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.
Friday, August 19, 2011
A Crucial Choice.
Psa 36:1 The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes.
No fear of God.
The wicked do not fear God.
We've spoken of this before- that there are only two crucial, life altering choices we ever face in life. All our less crucial choices from then are shaped by those two crucial choices. Every day we wake up and we have to choose from one of those crucial choices. Every night before we go to sleep we make that crucial choice. Some of you might be truly confused right now and that's understandable. People often like to believe that once they make that first crucial choice then there is no need to make it ever again, but this choice is so incredibly crucial to our lives that it has to be made every day, twice a day, maybe more- especially if we use that choice to define all other choices in our lives. When we neglect to choose, that is consciously choose, knowingly making the choice every day then we set ourselves up to take the default choice and that default choice has the potential for becoming a choice we would not consciously wish to make.
The crucial choice to make is between - eternal life or eternal death and yes, it is a choice we make every day. Our lives are defined by the days we live, and what we choose on those days. Our history is a culmination of the choices we've made throughout our lives, throughout the number of days we've existed. Each day brings with it an opportunity to choose to live eternally or face eternal death. Unfortunately the majority of people don't realize or rather don't WANT to realize that this is a daily choice. All people will have a chance to make this choice at least once, but most people have the choice presented to them more than once. All too often however after making the choice for eternal death by not accepting eternal life in Jesus Christ, people choose to allow themselves to become blind to future choice making and grow oblivious to the opportunities to change their mind. People don't comprehend the need of choosing, and are left to the default choice. The choice of not actively seeking Jesus. The choice of not praying daily for that daily Bread.
Does everyone pray every day? Do you? Is daily prayer necessary? According to Jesus it is.
When teaching His Apostles the prayer to base all their prayers upon, Jesus spoke these words-
Mat 6:11 Give us this day our daily bread.
Give us THIS day our daily bread. Give us day by day our daily bread. A daily need of our Savior, our spiritual sustenance.
And so yes, we make this choice daily- knowingly and unknowingly. You hear all the time that silence is a form of acquiescing. If you remain silent you are accountable for your silence. We are accountable whether or not we are actively choosing. I'm positive all wicked people do not wake up and announce to themselves that they are choosing to be wicked that day. Yet they remain wicked unless they make the choice to have Christ as their Savior, asking forgiveness from Him for all their sins, repenting deeply of all they've done.
God's chosen people were given an example of keeping God continually before them- burnt offerings to the Lord were to be made every morning and evening.
1Ch 16:40 To offer burnt offerings unto the LORD upon the altar of the burnt offering continually morning and evening, and to do according to all that is written in the law of the LORD, which he commanded Israel;.
If God's people chose to ignore a morning offering would they have been following God's will? No. They would not have been choosing to follow God when making that decision.
After Christ died and rose, doing away with the need for the sacrificial law He instituted a life of prayer and supplication.
Mar 11:25 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
How was forgiveness to be received? Through prayer. And during that prayer- forgiving others.
Psa 51:16 For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.
Psa 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
God required sacrifices from His people, God required that His people be in a perpetual state of understanding their need of Him to forgive their breaking of the covenant. God taught His chosen people they were dependent upon Him for their lives in Him. God promised that eventually all sacrifice would be done away with through a Messiah- a Savior, and that Savior came. Our Savior, the Innocent Lamb was sacrificed for us as the ultimate, perfect Sacrifice doing away with the need for the sacrificial ceremonial law.
The thing we need to remember here though is that Jesus Christ did NOT do away with our daily, continual need of God in our lives.
Php 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
Php 4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Luk 18:1 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;
Luk 18:2 Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man:
Luk 18:3 And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.
Luk 18:4 And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man;
Luk 18:5 Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.
Luk 18:6 And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.
Luk 18:7 And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?
Luk 18:8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?
Continual prayer. Cry day and night unto God. A constant understand that we are dependent upon God for all things, for our lives now and eternally.
We must DAILY choose Christ! We must choose daily and it's a crucial choice we make. When we choose to follow Christ all the other choices we are called to make in our day should be based on the choice of being a follower of our Savior! Too many don't choose at all, too many choose not to follow Christ, too many choose to not even believe He exists, all to their eternal end.
Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Psa 36:1 The transgression of the wicked, saith within my heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes.
The wicked have no fear of God before them.
The wicked choose not to believe in God.
The wicked...
Psa 36:2 For he flattereth himself in his own eyes, until his iniquity be found to be hateful.
Psa 36:3 The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit: he hath left off to be wise, and to do good.
Psa 36:4 He deviseth mischief upon his bed; he setteth himself in a way that is not good; he abhorreth not evil.
The wicked flatters himself in his own eyes- SO TRUE! So many people are cocky in their own belief of superiority. So many wicked applaud themselves for being too smart to believe in God, too intelligent to be fooled into believing in the unseen, too amazingly bright to get caught up in anything that actually calls for faith.
The wicked speak sinful things, deceitful things, and the wicked are NOT wise in abandoning God and believing only in themselves.
The wicked bring on their own destruction.
The wicked choose to accept evil. The wicked even call evil good.
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!
Without any fear of God in them, a person chooses eternal death.
God is merciful!
Psa 36:5 Thy mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds.
Psa 36:6 Thy righteousness is like the great mountains; thy judgments are a great deep: O LORD, thou preservest man and beast.
Psa 36:7 How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.
Psa 36:8 They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures.
Psa 36:9 For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light.
Psa 36:10 O continue thy lovingkindness unto them that know thee; and thy righteousness to the upright in heart.
Psa 36:11 Let not the foot of pride come against me, and let not the hand of the wicked remove me.
Psa 36:12 There are the workers of iniquity fallen: they are cast down, and shall not be able to rise.
Praise God! All glory to God!
We talk about wanting to understand what everything is all about, what the meaning of life is and I'll tell you- it's to live and the only way we live is in Christ, through Christ's righteousness, through Christ's forgiveness, by Christ's mercy and grace!
We have two crucial choices to choose from- life or death, God or self, make no mistake it is our choice to make and no one else's.
By the amazing love of our God may we choose Him always and not be accounted among the wicked- fallen, cast down, never able to rise again.
Al praise and thanksgiving, all honor and glory to our Creator, Savior, King, to our Heavenly Father, to the Holy Spirit!
Amen.
No fear of God.
The wicked do not fear God.
We've spoken of this before- that there are only two crucial, life altering choices we ever face in life. All our less crucial choices from then are shaped by those two crucial choices. Every day we wake up and we have to choose from one of those crucial choices. Every night before we go to sleep we make that crucial choice. Some of you might be truly confused right now and that's understandable. People often like to believe that once they make that first crucial choice then there is no need to make it ever again, but this choice is so incredibly crucial to our lives that it has to be made every day, twice a day, maybe more- especially if we use that choice to define all other choices in our lives. When we neglect to choose, that is consciously choose, knowingly making the choice every day then we set ourselves up to take the default choice and that default choice has the potential for becoming a choice we would not consciously wish to make.
The crucial choice to make is between - eternal life or eternal death and yes, it is a choice we make every day. Our lives are defined by the days we live, and what we choose on those days. Our history is a culmination of the choices we've made throughout our lives, throughout the number of days we've existed. Each day brings with it an opportunity to choose to live eternally or face eternal death. Unfortunately the majority of people don't realize or rather don't WANT to realize that this is a daily choice. All people will have a chance to make this choice at least once, but most people have the choice presented to them more than once. All too often however after making the choice for eternal death by not accepting eternal life in Jesus Christ, people choose to allow themselves to become blind to future choice making and grow oblivious to the opportunities to change their mind. People don't comprehend the need of choosing, and are left to the default choice. The choice of not actively seeking Jesus. The choice of not praying daily for that daily Bread.
Does everyone pray every day? Do you? Is daily prayer necessary? According to Jesus it is.
When teaching His Apostles the prayer to base all their prayers upon, Jesus spoke these words-
Mat 6:11 Give us this day our daily bread.
Give us THIS day our daily bread. Give us day by day our daily bread. A daily need of our Savior, our spiritual sustenance.
And so yes, we make this choice daily- knowingly and unknowingly. You hear all the time that silence is a form of acquiescing. If you remain silent you are accountable for your silence. We are accountable whether or not we are actively choosing. I'm positive all wicked people do not wake up and announce to themselves that they are choosing to be wicked that day. Yet they remain wicked unless they make the choice to have Christ as their Savior, asking forgiveness from Him for all their sins, repenting deeply of all they've done.
God's chosen people were given an example of keeping God continually before them- burnt offerings to the Lord were to be made every morning and evening.
1Ch 16:40 To offer burnt offerings unto the LORD upon the altar of the burnt offering continually morning and evening, and to do according to all that is written in the law of the LORD, which he commanded Israel;.
If God's people chose to ignore a morning offering would they have been following God's will? No. They would not have been choosing to follow God when making that decision.
After Christ died and rose, doing away with the need for the sacrificial law He instituted a life of prayer and supplication.
Mar 11:25 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
How was forgiveness to be received? Through prayer. And during that prayer- forgiving others.
Psa 51:16 For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.
Psa 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
God required sacrifices from His people, God required that His people be in a perpetual state of understanding their need of Him to forgive their breaking of the covenant. God taught His chosen people they were dependent upon Him for their lives in Him. God promised that eventually all sacrifice would be done away with through a Messiah- a Savior, and that Savior came. Our Savior, the Innocent Lamb was sacrificed for us as the ultimate, perfect Sacrifice doing away with the need for the sacrificial ceremonial law.
The thing we need to remember here though is that Jesus Christ did NOT do away with our daily, continual need of God in our lives.
Php 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
Php 4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Luk 18:1 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;
Luk 18:2 Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man:
Luk 18:3 And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.
Luk 18:4 And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man;
Luk 18:5 Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.
Luk 18:6 And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.
Luk 18:7 And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?
Luk 18:8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?
Continual prayer. Cry day and night unto God. A constant understand that we are dependent upon God for all things, for our lives now and eternally.
We must DAILY choose Christ! We must choose daily and it's a crucial choice we make. When we choose to follow Christ all the other choices we are called to make in our day should be based on the choice of being a follower of our Savior! Too many don't choose at all, too many choose not to follow Christ, too many choose to not even believe He exists, all to their eternal end.
Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Psa 36:1 The transgression of the wicked, saith within my heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes.
The wicked have no fear of God before them.
The wicked choose not to believe in God.
The wicked...
Psa 36:2 For he flattereth himself in his own eyes, until his iniquity be found to be hateful.
Psa 36:3 The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit: he hath left off to be wise, and to do good.
Psa 36:4 He deviseth mischief upon his bed; he setteth himself in a way that is not good; he abhorreth not evil.
The wicked flatters himself in his own eyes- SO TRUE! So many people are cocky in their own belief of superiority. So many wicked applaud themselves for being too smart to believe in God, too intelligent to be fooled into believing in the unseen, too amazingly bright to get caught up in anything that actually calls for faith.
The wicked speak sinful things, deceitful things, and the wicked are NOT wise in abandoning God and believing only in themselves.
The wicked bring on their own destruction.
The wicked choose to accept evil. The wicked even call evil good.
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!
Without any fear of God in them, a person chooses eternal death.
God is merciful!
Psa 36:5 Thy mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds.
Psa 36:6 Thy righteousness is like the great mountains; thy judgments are a great deep: O LORD, thou preservest man and beast.
Psa 36:7 How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.
Psa 36:8 They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures.
Psa 36:9 For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light.
Psa 36:10 O continue thy lovingkindness unto them that know thee; and thy righteousness to the upright in heart.
Psa 36:11 Let not the foot of pride come against me, and let not the hand of the wicked remove me.
Psa 36:12 There are the workers of iniquity fallen: they are cast down, and shall not be able to rise.
Praise God! All glory to God!
We talk about wanting to understand what everything is all about, what the meaning of life is and I'll tell you- it's to live and the only way we live is in Christ, through Christ's righteousness, through Christ's forgiveness, by Christ's mercy and grace!
We have two crucial choices to choose from- life or death, God or self, make no mistake it is our choice to make and no one else's.
By the amazing love of our God may we choose Him always and not be accounted among the wicked- fallen, cast down, never able to rise again.
Al praise and thanksgiving, all honor and glory to our Creator, Savior, King, to our Heavenly Father, to the Holy Spirit!
Amen.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Prophecy 57 - Revelation
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:
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.
Now I've studied this before but it bears studying again and again, and again. This is the revelation of JESUS CHRIST. This isn't John's revelation, this is our SAVIOR's revelation. And God gave this revelation to His Son so the servants of His Son would see all the things that would come to pass. Yes, it says shortly and in the grand scheme of eternity the time is shortly.
Jesus sent this revelation and signified it by His angel and His angel gave this revelation to our Savior's servant, John. How amazing is this, seriously, God used Daniel as His prophet , a prophet our Savior even referred to. Now God gives a revelation to Jesus Christ to give to Jesus' servant John. John, like Daniel is the human instrument who records the revelations. John spent three years with Jesus from the beginning of His ministry until it's end. John who since the death and resurrection of our Savior spent His life spreading the gospel of the kingdom was chosen to receive the revelation of Jesus Christ. John bore record of Jesus- the Word of God. John bore record to the message that Jesus Christ had to bring to the world. John had seen so much of Jesus', so much of His life that he could give first hand testimony to all. First hand testimony means so much. People who live with someone for three years come to know them quite well. Even those who go to school- let's say college for a couple years and live in a dorm room with someone- gets to know them and that's not a very good analogy to the day in day out living with Jesus that His Apostles did. It is safe to say with all certainty that the Apostles, of whom John was one, knew Jesus like no others, including those who lived with Him all His life up to that point. How can I say that last bit? I can say it because it wasn't until Jesus was baptized that He began His ministry, He did not live His ministry before that time. Yes, He went about His Father's business as instructed but the message of salvation, the message of the gospel of the kingdom was not preached until He was anointed by His Father upon His baptism. Only His Apostles knew Jesus so intimately it could be said of them that they bare record of the word of God, that they had the testimony of Jesus Christ and all things that he saw.
Jesus chose the Apostle John to bring this revelation to others by recording it and we must understand the revelation is prophecy and prophecy is the foretelling of what WILL come to pass if God wills. Do you remember talking about how not ALL things prophesized come to pass? Remember when God issues prophetic warnings they are done to get His people to see the error of their ways and if the people do, God can will that the thing prophesized not come to pass. Prophetic warnings have this possibility, but prophetic history does not. There was little warning, but a lot of fact in Daniel's prophecies of our history. As we study this book of Revelation we will see a lot of warning, as well as history- of things which must come to pass.
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.
Blessed- are the readers.
Blessed- are the hearers.
Blessed- are the keepers.
Read, hear, keep and we are blessed.
By the grace of God may we truly READ with eyes wide opened, with our hearts kept in Christ, with the blessing of the Holy Spirit to give us understanding.
By the grace of God may we truly HEAR all that is said to us, may we comprehend all that Christ would have us comprehend and be blessed.
By the grace of God may we KEEP all that we comprehend from reading and hearing.
All through Christ's righteousness! All through His love! By His mercy, by His grace forever!!!!!!!
Amen.
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