THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST: July 2016

Sunday, 31 July 2016

END OF TIME PROPHECIES 092

THE FIRST SEAL ..........GLOBAL DECEPTION Revelation 6v1-2.

"And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying "come and see"; and I saw , and behold a WHITE HORSE: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him; and he went forth conquering and to conquer".

The first four seals were opened in turn by the four living creatures, already described in the worship scenes of chapters 4/5. These, who have been closest to the throne will, at the command of the Lamb, initiate the commencement of the new world order. They are defined for us in Zechariah 6 v1-8: "These are the four spirits of the heavens, which go forth from standing before the Lord of the whole earth". Significantly there is mention of four chariots and four horses exactly as Rev.6. Zechariah chapters 1&6 reveal that these spirits traverse the whole earth in the course of their business for God (1v10-11, and 6v6-7). They are able to call up any situation in their mission. The call "Come and see" is better rendered simply "Come", and refers to their manipulation of world events as required. They can summon any set of circumstances as commanded and none will forbid them. These calls occur in v1,v3,v5,v7; the events are a change in world powers, a full scale world war, a devastating world famine, and mass humanicide on a scale never seen before.

Taking the first of these, there is a change in world government. The WHITE HORSE is the symbol of victory in conflict; it was the custom for victorious Roman generals to parade their conquests riding a white horse. When Jesus returns to earth He will be on a white horse with the "armies of heaven following Him, all on white horses". The one who sits on the white horse here, is in fact the antichrist, the arch deceiver the usurper of earthly power as described in scripture.... the "man of sin" of 2 Thessalonians1v3-4/ the "vile person" of Daniel 11v21/the "king of fierce countenance" of Daniel 8v23/the "prince that shall come" of Daniel 9v26/ the "beast" of Revelation 13v1. When Christ comes back to earth, there will follow untold blessing, when this man rises to power, there follows unparalleled carnage. The rider has a bow but there is no mention of arrows. The bow is the instrument of war, the arrow weapon of war; this victorious conqueror, whose conquest is ongoing appears to have gained supremacy more by the threat of war, than by actual war. He ascends to world domination, mainly by peaceful means. By Divine providence, through the agency of the supreme angel, he gains supremacy. This much is clear "a crown was given to him". It was a victor's crown "stephanos"; not the diadem which is the crown of inherent right, but the crown of success in conflict. As with everything such status is gained by Divine permission.

The story is filled in by the prophet Daniel:

He will start as a little horn: that is a world power of little significance. Daniel 7v8; 7v11; 7v20; 8v9.
He will emerge at a time when a ten power confederacy is to the fore (Daniel 7v8.) This will be the "one world government" of the future, already being discussed in high places; this is the ultimate of present- day globalization.
He will subdue three of these powers. Daniel 7v5; 7v8; 7v20.
He will use this success to gain control of the remainder of the ten; he will take over the superpowers by craft, and predominantly peaceful means. Daniel 8v23-25; 11v21-24; 2 Thessalonians 2v3-4; v8-9; Revelation 13. This confirms the bow without the arrow.
His success is by the gift of a superior power. Daniel 8v34; Revelation 13v5.

These scriptures confirm that there will arise a relative "nobody" to world domination. He will subdue "by craft" and by "flatteries" and by "peaceful" means. This man will be the essence of all wickedness, a man of "fierce countenance". However the early part of his reign will be peaceful, but it will not last. "He went forth conquering, and to conquer". He will not stop until total domination is his. This by the decree of the executive angel acting for the Lamb. God will show the world the depths of evil in the human heart, and just why His Son must die in our place. This is the ultimate fulfilment of Daniel 4v17 " the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever He will, and setteth up over it the basest of men". In these last days the world will receive the worst of men as it's ruler, by Divine decree.

Saturday, 30 July 2016

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THE SOVEREIGN CONTROL OF THE EARTH Revelation ch.6-19.

There is a phrase in chapter 6v2 "was given unto him." We will find this phrase repeated eighteen times over in the book and the scale of this is significant. What it refers to is the sovereign control of the Lamb over all people and all things in the last days. John the Baptist made the observation to his listeners of this very thing, a matter which we are slow to take on board. He said "a man can receive nothing except it be given him from heaven." ( John 3v27) Jesus confirmed this observation by John when standing before Pilate at the judgment hall he said "thou couldest have no power at all against Me except it be given thee from above." (John 19v11) In this prophecy of the last days were are compelled to believe that all events on earth, no matter what they may be, or through which agencies they come, are now under the direct control of the Lamb of God; so we wish to explore this through the book because it will fasten in our minds the true nature of the future. Never was there a saying more true than it is today, and will be in the future "He has got the whole world in His hands." Christ has been given the free reign of heaven, with all the resources of heaven to do whatever He will to accomplish the will of God; and so chapter 6v1 opens "I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals." All that happens in the rest of the book is His doing, and what He is doing is carrying forward the will of God.

We look now at the extent of this:

chapter 6v2 - "And a crown was given unto Him and He went forth conquering and to conquer."
chapter 6v4 - "And there was given unto Him a great sword."
chapter 6v8 - "And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth to kill with sword and with hunger and with death and with the beasts of the earth."
chapter 6v11 - "And white robes were given unto every one of them."
chapter 7v2 - "The four angels to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea."
chapter 8v3 - There was given unto Him much incense that He should offer it with the prayers of all saints."
chapter 9v1 - "And to Him was given the key of the bottomless pit."
chapter 9v3 - "Unto them was given power as the scorpions of the earth have power."
chapter 9v5 - "And to them it was given that they should not kill them but that they should be tormented five months."
chapter 11v1 - "And there was given me a reed like unto a rod....rise and measure the temple of God."
chapter 11v2 - "The outer temple is given unto the Gentiles."
chapter 12v14 - "And to the women were given to wings of a great eagle that she might fly."
chapter 13v5 - "And there was given unto Him a mouth speaking great things."
chapter 13v7 - "And it was given unto Him to make war with the saints and to overcome them."
chapter 13v7 - "And power was given Him over all kindreds and tongues and nations."
chapter 16v6 - "Thou hast given them blood to drink for they are worthy."
chapter 16v8 - "And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire."
chapter 20v4 - "And I saw thrones, and they that sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them."

The constant repetition of this theme is set before us to help us understand the extent of the sovereignty of God over all the earth; this is now exercised by the Lamb upon the throne. This sovereignty has always been there, but largely invisible. In the book of the revelation it becomes visible and He begins to deal directly with the affairs of earth. Men may think they are in control, but an honest reading of these verses should bring everyone to the conclusion that no one can act to change things in this world without His express permission. We shall see this as we proceed into the chapter because He uses the agency of the four living creatures, the guardians of the throne to open the first four seals.

Have we come to terms with the challenge of John 3v27?

Friday, 29 July 2016

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Window 2 - THE OPENING OF THE FIRST SIX SEALS - Revelation 6v1-7v17

This is in three main parts:

chapter 6 v 1-17 - the opening of the seals.
chapter 7 v 1-8 - the sealing of the twelve tribes of Israel.
chapter 7 v 9-17 - The response of heaven.

The pattern of "openings in heaven" followed by a "response from heaven" will continue until the end of the book. The details of chapter 6 - chapter 19 take place between the completion of the church and the return of Christ to the earth. According to Matthew 24v34 this period will be "a generation," which probably means 30 - 40 years. At the end of this period will take place what is known as "Daniel's seventieth week," a seven year period which is begun by a covenant between the world power of the day and the nation of Israel. Most of the focus of the book is on the final three and a half years of that period. The completion of that seven year period will signal the end of time as we know it. It is interesting to read Daniel 9v24 to understand the purpose of God in this period of time Before we consider the details of chapter 6 it is worth tabulating some of the features of this period of time, as the Lamb executes the judgments that will fall on the earth. Below, these are listed in no particular order and the truth of them will emerge as we proceed; but it will give us a flavour of the conditions prevailing during this period of time which is indicated by scripture. We shall learn to grasp the reality of the wrath of Almighty God ; at the same time we will be shocked at the impenitence of the human heart in the face of such wrath. The ultimate objective of all of this of course is to understand the awesome glory of God and perhaps a consideration of these things will encourage more evangelical zeal and prayer on behalf of those who remain outside of God's blessings.

There is a change in the character of the throne of God; it is primarily a throne of judgment, directly from heaven on earth, and will take place in increasing intensity.
Many millions will die; chapter 9v15-18 the third part of all mankind; Zechariah 13v8 two thirds of the population of Israel.
There will be cosmic upheaval.
The topography (the geological layout) of the earth will be changed.
Much vegetation will be destroyed.
The oceans will be partly destroyed and contaminated; all fish will die.
Rivers and streams of water will become polluted.
Demon possession will be rife on the earth.
Rogue governments will be afflicted.
Every city on earth will disappear.
That which remains will be demolished with outsize hailstones.
Religious and commercial Babylon will be destroyed.

The Lamb on the throne of heaven will use every agency at His disposal in the reclamation of the earth for God. He will use men, armies, governments, demons, nature, angels. Every event will be under His sovereign control in the reshaping of the earth. The "little stone" of Daniel chapter 2 will crush the world system in rebellion against God. All businesses will collapse; all trading will cease; all currencies will be valueless; all music will cease (that is except the music in heaven). The world as we know it will come to a complete stop, and when all is done the Lamb will emerge from heaven with the armies of heaven to set up His throne on earth and establish His kingdom. Readers should familiarize themselves with the contents of Daniel chapter 2, 7,8,9,10 & 11. I believe that when Jesus spoke of earthquakes, He meant literal earthquakes; the same with wars, famines, pestilences etc.; just as when He spoke in the same context of the literal destruction of the temple(Matthew 24). I believe in the same way His Revelation of the last days should be taken literally, and where symbolism is used it is to enhance the meaning in our minds.

Thursday, 28 July 2016

END OF TIME PROPHECIES 089

UNIVERSAL ADORATION Revelation 5v13-14.

"And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, "blessing and honour and glory and power be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb forever and ever."      And the four beasts said Amen and the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped Him that liveth forever and ever."

Here the vision before John's eyes broadens out to include "every creature" which is anywhere in the universe adding their voice to the combined songs of men and angels who occupy heaven.   This vision of John here in chapters 4 & 5 is the true picture of creation as God intended it to be, and as we now know it will be.   The Father on the eternal throne; accompanied by the Son and the Holy Spirit; the four spirits before the throne; the seraphim above the throne; the twenty four elders representing the church around the throne; ever increasing circles of angels who cannot be numbered; the picture now extends to the whole of creation.   These last few verses take us beyond the immediate scene that John sees to the very end picture of all things.   We will discover in chapter 6 at the end of that chapter He moves from the immediate circumstances to the ultimate end of the wrath of God.   God is not bound by time as we are and in the revelation of His truth, whether it be in worship or in wrath He sees the end from the beginning.

All this accords with other scriptures such as : Psalm 150v6 "Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord." - Philippians 2v9-11 " Wherefore God also has highly exalted Him, and given Him the name which is above every name; that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow of things in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." - Ephesians 1v 19&20   "According to the working of God's mighty power, which He wrought in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is named, not only in this world but also in that which is to come."   - Ephesians 1v10 "In the dispensation of the fullness of times, He might gather together in One all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth, even in Him."   - Colossians 1v20 "And having made peace through the blood of His cross, by Him to reconcile all things unto Himself; by Him I say, whether they be things in earth or things in heaven."

All in heaven, all on earth whether human or angel whether redeemed or not; this is the picture all with one voice praising the Lamb and the God who willed it so.   The remainder of the book of Revelation is a narrative which moves from heaven to earth and earth to heaven, and the understanding of the book is enhanced when we see in tabulated form the sections of the book as follows;

Chapter 6 v 1-8 - earth the first four seals.
Chapter 6 v 9-11 - heaven the fifth seal martyrs.
Chapter 6 v 12 -17 - earth sixth seal the day of His wrath.
Chapter 7 v 1 - 8 - earth the sealing of the one hundred and forty four thousand.
Chapter 7 v 9 -17 - heaven the great multitude.
Chapter 8 v 1- 5 - heaven preparation for trumpet judgments, the opening of the seventh seal.
Chapter 8v6 - 9v21 - earth the first six trumpet judgments.
Chapter 10 - earth the little book.
Chapter 11 v 1-10 - earth the two witnesses.
Chapter 11 v 15-19 - heaven the announcement of the seventh trumpet.
Chapter 12 v 1-12 - heaven the expulsion of Satan.
Chapter 12 v 13-17 - earth attack by Satan.
Chapter 13 - earth the rise of the two beasts.
Chapter 14 - earth judgment of the great tribulation.
Chapter 15 - heaven announcement of the seven last judgments.
Chapter 16 - earth the seven vials of wrath.
Chapter 17 - earth destruction of religious Babylon.
Chapter 18 - earth destruction of commercial Babylon.
Chapter 19 v1-10 - heaven the marriage of the Lamb.
Chapter 19 v11-21 - earth the second coming of Christ.
Chapter 20 - earth millennial kingdom
Chapter 21 & 22 - heaven & earth made anew.

Wednesday, 27 July 2016

END OF TIME PROPHECIES 088

"Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour and glory and blessing" Revelation 5v12.

They said it "with a loud voice", it was emphatic, it was a sevenfold declaration of what God had given to the Lamb, and which they, in all their countless numbers, now acknowledged. Worthy is the Lamb to receive:

Power - the grammatical construction of this noun demands the interpretation the very power, the power to carry the programme through. The word for power is dunamis, from which we get "dynamic." There are four words for power in the Greek, and this one means miraculous power, that which is supernatural, power to command men and angels and demons and animals and inanimate things for whatever purpose, and whenever that purpose demands. It can refer to miraculous or moral power and can be described by the reference in Philippians 3v21 "According to the working whereby He is able even to subdue all things unto Himself." He alone can use this power wisely, and with perfect justice and equity.
Riches - this refers to the vast resources under His control. Back in Genesis chapter 25 a preview of this is given "and Abraham gave all that he had unto Isaac." The New Testament takes up the theme and in Matthew chapter 11 Jesus said "all things are delivered unto Me by my Father." Over in John 3v35 John the Baptist reveals the following "the Father loveth the Son and hath given all things into His hand." Colossians chapter 1 reveals in verse 15 "all things were created by Him and for Him." Hebrews 1v2 says "His Son whom He hath appointed heir of all things." All His by creation, now all His by redemption and the task ahead of Him, reclamation. He has the vast riches of heaven at His disposal for the task.
Wisdom - the word is sophia from which we derive words such as philosophy, sophistry, and the like. Wisdom is said in scripture to be the most precious commodity in existence; "Her price is far above rubies." When king Solomon was asked by God to name anything that he wanted, above everything else, he asked for wisdom. Wisdom is the ability is to put knowledge into practice. In the case of the Lamb He has perfect knowledge at all times, and He has perfect wisdom of how to use it. It is said by Paul in Colossians 2v3 that "in Christ are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." In Proverbs 8 (written by Solomon) we find that wisdom is personified in the person of the Messiah. "I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions. The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the perverse mouth do I hate,,,,, by Me kings reign, and princes decree justice. By Me princes rule and nobles, even all the judges of the earth. I love them that love Me; and those that seek Me early shall find Me. Riches and honour are with Me..." The Lamb is the treasury of all wisdom; "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom".
Strength - the word is ischus and it means inward power, inherent power, a force to overcome immediate obstacles. It refers to that ability to overpower every situation. He has the power, He will use it as and when He needs to do so. Other words for power are kratos which means the extent of power and energia which means power in motion. (The effect of power in action).
Honour - the word is time and refers to esteem or status; that which brings public distinction and value like the wearing of medals or some such distinguishing feature. The Lamb has received public acclaim in heaven and He will yet receive it on the earth and there is a day coming when it is recorded "and they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother saying "know the Lord:" for they shall all know Me from the least of them unto the greatest of them saith the Lord." Jeremiah 31v34
Glory - the word is doxa which means dignity and splendor. the best illustration of it is the opening of a flower in the rays of the sun. It is inward excellence being demonstrated outwardly. The glory of the Lamb was seen in His life here on earth, and His exalted glory and eternal glory have yet to be seen. The root meaning of the word is weight like someone who carries weight with people; weight always speaks of value which is why we have weighing scales. It means unsurpassed splendor, intrinsic worth, value beyond calculation. It is something that belongs only to Deity and the glory of God is given to the Lamb.
Blessing - the word is eulogia it is the same as in Ephesians 1v3 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." It means to speaks well of; we get the word eulogy from this. It means high praise or commendation. Once He was the song of the drunkard, of no reputation, but in the language of the prophet "He shall be exalted and extolled and be very high." There will be no lips silent in His praise. All will speak well of Him, will you do so today?

Tuesday, 26 July 2016

END OF TIME PROPHECIES 087

THE WORSHIP OF THE ANGELS Revelation 5v11-12

"And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels roundabout the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; saying with a loud voice, worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing."

This is predicted in Hebrews chapter 1, where the writer, referring to the future order of things says in verse 6 "When He bringeth in the first begotten into the world He saith "and let all the angels of God worship Him," What John saw and heard here is a precursor to that; the entire body of angels join in the praise of heaven. What they have accorded to God, they now accord to the Lamb. The focus first of all is upon their vast number; it says "many angels" and then goes on to state a countless number of angels. The significance of the many thousands stated is simply that they cannot be counted. Ten thousand apparently was the highest number in the Hebrew language, but in case there is any doubt in anyone's mind, after having stated "ten thousand times ten thousand" he adds "and thousands of thousands." What is recorded here is a body of angels who are innumerable. This picture is referred to in Hebrews chapter 12 where the writer speaks of "an innumerable company of angels, the general assembly/" (Hebrews 12v22-23). The word there is "myriads" and the phrase "the general assembly" is better rendered "a full gathering." We have here by any standards an awesome picture, a full gathering of countless angels with one voice saying "worthy is the Lamb." They add their voices to the worship of the four living creatures and the twenty four elders already given. Now the whole of heaven is in full accord and proclaim the worth of the Lamb to continue all the purposes of God.

Daniel refers to such a scene in chapter 7v10 "thousand, thousands, ministered unto Him and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him." John is concerned to properly identify the One to whom this worship is directed. The cry goes out "worthy is the Lamb that was slain." This is the second time he has referred to the slain Lamb, and John is identifying this object of heaven's worship to be the Jesus of Calvary who died for the sins of the world. He has no rival; He has no equal. When puny man would hold Him on the same level as great prophets and teachers, they are evidently not in tune with heaven's voice. When the proponents of mystic religions would place Him on the same level as angels, or gods of their own imaginations, we understand from this how wrong they are. There is no mystery to who He is. The Saviour of the world, now the Lord of all heaven, is Jesus. He is greater than all men, He is greater than all ranks of angels no matter how high their position is. He is the One and only object of heaven's worship.

The four living creatures who stand before the God of all the earth, the twenty four elders, representatives of the entire redeemed church combining Jew and Gentile in the church age, the full assembly of countless angels ........ all combine with one word "WORTHY IS THE LAMB THAT WAS SLAIN." The picture is not yet complete because God has decreed that not only will heaven praise Him but so will the entire living population of humanity, bow to His holy name, to the glory of God the Father. Next we shall see the content of the worship of these angels. Isaac Watts caught the theme when he penned the words....

Join all the glorious names
of wisdom, love, and power,
that ever mortals knew,
that angels ever bore:
all are too mean to speak his worth,
too mean to set my Saviour forth.

Monday, 25 July 2016

END OF TIME PROPHECIES 086

THE SONG OF THE REDEEMED Revelation 5v9-10.

"Thou art worthy..........for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; and has made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth."

We approach this section by asking three questions; who is doing the singing? To whom are they singing? and what is the subject of their song? In an attempt to bolster the argument that the twenty four elders are a group of angels, many would change the "us" and the "we" in the verses to "men." However, since the twenty four elders are distinguished in the passage from the body of angels (verse 11) and from what we might call the special branch of the angels (verse 8), it seems to me clear that these are redeemed human beings singing the song of redemption. Their song is directed towards the Lamb and it is a thanksgiving for the great redemption they have experienced. This act of adoration places Christ on a plane above all men and all angels. We as human beings should not worship men who are on the same level as ourselves, far less to worship lesser creatures (this is the folly of all ages as Paul indicated in Romans 1v24-25). The song of worship is duly rendered by redeemed people to the Redeemer. We now consider the content of the song of which there are four elements in their worship.

Worship to the Lamb because he was slain. A reading of the Old Testament narratives will reveal that many lambs were slain; God thus indicating that in order for fallen man to be redeemed a substitute must take their place, One who is fit, and He must die. A reading of the "passover lamb" passage in Exodus chapter 12 makes this clear, that the lamb must be slain and its blood applied to the individual people "Ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the month of the same month; and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening." (Exodus 12v6). Many today object to this teaching of redemption by blood, but God has made it clear He will accept no less. A bloodless offering will not do. Adam & Eve wanted to cover their shame with fig leaves (Genesis 3). Cain refused the blood offering, preferring to bring the fruits of his own labour in the field ( Genesis 4). God rejected it, and still rejects it today. The Lamb must be slain.
Worship because we have been redeemed. Redemption is freedom from slavery (or any kind of debt) by the payment of a price. We notice first the cost of redemption. We have been bought with a price that the Lamb paid at Calvary. When Peter would describe this redemption He says "you were not redeemed with corruptible things such as silver and gold.......but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a Lamb with out blemish and without spot." (1st Peter 1v19). Notice how Peter assesses the value of the blood of the Lamb; compared to the blood of Christ he says silver and gold are "corruptible things." That which mankind values above everything else, for which he will give his entire time and effort and talents, Peter says they are nothing in comparison! The cost of our redemption cannot be computed in material terms. When we leave this earth, the only thing we will have of any value is our ransomed souls. Next we notice to whom we are redeemed "redeemed us to God." By reason of the redemption price paid we now belong to God as His possession. For our redemption He gave His all when He gave His Son and allowed men to take Him for our benefit. Paul summarizes this in (1st Corinthians 6v20) "ye are not your own, for ye are bought with a price therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit which are God's." Next we see the scope of this redemption "out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation." Not everyone will be redeemed but the point being underlined here is that there is no limitation on lineage, no limitation on language, no limitation on cultures, no limitation on nations. In fact the only limitation is what men put on it themselves by refusing the free grace of God in Christ.
Worthy because we have been made kings and priests unto God. We have been enrobed with royal dignity and endowed with priestly ministry, able to touch both God and men. Our future is holy service in the presence of God. We shall forever serve in God's temple. What all this means is beyond our imagination. but angels who have been there for many thousands of years are enraptured by it all, and so will we.
Worthy because we shall rule on the earth. God's salvation means much more than taking away our sins. He has saved us and sanctified us, and will yet glorify us because we have become by His grace the rulers of the new world order. This is an aspect often missed by believers. In this life we are training for a new administrative role in the kingdom of God, where we will be given powers to subdue everything and everyone to the will of God. To borrow the language of another, we are "training for reigning" We say along with the model prayer that Jesus gave His disciples "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven."

In summary: We praise Him because He gave His life for us; because we are now in God's family; because we will serve in His temple and we shall rule in His kingdom.

"Oh the joy when we get there, golden crowns of life to wear, in that blessed land so fair, in that summer land up yonder."

Sunday, 24 July 2016

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THE NEW SONG Revelation 5v9-10.

"And they sung a new song, saying "Thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof: for thou was slain, and hast redeemed us to God by the blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation; and has made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth."

The word "new" is kainen which means "fresh" and speaks of a new situation, a song for something fresh that has happened: the passing of the book from the Father on the throne to the Lamb represents an altogether new situation.   This is a favourite theme of the book of the Revelation:
chapter 2v17     a new name.
chapter 3v12      a new name for the Lord.
chapter 3v12    the new Jerusalem
chapter 14v3     a new song .
chapter 21v1     a new heaven and a new earth.
chapter 21v5     one of the most wonderful statements ever "behold I make all things new."

We trace some of the songs of scripture.   The first notable song is in Exodus chapter 15 when all Israel responded to their deliverance from Egypt.   Moses and Aaron and Miriam and all the people burst into song.   "I will sing unto the Lord for He hath triumphed gloriously."     Again "and Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron took a timbrel in her hand and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances.   And Miriam answered them, "sing ye to the Lord for He hath triumphed gloriously."   There are three Psalms which begin with the same subject as here, the new song.
Psalm 96v1 "O sing unto the Lord a new song; sing unto the Lord all the earth sing unto the Lord bless His name."
Psalm 98v1   "O sing unto the Lord a new song; for He hath done marvelous things: His right hand and His holy arm hath gotten Him the victory."
Psalm 149v1 "Praise ye the Lord a new song and His praise in the congregation of the saints."     The point of all this is that every situation which brings a revelation of the greatness of our God is cause for another new song.   The reality is the new songs will be endless, because there is no end to the infinite riches of God, or for the things that He can do for His people.   It is said "His mercies are new every morning."   Each mercy shown is cause for a new song.   New mercies should result in new music!    There will always be something new with which to praise the Lord.   .   The Psalmist of all people caught the mood of this when he said "I waited patiently for the Lord and He inclined unto me and heard my cry."   He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.   And He hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God; many shall see it and fear, and shall trust in the Lord."    Psalm 40v1-3

A modern generation needs to catch the spirit of this. We need to know the greatness of our God, and prove Him in many different situations, and sing a new song every time, and let everyone know! He shows His mercies constantly, there will never be any end to our singing, there will always be cause for His people to praise the Lord; and what will it be when we see Him face to face in the glorious abode He has prepared for us and we shall see Him as he is? The great heavenly choir shall burst into song and in the words of Jesus Himself "in the midst of the great congregation will I sing praises unto Thee." Hebrews 2v12 Redeemed people can sing even through trials; Paul and Silas sang praises unto the Lord after midnight in a prison; there are people singing from hospital beds because the redemption of the soul is something that cannot be erased by the trials of life. The prospect of future glory only enhances the song. Think of the hymns that have been written, the poems that have been written, the hymn books published, the cd's, the dvd's, the concerts the church services etc. etc. that exist because of the new song that is in their heart. Eternity will not exhaust the wonders of our God. The greatness of His attributes will, in the hymn writers words "forever more endure the saints and angels song."

Saturday, 23 July 2016

END OF TIME PROPHECIES 084

HARPS AND VIALS Revelation 5v8.

"And when He had taken the book the four beasts (living creatures) and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of the saints."

This is the great crowning moment. The book of the counsels of almighty God are passed to the Lamb; the future of the world is now in His hands. The response is immediate; the four living creatures and the four and twenty elders prostrate themselves before the Lamb and render to Him the same honour as they had given to God in chapter 4. Our attention is drawn to the fact that every one of the elders had harps and golden vials. The harp is sometimes used in scripture as a representative of all stringed instruments. The golden vials would be like the incense bowls used by the priests of old and these are interpreted as "the prayers of the saints." Immediately we get the picture of what is happening here. It is the twin elements of worship namely praise and prayer. The harps are suggestive of praise, the golden vials represent prayers. This is the first response to the investiture of Christ. Heaven is a place of music and golden incense. In heaven only deity is worshipped and therefore the Lamb who stood in their midst and who received the book is recognized as one of the Godhead. This is only the beginning and we are about to see Him worshipped in ever increasing circles and in ever greater numbers; this is the very essence of heaven.

The work that He did as the Lamb of God fits Him now to act as the lion of the tribe of Judah. With the same meticulous perfection He accomplished the work of redemption, so will He accomplish the work of retribution. The secret of what he did when He was here was that He did everything according to the Father's will; He spoke the Father's words (John 3v32-34); He did His Father's works (John 5v19); He did everything that pleased the Father (John 8v29); He refused anything that was not His Father's will and he endured everything that His Father commanded Him to do (John 14v31). He glorified His Father in life and death on the earth. He will now continue to do the work of His Father by enacting the contents of the book now in His hand. Before these judgments are revealed we are treated to the unlimited and overflowing worship of heaven. Jesus is acknowledged and worshipped, God is glorified, the songs reverberate throughout heaven, the prayers of the saints arise like a sweet aroma to God; presumably these are prayers that have in lifetime been unanswered but will be answered. God loves the praise and the prayers of His people. A similar thing is said in chapter 8v4 "and another angel came and stood at the altar having a golden censor; and there was given unto Him much incense, that He should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense which came with the prayers of the saints ascended up before God out of the angels hand." Proverbs 15v8 says "the sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord but the prayer of the upright is His delight." In the same chapter in verse29 it says "He heareth the prayer of the righteous." A clue to the meaning of this passage is found in Luke 18v7-8 "And shall not God avenge His own elect which cry day and night unto Him though He bear long with them, I tell you that He will avenge them speedily." The true people of God on this earth have gone through struggles and trials and oppositions from man and demons; prayers have been made and the Lord has heard them all. There is no prayer that was made according to His will that will not be answered.

The pattern of things in the heavens as portrayed in this chapter should become the pattern for our lives even now; that is our lives should consist of praise and prayer. This pattern of things is particularly seen in Paul's prison epistles, that is those he wrote whilst still in prison for the sake of Christ.

Ephesians 1v3-14 - Praise.
Ephesians 1v15-23 - Prayer.
Ephesians 3v14-19 - Prayer.
Ephesians 3v20-21 - Praise.
Philippians 1v3-8 - Praise.
Philippians 1v9-11 - Prayer
Colossians 1v3-8 - Praise.
Colossians 1v9-11 - Prayer.
Colossians 1v12-14 - Praise.

The bible is full of examples of praise and prayers and this should become the pattern for our lives. It is how they spend their time in heaven, it is how we must spend our time on earth on earth. The doxologies in scripture are endless, the psalms are full of prayers, many are addressed to the chief musician and all of this tells us as believers, this should be our primary occupation. We will praise Him better when we are there, when the mists of time have cleared. Meanwhile it is visions like this that inspire us.

Friday, 22 July 2016

END OF TIME PROPHECIES 083

TAKING THE BOOK Revelation 5v7

"And He came and took the book out of the right hand of Him who sat upon the throne."

A fairly simple statement, but when we consider what is involved it is indeed a magnificent scene.   The One sitting on the throne is no less than the ancient of days, the God of all eternity.   The One approaching the throne is no less than the lamb of Calvary who came to redeem humanity.   The book in the right hand contains the secrets of the counsels of the Godhead.   What we are witnessing here is the transference of imperial power to Jesus Christ affecting the entire universe.   This scene involves much more than is apparent on the surface.   He must first pass the four living creatures who guarded the throne.   It is quite impossible for us to visialise the angelic order of things, we can only suggest the outlines of Holy scripture. Questions like; are they seraphim or cherubim?   Are there four or six of them? Do they possess two wings, four wings, or six wings?   A study of the relevant passages would present all of these possibilities; all we can say is that there is varying divine activity in what is a highly structured order of things in the world beyond us.

Certainly the living creatures are the guardians of the throne.   They are seen in the garden of Eden in (Genesis 3v24) debarring entrance to the garden to any human being because of sin.   They are seen in the embroidery of the tabernacle surrounding the Holy place; they are placed on the ark of the covenant symbolizing the divine presence; there are images of them in the temple; Isaiah saw a vision of this scene in chapter 6 and in Ezekiel chapter 1 the prophet describes a similar scene.   They appear to be the highest order of angels.   In (Ezekiel 28v14 & 16), Satan was described as "the anointed cherub that covereth."    Lesser ranks of angels are seen in different roles at different times.   When God describes the unsurpassed privilege given to Satan in Ezekiel 28, He twice referred to him as "walking up and down in the midst of the stones of fire."   These stones of fire are never again spoken of in the bible as such, but it is possible that this has something to do with the "sea of glass" of Revelation 4v6.   Is this the meaning of the sea of glass "like unto crystal?"   Was the sea of brilliant crystalline appearance the same as the stones of fire of Ezekiel 28?   This is more than possible, because in chapter 15v2 of the Revelation there is reference to "the sea of glass mingled with fire."    If this is the correct interpretation, it refers to a walkway of sublime privilege that was accorded to only one who was superior to all other created angels.   The lesson from Ezekiel chapter 28 is that Satan fell from the highest possible position of privilege before the throne of God, and none since have walked the stones of fire......UNTIL NOW!   Jesus arose from the midst of the living creatures, walked past them unhindered, across the stones of fire to the very throne of God to receive the book, and the guardians of the throne allowed Him to go.   For the first time a human being (although He was also divine) walked unhindered to the very throne of God.

The prophet Daniel gives us a picture of this as he describes the awesome glory of the throne of God.   (Daniel 7v9-14 ) "I beheld till the thrones were cast down and the ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.   A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto Him, and ten thousand times ten thousands stood before Him: the judgment was set and the books were opened....   I saw in the night visions and behold One like unto the Son of Man came with the clouds of heaven and came to the ancient of days, and they brought Him before Him.   And there was given Him dominion and glory and a kingdom; that all people, nations and languages should serve Him; His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom that which will not be destroyed."   What we have here in Revelation chapter 5 is the first step to all of that.   The heavenly guards would never have allowed anyone to pass who was not worthy.   What we have here is surely one of the most amazing scenes of all time, the effects of which will go on forever.

When He took the book from the hand of the Almighty, all heaven began to erupt in ever increasing circles until the whole universe accords Him the highest place and gives to Him the honour He is due. Worship (worth-ship) is directed to the Lamb that was slain who has conquered all and receives universal accolade to the glory of God. The despised Nazarene is the toast of all Heaven!

Thursday, 21 July 2016

END OF TIME PROPHECIES 082

HE IS WORTHY BECAUSE OF HIS SACRIFICE Revelation 5v6-7

"And I beheld, and lo in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts and in the midst of the elders, stood a lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes which are the seven spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. And He came and took the book out of the right hand of Him that sat upon the throne."

Our attention is now drawn to another title "THE LAMB." The accuracy of scripture in the use of words is amazing; the word used here for lamb is "arnion" which is a diminutive form and refers to a young lamb. This is the first reference to the lamb and throughout the book there will be another twenty eight such references using the same word. This word is different from the one used by John 1v29 "Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world." There the emphasis is on the effect of the sacrifice, but the word used throughout the Revelation emphasizes rather the suitability of the Lamb to become a sacrifice; this is altogether in line with the context of the book of Revelation, because the subject matter is of severe judgment and what is being underlined is His moral fitness to effect such judgment on the earth. The symbolism is incredible,; there could be no greater contrast between a lion and a lamb. If the lamb refers to His first advent, the lion refers to His second advent, because the world has not seen the last of Jesus Christ. If we consider the timidity of the lamb as against the ferocity of the lion, we get some idea when this is applied to the Person of Christ in the context of world judgment. If the lion represents regal splendor and authority the lamb suggests humility. Placing these two titles side by side brings before us the awesome issues surrounding the person of Jesus Christ. He is the lion, He is also the lamb. He died for the sin of the world, He lives to judge the world. The One who will bring unmitigated judgment on a godless world is the same One who died for its sins on the cross of Calvary. The young lamb takes us back to Exodus 12, where the Passover lamb was slain to spare the nation of Israel. The emphasis there was that " the lamb must be without blemish, a male of the first year." This refers to the suitability of the lamb for sacrifice. The context of Revelation is all about the suitability of Christ to judge the world. The One who will judge the world once died for the sin of the world. He was the perfect sacrifice, and He will be the Perfect Judge. There are a number of things to observe:

The position of the Lamb. He was standing in the midst of the four living creatures and in the midst of the elders. These are the two representative groups closest to the throne; one of angels, the other of redeemed human beings. The use of language in the book is very important. At the end of chapter 6 the cry goes out from the earth "the great day of His wrath has come and who shall be able to stand?" No-one can stand before the throne while it is in judgment mode. But the Lamb stood, thus testifying to the acceptability of all that He was and all that He had done. He stood at the very centre of the throne room!
The condition of the Lamb. It was as though He had been freshly slain(newly slain) . The perfect participle indicates the abiding value of the work of the cross. His efficacy for sin is good for now and always. Some think He will bear the scars of Calvary forever, but this is hard to believe. What is true, is the eternal abiding value of the sacrifice of the Lamb of Calvary. Heaven will constantly revel in the wonder of what happened there. For those who believe in a bloodless sacrifice, they should take note that the whole of scripture demands that the sacrifice be slain and the blood be shed. This is because our sin in the sight of God demanded our death, and if we are to live another must die in our place. There is nothing clearer in the whole of the bible.
The sovereign power of the Lamb. "Having seven horns." The horns in scripture always speak of imperial power. A reference to the following scriptures will suffice. 1st Samuel 2v1 :Jeremiah 48v25 : Lamentations 2v3 : Daniel 7v21 : Deuteronomy 33v17 : also many references in the book of Daniel to the horns. No-one would associate a lamb with power, but this Lamb possesses universal power. The repetition of the Lamb throughout the book of Revelation hereon brings before the reader the constant memory of His love for the world, while He wields the sword of imperial power for God. The number seven speaks of completeness, perfection; as in seven days a week. The Lamb on the throne possesses unlimited universal power. In short, He is Omnipotent
The all seeing vision of the Lamb. "Having seven eyes which are the seven spirits of God sent forth into all the earth". In case anyone is wondering whether in His exalted position of power He might miss someone or something, we are brought face to face with the omniscience of Jesus Christ and so His judgment will be comprehensive and perfect; nothing will be missed. The perfection of the vision of Almighty God is now invested in the Lamb and no one will escape. There are some Old Testament pointers to this fact; "for the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him. (2nd Chronicles 16v9). Again in (Proverbs 15v3) "the eyes of the Lord are in every place beholding the evil and the good." Again in (Zechariah 4v10) "They are the eyes of the Lord which run to and fro throughout the whole earth." Compare this with (Revelation 5v6) "The seven eyes which are the seven spirits of God sent forth into all the earth."

The whole context is of the Lamb of Calvary invested with the judgment of the earth with supreme power and perfect knowledge of all things concerning all people. It has to be said before finishing such an article that the dread judgments which will surely fall on this world can be avoided if we embrace the Lamb of Calvary right now and avail ourselves of His sacrifice. Otherwise we will face His wrath.

Wednesday, 20 July 2016

END OF TIME PROPHECIES 081

HE IS WORTHY BECAUSE OF WHO HE IS Revelation 5v5.

"And one of the elders saith unto me," weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof."

What we have in this chapter is the incalculable and incomparable worth of Jesus Christ. One of the elders consoles John with the news that there is one person worthy to continue God's purposes. Here is another evidence that these elders were human beings, since only humans would understand John's dilemma. "Weep not, behold...."; this describes a very human situation. Often we weep because we don't understand, we become filled with despair. In this case, John being in heaven, the place where all things were perfect, and before the very throne of God where all decisions are made, he could not understand when the call of the angel brought no response. Is there no one in the universe who can take forward the work of God? The elder answers him in no uncertain terms by describing the One who is worthy. He gives a threefold description;

the lion of the tribe of Judah.
the root of David.
the victor over all circumstances.

It is in the understanding of these three statements we know the truth of who Jesus is. Bear in mind that this book is a "revelation of Jesus Christ."; so who is He? Many were asking the same question when He was here on earth; who is this One who will initiate the next stage in God's programme for the world? He is .....

The lion of the tribe of Judah. This takes us back to Genesis 49v9-10. When Jacob gave the blessing and predicted the future of the sons of Israel, he describes Judah as a lion in three stages of its development: as a lion's whelp; as a full grown lion; and as an old lion who can hardly move from his sleeping position. Thus he views metaphorically the history of the tribe of Judah from beginning to end in terms of a lion. The lion is commonly known as "the king of the jungle." It represents regal majesty in the midst of lesser animals. This figure of majesty was applied to the tribe of Judah, "the sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a law giver from between his feet until Shiloh come." The tribe of Judah would hold sway in the kingdom of God until the coming of the person known as Shiloh. Shiloh means "He whose right it is to reign." We see immediately the link between this and the title "the lion of the tribe of Judah." Until now the sceptre (symbol of rule) has been with the tribe of Judah but Shiloh has come. He is Jesus Christ, the One whose right it is to reign. His time has come and He is the sovereign power of the universe without a rival. The passage in genesis 49 goes on to say "and unto Him shall the gathering of the people be." This last detail is expanded in the rest of Revelation chapter 5. We are about to witness the enthronement, the investiture of Jesus Christ.
The root of David. Once again this title (which is repeated in chapter 22v16) points us to royalty. The whole point of David is that his kingdom would never end. It was to David (who was of the tribe of Judah) God gave the right to rule. (2nd Samuel 7v12-13 & v16). The verse in Revelation 22v16 gives the staggering truth of who this Person is; "I am the root and the offspring of David." This claim presents the amazing twin truths of His Deity and His humanity. As God He brought forth David, as man He came out of David (Matthew chapter 1). As such, He has the right to rule, and he will rule as a man because he took on Himself human flesh. Thus the idea of the root of David is that a man will reign supreme forever in God's eternal kingdom. Essentially it means that Jesus is the Messiah and the statement by the angel predicting the future of the babe of Bethlehem says it all in (Luke 1v32) "He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest and the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His Father David: and He shall reign over the house of Jacob forever and of His kingdom there shall be no end." He pre-existed David, and he will permanently succeed David, making Him unique in all of history.
He is the victor over all life's circumstances. The words of the elder were that "He prevailed to open the book and loose the seven seals thereof." The word "prevailed" is from the Greek word "nike." The force of this is that He has subdued, He has overcome in a struggle, He has been victorious, having come through the conflict. In His own words to His disciples in (John 16v33) He said "I have overcome the world." He met every obstacle in His pathway and overcame. The New Testament is full of the victories of Jesus Christ.

He resisted the craving of bodily needs, in favour of the will of God. (Matthew 4).
He resisted the possession of vast worldly empires to do the Father's will by going to the cross. (Matthew 4 & Luke 4).
He resisted the temptation to impress people by doing spectacular stunts, at the suggestion of Satan. (Matthew 4 & Luke 4).
He did not retaliate when evil spoken of "when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered He threatened not."
In the face of the hatred of men He returned only love "Father forgive them for they know not what they do." (Luke 23v34)
He overcame misjudgment and pain and sorrow at the hands of men. "He endured the cross, despising the shame." (Hebrews 12v2).
He overcame disappointment in His disciples, and at the last gathered them to Himself despite their failures.
He overcame death; going into death, and through death and conquered death.
He was victorious over the hosts of hell "the prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in Me." (John 14v30 & Colossians 2v15) which says "He spoiled principalities and powers and made a show of them openly triumphing over them in His cross."

We must not minimize the struggles of Jesus as He passed through this world, but He overcame in every sphere imaginable and he stands now in heaven as the only Man with the moral right to judge the world.

Tuesday, 19 July 2016

END OF TIME PROPHECIES 080

WHO IS WORTHY TO OPEN THE BOOK? Revelation 5v2-4.

"And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, "who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?" And no man in heaven, nor in the earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon".

The challenge goes out to the universe. It is difficult for us to imagine this, the strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice; crucial business is to hand; the only other time a strong angel is used is in Revelation 18v21 at the destruction of the great city Babylon. Throughout the entire universe the challenge goes forth "who is worthy to open the book and to loose the seals thereof?" The answer is equally loud and clear "no man in heaven or on the earth neither under the earth was able to open the book, neither to look thereon." The Greek word for worthy is "axios" from which we get the word axle. The word was in common use in connection with commercial weighing scales: Worth=weight=value. Once again the bible uses imagery which leaves us in no doubt as to the issues here. In the scales and balances of Divine justice, in all of human history there is not one man who has the weight, the moral right, to judge the world. There is no man in all the course of history who is able even to look into this book let alone open its seals and execute them upon a godless world. If ever there was a witness to the moral depravity of man it is this. It is almost like what Jesus said to the Pharisees when they brought the woman taken in adultery "let him that is without sin first cast the stone." No one worthy, no one able to execute divine judgment.

This Divine challenge which exposes universal human inability brings consternation to the apostle John when he said "I wept much because no man was found." . All he saw was that God could not carry forward His Divine programme at this moment, and many more years, perhaps millennia, before it could happen. All the evangelism, all the suffering, all the martyrdom; must it continue indefinitely? John sincerely believed there was a real problem here that the earth must go on suffering under the bondage of sin. He could not possibly know what was about to happen. His tears were real. We do well to mourn like the apostles for the plight of the world!

The rest of the chapter goes on to present Christ as the Redeemer of mankind and in chapters 6 - 19 as the reclaimer of the earth. An understanding of this passage is gained from a study of the law of redemption in Israel. Taking the story from the book of Ruth where Naomi and Ruth were redeemed by Boaz with all the land that they had lost, bible scholars tell us that there were four requirements in the law of redemption, which were perfectly fulfilled by Jesus Christ.

The redeemer must be a near kinsman.
The redeemer must be able to pay the redemption price.
The redeemer must be willing to pay the redemption price.
The redeemer must assume all the debts of the ones being redeemed.

Readers will be able to follow from scripture that Jesus met all these requirements. Against the background that "no-one was able" Jesus was able, He was qualified because He became one of us, He was willing to pay the price and He took away all the debts of the redeemed.

The question is raised as to the worthiness of anyone who can execute the purposes of God. What is being declared in this chapter is the worth of Jesus Christ, His worthiness to act for God. The meaning of the word taken from the world of weights and measures suggest that what is being presented here is the true value of Jesus Christ to God and to all mankind. The call went out at the beginning "who is worthy?" The emphatic answer will come in the rest of the chapter "He alone is worthy," in all of God's universe, to take this book and carry forward the Divine purposes.

His worth is proclaimed by the elders in verse 5.
His worth is proclaimed by the four living creatures in verse 8.
His worth is proclaimed by myriads of angels in verse 11.
His worth is proclaimed by "every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea and all that are in them." verse 13.

In this way the Spirit of God sets Jesus Christ apart from any other created being as He receives universal acclaim. When He was here in the flesh the high priest valued Him at thirty pieces of silver, the price of a common slave. The One who was despised and rejected on earth, His value of incalculable worth is proclaimed across the universe. The words by Isaac Watts seem appropriate;

Join all the glorious names
of wisdom, love, and power,
that ever mortals knew,
that angels ever bore:
all are too mean to speak his worth,
too mean to set my Saviour forth.

Monday, 18 July 2016

END OF TIME PROPHECIES 079

THE INVESTITURE OF JESUS CHRIST     Revelation 5v1-14.

"And I saw in the right hand of Him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside sealed with seven seals."

John begins with the common phrase "and I saw."   This occurs thirty five times in the book - "I looked" - seventy times  - "I beheld - seven times - "I heard" - twenty three times.   This is no fabrication or fantasy.   This is a record of what he saw, beheld, heard, when transported into the future, supernaturally, by the Holy Spirit.   What he saw and heard was quite amazing.

The key to the understanding of this chapter is found in chapter 3v21 where Jesus makes a distinction between His throne and His Father's throne. In chapter 4 we see the Father's throne; in chapter 5 we have the investiture process for Christ to have His own throne. What we have here in chapter 5 is Jesus as a man in heaven receiving the transference of divine power to take control of the earth for God.   From chapter 6 through to chapter 19, the Man Jesus, suitably crowned with a royal diadem, and possessing all the powers of executive judgements, is the prime mover.   From here on He executes the divine judgements contained in the seven sealed scroll. Until this point He has sat at the right hand of His Father in exalted glory by the side of His Father's throne.   From this chapter on He sits on His own throne invested with Divine power to judge the world.   All this is in fulfillment of the prediction in Acts 17v31 "God has appointed a day in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that Man whom He hath ordained."  Revelation chapter 5 is an exposition of John chapter 5v22   "The Father has committed all judgment to the Son."

At present Jesus sits at the right hand of God in heaven (Romans 8v34; Ephesians 1v20; Colossians 3v1; Hebrews 1v3; Hebrews 8v1; Hebrews 12v2 & 1st Peter 3v22). This chapter signals the point when Jesus takes executive power to judge the world in righteousness as ordained by the Father, and all of heaven applauds this investiture.

The book is in the right hand of Him who sits upon the throne. This book is referred to eight times in chapter 5 so our attention is called to the book and its contents. The right hand in scripture always indicates the position of executive power, in this case of universal power. (Genesis 48v14-18, Exodus 15v6, Deuteronomy 33v2). This book contains the handwriting and the counsel of the imperial power of the universe, in short the will of God for the earth. What is written in this book will take place. It is not to be confused with "the book of life" or the books containing the record of everyone's works in chapter 20.
The book was written within and on the backside. This book was a parchment scroll and normally the writing would only be on the inside on the smooth surface of the papyrus. The only indication from scripture of a scroll written on both sides is in Ezekiel 2v9-10 where it says "a roll of a book...... spread before me and written within and without and there was written therein lamentations and mourning and woe." It would seem this would indicate the contents of the book are of Divine judgements not only upon the nation of Israel but on the world as a whole. The contents of the book unfolded make it clear that this is so. The day of vengeance of God is about to be unleashed on the world.
The book is sealed with seven seals, such that only one authorized to open the seals could do so and unfold and execute its contents. This was practised in Roman law for wills and testimony, and also in Hebrew for documents of state secrets sealed by kings. A blob of wax was attached to the particular part of the scroll and the imprint of the king or emperor was pressed on the seal. Only an authorized person could open such documents. These seven seals were by the imprint of the Divine hand and only one appointed by Him could open the book. The details are the subject matter of chapter 6-19. The seals will be opened one by one; the seventh seal will lead to the seven trumpet judgements and the seventh trumpet will lead to the seven vials of wrath. As the man appointed, Jesus Christ orchestrates the reclamation of the earth for God with judgments of increasing intensity until the work is done. In the meantime all eyes are on the One who is worthy to open this book.

Sunday, 17 July 2016

END OF TIME PROPHECIES 078

PRAISE FOR CREATION          Revelation 4v9-11.

In chapter 4 the worship of God is focused on creation and directed to God the Father as the One sitting upon the throne.   In chapter 5 the worship is focused on redemption and is directed to the Lamb who overcame.   These two aspects of God's work are not unrelated.   The ultimate end of redemption would involve removal of the curse of sin on the earth (which is accomplished at the end of the book).   In these verses we have seen the effect of the throne of God on those close by.   None of us can experience that now but what we can experience is the wonder of God's creation all around us.   Souls who have been redeemed ought to see in the creation the wonders of God.   Just as "day and night" the living creatures pay homage to the Lord, so here in this world far from the throne we all of us are surrounded by the glory of God.   "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth His handiwork.   Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge."   (Psalm 19v1-2).   The wonder of creation is all around us and redeemed eyes should be opened to see what others cannot, the very glory of God proclaimed in the sky and in the fields and in the rivers and in the mountains etc. etc.    The following should be part of our everyday experience in the words of the hymn writer:

When through the woods and forest glades I wonder,
And hear the birds sing softly in the trees;
When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur,
And hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze.
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art,
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God to Thee,
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!

Another hymn writer has put it like this:

Heaven above is softer blue, earth beneath is sweeter green,
Something lives in every hue, Christless eyes have never seen,
Birds with gladder songs o’erflow, flow’rs with deeper beauties shine,
Since I know, as now I know,I am His, and He is mine!.

Men and women, the world over, are all persuaded of the mysterious wonders of creation; they speak about it, they write songs about it, but there is one dimension missing and that is they do not see beyond the wonder to the God who created it all.   That is the one big difference between the believer and the unbeliever, and those of us who are redeemed should seek to learn more about the creation to appreciated its wonders in a way that only spiritually enlightened eyes can do.

The four living creatures worship God for His incomparable Person.   To Him they give glory and honour and thanks for His eternal greatness and existence.   The twenty four elders, who come from a different dimension, give honour to God for His wonderful works by saying "Thou art worthy o Lord to receive glory and honour and power; for thou has created all things and for Thy pleasure they are and were created.   In accordance with His promise to Noah "summer and winter, seed time and harvest, day and night have never ceased."   The planet travels at vast speeds around the sun, turning on its axis, yet not a ripple is felt by anyone.   The waters fall and the sun evaporates.   The same amount of water is in the earth as was present at the very beginning.   The grass of the field continues to grow, the mountain streams meander down to the valleys.   The cycle of life goes on and if it were not for the mal-distribution of man there would be plenty for everyone.   The benign hand of the Creator is upon all His creatures, despite their waywardness.   There is a worldly expression "the sun shines on the righteous;" this is untrue; because "He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and the good and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust." (Matthew 5v45).

The elders acknowledge not only the wonder of creation but the reason why God created the earth.   "For thy pleasure (more accurately because of Thy will) they are and were created."   This is an astounding statement, and answers the greatest question of all; why are we here, what's it all about?   We are here because God Almighty willed it to be so and the intrusion of sin has not affected one iota His original purpose for this earth.     We exist by the will and for the pleasure of God.   It is not all about us, it is all about the will of God.   In this last verse they say because of Thy will they were created; that was God's original purpose.   They also say because of Thy will they are created; that is God's ultimate purpose.   Nothing that has happened in between can alter its course.   We are all here by His will and for His pleasure.   On the way through we breathe His air, we eat His food, we wonder at the beauty of His creation.   We were placed on this earth to worship Him. Let us all now render to Him the honour due to Him!  The day is fast approaching when we will see Him closer, meanwhile, "until then my heart will go on singing, until then with joy I'll carry on, until the day mine eyes behold the city, until the day God calls me home!"

Saturday, 16 July 2016

END OF TIME PROPHECIES 077

THE ADORATION OF HEAVEN'S INNER CIRCLE          Revelation 4v9-11.

Here we have the first occasion of corporate worship in the book, of which there are many.   God has never had in this world the universal recognition He deserves, He will have it, He will be honored in all His creation.   In these few verses we have the precursor to what will become universal homage paid to God.   In this world He has been denied, questioned, criticized, and rejected, but He will eventually be revered. Psalm 150 will be fulfilled "everything that has breath will praise the Lord".   Here we have two groups of created beings, one of angels, and one of human beings.   It will become clear that these are the nearest in location to the throne of God.    Their adoration will be repeated in ever increasing circles around His throne.   Here we have the beginning of universal acclaim.   What is evident to anyone reading this portion is their absolute obsession with the God who is on the throne and their uncompromising devotion to Him.   Only they and a few others have witnessed this awesome sight of God on His throne and so it is difficult for us here on this earth to imagine.   However that knowing that one day we will be there, it is worth absorbing into our souls the complete adoration with which these two groups both angelic and human hold Him in their hearts.

The living creatures are said to proclaim His holiness without resting day or night.   Such is the awesome experience of His presence that they utter "holy, holy, holy Lord God Almighty."   Bible scholars point out that this triple utterance of holy is very significant.   The Hebrew language has no provision for superlatives and portrays something that is such by means of repetition.   To repeat something twice over means superlative in the extreme.   The word "holy" means simply "set apart" (higher, better, of a different class to anything else in existence).   The wonder that they express, which is one of real joy is that this One who is supreme above all others will remain for all eternity. "He lives for ever and ever"   The only way to describe their attitude to God is one of calm ecstasy (if such a thing can exist!).

The twenty four elders being representatives of the church in heaven are equally besotted with this wondrous being and this sight, when prompted by the special worship of the living creatures causes a three-fold response.

They fall down before Him in an act of prostration.
They worship Him in an act of adoration.
They cast their crowns before Him in an act of humiliation.

This last action by the elders, who are representative of the whole church, acknowledges their unworthiness to wear these crowns in the presence of such awesome majesty. These crowns were given by God as a reward for faithful service, but when they consider, close up, the One who has given them these gifts, all they can do is to cast their crowns before Him.

If we take nothing else from this portion, it should be that whatever we perceive of God now is nothing compared to what we are about to see. The sight which causes wonder amongst elect angels and elect human beings should be fixed in our hearts forever. If the highest of angels will spend day and night in adoration and the whole of the church will lay at His feet the very gifts that he has given them, what must the reality of His presence actually be?!

Friday, 15 July 2016

END OF TIME PROPECIES 076

IN THE MIDST OF THE THRONE AND ROUNDABOUT THE THRONE "Four living creatures" Revelation 4v7-8.

In the language of Psalm 68 these mysterious creatures could be described as "God's charioteers. " They dwell constantly in the presence of God like some kind of "praetorian guard" ; they are continually the closest beings to God Himself. The molten sea of 1st Kings chapter 7 in the temple was supported by animal like creatures; so here in Revelation chapter 4. They are said to be "in the midst of the throne" suggesting closeness to God, and "roundabout the throne " suggesting total defense. The picture is that no-one comes close to God without their say so. From the details of Isaiah chapter 6, Ezekiel chapter 1 and Revelation chapter 4 they appear to be a cross between the seraphim and the cherubim. They represent the majesty of God in His creatorial sovereignty. Four things are detailed about them:

The first thing we have to note about them is their total perspective of all things at one and the same time. They are said to be "full of eyes before and behind." and again "they were full of eyes within." Whether externally in the universe or internally in heaven their dwellingplace there is nothing they cannot see at one and the same time. No one else in the universe has this ability. They know all things past, they know all things future, they know all things present. In terms of physical sight human beings have peripheral vision of 180 degrees; the eagle 240 degrees; only Deity has full physical and spiritual vision at all times. A good exercise to set ourselves would be to trace through scripture the all seeing vision of God.
These living creatures portray the divine majesty in the created order of things. The first one was like a lion representing the highest order of wild animals ever created and speaking of the majesty and sovereignty of God. The second one was like a calf (Ezekiel chapter 1 suggests an ox). The calf and the ox are from the same family and represent the highest order of domestic animals suggesting patient strength in labour. The usage of the calf here would focus on nimbleness of movement. The third one had the face of a man, the highest order of all living earthly creatures speaking of intelligence. The fourth one had the face of an eagle representing the highest order of all birds flying in the heavens and representing swiftness of movement and penetration of vision. Each of these orders of creation represents something of God Himself, in their variety, and their ability.
An interesting remark is made here that each one of them had six wings about him. This represents Divine movement, Divine progress in the accomplishment of all his purposes. Sometimes we have the view of God as being static in the heavens. Nothing could be further from the truth. Ezekiel chapter 1 tells of the movement of this throne and speaks of "wheels within wheels." Psalm 68 speaks of divine movement; verse 4 says "extol Him that rideth upon the heavens by his name Jah.". verse 7 says "thou wentest forth before Thy people, when thou didst march through the wilderness." verse 17 says "the chariots of God are twenty thousand even thousands of thousands of angels; the Lord is among them as in Sinai in the holy place." verse 33 "To Him that rideth upon the heaven of heavens." The throne of God is more active than we possibly imagine.
These are engaged in perpetual worship; "they rest not day and night saying holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty which was, and is, and is to come." Such is the awesome majesty of the One with whom they dwell these creatures are compelled to utter worship to Him day and night without ceasing. We human beings cannot conceive of anything like this, but it should spark within us a deep reverence for the God who has created us, for the wonders of His creation and for His eternal existence that has given to all life and breath and all things.

Isaiah saw a similar thing when he saw this throne and said " the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried." Jesus said when He was here "If these should hold their peace, even the very stones would cry out." This happened when Jesus dies on the cross at Calvary and God brought darkness over all the land and a silent hush fell on all creation, it is recorded "Behold the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake and the rocks rent and the graves were opened." Matthew 27v51. There is something about the near presence of God that brings a compulsion to respond immediately; such is the majesty of His presence; and when man fails to respond even the very inanimate creation will be compelled to respond when God is at work.