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REVELATION
PART I - The
Rapture As Seen From Revelation
I
want to use this first session to lay down a foundation,
painted in broad strokes, that will allow us to later
concentrate on the details.
I
have read some commentators who said there was a key to this
book that was lost during the middle ages sometime, and
therefore nobody can understand the mystery. Not so!
I
know that the Catholic stream of the Church for years has
tried to keep it's people from reading the book. They didn't
want them confused was the reason. I wish some preachers had
listened to the Catholic Church, because it isn't the reading
that has confused people, it's some of those who've read it,
and mess it up.
There
are many who try to organize this book. I have seen it
organized in 2's, and 7's, and one in 4 parts.
Now,
get out your Bibles and follow along with this. This is
out of the KJV.
It
isn't often that God organizes something so clearly for you
that you don't have to work that hard. God does the organizing
in the 19th verse, 1st chapter.
Jesus
had appeared to John, on the isle of Patmos, it was a
spellbinding appearance, as John says in the 17th verse;
when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. And He laid His
right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first
and the last . . .
I
am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for
evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and death.
Jesus
had already described himself in the 8th verse as Alpha
and Omega, the beginning and the ending, which is, and which
was, and which is to come, the Almighty, so we know it is
Jesus who John was speaking with.
Verse
10, John says: I was in the spirit on the Lord's day, and
heard behind me a great voice, as a trumpet saying I am Alpha,
the Greek letter A, and Omega, the last Greek letter: and what
thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven
churches which are in Asia and he names them.
Vs.12
And I turned to see the voice that spake with me, and being
turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; and in the midst of
the seven candlesticks, later to be interpreted as the seven
churches, one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment
down to the feet, and girt about the paps with a golden
girdle.
Vs.
14 His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as
snow and his eyes were as a flame of fire; and his feet like
unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice
as the sound of many waters.
Vs.
16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his
mouth went a sharp two-edged sword and his countenance was as
the sun shineth in his strength.
Vs.
17 And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. And He laid
His right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the
first and the last; I am he that liveth, and was dead; and,
behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of
hell and death.
Now,
here is the division of the book.
Vs.
19 Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which
are, and the things which shall be hereafter.
That
phrase: shall be hereafter, from the Greet means, is after
these things, namely the things which are.
Write
the things thou hast seen - He'd just seen Jesus.
Write
the things which are- that's going to be the revelation of the
seven churches - what is existing in that day, and the goings
on of the churches, and after the goings on of the churches,
after these things, the churches, write the things that shall
be after these things.
He
then begins interpreting - John does exactly what he says - he
writes the things which he had seen, already up to that point,
he writes the things which are, which is the mystery of the
seven churches and the seven candlesticks. That takes him
through the third chapter.
And
he ends up in the 22nd and 23rd verses of the
third chapter: To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with
me in my throne, even as I also overcame and am set down with
my Father in his throne.
Now,
that's a key verse. It also follows, vs.20 - Behold I stand at
the door and knock: if any man hear my voice and open the
door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him and he with
me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my
throne, even as I also overcame and am set down with my Father
in his throne.
The
repetition of throne is important.
He
that hath and ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the
churches.
The
19th verse said: write the things that thou hast seen -
he'd just seen Jesus, the things which are, that's the mystery
of the seven churches and the seven stars, and the things that
shall be after these things.
He's
now going to finish the things which are: Vs.22 He that hath
and ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches
There
are three simple divisions to this book. The things which John
had seen, through that 19th verse; the things which are, the
mystery of the churches, and the goings on in the churches,
which ends with the 22nd verse of the third Chapter: He that
hath and ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the
churches. Period - end of that subject.
A
bridge will occur in the fourth chapter and suddenly, the
thing that will occur after these things about the churches on
earth, are going to unfold.
>From
the fourth chapter, to the end of the Book of Revelation, you
have events after the things having to do with the churches on
this earth. You won't encounter them again until the 19th
Chapter.
The
whole New Testament, after the Gospels close, and the
crucifixion of Christ, every Epistle there after, including
the one to the Hebrews, is to the Church. To the Saints that
have come to know the good news of the Gospel and the
righteousness of faith, and have become the wild olive branch
of faith, grafted on to the promises of Abraham.
Yet,
in this last book, after the second and third chapters being
absorbed with the Churches, who are not only seven actual
Churches, but are seven Churches in type, of all Churches, not
another word to the Churches, beginning in chapter 4, on
earth, until they come, in chapter 19, from Heaven, with the
Lord.
>From
chapter four, verse one onward, the third division of the Book
of Revelations, John is writing, the things which shall be
AFTER the things of the Church on earth.
That's
why He says: He that hath and ear, let him hear what the
Spirit saith unto the churches. The message to the Church on
earth, ENDS right there, at verse 22! And when you turn this
key, you will save yourself a lot of confusion.
Chapter
4: After this, after these things, I looked, and behold, a
door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard
was as it were of a trumpet talking with me:
Whose
voice is like the trumpet?
Vs.
10: John speaking, I was in the spirit on the Lord's day, and
heard behind me a great voice, as a trumpet saying I am Alpha
& Omega- Jesus Speaking!
After
this, after these things, I looked, and behold, a door was
opened in heaven: Where does the door open? Heaven!
I
am painting with broad strokes right now and I will for a
little longer, because I am starting to lay down the
foundation so we can pull this book into pieces, so please
bear with the broad strokes - the details will fill in later.
Chapter
4: After this, after these things, I looked, and behold, a
door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard
was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, COME
UP HITHER - come where? Come down? No, COME UP! Up where?
HITHER! Where's HITHER? HEAVEN!
Some
people make this book so complicated! You should have your
Bibles open. Revelation Chapter 4 - read along.
4:1
. . . . I saw a door opened in, where? HEAVEN! And the trumpet
voice (Jesus) said what? COME UP! Come up to where? HITHER!
And where's HITHER? In HEAVEN! . . . and I will show thee
things that must be hereafter - again, you're back to the
Greek - hereafter -after these things - the things to do with
Church on earth.
Vs.
2 And immediately I was in the spirit; John says, and, behold
a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. Vs3.
And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine
stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in
sight like unto an emerald.
Vs.4
and round about the throne were four and twenty seats: What
did He say in the 21st verse of the 3rd chapter, to the
Church? To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in
where? MY THRONE.
Round
about the throne were four and twenty seats and upon the
seats: I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white
raiment; (the symbol of Christ's righteousness, always) and
they had on their heads crowns of gold. And out of the throne
proceeded lightenings and thunderings and voices; and there
were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are
the seven spirits of God.
And
before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal;
and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne,
were four beasts (it should not be beasts, should be living
ones - zoa), full of eyes before and behind.
And
the first living one was like a lion, and the second like a
calf (an ox it was to the eyes of Ezekiel), the third had face
as a man, and the fourth was like a flying eagle.
And
the four living ones had each of them six wings about him; and
they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night
(Ezekiel saw them like lightening covering the whole earth and
the whole universe), saying Holy, holy, holy, Lord God
almighty, which was, and is and is to come.
That's
an interesting phrase. John's up in Heaven, before the throne,
he sees, Jesus and the description of the Lord God almighty
is, that He was, and is, and is still to come again.
The
elders are there, before the throne. He was, and is, and is
yet to come - The second coming in fact hasn't yet occurred.
He didn't come down, He called up. He said "Come up
Hither".
As
I have said many times, the day of the Lord is many events.
The day of the Lord is every victory that God accomplished
over Satan, the day of the Lord included the first coming, and
the day of the lord will include the second coming.
The
Jews missed the first coming, because they looked for Messiah
in only one package. The second coming is many events. The
signs that Jesus gave the Jews pointed to the end. And the
second coming encompasses many events before His feet touch
the mount of Olives, and it cleaves in half, as Zechariah 14
describes it, and a way of escape is provided for the remnant
of God's people out of Jerusalem.
The
Rapture takes place before that end. Not only is the second
coming many events, the Rapture is more than one event, but
there is only one Rapture for the Church. Remember, these are
board foundational strokes.
Vs.
9 And when those living ones give glory and honor and thanks
to Him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever,
the four and twenty elders fall down before him that liveth
for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne
saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord to receive glory and honor and
power, for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure
they are and were created.
Vs.8
Chapter 5 After He took the book out of the right hand of Him
that sat upon the throne, and when
He had taken the book, the four living ones and four and
twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of
them harps, and golden vials full of odors, which are the
prayers of saints. Vs.9 And they sung a new song (this is the
Elders), saying, thou art worthy to take the book, and to open
the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast REDEEMED US -
who? The four and twenty elders. Thou hast redeemed US to God
by thy blood ( by Thy life poured out - You paid the price to
redeem us) out of every tongue, and people and nation, and
hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall
REIGN ON EARTH.
There's
the Church! There's the children of Faith, There's the
Redeemed. There's the Abraham, that Romans 4 said, had his
faith counted as righteousness. The price tag of allowance,
that let God credit his faith as righteousness, the blood of
Jesus Christ, that as a mediator, in the book of Hebrews, paid
the price for every sin, from day one to now, to future.
In
those Elders; King David, who Romans 4 says, because he lied,
he committed adultery, he murdered, he falls short of the law,
he never made it in under the Old Testament Covenant. Because
the Law said, if you keep it, you'll live in it - if you
violate it, you'll die.
The
only reason David is going to be in Heaven, not because he was
king of Israel, not because he kept the law, but because God
placed David in Christ, as Romans 4 says, credited David's
faith to righteousness, and brings him in on the same basis as
the New Testament Church comes in.
Moses,
the law giver, is there. Not because like no other man, God
would hide him in the cleft of the rock on Mt. Sinai and let
him catch a glimpse of the brightness of God's presence, until
when he came from the mountain, his face shone, and he didn't
know it shown and not because God allowed him to talk with His
Son on the mount of transfiguration. Moses sinned, but God
took his faith, as recorded in the 11th chapter of the book of
Hebrews, and credited it to righteousness.
Because,
Jesus Christ lived the righteousness for us all, died for the
sins of us all, and God placed the sins of Moses and David and
Abraham and all of them into Christ.
That's
why you are going to find twelve foundation stones in the city
of the Lamb, and twelve gates. Twelve gates related to the
twelve patriarch tribes, and the twelve foundation stones, the
apostles of the Lamb, you find twenty four elders, that
symbolize those that have been redeemed to God, by the blood,
out of every kindred, and people and tongue and nation.
There
will be some that come in of the Jews, who recognize their
true Messiah, there will be 144,000 sealed in their foreheads,
which we haven't talked about yet, caught up, at a later time,
there will be Jews who turn to their Messiah, when they
recognize their mistake of having bowed down to Antichrist.
And
these Jews who ultimately will recognize their Messiah, as
Ezekiel has seen in the reconstituted temple, will offer
sacrifices with understanding, for the first time, that it is
none other than Jesus, that they have been symbolizing with
their sacrifices down through the years.
But
in this 4th Chapter were dealing with those that are caught up
to be with the lord at the end of the happenings of the
church, when God turns again to that 70th week of
Daniel, to deal with His people for the last time, the literal
natural descendants of Abraham.
I
will say a lot more about it, but these four and twenty elders
are the redeemed of all ages, those saved by faith, whose
faith in the Old Testament, was substituted for righteousness,
and whose faith in the New Testament was a response to the
good news of the Gospel, that are raptured and raised and
caught up are with Him, throughout that great and terrible
tribulation on earth, that follows this fourth chapter.
In
short, the Church is in the twenty four elders upon seats
around the throne. It's not twenty four. It's not the twelve
apostles and the twelve patriarch sons of Jacob. It's those
redeemed, by the blood of Christ, out of every kindred, and
tongue, and people, and nation.
Twenty
four, constituting the saints of the Old Testament and the New
Testament, saved by Faith, redeemed by the blood of Jesus
Christ, caught up.
In
the New Testament the word we call Rapture, which is a cognate
of the Latin word, translating a Greek word that means
"catching away", is used to describe a literal
catching away, as Philip was caught away from Gaza to Azotus.
He was raptured (caught away) from the Gaza Strip, after
having baptized the Ethiopian, while on the road. Scripture
says that he was caught away, and instantly appeared, in
miracle form, as scripture has it, caught away to Azotus.
Because
John was a saint, it was not his hope to go through the
tribulation and finally recognize his Messiah. John was
a disciple, suffering persecution, because he recognized his
Messiah.
John,
as the four and twenty elders, is a type, or is one of
literally, those to be caught away. In his case, raised from
the dead, to be caught away, a part of the Church. That's why
John literally, as it opens the chapter, himself, becomes a
type of the rapture.
After
this I looked, and, behold a door was opened in heaven: and
the first voice which I heard was as it were at trumpet
talking with me. There is a very important word there - first
voice. He is going to hear voices all though this book. The
first voice, John, one of those that's the Church, the first
voice he hears was of a trumpet talking with me, which said -
COME UP HITHER!, and I'll show thee thing's that must be
hereafter. And he's caught up.
John
is a type of the close of the things of the Church, and the
opening of the things that begin to happen in heaven and on
this earth in Daniel's 70th week, which is the
tribulation, the Bible calls it The Great Tribulation.
John's
caught up! The four and twenty elders are there before the
throne. I challenge you to find the Church again any where in
this book. Two chapters talks about nothing but the Church.
The things which are. But, the things that shall be after
these things, namely, the Church, begins in chapter 4. I
challenge you to find any reference to the Church, until Jesus
comes back with His saints in chapter 19. Throughout the rest
of this book, the Church is where the four and twenty elders
are. Gone.
We
will be talking about some harsh things happening on this
earth. Terrible things. The Church is not here. The four and
twenty elders are not here. There gone.
The
144,000 that will be sealed by God, are here. The man child is
here, up to the point he actually comes to birth, after Satan
is cast out of heaven, by that great Angel that looks out for
the children of Israel, that was called Daniel's Angel,
Michael.
With
the war in Heaven, the Devil is cast onto the earth - we will
teach on that. The
sun clothed woman is here. The remnant is here, the man child
is born, and the Dragon, now restrained to the earth is
waiting to destroy that man child, but it's caught up, the
144,000, the sealed ones, they're taken, the man child is
taken. That happens during the tribulation.
That's
why a lot of confusion is occurring when people try to make
the second coming one event, and they try to have the
catchings away, as one event.
We
haven't talked about the Man Child, the 144,000, the Remnant
or the Woman, just in reference, but we will.
John
is caught up the first voice he hears, and the four and twenty
elders are there, and they stay there, till the saints come
back after the marriage supper of the Lamb.
The
Church is not on this earth from Revelation 4, till they come
back in Revelation 19.
This
is a mystery. A lot of confusion comes from Matthew 24, Luke
21 and Mark 13. You need to understand, and this is my answer
to people who argue about a gap theory; Jewish scholars for
years read Isaiah in the Synagogue, during the feast of the
Tabernacles, and the feast of the Trumpets. Jesus stepped into
the Synagogue, as you'll recall, and began to read it, and
stopped in mid sentence. The sentence between the good works,
and the activities that Jesus would fulfill on earth in His
first coming and the righteous, vengeance, vindicating,
warring Messiah that would come to execute judgement.
He
stopped in mid sentence. For centuries the Jews had read it
with out pausing in mid sentence. He didn't read a chapter to
shock them, they had read that chapter year in and year out.
Jesus stepped out and read it and stopped in mid sentence and
said this much is fulfilled in your eyes today. Here I am! Of
course they didn't believe it. The rest of it was yet to come.
The
Jews missed the Messiah in His first coming, because they
didn't separate the suffering servant Messiah, that Isaiah
said in another passage, "a bruised reed shall he not
break, and smoking flax shall he now quench" - Gap! -
"till he come forth unto judgement, whose right it is to
reign"!
They
didn't see the gap. Daniel was shown 70 weeks, in the 9th
chapter, of history of the Jews. He had prayed to God
concerning the Jews. He saw from the books, that they were 70
years in bondage. Jeremiah prophesied it. He began to pray
about the 70 years of bondage.
The
Angel came after fighting the Prince of Persia, an evil
supernatural demoniac spirit that ruled that land, behind the
throne, to answer his prayer. He not only gave him the
assurance that 70 years would be completed and they would go
back, he then gave him prophecy of 70 weeks of years. Seventy
times seven years, in three segments.
Forty
nine years, seven sevens, one week of years, that they would
rebuild the city in troublesome times. Daniel was in bondage,
the city was a wreck. He was just praying that they would get
out of bondage at the end of 70 years. The angel tells him the
rest of the history.
Not
only will you go out of bondage in 70 years, but I'm going to
tell you about 70 weeks of years of your history written in
advance.
After
you get out of bondage, after the 70 years, you will then
build the City in troublesome time, and it will take seven
weeks of years, 49 years to do it.
Then
there will be 68 weeks of years until Messiah is cut off.
Again, Daniel didn't see the gap, as Isaiah didn't see the
gap. Isaiah didn't see the gap between the good works of the
Messiah and the vengeance and righteous vindication of the
Messiah. Jesus split it in mid sentence, and said the first
half is fulfilled, leaving unsaid, yet to come.
Daniel
didn't see the gap between the 69th week and the 70th
week.
I
happen to have a view of God, that God does not leave out
options. I refuse to believe that there was no opportunity for
the Jews to receive Christ. Why would Jesus weep over
Jerusalem, and say, "how oft would I have gathered you
together under my wings, but you would not. . ."?
The
heart of God is revealed in parables. How the owner of the
vineyard, sent his emissaries, the prophets, again, and again,
and they were rejected and stoned by those who were working
His vineyard. Finally He said, they will treat my son
differently. He sent His son, they treated Him worse. That's
God's heart pouring out. He wasn't play acting a drama.
I
don't have some of the Calvinistic fixation boxes on God that
doesn't allow Him any maneuvering room. I find God to be one
who can do and be what He wants, who is faithful to His word,
and enters into all things to work His purposes. But can look
at Eli and say, "I know what I said about you when you
were in the loins of Aaron, but, today I say this . . ".
I
believe the Jews had a genuine chance. Why else would Jesus
lament the fact; ". . . he came to his own and his own
received him not". Jesus would have given His life, no
matter what. They revealed their nature, as the instruments to
bring it about. Jesus didn't finish when He stood in that
Synagogue, He just said; "this much is fulfilled",
he left the unfulfilled portion, which we know now, is yet to
come.
Daniel
saw, 69 weeks of years, 7 x 69 = 483 years till Messiah was
cut off, not for himself. The prophecy of Jesus dying for the
sins of others.
Then
comes the 70th week, when a Prince will come and set
himself against God. He will confirm a covenant with many of
God's people, and in the middle of the week, 3.5 years into
the final 7 years, will break his covenant, commit an
abomination in a newly constituted temple, and then the Jews
will discover they chose the wrong one.
The
gap between the 69th and 70th week is that time of
the Churches. When God turns, and does what Paul, in the Roman
letter says, is a grafting on to the trunk of Abrahams
promise, the old olive tree. He grafts a wild olive branch on,
which the children of Faith, the recipients of the Gospel, the
redeemed by the blood of Christ, become.
That's
the Church Age. Now, Matthew 24, that confuses many, is an
address by Jesus, to a Jewish audience, concerning questions
about their end, because He has discussed the temple, and the
tearing down of the temple, and not a stone will be on top of
another stone, and they say, and when will this be, and what
are the signs of it. And He begins to answer it.
I
will teach on Matthew 24 as part of this series, but let me
just say, as I paint with these broad strokes today, that the
message of Matthew, 24, Luke 21 and Mark 13 is to the Jewish
nation. There is no discussion of the mystery of the Rapture
in those chapters, where he is answering their questions.
Now,
mystery is something strange to us. The Greek word being
translated mystery, is interpreted by God in the Ephesian
Letter. A mystery is that which is known only to God and
cannot be discovered, and can only be know by man, if God
reveals it. You can search throughout eternity and never find
it. The mystery defined in God's book, is a mystery that is in
God's mind, and He reveals it.
Paul
was God's choice to reveal the mystery to the Church. John
experienced it. He was caught up. The first voice like a
trumpet caught him up, and there were the twenty four elders.
He is there, before that seal is opened that begins to unleash
the Great Tribulation, raise Antichrist to power, and start
the 70th week.
I've
always said that you must view the Jew and everybody else as
two separate people. In the Bible there are only two kinds of
people, the Jews and the Gentile. When the Jews received him
not, and is own rejected him and Messiah was cut off, the 70th
week, was pushed in history down to God's appointed time. And
in between, the end of the 69th week, in Daniel 9, shown to
Daniel in that vision, and the 70th week, when
Antichrist will rise, is the Age where God deals through the
Gospel, the good news, preached in the book of Romans, and the
epistles of the New Testament, and the Church is raised up,
and the twenty four elders are made complete.
And
John, as a part of them is caught up before the Tribulation
comes and the Church is above it all during this period.
That's the mystery.
Go
now to I Cor. 15, because Paul was the one who revealed the
mystery. That mystery was not discussed with the Disciples. It
remained for God to reveal it.
Paul
is talking in I Cor. 15 of resurrection. He is arguing with
the learned of his day, who say there is no bodily
resurrection. He comes down to the 51st verse, having
talked of resurrection and argued it in grand terms throughout
the whole chapter.
He
says, behold, I show you a mystery. Again, the Ephesians
Letter makes it clear, the word is something known only to
God, and cannot be discovered, He has to reveal it, through
His ordained voice. Paul is it.
Behold
I show you a mystery, to the Ephesians he talked of the
mysteries, hidden, contained in God's book, but hidden until
God revealed it through His prophet. A prophet is one who
speaks froth from God.
Behold
I show you a mystery, we shall not all sleep - his word for
death - but we shall all be changed. Now you say, do you
believe this?
Read
15:3: I delivered unto you first of all that which I also
received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the
scriptures, and that he was buried and he rose again the third
day according to the scriptures, and that he was seen of
Cephas, then of the twelve: after that he was seen of about
five hundred brethren at once; of who the greater part remain
into this present, but some are fallen asleep. Some have died,
but most can be found of the 500 that saw him.
After
that He was seen of James; then of all the apostles and last
of all he was see of me also, as of one born out of due time.
If
in this life only we have no hope in Christ, we are of all men
most miserable. And if the dead rise not, then is not Christ
raised? And if Christ is not raised, then your faith is vain,
you're yet in your sins, they which are fallen asleep are
perished and gone forever.
If
there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not
risen? If Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and
your faith is also vain. Everything in Christianity comes out
of that truth of the resurrection.
Now,
if I can believe that he came through a rock, through a door
and sailed off, I can believe this. Same God is doing it.
I
show you a mystery, we shall not all sleep, but we shall all
be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye - that's
not the bat of an eye - an eye twinkles faster than you can
bat it - it's not the eyelid batting, it's the eye twinkling -
like a light, faster than I can snap my finger.
This
is basic Christianity - We shall not all sleep - not all die -
I tell you a mystery!
Up
to this point, resurrection was believed by certain ones that
are the believers. A rare person like Elijah - caught up!
Enoch, was not, for God took him - caught up! Rare.
Now,
Paul reveals a mystery. We shall not all die. But we shall all
be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the
last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be
raised incorruptible, the Abrahams, the David's, the Jacobs,
all of them, raised incorruptible.
All
those, out of every tribe, every tongue and every kindred. We
just read it in the book of Revelation. They sung a new song.
Those are the twenty four elders that will sing, thou hast
redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, tongue,
people and nation.
Everyone
to whom God credited the righteousness of faith. And all those
dead in Christ shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be
changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and
this mortal must put on immortality.
So
when this corruptible shall put on incorruption, and this
mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to
pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in
victory.
I
wonder how many funerals have been conducted this week, around
our country. And, I wonder how many people have heard a
preacher recite those verses, and no more believe it than they
believe there's a man in the moon.
For
me, I would not mess with Christianity if I weren't going to
go all the way.
This
is a literal happening, when this mortal shall put on
immortality and this corruptible shall put on incorruption!
So
when this corruptible shall put on incorruption, and this
mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to
pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in
victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy
victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is
law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through
our Lord Jesus Christ, who died the death that was the sting
for our sins.
Therefore
my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always
abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that
your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
It's
hard not to keep going, because he says now concerning the
collection for the saints, and he took up and offering! That's
the mystery, and it's not the only place Paul talked about it.
Keep that in mind as we turn to I Thessalonians 4.
Vs.
13 I will not have you ignorant brother - he was a blunt
talking preacher - concerning them which are asleep - Dead -
your love ones who died in the faith - that ye sorrow not,
even as others which have no hope.
When
you see someone agonizing over their dead, they are either
feeling sorry for them selves, or they have no hope. Paul
says, I wouldn't have you ignorant like them, for if we
believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also
which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
For
this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which
are alive and remain unto the coming of our Lord shall not
prevent them which are asleep.
God
isn't going to postpone the Rapture till the rest of us die,
because the Rapture removes that necessity.
For
the Lord himself shall descend from where? Heaven! Where was
that door? In Heaven! Where did God's word speak forth like a
trumpet and say to John to come up to? Heaven!
For
the Lord himself shall descend from Heaven, with a shout, with
the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the
dead in Christ shall rise first!
Now,
some people still believe that Abraham and David won't go up,
but Romans 4 says they're in the same camp. Because their sins
were in Christ and God credited their faith to give them an
opening, for the dead in Christ shall rise first.
Then
we which are live and remain, shall be caught up together with
them in the clouds. Notice, He doesn't touch this earth. Part
of the second coming is a meeting in the air. We shall be
caught up together with them to meet the Lord in the air.
This
is the blessed hope!
>From
the 4th chapter of Revelation we're gone! Wherefore
comfort one another with these words. Second Thessalonians -
Paul wrote them a second letter later - he had already written
them this first one.
Then,
they started listening to false preachers, telling them that
everything is being so hard on them that they must be in the
tribulation. Paul says, Now we beseech you brethren by the
coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together
unto him - caught up - that ye be not soon shaken in mind or
be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as
from us - some people were even claiming they had a letter
from Paul - and that the day of Christ is at hand.
You're
being persecuted, but that's not the Great Tribulation - Let
no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come
except there be a falling away first - some translations
equally reads - except there be a departure (catching away)
first (more in context to what is being addressed here) - and
that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition - that's
Antichrist - who opposeth and exaltheth himself above all that
is called God, or that is worshiped; so that he as God sitteth
in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
Now,
don't you remember, that when I was yet with you, I told you
these things? And, now you know what withholdeth that he might
be revealed in his time. (I already told you - there is
something withholding Antichrist)
For
the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now
hindereth will hinder, till he be taken out of the way. And
then - and only then - shall that wicked be revealed, who the
Lord shall consume with the spirit of His mouth and shall
destroy with the brightness of His coming.
Even
him whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power
and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of
unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not
the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
Antichrist
can't come to power till the Church is gone. We're going to be
caught up! John was caught up, the twenty four elders were
there already, before the 144,000 go .
Revelation
5 talks about that scene in Heaven where they sing before the
throne. Thou hast redeemed us by thy blood, out of every
kindred, people, tongue and nation. And the 6th Chapter
opens - the Church is gone - the mystery of iniquity that
works - the spirit of Antichrist - but the man of sin could
not be revealed until the restraining force - the Church is
taken out of the way, because God's word say, we are not
appointed unto wrath!
Then
John says - I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I
saw and behold a white horse - the great imitator - and he
that sat upon him had a bow and a crown was given him and he
went forth conquering and to conquer. Daniel's 70th week
starts in that sixth chapter.
And
Antichrist comes in on a white horse - looking good - with a
bow and no arrow - he doesn't come by force - he conquers with
a deceiving tongue and a deceitful way.
Only
those that are in Christ are going to be caught up. Romans 8
says: there's therefore now no condemnation to them which are
in Christ. Go down about 5 verses, you find out how you get in
Christ. It says that you are in Christ if His spirit is in
you. How do you get His spirit in you?
Third
chapter of Revelation ended saying that. Verse 20 Behold I
stand at the door and knock, if any man bid me, I'll come in.
You ask Him in!
Salvation
no longer requires going up and bringing Him down, or
descending into deep and bringing Him up. Paul said the word's
already nigh you, it's in your mouth, speak it forth. For with
the heart man believeth, with the mouth confession is made
unto salvation.
That
seals the covenant. You ask God in, and the same ability of
God's spirit to penetrate a rock and take Jesus to glory, can
enter this person of ours, and we literally become new
creatures in Christ, Jesus, with a dual nature, that the
Galatian letter says, contains warfare.
The
old man in us, dug in, fighting for it's rights, and the new
man in Christ, Jesus, reaching to the one who is worthy. None
of us will ever be delivered from sin, until the God of peace
sanctifies us fully over there.
But
the message that Paul lays on the saints that are caught up -
let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body. God's spirit
comes to give us the power to start winning the battle over
the drag of our self seeking nature.
Not
everyone will be caught up - a lot of people are going to be
left here. But those that are in Christ are going to be caught
up! And, before the Tribulation!
"God
is not a man that He should lie, neither the son of man that
He should repent, hath He said, and shall He not do ? or hath
He spoken, and shall He not make it good?"(Num.23:19)
Alleluia!
Thank you for listening and
God bless all of you.
God bless.
Humbly,
Your Brother in Christ
Sal from CHN
"The Prophecy of Daniel The Book of Revelation
The Rapture of the Church and the Mideast Today"
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