Rev 22:1 And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
Rev 22:2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
Rev 22:3 And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:
Rev 22:4 And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.
All glory to God!
Rev 22:5 And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.
Just imagine!
Rev 22:6 And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done.
The LORD GOD of the HOLY PROPHETS- sent HIS ANGEL. Amazing! Wonderful! Why was this angel sent? To SHOW His SERVANTS the things which must shortly be done.
So tell me this… why would God give us His prophecy so we can see what would come to pass and yet make it IMPOSSIBLE to comprehend so that we wouldn't understand what would happen at all? HE WOULDN'T! Those who long to know the truth will see the truth, their eyes will be opened. If our eyes are closed, if we aren't getting any understanding at all we need to fall to our knees in earnest prayer and like Daniel we need to pray long and hard for understanding. God will hear our prayers!
Rev 22:7 Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.
We are BLESSED if we keep the sayings of the prophecy of this book. By the grace of God may we keep them! We need to be blessed as the end grows closer and closer with each passing day.
Rev 22:8 And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things.
Rev 22:9 Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.
John wanted to worship before the angel of the Lord who showed Him the wonders in the book of prophecy. The ANGEL told John NOT to worship him, why? Because that angel was a fellow servant with John, a servant of our Lord Jesus Christ. Not only was that angel a fellow servant he was a prophet- he was one of the angels that brought prophecy to God's human servants. The angel was also one who KEEPS the sayings of the book of prophecy. WORSHIP GOD.
WORSHIP GOD! This is what is all boils down to, isn't it? Worshipping God. Either you do, or you don't it's a choice we each have to make. It's not a flippant choice as our society tries to make it out to be. It's a choice that has grave consequences only because those consequences are not always immediate we don't care, so many just don't care. Just as Eve listened to the Serpent in the garden when he told her she wouldn't die. So many listen to the serpent. Did Eve die? Yes. Did she die immediately? No. Did that negate that she died? No. Her death was inevitable just as death is inevitable for all but those saints living when Christ returns. We don't know when we might die, none of us knows. We have to make the choice NOW in this moment, in every moment, to worship God
Rev 22:10 And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand.
Rev 22:11 He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.
Rev 22:12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
Rev 22:13 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.
Rev 22:14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
Rev 22:15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.
Rev 22:16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.
Rev 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
Rev 22:18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
Rev 22:19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
Rev 22:20 He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
Rev 22:21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
AMEN.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Monday, October 24, 2011
Prophecy - 111
Rev 20:1 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
Rev 20:2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
Rev 20:3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.
That Satan should deceive the NATIONS no more.
We have to ask ourselves if there are any nations left to deceive. Seriously. We discussed this some yesterday and we're going to discuss it more today.
The state of the world after our Savior's second coming is what?
Mat 24:27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
Lightning from the east all the way to the west. As we know lightning, powerful lightning is not something you can hide. Everyone will see the Lord when He returns.
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.
Even those who pierced him will see the Lord when He returns. We know for a fact the dead in Christ will RISE from their graves and be transformed as they meet the Lord in the air. The dead that aren't in Christ will see the Savior too, only they will NOT rise to meet the Savior in the air.
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
Destroyed by our Savior's coming. Evil cannot live in the sight of our returning, conquering Lord and King Jesus Christ.
Mat 24:30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
Mat 24:31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
The elect are gathered, not those who have chosen not to be His.
Mat 24:45 Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?
Mat 24:46 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.
Mat 24:47 Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.
Mat 24:48 But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;
Mat 24:49 And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;
Mat 24:50 The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of,
Mat 24:51 And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
This parable is giving us the message of truth- that those who are not among the servants of the Lord will be destroyed.
Do you remember these verses- immediately given before Satan is bound and chained, given to the bottomless pit?
Rev 19:17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God;
Rev 19:18 That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great.
Rev 19:19 And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army.
Rev 19:20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
Rev 19:21 And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.
The flesh of ALL men- both free and bond, both small and great. Whose flesh is this but that of all the wicked killed.
Read this verse from Jeremiah which also mentions the fowls feasting-
Jer 16:4 They shall die of grievous deaths; they shall not be lamented; neither shall they be buried; but they shall be as dung upon the face of the earth: and they shall be consumed by the sword, and by famine; and their carcases shall be meat for the fowls of heaven, and for the beasts of the earth.
We know that the remnant means the very last of something and there are a remnant of God's people- the very last that are alive and waiting for Him when He returns, and there are a remnant of evil people. The remnant of those who have aligned themselves against the true love of God found in Christ Jesus, are those left alive after the plagues have taken many. The remnant of evil will be slain by our Savior's word which is sharper than any two-edge sword. The earth will be filled with dead bodies, no one will be left alive not one single person. This is why it's enough to say that for 1000 years Satan is bound and for 1000 years God's elect will be with Him in heaven- not here on earth. This earth will be left desolate for 1000 years, void of all human life, void of any one to deceive. There could be no greater prison for a being that thrives on deception, that thrives on evil, thrives on lies. There will be no one to deceive, no one to be evil towards, no one to lie to. Left alone and unable to leave, chained to the desolate earth, Satan is trapped in that fate until the 1000 years is over.
Does is make sense? Seriously, does it? Or is it better to think of a real bottomless pit and Satan trapped inside it endlessly falling? It would have to be one amazing bottomless pit, in fact a circular one so Satan can continue his descent endlessly for 1000 years. And honestly, is there a point to such literal imagery? The fact of the matter is Satan is bound and unable to deceive anyone.
'that he should deceive the nations no more'
There are no NATIONS left to deceive! There is no one left alive!
Rev 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
Rev 20:5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
THE REST OF THE DEAD LIVED NOT AGAIN UNTIL THE 1000 YEARS WERE FINISHED.
The first resurrection is all about those who are Christ's. The dead in Christ will rise, those alive in Christ will rise. The rest of humanity is DEAD. The rest of humanity will NOT live again UNTIL the 1000 years is over!
Rev 20:6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
Only those who a part of the first resurrection- resurrected to NEW life in Christ- resurrected from death to live forever in Christ, resurrected from mortal bodies to immortal- these and only these are BLESSED.
Those who are apart of the second resurrection are NOT blessed, because all of those will take part in the SECOND DEATH- which is permanent and something from which no one ever can possibly return from. The second death is destruction and complete annihilation so that it will be as if those people never, ever existed. It will be as if Satan himself never existed, he too is completely destroyed once and for all after that 1000 years.
Rev 20:7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
Rev 20:8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
The rest of the dead are resurrected upon earth and now Satan has people to deceive all over again, millions and millions, billions of people to deceive. This looses the chains that bound Satan for 1000 years doesn't it? He's free to deceive and he does just that. He deceives them and gathers them together the number as the sand of the sea- and that number is what? Seemingly practically infinite! And this amazing army follows their General Satan...
Rev 20:9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.
Rev 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
Rev 20:11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
Rev 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
Rev 20:13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
Rev 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
Rev 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
None of those resurrected after the 1000 years will be with Christ, none will be found written in the book of life. The only names there will be the names of the saints who have been with Christ for 1000 years.
Rev 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
Rev 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
Rev 21:3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
Rev 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
Rev 21:5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.
Rev 21:6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
Rev 21:7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
Rev 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
Rev 21:9 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.
Rev 21:10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
Rev 21:11 Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;
Rev 21:12 And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:
Rev 21:13 On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates.
Rev 21:14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
Rev 21:15 And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof.
Rev 21:16 And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.
Rev 21:17 And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel.
Rev 21:18 And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass.
Rev 21:19 And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald;
Rev 21:20 The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst.
Rev 21:21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.
Rev 21:22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.
Rev 21:23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.
Rev 21:24 And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.
Rev 21:25 And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.
Rev 21:26 And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.
Rev 21:27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.
PRAISE GOD!
All glory to God!
His kingdom come!
His will be done!
By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
Amen.
Rev 20:2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
Rev 20:3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.
That Satan should deceive the NATIONS no more.
We have to ask ourselves if there are any nations left to deceive. Seriously. We discussed this some yesterday and we're going to discuss it more today.
The state of the world after our Savior's second coming is what?
Mat 24:27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
Lightning from the east all the way to the west. As we know lightning, powerful lightning is not something you can hide. Everyone will see the Lord when He returns.
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.
Even those who pierced him will see the Lord when He returns. We know for a fact the dead in Christ will RISE from their graves and be transformed as they meet the Lord in the air. The dead that aren't in Christ will see the Savior too, only they will NOT rise to meet the Savior in the air.
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
Destroyed by our Savior's coming. Evil cannot live in the sight of our returning, conquering Lord and King Jesus Christ.
Mat 24:30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
Mat 24:31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
The elect are gathered, not those who have chosen not to be His.
Mat 24:45 Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?
Mat 24:46 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.
Mat 24:47 Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.
Mat 24:48 But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;
Mat 24:49 And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;
Mat 24:50 The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of,
Mat 24:51 And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
This parable is giving us the message of truth- that those who are not among the servants of the Lord will be destroyed.
Do you remember these verses- immediately given before Satan is bound and chained, given to the bottomless pit?
Rev 19:17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God;
Rev 19:18 That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great.
Rev 19:19 And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army.
Rev 19:20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
Rev 19:21 And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.
The flesh of ALL men- both free and bond, both small and great. Whose flesh is this but that of all the wicked killed.
Read this verse from Jeremiah which also mentions the fowls feasting-
Jer 16:4 They shall die of grievous deaths; they shall not be lamented; neither shall they be buried; but they shall be as dung upon the face of the earth: and they shall be consumed by the sword, and by famine; and their carcases shall be meat for the fowls of heaven, and for the beasts of the earth.
We know that the remnant means the very last of something and there are a remnant of God's people- the very last that are alive and waiting for Him when He returns, and there are a remnant of evil people. The remnant of those who have aligned themselves against the true love of God found in Christ Jesus, are those left alive after the plagues have taken many. The remnant of evil will be slain by our Savior's word which is sharper than any two-edge sword. The earth will be filled with dead bodies, no one will be left alive not one single person. This is why it's enough to say that for 1000 years Satan is bound and for 1000 years God's elect will be with Him in heaven- not here on earth. This earth will be left desolate for 1000 years, void of all human life, void of any one to deceive. There could be no greater prison for a being that thrives on deception, that thrives on evil, thrives on lies. There will be no one to deceive, no one to be evil towards, no one to lie to. Left alone and unable to leave, chained to the desolate earth, Satan is trapped in that fate until the 1000 years is over.
Does is make sense? Seriously, does it? Or is it better to think of a real bottomless pit and Satan trapped inside it endlessly falling? It would have to be one amazing bottomless pit, in fact a circular one so Satan can continue his descent endlessly for 1000 years. And honestly, is there a point to such literal imagery? The fact of the matter is Satan is bound and unable to deceive anyone.
'that he should deceive the nations no more'
There are no NATIONS left to deceive! There is no one left alive!
Rev 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
Rev 20:5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
THE REST OF THE DEAD LIVED NOT AGAIN UNTIL THE 1000 YEARS WERE FINISHED.
The first resurrection is all about those who are Christ's. The dead in Christ will rise, those alive in Christ will rise. The rest of humanity is DEAD. The rest of humanity will NOT live again UNTIL the 1000 years is over!
Rev 20:6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
Only those who a part of the first resurrection- resurrected to NEW life in Christ- resurrected from death to live forever in Christ, resurrected from mortal bodies to immortal- these and only these are BLESSED.
Those who are apart of the second resurrection are NOT blessed, because all of those will take part in the SECOND DEATH- which is permanent and something from which no one ever can possibly return from. The second death is destruction and complete annihilation so that it will be as if those people never, ever existed. It will be as if Satan himself never existed, he too is completely destroyed once and for all after that 1000 years.
Rev 20:7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
Rev 20:8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
The rest of the dead are resurrected upon earth and now Satan has people to deceive all over again, millions and millions, billions of people to deceive. This looses the chains that bound Satan for 1000 years doesn't it? He's free to deceive and he does just that. He deceives them and gathers them together the number as the sand of the sea- and that number is what? Seemingly practically infinite! And this amazing army follows their General Satan...
Rev 20:9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.
Rev 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
Rev 20:11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
Rev 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
Rev 20:13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
Rev 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
Rev 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
None of those resurrected after the 1000 years will be with Christ, none will be found written in the book of life. The only names there will be the names of the saints who have been with Christ for 1000 years.
Rev 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
Rev 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
Rev 21:3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
Rev 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
Rev 21:5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.
Rev 21:6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
Rev 21:7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
Rev 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
Rev 21:9 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.
Rev 21:10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
Rev 21:11 Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;
Rev 21:12 And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:
Rev 21:13 On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates.
Rev 21:14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
Rev 21:15 And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof.
Rev 21:16 And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.
Rev 21:17 And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel.
Rev 21:18 And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass.
Rev 21:19 And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald;
Rev 21:20 The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst.
Rev 21:21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.
Rev 21:22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.
Rev 21:23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.
Rev 21:24 And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.
Rev 21:25 And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.
Rev 21:26 And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.
Rev 21:27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.
PRAISE GOD!
All glory to God!
His kingdom come!
His will be done!
By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
Amen.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Prophecy - 110
Rev 20:1 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
Rev 20:2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
Rev 20:3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.
The bottomless pit.
(Strong's)
abussos
ab'-us-sos
From G1 (as a negative particle) and a variation of G1037; depthless, that is, (specifically), (infernal) “abyss”: - deep, (bottomless) pit.
(Thayer's)
G12
abussos
1) bottomless
2) unbounded
3) the abyss
3a) the pit
3b) the immeasurable depth
Rev 9:1 And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.
Rev 9:2 And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.
Rev 9:11 And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.
Once again we HAVE to realize that this is a book of PROPHECY. Books of prophecy are FILLED with symbolic accounts. We've seen beasts as symbols of empires, kingdoms. We've seen that horns are kings, and those of power. We've noted that waters is a symbol of many people, nations. I could go on and on but we've spent months now studying the books of Daniel and Revelation and I know you know exactly what I'm talking about. Symbolic prophetic language is used throughout these books of prophecy so that understanding when it is meant to be understood would take place. As a parable is told by our Savior and He was asked why He spoke in parables, we understand that He did so because … well let's read it.
Mat 13:10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
Mat 13:11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
Mat 13:12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.
Mat 13:13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
Mat 13:14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:
Mat 13:15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
Mat 13:16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.
Prophecy and parables have a lot in common because those whose hearts wax gross, and their ears are dull of hearing and their eyes are kept close, these people do NOT want to really see, hear, or understand because they do NOT want to know God, they do not want to be healed by our Savior. People are to watch, people are to study, people are to keep the words of the prophecy and yet so many could care less about prophecies, most deeming them too hard to understand, others believing they are more literal than symbolic and they grow greatly confused. We NEED to understand, we NEED to hear, we NEED to see all of this and continue to study so we may understand and keep the word given to us.
Reading about the bottomless pit we have to ask ourselves is this suddenly a very literal pit? We know what pits look like. We can imagine pits- deep, dark, smoky, fire-filled pits. We've been given the image over and over again in portrayals of what a fictional hell is supposed to look like. Just as we have images of heaven- a very cloud filled fluffy white place with a throne and such.
Yet this bottomless pit we've read about is the place were Satan will live for a 1000 years while the saints are in heaven.
Rev 20:6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
So while the saints are in heaven reigning with Christ for a thousand years, Satan is in this pit. Now, where are the people of earth during this time?
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
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.
We which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds-- only those who are Christ's will be left alive and there will be many more dead than alive. Remember- narrow is the way and few their be that find it. Remember- as it was in the days of Noah, the days of Sodom and Gomorrah. Very few lived in comparison to the number of people that died. All the wicked will be destroyed. All the wicked will taste that first death without any exception. Not a single wicked person will be left alive when our Savior returns and takes His saints- dead saints newly risen and alive saints home with Him.
So the situation here is- Christ returns and his saints rise up into the air to meet Him, and they go to live with Him for a 1000 years. Meanwhile, all those who are not Christ's are killed. The prince of the world, Satan- a fallen angel- is bound for a 1000 years. Now, why would he need to be put into a bottomless pit if there is nothing left on earth to deceive? Seriously, think about it for a moment. Logic dictates that Satan and His angels were cast from heaven to earth and on earth there were humans to tempt and deceive, to steal from God. Now if there are NO longer any humans to deceive do you think Satan would want to remain on the earth He was cast out to? No. And so, Satan is bound isn't he, bound by circumstances. Before you think it crazy that the earth itself could be considered a wasteland, a bottomless pit, an abyss, remember this…
Gen 1:2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep.
The deep.
This word for deep in Greek is…
abussos
ab'-us-sos
From G1 (as a negative particle) and a variation of G1037; depthless, that is, (specifically), (infernal) “abyss”: - deep, (bottomless) pit.
The earth in the beginning was like a bottomless pit, a nothingness- a void, no form. God created it to be what we know the earth to be, it was NOT always like this.
The earth left destroyed will be in a state that is void of all human life, and with the plagues having destroyed so much, it truly will be a pit. I'm not saying that the greenery and such won't renew itself, it very well could and that also could be in God's plan, but the main point is that there is absolutely NO HUMAN LIFE left, NONE. We can't ever be naïve enough to imagine Satan as even remotely human. Satan is a fallen angelic being without any humanity in him whatsoever. He will live for a 1000 years chained to the nothingness the earth has begun, the nothingness of not a single human being left to toy with. Satan will be completely powerless and unable to leave earth. His angelic wings are effectively clipped and clipped permanently by the power that is from God. With all of God's people with Him in heaven it makes perfect sense for Satan to be left on the human-less earth in punishment made to abide their until the 1000 years if over.
More on this tomorrow by the grace of our Lord and Savior. All through HIS will now and forever!!!!!!!
Amen.
Rev 20:2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
Rev 20:3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.
The bottomless pit.
(Strong's)
abussos
ab'-us-sos
From G1 (as a negative particle) and a variation of G1037; depthless, that is, (specifically), (infernal) “abyss”: - deep, (bottomless) pit.
(Thayer's)
G12
abussos
1) bottomless
2) unbounded
3) the abyss
3a) the pit
3b) the immeasurable depth
Rev 9:1 And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.
Rev 9:2 And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.
Rev 9:11 And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.
Once again we HAVE to realize that this is a book of PROPHECY. Books of prophecy are FILLED with symbolic accounts. We've seen beasts as symbols of empires, kingdoms. We've seen that horns are kings, and those of power. We've noted that waters is a symbol of many people, nations. I could go on and on but we've spent months now studying the books of Daniel and Revelation and I know you know exactly what I'm talking about. Symbolic prophetic language is used throughout these books of prophecy so that understanding when it is meant to be understood would take place. As a parable is told by our Savior and He was asked why He spoke in parables, we understand that He did so because … well let's read it.
Mat 13:10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
Mat 13:11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
Mat 13:12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.
Mat 13:13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
Mat 13:14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:
Mat 13:15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
Mat 13:16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.
Prophecy and parables have a lot in common because those whose hearts wax gross, and their ears are dull of hearing and their eyes are kept close, these people do NOT want to really see, hear, or understand because they do NOT want to know God, they do not want to be healed by our Savior. People are to watch, people are to study, people are to keep the words of the prophecy and yet so many could care less about prophecies, most deeming them too hard to understand, others believing they are more literal than symbolic and they grow greatly confused. We NEED to understand, we NEED to hear, we NEED to see all of this and continue to study so we may understand and keep the word given to us.
Reading about the bottomless pit we have to ask ourselves is this suddenly a very literal pit? We know what pits look like. We can imagine pits- deep, dark, smoky, fire-filled pits. We've been given the image over and over again in portrayals of what a fictional hell is supposed to look like. Just as we have images of heaven- a very cloud filled fluffy white place with a throne and such.
Yet this bottomless pit we've read about is the place were Satan will live for a 1000 years while the saints are in heaven.
Rev 20:6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
So while the saints are in heaven reigning with Christ for a thousand years, Satan is in this pit. Now, where are the people of earth during this time?
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
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.
We which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds-- only those who are Christ's will be left alive and there will be many more dead than alive. Remember- narrow is the way and few their be that find it. Remember- as it was in the days of Noah, the days of Sodom and Gomorrah. Very few lived in comparison to the number of people that died. All the wicked will be destroyed. All the wicked will taste that first death without any exception. Not a single wicked person will be left alive when our Savior returns and takes His saints- dead saints newly risen and alive saints home with Him.
So the situation here is- Christ returns and his saints rise up into the air to meet Him, and they go to live with Him for a 1000 years. Meanwhile, all those who are not Christ's are killed. The prince of the world, Satan- a fallen angel- is bound for a 1000 years. Now, why would he need to be put into a bottomless pit if there is nothing left on earth to deceive? Seriously, think about it for a moment. Logic dictates that Satan and His angels were cast from heaven to earth and on earth there were humans to tempt and deceive, to steal from God. Now if there are NO longer any humans to deceive do you think Satan would want to remain on the earth He was cast out to? No. And so, Satan is bound isn't he, bound by circumstances. Before you think it crazy that the earth itself could be considered a wasteland, a bottomless pit, an abyss, remember this…
Gen 1:2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep.
The deep.
This word for deep in Greek is…
abussos
ab'-us-sos
From G1 (as a negative particle) and a variation of G1037; depthless, that is, (specifically), (infernal) “abyss”: - deep, (bottomless) pit.
The earth in the beginning was like a bottomless pit, a nothingness- a void, no form. God created it to be what we know the earth to be, it was NOT always like this.
The earth left destroyed will be in a state that is void of all human life, and with the plagues having destroyed so much, it truly will be a pit. I'm not saying that the greenery and such won't renew itself, it very well could and that also could be in God's plan, but the main point is that there is absolutely NO HUMAN LIFE left, NONE. We can't ever be naïve enough to imagine Satan as even remotely human. Satan is a fallen angelic being without any humanity in him whatsoever. He will live for a 1000 years chained to the nothingness the earth has begun, the nothingness of not a single human being left to toy with. Satan will be completely powerless and unable to leave earth. His angelic wings are effectively clipped and clipped permanently by the power that is from God. With all of God's people with Him in heaven it makes perfect sense for Satan to be left on the human-less earth in punishment made to abide their until the 1000 years if over.
More on this tomorrow by the grace of our Lord and Savior. All through HIS will now and forever!!!!!!!
Amen.
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Prophecy - 109 - By Faith the Bride of Christ is Making Herself Ready
Excerpt taken from:
WWN 1995 Oct -- XXVIII -- 10(95) -- EXEGESIS OF REVELATION -- THE TALE OF TWO CITIES -- Part 6 --
'God's original plan called for man to be only "a little while inferior to the angels." (Heb. 2:7, margin)
Created in the image of God, "designed to be a counterpart of God," a high destiny awaited man.
He, however, sinned and fell prey to the dragon's "wrath" and jealousy.
Now through the "redemption that is in Christ Jesus" (Rom. 3:24),...
Rom 3:24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus
... not only can man be restored, but a group, designated in Revelation as the 144,000, is to be the "wife" of the Lamb, sharing His throne.
Lest we read into the description - "his wife hath made herself ready" - a salvation-by-works theology, we need to recall that "those arrayed in white robes" have "washed" them and "made them white in the blood of the Lamb." (7:13-14)
Rev 7:13 And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?
Rev 7:14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
What then could the expression mean - "the fine linen (in which the wife is arrayed) is the righteousness of saints"?
Is this the full realization of "imparted righteousness"?
If so, then if we desire to be among that group, should we not study to know exactly what it means - "His wife hath made herself ready"?
What is that "readiness" by which the righteousness of Christ can become ours in a personal possessive sense?
*******
Rev 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his WIFE hath made herself ready.
Rev 19:8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
Rev 21:9 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's WIFE.
Rev 21:10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
Rev 21:27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.
Rev 3:5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
Rev 22:19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
1Jn 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
1Jn 5:5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
Rev 2:7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
Rev 2:11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.
Rev 2:17 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.
Rev 2:26 And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:
Rev 3:5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
Rev 3:12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.
Rev 3:21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
Rev 21:7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
*******
Zec 3:1 And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him.
Zec 3:2 And the LORD said unto Satan, The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan; even the LORD that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?
Zec 3:3 Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel.
Zec 3:4 And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.
Zec 3:5 And I said, Let them set a fair mitre upon his head. So they set a fair mitre upon his head, and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the LORD stood by.
Zec 3:6 And the angel of the LORD protested unto Joshua, saying,
Zec 3:7 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; If thou wilt walk in my ways, and if thou wilt keep my charge, then thou shalt also judge my house, and shalt also keep my courts, and I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by.
Zec 3:8 Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they are men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH.
Zec 3:9 For behold the stone that I have laid before Joshua; upon one stone shall be seven eyes: behold, I will engrave the graving thereof, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.
Zec 3:10 In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, shall ye call every man his neighbour under the vine and under the fig tree.
Rev 5:6 And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.
*******
He that overcomes will be clothed in white raiment.
Why is it necessary to change our clothes, to be clothed in white raiment?
Rev 3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
Maybe we need to go all the way back to the beginning when mankind first sinned. Remember there in the garden after Eve and Adam committed the very first sin- disobeying God, not trusting God, allowing themselves to be deceived? Remember the pair realized their nakedness for the first time? They'd been clothed with the brightness of our God's righteousness, that pure white raiment that could only come from God. As soon as they left off trusting and obeying God that brightness, that covering of God's righteousness was gone! We can't really imagine 'clothes' as we understand them, being part of our new life in Christ once He comes again, can we? I mean the dead in Christ will rise and they aren't going to be handed a white gown of linen as we know it. We have to remember that Adam and Eve did not lose the clothes off their backs and suddenly see they were naked. They hadn't been wearing conventional clothes such as we know, they were wearing the righteousness of God and enveloped in the brightness of that righteousness.
Psa 104:1 Bless the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty.
Psa 104:2 Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain
This makes so much more sense doesn't it, than God giving physical clothing to people and suddenly it disappears. I can comprehend the light of God's righteousness surrounding us individually and I can comprehend that when sin entered our world that righteousness was gone in a VERY real way. The glory of God cannot remain where sin exists, the light and the dark cannot inhabit the same space, light dispels the darkness- it doesn't share it, just as darkness blots out light. Adam and Eve were clothed in the very beginning with the pure righteousness of God, they had that white raiment upon them - the clothing of righteousness.
Rev. 19:8 '... for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. ' The fine linen isn't silk, it isn't satin, it isn't soft wool- it is the RIGHTEOUSNESS of Christ and righteousness is not a tangible material we can cut and sew. So yes, this is truth--
Rev 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his WIFE hath made herself ready.
Rev 19:8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
To the wife of the Lamb will be granted the fine linen- clean and white- the righteousness of saints. And the wife makes herself ready by accepting the truth of God's righteousness, that we must believe solely in Him for all righteousness we have none of our own. We must believe, we must have faith. Abraham and Noah, neither had any righteousness in and of themselves, they believed in GOD and that belief, that faith in God made them acceptable to God and His righteousness was given to them. If we believe in the least way that our own righteousness is what determines our salvation we have misunderstood everything. Any righteousness we might possess, any righteousness we may be able to experience as we are told to be righteous and walk in righteous ways, follow righteous paths, seek righteousness is all the righteousness of God, not any righteousness of our own making. Christ is everything, in Him is all righteousness and we have to believe that He will cover us in His righteousness just as He enable us to follow righteous paths, just as it is HIS power that enables us to resist the devil, to resist unto blood as we strive against sin, HIS POWER. If we continue to believe that we will develop super spiritual powers and be able to defeat the temptations of Satan on our own and thereby prove to God we are powerful enough- good enough-then we are not understanding our God at all whatsoever! Every single victory we achieve over sin is Christ's victory, not ours. We are not able to make our filthy rags clean- they must be cleaned for us, they must be removed from us and we must be given a clean heart, a clean life, a robe of righteousness white and pure as such as our first parents wore- God's righteousness freely given, not deserved by us at all.
Rev 4:4 And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.
Isa 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
Psa 51:7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Psa 51:2 Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
Job 29:14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment was as a robe and a diadem.
Job 36:3 I will fetch my knowledge from afar, and will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.
Psa 9:8 And he shall judge the world in righteousness, he shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness.
Psa 24:5 He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
Psa 31:1 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness.
Psa 36:6 Thy righteousness is like the great mountains; thy judgments are a great deep: O LORD, thou preservest man and beast.
Psa 71:2 Deliver me in thy righteousness, and cause me to escape: incline thine ear unto me, and save me.
Psa 85:13 Righteousness shall go before him; and shall set us in the way of his steps.
Psa 89:16 In thy name shall they rejoice all the day: and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted.
Psa 96:13 Before the LORD: for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth.
Psa 119:40 Behold, I have longed after thy precepts: quicken me in thy righteousness.
Psa 119:142 Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy law is the truth.
Psa 119:144 The righteousness of thy testimonies is everlasting: give me understanding, and I shall live.
Psa 119:172 My tongue shall speak of thy word: for all thy commandments are righteousness.
Pro 10:2 Treasures of wickedness profit nothing: but righteousness delivereth from death.
Pro 11:4 Riches profit not in the day of wrath: but righteousness delivereth from death.
Isa 32:17 And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.
Isa 41:10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
Isa 51:8 For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool: but my righteousness shall be for ever, and my salvation from generation to generation.
Isa 54:17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.
Isa 59:17 For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloke.
Isa 61:10 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.
Jer 23:6 In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.
Hos 2:19 And I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness, and in mercies.
Hos 10:12 Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.
Zep 2:3 Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD'S anger.
Mat 5:6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
Mat 5:10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Joh 16:8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
Act 10:35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.
Act 17:31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.
Rom 1:17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
Rom 3:22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference
Rom 3:25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
Rom 3:26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
Rom 4:3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
Rom 4:4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.
Rom 4:5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
Rom 4:6 Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,
Rom 4:7 Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.
Rom 4:8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.
Rom 4:9 Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness.
Rom 4:10 How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.
Rom 4:11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:
Rom 4:12 And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised.
Rom 4:13 For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
Rom 4:14 For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect:
Rom 4:15 Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.
Rom 4:16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,
Rom 4:17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.
Rom 4:18 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.
Rom 4:19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb:
Rom 4:20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;
Rom 4:21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
Rom 4:22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.
Rom 5:17 For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)
Rom 5:18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.
Rom 5:21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.
Rom 6:13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
Rom 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
Rom 6:17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
Rom 6:18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
Rom 6:19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.
Rom 6:20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.
Rom 8:4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Rom 8:10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
Rom 9:28 For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth.
Rom 9:29 And as Esaias said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha.
Rom 9:30 What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith.
Rom 9:31 But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.
Rom 9:32 Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;
Rom 9:33 As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
Rom 10:3 For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
Rom 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
Rom 10:5 For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them.
Rom 10:6 But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:)
Rom 10:7 Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.)
Rom 10:8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
Rom 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Rom 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Rom 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
1Co 1:30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
1Co 15:34 Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.
2Co 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
2Co 6:7 By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,
Gal 2:21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
Gal 3:6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
Gal 3:21 Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.
Gal 5:5 For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.
Eph 4:24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
Php 3:9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
2Ti 4:8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
Heb 1:8 But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.
Heb 1:9 Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
Heb 11:7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
Like Noah, like Abraham, those who live in the last days will be living purely by faith in God- and not living at all by any sight whatsoever because for all intents and purposes things will appear one way but in truth will be another. Is it any wonder we are encouraged to read the books of prophecy, that we are blessed by them? Only those who realize what is coming, only those who truly believe those words and understand that living in the time directly before the coming of our Lord they must live on faith alone in His truth will receive His righteousness.
We are told that a great, great deception is coming. It's not going to be an obvious deception at all. Anything the movies and books have portrayed as to what will be are deceptive because while people are looking for their envisioned last day symbols- the deception will overcome them and they won't even realize it.
Is it any wonder the bride of the Lamb will be arrayed in the fine linen of Christ's righteousness- they are a people TOTALLY dependent upon our Savior, they are a people living completely by FAITH in God.
In the last days Satan's deceptive powers will completely fool the majority of people into believing he is God, that he is Christ returned, that he is the way, the truth, and the life - when in truth he is the way to damnation, the lie, the death of millions, billions caught up in his trap. We must live by faith in Christ and in His truth! He has given us His truth, He has given us prophecy- outlining His plan. Just as Abraham and Noah were told God's plan- long, long before the realization of those plans and by faith they held fast to them- we are told God's plan and we have to hold fast to it by faith in our Savior and His righteousness.
Yes, it will be as it was in the days of Noah- for us in the end days we too will have to live completely by faith while the world around us is caught up in a false truth, a nearly perfect deception that Satan will create and is creating.
Heb 11:33 Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,
Heb 12:11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
Jas 2:23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
1Pe 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
1Pe 3:14 But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled
2Pe 1:1 Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:
2Pe 3:13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
1Jn 2:29 If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.
1Jn 3:7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.
1Jn 3:8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
1Jn 3:9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
1Jn 3:10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.
1Jn 3:11 For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.
Rev 19:8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
Rev 19:11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
By faith!
All through HIS righteousness!
In our Savior's love always!
Amen.
WWN 1995 Oct -- XXVIII -- 10(95) -- EXEGESIS OF REVELATION -- THE TALE OF TWO CITIES -- Part 6 --
'God's original plan called for man to be only "a little while inferior to the angels." (Heb. 2:7, margin)
Created in the image of God, "designed to be a counterpart of God," a high destiny awaited man.
He, however, sinned and fell prey to the dragon's "wrath" and jealousy.
Now through the "redemption that is in Christ Jesus" (Rom. 3:24),...
Rom 3:24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus
... not only can man be restored, but a group, designated in Revelation as the 144,000, is to be the "wife" of the Lamb, sharing His throne.
Lest we read into the description - "his wife hath made herself ready" - a salvation-by-works theology, we need to recall that "those arrayed in white robes" have "washed" them and "made them white in the blood of the Lamb." (7:13-14)
Rev 7:13 And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?
Rev 7:14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
What then could the expression mean - "the fine linen (in which the wife is arrayed) is the righteousness of saints"?
Is this the full realization of "imparted righteousness"?
If so, then if we desire to be among that group, should we not study to know exactly what it means - "His wife hath made herself ready"?
What is that "readiness" by which the righteousness of Christ can become ours in a personal possessive sense?
*******
Rev 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his WIFE hath made herself ready.
Rev 19:8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
Rev 21:9 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's WIFE.
Rev 21:10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
Rev 21:27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.
Rev 3:5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
Rev 22:19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
1Jn 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
1Jn 5:5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
Rev 2:7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
Rev 2:11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.
Rev 2:17 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.
Rev 2:26 And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:
Rev 3:5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
Rev 3:12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.
Rev 3:21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
Rev 21:7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
*******
Zec 3:1 And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him.
Zec 3:2 And the LORD said unto Satan, The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan; even the LORD that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?
Zec 3:3 Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel.
Zec 3:4 And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.
Zec 3:5 And I said, Let them set a fair mitre upon his head. So they set a fair mitre upon his head, and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the LORD stood by.
Zec 3:6 And the angel of the LORD protested unto Joshua, saying,
Zec 3:7 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; If thou wilt walk in my ways, and if thou wilt keep my charge, then thou shalt also judge my house, and shalt also keep my courts, and I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by.
Zec 3:8 Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they are men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH.
Zec 3:9 For behold the stone that I have laid before Joshua; upon one stone shall be seven eyes: behold, I will engrave the graving thereof, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.
Zec 3:10 In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, shall ye call every man his neighbour under the vine and under the fig tree.
Rev 5:6 And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.
*******
He that overcomes will be clothed in white raiment.
Why is it necessary to change our clothes, to be clothed in white raiment?
Rev 3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
Maybe we need to go all the way back to the beginning when mankind first sinned. Remember there in the garden after Eve and Adam committed the very first sin- disobeying God, not trusting God, allowing themselves to be deceived? Remember the pair realized their nakedness for the first time? They'd been clothed with the brightness of our God's righteousness, that pure white raiment that could only come from God. As soon as they left off trusting and obeying God that brightness, that covering of God's righteousness was gone! We can't really imagine 'clothes' as we understand them, being part of our new life in Christ once He comes again, can we? I mean the dead in Christ will rise and they aren't going to be handed a white gown of linen as we know it. We have to remember that Adam and Eve did not lose the clothes off their backs and suddenly see they were naked. They hadn't been wearing conventional clothes such as we know, they were wearing the righteousness of God and enveloped in the brightness of that righteousness.
Psa 104:1 Bless the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty.
Psa 104:2 Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain
This makes so much more sense doesn't it, than God giving physical clothing to people and suddenly it disappears. I can comprehend the light of God's righteousness surrounding us individually and I can comprehend that when sin entered our world that righteousness was gone in a VERY real way. The glory of God cannot remain where sin exists, the light and the dark cannot inhabit the same space, light dispels the darkness- it doesn't share it, just as darkness blots out light. Adam and Eve were clothed in the very beginning with the pure righteousness of God, they had that white raiment upon them - the clothing of righteousness.
Rev. 19:8 '... for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. ' The fine linen isn't silk, it isn't satin, it isn't soft wool- it is the RIGHTEOUSNESS of Christ and righteousness is not a tangible material we can cut and sew. So yes, this is truth--
Rev 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his WIFE hath made herself ready.
Rev 19:8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
To the wife of the Lamb will be granted the fine linen- clean and white- the righteousness of saints. And the wife makes herself ready by accepting the truth of God's righteousness, that we must believe solely in Him for all righteousness we have none of our own. We must believe, we must have faith. Abraham and Noah, neither had any righteousness in and of themselves, they believed in GOD and that belief, that faith in God made them acceptable to God and His righteousness was given to them. If we believe in the least way that our own righteousness is what determines our salvation we have misunderstood everything. Any righteousness we might possess, any righteousness we may be able to experience as we are told to be righteous and walk in righteous ways, follow righteous paths, seek righteousness is all the righteousness of God, not any righteousness of our own making. Christ is everything, in Him is all righteousness and we have to believe that He will cover us in His righteousness just as He enable us to follow righteous paths, just as it is HIS power that enables us to resist the devil, to resist unto blood as we strive against sin, HIS POWER. If we continue to believe that we will develop super spiritual powers and be able to defeat the temptations of Satan on our own and thereby prove to God we are powerful enough- good enough-then we are not understanding our God at all whatsoever! Every single victory we achieve over sin is Christ's victory, not ours. We are not able to make our filthy rags clean- they must be cleaned for us, they must be removed from us and we must be given a clean heart, a clean life, a robe of righteousness white and pure as such as our first parents wore- God's righteousness freely given, not deserved by us at all.
Rev 4:4 And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.
Isa 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
Psa 51:7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Psa 51:2 Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
Job 29:14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment was as a robe and a diadem.
Job 36:3 I will fetch my knowledge from afar, and will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.
Psa 9:8 And he shall judge the world in righteousness, he shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness.
Psa 24:5 He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
Psa 31:1 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness.
Psa 36:6 Thy righteousness is like the great mountains; thy judgments are a great deep: O LORD, thou preservest man and beast.
Psa 71:2 Deliver me in thy righteousness, and cause me to escape: incline thine ear unto me, and save me.
Psa 85:13 Righteousness shall go before him; and shall set us in the way of his steps.
Psa 89:16 In thy name shall they rejoice all the day: and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted.
Psa 96:13 Before the LORD: for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth.
Psa 119:40 Behold, I have longed after thy precepts: quicken me in thy righteousness.
Psa 119:142 Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy law is the truth.
Psa 119:144 The righteousness of thy testimonies is everlasting: give me understanding, and I shall live.
Psa 119:172 My tongue shall speak of thy word: for all thy commandments are righteousness.
Pro 10:2 Treasures of wickedness profit nothing: but righteousness delivereth from death.
Pro 11:4 Riches profit not in the day of wrath: but righteousness delivereth from death.
Isa 32:17 And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.
Isa 41:10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
Isa 51:8 For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool: but my righteousness shall be for ever, and my salvation from generation to generation.
Isa 54:17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.
Isa 59:17 For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloke.
Isa 61:10 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.
Jer 23:6 In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.
Hos 2:19 And I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness, and in mercies.
Hos 10:12 Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.
Zep 2:3 Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD'S anger.
Mat 5:6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
Mat 5:10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Joh 16:8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
Act 10:35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.
Act 17:31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.
Rom 1:17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
Rom 3:22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference
Rom 3:25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
Rom 3:26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
Rom 4:3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
Rom 4:4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.
Rom 4:5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
Rom 4:6 Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,
Rom 4:7 Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.
Rom 4:8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.
Rom 4:9 Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness.
Rom 4:10 How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.
Rom 4:11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:
Rom 4:12 And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised.
Rom 4:13 For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
Rom 4:14 For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect:
Rom 4:15 Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.
Rom 4:16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,
Rom 4:17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.
Rom 4:18 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.
Rom 4:19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb:
Rom 4:20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;
Rom 4:21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
Rom 4:22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.
Rom 5:17 For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)
Rom 5:18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.
Rom 5:21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.
Rom 6:13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
Rom 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
Rom 6:17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
Rom 6:18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
Rom 6:19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.
Rom 6:20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.
Rom 8:4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Rom 8:10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
Rom 9:28 For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth.
Rom 9:29 And as Esaias said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha.
Rom 9:30 What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith.
Rom 9:31 But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.
Rom 9:32 Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;
Rom 9:33 As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
Rom 10:3 For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
Rom 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
Rom 10:5 For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them.
Rom 10:6 But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:)
Rom 10:7 Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.)
Rom 10:8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
Rom 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Rom 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Rom 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
1Co 1:30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
1Co 15:34 Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.
2Co 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
2Co 6:7 By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,
Gal 2:21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
Gal 3:6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
Gal 3:21 Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.
Gal 5:5 For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.
Eph 4:24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
Php 3:9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
2Ti 4:8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
Heb 1:8 But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.
Heb 1:9 Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
Heb 11:7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
Like Noah, like Abraham, those who live in the last days will be living purely by faith in God- and not living at all by any sight whatsoever because for all intents and purposes things will appear one way but in truth will be another. Is it any wonder we are encouraged to read the books of prophecy, that we are blessed by them? Only those who realize what is coming, only those who truly believe those words and understand that living in the time directly before the coming of our Lord they must live on faith alone in His truth will receive His righteousness.
We are told that a great, great deception is coming. It's not going to be an obvious deception at all. Anything the movies and books have portrayed as to what will be are deceptive because while people are looking for their envisioned last day symbols- the deception will overcome them and they won't even realize it.
Is it any wonder the bride of the Lamb will be arrayed in the fine linen of Christ's righteousness- they are a people TOTALLY dependent upon our Savior, they are a people living completely by FAITH in God.
In the last days Satan's deceptive powers will completely fool the majority of people into believing he is God, that he is Christ returned, that he is the way, the truth, and the life - when in truth he is the way to damnation, the lie, the death of millions, billions caught up in his trap. We must live by faith in Christ and in His truth! He has given us His truth, He has given us prophecy- outlining His plan. Just as Abraham and Noah were told God's plan- long, long before the realization of those plans and by faith they held fast to them- we are told God's plan and we have to hold fast to it by faith in our Savior and His righteousness.
Yes, it will be as it was in the days of Noah- for us in the end days we too will have to live completely by faith while the world around us is caught up in a false truth, a nearly perfect deception that Satan will create and is creating.
Heb 11:33 Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,
Heb 12:11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
Jas 2:23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
1Pe 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
1Pe 3:14 But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled
2Pe 1:1 Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:
2Pe 3:13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
1Jn 2:29 If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.
1Jn 3:7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.
1Jn 3:8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
1Jn 3:9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
1Jn 3:10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.
1Jn 3:11 For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.
Rev 19:8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
Rev 19:11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
By faith!
All through HIS righteousness!
In our Savior's love always!
Amen.
Friday, October 21, 2011
Supposing that gain is godliness
We need to read the following and truly comprehend what it is saying, because we are so caught up living the lies of the last days. We are caught up in believing that gain- believing that what we possess or what we think we should possess, is the sum of our lives. Do we have a relatively "good" life? A roof over our heads, food in our bellies, enough creature comforts to keep us content?
These things we possess reek of our well being, yes? We have to be a least marginally successful because we aren't on the street, we aren't among those not knowing where their next meal will come from, we have "things".
How many, many deluded people believe that their good fortune is because God is being good to them BECAUSE they possess godliness, that those who have what we've determined to be bad fortune are on God's bad side- and not in possession of godliness? Too many equate God's goodness and their godliness with what they've gained.
~
1Ti 6:3 If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;
We MUST consent to wholesome words.
We MUST consent to the WORDS of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We MUST consent to the DOCTRINE which is according to GODLINESS.
If we do NOT consent to wholesome words, if we do NOT consent to the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, if we do NOT consent to the doctrine which is according to godliness then ….
1Ti 6:4 He is proud,
knowing nothing,
but doting about questions and strifes of words,
whereof cometh envy,
strife,
railings,
evil surmisings,
We are PROUD.
We KNOW NOTHING.
We want STRIFE.
We begin to ENVY.
We begin to RAIL.
WE SURMISE EVIL things.
1Ti 6:5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds,
and destitute of the truth,
supposing that gain is godliness:
from such withdraw thyself.
The PERVERTED disputes of those with corrupted minds are DESTITUE of the TRUTH!
Those with corrupted minds suppose that to have GAIN IS GODLINESS!
We must stay away from these people!
Did you read that? We aren't to associate with those who seek gain, those who seek to be rich, those who seek possessions and believe that because they obtain those things, or others they know have attained those things that THIS is GODLINESS, when in fact it is CORRUPTED thinking! The EVER longing for more, for money, for things of this earth, that painful gnawing desire is a corrupt desire. We can try and talk ourselves around it by saying it's only logical, only natural, only instinctive, only right to desire to have "things", to have money, to possess riches because in them we believe we find security in life. We've equated all those things to security and bemoan the lack of money, the lack of riches to do all the incredibly things we desire to do with money- of we had it. Why I'd buy three new cars that are all up to snuff, safe to drive, without any - or rather with very few defects- just because it's only natural and right to desire to be safe in the vehicles you drive and my two children could use safe vehicles too, yes? So it's NOT wrong to want the cars - even new used cars- is it? I'd love to be able to cloth myself and children in less raggedy clothes and shoes- that's a good thing too, right? I'd just be over the top and thrilled if I didn't have to worry about paying my bills each month- this isn't wrong to want is it?
The bottom line is the safest car, the newer clothing, the bills have NOTHING to do with salvation in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, nothing. They are possessions and not a single possession, not a single earthly possession is godliness.
1Ti 6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.
Godliness with contentment.
Godliness- reverence and respect toward God, honor and affection for God, obeying God, devotion to God and the service He has called us to- this is GREAT GAIN and where we should find CONTENTMENT!
We could give away all our riches to charity and make a million people thrilled but is that true godliness? Is all giving of God? NO, it is not! Being able to give others what they desire, being able to spoil and give others things they desire, to treat others special by showing our love through gifts, this is not godliness. Am I saying we can't do any of that? No, we can do it all, but we have to realize that being able to give others things isn't where we need to find our contentment, being able to possess things ourselves should not be a source of our contentment. OUR contentment needs to be in GOD! We have to learn this! We must learn this! We are living in a world caught up in upheaval after upheaval as the four winds are being loosened, as the time of Christ's coming is nearing, as the end of all probation is fast on its way and if we do NOT learn to find our contentment in GOD, then we are going to be completely and utterly swept away by the cares of this life. There will be NO escaping it, no way to not be affected by the things coming upon our earth. If you somehow believe that you will be living the same life you are living today- in the ends times and not be caught up in the great compromise with those who receive the mark of the beast, then you are deluding yourselves. The lives of those who are God's, truly God's will be a life that has to find sole contentment in God, because standing for the absolute truth will be going against all popular opinion, against all government opinion, against the opinion of the masses and if you think that will be pleasant and easy then your eyes are closed and you are blind to the truth. We must find contentment in God and in godliness based solely on God's truth- all His truth. We are being warned to place our treasures in heaven not to keep a single treasure here on earth, not one. If our hearts are in heaven then our treasures HAVE to be in heaven with our heart. It seems all but impossible to imagine being content in dire straits, but this is the lesson we must learn as I said just a moment ago.
1Ti 6:7 For we brought nothing into this world,
and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
THIS IS TRUTH!
As the richest man upon the earth is laid in his grave, he has taken NOTHING with Him into that peaceful sleep. He could be clothed in garments of gold and entombed in precious jewels but he has not taken a thing with him into death's sleep, not one thing. When he wakes at the coming of the Lord it will be either to meet Him in the air- without a single earthly possession, or to be killed and enter death's sleep once more, at the brightness of Christ's coming. There is NOT one thing going with us to heaven upon our Savior's return, not one possession. Our love of God will go with us and without that love we will not go.
So while the truth is I'd love to drive safe cars, I'd love to wear decent (not necessarily fashionable) clothes, and I'd simply adore knowing for a fact all my bills will be paid for the rest of my life- not one of those things will contribute a single thing to my salvation through my Lord Jesus Christ, not a single thing.
I've said it before and I'm going to say it again-
EVERYTHING here and now is temporary to eternity, everything except our Love of God.
Our love of God will join us in eternity with God, our Savior, our King, our Lord, our Heavenly Father!
By HIS GRACE!
*******
The doctrine according to godliness.
2Ti 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness
SCRIPTURE = DOCTRINE
2Ti 4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
2Ti 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
2Ti 4:4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
We must consent to the doctrine of godliness,
not to the belief that godliness is gain.
We must be content with godliness.
By the GRACE OF GOD ALWAYS!
In HIS LOVE!
Amen.
These things we possess reek of our well being, yes? We have to be a least marginally successful because we aren't on the street, we aren't among those not knowing where their next meal will come from, we have "things".
How many, many deluded people believe that their good fortune is because God is being good to them BECAUSE they possess godliness, that those who have what we've determined to be bad fortune are on God's bad side- and not in possession of godliness? Too many equate God's goodness and their godliness with what they've gained.
~
1Ti 6:3 If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;
We MUST consent to wholesome words.
We MUST consent to the WORDS of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We MUST consent to the DOCTRINE which is according to GODLINESS.
If we do NOT consent to wholesome words, if we do NOT consent to the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, if we do NOT consent to the doctrine which is according to godliness then ….
1Ti 6:4 He is proud,
knowing nothing,
but doting about questions and strifes of words,
whereof cometh envy,
strife,
railings,
evil surmisings,
We are PROUD.
We KNOW NOTHING.
We want STRIFE.
We begin to ENVY.
We begin to RAIL.
WE SURMISE EVIL things.
1Ti 6:5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds,
and destitute of the truth,
supposing that gain is godliness:
from such withdraw thyself.
The PERVERTED disputes of those with corrupted minds are DESTITUE of the TRUTH!
Those with corrupted minds suppose that to have GAIN IS GODLINESS!
We must stay away from these people!
Did you read that? We aren't to associate with those who seek gain, those who seek to be rich, those who seek possessions and believe that because they obtain those things, or others they know have attained those things that THIS is GODLINESS, when in fact it is CORRUPTED thinking! The EVER longing for more, for money, for things of this earth, that painful gnawing desire is a corrupt desire. We can try and talk ourselves around it by saying it's only logical, only natural, only instinctive, only right to desire to have "things", to have money, to possess riches because in them we believe we find security in life. We've equated all those things to security and bemoan the lack of money, the lack of riches to do all the incredibly things we desire to do with money- of we had it. Why I'd buy three new cars that are all up to snuff, safe to drive, without any - or rather with very few defects- just because it's only natural and right to desire to be safe in the vehicles you drive and my two children could use safe vehicles too, yes? So it's NOT wrong to want the cars - even new used cars- is it? I'd love to be able to cloth myself and children in less raggedy clothes and shoes- that's a good thing too, right? I'd just be over the top and thrilled if I didn't have to worry about paying my bills each month- this isn't wrong to want is it?
The bottom line is the safest car, the newer clothing, the bills have NOTHING to do with salvation in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, nothing. They are possessions and not a single possession, not a single earthly possession is godliness.
1Ti 6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.
Godliness with contentment.
Godliness- reverence and respect toward God, honor and affection for God, obeying God, devotion to God and the service He has called us to- this is GREAT GAIN and where we should find CONTENTMENT!
We could give away all our riches to charity and make a million people thrilled but is that true godliness? Is all giving of God? NO, it is not! Being able to give others what they desire, being able to spoil and give others things they desire, to treat others special by showing our love through gifts, this is not godliness. Am I saying we can't do any of that? No, we can do it all, but we have to realize that being able to give others things isn't where we need to find our contentment, being able to possess things ourselves should not be a source of our contentment. OUR contentment needs to be in GOD! We have to learn this! We must learn this! We are living in a world caught up in upheaval after upheaval as the four winds are being loosened, as the time of Christ's coming is nearing, as the end of all probation is fast on its way and if we do NOT learn to find our contentment in GOD, then we are going to be completely and utterly swept away by the cares of this life. There will be NO escaping it, no way to not be affected by the things coming upon our earth. If you somehow believe that you will be living the same life you are living today- in the ends times and not be caught up in the great compromise with those who receive the mark of the beast, then you are deluding yourselves. The lives of those who are God's, truly God's will be a life that has to find sole contentment in God, because standing for the absolute truth will be going against all popular opinion, against all government opinion, against the opinion of the masses and if you think that will be pleasant and easy then your eyes are closed and you are blind to the truth. We must find contentment in God and in godliness based solely on God's truth- all His truth. We are being warned to place our treasures in heaven not to keep a single treasure here on earth, not one. If our hearts are in heaven then our treasures HAVE to be in heaven with our heart. It seems all but impossible to imagine being content in dire straits, but this is the lesson we must learn as I said just a moment ago.
1Ti 6:7 For we brought nothing into this world,
and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
THIS IS TRUTH!
As the richest man upon the earth is laid in his grave, he has taken NOTHING with Him into that peaceful sleep. He could be clothed in garments of gold and entombed in precious jewels but he has not taken a thing with him into death's sleep, not one thing. When he wakes at the coming of the Lord it will be either to meet Him in the air- without a single earthly possession, or to be killed and enter death's sleep once more, at the brightness of Christ's coming. There is NOT one thing going with us to heaven upon our Savior's return, not one possession. Our love of God will go with us and without that love we will not go.
So while the truth is I'd love to drive safe cars, I'd love to wear decent (not necessarily fashionable) clothes, and I'd simply adore knowing for a fact all my bills will be paid for the rest of my life- not one of those things will contribute a single thing to my salvation through my Lord Jesus Christ, not a single thing.
I've said it before and I'm going to say it again-
EVERYTHING here and now is temporary to eternity, everything except our Love of God.
Our love of God will join us in eternity with God, our Savior, our King, our Lord, our Heavenly Father!
By HIS GRACE!
*******
The doctrine according to godliness.
2Ti 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness
SCRIPTURE = DOCTRINE
2Ti 4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
2Ti 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
2Ti 4:4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
We must consent to the doctrine of godliness,
not to the belief that godliness is gain.
We must be content with godliness.
By the GRACE OF GOD ALWAYS!
In HIS LOVE!
Amen.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Prophecy -108
The 19th Chapter of Revelation opens with the third interlude (vers. 1-5) of this second section of the book.
Rev 19:1 And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God:
Rev 19:2 For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand.
Rev 19:3 And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up for ever and ever.
Rev 19:4 And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia.
Rev 19:5 And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great.
The first interlude was placed between the description of the work of the "false prophet" and the Three Angels' Messages (14:1-15).
The second interlude was interfaced with the announcement and the carrying out of the Seven Last Plagues. (15:2-5)
Now the final interlude marks the transition from the end of the prophecy concerning the "Harlot," the wife of the dragon-beast, to the call to "the marriage supper of the Lamb" (19:9).
Rev 19:9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.
The basic message of this interlude is praise to God for His judgment on "the great whore which did corrupt the earth with her fornication." (v.2)
There is heard "a voice" which "came out of the throne, saying, 'Praise our God, all ye His servants, and ye that fear His name, both small and great."' (ver. 5)
The One in the midst of the throne is the Lamb "as it had been slain" but is "alive for evermore." (5:6; 1:18)
Rev 5:6 And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.
Rev 1:18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
He who sent the message on that resurrection morning through Mary Magdalene, "I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to your God, and my God" (John 20:17) now calls for universal praise to "our God."
He still identifies Himself with the sons of men who look to the One God and Father of us all. He who emptied Himself for the redemption of man now eternalizes the Example set in time that "God may be all in all." (I Cor. 15:28)
1Co 15:28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.
In the prophetic imagery of the call to the marriage supper of the Lamb, because of its brevity (19:6-9), ...
Rev 19:6 And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.
Rev 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.
Rev 19:8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
Rev 19:9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.
...we should not overlook its momentous significance.
This is one of the seven Beatitudes of the book of Revelation, and is declared to be along with the promise of "making all things new" (21:5), as "the true sayings of God."
Why are these uniquely marked as the "true sayings of God"?
Making "all things new" marks the end of the incident of sin.
The pain and anguish which this interlude of sin has brought to the heart of God is past, all things can become new, and new in a new dimension.
The Lamb has accomplished His objective to seek and save that which was lost. Now His marriage is come.
First some details:
One of the angels of the seven last plagues shows John, the wife of the Lamb - "that great city, the holy Jerusalem." (21:9-10)
But as with the "wife" of the dragon-beast, "that great city which reigneth over the kings of the earth" (17:18), people are involved.
While the cities are used symbolically, they are also literal, and made up of people. A marriage supper includes not only the "wife" but also "guests." In this brief call there is "a great multitude," as well as the wife "arrayed in fine linen." (19:6, 8)
God's original plan called for man to be only "a little while inferior to the angels." (Heb. 2:7, margin) Created in the image of God, "designed to be a counterpart of God," a high destiny awaited man. He, however, sinned and fell prey to the dragon's "wrath" and jealousy. Now through the "redemption that is in Christ Jesus" (Rom. 3:24), not only can man be restored, but a group, designated in Revelation as the 144,000, is to be the "wife" of the Lamb, sharing His throne. Lest we read into the description - "his wife hath made herself ready" - a salvation-by-works theology, we need to recall that "those arrayed in white robes" have "washed" them and "made them white in the blood of the Lamb." (7:13-14)
Rev 7:13 And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?
Rev 7:14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
What then could the expression mean - "the fine linen (in which the wife is arrayed) is the righteousness of saints"? Is this the full realization of "imparted righteousness"?
If so, then if we desire to be among that group, should we not study to know exactly what it means - "His wife hath made herself ready"?
What is that "readiness" by which the righteousness of Christ can become ours in a personal possessive sense?
John next sees "heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and He that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He doth judge and make war." (19:11)
This description and that which follows when Christ rides forth as King of kings and Lord of lords is not only replete with Old Testament imagery of the conquering Christ, but also brings together various symbols used in Revelation itself.
When the Lamb opened the book sealed with seven seals, the first seal revealed "a white horse" with a rider who receiving a bow, and a crown, went forth "conquering and to conquer." (6:2)
There were arrayed against him, the forces of evil - human strife, poverty, pestilences, hunger and death.
A price was paid in this warfare.
John sees "souls under the altar" who cry unto God, "How long, 0 Lord?" (6:10)
When the sixth seal is opened, the signs which would herald the coming response of God are noted. Interjected into the vision is the first introduction of the 144,000, followed by the seventh seal - "silence in heaven."
Now in the final confrontation portrayed in the 19th Chapter, all "the armies in heaven followed Him on white horses." (19:14)
There is silence in heaven, but not so on earth.
"Out of His mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it He should smite the nations. ... And He treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God." (19:15)
A description of this winepress closed the vision connected with the six angels of Revelation 14. "The vine of the earth" - those whose roots have been of the earth earthly - weeds and tares - face the wrath of Him whom they have rejected that He should not rule over them. He now rules them with a rod of iron, and the sword of His mouth destroys them. (See II Thess. 2:8)
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 "violence" in the overthrow of "Babylon the great" (18:21), the "wrath of Almighty God" (19:15), and "the wrath of the Lamb" (6:16) produce a "blood-letting" unparalleled in time. (14:20)
The "names" noted in this revelation of the Lamb provoke thought.
He has a personal name engraved on His crowns, that He himself alone knows. (v. 12)
His vesture dipped in blood has inscribed upon it the name, "King of kings, and Lord of lords." (vers. 13, 16)
He is also called the Word of God - the Logos.
Once in the book of Revelation, Jesus Christ speaks as "the Son of God" (2:18). Now as He comes forth to "judge and make war" He returns to His original relationship in the Godhead - "the Logos of God" - He who was in the beginning with God. (John 1:1-2)
Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Joh 1:2 The same was in the beginning with God.
The language and thought describing the "conquering" King of kings and Lord of lords is found in Isaiah 63:1-6. A thoughtful reading of these verses reveals the "tension" between what He provided as He tread "the winepress alone" and the judgment upon those who reject this great provision of salvation.
Isa 63:1 Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save.
Isa 63:2 Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat?
Isa 63:3 I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment.
Isa 63:4 For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come.
Isa 63:5 And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me; and my fury, it upheld me.
Isa 63:6 And I will tread down the people in mine anger, and make them drunk in my fury, and I will bring down their strength to the earth.
As the Word of God rides forth to "judge and make war," He does not come unopposed. "The beast and kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him that sat on the horse, and against His army." (19:19) They had been gathered together by "spirits of devils" to "a place called in the Hebrew, Har-Mo'ed," for "the war (Gr.) of the great day of God Almighty." (16:13-14, 16) The "beast" and "the false prophet" are taken and cast "alive" into "the lake of fire." (Gr. 19:20) Daniel speaks of the "beast" which had "the little horn" as being "given to the burning flame." (7:11)
The problem which arises is that "the lake of fire" in which the dragon and the lost are cast does not come till the close of the Millennium (20:9-10). Must a symbolic meaning be given to its use in 19:20, even as the "beast" and "false prophet" are symbols of Systems? The "lake of fire" represents "total annihilation." Is this telling then that with the close of human history at the Second Advent, the systems of earth through which the Devil deceived mankind are ended? After the 1000 years, Satan in person goes "out to deceive the nations of the earth." (20:8)
After the scenes of war and strife, and the final destruction of sin and sinners are revealed to John, he sees "a new heaven and a new earth." He hears from the throne the promise, "Behold I make all things new." He is told - "Write, for these words are true and faithful." (21:5)
AMEN!
Rev 19:1 And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God:
Rev 19:2 For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand.
Rev 19:3 And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up for ever and ever.
Rev 19:4 And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia.
Rev 19:5 And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great.
The first interlude was placed between the description of the work of the "false prophet" and the Three Angels' Messages (14:1-15).
The second interlude was interfaced with the announcement and the carrying out of the Seven Last Plagues. (15:2-5)
Now the final interlude marks the transition from the end of the prophecy concerning the "Harlot," the wife of the dragon-beast, to the call to "the marriage supper of the Lamb" (19:9).
Rev 19:9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.
The basic message of this interlude is praise to God for His judgment on "the great whore which did corrupt the earth with her fornication." (v.2)
There is heard "a voice" which "came out of the throne, saying, 'Praise our God, all ye His servants, and ye that fear His name, both small and great."' (ver. 5)
The One in the midst of the throne is the Lamb "as it had been slain" but is "alive for evermore." (5:6; 1:18)
Rev 5:6 And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.
Rev 1:18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
He who sent the message on that resurrection morning through Mary Magdalene, "I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to your God, and my God" (John 20:17) now calls for universal praise to "our God."
He still identifies Himself with the sons of men who look to the One God and Father of us all. He who emptied Himself for the redemption of man now eternalizes the Example set in time that "God may be all in all." (I Cor. 15:28)
1Co 15:28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.
In the prophetic imagery of the call to the marriage supper of the Lamb, because of its brevity (19:6-9), ...
Rev 19:6 And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.
Rev 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.
Rev 19:8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
Rev 19:9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.
...we should not overlook its momentous significance.
This is one of the seven Beatitudes of the book of Revelation, and is declared to be along with the promise of "making all things new" (21:5), as "the true sayings of God."
Why are these uniquely marked as the "true sayings of God"?
Making "all things new" marks the end of the incident of sin.
The pain and anguish which this interlude of sin has brought to the heart of God is past, all things can become new, and new in a new dimension.
The Lamb has accomplished His objective to seek and save that which was lost. Now His marriage is come.
First some details:
One of the angels of the seven last plagues shows John, the wife of the Lamb - "that great city, the holy Jerusalem." (21:9-10)
But as with the "wife" of the dragon-beast, "that great city which reigneth over the kings of the earth" (17:18), people are involved.
While the cities are used symbolically, they are also literal, and made up of people. A marriage supper includes not only the "wife" but also "guests." In this brief call there is "a great multitude," as well as the wife "arrayed in fine linen." (19:6, 8)
God's original plan called for man to be only "a little while inferior to the angels." (Heb. 2:7, margin) Created in the image of God, "designed to be a counterpart of God," a high destiny awaited man. He, however, sinned and fell prey to the dragon's "wrath" and jealousy. Now through the "redemption that is in Christ Jesus" (Rom. 3:24), not only can man be restored, but a group, designated in Revelation as the 144,000, is to be the "wife" of the Lamb, sharing His throne. Lest we read into the description - "his wife hath made herself ready" - a salvation-by-works theology, we need to recall that "those arrayed in white robes" have "washed" them and "made them white in the blood of the Lamb." (7:13-14)
Rev 7:13 And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?
Rev 7:14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
What then could the expression mean - "the fine linen (in which the wife is arrayed) is the righteousness of saints"? Is this the full realization of "imparted righteousness"?
If so, then if we desire to be among that group, should we not study to know exactly what it means - "His wife hath made herself ready"?
What is that "readiness" by which the righteousness of Christ can become ours in a personal possessive sense?
John next sees "heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and He that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He doth judge and make war." (19:11)
This description and that which follows when Christ rides forth as King of kings and Lord of lords is not only replete with Old Testament imagery of the conquering Christ, but also brings together various symbols used in Revelation itself.
When the Lamb opened the book sealed with seven seals, the first seal revealed "a white horse" with a rider who receiving a bow, and a crown, went forth "conquering and to conquer." (6:2)
There were arrayed against him, the forces of evil - human strife, poverty, pestilences, hunger and death.
A price was paid in this warfare.
John sees "souls under the altar" who cry unto God, "How long, 0 Lord?" (6:10)
When the sixth seal is opened, the signs which would herald the coming response of God are noted. Interjected into the vision is the first introduction of the 144,000, followed by the seventh seal - "silence in heaven."
Now in the final confrontation portrayed in the 19th Chapter, all "the armies in heaven followed Him on white horses." (19:14)
There is silence in heaven, but not so on earth.
"Out of His mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it He should smite the nations. ... And He treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God." (19:15)
A description of this winepress closed the vision connected with the six angels of Revelation 14. "The vine of the earth" - those whose roots have been of the earth earthly - weeds and tares - face the wrath of Him whom they have rejected that He should not rule over them. He now rules them with a rod of iron, and the sword of His mouth destroys them. (See II Thess. 2:8)
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 "violence" in the overthrow of "Babylon the great" (18:21), the "wrath of Almighty God" (19:15), and "the wrath of the Lamb" (6:16) produce a "blood-letting" unparalleled in time. (14:20)
The "names" noted in this revelation of the Lamb provoke thought.
He has a personal name engraved on His crowns, that He himself alone knows. (v. 12)
His vesture dipped in blood has inscribed upon it the name, "King of kings, and Lord of lords." (vers. 13, 16)
He is also called the Word of God - the Logos.
Once in the book of Revelation, Jesus Christ speaks as "the Son of God" (2:18). Now as He comes forth to "judge and make war" He returns to His original relationship in the Godhead - "the Logos of God" - He who was in the beginning with God. (John 1:1-2)
Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Joh 1:2 The same was in the beginning with God.
The language and thought describing the "conquering" King of kings and Lord of lords is found in Isaiah 63:1-6. A thoughtful reading of these verses reveals the "tension" between what He provided as He tread "the winepress alone" and the judgment upon those who reject this great provision of salvation.
Isa 63:1 Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save.
Isa 63:2 Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat?
Isa 63:3 I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment.
Isa 63:4 For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come.
Isa 63:5 And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me; and my fury, it upheld me.
Isa 63:6 And I will tread down the people in mine anger, and make them drunk in my fury, and I will bring down their strength to the earth.
As the Word of God rides forth to "judge and make war," He does not come unopposed. "The beast and kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him that sat on the horse, and against His army." (19:19) They had been gathered together by "spirits of devils" to "a place called in the Hebrew, Har-Mo'ed," for "the war (Gr.) of the great day of God Almighty." (16:13-14, 16) The "beast" and "the false prophet" are taken and cast "alive" into "the lake of fire." (Gr. 19:20) Daniel speaks of the "beast" which had "the little horn" as being "given to the burning flame." (7:11)
The problem which arises is that "the lake of fire" in which the dragon and the lost are cast does not come till the close of the Millennium (20:9-10). Must a symbolic meaning be given to its use in 19:20, even as the "beast" and "false prophet" are symbols of Systems? The "lake of fire" represents "total annihilation." Is this telling then that with the close of human history at the Second Advent, the systems of earth through which the Devil deceived mankind are ended? After the 1000 years, Satan in person goes "out to deceive the nations of the earth." (20:8)
After the scenes of war and strife, and the final destruction of sin and sinners are revealed to John, he sees "a new heaven and a new earth." He hears from the throne the promise, "Behold I make all things new." He is told - "Write, for these words are true and faithful." (21:5)
AMEN!
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Prophecy - 107 - Those who cannot stand for truth now, how can they expect to stand then?
Revelation 18, 19
WWN 1995 Oct -- XXVIII -- 10(95) -- EXEGESIS OF REVELATION -- THE TALE OF TWO CITIES -- Part 6 --
So much Adventist tradition has been built around the "angel" of Revelation 18, that it is most difficult to analyze just what is written without reading into the text some aspects of that tradition.
The message of this angel which comes down from heaven "having great authority" is similar to the message of the second angel of Revelation 14 with certain distinct differences.
Babylon has now become "the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and the cage of every unclean and hateful bird." (ver. 2)
Instead of the proffered wine which Babylon made all nations drink (14:8), the nations now have drunk (perfect tense), and the leaders ("kings") of the earth have committed fornication with her and the "merchants of the earth" have profited by their association. (18:3)
The union between the combined forces of religion - "Babylon the great" - and the governments of earth is complete.
The dire warning is that the power which activates these religious forces is the power of the devil.
To all outward appearances, he has become the undisputed sovereign of the earth.
If we understand the symbolism of this angel the same as the symbolism of the three angels of Revelation 14, it represents a "MOVEMENT" under the direction of this assigned angel of heaven who is given great authority to carry out his mandate.
But when will this take place?
Obviously from the text, it is JUST PRIOR to the pouring out of the Seven Last Plagues, because these are spoken of as still future in the context (18:8).
Rev 18:8 Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.
Yet the message declares that the forces of evil have fixed their abode in Babylon - "Babylon ... is become the habitation of devils." (18:2)
Rev 18:2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.
This prior event noted in the prophecy is the working of "the spirits of devils" as they gather "the kings of the earth and the whole world" to "the battle of that great day of God Almighty." (Rev. 16:14) (Keep in mind that Revelation 16:13-16 describes activity in "the last remnant of time" which is the justification of the sixth plague, verse 12. See WWN, 8/95, pp 3-4; also note Great Controversy, pp. 561-562)
The revelation of what the Harlot says in her heart "I sit a queen, and am no more a widow..." (18:7) - clearly defines the time of the message of this fourth angel as congruent with the "harlot" riding forth out of the wilderness on the scarlet colored beast. (17:3-5)
While yet future, it is the immediate future! We can even now see the beginnings of this final confrontation.
Within the two chapters - the 17th and the 18th -certain time references are given.
The ten horns "receive power as kings one hour with the beast." (17:12)
While the harlot's plagues "come in one day" (18:8),
in "one hour is [her] judgment come" (v. 10).
"In one hour" her "great riches is come to nought" (v. 17).
"In one hour is she made desolate" (v. 19).
A close comparison of the wording would indicate that the same time allocated to the reign of the ten horns, is the same amount of time that these horns use to turn on the harlot and make her "desolate." (Compare 17:12, 17 with 18:19)
Rev 17:12 And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.
Rev 17:17 For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.
Rev 18:19 And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate.
While a prophetic day equals one year (Eze. 4:6), the hour, if reckoned as a 24th part of the prophetic day, would be 15 literal days.
However, hora, the Greek word for hour, can mean a short period of time, rather than a literal 24 hours.
Whatever reckoning of time is used, there is one thing certain - "the final movements will be rapid ones."
It is indicated that those on the side of the Lamb "are called, and chosen, and and faithful." (17:14)
Little do we realize what faithfulness in that hour will mean.
To all appearances, Christ has come.
Spiritual wonders convince the eye.
The third millennium projects unity, peace and prosperity.
For the human instruments to give the warning of the fourth angel will require an absolute confidence in the revelation of the Word contrary to all outward appearances.
For those on the side of the Lamb will have to call the great return to "moral values" the working of Satan disguised as an angel of light.
Those who cannot stand for truth now, how can they expect to stand then?
The 18th Chapter closes with an illustration. A mighty angel takes a millstone and casts it into the sea, saying, "Thus with violence shall the great city be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all." (18:21)
Pen cannot describe, the carnage, the anarchy - "the violence" - which will ensue when the inhabitants of earth awaken to the fact that through religious deception they have lost all in the battle of life and have joined forces with Satan against Christ.
*******
Read this again--
'To all appearances, Christ has come.'
Now take a moment and really, really IMAGINE this!
PEOPLE worldwide are going to believe that Christ has come back to earth!!!!!!!
At this point it's all been decided, probation is over and the deception is completed. Is it possible that the impersonation of Christ's coming will be right up there along with the mark of the beast? Seriously. We know all those who receive the mark of the beast are on Satan's side. We know all those sealed by God are will be saved and will NOT be caught up in the mark of the beast or fooled by the impersonation of our Savior's return.
Can you even imagine, seriously imagine having people all around you- hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, millions of people believing that Christ has returned and you NOT believing?!
Can you imagine even people of religions that have nothing to do with our Lord and Savior suddenly changing their faith because they believe that Jesus Christ has returned to earth as the Christian faith has foretold? This impersonation will be so real, so incredibly realistic to deceive all but the very elect. Those who aren't sealed, or going to be sealed will be DECEIVED! Completely and utterly deceived.
'Spiritual wonders convince the eye.' This is true! So many will rely on their physical sight and be deceived.
'For the human instruments to give the warning of the fourth angel will require an absolute confidence in the revelation of the Word contrary to all outward appearances.'
CONTRARY to ALL outward appearance! EVERYTHING outward will tell us to believe in this false Christ! And yet if we are going to belong to our Savior we have to rely on the Word of God we've studied and studied and studied. Being swayed by popular opinion for good or bad has become so incredibly popular. In some countries today there are men, women, and even children who are choosing to believe in Christ's truth and they are being put to death, they are suffering unimaginably for their faith which goes far against what the majority of people in their environment believe. But we who don't live like that at all, we who have the fortune of living in a country where religious freedom is supposed to be one of our constitutional rights, will we really be able to stand up for the true Christ in face of an impersonator Christ that has deceived almost every single person around us?
We have to realize that these people- the majority- will believe they are following GOD! When we denounce their God as being false we will be the ones targeted as being God haters! Christ haters! That will be what we are labeled and it's something we need to think about now because if we wait to think about all this another time then it is very, very likely that we will be among the deceived simply because we haven't studied, we don't know the word of truth as God would have us know it, and we will be led astray by words that sound wonderful and sweet, soothing words of peace, of safety, of love. To stand out against all that *good* stuff will be all but impossibly unless we realize in our heart of hearts that the truth is with our Savior in His word of truth, through His righteousness alone and it's not here and now on earth. He isn't coming to take over as prince of this world when He returns, He is calling us to meet Him in the air and live with Him in heaven for 1000 years-- THIS is BIBLICAL! This is TRUTH!
Please Lord help us! Help us stay with you in all truth always! Please Lord keep us from being deceived!
In Your amazing love!
AMEN!
WWN 1995 Oct -- XXVIII -- 10(95) -- EXEGESIS OF REVELATION -- THE TALE OF TWO CITIES -- Part 6 --
So much Adventist tradition has been built around the "angel" of Revelation 18, that it is most difficult to analyze just what is written without reading into the text some aspects of that tradition.
The message of this angel which comes down from heaven "having great authority" is similar to the message of the second angel of Revelation 14 with certain distinct differences.
Babylon has now become "the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and the cage of every unclean and hateful bird." (ver. 2)
Instead of the proffered wine which Babylon made all nations drink (14:8), the nations now have drunk (perfect tense), and the leaders ("kings") of the earth have committed fornication with her and the "merchants of the earth" have profited by their association. (18:3)
The union between the combined forces of religion - "Babylon the great" - and the governments of earth is complete.
The dire warning is that the power which activates these religious forces is the power of the devil.
To all outward appearances, he has become the undisputed sovereign of the earth.
If we understand the symbolism of this angel the same as the symbolism of the three angels of Revelation 14, it represents a "MOVEMENT" under the direction of this assigned angel of heaven who is given great authority to carry out his mandate.
But when will this take place?
Obviously from the text, it is JUST PRIOR to the pouring out of the Seven Last Plagues, because these are spoken of as still future in the context (18:8).
Rev 18:8 Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.
Yet the message declares that the forces of evil have fixed their abode in Babylon - "Babylon ... is become the habitation of devils." (18:2)
Rev 18:2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.
This prior event noted in the prophecy is the working of "the spirits of devils" as they gather "the kings of the earth and the whole world" to "the battle of that great day of God Almighty." (Rev. 16:14) (Keep in mind that Revelation 16:13-16 describes activity in "the last remnant of time" which is the justification of the sixth plague, verse 12. See WWN, 8/95, pp 3-4; also note Great Controversy, pp. 561-562)
The revelation of what the Harlot says in her heart "I sit a queen, and am no more a widow..." (18:7) - clearly defines the time of the message of this fourth angel as congruent with the "harlot" riding forth out of the wilderness on the scarlet colored beast. (17:3-5)
While yet future, it is the immediate future! We can even now see the beginnings of this final confrontation.
Within the two chapters - the 17th and the 18th -certain time references are given.
The ten horns "receive power as kings one hour with the beast." (17:12)
While the harlot's plagues "come in one day" (18:8),
in "one hour is [her] judgment come" (v. 10).
"In one hour" her "great riches is come to nought" (v. 17).
"In one hour is she made desolate" (v. 19).
A close comparison of the wording would indicate that the same time allocated to the reign of the ten horns, is the same amount of time that these horns use to turn on the harlot and make her "desolate." (Compare 17:12, 17 with 18:19)
Rev 17:12 And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.
Rev 17:17 For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.
Rev 18:19 And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate.
While a prophetic day equals one year (Eze. 4:6), the hour, if reckoned as a 24th part of the prophetic day, would be 15 literal days.
However, hora, the Greek word for hour, can mean a short period of time, rather than a literal 24 hours.
Whatever reckoning of time is used, there is one thing certain - "the final movements will be rapid ones."
It is indicated that those on the side of the Lamb "are called, and chosen, and and faithful." (17:14)
Little do we realize what faithfulness in that hour will mean.
To all appearances, Christ has come.
Spiritual wonders convince the eye.
The third millennium projects unity, peace and prosperity.
For the human instruments to give the warning of the fourth angel will require an absolute confidence in the revelation of the Word contrary to all outward appearances.
For those on the side of the Lamb will have to call the great return to "moral values" the working of Satan disguised as an angel of light.
Those who cannot stand for truth now, how can they expect to stand then?
The 18th Chapter closes with an illustration. A mighty angel takes a millstone and casts it into the sea, saying, "Thus with violence shall the great city be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all." (18:21)
Pen cannot describe, the carnage, the anarchy - "the violence" - which will ensue when the inhabitants of earth awaken to the fact that through religious deception they have lost all in the battle of life and have joined forces with Satan against Christ.
*******
Read this again--
'To all appearances, Christ has come.'
Now take a moment and really, really IMAGINE this!
PEOPLE worldwide are going to believe that Christ has come back to earth!!!!!!!
At this point it's all been decided, probation is over and the deception is completed. Is it possible that the impersonation of Christ's coming will be right up there along with the mark of the beast? Seriously. We know all those who receive the mark of the beast are on Satan's side. We know all those sealed by God are will be saved and will NOT be caught up in the mark of the beast or fooled by the impersonation of our Savior's return.
Can you even imagine, seriously imagine having people all around you- hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, millions of people believing that Christ has returned and you NOT believing?!
Can you imagine even people of religions that have nothing to do with our Lord and Savior suddenly changing their faith because they believe that Jesus Christ has returned to earth as the Christian faith has foretold? This impersonation will be so real, so incredibly realistic to deceive all but the very elect. Those who aren't sealed, or going to be sealed will be DECEIVED! Completely and utterly deceived.
'Spiritual wonders convince the eye.' This is true! So many will rely on their physical sight and be deceived.
'For the human instruments to give the warning of the fourth angel will require an absolute confidence in the revelation of the Word contrary to all outward appearances.'
CONTRARY to ALL outward appearance! EVERYTHING outward will tell us to believe in this false Christ! And yet if we are going to belong to our Savior we have to rely on the Word of God we've studied and studied and studied. Being swayed by popular opinion for good or bad has become so incredibly popular. In some countries today there are men, women, and even children who are choosing to believe in Christ's truth and they are being put to death, they are suffering unimaginably for their faith which goes far against what the majority of people in their environment believe. But we who don't live like that at all, we who have the fortune of living in a country where religious freedom is supposed to be one of our constitutional rights, will we really be able to stand up for the true Christ in face of an impersonator Christ that has deceived almost every single person around us?
We have to realize that these people- the majority- will believe they are following GOD! When we denounce their God as being false we will be the ones targeted as being God haters! Christ haters! That will be what we are labeled and it's something we need to think about now because if we wait to think about all this another time then it is very, very likely that we will be among the deceived simply because we haven't studied, we don't know the word of truth as God would have us know it, and we will be led astray by words that sound wonderful and sweet, soothing words of peace, of safety, of love. To stand out against all that *good* stuff will be all but impossibly unless we realize in our heart of hearts that the truth is with our Savior in His word of truth, through His righteousness alone and it's not here and now on earth. He isn't coming to take over as prince of this world when He returns, He is calling us to meet Him in the air and live with Him in heaven for 1000 years-- THIS is BIBLICAL! This is TRUTH!
Please Lord help us! Help us stay with you in all truth always! Please Lord keep us from being deceived!
In Your amazing love!
AMEN!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)