:6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Pro 3:7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
Amen!
Pro 4:13 Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life.
Joh 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
Joh 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
Continue in Jesus' word!
Rev 3:3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.
Hold fast and repent.
Watch.
Rev 3:11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.
Hold fast.
All by the grace and mercy of our Lord, through the amazing love of our Savior. Please Lord help us, renew our minds, let the Holy Spirit guide us into all truth. Please God we don't want to call evil good, or call good evil… help us we desperately need Your help and it's only through You, through YOUR righteousness that we have hope. You are our Hope! You are Life!
In Your amazing love!
Amen.
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