Podcasts about him revelation

and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him – Revelation 1:7

and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him – Revelation 1:7

Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him – Revelation 1:7

Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him – Revelation 1:7

Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him – Revelation 1:7

Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him – Revelation 1:7

Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him – Revelation 1:7

Bible Study With Jairus- Revelation 4   Where Are the Humans?   Revelation chapter 4 records the vision John saw after heaven opened. In previous lessons, we've discussed the seven stages of spiritual growth for the church, which are described in the seven letters to the churches. As we pass through these seven areas of growth and deal with the seven aspects of spiritual problems the Lord reveals in this letter (whether corporately or individually), heaven will be opened to us, as well. Not only will we see God's throne and God sitting on the throne, but we will also see God's actions performed from the throne, namely his dealings with mankind which are revealed by the seven seals and seven trumpets. I believe Revelation chapters 4 and 5 are closely linked.   As I read Revelation 4, I noticed that John saw various visions of God, the twenty-four elders, the seven spirits, and the four living creatures, but there was no mention of humankind. This struck me as odd, because the entire Bible is the revelation of God's plan for mankind. Human beings, especially Israelites, are the apple of God's eye (Deuteronomy 32:10). Man is at the center of God's plan.   So where is mankind in this passage? Humans are not mentioned in Revelation 4, but that does not mean they aren't present. God's plan for mankind is in the scroll in the right hand of God as he sits on the throne (Revelation 5). This scroll can only be opened by the victorious Lamb. We will talk about this scroll next time. The vision in chapter 4 foreshadows the opening of the scroll that contains God's plan for mankind in chapter 5. The fourth chapter of Revelation is a wide-angle shot that gives us a vast image of heaven, and the fifth chapter of Revelation is a close-up shot. In Chapter 5, the lens zooms in on the scroll in God's right hand. Although mankind is not mentioned in Revelation 4, mankind is hidden in the right hand of God, who sits on the throne.   A New Inspiration   In the past, when I read Revelation 4, I always paid close attention to the beautiful realities revealed in John's visions. I focused on the descriptions of God, the twenty-four elders, the seven spirits, the four living creatures, and the angels. But I never realized that mankind was missing from the chapter until recently. One day, I was teaching about this passage in a Bible study. While I discussed the passage out loud, I was praying internally and waiting for enlightenment from the Holy Spirit. Many other brothers and sisters in Christ do the same thing while teaching or discussing God's word. We constantly pray for inspiration from God. That's what happened when I was leading a Bible study recently. I was in a constant state of prayer, waiting for God's revelation. Suddenly, the Holy Spirit gave me an idea that I had never thought of before.   This is one of the most common ways that the Holy Spirit speaks to me. When my mind is quiet before God and I am waiting for the Holy Spirit to speak to me, my mind is like a piece of poster board hanging on the wall. When a brand-new idea suddenly enters my mind, it is like a post-it note stuck on the poster board. These new ideas are not things that I've thought of in the past or read somewhere—they are things that have never occurred to me before. When I have a new thought, I pay attention to it and speak it to others with faith. This has often happened during our Bible study meetings over the past few years. As I share these inspirations, I often gain a clearer view of the topic during the process of sharing. As I started teaching, I didn't have a full picture of this chapter, nor was I completely clear about the little inspirations that God gave me. But as I shared them with faith, God gave me more light.   At the beginning of our Bible study, we were discussing the worship of angels, as well as the identity of the four living creatures and the other angels. As I waited prayerfully for the Holy Spirit to speak, I suddenly received an inspiration. I realized that Revelation 4 is like a puzzle with a missing piece. The missing piece is God's plan for mankind contained in the scroll in God's right hand. As mentioned above, Revelation 4 contains a discussion of God, the twenty-four elders, the living creatures, and countless angels, but it contains no mention of mankind.   In the Bible, God reveals three main things: His character, His plan for mankind, and Satan's deceit and final destiny. Aside from God's self-revelation, the most important theme in the Bible is God's plan for mankind. God's plan for mankind is inextricably woven into the entire content of the Bible so that they cannot be separated. Since human beings are at the center of biblical revelation, I knew that man must be in the scene somewhere.   The answer came to me: the mysteries of God's plan for mankind are hidden in the scroll in the next chapter, which contains the plan of redemption that the incarnate Christ would accomplish. The missing piece from Revelation 4 is waiting to be unfolded in detail in Revelation 5. After the puzzle is put together, it will point toward God's next move, the plan of judgment and redemption for mankind revealed by the seven seals and seven trumpets.     Can We See God?   God is the protagonist of the book of Revelation; there is no doubt about this. As Revelation 4 begins, John sees heaven opened, and he sees God sitting on a throne. I believe the image of God depicted in Revelation 4 is God the Father, not the Lord Jesus Christ, because the Lamb described in Revelation 5 is Jesus Christ. But this creates a conundrum: How did John see God, if the Bible says that humans cannot see God and live? John once said, "No man has seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared him" (John 1:18). Paul also said that "no one has ever seen or can see" God (1 Timothy 6:16). Moreover, Moses could only see God's back, not His face, because God says, “Man shall not see me and live" (Exodus 33:20). However, there are also some scriptures in the Bible that mention people seeing God face to face. God says that He spoke to Moses "face to face" (Exodus 33:11), and Moses saw “the form of the Lord" (Numbers 12:8). In addition, at Ford Jabbok, Jacob "saw God face to face and yet his life was delivered.” Plus, "seventy of the elders of Israel saw God, and ate and drank" (Exodus 24:11). Most famously, the Lord Jesus said, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God" (Matthew 5:8).   So, can man see God? I personally think that we can see the image of God to a certain degree, but the extent to which we can see God's glory may be limited. Perhaps John's understanding of God's appearance continued to grow over time. Biblical truth is ever-evolving, not static. Although God's principles and disposition are unchanging, God's revelation is progressive. I personally feel that John's understanding and experience of seeing God may have developed over time. Perhaps he had a different understanding when he wrote Revelation than when he wrote the Gospel of John. Let's take a look at John's description: "And he who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian, and around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald" (Revelation 4:3). This is John's description of God's appearance. He doesn't describe God's face directly, but he describes his appearance. We can at least be sure that John saw God's appearance to a certain extent.   Since God began to give me prophetic dreams in 2015, I have seen the appearance of the Lord Jesus and the Holy Spirit many times. I even saw the glorious face of Jesus. I am very eager to see the appearance of the Heavenly Father as well, and I am envious of sisters Lai Wang Xiulan from Taiwan and Anna Rountree from the United States, who described their experiences of seeing the Heavenly Father. I often pray for this to happen to me, but so far I have not had the same experience as they have had. Only a few times have I vaguely seen the appearance of the Heavenly Father. Once, my spirit was lifted up to heaven, and after sharing a short greeting with the Lord, the Holy Spirit led me to enter a door. He told me that the Heavenly Father often passed by there in a vehicle. I immediately saw a wisp of smoke, and the Holy Spirit told me it was traces of the Father flying by. Psalm 18:10 says, "He rode on a cherub and flew; he came swiftly on the wings of the wind.” Isaiah 66:15 says, "For behold, the Lord will come in fire, and his chariots like the whirlwind.” Although the Father is omnipresent, He has all kinds of mounts and vehicles in heaven. Many people focus on John's description of the Father in Revelation 4 as the only picture of God, thinking that God the Father has glue on his buttocks and can only sit motionless on the throne and receive everyone's worship. This is a wrong concept. God the Father often walks around in heaven. He also makes frequent visits to the earth, including when he warned the Israelites to cover up their excrement so that he would not see anything indecent as he walked through their camps (Deuteronomy 23:14). God the Father is the “one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all” (Ephesians 4:6). In fact, God the Father visits us far more often than we can imagine. But we don't perceive His presence because our spiritual eyes are not prepared to perceive His secret appearance. In the dream I just mentioned, I was very disappointed. I had seen the Lord face to face, and the Holy Spirit was with me, leading me to visit heaven, so I was hoping to see the Father as well. But I couldn't even see His back clearly, not to mention getting to see a vision of God on the throne as described by John in Revelation 4. So I could not help but feel disappointed.   During another spiritual experience, the Holy Spirit was driving a vehicle to take me into heaven for a visit. I saw a lion and a horse lying peacefully on the same hillside. After crossing the hillside, I saw many people playing in a place similar to a swimming pool. Suddenly, someone said that God was coming to visit us. It immediately started raining rainbows, and everybody was so excited. I didn't see the Father clearly, but I was told that the Father had visited through the mode of the rainbow rain. Revelation 4 mentions a rainbow surrounding God's throne, so we know that rainbows often accompany God the Father's appearance.   In another dream, some believers and I went on a long trek. It was a difficult climb to get to heaven, but we finally got there with the help of Jesus Christ. From a distance, I saw the Heavenly Father and Jesus talking to one another, and I heard them talking about a big performance that was about to begin. God said he was waiting for more believers to join the action. (This may be a sign of The Great Revival to come.) But I only saw them vaguely from a distance and overheard their discussion. I have written more about this dream on Elijah List. You can find a detailed account of this dream by searching for "Shake Off Disappointment and Keep Climbing!" on Elijah List by Sean Song.   I describe these experiences of mine to show that after hearing other people's testimonies, I began longing to see the Father. I had not had these experiences in the past, but after I fervently prayed, I began to have supernatural experiences of seeing the Father. I personally think that we don't need to be limited by our theology. God the Father's decision to appear to us does not depend on our theology, but on his own will. Remember, the Lord Jesus said, "Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him" (John 14:21). Although this verse is referring to Jesus showing himself to us, not the Father, it reveals a universal principle. Our love and desire for God is a prerequisite for God showing himself to us. In addition, don't forget that the Lord Jesus said, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” Instead of debating about whether or not we can see God, let's focus on developing a pure heart full of love for God.   When I heard other people's testimonies about seeing the Father, I didn't condemn or criticize them. Instead, I prayed from the bottom of my heart: “God, let my heart be as pure as that person's so that I can see You!” I prayed fervently and left the rest to God. Rather than pursuing the experience of seeing God, I pursued becoming a pure-hearted person. Only then did God allow me to see him to a certain extent.   Angels Are Ministering Spirits   In Revelation 19, John saw an angel and wanted to worship him. But the angel rebuked him and told him to worship only God. He explained that angels and human believers are fellow servants, and we all hold to the testimony of Jesus (v. 10). In his epistles, Paul also critiqued the church's teaching on the worship of angels (Colossians 2:18). Hebrews 1:14 clearly says, "Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?" Paul also said, "Do you not know that we are to judge angels?" (1 Corinthians 6:3). Clearly, the Bible prohibits angel-worship.   Let's take a look at John's description of the twenty-four elders and of the various angels (including the four living creatures) that were standing before the throne. Most of us agree that the four living creatures are a kind of angel. Ezekiel 1 has a detailed description of the four living creatures, and a similar description of the cherubim in Ezekiel 4. These beings have multiple wings with wheels under their wings and have four faces: the faces of a lion, a cow, a man, and an eagle. The four living creatures described in Revelation 4 are similar. It seems that the four living creatures are a kind of cherubim, angels created by God.   Who are the twenty-four elders sitting on the twenty-four thrones surrounding the throne? Some believe they are the twelve sons of Jacob and the twelve apostles. Personally, I find this statement unreliable. John, one of the twelve disciples, was the one describing the vision, yet he was still alive on Earth. Was he serving as one of the twenty-four elders in heaven while he was still alive on earth? Personally, I think this is untenable. I personally believe that these twenty-four elders may have been another type of creature created by God. I said they were "creatures" and not angels because I can't be sure if they are angels. But I do know that there are many mysterious creatures in existence that are beyond our current understanding. For example, the Bible mentions that Melchizedek has no father, no mother, no beginning no end, and no genealogy (Hebrews 7:3), but he has a physical body and served as the king of Salem and the priest of the Most High God. The Book of Hebrews says Jesus Christ is a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek. Melchizedek cannot be an angel, because an angel has no body. He cannot be an ordinary person, because he has no father, no mother, no beginning, and no end. Melchizedek is also not God, because he is a priest of God, nor is he Christ, for Christ is a high priest according to his order. So who is Melchizedek? We do not know. So we can see that there are many kinds of creatures that God has created, and we do not necessarily know about all of them. The Bible doesn't give us a clear answer, because this is not the main point of biblical revelation. What is the main point of biblical revelation? The center of biblical revelation is God's plan from eternity past to one day come to earth, be crucified, and be resurrected so he could woo his bride, the Church, the manifestation of his glory. In other words, the destiny of the church is to become mature and eventually sit on the throne with God (Revelation 3:21). We need to shift our focus from the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures and the other angels in front of the throne to God, who is sitting on the throne with a scroll in His right hand. That scroll reveals the mystery of God's plan for mankind. That is, after we have gone through a process of maturation, we will become the glorious bride who sits on the throne with God. We must not seek to end up in front of the throne; we must seek to be on the throne as overcomers (Revelation 3:21). Many people still have the same mentality as John, feeling that angels are very great and we must worship them, but that is incorrect. We must worship God alone. The purpose of us sitting on the throne with God is not to be equal to God or to accept the worship of all things, but for us to embody the fullness of God's glory, leading all of creation in the worship of God. We are above the angels, not below them.      We are Seated on God's Throne Revelation 4 does not mention God's plan for mankind, but Revelation 5 contains the missing piece of the puzzle. It contains the mystery of God, His hidden plan for the church. Let's dive a bit deeper into this topic by looking at Ephesians. Ephesians 1:9 mentions the mystery of God, which is “a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth” (v. 10). The church will first submit to God in Christ as the first fruits. After that, all things will submit to God in Christ. The church is Christ's body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all (1:22-23). God's plan for the redemption of mankind includes the redemption of all creation: “For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God (that is, us), for the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God” (Romans 8:19-21). In other words, the mystery of God's plan for man's redemption (which is revealed in the scroll) will eventually lead to the redemption of all things.   God has given humankind an amazing honor. The Bible never says that the twenty-four elders are allowed to sit on the throne with God, but it does say that human believers can sit on the throne with Him (Revelation 3:21). The Bible does not say that angels can abide in God, and God in them, but Jesus said to his human followers, “I am in My Father, and you are in Me, and I am in you” (John 14:20). God is a tabernacle into which we can enter, and we are also His tabernacle and dwelling place. Colossians 3 reveals that our life is hidden with Christ in God (3:3). The Bible does mention that before the fall, Satan was a cherub created to cover the Ark of the Covenant, and he was covered in all kinds of precious stones and walked on the holy mountain of God (Ezekiel 28:13-14). But the Bible never says that any angels can receive the life of God like we can. Angels will not become the bride of Jesus Christ, the image of Christ, the brothers of Jesus Christ, or the children of God. But we humans can become sons of God! We are different from angels, and we are higher than angels. Satan is jealous of mankind, so he spreads lies to confuse our minds and prevent us from realizing just how precious our identity in Christ really is.   Conclusion: Our Destiny Is To Be Children of God   Rather than focusing on the angels and other creatures, we should focus on God and on the scroll which contains the mysteries of God's plan for mankind (explored further in Revelation 5). When we look at the vision in Revelation 4, we see that man is not standing before God's throne with the elders, living creatures, and angels. Instead, mankind is seated on the throne with God (Romans 3:21). Man is a child of God, has the life of God, sits on the throne with God, and manifests the glory of God. The purpose of sitting on God's throne is not to be worshiped like God, but to lead all things to worship God. Just like children have the life of their father but are not the same person as their father, Christians share God's life but are not a member of the Godhead.   Saint Athanasius of Alexandria said that God became man so that man could eventually become God. The Local Church Movement goes a step further and teaches that God becoming man is for man to become God in terms of life and nature, and not in Godhead.   This teaching is considered heresy by many Christians. But, in fact, this is not a heresy at all; it is a profound truth. Yet many people's minds have been deceived by Satan to the point that they no longer accept this truth. Again, we must be clear about the fact that man is not to be worshiped as God, even though he sits on the throne with God.   Instead, God's presence is a tabernacle that people can enter, and only those who overcome can sit on the throne with the Lord, just as the Lord sat on the throne with His Father after He overcame (Revelation 3:21). In order to personally experience this divine truth, we must go through a process of sanctification. We must grow incrementally closer to God, as if we were a worshiper entering first the Outer Court, then the Holy Place, and finally the Holy of Holies and the presence of God (Ephesians 2:18). This process of human sanctification is accomplished gradually through the seven seals and seven trumpets mentioned in Revelation 5.    

We talk a lot on here about how Jesus came to earth and died for our sins. But, did you know that Jesus is going to come back to earth some day?! Yeah! He's going to come back one day. But this time it'll be different. This time He won't be born in a manger with Mary and Joseph as his Mom and Dad. This time will be A LOT different.   I have to tell you up front that we don't know EXACTLY all the details about how Jesus will come back, but we DO know He said He would come back so we can trust that it's true.   We can look to the Bible for some clues about what it will be like when Jesus returns to earth. So, here's what we DO know about when Jesus comes back again, which we also sometimes call His second coming.   We know he will come on the clouds. We know that every eye will see Him. That means every person will see Him with their own eyeballs. We know He will come with all of His angels – tons and tons of angels with Him. Oh, and there will be trumpets! Loud trumpets! (trumpet sound) AND we know that the only person who knows when all of this will happen is (drum roll) God, Himself.   Revelation 1:7a says, ”Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him…”   How cool is that?! Our God is so amazing that He can do all of those things – like come in the clouds with millions even billions of angels behind Him. With a trumpet call announcing His arrival so that all eyes on earth will look to Him and see Him. I REALLY want to see this because I think it'll be the coolest sight ever!   And it will be for those who know and love Jesus! For those who don't know Him or follow Him, though, it won't be the best day ever. That's because when Jesus comes back they won't have time anymore to turn to Him. That's why it's important that we know and follow Jesus TODAY! We can't wait to do that because remember….no one knows when He's coming back. Only God knows that!   What if it's today? Look up! Do you see Him in the clouds right now? What if it's tomorrow? What if it's when you're 100 years old? Who knows?! Maybe it won't happen in your lifetime. Maybe it'll be in 10,000 years. Only God knows. But, we are told to live for Him right now and to be excited about the day when He comes back in this awesome way.   Okay friends, here are some questions to talk about. You can pause after each question to discuss. And, like always…don't overthink it! The point is to get us talking about this: 1.     What are some things we know from the Bible about Jesus' second coming? 2.     What are some questions that you might have about Jesus coming back to earth? There are plenty of things that we don't know about this day! So what are some of your questions? 3.     How do you think you'll respond if you see Him coming back? Would you jump for joy or find a trumpet to blow or maybe you'd hide not knowing what was happening or something else?     Let's try and learn our verse together. You can repeat after me. “Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him…” Revelation 1:7a   Backseat Bible Nuggets is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual guidance to help you grow into the perfectly imperfect parent you want to be visit www.ChristianParenting.org

We talk a lot on here about how Jesus came to earth and died for our sins. But, did you know that Jesus is going to come back to earth some day?! Yeah! He's going to come back one day. But this time it'll be different. This time He won't be born in a manger with Mary and Joseph as his Mom and Dad. This time will be A LOT different.   I have to tell you up front that we don't know EXACTLY all the details about how Jesus will come back, but we DO know He said He would come back so we can trust that it's true.   We can look to the Bible for some clues about what it will be like when Jesus returns to earth. So, here's what we DO know about when Jesus comes back again, which we also sometimes call His second coming.   We know he will come on the clouds. We know that every eye will see Him. That means every person will see Him with their own eyeballs. We know He will come with all of His angels – tons and tons of angels with Him. Oh, and there will be trumpets! Loud trumpets! (trumpet sound) AND we know that the only person who knows when all of this will happen is (drum roll) God, Himself.   Revelation 1:7a says, ”Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him…”   How cool is that?! Our God is so amazing that He can do all of those things – like come in the clouds with millions even billions of angels behind Him. With a trumpet call announcing His arrival so that all eyes on earth will look to Him and see Him. I REALLY want to see this because I think it'll be the coolest sight ever!   And it will be for those who know and love Jesus! For those who don't know Him or follow Him, though, it won't be the best day ever. That's because when Jesus comes back they won't have time anymore to turn to Him. That's why it's important that we know and follow Jesus TODAY! We can't wait to do that because remember….no one knows when He's coming back. Only God knows that!   What if it's today? Look up! Do you see Him in the clouds right now? What if it's tomorrow? What if it's when you're 100 years old? Who knows?! Maybe it won't happen in your lifetime. Maybe it'll be in 10,000 years. Only God knows. But, we are told to live for Him right now and to be excited about the day when He comes back in this awesome way.   Okay friends, here are some questions to talk about. You can pause after each question to discuss. And, like always…don't overthink it! The point is to get us talking about this: 1.     What are some things we know from the Bible about Jesus' second coming? 2.     What are some questions that you might have about Jesus coming back to earth? There are plenty of things that we don't know about this day! So what are some of your questions? 3.     How do you think you'll respond if you see Him coming back? Would you jump for joy or find a trumpet to blow or maybe you'd hide not knowing what was happening or something else?     Let's try and learn our verse together. You can repeat after me. “Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him…” Revelation 1:7a   Backseat Bible Nuggets is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual guidance to help you grow into the perfectly imperfect parent you want to be visit www.ChristianParenting.org

In Isaiah 27-2-17, we observe 5 demonstrations of-Yahweh's redemptive power.-I. Yahweh keeps His people as a pleasant, fruitful-vineyard -vs. 2-6-.-II. Yahweh disciplines His people rather than-destroys them, and they are fruitful -vs. 7-9-.-III. Yahweh destroys His enemies as He saves His-people -vs. 10-11-.-IV. Yahweh saves every one of His people -v. 12-.-V. Yahweh gathers His people to worship Him -v. 13-.--Isaiah 27-2-13 fulfilled in Christ--I. Christ keeps His people as a pleasant, fruitful-vineyard -John 15-8, 16-.-II. Because of Christ, God disciplines His people-rather than destroys them, and they are fruitful--Hebrews 12-3-17-.-III. Christ destroys His enemies as He saves His-people -Revelation 19-1-21-.-IV. Christ saves every one of His people--John 6-35-40-.-V. Christ gathers His people to worship Him--Revelation 7-9-17-.

In Isaiah 27-2-17, we observe 5 demonstrations of-Yahweh's redemptive power.-I. Yahweh keeps His people as a pleasant, fruitful-vineyard -vs. 2-6-.-II. Yahweh disciplines His people rather than-destroys them, and they are fruitful -vs. 7-9-.-III. Yahweh destroys His enemies as He saves His-people -vs. 10-11-.-IV. Yahweh saves every one of His people -v. 12-.-V. Yahweh gathers His people to worship Him -v. 13-.--Isaiah 27-2-13 fulfilled in Christ--I. Christ keeps His people as a pleasant, fruitful-vineyard -John 15-8, 16-.-II. Because of Christ, God disciplines His people-rather than destroys them, and they are fruitful--Hebrews 12-3-17-.-III. Christ destroys His enemies as He saves His-people -Revelation 19-1-21-.-IV. Christ saves every one of His people--John 6-35-40-.-V. Christ gathers His people to worship Him--Revelation 7-9-17-.

In Isaiah 27:2-17, we observe 5 demonstrations ofYahweh's redemptive power.I. Yahweh keeps His people as a pleasant, fruitfulvineyard (vs. 2-6).II. Yahweh disciplines His people rather thandestroys them, and they are fruitful (vs. 7-9).III. Yahweh destroys His enemies as He saves Hispeople (vs. 10-11).IV. Yahweh saves every one of His people (v. 12).V. Yahweh gathers His people to worship Him (v. 13).Isaiah 27:2-13 fulfilled in Christ:I. Christ keeps His people as a pleasant, fruitfulvineyard (John 15:8, 16).II. Because of Christ, God disciplines His peoplerather than destroys them, and they are fruitful(Hebrews 12:3-17).III. Christ destroys His enemies as He saves Hispeople (Revelation 19:1-21).IV. Christ saves every one of His people(John 6:35-40).V. Christ gathers His people to worship Him(Revelation 7:9-17).

It does not matter who you are or where you live. The evidential reality of a world in chaos is hard to miss. Of course, you may not know about it if you dwell in a cave with no wifi. However, we are no longer living in the days when a violent skirmish happens here and there between nations somewhere over there. Today we live in ever-increasing tension between families and neighbors. Much of this anger is fueled by how to legislate morality in our communities and around the globe. Instead of loving our neighbor, as the Imago Dei, as we have been commanded (Matthew 22: 35-40), we have devolved into a mob of frightened children trying to get our way. Why? Humanity is scared. Yet, we as Christians should know to look up in great anticipation of the fulfillment of the coming Kingdom of God. The reality of Jesus coming should calm our souls and energize our spirits for the work of God's Kingdom of loving God and loving neighbor. Jesus' coming will be the redemption of all creation (See Romans 8:18–25). As you and I see the growing perplexity of nations, rulers, kings, and neighbors, we, as the redeemed of God, know about and must look up for the blessed and soon-coming hope on the horizon. Look up, brothers and sisters, Jesus, your King is coming, and His reward is with Him (Revelation 22:12; Isaiah 40:10). References:Matthew 24:32 Timothy 1:7-----Call us: 208.524.4747prayer@watersprings.netOnline Giving: https://watersprings.net/give.phpServe at Watersprings: https://watersprings.churchcenter.com/people/forms/8221CCLI Streaming License: 20080252 Size ECCLI Copyright License: 1406906 Size FDISCLAIMER: Closed captioning and/or transcription is being provided solely for the convenience of our viewers. Watersprings Church does not review for accuracy any information that appears in a closed caption or transcript. Watersprings Church makes no representations or warranties, and expressly disclaims any responsibility or liability with respect to, any errors or omissions in, or the accuracy, reliability, timeliness or completeness of, any information that appears in a closed caption or transcript.

The First Advent of Jesus Christ coming to earth changed everything!!!! He came as a baby in a manger and lived in obscurity for the first thirty years of His life. For the next three and a half years He ministered to the multitudes as He miraculously fed the hungry, gave sight to the blind, caused to lame to walk, cure the sick, healed the lepers, cast out demons, loved the children and proclaimed the message of His kingdom. He was crucified, buried and then on the third day rose again to life! For the next forty days He met with His disciples and gave them instructions to take His Gospel to the nations. Today every time anyone writes down the date, they acknowledge that Jesus was born because we date our calendar based on fact of His historical birth and life. The Second Event of Jesus coming to the earth will also dramatically change everything! In Christ first coming only relatively few people in a small corner of the earth saw Him physically with their own eyes. But my friend, at His second coming, “every eye shall see Him” (Revelation 1:7). Everyone left on earth at the end of the Tribulation will see Jesus when He comes again! Yesterday we shared some scripture references from both the Old and New Testaments. Today we want to share a few more. Jesus described His second coming in Luke 21:25-28: "And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of heaven will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near." Remember John saw these same things in previous verses here in Revelation. Both 1st and 2nd Thessalonians speak extensively of Jesus second coming. Every chapter in 1 Thessalonians ends with a reference to His coming again. 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10 clearly states the truth of His coming: “Since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed.” Again, it so amazing that Paul describes Christ's coming the same way John did! Then in Jude 1:14-15 we read about the prophecy of Enoch: “Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, "Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him." We first meet Enoch in Genesis 5:21-24 “Enoch lived sixty-five years, and begot Methuselah. After he begot Methuselah, Enoch walked with God three hundred years, and had sons and daughters. So all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years. And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.” Enoch is wonderful picture of the saints of the church age being raptured before the judgment of God takes place in the Tribulation. Hebrews 11:5-6 tells us that Enoch pleased God with his faith! Today, it is my prayer that we will be found faithful when Jesus comes for us! God Bless!

# Introduction I gave the impression to some that I was going to do a *series* on marriage rather than just one sermon. Okay. It will be a two-parter, and this is number two. Also, I really do understand that not everyone is married, just like everyone doesn't have kids, which was the focus last Lord's Day. But all Scripture is profitable, the parts about the dragon and the beast, and also husbands and wives, which I'm not saying are the same. Marriage is a mess because of Genesis 3. Sin separated Adam and Eve, and part of the punishment God gave them included difficulty in life together and between one another (see Genesis 3:16). Two sinners living in such close proximity will see sparks and stings and sorrows. It will happen even between couples who are actively being sanctified by God's Spirit. The institution of marriage is a mess in our culture and there are levels of mess in marriages among us. *Every* marriage has some mess, but, by grace, it can be cleaned up. That said, only those willing to do the work (and endure some pain) truly see the profit. He *blesses* marriage, and husbands and wives taste it, and see the fruit. If we want our homes to be a destination, then the linchpin relationship is between the spouses. # No Exceptions One of the first and weightiest principles of marriage I ever considered was based on an observation about the household responsibilities in Ephesians 5 which are also visible in Colossians 3 and 1 Peter 3. > Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. (Ephesians 5:22–24, ESV) > Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband. (Ephesians 5:25–33, ESV) Here is Paul's two-verse edition to the Colossians. > Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them. (Colossians 3:18–19, ESV) Both the husband and wife receive *commands*. Both also receive *clarifications*. Neither, however, receive any *conditions* based on the other person's character or obedience to his/her command. Husbands, you must love your wife, dying to bring life to her, *regardless if your wife is*: - lovely - thankful - submissive Should a man choose the least-lovely-to-him woman to be his bride? No. But is her initial loveliness or her maintained/unfading loveliness a condition for his ongoing obedience? No. In fact, for him to really be like Jesus, he must love her when she is truly *unlovely*. > For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:6–8, ESV) God's love is so great that He loves His enemies out of rebellion and hostility into loveliness and fellowship. Jesus sacrificed because He loved us first. He **loved…and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her** because she is *not yet* sanctified. She is not yet **in splendor** or **without blemish**, but she *will be* by His love. We respond to His love, He does not love us because we responded. It's also why Jesus taught that when you love those who love you, big whoop. This isn't calling your wife your enemy, but she should get *better* treatment than your enemy. # Object in Mirror The costly love of a husband must be start with the subject rather than object, it must be based on what comes from his heart and not based on what he finds in her heart. The husband answers to God for his obedience whether or not she responds positively, quickly, or reciprocally. Holy Spirit enabled love, which is the context for these household commands (Ephesians 5:15-21), depends on the root of love not the recipient. You've got to start with the man in the mirror. Does your wife appreciate your hard work for the family? Does she speak well about you? Does she speak well *to* you? Does she attend to the priorities you've expressed, follow your lead, and cheerfully submit when you make a tough decision (assuming you are in fact communicating and leading)? If I am talking to the husband about these issues then the answer to all of those questions is the same: *Who cares?!* None of them, not even one, qualify you for an exception due to marital hardship. If she is cold to you, or even opposes you, you are responsible to obey God, to act like Christ, to love your wife, to nourish and cherish her. Will a godly husband care about his wife's obedience to God's commands for her? Of course he will. According to Ephesians 5 he is responsible to be presenting her blameless and blemish-less. That is part of the husband's responsibilities. But, and this is a hard word, are *you*, husband, obeying? If only we could grasp the incongruity of admonishing our wives to get out of the rain while we are splashing about in mud puddles. She may in fact have a splinter in her eye, but did it break off from the log in your eye? Men, this is not the same thing as being a push-over. In love you will need to speak the truth. You will undoubtedly need to correct her thinking or confront her complaining or withstand her desire to rule over you (Genesis 3:16). But you will do this because you love her not because you can only love her if she stops behaving badly. You will do this because she is an “heir with you of the grace of life” not because she has earned her justification with God *or you* (1 Peter 3:7). It is easy to be weak and to let her wallow in sin because you'd rather wait and see if she'll become lovely at some point. As Doug Wilson has written, *love bestows loveliness*. That is the heart of the gospel in three words. # Effective Obedience Wives, note that the command to you likewise has *nothing to do with your husband's*: - respectability - thankfulness - leadership ability, wisdom, sacrifice, maturity, kindness, tone, romantic inclinations, time spent at home, etc. The barrage of “If only he would…If only he was…If only he…” cannot be supported by the Scriptures. In fact, the Scriptures argue “If only *you*…” > Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, when they see your respectful and pure conduct. Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious. For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands, as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening. (1 Peter 3:1–6, ESV) Submission is divinely *powerful* and *attractive*. Submission may be used by God to bring about *salvation* and obedience and therefore, respectability. Too many Christian wives want to win the world's way, by manipulation or demand. They will respond when there is something worth responding to. Of course husbands have the example of Christ to love the unlovely; Christ died for sinners. Wives don't have an example of respecting a jerk because Jesus has always been *not* a jerk but instead perfect in His sacrifice and wisdom and righteousness and love. But that's why wives get a different argument. Husbands, “love your wives, *as* Christ loved the church”; wives, “submit to your own husbands *as to* the Lord” (Ephesians 5:22). You are not imitating Jesus, you are submitting *to* Jesus as you submit to your husband. Respect is not a barrage of strained flatteries, though it should include purposeful thanks. Sometimes respect means raising your expectations and then letting the weight fall on your husband. Find ways to give him a pat on the back, and make sure you let family burdens sit on his back. If it's his deal, it's not respect to act as if it's your deal. *Respect bestows respectability*, and you have *no excuses* for disobedience based on your husband's lack of qualifications as you perceive them. Wives, you're commanded to **submit in everything** whether your man is a stud or a dud. # Chronic Reactors What happens if neither husband or wife will obey? It will be a misery-go-round circle. He is unkind, she is cold, so he is more unkind. She is whiny-bossy, he withdraws, so she gets more whiny—bossy. He's waiting for her, she's waiting for him, and they are in a holding pattern except for the increasing bitterness *or* becoming satisfied with no feelings or interest in the relationship at all. Marriages like this will orbit the planets of anxiety, reactivity, and emotional terrorism unless someone stops playing the victim. Give some spillover attention back to 1 Peter 3:9. > Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. There's no reason to think this *doesn't* have application to spouses. Instead of rising to the bait, rather than adding insult to insult, be the other hand. Do the *contrariwise*. That's actually how the KJV translates the turn, the alt-route: > "Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.” When you're in the argument, be a good kind of contrary. Be contrariwise, which is a good, old word. Take the opposite way, not just the high road, but the road of good returns. You are not social justice spouses. Some couples hire a house-cleaner to pick up after them, some couples act like they need to hire a judge and jury to follow them around. "Repay" is the same word translated as “recompense,” which we recently heard Jesus say about His return; He's going to bring it with Him (Revelation 22:12). This is a different context between husband and wife. Pay him/her back with blessing. Be the grown-up. If they come at you like a lit match, be wet bread dough. > A soft answer turns away wrath, > but a harsh word stirs up anger. > (Proverbs 15:1) AND, think of the blessing you'll experience, the blessing you obtain by *not* jumping up and down in puddles of anxiety. Think about not being bound to severe litigiousness. The payback to your payback is blessing. It is not a burden to be free from reactivity. It is not a burden to be free from the quicksand of offended-ness. It is glory *not* to overreact, not to get bent out of shape by aluminum foil. > Good sense makes one slow to anger, > and it is his glory to overlook an offense. (Proverbs 19:11) I am mostly thinking about “regular” problems. You may need outside help. There are homes where husbands are dangerous and where wives are unapologetic for their disrespect or unfaithfulness. Seek counsel. The elders are willing to help. But don't do that *instead of obeying yourself*, do that as you yourself are obeying. # Conclusion Thankfully we are justified by faith alone through grace alone in Christ alone. We are not justified by our obedience, let alone by happy marriages. But the justified will want to be sanctified, and that includes a desire for sanctified marriages. The imperatives in Ephesians 5/Colossians 3/1 Peter 3 have *nothing* to do with the other person other than to identify him or her. This is a truth I knew and a truth I talked about before getting married. What I didn't know is how easy it would be to rationalize away. God doesn't bless dealing with another person's sin *first*. Maybe you aren't the biggest problem in your marriage, but don't shirk the blame for your problems. Be the right kind of spouse before being the spouse who is right. Work on adorning the gospel and being attractive in obedience. Trust God. Most of the time spouses should act less like Jesus in Revelation riding His white horse with flaming hair and a sword at His side, and more like Jesus in the Gospels riding a donkey to His sacrifice of love in obedience to God. ---------- ## Charge Hosea prophesied that those who sow the wind will reap the whirlwind, and a whirlwind rips up whatever had been in the field anyway (Hosea 8:7). There's a warning side to sowing. There is also promise. James wrote that “a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace” (James 3:18). And as Paul told the Corinthians, God Himself multiplies seed for sowing bountifully and overflowing blessing (2 Corinthians 9:6-12). ## Benediction: > Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. (Galatians 6:7–9, ESV)

God’s people have a glorious future awaiting them in eternity when He makes all things new. Pastor Greg Laurie says, “The New Earth and New Jerusalem are prepared places for prepared people.” Learn how you can be ready in this podcast episode from Revelation 21.  It’s the latest in the series, Revelation: A Book of Promises.  Notes When you put your faith in Christ, you begin to realize that you were made for another world. Heaven is beyond words. Heaven is mentioned 532 times in the Bible, and more than 10% of those mentions are in Revelation.  “Behold, I make all things new” (Revelation 21:5). God loves new too! “And He said to me, ‘It is done!’” (Revelation 21:6). After the millennial reign of Christ, we enter into “eternal timelessness.” When God brings the New Earth, there will be no more ocean.  All the people throughout history who have trusted in Christ, will now be all together.  God the Father joins His Son to dwell with His people. In this New Earth, we will have a new city.  The New Earth and New Jerusalem are prepared places for prepared people. Jerusalem is the city of the past. Jerusalem is the city of the present. Jerusalem is the city of the future. “And His servants will serve Him” (Revelation 22:3).  We should not bottle up our sorrows, but let them out. Then God will put them in His bottle. God not only forgives our sins, He forgets them. What this hope does: It helps us to keep perspective during times of trial. It helps us to live godly lives. It motivates us to want to take as many people as possible to Heaven with us.  Scripture Referenced 2 Corinthians 12:4 1 Corinthians 15:52–54 Psalm 90:4 Galatians 4:4  2 Peter 3:9 1 John 3:2 John 14:2–3 1 Corinthians 2:9 Zechariah 12:2–3 Revelation 7:15 Psalm 56:8 2 Corinthians 5:17 Psalm 103:12 Romans 8:18 2 Corinthians 4:17–18 Colossians 3:1–2 --- Learn more about Greg Laurie and Harvest Ministries at harvest.org. This podcast is supported by the generosity of our Harvest Partners. Support the show: https://harvest.org/support See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

God’s people have a glorious future awaiting them in eternity when He makes all things new. Pastor Greg Laurie says, “The New Earth and New Jerusalem are prepared places for prepared people.” Learn how you can be ready in this podcast episode from Revelation 21.  It’s the latest in the series, Revelation: A Book of Promises.  Notes When you put your faith in Christ, you begin to realize that you were made for another world. Heaven is beyond words. Heaven is mentioned 532 times in the Bible, and more than 10% of those mentions are in Revelation.  “Behold, I make all things new” (Revelation 21:5). God loves new too! “And He said to me, ‘It is done!’” (Revelation 21:6). After the millennial reign of Christ, we enter into “eternal timelessness.” When God brings the New Earth, there will be no more ocean.  All the people throughout history who have trusted in Christ, will now be all together.  God the Father joins His Son to dwell with His people. In this New Earth, we will have a new city.  The New Earth and New Jerusalem are prepared places for prepared people. Jerusalem is the city of the past. Jerusalem is the city of the present. Jerusalem is the city of the future. “And His servants will serve Him” (Revelation 22:3).  We should not bottle up our sorrows, but let them out. Then God will put them in His bottle. God not only forgives our sins, He forgets them. What this hope does: It helps us to keep perspective during times of trial. It helps us to live godly lives. It motivates us to want to take as many people as possible to Heaven with us.  Scripture Referenced 2 Corinthians 12:4 1 Corinthians 15:52–54 Psalm 90:4 Galatians 4:4  2 Peter 3:9 1 John 3:2 John 14:2–3 1 Corinthians 2:9 Zechariah 12:2–3 Revelation 7:15 Psalm 56:8 2 Corinthians 5:17 Psalm 103:12 Romans 8:18 2 Corinthians 4:17–18 Colossians 3:1–2 --- Learn more about Greg Laurie and Harvest Ministries at harvest.org. This podcast is supported by the generosity of our Harvest Partners. Support the show: https://harvest.org/support See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

God’s people have a glorious future awaiting them in eternity when He makes all things new. Pastor Greg Laurie says, “The New Earth and New Jerusalem are prepared places for prepared people.” Learn how you can be ready in this podcast episode from Revelation 21.  It’s the latest in the series, Revelation: A Book of Promises.  Notes When you put your faith in Christ, you begin to realize that you were made for another world. Heaven is beyond words. Heaven is mentioned 532 times in the Bible, and more than 10% of those mentions are in Revelation.  “Behold, I make all things new” (Revelation 21:5). God loves new too! “And He said to me, ‘It is done!’” (Revelation 21:6). After the millennial reign of Christ, we enter into “eternal timelessness.” When God brings the New Earth, there will be no more ocean.  All the people throughout history who have trusted in Christ, will now be all together.  God the Father joins His Son to dwell with His people. In this New Earth, we will have a new city.  The New Earth and New Jerusalem are prepared places for prepared people. Jerusalem is the city of the past. Jerusalem is the city of the present. Jerusalem is the city of the future. “And His servants will serve Him” (Revelation 22:3).  We should not bottle up our sorrows, but let them out. Then God will put them in His bottle. God not only forgives our sins, He forgets them. What this hope does: It helps us to keep perspective during times of trial. It helps us to live godly lives. It motivates us to want to take as many people as possible to Heaven with us.  Scripture Referenced 2 Corinthians 12:4 1 Corinthians 15:52–54 Psalm 90:4 Galatians 4:4  2 Peter 3:9 1 John 3:2 John 14:2–3 1 Corinthians 2:9 Zechariah 12:2–3 Revelation 7:15 Psalm 56:8 2 Corinthians 5:17 Psalm 103:12 Romans 8:18 2 Corinthians 4:17–18 Colossians 3:1–2 --- Learn more about Greg Laurie and Harvest Ministries at harvest.org. This podcast is supported by the generosity of our Harvest Partners. Support the show: https://harvest.org/support See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

May 18 2021 Tuesday He'll Never Leave Ephesians 1:15-23 NLT  'Ever since I first heard of your strong faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for God's people everywhere, I have not stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly, asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God. I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance. I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God's power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God's right hand in the heavenly realms. Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come. God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church. And the church is his body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself.'  Ephesians 3:14-21 NLT 'When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God's love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.' Mark 10:29-30  100 Fold Return…  Millions of people live in chains not knowing that they have the key to break those chains. Hebrews 13:5  He's always there waiting on you to turn to Him… Revelation 3:20  Open the door for Jesus to come Into your heart… Romans 8:1  No condemnation for Born Again Children Of God… 2 Corinthians 10:5  Cast down those thoughts… Romans 10:9-10 KJV/NLT  Salvation… Hebrews 11:6  You must believe God is who He says He is… Romans 10:13  Call on Jesus' Name and be Saved… 1 John 1:9  Confess your sins God Will Cleanse You…  John 3:3  You Must Be Born Again… Acts 10:34  God Is No Respecter Of Person… Luke 15:10  Heaven Rejoices Over One Person That Repents And Is Born Again… John 3:16  Believe On The Lord Jesus Christ Your Lord And Savior… Mark 10:29-30  100 Fold Return… Share This Podcast On Your Social Media Website https://the-prodigalson.com Email tstacyhayes@gmail.com YouVersion Bible App https://my.bible.comi iOS App https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/prodigal-son/id1450529518?mt=8 …  Android App https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=tv.wizzard.android.prodical  Social Media https://www.facebook.com/The-Prodigal-SON-209069136315959/ https://www.facebook.com/noreligion1511/ https://twitter.com/noreligion1511 https://www.instagram.com/noreligion1511/ https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCPx4s1CLkSYef6mp4dSuU4w/featured

Today I am chatting with one of my good friends Elizabeth Wyndham, but to pretty much everyone else, she’s ELiz. So, as we are rounding out our 4 part Seeker series as we intentionally look at the questions and doubts people have about following God, I really wanted to spend time chatting with ELiz for a few different reasons. She has spent a lot of time as a student of the Middle East, and she lived there as a student in 2011. Eliz also is a woman of deep faith, and her love for the Lord and His Word is so beautiful to me, but she went through an experience of needing to make her faith her own and she spent a lot of time asking questions, listening and learning until as she says she found that :“Christianity was the only religion I couldn’t disprove” And she shares that process with us, and also how searching for Christ and how He intersected with the world when He was on Earth continues to inform her faith and how she interacts with others still today. So through her knowledge of cultures and  their paradigms, her immersive experiences, her heart for the Word of God, and the Gospel, I asked Eliz to come on the podcast and take me to school and ohhh boy did she. This one is a little longer than our average episode, but I know for a fact that there is a word for someone in this episode today. Whether it's about learning things you didn’t know before in regards to the world Jesus walked around in, how things are for Christians in other countries, bringing the Word of God even more fully alive, or an encouragement to you to dive deeper into your own faith journey, there’s something for everyone in this conversation. I hope it meets you where you are.  Sponsor Info: Tony Crabtree Homes with Exit RealtyFacebookInstagramYouTube Website References: MP Seminars Ride a camel to Petra  Jordan Egypt The Arab Spring  Syrian Civil War Egypt’s military dictator was kicked out Tahrir Square Geography of Northern Africa, the Middle East and South Africa “The Prince of Egypt” Sinai peninsula  Turkey is the bridge between the Middle East and Europe Chinatown in Egypt “My Shot”- Hamilton Garbage City  “Dhimmi/Dhimmis” 2nd class citizenship in Egypt //definition City of the Dead Caste system Train cars for women Islamic view of women “Shame is only shame if its known” (why women don’t share about sexual assault in the Middle East) Early Christianity in ancient Rome, it was a known as the religion for women  Infanticide was common in ancient Rome, especially for girls Hand of Fatima Folk Islam Muslim people who dream about Jesus Our episode with Patrick Prill Latasha Morrison and de-centering The 3D Gospel by Jason Georges (contains the culture test)  Roland Mueller, Honor & Shame // The Messenger, The Message and the Community Kenneth Bailey Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes Michael Heiser - his books and his episode with me, also listen to his podcast Mark Clark’s The Problem of Jesus: Answering a Skeptic's Challenges to the Scandal of Jesus, and also my conversation with him  Bridges small group study- how to connect and ask good questions with Musilm people J.D. Greear Carl Medearis Nonie Darwish- Wholly Different: Why I Chose Biblical Values Over Islamic Values  Scripture References: Exodus 14- The Exodus story from Egypt Matthew 2- Jesus went there for a time when He was a baby John 4- Samaritan Women Luke 8- Unclean woman (issue of blood) Leviticus 15:19- A menstruating woman would defile who she touched Ephesians 3:14-20, Romans 8:15, Romans 9:25-26, Galatians 3:26-27, 1 John 3:1-  Adopted into the Family of God (sons and daughters of God) Luke 24- “His resurrection was announced to the people whose testimony only counted for half” (the women) Luke 8:26-39- living among the tombs, Legion, filled with demons and Jesus Mark 5:1-20- Legion couldn’t be bound  2 Timothy 2:11-13- more info and multiple Biblical references here: Jesus binds Satan with His death, He conquered Satan, He is King and we will rule with Him Revelation 20- Demons will ultimately go to the eternal abyss Ephesians 6:12- We are not at war with flesh and blood Ephesians 2:6-7- Jesus is in Heavenly Places Matthew 3:2,Matthew 4:17,Mark 1:15- The Kingdom of God is at hand  Romans 8:17- Co-heirs with Christ Hebrews 4:12- The Word of God is alive and active  1 Corinthians 9:19-23- give up some to save many 1 Corinthians 6:12- Must not become a slave to anything 1 Peter 2:7-9- A rock of offense  Mark 2:13-17- Jesus eating with sinners John 13:35- They will know Me by your love 1 Corinthians 13- If I speak without love, I’m a clanging gong Exodus 16:4- Mana in the desert for each day in the portion needed Matthew 6:5-15- Give us this day our daily bread  Acts 2- Tongue of fire from the Holy Spirit Hebrews 12:2- Jesus went to the cross despising its shame and now is seated at the right hand of the Father Connecting with Emily and Simply Stories PodcastInstagram (Em life // Podcast Life)FacebookTwitterBlog  *Intro and Outro music is from audionautix.com

Revelation 19:17-21 Series: Just Conquer #53 # Introduction Is living by faith the easiest thing to do, or the most difficult? We are saved by faith *alone*; salvation is *God's* work that we receive. The Father chose a people to save, the Son made the sacrifice to purchase salvation, and the Spirit regenerates and then works and wills that salvation in us. The believer's identity is just that: a *believer*. We are "the ones believing." Believing certainly seems easier than paying off our debt to God, especially since His economy of forgiveness runs on blood. The only currency, so to speak, that covers the long list of our lawbreaking is blood, and we don't have enough. We've all rebelled against Him in sin, and there's no only-human way to fix it. He doesn't accept dollars or good deeds or pilgrimages. Faith in Christ, receiving the gospel of His righteous sacrifice, is the only way of salvation. But this is only "easier" in the way that hanging onto the wing of an airplane at 30,000 feet is "easier" than flapping your arms to fly at the same height. Another angle on this is to say that living by faith is still quite a ride. This ride looks ridiculous, unsafe, and unnecessary to many on the ground. They might say that clinging so desperately onto Christ makes us fools. And, look at all the other people standing around down here, safe by all appearances, and having a much easier time. But, ironically, if they had the eyes of faith that would save them, then they would be able to see some of what they needing to be saved from. But they don't believe, so they can't see, and in spiritual darkness they will play around acting as if they don't need God. Many of them will even get up the gumption to get irritated at the name of Christ. They will mock and shoot at those hanging onto Christ, and at some point in the future a group of those self-identifying as Team AllThat will gather against Christ in an attempt to dethrone Him. Any believers living in this time of tribulation will have their faith tested, many of the faithful will be criticized and cut off and some will be killed. The power of the beast will appear to be victorious. It will look as if nothing can overcome him, even with the appearance that he overcame death, having a mortal wound that was healed (Revelation 13:12). So many will follow the Antichrist rather than put their faith in Word of God. I understand that the word *faith* is not in Revelation 19:17-21, neither is the word *believe*. But this Revelation is *for* us who believe. This is the prophecy of the Second Coming of Christ, and it will be a ride for those with Him. # The Banquet (verses 17-18) The Rider on the white horse and His army were seen in heaven (Revelation 19:11), now John writes that **I saw an angel standing in the sun**, or maybe “before” the sun. This location might emphasize his authority, he can handle the heat of sol, or his visibility, the greatest backlight of all time (even if not quite what we might think like the Bat-signal). This angel is another herald angel, announcing the second supper in the chapter, but with a completely different set of guests and menu. **With a loud voice (the angel) called to all the birds that fly directly overhead.** Though the Greek word is a word for birds in general, the description of the birds as **overhead** birds along with the purpose for their coming suggests that these are more like vultures, birds of prey that feed on decaying flesh. In fact, flesh is the key word in this summons. > “Come, gather for the great supper of God, to eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and their riders, the flesh of all men, both free and slave, both small and great.” (verses 17b-18) In chapter 19 there are two meal invitations from the Lord. In verse 9 an angel revealed the blessed status of those invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb. That banquet is a feast *for* the faithful. This supper in verse 17 is a feast *on* the unfaithful, especially on those who are about to war against the Lord's Anointed. This is **the great supper of God**, an extraordinarily abundant meal. The language is similar to Ezekiel 39. > As for you, son of man, thus says the Lord GOD: Speak to the birds of every sort and to all beasts of the field: ‘Assemble and come, gather from all around to the sacrificial feast that I am preparing for you, a great sacrificial feast on the mountains of Israel, and you shall eat flesh and drink blood. You shall eat the flesh of the mighty, and drink the blood of the princes of the earth—of rams, of lambs, and of he-goats, of bulls, all of them fat beasts of Bashan. And you shall eat fat till you are filled, and drink blood till you are drunk, at the sacrificial feast that I am preparing for you. And you shall be filled at my table with horses and charioteers, with mighty men and all kinds of warriors,' declares the Lord GOD. (Ezekiel 39:17–20) The repeated emphasis in Ezekiel 39 is that God will make it so the Israel and the nations “know that I am the LORD” (verses 7, 22, 28)(Beale). On the menu is **flesh** of all kinds of *men*. This is not beef or poultry, pork or fish, this is the meat of humans, plus of the horses that some of them rode to this battle. Five times the word **flesh** is used, and there is no good reason to think it is a symbol. The flesh-eating birds are called to eat different sorts of flesh, and the final verse in the chapter says that “all the birds were gorged with their flesh.” The primary group seems to be the soldiers gathered to fight the Lamb (see verse 19). That makes sense for why kings and captains and mighty men and cavalry are identified, but the **the flesh of all men** and the following categories (**free and slave**, **small and great**) are more than army men, more than the enlisted along with the officers. This would be all those sorts who followed the beast and took his mark (as verse 20 describes). The sequence portrays as much insult as the reality. It's one thing for the bodies to be unburied, a typical indignity, which would be why the birds have their free-for-all spread. But the call of the angel comes *before* the battle. This is calling your shot before you take it. This is scoffing at the scoffers. This is like “He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision” (Psalm 2:4). King Lune said, “Never taunt a man save when he is stronger than you: then, as you please.” But this is ridicule of those who deceive themselves about their strength. # The Battle (verses 19-21) In these short three verses there are three quick stages. The war was over almost as soon as it started. ## Stage One: Gathered for Battle (verse 19) The **beast** is mentioned again for the first time since chapter 17, as one to whom the kings gave over their power (17:13, 17). He is the beast that “was, and is not, and is about to rise from the bottomless pit and go to destruction” (17:8). Remember that when the sixth bowl of judgment was poured out, the dragon (Satan) and the beast (the Antichrist) and the false prophet sent out unclean, demonic spirits “who go abroad to the kings of the whole world, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty” (16:13-14). The wannabe trinity is prepping against the true triune God. The armies were **gathered** by spiritual forces, to make **(the) war.** It is not the *final* war, see Revelation 20:8-9 with a different cast in a different location, and most significant, one before and one after the thousand years. This gathering occurs in the place called Armageddon (16:16). Now in Revelation 19 all the players are on stage. > And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against him who was sitting on the horse and against his army. (Revelation 19:19) The one **who was sitting on the horse** has the name, “The Word of God” (verse 13). On His robe is written, “King of kings and Lord of lords” (verse 16). You'd think that would be intimidating. But the kings of the earth rage against their obligations to worship the Lord (see Psalm 2:2-3). ## Stage Two: The Beasts Captured (verse 20) There seems to be a significant piece missing, and it's not because of a problem transmitting the text. There aren't manuscript questions or debates. This is not like five-hundred pages of an epic poem describing a week in the life of a Greek soldier (as in _The Illiad_). According to John Stage One is the muster and Stage Two is the capture of the commanders. If there was much of a fight, it wasn't worth mentioning. > And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. (Revelation 19:20) Without any “indication of any effective resistance” (Thomas), the beast and the false prophet are *instantly* **captured**, “taken” (KJV), “seized” (NASB), overpowered and taken into custody. We know that the beast is bad, but we're reminded that lying about the beast is also bad. The false prophet bore false witness to false glory. He lied and led others into idolatry, so he is tied to the beast in judgment. And **these two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur**. This is the first time that “the lake of fire” is referenced in Scripture, and these are the first two in. More will be cast into the lake of fire in chapter 20, including Satan and all those who have not been redeemed by the Lamb. It is the terminal place of torment, different from *Hades* which is the place of the dead between death and resurrection (Thomas); Death and Hades themselves will be thrown into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:14). Burning sulfur would be *hot* and foul (Mounce). There is no need for a trial for these two. That they are **thrown alive** shows both consciousness and terror. According to chapter 20 they will still be there when God throws the devil in, and “they will be tormented day and night forever and ever” (20:10). This is everlasting, eternal, unending punishment. This is eternal death, not in annihilation or oblvion, but eternal separation from God and anything good. “If anyone's name was not found in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire” (20:15). See also Revelation 14:10-11, “no rest, day or night.” One commentator I read said that this “does not suggest that two literal individuals are cast bodily into the fire” (Beale). But if the lake of fire is real, and it is, then so are those who enter it. This is not just where ideas go to die, schools of thought or Republicans or banking systems, it is for all rebels. ## Stage Three: The Soldiers Slain (verse 21) As for the human army, they are completely wiped out and become food for the birds. > And the rest were slain by the sword that came from the mouth of him who was sitting on the horse, and all the birds were gorged with their flesh. (Revelation 19:21) The **sword** is a reference to the Word, and while a sword describes the Word of the Rider it does not make all the rest of the description symbolic. In Numbers 11 the Israelites in the wilderness complained about lack of meat, so much so that they looked longingly to their slavery in Egypt. The LORD told Moses to tell them that He would give them meat, “you shall not eat just one day, or two days, or five days, or ten days, or twenty days, but a whole month, until it comes out your nostrils and becomes loathsome to you, because you have rejected the LORD” (Numbers 11:18-20). These birds will have their fill on those who rejected the LORD. This is *not* a gradual defeat. It is not a metaphor of the defeat of evil about by the spread of the gospel, which would contradict everything about this paragraph. It is a decisive and cataclysmic devastation of the Antichrist and his followers. # Conclusion God will give the nations to His Son, and the ends of the earth will be His possession. Those who fight against Him He will “break with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel” (Psalm 2:8-9). But blessed are those who take refuge in Him (Psalm 2:12). Those who trust Him with conquer with Him. Those who trust this word will see the victory of the Word. Living by faith, squeezing as tight as our little frail fingers can to the wings of the plane, is a crazy ride, and much safer than letting go. And also, at the right time we will see that Christ has been holding on to us, and no one can snatch us out of His hand (John 10:28), or out of the Father's hand who has given us to the Son (John 10:29). Those who believe in Him will endure and will conquer and reign with Him (2 Timothy 2:12). Hold fast to Him (Revelation 2:13; 3:11; 12:17; 19:10). ---------- ## Charge The author of Hebrews encouraged his people who were publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, or who were partners with those so treated (Hebrews 10:33). He encouraged them to remember remember their better and abiding possession (10:34). He told them their confidence had great reward (10:35). Then he put together some ideas from Habakkuk and Isaiah: “Yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay, but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him” (Hebrews 10:37-38). Don't let go of the Wing. ## Benediction: > And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. (Philippians 1:9–11, ESV)

God is above all things and before all things. He is the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end. He is immortal, and He is present everywhere so that everyone can know Him (Revelation 21:6). God created all things and holds all things together, both in heaven and on earth, both visible and invisible (Colossians 1:16). God knows all things past, present, and future. There is no limit to His knowledge, for God knows everything completely before it even happens (Romans 11:33). God can do all things and accomplish all things. Nothing is too difficult for Him, and He orchestrates and determines everything that is going to happen in your life, in my life, in America, and throughout the world. Whatever He wants to do in the universe, He does, for nothing is impossible with Him (Jeremiah 32:17). God is in control of all things and rules over all things. He has power and authority over nature, earthly kings, history, angels, and demons. Even Satan himself has to ask God's permission before he can act (Psalm 103:19).

God is above all things and before all things. He is the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end. He is immortal, and He is present everywhere so that everyone can know Him (Revelation 21:6). God created all things and holds all things together, both in heaven and on earth, both visible and invisible (Colossians 1:16). God knows all things past, present, and future. There is no limit to His knowledge, for God knows everything completely before it even happens (Romans 11:33). God can do all things and accomplish all things. Nothing is too difficult for Him, and He orchestrates and determines everything that is going to happen in your life, in my life, in America, and throughout the world. Whatever He wants to do in the universe, He does, for nothing is impossible with Him (Jeremiah 32:17). God is in control of all things and rules over all things. He has power and authority over nature, earthly kings, history, angels, and demons. Even Satan himself has to ask God's permission before he can act (Psalm 103:19).

Revelation 16:10-21 Series: Just Conquer Part 44 # Introduction It seems possible to know something truly and yet be deceived, whether by one's own sinful anger or by supernatural propaganda. The people who experience the final plagues know exactly who sent the plagues that are destroying them and yet they refuse to humble themselves, which you'd think would be the reasonable response. Many of them even gather to fight against Him, and this is a ridiculous response. We are down to the final three bowls of judgment. Seven angels were given seven bowls which are the seven last plagues, and all seven are poured out in Revelation 16. The first four appear to affect individual men more directly, with sores and scorched skin and with blood to drink and clotted-blood clogging up the seas. The final three bowls affect persons, but are targeted at a higher level of cities and the anti-Christian systems. God remembers all the faithlessness and fraud and idolatry and immorality of men. God remembers His people and His promises, and this is good news for the faithful; in fact we need to remember His faithfulness not to forget us. But here, "Babylon the great was remembered by God," and they will wish He was forgetful. They will blaspheme His lack of forgetfulness, and it will be blasphemy such as there has never been. # Fifth Bowl: Dark Despair (verses 10-11) The fourth bowl brought intense heat from the sun that caused burns on men, the fifth bowl causes darkness far as the curse is found. "The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness." There was a plague of darkness in Egypt that shut down everything under Pharaoh's rule for three days (Exodus 10). This apocalyptic darkness targets "the throne of the beast," the center of the Antichrist's authority. The throne was a gift from the dragon, that is, from Satan, to the beast (Revelation 13:2). With visible irony, the darkness and blindness which come about from the beast's deceiving work comes back onto the beast's seat and extend throughout his dominion. While he wishes he could be the Logos of light, he can't even keep the lights on over his throne. A lot of bad things are done in darkness, and this is bad darkness. We can imagine the confusion and chaos of the dark; think of the response of the riffraff in a busy casino that loses power. At this point, it's hard to imagine a bunch of compassionate idolators trying to help out their neighbors. They have become like who they worshipped, terrible in *selfishness*. More time in the dark gives them more time to think about their favorite subject: themselves. And it's a planet-wide pity party. "People gnawed their tongues in anguish and cursed the God of heaven for their pain(s)/sufferings and sores." It's strange that in English gnawing one's tongue and biting one's tongue do not mean the same thing. Biting your tongue means being quiet, gnawing your tongue means grumbling and whining in complaint. If there is any connection between people, it's like rocks banging into each other in a bag about how *mean* God is. John says they "*blasphemed* the God of heaven," which means that they *know* the throne and kingdom of the beast is inferior. They know, and they hate what they know. So, they *lie* about God. Even now, with nothing else to do but consider their obligations to the Sovereign God who had come so intimately close in judgment, "they did not repent of their deeds,” deeds such as murders and sorceries and sexual immorality and thefts (9:21). # Sixth Bowl: A Lost Cause (verses 12-16) This bowl is a scene-setting bowl. This judgment gets the pieces put on the board in the right place, so the bowl is poured out here and will be finished later. "The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, to prepare the way for the kings from the east." Of course it's possible to do a lot of interpretive Pilates and bend around the Euphrates River into seeing something that isn't the Euphrates River. It is pretty specific to be merely symbolic. The Euphrates was the fourth river mentioned in Genesis 2. Historically the Euphrates River was the eastern border of both Abraham's promised land (Genesis 15:18) and likewise of the Roman Empire, a natural protection from the (feared) Parthians. Herodotus (_Histories_ 1.190-91) recorded when Cyrus attacked Babylon by having his army reroute the Euphrates so that he could cross, a precursor in some ways to this apocalyptic battle. Four angels were bound at the Euphrates and then released when the sixth trumpet was blown, along with mounted troops with killer horses, to kill a third of mankind (Revelation 9:13-15). What is more picturesque is that the kings who are coming are "from the rising of the sun," not just from the "east" (ESV). There are at least fifty different identifications for these kings (Mounce). But why are these kings coming? Verses 13-16 give some detail. "And I saw, coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs." The unholy trinity are connected together in a concert of deception. The dragon is Satan (12:9), the beast is the Antichrist, and the second beast is specifically called "the false prophet," the one who made the image of the beast for all to worship. "Frogs" were one of the plagues in Egypt, but here they are used as an analogy (though interestingly, Moses explicitly told Pharaoh that frogs would get into his bedroom, Exodus 8:3-4, see also Psalm 105:30), the "unclean spirits" are "*like* frogs," and verse 14 explains more. "For they are demonic spirits, performing signs, who go abroad to the kings of the whole world, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty." One might think that rulers of nations would know better than to listen to slimy frogs. But these are supernatural war-mongers, and they are successful. They come not bearing gifts but "performing signs" of some sort that validate their message. In a similar way, a lying spirit caused false prophets to convince Ahab into a losing battle as well (1 Kings 22:19-22). They go throughout the beast's kingdom to "kings of *the whole world*,” and call them to join in Operation: Freedom. It is a *war* (τὸν πόλεμον), *the* war, the War of the End (Beale), the Great War. Ezekiel (38-39) and Zechariah (14) Joel (2-3) prophesied a great war of ungodly nations. This is the final fulfillment of Psalm 2. > The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against his Anointed saying, "Let us burst their bonds apart and cast their cords from us." (Psalm 2:2-3) The frog-demon-men either hide the fact, or they bring false confidence about the fact, that this is a fight against "God the Almighty." This is what the dragon has been after since the beginning. He wants to be the Pantokrator, and convinces a depraved world to sacrifice themselves to a lost cause. The dragon couldn't even keep one man in the grave, and many will go to their graves because of him. He is the great loser, and will be remembered as such. This will *not* be the dragon's “great day.” Verse 15 is a parenthesis, even translated with parenthesis in the ESV. Let's come back to it in a moment. Verse 16 identifies the battleground. "They (the frog-like-demon-men) assembled them (the kings) at the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon." Armageddon is well known as a name, and strangely so, since it is very debatable in terms of location. John gives the "Hebrew” name, as he gave us some Hebrew a few chapters earlier (9:11). *Har Megiddo* seems to mean Mount Megiddo, and Megiddo is in the region of Jerusalem, but as a city it is not near a mountain, let alone built on one. The general location has already hosted some great combat; it is where Sisera was defeated (Judges 4-5), where Gideon fought the Midianites (Judges 7) and Saul fought the Philistines (1 Samuel 31). Apparently Napoleon saw it and thought it was a perfect site for war. To host the kings, and their armies, of the "whole world" seems like too small a field, but things could center here and spread out. In between the assembling is an admonition to *stay awake* from Jesus Himself. "Behold, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed!" The placement in the paragraph is unusual, though the word picture sounds like Jesus. Coming "like a thief" means coming when not expected, which implies immanence at least indirectly. It could be any moment, so be *watch for Him*. The seventh and last beatitude is here: "*blessed* is the one who is alert." Don't miss it. In the analogy, you need to wear your vigilance pajamas. The modifier to awake-ness is "keeping his garments on," which may have been a reference to those on temple guard duty. If a guard was found sleeping, he would be stripped of his clothes and sent home in obvious shame (Osborne). That's the "naked" and "exposed" and disgraced. # Seventh Bowl: The Great Shakedown (verses 17-21) The bowls are the last series of seven plagues, and here is the final plague of the seven. "The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out from the temple, from the throne, saying, 'It is done!'" The effects aren't finished, but the final causes have been initiated, like entering the event horizon; there's no going back. Jesus said something similar on the cross (John 19:30), and this bowl is the consummation of God's wrath for all those who would not believe in Him (Revelation 15:1). As is usual with the seventh seven, "there were flashes of lightening, rumblings, peals of thunder, and a great earthquake such as there had never been since man was on the earth, so great was that earthquake." *Great* is the emphasis of this judgment, as the word "great" is used seven times just in this paragraph (though only translated as such five times in the ESV). This storm belongs with the de-creation work of the God of heaven, God the Almighty. To be clear, this earthquake is unlike any that humanity has experienced under the sun, which also indicates that this is not part of a cycle. This is the end. Such a shaking affects more than one geographical location, even if there is one epicenter. "The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell, and God remembered Babylon the great, to make her drain the cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath." I understand the "great city" to be Jerusalem, and the split into three was prophesied in the OT. In addition to Jerusalem, *many* cities all around the world were destroyed. “All the world's cultural, political, economic, and sociological centers” will be decimated (Beale). And in particular, Babylon, at least as a nickname for the seat of the beast's authority, "was remembered." The construction is passive, "Babylon, the great, was remembered before the face of God.” This is not when you want to be remembered. Babylon will drink to the dregs the cup filled with wine, the wine which is wrath, the wrath which is furious, the fury which is God's. "And every island fled away," they were as fugitives on the run, "and no mountains were to be found." Here is the only indication of any kind of egalitarianism on God's part; He levels every high place, flattening everything. Previous topographical distinctions are lost. "And great hailstones, about one hundred pounds each, fell from heaven on people." This is not large boulders launched from catapults, as Preterists interpret flung over the walls of Jerusalem, or Rome. These are hailstones that fall *from heaven*, amidst thunder and lightening and *many cities* falling. A hailstone weighing a “talent” was 125 Roman pounds, and each pound was about 12 ounces each. According to _The Guinness Book of World Records_ the largest hailstones ever recorded were 2.25 pounds in Bangladesh in 1986. It's been estimated that a 100 lb ice-lump would be 17.6 inches in diameter (Osborne). The people know where the hailstones come from: "they *blasphemed* God for the plague of the hail, because the plague was so great." This is blasphemy such as there has never been. # Conclusion Chapters 17 and 18 give an extended description of the fall of the beast's empire. But it all comes crashing down. > “[A]ll temporary manifestations of secular power the entire structure of human opposition to the kingdom of God will come crashing down in defeat. In the mind of the apocalyptist this will happen not by the gradual turning of people to the truth but by the dramatic and sudden return of the warrior Christ.” (Mounce) This *hope* reminds us that we live in a moral universe. The God of heaven remembers, and God the Almighty will have His great day. ---------- ## Charge Remember that apart from grace—God blessing us with unearned blessing—we would be in the great crowd of those rejoicing in elected representatives who are committed to murdering babies, to questioning male and female biology, and to making naughty lists of all who disagree. Soon there will be legislation to live by moonlight only during the day, because the sun has for too long had too much privilege. But for grace, we would eat our folly like chunky vomit. Yet, Christian, you have been saved by grace. By grace you do not walk in the course of this world any more. By grace you have been created in Christ to see the children of wrath and still to do good works. ## Benediction: > For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And > > “If the righteous is scarcely saved, > what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?” > > Therefore let those who suffer according to God's will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good. (1 Peter 4:17–19, ESV)

In this episode we look at a story that can be understood very differently when you look at it through the lens that Jesus gives us about God. In the future we will look at a few other situations in the Old Testament - we would like your input as to which of the following (or others that you may have) that you would like us to discuss. Send us an email and let us know. iangreyhartely@gmail.com or wkaysix@gmail.com God and infertility Genesis 16:2 The LORD has kept me from having children Gen 20:18 God tempted people to do evil Genesis 22:1; 2 Samuel 24:1 God hardened Pharaoh's heart Exodus 4:21; 10:1; Josh 11:20; Isa 6:10; Rom 9:18 God commanded stoning and burning as punishment Exodus 19:13; Lev 20:2,27; 24:14,16,23; Num 15:36; Dt 29:23; Joshua 7:25 God sent snakes to bite His rebellious people Numbers 21:6 God sent evil spirits to torment people Judges 9:23; 1Samuel 16:14-16, 23; 18:10; 19:9 God prevented women from having children Gen 16:2; 20:18; 29:31;1 Samuel 1:5,6 God creates good and bad 1Samuel 2:6,7; Job 1:21; 2:10; Isaiah 45:7; Amos 3:6 God sent lying spirits out who speak evil 1Kings 22:22,23; 2Chronicles 18:21 God sends a strong delusion 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 God killed people who disobeyed Him 1Chronicles 10:14; Judges 4:1 God destroyed a friend with fire at the instigation of Satan Job 1:16 God killed Ruth's family members Ruth 1:11,20,21 God killed the young and the weak Ezekiel 9:5,6 God commanded idolatry Ezekiel 20:39 God destroyed and burned the cities of His enemies Matthew 22:7 God is guilty of genocide Num 31:7; Deut. 7:1,2; 20:17; 25:19; 1Sam 15:2-3 God punishes those who reject Him Revelation 20:15 God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah Genesis 19:24-26 God drowned men, women and children in the flood Genesis 6:5-7 God executed 185,000 Assyrians in one night 2Kings 19:35 Jesus rescues us from the coming Wrath 1 Thessalonians 1:10

Revelation 11:15-19 Series: Just Conquer #32 # Introduction What is the hope of every Christian? There are different ways to describe it, but “the outcome of [our] faith” is “the salvation of [our] souls” (1 Peter 1:9). “We rejoice in the hope of the glory of God” (Romans 5:2). We want to be “complete in Christ” (Colossians 1:28). All of those are included in the promise of the gospel, they belong with our eternal life. And also, we want a life with the Lord and for the Lord. We want fellowship with Christ, to be face to face (1 Corinthians 13:12) and know His love and live in His presence. You may say it some other way. But faith, as it is informed by God's Word, has a picture of a way it will be. We might not dwell on our future because we're distracted, or because we're afraid we've got the details wrong, or even because we're discouraged and begin to doubt. This is part of why God gave us the book of Revelation. After this morning we'll be halfway through the book, at least according to chapter divisions. What have you gotten so far? I suspect it's a mixed blessing. I've heard that some don't enjoy what seems to be an excessively detailed and academic lecture series. I know there are others who would say it's not scholarly enough. (Maybe there is a group for whom it's “just right.”) I also get that you may not always get the *feels* that any given paragraph is the gas you need for your week. Does anticipating a hoard of demon locust encourage you to fold the final load of laundry? Does the fact that I think it's actually a hoard of demon locust irritate you every time you think about it while you're doing the laundry? Maybe you wonder, some Sundays more than others, what good this is doing. You could be in your seventies, you could be seven, you could be wrangling a seven-month old, you could be afraid that I'm about to make a numerical joke about the symbolism of the number seven. I believe that even now, in the crazy-sounding and unrelenting prophecies of the end times, God is giving us courage to conquer. We need at least a little time each week to get our heads into a God-given vision of the future where He rights the wrongs and rewards the righteous and rules over His kingdom giving blessing to those who rejoice in His reign. You may be the youngest believer among us, or the busiest, or bruised. You may not remember all the intricacies of the seals and trumpets and bowls, but if you can sing like the great multitude that He shall reign forever and ever, it will be hard to knock you over. We've come to the seventh trumpet, which I believe includes the seven bowls to be poured out in the following chapters. # A Declaration (verse 15) As the final trumpet blows, John sees what will be the final reality on earth. When the seventh seal was broken there was silence in heaven for half an hour (Revelation 8:1). This is not hushed. > 15 Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven saying, "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever." The lyrics may sound more familiar to you from Handel's _Messiah_, especially the “Hallelujah Chorus.” Handel's oratorio does make a glorious impression, but the original vision even more so. These **loud voices** were **saying**, not singing per se (though vigorous chanting supposedly spreads coronavirus anyway). Contrary to the assertions of many commentators, the point of the prophecies of Revelation is *not* how the church is fulfilling the role of Israel in God's plan. The point of the prophecies is that Jesus is coming again to reign on earth over a kingdom of Jews and Gentiles of every nation. The **kingdom of the world** is seen as one great empire. (Some Greek manuscripts must have made it plural, so the KJV has “kingdoms”; the reality will be the same in the end.) All the rulers of the world who reject Jesus as Lord will not win. We'll see in the next verse those who rage against Him, a reference from Psalm 2. The Lord and His anointed will win and the world will be given to the Messiah for His authority. When Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world,” (John 18:36), He didn't mean that it wouldn't work on earth but rather that its organizing principles and central energy is not earthly. But it does extend universally over all the earth (see Psalm 47:2, and many other passages). It also extends in perpetuity, since He will reign **forever and ever**. While I am a premillennialist, meaning that I believe in a 1,000 year reign of Christ on earth before a final judgment and then a new earth and a new heaven, I don't think that the end of the millennium means that His kingdom is finished. In one way, His kingdom was inaugurated when He rose from the dead. In another way, we are living by faith in it currently. In another way, He will crush His foes. In the end, we will reign with Him (Revelation 5:10; 20:4, 6). # A Doxology (verses 16-18) Alongside the loud voices come the **twenty-four elders** whom we met in chapter 4. > 16 And the twenty-four elders who sit on their thrones before God fell on their faces and worshipped God, saying Some understand the twenty-four elders to be a symbolic representation of all the saints, some more specifically as 12 for the the sons of Israel, so Old Testament saints, and 12 for the apostles, so New Testament saints. But wouldn't those saints be included in the “loud voices” (verse 15)? And why do the elders talk *about* the saints (verse 18) in the third person if they themselves are in the same group? Instead, the **twenty-four elders** are a divine class of being, a ruling class, as show by the fact that they **sit on their thrones before God**. As usual in Revelation, they lead in worship. > 17 We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, > who is and who was, > for you have taken your great power > and begun to reign. > We've seen the **who is and who was** before (Revelation 1:4, 8), but usually it includes “who is to come.” Now, He *has come*. That He has **taken...great power** does not mean that He didn't have power before, but that He has now applied that power in full effect over those who would challenge His crown rights. He does all that He pleases (Psalm 115:3), and His will is done on earth as it is in heaven. That He has **begun to reign** looks at the inception of His conquering. Some Preterists take this as the end of temple worship in AD 70, so God's “reign” began in the world in a spiritual way as the gospel goes forth. But the emphasis here is on personal reign of *judgment* not redemption. Add to that, the rewards of His servants are for their endurance through difficulties, not their fruitfulness of ministry. > 18 The nations raged, > but your wrath came, > and the time for the dead to be judged, > and for rewarding your servants, > the prophets and saints, > and those who fear your name, > both great and small, > and for destroying the destroyers of the earth. **The nations raged**. The nations are always raging. The kings, princes, presidents, prime ministers, sheiks, and governors and county health directors do not want Him. Until Jesus comes, there is time to repent. When He comes again, **your wrath came**, and His wrath out-wraths their rage. It will be **time for the dead to be judged**, which may be a reference to the dead who are already physically dead, since there are living **destroyers** at the end of the verse. Such a judgment was prophesied in Daniel 12:2. It's a small chiasmus, or at least a sandwich, with the righteous referenced in-between the rebels. Look at these descriptions. The Lord will be **rewarding all [His] servants**, His *doulois*. There are two groups distinguished, the **prophets and the saints**, those who are called by God to proclaim His message and those who are called by God to believe and obey His message. Some speak, all are holy. They are also **those who fear your name, both small and great**. > The LORD has remembered us; he will bless us; > he will bless the house of Israel; > he will bless the house of Aaron; > he will bless those who fear the LORD, > both the small and the great. > (Psalm 115:12–13) And then we finish with more judgment: it is time **for destroying the destroyers of the earth**. It is *just* judgment. There is a sense of the *lex talionis*, the eye-for-an-eye, the get-what-you-deserve, the what-goes-around-comes-around. Not only do men not get away with what they're doing, they will taste their own destruction. # A Demonstration (verse 19) Confirmation comes from the heavens. > 19 Then God's temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple. There were flashes of lightening, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail. For the **temple in heaven** to be **opened** and for **the ark of his covenant** to be **seen within his temple** means that there is no more division. When Christ rose from the dead the curtain was torn in two, and this vision shows that the most holy place, in God's presence, is now open and accessible to His saints, those who rejoice in His reign. The ark itself was the main reminder of God's presence. And again the **lightenings, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail** punctuate the divine power. # Conclusion This hasn't happened yet. So what should you do? *Believe* it. Pray for it (Revelation 22:20). Wait for it. Live in light of it (James 5:8). > Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. (2 Peter 3:11–13) I don't know why this doesn't get to count as optimism. “Blessed are all who take refuge in him” (Psalm 2:12). --- ## Charge The King is coming, what does He want you to be doing until then? He has told you. There are a number of ways to remember it, and it doesn't always look the same any given day of the week, but the agenda is basic: trust and obey. Keep His Word, in your confession and conduct. Instead of KISS: keep it simple, stupid, how about KIUS: keep it unstained, saints. ## Benediction: > I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which he will display at the proper time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen. (1 Timothy 6:13–16, ESV)

On May 31,, 2020 John Tillery continued our look into the future specifically the Tribulation showing from scripture that silence in Heaven is designed to bring people back to Him (Revelation 10:1-11:14)

"Does God hear my prayers?" Answer: God hears everything, including prayers. He is God. Nothing gets by Him (Psalm 139:1–4). He is sovereign over everything He created (Isaiah 46:9–11). So the question is not whether God is aware of every prayer (He is), but whether God is tuning in to our prayers with an intent to answer them. God wants us to pray. He has created prayer as a means by which we can enjoy Him (Revelation 3:20), confess our sin (1 John 1:9), ask Him to meet our needs (Psalm 50:15), and align our wills with His (Jeremiah 29:11–12; Luke 22:42). One kind of prayer is guaranteed to be granted. Luke 18:13–14 describes the prayer of repentance. When we call upon the Lord in humble repentance, He is eager to justify and forgive us. However, when considering prayer, it is important to remember that most promises of God in Scripture were written to His people. In the Old Testament, those promises were for Israel and all who united with them. In the New Testament, those promises were written to the followers of Jesus. It is a misuse of Scripture to pull out isolated verses and try to apply them to any situation we want, including prayer. Even though the Lord knows and hears all, He has given some circumstances in which He will not listen to our prayers: 1. When we are choosing to hold on to sin, rather than repent and change, God will not hear our prayers. In Isaiah 1:15, the Lord says, “When you spread out your hands in prayer, I hide my eyes from you; even when you offer many prayers, I am not listening. Your hands are full of blood!” Proverbs 28:9 says, “If anyone turns a deaf ear to my instruction, even their prayers are detestable.” Example: A young couple are living together in sexual sin, yet they pray for God’s blessing on their home. 2. When we ask according to our own selfish desires, God will not hear our prayers. James 4:3 says, “When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” Example: A man is dissatisfied with his three-year-old Toyota, so he prays for a brand-new Mercedes. 3. When what we ask is not in accordance with His will for us. First John 5:14 says, “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.” Example: We pray fervently for a new job, but God’s plan requires that we stay where we are and be a witness to our coworkers. 4. When we do not ask in faith. In Mark 11:24 Jesus said, “I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” However, faith is not believing for something; it is believing in Someone. Our faith is in the character of God and His desire to bless and comfort us. When we pray, we should have faith that He hears us and will grant every request that is in line with His will for us (1 John 5:14–15). Example: We ask God to supply a financial need but continue to worry and make faithless comments to our families and coworkers, such as “I’m probably going to go to the poorhouse. I’ll never get that money.” God is holy and desires us to be holy as He is (Leviticus 22:32; 1 Peter 1:16). When He knows that we are seeking that holiness as well, He is delighted to answer our prayers in ways that continue our spiritual growth. Jesus said, “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you” (John 15:7). The secret to prayer is abiding in Christ so that whatever we ask is in accordance with His heart (Psalm 37:4). Only then can we have the confidence that God does hear our prayers with an intent to answer them.

Isa 9:6-7 For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. 7 There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this. Jesus is called Wonderful, a noun in the Hebrew language that Isaiah used as His name. Throughout the Scriptures, the word “wonderful” is used to describe miracles; it’s a word that suggests the supernatural. Jesus is called Wonderful, the source of miracles; all supernatural expressions come from Him. Jesus is called Wonderful, describing the mysterious or secretive attributes of God. Jesus has all the attributes of God, both those seen and unseen. His name “Wonderful” expresses those things about God that we don’t know. His name “Wonderful” reflects His incomprehensible nature. Jesus is so Wonderful; we have difficulty finding words to express it. Jesus also has a name written that no one knows but Him (Revelation 19:12). It’s a Wonderful name. Jesus is called Wonderful, a name that separates Him from the common things of life and lifts Him into the realm of majestic deity. Also, His name “Wonderful” expresses the concept of glory. Jesus has God’s glory, and He brings more glory to the Godhead. His name “Wonderful” puts Him in a class all by Himself. Call Him Wonderful, the separated One, the distinguished One, the noble One, and the only One.

Revelation 3:19-22 Series: Just Conquer #13 # Introduction The church of God has often been found in bad shape, but not abandoned. She regularly deserves rebuke, but even the rebuke is a sign of God's love for her. It's one thing for a church to think that she doesn't really need God, it is a much worse thing for God to let a church keep thinking that. The Laodicean church is infamous for invoking Jesus' gag-reflex. Their lukewarm, complacent attitude made Him wish that they were almost anything other than what they were. No one has higher standards for a church than Jesus, no one knows better how a church measures up to those standards, and no one offers better news to weaksauce churches than The Amen. In the first part of Jesus' message to the church in Laodicea Jesus called out their Middle-Meh and counseled them to buy all the things they thought they already had. They thought they were rich, Jesus said to buy from Him pure gold. They thought they had impressive taste in textiles, Jesus said to buy from Him white garments. They thought their optometry department gave them 20/20 vision, Jesus said to buy from Him eye-salve for the soul so that they could truly see. In verses 19-22 Jesus explains more and gives quite a JustConquer promise. # Love's Paideia (verse 19) It's about time that Jesus really lay into this church, isn't it? The faithful and true Witness has to be tired of their half-hearted and basket-covered light. They are like an oral suppository, with a taste like sweaty socks in the compost pile. The Laodiceans didn't even realize that the wealth they had was from Jesus and that He was offering them even greater wealth if they would just depend on Him. So after the vomit comment we're ready for the prophetic hammer: **I reprove and discipline**. The word **reprove** is confrontation, exposing the problem and bringing a person to see the wrong for himself (BAGD). To reprove a tumor you'd slice open some space to work. **Discipline**may have a punishing vibe, the kind of thing dad might say while he's taking off his belt for a whooping. But there are a few things that show this isn't a humiliating punishment (in addition to the offers in verse 18). Jesus said, "I myself reprove and discipline as many of those whom I am loving." The target of The Amen's discipline are _His loved ones_. He loves the Laodiceans. And He loves them like family. The verbs **reprove** and **discipline** in verse 19 are the same verbs used in the Greek translation of Proverbs 3 (also quoted in full in Hebrews 12:5-6). > My son, do not despise the LORD's discipline > Or be weary of his reproof, > for the LORD reproves him whom he loves, > As a father the son in whom he delights. > (Proverbs 3:11-12) Jesus is not the Father, though He does refer to God as His Father in verse 21, the third time He's referred to His Father to the churches (also 2:27, 3:5). He's not the Father, but He is still family. When He said "those whom I love," the Greek word is a form of _phileo_, usually a brotherly-love, a relational love (which is different from _agapan_ in the LXX for Proverbs 3:12). It's _personal_ to Jesus. And back to the word **discipline**, it is the word you've heard about, _paideia_. It is less like spanking and more like schooling. It is all of the educating, enculturating process to get a child (from _παιδίον_) to grow into a responsible child-maker himself. Following in His Father's footsteps, Jesus personally and lovingly and purposefully doesn't let the lukewarm be happy lying in the puddles of their lukewarmness. Tepidity isn't terminal, not for those Jesus loves. **Therefore be zealous and repent**. The **repent** part we've heard Him say before (to the Ephesians, the Pergammumites, the Thyatirans, and the Sardisians), and the **be zealous** (_zeleue_) plays with the "hot" (_zestos_) from earlier in the message. _Our zeal_, and especially zeal to turn toward what is a better way of thinking, is motivated by _His love_. His love is the heat that causes our affections to boil. His love transforms our trusts. Because He loves His church, what should we do? Repent. # Zeal for a Meal (verse 20) It's got to be about time for this tepid church to get busy doing good works that are really good works. Once they get the engine humming with zeal and the wheels turned in the right repentance direction, they should really make some progress. Jesus calls the Laodiceans to consider another analogy, and not just due to anachronism. **Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will eat with him and he with me.** This is a personal invitation to personal fellowship. The invitation is to those in the church, but Jesus is not standing at the actual door of the physical church building (so [_not_ like William Hunt's painting from the 1850s](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Light_of_the_World_%28painting%29)). Similar words to The Song of Solomon 5:2, “A sound! My beloved is knocking. ‘Open to me, my sister my love.'” The phrasing also has similarities to the master returning to his servants in Luke 12:35-37. There are some who think that Jesus is talking to *un*believers and they use this verse as part of a gospel presentation. "Jesus is waiting patiently for you to let Him into your heart. Open the door and He will come in." But first, Jesus has been talking to the _church_ in Laodicea, whose problem was spiritual tepidity, not spiritual deadness. And/but second, this _is totally good news_ for the spiritual tepid. It is evangel for the lukewarm. "Jesus has not walked away from you even though you're acting as if you don't need Him. Your blind self-sufficiency can be conquered just by opening the proverbial door to Jesus." It's not conversion, but communion. Have you been acting as if He is irrelevant? Have you been acting as if you have all that you need? Have you been acting as if your branch can produce fruit just fine without abiding in the vine? Hear the knock, open the door. This is personal: if _anyone_, _My_ voice, come in to _him_, and eat with _him_, and _he_ with _Me_. Even the imagery of entering a home and sharing a meal together is personal, life on life. Jesus isn't sending the repentant on a quest, Jesus is inviting Himself to fellowship with the repentant. Talk about enculturation. Sharing a meal like this with Jesus is like setting a pot of water on an open flame: it won't stay tepid. # Thrones of a Kind (verse 21) It is not obvious that the Laodiceans deserved any kind of JustConquer promise. It is also not super obvious how this JustConquer promise fits with the invitation. Let's work at it. There is one promise made by Jesus in verse 21: **I will grant**. What He promises to give "to the one conquering" is a gift, but the gift is not a noun (person, place, thing, etc.). Jesus offers a _future_. "To the one conquering I will give to sit with Me, on My throne." In context, what is being conquered? What are these overcoming ones overcoming? They are not conquering lovelessness (Ephesus), they are not conquering fear of suffering and death (Smyrna), they are not conquering worldly compromise or idolatry or false teaching. The one conquering in Laodicea is primarily conquering tepidity. And those are the ones who Jesus promises to make rulers. All of the promises to conquerers in the churches relate to the future, to various parts of eternal life and fellowship. Jesus told the Thyatirans about ruling with Him (Revelation 2:26-27), and here we move from fellowship with Him to reigning with Him. Open the door to Jesus, give Him a seat at your table, and He will give you a seat on His throne. It is usually wrong to (attempt to) sit in God's throne. Now Jesus offers it. We will be given to sit on Jesus' throne, Jesus said, **as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on His throne**. How did He conquer? He conquered not first by His resurrection, He conquered by depending on His Father in fellowship. Jesus made the good confession because He loved and was loved by His Father. Jesus was given a throne, which we'll see in Revelation 4-5, as worthy to sit on the throne, because He stayed in fellowship with His Father at the cost of His life. Likewise Jesus will put His people with Him in ruling positions because we have been with Him in fellowship. Are there two thrones, one for the Father and another for the Son? Or is there just one throne? I think there are two, but won't be upset if there is one. A good possibility is that the Father's throne is in heaven (which the Son also shares, see Revelation 7:17), and Jesus' throne in which His people will also sit, is on earth. There is more about that throne and ruling in the later chapters of Revelation. > Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. (Revelation 20:4) JustConquer Promise #7: _the one who overcomes soul tepidity by staying in fellowship with Christ will reign with Christ_. **He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.** # Conclusion Repentance and zeal (verse 19) lead to a desire for fellowship with Jesus (verse 20), which _is_ conquering (spiritual tepidity), and results in ruling with Him (verse 21). This is not the only message, obviously. But it is the last message of seven, maybe the most severe, the most simple, and the most promising. Jesus says that we are conquering the world by our _dependence_ on and _fellowship_ with Jesus. If being lukewarm goes with thinking that we don't really need Him, and if He counsels the lukewarm to get their needs from Him, and if His follow up to being zealous and repenting includes a shared meal, then we are overcoming like Him and will reign with Him. It reminds me of the crew at St. Anne's in _That Hideous Strength_. They had tasks to do, but their work was mostly mundane, except in their work of being in fellowship with one another and waiting for deliverance. There are no hacks for being lukewarm. Be zealous and repent and stay in fellowship with Christ no matter the cost. Be hot, not in angry volcanic offense, but be hot on grace. Be cold, not like bitter winds of resentment, but bringing good news (see Proverbs 25:25; Matthew 10:42). JustConquer tepidity. --- ## Charge Christmas will not fix your problems. It may exacerbate some of them. But it is the perfect time in the church calendar to remember that sentimentalism's joy is as cozy as pajamas made of wrapping paper. A Christmas of sentimentalism is as sickening to Jesus as powered hot chocolate made with motor oil. “Feeling Christmasy” is not the same as fellowship with Christ. Open the door to Him, He will come in and watch you wrap presents in His name, and decorate cookies in His name, and craft wreaths in His name. JustConquer being ruled by the season so that you will one day rule with Him. ## Benediction: > [May you know] what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. (Ephesians 1:19–23, ESV)

Jesus calls us to reclaim our first love with Him (Revelation 2:1-7). The heart of our Heavenly Father is to bless us by enlarging our borders (1 Chronicles 4:10), but we must first reclaim what has been lost in our relationship with Him. He gently...

Jesus calls us to reclaim our first love with Him (Revelation 2:1-7). The heart of our Heavenly Father is to bless us by enlarging our borders (1 Chronicles 4:10), but we must first reclaim what has been lost in our relationship with Him. He gently...

1. REMEMBER GOD IS SOVEREIGN, ALL POWERFUL and LOVINGSovereignty is God's control over His creation, dealing with His governance over it: Sovereignty is God's rule over all reality." – Dr. Norman GeislerO Sovereign Lord, You are He Who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything that is in them, Exo 20:11; Ps 146:6, Acts‬ ‭4:24‬ ‭One God Who is Above All, Sovereign Over All, pervading all and living in ALL WHO BELIEVE. Ephesians‬ ‭4:6‬ ‭Our God is a God who saves! The Sovereign LORD Who Rescues you from death. Psalms‬ ‭68:20‬ I look to you for Help, O Sovereign LORD. In you do I trust, For You Are my refuge; For I know absolutely that anyone born of God, that Christ Jesus, the One begotten of God carefully watches over and protects you. Yes, Christ's Divine Presence within Him preserves you against the evil, and the wicked one does not lay hold or get a grip on you or touch you. Psalms ‭141:8, ‬1 John‬ ‭5:18‬ ‭ The Lord has established His throne in the heavens, and His kingdom rules over all. Psalm‬ ‭103:19‬ ‭There is absolutely nothing that happens in the universe that is outside of God's influence and authority. As King of kings and Lord of lords, God has no limitations. God is above all things and before all things. He is the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end. He is immortal, and He is present everywhere so that everyone can know Him (Revelation 21:6). God created all things and holds all things together, both in heaven and on earth, both visible and invisible (Colossians 1:16). God knows all things past, present, and future. There is no limit to His knowledge, for God knows everything completely before it even happens (Romans 11:33). God can do all things and accomplish all things. Nothing is too difficult for Him, and He orchestrates and determines everything that is going to happen in your life, in my life, in America, and throughout the world. Whatever He wants to do in the universe, He does, for nothing is impossible with Him (Jeremiah 32:17). God is in control of all things and rules over all things. He has power and authority over nature, earthly kings, history, angels, and demons. Even Satan himself has to ask God's permission before he can act (Psalm 103:19). That's what being sovereign means. It means being the ultimate source of all power, authority, and everything that exists. Only God can make those claims; therefore, it's God's sovereignty that makes Him superior to all other gods and makes Him, and Him alone, worthy of worship.2. God's sovereignty compels him to love you want the best for youThe sovereignty of God means that He has total control of all things past, present and future. Nothing happens that is out of His knowledge and control. All things are either caused by Him or allowed by Him for His own purposes and through His perfect will and timing (Romans 11:36; 1 Corinthians 8:6). He is the only absolute and omnipotent ruler of the universe and is sovereign in creation, providence and redemption." God's sovereignty compels us to bow before Him. But unlike corrupt earthly kings who abuse their authority to terrorize their subjects, God rules in love. He loves you and wants the best for you. Romans 8:28 promises that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.This is an amazing promise because it demonstrates that and ALL-POWERFUL GOD CARES ABOUT YOU AND ME, and also reveals that God must be of necessity ALL-KNOWING, ALL-POWERFUL, AND ALL LOVING. This promise is a testimony to God Sovereignty.3. God Is Always with You to Help You.So you can take comfort and be encouraged and confidently and boldly say, The Lord is my Helper; I will not be seized with alarm I will not fear or dread or be terrified. What can man do to me? Ps 27:1;118:6, Hebrews‬ ‭13:6‬ ‭4. God's sovereignty is the guarantee of your sufficiencyNot that we are qualified and sufficient in your own ability, to form accurate personal judgments or to claim or count anything as coming from you, but your power and ability and Sufficiency are from God. 2 Corinthians‬ ‭3:5‬God is able to make All Grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.”‭‭II Corinthians‬ ‭9:8‬ ‭And God is able to make all grace (every favor and earthly blessing) come to you in abundance, so that you may always and under all circumstances and whatever the need be self-sufficient [possessing enough to require no aid or support and furnished in abundance for every good work and charitable donation].”‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭9:8‬ ‭Yes, you have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers you, making you ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ's Sufficiency.- Philippians‬ ‭4:13‬ ‭God makes these promises, to love you, make ALL THINGS WORK together for your good, to always be with you and help you, and be your sufficiency in all things.

Theme: The revelation of Christ given to Job Point 1: Necessity of Him (Revelation of Christ), Point 2: Rich significance (Value of Christ), Point 3: Usefulness of Christ (Profit of Christ)

Today we listen to a message from Pastor Joe Schimmel, continuing in the Revelations Series Part 146, give praise to our God, you who fear Him Revelation 19:5 (NASB) And a voice came from the throne, saying, “Give praise to our God, all you His bond-servants, you who fear Him, the small and the great.”