Pastor's Revelation Notes
The Details Of The Millennial Kingdom And The New Jerusalem Rev. 21-22 3/31/09
In chapter 20 we have a birds eye view of the millennium, but in chapters 21 and 22 we look at the details of the millennial kingdom and its relationship to the heavenly city, the New Jerusalem. John begins in 21:1 by speaking of a new heaven and new earth. Some scholars have thought that this refers to something after the millennial earth is destroyed. But no scripture is of any private interpretation. We must interpret scripture with scripture. Thus, Isaiah 65:17-25 makes it very clear that this new heaven and new earth is a description of the millennial earth during the thousand year reign of Christ. In verse 17 the prophet writes, "For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth...(v. 17) and in verse 20 it says, "There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed." Finally in verse 25 it says, "The wolf and the lamp shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like a bullock..." These are clearly millenial kingdom verses, but clearly are described as the new heaven and new earth.
The old earth is destroyed, according to II Peter 3:10-11 during the fiery judgments of the Day of the Lord Wrath which takes place during the part of the final three and a half years that will follow the amputated tribulation. After this catastrophic destruction, culminating in the dissolution of the old earth described in II Pet. 3:12, on the first day of the millennium, God's divine power will fulfill His promise of a new millennial earth and heavens as well( see II Pet. 3:13 ) . After this destruction there will be a supernatural Divine renovation at the beginning of the millennial kingdom. Christ refers to this in Matthew 19:28 when He states, "...Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel."
In Rev. 21:2 he speaks of the New Jerusalem which will descend with the church that has been raptured( see chapter 7) and has gone through the judgment seat of Christ during the 30 days after the 70th week in heaven( see Revelation, chapter 11 and Daniel 12 for the 30 extra days, plus 45 days of preparing for the kingdom rule after the final 30 days of bowl judgment wrath of God). The bride has been peacefully dwelling in her prepared place and now, after the Bridegroom accompanied by angels wins the battle of Armaggedon and reclaims the earth, she is ready to have her home moved from heaven to the top of an elevated Mount Zion and be suspended over earthly Mount Zion with the base of the city enveloping the heavenly temple which has been moved from the heavenly city to rest upon the top of elevated earthly Mount Zion.
It has been said that in chapter 21:1 it states, "and there was no more sea." Since the millennial kingdom speaks of fishing in the Dead Sea whose waters will be healed by the waters issuing from the threshold of the millennial temple, how can it be said of the millennial earth, "and there was no more sea?" One of the definitions for "sea' in the Websters 1828 Dictionary is that of the ocean. Obviously, the waters of judgment from the flood of Noah still exist in the large bodies of ocean water worldwide. During this time after the Day of the Lord, these large bodies of ocean waters will not exist. The earth will be mainly land without the large oceans that now exist. But there will still be lakes, rivers, and smaller sea- like bodies of water such as what we call the Dead Sea today.
Bird's Eye View Of The Millennial Dispensation 2/3/09
In Revelation 20, the writer records the key events at the beginning and at the end of His 1,000 year reign. Thus, chapter 20 is an overview of His millennial reign. Therefore, firstly, John records that at the beginning, an angel of the Lord binds Satan and casts him into the bottomless pit at the center of the earth(Revelation 20:1-3).
Then John sees thrones and glorified saints sitting upon those seats of authority to rule during the millennium. There are two groups of the reigning saints apparently sighted here. First, it seems that he refers to a certain group of Tribulation Jewish martyrs in Israel who are evangelizing the Jewish people right under the nose of the Beast and his AntiChrist(see Matt. 10:22,23). After these are killed these are seen as souls in heaven under the altar in Revelation 6:9-11, and finally here they are resurrected on the first day of the millennium to rule for 1,000 years. They are resurrected after the rapture which already, at this point, had occurred when the Tribulation was cut short by it and just before the Day of the Lord occurred( Rev. 20:4-6). The other and larger group of glorified saints are those of the group seen in heaven after the rapture in Revelation 7:9-17. John points out that both of these groups are of the first resurrection. Later in this chapter he will point out the unsaved deadsecond resurrection(Rev. 20:11-16).
Of course, the millennial dispensation is the most perfect since that of innocence in the garden of Eden. However, in Eden Satan was not bound as in the millennium. Nevertheless, the millennium, as in every other dispensation, ends in human failure. Satan is released from his bondage in hell at the end of it and he proceeds to gather all the unregenerate people born during the kingdom age and lead them in a war against the holy city in Jerusalem. The rebels are soon destroyed by Divine fire from above. Thereafter, Satan is not merely temporarily bound, but cast into the lake of fire where he will be tormented eternally along with the beast and false prophet who are there already. Finally comes the great white throne judgment where the unsaved dead of all ages stand trial and are then cast into the lake of fire to be tormented forever and ever(Rev. 20:11-15).
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The Bride, The Battle, and the Banishment Rev. 19
In chapter 19 we go from the destruction of the UN city of Babylon by the beast so he can be the undisputed ruler of the earth up to heaven to see what is happening to the Bride of Christ. The timing is now near the end of the 30 days after the 70th week is done. After the rapture was the reunion of the Bride with Christ and with her loved ones in heaven. Then came the judgment seat of Christ as mentioned in chapter 11. Now we see the marriage ceremony in heaven between the Lord and His bride.
Following the marriage in heaven the Lord returns with the armies of heaven to fight the final battle of Armageddon against the united armies of the world under the Beast. The winner will take possession of the earth. The Lord will win, but the armies of heaven will not be His Bride. Who takes his new bride to fight in a war with Him? Besides we see the Bride descending in the New Jerusalem on the first day of the Millennium in chapter 21. The armies of heaven are the angels who have been the key players in pouring out the Lord's wrath during the Day of the Lord.
Finally, the chapter ends with the Beast and his False Prophet, Priest, and King(AntiChrist) being taken and cast into the lake of fire! Praise the Lord for this great victory!
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Babylon Is Coming Back! Revelation 17 and 18 11/30/08
The great whore of Revelation 17 is the city of Babylon. This city is first mentioned in Genesis 10 as being built by Nimrod, the mighty hunter before the Lord. In Genesis 11 it is the site of rebellion by the world after the flood. Instead of being scattered as God commanded they united into a one world government to build a tower to reach God like status. They were united economically and religiously at that time. The Revelation is clear that the city of Babylon will be rebuilt in Mesopatamia in modern day Iraq on the Euphrates River. According to Revelation 17 and 18 the city will have incredible wealth and will be the center of the global economy which is the center of greedy wickedness as is stated in Zechariah 5:5-11.
The whore(Babylon) will ride the Beast(revived Rome and its ruler). This most likely means that, as in Genesis 11, this city will be the center of a UN government and economy that the Beast must work with in order to carry out his global agenda. This is why he will destroy the city in one day just before the battle of Armageddon in order to be in total control of the world.
Look for the soon to be rebuilt global center to be a rebuilt city of Babylon.
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The Final Wrath Of God In 7 Bowls(Vials) 11/27/08
In Revelation 16 the events of the pouring out of the 7 vials(bowls) of the final wrath of God takes place. These are rapid and wide spread as they take place between about day 6 and day 30 of the 30 day reclamation of the earth. They will bring total devastation of the earth and which will require the Divine renovation to bring about the new earth described in the millennial kingdom of chapters 21 and 22.
As with the trumpets God employs angels to signal is wrath.The first judgment appears to be malignant sores in verse 2. The second is the entire sea(oceans of the world) turning to blood. This is different than chapter 8 where only 1/3 of the seas are judged. The third is a judgment upon all the fresh waters which is just since the blood of martyrs for Christ was flowing like water during the tribulation. Then the 4th judgment causes the sun to scorch people and the fifth gives them total darkness. These things happen in rapid succession as the people are still suffering from the sores and the burns, and yet are now in darkness. Their response is to curse God. They know these judgments are from Him and yet they curse Him. What are testimony to the depravity of the human heart. Finally the 6th angel causes the Euphrates River to be dried so that the kings of the Orient can be gathered by demons proceeding from Satan, the beast, and the false prophet. The 7th bowl judgment causes the greatest earth quake in the historry of the world. It brings down all the mountains, including islands, which are mountains in the sea. It triggers devastating tsunamis and volcanoes. The volcanoes cause it to rain down a hail of stones(lithinos), not ice. These stones way about 100 pounds each.
Finally the destruction of Babylon is recorded, but the Lord will give chapters 17 and 18 to described the destruction of this center of future world government, economy, and religion. Then in chapter 19 all that is left to reclaim the earth is for Christ to defeat the combined armies of the world at the battle of Armageddon.
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Preparations In Heaven For The Final Wrath of God Upon The Earth Rev. 15:1-8 11/16/08
After the interruption in the chronological time sequence in chapters 12 and 13 and after the 2 harvests explained in chapter 14, John sees 7 angels in heaven ready to pour out the final wrath of God upon the earth. Thus, this connects with the unfolding of events on day 5 of the 30 day reclamation of the earth that is recorded in Revelation 11:15-19.
Not only does John see the 7 angels in heaven, but he sees the raptured Bride of Christ that was raptured out of great tribulation as described in chapter 7. She is made up of the Old Testament and New Testament saints as they sing of the redemption of Moses and then they sing of the greater redemption of the Lamb(15:4). Also, there appears in heaven the true Ark of the Covenant of which the one in the Tabernacle and Old Testament Temples was only a copy or type. Of course in Hebrews 9:12 this heavenly Ark is the place where the blood of Christ was poured upon the heavenly Mercy Seat after His resurrection. It is fitting that it appears here at this time just before the Lord reclaims the earth. That is important because in the dispensation of the law with the earthly copy and the inferior animal sacrifices, Israel was not able to be reconciled to God and so mediate God's kingdom on earth. But now the 70 weeks of Daniel 9 are fulfilled and Israel has been reconciled to God through the blood of the Lamb poured upon the Ark in heaven. Thus, God's power and presence are ready to be brought to bear upon the earth from his heavenly Throne and Temple and He will judge and repossess the earth! Therefore, at this time, the heavenly Temple is filled with the Shekinah Glory of the Lord until the angels receive the 7 vials(bowls) of God's final wrath from one of the 4 seraphim that surround His heavenly throne and until they pour out each and every one of them upon the earth.
Stay tuned in chapter 16 for the earthly unfolding of these heavenly preparations.
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Two Great Harvests By The Lord Jesus Christ - Rev. 14:14-20 11/10/08
There are two harvests at this point in the Revelation. The first looks back from this point in the chronological unfolding in Revelation. The time at this point is just after the blowing of the 7th trumpet on day 5 of the extra 30 days after the 7 years and just before the pouring out of the 7 bowl judgments from day 6 to day 30 of the final wrath of God. The first starts in Rev. 14:14 where we see a white cloud and one like unto the Son of Man sitting on it. This is like the one in the firey furnace that the king of Babylon saw. He has a sharp sickle in his hand that will separate the wheat(true believers) from the tares(unsaved). This, of course, is the Lord Jesus Himself. This will happen at the rapture just before the wrath of God is poured out after the great tribulation and sometime part way through the last 3 and 1/2 years of the second half of the final 7 years.
The second harvest speaks of grapes that are put into a great wine press and the blood is splattered up to a height of the bridles of horses for about 200 miles the the plain of Meggido. This is spoken of in Revelation 14:17-20 and it is the battle of Armageddon that will take place on the last day of the 30 reclamation period as a result of the pouring out of the 7th bowl. This battle will be between all the armies of the earth and Jesus Christ leading the angelic armies of heaven. The winner will be Jesus Christ, the rightful heir of the earth!
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Three Warnings Worth Heeding (Rev. 14) 11/2/08
Revelation 14 continues where chapter 11 left off chronologically speaking. In chapter 11:15 the 7th trumpet has blown as the Lamb is with the 144,000 on Mount Zion outside of Jerusalem. In Daniel 12:11 the prophet speaks of an extra 30 days beyond the second 3 and 1/2 years of the final 7 years before Armageddon. Here on Mount Zion as the 7th trumpet is blown it is day 5 of the extra 30 days. The events of chapter 14 occur just prior to the 7 bowl judgments that are to be unleashed with the blowing of the 7th trumpet.
There are three events recorded here that will take place at this time. First, is an angel that appears in the sky(heaven) speaking in a loud voice of God as the Creator who has the gospel of salvation to give one last opportunity to any that has taken the mark to be allowed to get saved. Since the bowl judgments will be rapid, powerful, and world wide this shows God's great mercy. It must be given by an angel because the church of Christ was raptured between the 6th and 7th trumpet. Israel as a nation has been saved on day three of the 30 days(see Hosea 6:1-3) and is now to be hidden in the valley of Azal when the Mount of Olives splits on day 5 or 6(see Zechariah 14). Thus, only an angel can get the job done. How important it is to God to get the gospel out at all times! The second event is seen in verse 8 when another angel warns of the destruction of the commercial and governmental center of the world located in Babylon, Iraq. Iraq and that ancient city will become the center of great wealth and the U.N. will likely be located there. God will use the beast himself just before Armageddon to destroy it with a nuclear strike. His motive is that the city(the whore) through its international bankers and U.N. mandates have some control over him( "the woman rides the beast"). Thus, in Revelation 18 he does away once and for all with the woman(Babylon). Finally, the third angelic message is to remind those that took the mark during the tribuation that they have had their peace and prosperity. Unfortunately for them it lasted less than 3 and 1/2 years. Now they are reminded that they made a bad deal with the devil! Such a short time of peace and prosperity while those that refused the mark suffered. But now the saints will have eternal bliss while the beast worshippers must suffer for ever and ever in the lake of fire. This message is true today for those that refuse the Lord's invitation to salvation in Christ who will be sent strong delusion to accept the mark(II Thes. 2). Receive the true Christ now before it is too late for you!
The Eighth and Final Beast Empire To Try To Destroy Israel
(Revelation 13) 10/17/08
In Revelation 12 the Lord reveals His chosen nation Israel and the fact that Messiah that will come from them notwithstanding Satanic opposition. Further, that Israel will be allowed to go through a Satanically inspired time of great tribulation, but that a number of the nation that refuse to bow to Satan's man will be Divinely protected as they flee to southern Jordan to hide. Satan's man will then vent his wrath upon born again Christians that have trusted the Saviour of Israel as their Lord and Saviour(Rev. 12:17).
Now in Revelation 13, the focus is upon the Satanically inspired beast empires that have dominated, at times, and have persecuted the woman of chapter 12, Israel. In 13:1 John is "standing upon the sea" which is the sea of nations that surround the Medditerranean Sea and from which a final end time beast empire will revive. This beast empire is an eighth beast empire and its ruler will arise from hell to rule over it . He will have ruled one of the previous seven beast empires(Rev. 17:9-11). Daniel mentions four of these beast empires because when he wrote, Babylon, the 3rd of these empires was ruling. Next, he predicted that Medo-Persia would replace it, followed by the Grecian empire of Alexander the great. Finally, Daniel predicts a terrible and strong beast empire that would be the Roman Empire. These empires are pictured as an image in Daniel 2 and as beasts in Daniel 7. The two beast empires before Daniel that the Bible shows had power over and persecuted Israel were Egypt and Assyria. Egypt enslaved Israel and its Pharoah tried to destroy it by infanticide on two occasions. Assyria attacked Israel in 722 B.C. and took them, that is, ten of their tribes captive and scattered them unto the nations.
Thus, that accounts for 6 of these 8 empires. Yet, Daniel, in chapter 9 predicted that from 445 B.C. until A.D. 32 when Messiah the Prince would be cut off after 69 times 7 years or that 483 years would elapse until an event in the life of their Messiah when the nation would reject Him officially. Daniel was showing further that there would be an indefinite delay before the last 7 years that would be needed to chasten Israel under her Mosaic system so that she would be reconciled to her God through faith in her Messiah. In Revelation 13, a seventh beast empire would arise to persecute Israel during the time of this gap or Divine delay due to Israel's rejection of her Messiah at His first coming. During this gap, which began in A.D. 32, beginning in A.D.70 Israel was removed from her promised land and lived in diaspora until A.D. 1948 when she became a nation again. A seventh beast empire has arisen during this time not seen by the prophet Daniel, but revealed to John by the Lord in about A.D. 90. That beast empire can be none other than Nazi Germany under Adolf Hitler which killed about 6 million Jews during World War two.
The final beast empire(an eighth) will arise during the last 7 years. One of the 7 previous empire leaders will rule over the revived Roman Empire and this end time empire will grow to include all of the previous 7 beast empires during the second half of the 70th week. A second beast will arise with this political leader(the first beast) and he will be over the economy and will be a religious Christ figure that will force the people to worship the first beast if they are to be able to participate in the one world economy at all.
Since the first beast will have been one of the previous 7 beast empire rulers and since he will have been wounded to death by a sword(military weapon), I believe I know his identity. Keep in mind that his soul is in hell now, but that by some type of demonic cloning his body will live again with his soul. The Bible says in Rev. 13 that the whole world will wonder after him. They will recognize him once his disquise is removed and he is revealed as stated in II Thes. 2. I believe that only Adolf Hitler could fit the bill of this beast!
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Satan's Hatred For God's Chosen Nation and God's Protection (Revelation 12) 10/12/08
Revelation 11 ends on day 5 of the 30 days following the end of the 70th week and Revelation 14 begins at the same time frame where Revelation 11 ends. Chapters 12 and 13 act as a parenthesis in the chronological time that unfolds through chapter 11 and continues in chapter 14. In chapter 12 the vision of the woman concerns the chosen nation of Israel with the sun and moon referring to Jacob and Leah as revealed in Joseph's dream recorded in Genesis 37:9-11. In Genesis 10 God reveals the nations of the world after the flood as to the ancestry. Then in Genesis 12-50 God unfolds his plan for His chosen nation, Israel, through which Messiah will come to save the world and who will reign over the world as the King of kings.
Revelation 12 talks about cosmic warfare where the arch angel, Lucifer, drew a third part of the stars(angels) of heaven to follow him. This rebellious archangel is shown as a great red dragon and he stood ready to devour the Messiah as soon as he was born. He was working through king Herod who told the wise men that he wanted to worship Him, but when they didn't tell him where he was, he had all the Bethlehem area babies 2 years old and younger killed. Next the scene is shifted in verse 5 to the ascension of Christ after His resurrection. Then in verse 6 the scene moves forward to the woman fleeing into the wilderness at the beginning of the great tribulation which starts in the middle of the 7 years.
The heavenly background of this great tribulation on earth is shown to result from a war in heaven between the dragon and his angels and Michael and his angels. Then the dragon is defeated and his access to heaven is denied. He is cast down to the earth where he and his fallen angels effect the great tribulation against the woman and the remnant of her seed(the Saviour). Since this remnant are those that keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of the Lord Jesus, this refers to born again Christians that will be persecuted after the woman (Israel) successfully flees from the dragon. Revelation 12:11 is clear that the Lord will give us grace to over come at that time.
Michael, the arch angel is called in Daniel the prince and protector of Israel. However, after the war in heaven he , according to II Thessalonians 2:6-9, will stop his restraining work for a brief time on earth to allow the great tribulation to unfold.
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The Judgment Seat of Christ(Rev. 11:18) September 28, 2008
The typical pretribulation postion is that the judgment Seat of Christ takes place in heaven before the 70th week begins. But it is clear that in Rev. 11:18 it takes place between day 5 or 6 and day 30 of the 30 days following the 70th week mentioned in Daniel 12:11. The church of the first born has already been raptured as previously taught sometime during the last 3 and 1/2 years of the 70th week just before the Day of the Lord Wrath. After our heavenly reunion with our Lord and all his saints and after he hides the remnant of Israel at Azal(Zechariah 14:5), he will hold court in heaven to give rewards for the position of the saints in his soon to come millennial reign. It is important that we live to lay up rewards that will compound even after we die and until the judgment seat of Christ during the 30 reclamation period of Daniel 12:11.
Pouring Out The Wrath of God in the Large Scroll-The Trumpets(Rev.8:1-11:15)
April 22, 2008
The breaking of the 7th seal allows for the opening of the large scroll and the unleashing of the wrath of God contained therein. We see this wrath will be announced in segments each preceded by a trumpet blast sounded by an angelic messenger(8:2). Before the trumpets sound there is a peace like the eye of a hurricane that signals great fury is about to come(8:1). Then we see that God 's wrath, although from Him, is in answer to the prayers of His persecuted saints which are not forgotten(8:3-5). We must always remember that a delay in the answer to our prayers does not mean that God doesn't care and that He doesn't see. When He finally does answer after a long delay, it, as is the case here, is very dynamic, dramatic, and decisive to our enemies.
It should be noted that the general characteristic of these trumpets of God's wrath is that of fire. He judged the world the first time in the days of Noah with water, but in the coming demonstration of His wrath it will be by fire. This is referred to by Peter in II Pet. 3:3-13. This fire will not eradicate the earth, but rather prepare to renovate it for the new heavens and earth of the millennial reign of Christ.
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Pinpointing and Preparing For The Wrath of God During The Day Of The Lord(Rev. 6:12-7:17)
April 4, 2008
In Rev. 6:12 with the opening of the sixth seal, the cosmic darkening that announces the Day of
he Lord Wrath takes place(see Joel 2:31). Further, the people of the earth in Rev. 6:16 hide in caves and in rocks and cry out to be hidden from the wrath of God that will be poured out just after the 7th seal is opened.
Then in Revelation chapter 7 before the 7th seal is opened which contains all of the 7 trumpets of wrath that are revealed in the large scroll, two important preparations take place. The first is the sealing of the 144,000 which will be the first fruits to be saved from the nation of Israel after the seventieth week of Daniel is fulfilled. This group will be protected on earth during the day of the Lord wrath. But secondly, at this point is the rapture of the bride of Christ, the church of the first born. In Revelation 7:9-17, the apostle sees this multitude now in heaven with white robes and crying "salvation(deliverance through rapture) to our God..." Thus, here the rapture takes place after the tribulation is cut short by the cosmic darkening of the 6th seal and just before the opening of the 7th seal that releases the Day of the Lord's wrath.
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The Seven Seals That Open The Large Scroll - Revelation 6 - March 27, 2008
The large book(scroll) is sealed with seven seals that must be broken before the wrath of God written about within the scroll may be released so that the Lord Jesus may reclaim God's rule over the earth. As stated before the seals are not the wrath of God, but are prior events during the seventieth week of Daniel that must occur before God will pour out His Day of the Lord Wrath. The first four of these seals parallels our Lord's teaching in Matthew 24 about the beginning of sorrows in verses 4 through 8. The fifth seal shows the souls of the martyred from the time of the Great Tribulation now in heaven. The sixth seal initiates cosmic signs that cause men's hearts to fail them with fear and which warns that the Day of the Lord is being announced by these signs.
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Opening The Scroll With Seven Seals - Revelation 5 - Feb. 26, 2008
In Rev. 4 we see that God, the Father is the rightful owner of the rebellious earth and in chapter 5 we see that the redeeemer of the earth must be a man, but a sinless man that is the rightful redeemer. The Lord Jesus Christ of the tribe of Judah is shown to be that perfect man, who is also God, the Son.
He alone is worthy to open the large sealed scroll. The scroll contains the wrath of God that must be poured out during the Day of the Lord before God can reclaim the rule of the earth. The seals are prior events that must occur before the wrath of God occurs. The actual wrath of God does not occur until the opening of the 7th seal.
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Heavenly Preparation For The Reposession of the Earth-Revelation 4 - Feb. 12, 2008
The apostle is transported to heaven, spiritually speaking(Rev.4:2), to continue receiving the Revelation concerning Christ's second coming. Some try to say that this is a picture of the rapture which is a true twisting of the rules of a literal interpreation of the scriptures. Without perverting a biblical hermeneutic, a raptured bride of Christ is clearly seen in Rev. 7:9-17 which occurs after the great tribulation of the 5th seal and after the 6th seal announcement of the Day of the Lord Wrath and just before the opening of the 7th seal which contains all the Day of the Lord Wrath of the trumpet and bowl judgments.
In heaven, John sees the throne upon which God the Father, the Creator of the universe sits in sovereign rule. He is surrounded by the four beasts with six wings which are the seraphims of Isaiah 6:2-3. These, unlike their fellow fallen angels, continually praise God as the only Creator as oppossed to Lucifer, the annointed cherub, a mighty, but merely created being. This perpetual praise stands as a lesson to all rebellious angels and obedient angels as well as mankind that God alone is the Creator. It recalls that His soon reposession of the earth is His by right of Him being the only Creator of all things.
Further, round about the throne, are the 24 elders that are high representative beings. These are most likely high angelic reprepresentatives and their authority is signified by crowns of gold upon their heads. The casting of their crowns before God on His throne is an acknowledgement that they are mighty, but merely created beings and all of their authority and power is derived from their Creator. Earth has been the scene of rebellion against this Almighty Creator that sits upon His heavenly throne. This rebellion was led by the highest and most powerful of the created angelic beings named Lucifer. Now, just before God is to repossess the rule over the earth through His appointed human Mediator, we see Him being praised as the Creator that has the right to reclaim the earth which He alone created for His glory and praise.
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Pastor's Posting - Lukewarmness - Jan. 26, 2008
As we approach the final seven years before Christ's one thousand year reign, the most predominate professing Christian church will be characterized by lukewarmess. People that are not clearly for or against something are lukewarm. Here is the picture of so many churches today that don't want to offend anyone, but in the process make the Lord Jesus sick by their lack of a distinct testimony. Like the old fundamental preacher said, "Get on or get off!" "Get in or get out!"
Christ's counsel for this last days "neoevangellyfish" or "seeker sensitive" type church is, first, to buy some real gold that is proved as such by being fire tested. I Peter 1:7 says that this gold is true saving faith. This kind of faith will continue to believe what God says in the Bible even when the opposition is strong. This true saving faith will receive the righteous robe of the perfect righteousness of Christ. Further, it will enable the possessor of such a robe to live a holy life that is Christlike. Then through this saving faith the gift of the permanent indwelling of God's Holy Spirit is given. This will give the recipient the eyes to see and discern the true from the false and the right from the wrong( Rev.3:18).
Most last day members of various Christian churches are not really in possession of saving faith and so will not be able to overcome the ever increasing pollutions of a degenerate culture, nor be able to stand up to the building one-world religion that will be the epitomy of lukewarmness, accepting liberal, apostate Christians, Islamists, Buddists professors of Judaism as all being part of God's one-world church.
Thus, Jesus asked that at His return would He find faith on the earth. Like gold, saving faith will be increasingly rare. But the Lord says that He rebukes people through the Spirit-filled preaching of His Word so that they will repent of their lack of true saving faith in Christ and will open the door of their hearts to receive Him as the Only One worthy of their confidence for eternal salvation from the soon-coming judgment(Rev. 3:19-20).
Those members of Christian churches that receive the powerful rebukes of Bible preaching and teaching and repent and those that are chastened by God for such things as lack of separation from worlliness and faithfulness to God's inspired and preserved Bible are those that have the golden gift of saving faith in the true Christ. Many others have a counterfeit Christ and a fools gold type faith(Rev, 3:19).
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Pastor's Posting - Jan. 10, 2008
In Revelation 3:10 the Lord gives a promise of His divine protection during an hour(time) of temptation(testing) that would come upon the whole world. According to Revelation 1:19 these messages are not only for the seven local churches of Asia Minor in John's day, but these represent all the true churches that will enter the final seven years which is the time period in which most of the Revelation takes place.
Therefore, we need to see that this church is promised something here that will apply to some believers and some local churches during the 70th week of Daniel 9:27 and, more particularly, during the great tribulation which begins midway through that seven year period. Just which believers and churches are to receive this promise? It says that it is for those that have kept the word of his patience. Further, it says of them "and hast not denied my name." Thus, they have perseveringly stayed with God's inspired and preserved Bible and they have aggressively witnessed for the name of Christ.
He promises to keep such from the hour of temptation. The word temptation here means testing and He says that it will be world wide in scope. We know that this refers to that unique hour of testing known as the great tribulation. This is a time when believers will be tested to see if they will worship the image of the beast and take his mark or refuse it and be liable to starvation, arrest, and martyrdom. God will give every true believer that is faced with this test the grace to pass it.
The two words that are translated "keep from" are from two Greek words "tereo ek" which mean to protect within and then to deliver out from within. Thus, the revelation is here promising that the Lord will spiritually, but likely even physically, protect certain believers and local churches represented by the church of Philadelphia within and during the time of the great tribulation, but then He will deliver them out from within that time. Of course, that deliverance will be by the rapture when the Lord comes to rescue His people and then immediatlely thereafter pour out His wrath upon the ungodly.
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Pastor's Posting - Dec.29,2007
From now on I will have my new entries in this section start at the top so you don't have to scroll down through all the previous entries to arrive at the new one. We hope this is helpful to you. Also, we will be organizing the pastor's postings on current events that are relevant to bible prophecy under a new heading called "prophecy watch". For these prophetically relevant updates, please go to our prophecy watch bar and click. The heading entitled "weekly sermons" will, for now, contain regular comments from our verse- by- verse study that I am doing in my adult Sunday school class at our church on Sundays at 9:45 am each Sunday morning. You may now listen to these classes by clicking on to the audio sermon heading.
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As you read through the churches of Revelation 2 and 3 it is important to know that the literal churches in John's day relate to characteristics of Christian local churches in the last days. For instance, the churches of Pergamos and Thyatira are churches that allow a mixed multitude of ungodly, unsaved professing teachers and believers to coexist along with the godly and true believers. These churches will be challanged in the 70th week by the confrontation with the one world religion and the worship of the head of the E.U. The ungodly will counsel to go along to get along , but many of the godly will be arrested, persecuted, and even martyred during the great tribulation. This is not the wrath of God , but He will use it in the compromising churches to separate the true from the false. (Pastor's Posting - 11/21/07)
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In Rev. 2:1-7 the Lord Jesus tells the apostle to write to the first of these 7 representative churches. Each of these represent churches that enter the 70th week. Further they represent a predominate number of churches that will exist during various successive stages of the history of the church age. Thus, Ephesian type churches predominated during the apostolic era and Smyrna type church were prominate during the 10 successive periods of the churches under the Roman emperors. This church is commended for its doctrinal soundness, hatred of sin and evil, and for their tireless labor and perseverance. But they are rebuked for intentionally leaving that intimate, loving relationship that so often characterizes newly weds. The Lord counsels this church to remember, repent, and return to the first works such as worship and witness.
In Matthew 24 Jesus predicts that in the last days the love of professing believers would wax(grow) cold. The best defense against such coldness is an offense. The best defense against adultery in marriage is to have a delightful satisfying romantic and physically refreshing expression of love with your spouse. The Lord counsels Christians in these last days to stay close to Him as Mary sat at His feet to hear and heed His sweet word. Are you doing this every day? If not repent now and return to this kind of delightful fellowship with Him! (Pastor's Posting on 11/12/070 )
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In Revelation 1:20 the mystery of the seven candlesticks is revealed. The candlesticks represent the seven churches previously discussed. The stars are not movie stars, rock stars, or sports stars. Rather, they are very special and important stars in the galaxy of our God. They are called angels which simply means messengers. Some commentators think these are heavenly messengers. But when it comes to getting out God's message to His churches, human messengers called pastors are key. The senior pastors of these local churches are here pictured as being held by the risen Lord for the benefit of His churches. These are the undershepherds that are accountable to the chief shepherd for the care of the churches. (Pastor's post 10/29/07)
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In Rev.1:19 John is told to write the things that he has seen. He has just seen the risen Christ as He is in the midst of the seven churches and John is to write about this sight that represents Jesus Christ and His churches. Experts in the Greek language that underlies our A.V. English translation tell me that the next two phrases after this phrase are epexigetical. That is, it means that we interpret the meaning as follows: "Write the things which are, i.e. the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter."
Thus, what John is being told here is that what he has just seen in this representation of Christ and these seven churches, first, this stands for the literal seven churches of Asia Minor in John's day. But, secondly, they represent Christ and all of His churches(seven is a number of fullness or completion) as they will be at the end of the age as the churches enter the 70th week of Daniel. Remember again that this letter is a prophecy(see 1:3) and that most of this prophecy takes place during Daniel's 70th week of years. This verse about the 7 churches has a present element in John's day, but also points, more importantly, to the time of the end. Thirdly, they represent types of churches that will predomiate during successive periods of church history until the end of the church age at the rapture. The first era was where Ephesian type churches were in the majority. That has been called the aposolic era of church history. Then there was the era of the 10 periods of persecution under the Roman Empire. More Smyrna type churches existed during this time period. Here it is made clear, contrary to the pretribulational interpretation, that the churches will be here into the 70th week until we are raptured at Christs's coming just before the Day of the Lord Wrath(Rev. 7:9-17).
Pastor's Posting - 10/19/07
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In Rev.1:12-17 John turns to see one like unto the Son of man. He is seen in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks. The candlesticks represents seven literal churches in John's day and prophectically the churches as a whole that will enter into the 70th week to overcome in the end times and to meet the Lord in the air at His coming sometime during the second half of the 70th week. As different aspects of His physical description correlate to various aspects of His Person, so these show how Christ will be in the midst of and helpful to His own at the end during the 70th week. We should not forsake our church gatherings , but do it all the more as we see the day of His coming approaching. (Pastor's Posting: 10/18/07)
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In chapter 1:10, John said that as he was in a position to record this Revelation that he was in the Spirit on the Lord's day. This is the only reference to the Lord's day as such in the whole Bible. However, there are many references to the Day of the Lord. Actually, if you reverse the order, the meaning is the same. As the Spirit of God was empowering the apostle to write, John was somehow transported to the Lord's day or rather the Day of the Lord. Both mean the same thing. John was transported ahead to see the Revelation from the standpoint of the Day of the Lord Wrath. There are many Srcripture reference to the cosmic darkening and then the glory of the light of the coming Son of God. In Revelation when the 7th seal is opened it contains all of the trumpet and bowl judgments that follow. All of these are the judgments that will take place during the Day of the Lord. Some commentaries think that this is a referrence to Sunday, but that doesn't fit with the context. Pastor Posting 10/10/07
Then in Rev. 1:11 the apostle writes to record the voice of the Son of God who is speaking to the seven churches of Asia Minor. Please go back and read the comment on verse 4 of this chapter. The number seven is a number of perfection or completion in the Bible. For example, in Daniel 9 the prophet records the full number of years that remain for Israel to be judged until they repent and are reconciled to the Lord. He uses the number 7 where he speaks of 70 weeks(sevens) of years that are left for Israel.
But Revelation is also said to be a prophecy(see 1:3). Thus, these are not only representing the seven literal churches of John's day, but represents the full number of Christian local churches at the end of the age when these churches will enter into the 70th week to confront the prophecies that will be fulfilled in the book of Revelation.
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In Revelation 1:9, John refers to himself as the human writer of this letter. In John's gospel he doesn't even mention himself by name. Here he doesn't call himself an apostle which, of course, he was, but merely "your brother and companion..." He is writing from a Roman penal colony off the coast of modern western Turkey on the Aegean Sea. He was there, not for any selfish reasons, but for the preaching of the gospel of Christ.
John ministered and wrote this letter around A.D. 95 The emperor, Domitian, had began the first of the persecutions by the Roman emperors. Saints were required both to worship the emperor and receive his mark on their bodies. Thus, this letter was written during a time of tribulation(thilipsei in Greek). This is fitting as at the end of the age in the middle of the 70th week of Daniel there will be similiar, yet greater in scope and degree, tribulation that the world of the revived Roman empire will yet face. This future tribulation(the great) will likewise fall upon the churches as in the past. God doesn't exempt us from the wrath of man or even Satan. Rather, we will be delivered before the wrath of God Himself falls upon a Chris rejecting and AntiChrist accepting world (see Rev.6:12-17).
Pastor Posting of 10/5/07 - Please stay tuned for future postings on this important inspired letter for the days soon to come. Also, we plan to add a Prophecy Watch section with links to other sites to help you glean the latest in current events that may be relevant to the prophetic scriptures.
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Revelation 1:7 says, "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."
The fact of His second coming is here stated as a fact such as "in the beginning God created the heaven and the earth..." The central point of all of history past is the first coming of Christ and His vicarious death for our sins, but the central point of all of future history of this planet revolves around His second coming. There are many Greek words that are translated by our English word "coming."
One is "erchomai" which has to simply state the act of His coming as a point of fact. "Erchomai is used here. Another word for His second coming is "parousia" which refers to His second coming as a coming and His continuing presence into order to carry out all the prophecies related to that one coming. Just as the first coming was one coming involving a number of prophecies being fulfilled, also His second coming will be one coming with a huge number of prophecies being fulfilled.
When He comes it says here that "every eye shall see him..." His second coming will be visible for all to see. But what will be the response of the world in general when they see His coming? Will the world welcome Him with open arms? Did the unsaved world welcome Him at His first coming? No, they crucified Him. According to I Thess. 5:1-4 His second coming surprizes not His own, but rather the unregenerate world as a thief in the night. Then in Matt.24:30 it says of the unsaved world, "all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds..." Later in Revelation John records this event: "And the kings of the earth and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb..." (Rev. 6:15-16).
At His coming the world is surprized by His wrath, but His people are delivered by His gathering of His jewels as it says in Matt. 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."
But John also records the response of Israel at the end of the events of His second coming after unsaved Israel has survived the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord Wrath, she shall look upon their Messiah that she has pierced. Then shall there be a wail of repentance and recognition of the One that they have slighted by blindness and unbelief. Only one third of the nation will survive to see Him. This is recorded in Zechariah 12:13,14.
Pastor's posting on Oct. 11, 2007. Please stay tuned for more of this important teaching for these last days from this Revelation of Christ. I believe the closer we get to the fulfillment of these prophecies the more the Lord will illumine us to understand and apply the teaching. Don't miss the blessing promised in Revelation 1:3 (see Daniel 12 on this fact).
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Rev.1:5 - This book is a prophecy and a Revelation of Jesus Christ. In that sense it is a revealing of Jesus Christ in His second coming. When it speaks of His being a faithful witness the Greek word for witness is "martus" from which we get our word "martyr." When Christ came and spoke the word of the Father, it stirred up the hatred of the hearers to the point that they took His life. Of course, this was in God's sovereign plan to accomplish our eternal redemption by His shed blood. But it reminds us that the servant is not greater than the Master. We should expect persecution, tribulation, and we must endure trouble to be a faithful witness for the word of God.
Not only is His death referred to, but also that He is the first begotten of the dead. He is the first to be raised from the dead, glorified, and never to die again. There will be many to follow. His resurrection in the first stage of the first resurrection, next will be the rapture just before the Day of the Lord Wrath.
In Revelation 1:6 we are told that we who have believed in this crucified and risen Messiah are both kings and priests. Wonder of wonders, He is the King of kings. He has taken hell -bound, dirty paupers, washed us in His blood, and raised us up to reign as kings of the coming redeemed earth! He is our great High Priests and everyone of us is a priest, offering up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. What a high calling is ours. Israel only had the tribe of Levi to be priests.
Their priesthood only had to do with symbols of the true temple in heaven. We are brought into the throne room on high by our great High Priest. Soon He'll bring this heavenly Jerusalem back to suspend over the redeemed earth as a chandelied city over earthly Jerusalem. What a scene! What a Saviour! Stay tuned! Pastor's posting on October 6, 2007.
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In Revelation 1:4 John says that this revelation is for the seven churches of Asia. These were seven churches in seven cities of the Roman province of Asia Minor on the Aegean Sea. Today this is in western Turkey. John was writing from a Roman penal island called Patmos just off the coast from where these churches were located. The previous verse tells us not only about the blessing we may receive by reading, hearing, and keeping in our hearts this book, but notice he says that it is a prophecy.
As John addresses these seven churches he is writing a prophecy from Jesus Christ and about Jesus Christ and His second coming. In verse 19 John is told to write the things that he has seen which in context refers to the vision of Christ as He stands in the midst of these seven churches. Then he says to write the things that are and which shall be hereafter. What he means is that the vision has a two fold significance. It relates directly to those seven churches that were there in John's day. But ,since this book is a prophecy, they relate to a future day and to the churches that will be on earth just prior to the second advent of Christ. Since most of the Revelation has to do with this future period called the 70th week of Daniel, here is a prophetic message to those churches that will enter that 70th week to encounter the early birthpangs of the first half of the seven years. Also, it relates to their encountering the time of the Great Tribulation that will burn the hottest in the Medditerranean basin beginning at the middle of the seven years. This will be cut short by the cosmic darkening and the sign of His glorious coming to rapture His own and to pour out His wrath during the Day of the Lord.
Thus, it is important as members of local churches to understand that this prophecy is for us, not mainly for others after we are gone. There will be a generation of believers and churches that will enter into that time and will experience the fulfillment of the prophecies recorded in the Revelation.
Stay tuned for Pastor Postings! (9/29/07)
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From Pastor's Revelation Sunday school class
In Revelation 1:1 the purpose of the Revelation is given as "To shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass..." Many have taught that these are future events, but will occur soon from John's viewpoint. But that can't be as it has been nearly two thousand years. Others say, well, with God a day is as a thousand years and a thousand years as a day. Therefore, in God's reckoning two thousand years is a short time. Yes, that is true, but he wasn't writing this Revelation to himself.
Well, then is there a contradiction or error here? No, this is absolutely factual. What the Lord is saying is that when these things begin to be fulfilled, these events will happen in sequence one after the other. Most of the book of Revelation deals with events that will take place within the 7 years of Daniel's week of years. When these prophecies begin to be fulfilled they will happen in short order and the informed believer will be able to acknowledge about where we are in the 70th week of years until the sign of His glorious appearing appears across the parchment of the eastern sky.
Thus, the book of Revelation has been placed in the canon of Scripture so that the prophetically informed member of the body of Christ that is part of that generation that will be here at the time of the second coming may be able to prepare for the sign posts of that time. This final generation will enter the 70th week and so must be aware of the things that will shortly come to pass(that is the prophecies that will be fulfilled one after the other leading up to Christ's second coming) so that he will have practical prophetic help for these important days soon to come.
Imminency
Keeping in mind that the Revelation is given as a prophecy that will be especially helpful to that final generation of the body of Christ that is here at the time of the second advent of Christ, then an understanding of the prophesied events leading up to the second coming have an added significance.
Many modern American Bible teachers have made their doctrine of imminency such that believers are led to snooze when it comes to these prophesied events in Revelation; Matthew 24; II Thessalonians 2 and in other places that are signs leading up to the second coming and the rapture.
They teach that imminency means that Christ's second coming is an any moment, signless event, and that no Bible prophecies need to be fulfilled leading up to Christ's coming and the rapture. This teaching dulls the senses of the believer as he studies this prophetic book of the Revelation.
Theological terms such as the tribulation or the great tribulation period are not explained fully or Biblically and it leads to confusion. The 70th week of Daniel which encompasses the 7 years just prior to the millennial kingdom is not the tribulation or the great tribulation. Rather, the tribulation(the great) doesn't begin until 3 and half years into the 7 years.