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REVELATION 19:1-21 Part 9

1)    After these I heard as a great sound of a multitude in the heaven saying "halleluia the salvation and the glory and the power of our God,

2)    for His judgments are true and just; for He judged the great harlot that corrupted the earth in her fornication and avenged His servants' blood at her hand."

3)    Then again they declared "halleluia!  Her smoke ascends into the ages of ages."

4)    Then the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshipped The God seated over the throne, saying "Amen!  Halleluia!"

5)    Then there came forth a sound from the throne saying, "all you His servants, the small and the great who are afeared, extol our God!"

6)    Then I heard as sound of a multitude and as sound of many waters and as sound of mighty thunders saying "halleluia!  Kurios the Almighty God reigns!

7)    Rejoicing and celebrating we will give Him the glory, for the wedding feast of the Lamb did come!  And His betrothed did ready herself!

8)    And it was given to her that she be arrayed in pure, bright linen; for the fine linen is the righteousness of the holy ones."

9)    Then he says to me, "write: ‘blessed the ones called to the wedding feast of the Lamb'"; and says to me, "these true words are from God".

10) And I fell before his feet to pay homage to him, and he says "see you not do that, for I am the fellow servant of you and your brothers who hold the testimony of Jesus; for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."

11) Then I saw the heaven opened and, lo, a white horse; and seated upon it One called Faithful and True, and He judges and wages war in righteousness,

12) His eyes as flaming fire, many diadems on His head, having a written name that is known by no one but Him.

13) He was clothed about - the raiment blood-spattered, and His Name called The Word of God,

14) the armies in the heaven - clothed in pure white linen - following Him on white horses,

15) a sharp sword proceeding from His mouth, that with it He would smite the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron.  And He treads the winepress of the wine of the wrath - the vengeance of Almighty God.

16) And He has a name written on His raiment and on His thigh: King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

17) Then I saw one messenger standing in the sun; and it cried out - a great sound - saying to all the birds flying in mid-heaven: "Come!  Gather to the great feast of God

18) that you may eat the flesh of rulers, the flesh of commanders, the flesh of the strong, the flesh of horses and of those sitting upon them, the flesh of all - both free and slave, small and great.

19) Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered to wage war with the One sitting upon the horse and His army;

20) and the beast was seized (and with it the false prophet that did the signs before it by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and paid homage to its image); both were cast alive into the lake of fire, being burned in brimstone;

21) and the remaining ones were killed with the sword of the One sitting upon the horse - that which proceeded from His mouth; and all the birds were gorged from their flesh.

Here in chapter nineteen John sees the glory cloud open.  And there He is - seated on the white horse, eyes aflame.  He is called the Word of God.  We heard the judgment that God spoke in chapter eighteen; and here John sees Him ready to carry out the judgment that has been spoken.

The inspired Word that John wrote at the beginning of his Gospel of Jesus Christ sounds very much the same, doesn't it?  "In the beginning was The Word.  And the Word was with God; and the Word was God.  And apart from Him nothing was made that was made."  That pronoun - HIM - is masculine.  He is "Person".

Here in the Revelation of Jesus Christ, John is inspired to write the same way.  He is called The Word of God (verse thirteen); so John is confirmed that the One Who he now sees is the same One Who took on the form of man, and Who gave His body and poured out His blood, and Who arose out of death and ascended to the tabernacle in the heaven.

So the One without Whom nothing was made is the Savior of all that He made!

And as John sees here in chapter nineteen, He's not only ready to execute the spoken judgment of Israel; but He's also ready, with all of His "holy ones" who hold the testimony of Jesus, to bring all the nations into submission to His divine authority.

In this sense He is the greater Joshua who was the warrior that was selected by God to overcome and cleanse the land that was promised to Israel!

The first Joshua was not faithful to do all that YAHVEH had required of him.  But the warrior that John now sees in the heaven is the Word of God Who will accomplish the will and purpose of The Father.  All the nations and tribes and tongues of the world will submit to Him; for He is the One Who is Faithful and True!

Now, as John writes, all of the remnant of the twelve tribes of Jacob have been saved from the wrath to come, and they've scattered throughout the nations in the little Churches... (all of that occurring during the forty years since Pentecost).  They belong to The Christ; and He comforts them and assures them in this letter written by John that all that's happening is of God.

It may look as if the whole world is collapsing into chaos and oblivion.  It may appear as if everything is disintegrating; it may appear that there is no order and stability in all the universe; but don't fear.  Be comforted.  Fear God!  Hold the testimony of Jesus.  Keep His Commandments. The crucified, risen and ascended King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the One Who is the Word of God, is about to appear in all His glory.

He is their new temple; and they are His new Jerusalem - His new Israel.  They belong to Him, and He knows them. All of the heavens and the earth were made by Him; and they are under His authority; and He is faithful and true to do all His Father's purpose!

This is the view of the (shortly-to-come) Parousia/appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ that John is shown here; and it continues through verse sixteen of our text.

As John describes what he sees concerning our Lord's imminent Parousia, he writes: "many diadems on His head, having a written name that is known by no one but Him...."

At His Parousia and imminent judgment of the land and all those remaining in it, only the One to Whom the Name belongs knows it; and He knows it because He owns it!  It's written, and it's His and His alone!

Only His sheep know His voice and follow Him.  They don't know the voice of the false prophet!  They are foreknown by Him, and therefore they knew His voice when He called them!  And they followed Him.

But those remaining in the land don't know His name and His voice.  They followed the prophets of the beast that blasphemously took the name for itself!

And the "written" name is: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS (verse sixteen)... a name falsely acquired by the beast - in an imitation of the dragon!

The dragon, in all its vengeance against triune God for having been cast down from the tabernacle in the heaven, has proclaimed itself king and lord of the world (in outright defiance); and it has given the beast "great authority".  And the beast is the very "image" of the dragon.

Satanos - in vengeful defiance of Almighty God, Father Son and Spirit - has produced an "image" of itself in imitation of our Lord Jesus, Who is the "Express Image" of The Father.

And satan (that serpent of old) has bestowed its authority (and its acquired name) upon its beast-image, which calls itself king of kings and lord of lords - the ruler of this world!  And it's a blasphemous name because it doesn't know the Name and it's NOT the ruler of this world.  And the false prophets of Israel follow it because they don't know the Name.  And all remaining in the land follow it because they don't know the Name... all of this in vengeance, in an attempt to cut off the promised Seed!

The promised Seed has to be cut off!  Otherwise the serpent won't be able to continue using its acquired name; and it won't be able to continue pretending that it's the "ruler" of all that was made!  The fact is that the serpent nor the beast know that name.

And none of those who remained in the land were the foreknown sheep who Jesus came to seek and to save.  All of those remaining in the land follow the one who has falsely - and defiantly - acquired the name for itself.

None of those remaining in the land knew His Name when He first appeared in Israel; and none of those remaining in the land knew His voice when He called.  They didn't belong to Him, so they didn't know Him!

When Jesus was asked by His disciples why He spoke in parables, He quoted His Own Word through Isaiah: that their eyes remained blinded and their ears remained deafened... in order that they not see and hear; in other words that they not know Him.  Only His Own heard His voice!

And here, as John writes in our text forty years later ... just before  our Lord's imminent appearance in the glory cloud, He has a written Name that no one knows but Himself.

Therefore the ones remaining in the land had followed, and bowed down to, the one who had blasphemously taken that name for itself.  They did not know the written Name.  Should they have known it, they wouldn't have adored the beast that had falsely acquired it!

At His Parousia He has a written Name.  It is holy writ for all to see; a Name spoken previously by YAHVEH to Isaiah and written in His prophecy; a Name that the dragon, nor the beast, nor the false prophets of Israel, nor the ones remaining in the land know.  It does not belong to them; it only belongs to Him!  That Name was written previously in the prophetic Word; and it is written on His raiment and on His thigh in John's sight of His imminent Parousia!

And then, in verse thirteen, John writes: "He was clothed about - the raiment blood-spattered...."

There is so much to deal with here, since this is, indeed, the imminent active Presence of the Christ which is shown to John.  But I want to go back, for just a minute, to what was said formerly about the tenses of the verbs that John uses.

Although this "active Presence" of the King of Kings is "imminent" (i.e. it is about to happen quickly), John uses the present tense in describing to the Churches what he has been shown.  He is the last prophet; and he is prophesying that which IS the case at the coming Parousia of the Christ.

Let me say that again: John is prophesying all that IS at the coming of The Christ.

Everything here in John's description of Him and His judgment of the harlot, is in the present tense... including the "sharp sword" proceeding (present tense) from His mouth. 

However, there is one part of the description in which John departs from the present tense.  Listen carefully: "a sharp sword proceeding from His mouth, that with it He would smite the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron" (verse fifteen).

The instrument that is presently proceeding from the mouth of the Christ (i.e. the Sword), and the rod of iron, will be used (and here the sense is future) regarding the nations.  The Sword (presently proceeding from His mouth, as John writes) is ongoing in the judgment of the harlot (present tense).  But it would also be the instrument by which He would smite the nations.  And the "rod of iron" is that by which He will rule them.

All of this is carefully constructed by John in His letter, and what he's done is so prominent in these five verses, it makes it difficult to overlook!  And therefore we can't overlook it; it is worthy of our close attention as we work our way through all that John is shown.

So, the tenses having to do with the description of Jesus and His judgment of the harlot are all written in the present (even though His Parousia is imminent - soon to be); but the tenses used with regard to the nations have a distinctive future sense.  And that's to indicate that the work of the Christ in the nations depends on the judgment of Israel, and is "subsequent" to that judgment, you see.

So, when we hear the sense of the present in the words of verse thirteen, we are aware that John is making a distinction between the work of the Christ in the pronounced judgment of Israel, and the further work that He would accomplish among the peoples and nations of the earth.

Now, John writes (verse thirteen) that His raiment is "blood-spattered"!

We who know His Name and know Him; we who are known by Him; we who are now His brothers by rebirth; we who are to have the "mind of Christ"; we who are to see things through the revealed perspective and will and purpose of God, now have the blessed privilege of reflecting on the divine reasoning for showing John The Christ Who, at His Parousia, is clothed upon with raiment that is blood-spattered!

Meditation on things such as this disposes us to humility before such a One.  Words like these attest to our complete dependence, and expose any arrogance that resides in us.  In this light, any disposition to duplicity (double-mindedness) that remains in us is reduced to simplicity... all darkness and secret sin exposed.  Insolence and hubris are turned in us to embarrassment and mourning when these words are considered... vanity and pride disappearing, and - then - meekness before God and His Word.

A number of things come to mind as we meditate on what John is shown here - the most apparent being the contrast between the raiment in which our Lord appears, and that of His "holy ones" with Him (verse fourteen).

They are the ones who, as He Himself said, He came to seek and to save.  They knew His voice when He spoke, and they followed Him; and He saved them all from the wrath to come.  They are the "daughter of Zion" - they are the seed of the promise.

John saw them all - all hundred and forty four thousand of them (written by John earlier in the text) - (he saw them all) standing before the throne of Almighty God, clothed in bright linen garments.  And that's how they appear to John here at the Parousia of the Christ.  They are holy warriors with Him in subduing the nations to the authority of the King of Kings.

And the contrast is remarkable!  His raiment is blood-spattered; but theirs is pure and white!

Also, in our meditation on what John sees here in verse thirteen, we remember the law of the sacrifice as revealed to Moses at Sinai - and as prophesied of the new temple by Ezekiel in chapter forty three.

The tabernacle that Moses was to have built in the wilderness was a replica - a man-made replica - of the tabernacle in the heaven.  And the sacrificial liturgy that was required by God was prophetic of the coming Savior of the World, Whose sacrifice provided depraved mankind access to a holy God Who reigned over His tabernacle in the heaven.

And before the entrance of that tabernacle in the desert, it was required that an animal sacrifice be made before there could be access to the tabernacle and its ‘holy of holies".

A portion of the blood of the sacrifice was sprinkled over everything in the tabernacle to indicate that cursed and depraved mankind's access to God had been made acceptable.  And it prophesied that which would come to pass in the coming Christ of God Who is the new temple of Holy Spirit.

And here in verse thirteen we see our new temple; and He is the Christ of God- the High Priest of the tabernacle Who made the sacrifice; He IS, Himself, the sacrifice; and He IS the One to Whom the sacrifice is made!  And He is, as John is shown, blood-spattered just as the tabernacle in the desert was blood-spattered.  And it is just as Ezekiel's new temple is absolutely cleansed of all the horrors of idolatry.

And, once again, we take note of the fact that all those with Him, for whom His blood was poured out, are arrayed in garments of pure, white linen... the sign of righteousness that was provided for them.

As we further contemplate John's sight of our blood-spattered King of Kings, we remember our Lord's Words to His disciples just before He was delivered up to be persecuted and to suffer and to be crucified at the instigation of the priests and scribes and pharisees and elders of Israel.

He said that these bloody men were the seed of serpents; and He told His disciples that they, along with the remnant of the tribes, would be pursued and persecuted and killed at their hands.  And for that, these men, of this generation, would suffer the blood of all of His "holy ones" whose blood had been poured out through all of history.

You see, these holy ones with Him at His coming belonged to Him!  They are His brothers!  They are family members who were oppressed and afflicted and persecuted - and whose blood has been poured out!  And He - The Avenger of Blood - has pursued the slayers and avenged the blood of His family members.  And the blood of those murderers is spattered on His raiment.

These are all important things for us to see; and they are vital to our understanding of the Christ.  And our contemplation and meditation on them brings light and life and joy and well-being; and they glorify God!

I'm sure there are more that we could mention as well.  However, what John is shown here - the blood-spattered raiment of the Christ - causes us to remember, and illumines us, to one specific portion of the prophetic Word.  And we are pointed to that prophecy by his words in verse fifteen.  Here's what John writes:

 And He treads the winepress of the wine of the wrath - the vengeance of Almighty God.

Our Lord Jesus Christ, at His Parousia. treads the winepress of  vengeance... words coming from the former prophetic Word.  And because of these words, we're directed to the prophecy of Isaiah at chapter sixty-three.

And a question appears in that passage: Isaiah writes: "Why is Your garment red?"  And the answer to Isaiah, from YAHVEH, is exactly what John sees here in verses fourteen and fifteen of our text.

Listen to it:

2)    Why is your raiment red, your garments like one that treads in the wine-press?

And then comes the answer to the question that Isaiah poses.  And the answer is:

3)    I tread the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood will be spattered upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment.

4)    For the day of vengeance is in my heart, and the year of my redemption is come.

5)    And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold: so my own arm has brought salvation to me; and my fury upheld me.

6)    I will tread down the people in my anger, and make them drunk in my indignation; and I will pour out their blood on the land.

The words John writes in our text come directly from that Isaiah prophecy of the coming vengeance of Almighty God - to be carried out by The Christ - the Word of God - at His Parousia.

As John sees Him at His coming (as it was prophesied in Isaiah), His raiment is (present tense) blood spattered from treading the winepress of the vengeance of God.  John is shown that Jesus Christ is the fullness of His Own Word... that He is the One Who executes the judgment pronounced on all those remaining in the land.

His red-stained raiment provides us the whole picture of Israel at the end of the age.  She is, indeed, God's vineyard that produced the "grapes of wrath".

The ones who get into the winevat and stomp on the grapes get their garments stained from the red juice.  The juice splashes up and stains their garments.  The juice pours out into containers and left to ferment and make wine.

But at His Parousia, the winepress is Israel - all remaining in the land.  And He will "stomp" them in that winepress until all their blood is poured out on the land; for they are guilty of pouring out on the land the blood of all the righteous in history.

John sees Him with His raiment already blood-spattered.  And He - alone - has a red-stained raiment.  All those following Him have pure, white linen for their raiment... no stains whatever!

The answer that came to Isaiah in the passage that we read says "I will tread the winepress alone; of the people there was none with Me...."

Not only was He left completely alone at His trial and humiliation and suffering and death on the cross; but He was alone in the execution of The Father's vengeance at His Parousia.  None of the people helped Him in either case!

At His suffering and death, He was left alone.  His disciples left Him alone.  He was made "sin"; so the Father abandoned Him.  And His blood alone was poured out on the land as a sacrifice- no one else's... His blood being the only satisfaction for sin.  And His sprinkled blood alone could provide a new tabernacle of God - His body - in which all His people had perfect access to the throne of God.

And at His Parousia (as John writes), it was Him, alone, Who tread the winepress of the wine of the wrath of Almighty God.  His people did not participate (their garments were not stained).  It was His work, and His alone.  "Vengeance is Mine", said YAHVEH.

It was not for those redeemed by the blood of the Lamb to execute God's vengeance upon the harlot that was betrothed to Him - only Kurios Almighty God the Son could do that.  No one helped Him.  He was "YESHUA", the greater Joshua, Who did complete The Father's will with regard to the land.  He completely cleansed the land of all idolatry.

And one more thing before we finish....

As John looks on, there is another reason why all of those with Him at His coming appearance had pure, white linen raiment... why Jesus, alone, had red stained raiment.

Not only were they not able to participate with The Christ in treading the winepress of the wrath of Almighty God, but neither were they able to shed blood with Him at His suffering and crucifixion!  He, alone, was able.  No one was allowed to be with Him and to help Him when He gave His body and poured out HIS blood.

They were all full of iniquity and unclean!  They had nothing whatever to offer!  Only One was the perfect, unspotted Lamb.  No man can do anything to please God - outside the Christ.

As much as he may try, no man can do anything to save himself - not to mention "others"... for all his anxious good works are as filthy rags before God.  And He especially can't sprinkle his own blood on the new tabernacle of God and request entrance!  Only the blood of the Christ was acceptable.

So when John is shown our Lord's redeemed people with Him at His Parousia, they all had on white linen garments... not red-stained garments.  Their garments of righteousness were given to them freely.

Nothing was said or done to earn them.  They weren't, in any way, deserving of them.  They had been sought out and found; and they were reborn into the Christ; and HIS righteousness was counted as theirs.  It was given them because He knew them; for they belonged to Him.

And now it is the same for all of us in the Gentile nations.  His body was given for us, and His blood poured out for us - all undeserved.  And all unearned... just like His chosen of the tribes of Jacob.

The white robes of righteousness are His to give - not for us to gain.  We are washed clean by red blood; and His righteousness covers us as a garment, and causes us to be accounted as righteous...  Just like His chosen of the tribes of Jacob.

Next Lord's Day... the warriors; One Whose garment is blood-spattered from stomping the wine-vat of Israel, all others clothed in the pure, white linen of righteousness; all seated on white horses.  For the time is near.

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REVELATION 19:1-21 Part 8 

 

1)    After these I heard as a great sound of a multitude in the heaven saying “halleluia the salvation and the glory and the power of our God,

2)    for His judgments are true and just; for He judged the great harlot that corrupted the earth in her fornication and avenged His servants’ blood at her hand.”

3)    Then again they declared “halleluia!  Her smoke ascends into the ages of ages.”

4)    Then the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshipped The God seated over the throne, saying “Amen!  Halleluia!”

5)    Then there came forth a sound from the throne saying, “all you His servants, the small and the great who are afeared, extol our God!”

6)    Then I heard as sound of a multitude and as sound of many waters and as sound of mighty thunders saying “halleluia!  Kurios the Almighty God reigns!

7)    Rejoicing and celebrating we will give Him the glory, for the wedding feast of the Lamb did come!  And His betrothed did ready herself!

8)    And it was given to her that she be arrayed in pure, bright linen; for the fine linen is the righteousness of the holy ones.”

9)    Then he says to me, “write: ‘blessed the ones called to the wedding feast of the Lamb’”; and says to me, “these true words are from God”.

10) And I fell before his feet to pay homage to him, and he says “see you not do that, for I am the fellow servant of you and your brothers who hold the testimony of Jesus; for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”

11) Then I saw the heaven opened and, lo, a white horse; and seated upon it One called Faithful and True, and He judges and wages war in righteousness,

12) His eyes as flaming fire, many diadems on His head, having a written name that is known by no one but Him.

13) He was clothed about – the raiment blood-spattered, and His Name called The Word of God,

14) the armies in the heaven – clothed in pure white linen - following Him on white horses,

15) a sharp sword proceeding from His mouth, that with it He would smite the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron.  And He treads the winepress of the wine of the wrath – the vengeance of Almighty God.

16) And He has a name written on His raiment and on His thigh: King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

17) Then I saw one messenger standing in the sun; and it cried out – a great sound – saying to all the birds flying in mid-heaven: “Come!  Gather to the great feast of God

18) that you may eat the flesh of rulers, the flesh of commanders, the flesh of the strong, the flesh of horses and of those sitting upon them, the flesh of all – both free and slave, small and great.

19) Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered to wage war with the One sitting upon the horse and His army;

20) and the beast was seized (and with it the false prophet that did the signs before it by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and paid homage to its image); both were cast alive into the lake of fire, being burned in brimstone;

21) and the remaining ones were killed with the sword of the One sitting upon the horse – that which proceeded from His mouth; and all the birds were gorged from their flesh.

 

Next Lord’s Day is the last Sunday in January, and I’d like all of our members to be here if at all possible.  We’ll serve communion, which is important to our sanctification and our welfare as individual believers, and as families of believers, and as a Church of Jesus Christ.  We’re finding out so much more about how to “remember” Him, and what to anticipate from Him!  And we’re nurtured and strengthened in times of difficulty.

And the last Lord’s Day in January is a rather important date, as well, because it marks the end of five years of preaching the Revelation.  I checked the date; and the first sermon came on the last Sunday in January, 2007.

It’s hard to imagine, since it seems like it was such a short time ago that we were right here discussing whether to do this!  Since then I’ve been involved with the book every day – seven days a week; and you’ve heard two hundred and fifty hours of preaching (give or take a few) – most of them directly from the Revelation… a few here and there from related texts in support of it.

It’s been an awesome five years, and a bit overwhelming at times – spectacular all the time; and the text that we’re in right now, and that which is coming next, is the most wondrous and exalted yet!

If it’s possible to be sad, we’re saddened only when the thought occurs that dispensationalist Churches never get the opportunity to hear the text of John’s letter exposited in its own context.  So they don’t receive the assurance that our Lord provided to the early Churches; and they don’t have the anticipation and expectation of Christ’s continuing work of saving the world!

 

Howard tells his friends that what we’re doing here is like being in seminary.  As you know, I’ve been to seminary… four years of it!  Three years of Greek; two years of Hebrew; systematic theology; Church history, Biblical ethics, etc; and a number of worthless courses in practical religion and how to construct and deliver a sermon!

But I can tell you right now that I didn’t learn any of this in seminary.  I never learned anything that would teach me, or help me, preach through the Revelation of Jesus Christ!  We’re learning it together as we go!

Seminary is elementary school; it’s like learning the multiplication tables so you might learn to be a physicist when you grow up!  Students just don’t learn how to do this in seminary. 

A few of those who enter seminary, having previously been grounded in the Faith, usually come out with some skills.  However, the ones who are newer Christians basically learn how to occupy a pulpit and do whatever it takes to hold on to it!

As far as the seminary degree is concerned, most everybody else’s master’s degree can be earned in a year.  But a master’s degree from seminary takes three or four years.  Most other post graduate degrees take a year of study and thirty to thirty-six course hours.  But a seminary master’s degree requires a minimum of a hundred and twenty five course hours (at least it did at Reformed Theological Seminary).

Yet it all proved to be only rudimentary… almost “introductory”.  It didn’t seem like that at the time, of course; but – once again, you don’t learn what we’re doing here in seminary.  All four years of it, and all I ever heard about The Revelation was whether somebody considered himself pre-mil, a-mil or post-mil; but nobody ever really knew, because nobody ever learned how to approach it! 

(We’re going to learn more about what it means to “know” in just a little while.)  But the approach to John’s Revelation of Jesus Christ remained mysterious!  Except for an occasional quote from it, nothing was ever said about it; and there were no classes, or courses, on how to preach it!

And so we’re learning how to do it together – as we go!

And for that I’m grateful.  I’m being taught at the same time you are.  And if I had it to do all over again, I’d do it the same way.  And the reason would be that the books in which we’ve spent most of our time demand that we hear, and address, the whole Bible in its perfect continuity and in its own context.

If it hadn’t been for one or two seminary professors with fire in their bellies for the whole Gospel of Jesus Christ, we probably wouldn’t be on the course that we’re on.  All of us would probably be hearing sermons with three points of practical religion and a poem… twenty minutes start to finish!

But you’ve made it possible for us to do what we’re doing here – something no school teaches you how to do.  And for that I’m so thankful.  If you weren’t here, none of us would be learning these things.  And none of us would be assured of the will and purpose of God and the continuing work of the King of Kings; none of us would have confidence in the continuity of God’s Word; none of us could have full assurance in the salvation wrought on our behalf; none of us would have the expectation of a saved world and our resurrection in Him; none of us would know what it means that God SO loved the world that He gave His only Son!!!!

Nearing the conclusion of five years of preaching through John’s Revelation of Jesus Christ, we’re now hearing what John wrote to the Churches concerning the active presence of the Son of God in the glory cloud at the end of the age.  It is just as Jesus told His disciples it would be – as written in Matthew’s Gospel.

As the Father’s judgment of the harlot is just and righteous, so Kurios Almighty God the Son is faithful and true to carry out the sentence pronounced (just as it was prophesied).  And as the heaven is opened for John to see Him in His imminent Parousia, his description is much the same as it was six hundred years before, when the Parousia of The Christ was prophesied!

One with eyes as flames of fire appeared to Daniel and spoke to him of the last days.  And He showed Daniel a scroll with seven seals, a scroll of the mystery of God which would be opened at the end of the age to reveal all that God had decreed for those last days.

And apostle John sees (chapter six) the sacrificial Lamb of God open the seals of that scroll there in the last days. 

And at the opening of the very first seal, John is shown the coming King of Kings, with the covenantal bow of Almighty God, ride out on a white horse – overcoming and to overcome, the opening of the seals revealing all that would come to pass quickly.

And in chapter eighteen, John hears the details of the judgment of God upon the harlot Israel.  And in chapter nineteen John sees the glory cloud open.  And there He is – seated on the white horse, eyes aflame, ready to carry out that judgment.

He’s also ready, with all of His “holy ones”, to bring all the nations into submission to His divine authority.

As John writes, all of the afflicted remnant of the tribes of Jacob have been freed from the oppressor, and they’re scattered throughout the nations in the little Churches.  They belong to The Christ; and He comforts them and assures them in this letter that this is all of God.  Don’t fear.  Hold the testimony of Jesus.  Keep His Commandments. The King of Kings and Lord of Lords is their new temple; and they are His new Jerusalem – His new Israel.

And as the river of living water flows into the nations and peoples and tribes and tongues from under the new temple of God, the kings and peoples of the earth will all one day acknowledge Him as King and Savior of the world.  And there will be a time of peace and prosperity such as has never been experienced in the history of the creation.  It’s God’s will and purpose; and He will be glorified in His creation!

This is the view of the Parousia/appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ that John is shown; and it continues through verse sixteen of our text.

As John continues to describe (verse twelve) what he sees concerning our Lord’s imminent Parousia, he writes: “many diadems on His head, having a written name that is known by no one but Him….”

I mentioned earlier that we would pursue, this morning, what God’s Word means by the word “to know”.

Listen to what John was shown earlier, as he wrote in Revelation twelve:

 

“Then a great sign in the heaven was made visible: a woman sun-clothed, the moon underneath her feet, a crown of twelve stars on her head, having in her belly, crying out travailing and pained to bring forth.

Then another sign in the heaven was made visible: and lo, a great fiery dragon having seven heads and ten horns and on its heads seven diadems, and its tail draws the third of the stars of the heaven and cast them into the earth.  And the dragon stands before the woman who is about to bring forth, that when she brings forth it might devour the child.

And she did bring forth a son, a male who intends to rule all the nations by means of a rod of iron; and her child was hastened away to God and to His throne.”

 

And then in Revelation thirteen:

 

“Then I saw a beast having ten horns and seven heads arising out of the sea; and upon its horns there were ten diadems, and a blasphemous name on its heads.

The beast that I saw was like a leopard, its feet as a bear, and its mouth the mouth of a lion;  and the dragon did give it its power and its dominion and great authority;

and one of its heads as having been fatally wounded and its stroke of death healed, the whole land was caused to marvel after the beast.”

 

In contrast to the imitation diadems on the heads of the dragon and the beast there in chapters twelve and thirteen, and in contrast to the blasphemous name falsely acquired by the beast, here is what John is shown at the Parousia of the Lord Jesus Christ:

 

12) His eyes as flaming fire, many diadems on His head, having a written name that is known by no one but Him.

13) He was clothed about – the raiment blood-spattered, and His Name called The Word of God,

14) the armies in the heaven – clothed in pure white linen - following Him on white horses,

15) a sharp sword proceeding from His mouth, that with it He would smite the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron.  And He treads the winepress of the wine of the wrath – the vengeance of Almighty God.

16) And He has a name written on His raiment and on His thigh: King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

 

So, in contrast to the diadems (the gold headplates) of the serpent and the beast; and in contrast to the blasphemous name taken by the beast, John is shown, here in our text, the only One to Whom the diadems belong; and He is the only One Who “knows” the Name!

The diadems are fake… imitations to blind the eyes of the false prophets of Israel and all those remaining in the land. 

And the NAME….  The beast has acquired a blasphemous name.  It is blasphemous because the beast can’t “know” it.  There is only ONE Who can know that Name; for there is only ONE Who “owns” it!  And it is blasphemous for the beast to acquire it and use it; because it doesn’t belong to the beast!

The beast, having blasphemously acquired the name, the false prophets of Israel then held up banners with the image of the beast for all to acknowledge and obey.  So neither the beast, nor the false prophets, nor any remaining in the land “knew” that Name!

Therein is the truth in an otherwise undecipherable statement by John, that at our Lord’s appearance, He had a Name written that was known by no one but Him.

Even though the beast had blasphemously acquired it for its own purposes, it didn’t know it!  Even though the false prophets of Israel worshipped the beast, they didn’t know it.  And even though all those remaining in the land worshiped its image, they didn’t know the Name… because there was only ONE Who was identified by that Name!  So, at His Parousia, no one is to know that Name but Him!

As I promised earlier, I want to spend a little more time with you about this, because there are two different words in the Greek new testament translated “to know”; and they are used in different ways, and in different contexts, in order to differentiate the subtle nuances found in the Hebrew prophetic Scripture regarding the word “to know”.

Starting right at the beginning, here is what Moses wrote in Genesis chapter four:

 

“And the man knew Eve, his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, and said: `I have gotten a man by YAHVEH.”

 

Just for your own interest, the Hebrew word “gotten” sounds like the name “Cain”.  And then when Seth was born, the Hebrew word for “appointed one” sounds just like the Hebrew name “Seth”.  And Seth was the one (the appointed one) through whom the “seed” was preserved!

But the point here is that, in one sense, Adam “knew” Eve.  After all, she was created from his body.  She was there; he could see her.  So he had “knowledge” of her.  However, in another sense, by his “knowing” her she had “gotten” a man.  It’s an example of the subtle differences in the use of the Hebrew word: ‘to know”.  And it involves the meanings that God gives to His use of the word.

Now, here’s what the Psalmist writes in Psalm one:

 

1)    Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers;

2)    but his delight is in the instruction of YAHVEH, and on his law he meditates day and night.

3)    He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.

4)    The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away.

5)    Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;

6)    for YAHVEH knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.

 

YAHVEH “knows”….

The way Hebrew differentiates the meanings of the word “know” is quite evident here, as well.  Not only is it obvious to God as to how His people proceed with their lives… that is, what they do, how they act, how they speak, how they conduct themselves at home or at work, etc.; but He also “knows” the way because it is His instruction… it is HIS “way”; it belongs to Him; it’s HIS instruction.  His “way” is required of His people.  He “knows” that way.  “YAHVEH” knows the way of the righteous.  He knows it because HE provided it, you see.  He appointed it.

 

Now listen to Jesus as recorded by Matthew in chapter seven of his Gospel:

 

15) “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.

16) You will know them (recognize them) by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?

17) So, every good tree bears good fruit, and the bad tree bears bad fruit.

18) A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.

19) Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

20) Thus you will know them (recognize them) by their fruits.

21) “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of the heaven… but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in the heaven.

22) On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’

23) And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of iniquity.’  (I never knew you.)

 

Our Lord brought those subtle differences in the Hebrew word “to know” into the Greek language (as He was always wont to do) as He taught His disciples from the prophetic Word.  He said that He will not know the workers of iniquity!  He has never known the workers of iniquity!

On the one hand, we “know”, or recognize, the existence of a good tree because we can see that the fruit that it bears is good.  And we can know – recognize – when fruit is bad fruit, that the tree is a bad tree.

But the Lord knows the ones who belong to Him; and He does not know those who don’t belong to Him.  Of course there isn’t anything that God doesn’t know.  But this reveals a difference in the way God uses the word “to know”.

And here is the apostle John as he writes in chapter ten of his Gospel:

 

1)    “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber.

2)    But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.

3)    The gatekeeper opens to him. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.

4)    When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.

5)    A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”

 

“He calls His Own sheep!”

He is the Owner of His sheep.  And because He is their Owner, He knows them; and they know His voice and they follow Him!  The sheep don’t know the voice of one who isn’t their Owner; so they don’t follow him.

And here’s the apostle Paul as he writes to the Churches in Rome….. chapter eight:

 

28) … and we know that for those who love God all things work together for good for those who are called according to his purpose.

29) For those who he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

30)  ...and those who he predestined he also called, and those who he called he also justified, and those who he justified he also glorified.

 

Paul is very specific as the writes to the Roman Churches that God knew those Who belonged to Him “afore”….  He foreknew them. They belonged to Him; and He predestined them and called them and justified them and glorified them by rebirth into the glorious body of Jesus Christ!  And they are His brothers!  And we who belong to Him “know” that because God said it!

Lastly, here’s the apostle Paul as he writes in second Timothy chapter two:

 

19) God's firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows  His Own,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.”

 

Paul most assuredly does not say that God observes mankind and sees who has decided to accept Jesus, or those who have invited Jesus into their hearts, or those who have a “spiritual awareness” and admit that there is something higher than themselves, or those who echo some “formula” for becoming a Christian, or those who say that they “believe in God”.

What Paul says to Timothy here is that God knows the ones He owns – the ones who belong to Him.  And the ones He knows are commanded to flee iniquity!  That’s the firm foundation, Paul says; and it stands!  It is the “seal” of the Gospel!  “The Lord knows His Own”!  Let everyone who names His Name flee from iniquity!

As we bring all of this back to verse twelve of our text, there is only One who knows His Name; He is the only One to Whom it belongs, you see.

All else who falsely wear the diadems, blasphemously claiming the name, don’t know the name.  And those remaining in the land who worshiped the image of the beast obviously didn’t know the name, for had they known it, they wouldn’t have worshiped the beast who blasphemously took it!

At His Parousia and judgment upon the land, only the One to Whom the Name belongs knows it; and He knows it because He owns it!  It’s His and His alone!

Only His sheep know His voice and follow Him.  They don’t know the voice of the false prophet!  They are foreknown by Him, and they knew His Name and His voice!  And they followed Him.  But those remaining in the land don’t know His name and His voice.  They followed the prophets of the beast that blasphemously took the name for itself!

And the “written” name is: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS (verse sixteen)… a name falsely acquired by the beast – in an imitation of the dragon!

The dragon, in all its vengeance against triune God for having been cast down from God’s tabernacle in the heaven, has proclaimed itself king of kings and lord of lords (in outright defiance); and it has given the beast “great authority”.  And the beast is the very “image” of the dragon.

You see, satanos – in vengeful defiance of Almighty God, Father Son and Spirit – has produced an “image” of itself just as our Lord Jesus Christ is the “Express Image” of The Father.

And satan (the serpent of old) has bestowed its authority (and its acquired name) upon its beast-image, which calls itself king of kings and lord of lords – the ruler of this world!  And it’s a blasphemous name because it doesn’t know the Name.  And the false prophets of Israel follow it because they don’t know the Name.  And all remaining in the land follow it because they don’t know the Name.

None of those who remained in the land were the foreknown sheep who Jesus came to seek and to save.  All of those remaining in the land follow the one who has falsely – and defiantly – acquired the name for itself.

None of those remaining in the land knew His Name when He appeared in Israel; none of those remaining in the land knew His voice when He called.  They didn’t belong to Him, so they didn’t know Him!  When Jesus was asked by His disciples why He spoke to them in parables, He quoted His Own Word through Isaiah: that their eyes remained blinded and they ears remained deafened… in order that they not see and hear; in other words that they not know Him.

And here, as John writes in our text forty years later, at our Lord’s imminent appearance in the glory cloud, He has a written Name that no one knows but Himself.

Therefore the ones remaining in the land had followed, and bowed down to, the one who had blasphemously taken that name for itself.  They did not know the written Name.

There is a great deal more for us here that John wrote to the Churches regarding the imminent appearance of Jesus Christ at His Parousia; and, of course, we’ll continue it next Lord’s Day.

We’ll see that He was “called” The Word of God.  However, at His Parousia He has a written Name.  It is holy writ for all to see; a Name that the dragon, nor the beast, nor the false prophets of Israel, nor the ones remaining in the land know.  It does not belong to them; it only belongs to Him!

And it is: King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

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REVELATION 19:1-21 Part 7

  

1)    After these I heard as a great sound of a multitude in the heaven saying “halleluia the salvation and the glory and the power of our God,

2)    for His judgments are true and just; for He judged the great harlot that corrupted the earth in her fornication and avenged His servants’ blood at her hand.”

3)    Then again they declared “halleluia!  Her smoke ascends into the ages of ages.”

4)    Then the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshipped The God seated over the throne, saying “Amen!  Halleluia!”

5)    Then there came forth a sound from the throne saying, “all you His servants, the small and the great who are afeared, extol our God!”

6)    Then I heard as sound of a multitude and as sound of many waters and as sound of mighty thunders saying “halleluia!  Kurios the Almighty God reigns!

7)    Rejoicing and celebrating we will give Him the glory, for the wedding feast of the Lamb did come!  And His betrothed did ready herself!

8)    And it was given to her that she be arrayed in pure, bright linen; for the fine linen is the righteousness of the holy ones.”

9)    Then he says to me, “write: ‘blessed the ones called to the wedding feast of the Lamb’”; and says to me, “these true words are from God”.

10) And I fell before his feet to pay homage to him, and he says “see you not do that, for I am the fellow servant of you and your brothers who hold the testimony of Jesus; for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”

11) Then I saw the heaven opened and, lo, a white horse; and seated upon it One called Faithful and True, and He judges and wages war in righteousness,

12) His eyes as flaming fire, many diadems on His head, having a written name that is known by no one but Him.

13) He was clothed about – the raiment blood-spattered, and His Name called The Word of God,

14) the armies in the heaven – clothed in pure white linen - following Him on white horses,

15) a sharp sword proceeding from His mouth, that with it He would smite the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron.  And He treads the winepress of the wine of the wrath – the vengeance of Almighty God.

16) And He has a name written on His raiment and on His thigh: King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

17) Then I saw one messenger standing in the sun; and it cried out – a great sound – saying to all the birds flying in mid-heaven: “Come!  Gather to the great feast of God

18) that you may eat the flesh of rulers, the flesh of commanders, the flesh of the strong, the flesh of horses and of those sitting upon them, the flesh of all – both free and slave, small and great.

19) Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered to wage war with the One sitting upon the horse and His army;

20) and the beast was seized (and with it the false prophet that did the signs before it by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and paid homage to its image); both were cast alive into the lake of fire, being burned in brimstone;

21) and the remaining ones were killed with the sword of the One sitting upon the horse – that which proceeded from His mouth; and all the birds were gorged from their flesh.

 

John is shown, by the messenger, that which is necessary to be done in quickness!  And the heavens are opened up for John (here in verse eleven) so he can see the will and purpose of God that is about to happen; and John is caused to see it in order that he can write it for the Lord’s bondservants in the Churches, that they be comforted and assured in all that is about to happen! 

And what John sees first (verse eleven)is a white horse and One seated on it called Faithful and True; and John begins that description with the word “Lo”.

And we know that that little word calls attention to a previous prophecy concerning God’s purpose and will regarding Jerusalem and the land, and the appearance – the Parousia - of God’s Anointed King at the end of the age.

And in this case, that prophetic event would be the pre-incarnation appearance of our Lord to Daniel during the time that Israel was in captivity in Babylon.  Daniel was shown not only Israel’s punishment and captivity under the first great beast of history; but he received prophecy concerning three additional beasts that would defeat and subjugate Israel as punishment for Israel’s ongoing harlotry.

These beasts were described to Daniel as four world-wide kingdoms raised up to cut off the Seed that was promised from the beginning.

The visions that Daniel was caused to see included all the terrible things that Israel would suffer under the heavy hand of pagan nations; and it all caused him to grieve mightily.

But Daniel was also shown a fifth Kingdom that would be raised up in the midst of the fourth one; and that fourth beast (the most ferocious of the four) would then be shattered and splintered by the fifth Kingdom… a Kingdom that would last forever and never be destroyed.

Daniel’s desire for more information about Israel’s ultimate demise and the rise of that fifth Kingdom was a great mystery only for the end of the age.  And Daniel was given a scroll with seven seals.  And in that scroll was the Revelation of the mystery of God.  And the seals weren’t to be opened until the last days.

Then in Revelation chapter six, John was shown the Lamb of God Who was sacrificed to God for the sin of the world, having faithfully completed the work that the Father had given Him to do.  And He is given that scroll!  And He opens the first seal of the scroll shown to Daniel.  So, you see, it was the last days!   Since Daniel was told that the scroll wasn’t to be opened until the last days, and since the Lamb of God did open it (as John was shown in chapter six), then it is the last days!

And the very first thing that John is shown from the scroll is One holding the covenantal “bow”, wearing the crown of the King of Kings; and He was seated on a white horse!

Revelation six is obviously the first Revelation of the mystery of God sealed to Daniel until the end of the age.  It’s also obvious that it is the Revelation of the fifth Kingdom shown to Daniel; and it is the only other place in all of Scripture where our Lord is seated on a white horse!

So what John is shown here in verses eleven through sixteen of our text is the end of the age; and it is the mystery of God revealed; and it has to do with the fifth kingdom and its King.  The connections are too obvious to miss… for this is the promised Parousia of our Lord Jesus Christ that He, Himself, revealed to His disciples.  And all the Churches are to see it through John’s eyes – the Parousia/coming of the King of Kings in the Glory Cloud of God’s tabernacle.

Lo!  A while horse…!

What was revealed to Daniel and sealed until the end, and then seen by John when the first seal of the scroll was opened, is now fully revealed to John beginning here in verse eleven; for it’s the last day, and the time is near.  His Kingdom is “at hand”!

The lost sheep of the house of Jacob (which are the remnant of the tribes of Jacob promised by YAHVEH) have been saved - saved from the wrath to come and scattered into the nations; the harlot has been judged by Almighty God The Father, and will be destroyed by the sword and burned in fire and brimstone; and the further work of Kurios Almighty God the Son commences in the nations and peoples and tribes and tongues of the world.

It IS the mystery of God revealed.  It is the end of the age.

Then the text says (verse eleven), the One seated on the white horse, called Faithful and True….  Recall in the Revelation to John, in chapters two and three, that Jesus sent individual messages to the seven Churches; and those seven messages addressed issues having to do with Israel and judaism (Israel’s religion).  The Churches that had dealt with those issues were praised in those messages; and the ones that had not were threatened and called to repentance; for it was the end of the age, and the Day of YAHVEH was near.

One of those Churches had been established in the city of Laodicea.  Jesus’ message to that Church was threatening.  He said in that message that He would knock on the door of that Church, and if it would repent He would come in and “sup” with them; but if not, He would “visit” them in the Day of YAHVEH.

The judiast issue in that Church was exactly the same as that which brought the wrath of God upon Jerusalem and the land of Israel.  It was the display of wealth as the expression of self-sufficiency, and independent self-determination, and an indulgent disregard for God’s holy Law-word.  And since that was the case, there was no expectation or anticipation of the soon-to-come Parousia/Presence of Jesus Christ – Kurios, Almighty God the Son!

So, when Jesus sent the message to the Church in Laodicea (as recorded in chapter three of The Revelation) the Church had not dealt with these judaist members who were acting like the harlot Jerusalem!

Jesus said in that message (Revelation chapter three) that He was the Faithful and True Witness – the exact words that we find here in verse eleven of our text, and the only other place in Scripture where they are found – (He was the faithful and true Witness). 

And the Church needed to buy gold from HIM; and they needed to have the white garments of righteousness given to them; and they needed salve for their blind eyes; and if they didn’t want a visitation from Him at His Parousia, then repentance was required of them!

In our text here in chapter nineteen John is shown the Amen; the Faithful and True Witness.  Kurios Almighty God reigns!  And the wedding feast of the Lamb did come!  And seated upon the white horse One called Faithful and True (the exact words Jesus spoke in His message to the Church in Laodicea.)

He IS Faithful and True; He IS the One from the beginning: and He will carry out the judgment on Jerusalem; and He will go forth to overcome; and He will judge and wage war in righteousness. 

The Church at Laodicea will be spewed out of His Mouth should it not repent; for those who supped with Him at the wedding feast of the Lamb are those who have put on the white robes of righteous virginity.

The Faithful and True One will knock on the door of this Church; but He won’t go in to sup with them should they not repent and deal with the judaists who are still connected to Jerusalem by their harlotry.  They were wealthy, self-sufficient, and self-defined (just like the harlot Jerusalem).  And their damnable heresies (for whatever reason) were being allowed and harbored in that Church!

So, when he executes the judgment which His Father has now pronounced (right here at the beginning of this text), Jesus will also “visit” this Church in Laodicea.  They can’t cling to Jerusalem and the land of Israel and be members of the body of Christ at the same time!  They can’t dismiss the prophetic Word regarding Jerusalem and the land and be members of the body of Christ at the same time; they can’t conduct themselves as if there was no Law-word of God and be members of the body of Christ at the same time; they can’t use their wealth as an expression of independence and self-sufficiency and be members of the body of Christ at the same time.

And they certainly can’t dispense with anticipation of the coming Parousia of Jesus Christ the Savior of the world and be members of the body of Christ at the same time.

The judaists in the Churches had to be dealt with.  The Church couldn’t be “lukewarm” regarding them (like the tepid water that was conducted to Laodicea, aboveground, from six miles away).  The judaists were the “seed” of the harlot and the seed of the serpent.  They contaminated the Church with their disputations and soaring words and philosophies and with eyes of the adulterer.

And our Lord demanded repentance from this Church – or else!

Jerusalem, in all of its brightness and glory and wealth (all of it given by God as a reflection of His glory) considered itself the eternal city – blessed forever, no matter what it did.  And what it did was enchant and entice the nations with its great wealth and beauty – corrupting the peoples of the world with its fornication (chapter eighteen).

The priests and elders and scribes and pharisees of Israel considered all of this Israel’s “due” as the people that had been set apart by God.  Jerusalem had determined for herself what she was and what she should be!  She had defined herself – for herself!  And when God sent His prophets to call her to repentance, their blood was poured out on the land.

And then (as Jesus said they would) the judaists… the judaists pursued and persecuted those who Jesus came to seek and to save – the remnant of Jacob.  These were the ones for whom Jesus had given His body and shed His blood.  These were the ones who were called to the marriage feast; these were the ones given white, linen robes of righteousness. They were Christians!  They belonged to HIM!  They were members of His body!  And they were persecuted by judaists!

And it was judaists that corrupted the Churches in the nations (or tried to).  As we already know, every letter from the apostles dealt with them and their corruption.  And Jesus’ messages to the Churches at the beginning of The Revelation all have to do with them.  Their sins against YAHVEH were all the sins of a cursed and depraved people that had been betrothed to YAHVEH and had disgraced His glory and had corrupted the nations of the world.

But as we’ve seen here in verse eleven of our text, which matches exactly the message to the Church at Laodicea, Jesus Christ is the Faithful and True Witness at Whose Parousia all Israel was to be judged.  And He would not abide the leaven of judaism, in any form, in His church.  His Church was to be leaven and salt and light to the nations and peoples and tongues and tribes of the earth.  It was to leaven – not to be leavened!

You remember, not too long after pentecost, in one of the early “gatherings” of the Church, apostle Paul gave apostle Peter a sharp, public rebuke because Peter was deferring to judaists who were also present at the meeting!

Well, Peter learned what they were like!  Later on he wrote a letter to the Churches about them.  Here is some of what he wrote (second Peter chapter two):

But even in those days there were false prophets, just as there will be false teachers among you today. They will be men who will subtly introduce dangerous heresies. They thereby deny the Lord who redeemed them. And it won’t be long before they bring on themselves their own downfall. Many will follow their pernicious teaching and thereby bring discredit on the way of truth. In their lust to make converts these men will try to exploit you too with their bogus arguments.

His judgment is chiefly reserved for those who have indulged all the foulness of their lower natures, and have nothing but contempt for authority. These men are arrogant and presumptuous—they think nothing of scoffing at the glories of the unseen cosmos.

But these men, with no more sense than the unreasoning brute beasts which are born to be caught and killed, scoff at things outside of their own experience, and will most certainly be destroyed in their own corruption. Their wickedness has earned them an evil end and they will be paid in full.

These are the men who delight in daytime self-indulgence; they are foul spots and blots, playing their tricks at your very dinner-table. Their eyes can’t even look at a woman without lust, they captivate the unstable ones, and their technique of getting what they want is, through long practice, highly developed. They are born under a curse, for they have abandoned the right way and wandered off to follow the old trail of (the false prophet),

These men are like wells without a drop of water in them, like the changing shapes of whirling storm-clouds; and their fate will be the black night of utter darkness.

With their high-sounding nonsense they use the sensual pull of the lower passions to attract those who were at the point of cutting loose from their companions-in-misconduct. They promise them liberty.  Liberty! – when they themselves are imprisoned in utter depravity.

You see, this is the apostle’s letter to the Churches (written well-before John’s Revelation) – warning them about the very same ones about whom Jesus warns in His message to the Church at Laodicea!

And it’s the same ones about whom Jesus spoke to His disciples in Matthew twenty three, when He said that these judaists – sons of serpents - would pursue them and persecute them and kill them; and for this, Jesus told them, they would suffer the blood of all the righteous in history!

And here in our text, John is shown the imminent Parousia of the One Who is Faithful and True (same words as in the message to the Church at Laodicea).  It was the “coming”, the “Presence”, of the King of Kings at the end of the age: and the Churches that harbored judaists (and refused to deal with them) would suffer a personal visit!

Now, as John continues to write what he is shown (verse eleven), he says “he judges and wages war in righteousness”.

As the heaven opens and John can now see the imminent Parousia of the Christ, he sees One seated on a white horse, Faithful and True, “and He judges and wages war in righteousness”.

As mentioned last Lord’s Day, please pay close attention to how John writes what he has seen.  This view of God’s will and purpose is written in the present tense – even though John sees that which is imminent… about to be… that which is “at hand”.

John sees the One Who IS seated on a white horse (present tense); One Who IS Faithful and True (present tense); One Who judges and wages war in righteousness (present tense)… although His Parousia is imminent – yet to be!

The obvious reference (in these tenses in the present) is to the spoken Word of God to Moses as YAHVEH says “Ihiye asher Ihiye” (I AM THAT I AM) “tell them I AM sent you”.

It’s also obvious that at our Lord’s appearance to John in all His glory, as written in chapter one of this letter, Jesus Christ said to Him that He IS is; that He IS was: and that He IS shall be (all present tense).

He IS the Word of God; He IS the One Whose appearance is near; He IS the One Who will quickly execute His Father’s sentence upon Jerusalem and the land.  And that Word of God says that He judges and wages war in righteousness (present tense); the Word of God in the older Scripture prophesied that it would be so!

There are numerous places where that’s the case (His judgment in righteousness)… but let’s listen to a few anyway.  The first is from one of my favorite Psalms… Psalm seventy-two.  It has to do with the coming of the King – David’s son and David’s Lord:

 

2)    He will judge Your people with righteousness, Your afflicted with justice.

3)    And the mountains will bring prosperity to the people, and the hills (bring) righteousness.

4)    He will judge the afflicted of the people, save the children of the needy, crushing the oppressor.

5)    And He will continue as long as the sun and the moon endure - throughout all generations.

 

He judges in righteousness; He wages war in righteousness – crushing the oppressor so that His afflicted people are justly set free!  And please understand that the war that He wages is a “righteous” war!  It isn’t a war in which there are two equal combatants!  He is the Righteous One!  He wages war in righteousness – crushing the oppressor!  There’s no contest!  He justly – righteously – frees His people who are afflicted by the oppressor!

Let’s hear the next one.  This is from Psalm ninety-six:

 

10) Say among the nations: “YAHVEH reigns.  The creation is firmly established; it cannot be shaken.  He judges the peoples justly.”

11) Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice; let the sea and all that fills it resound.

12) Let the fields and everything in them exult.  Then all the trees of the forest will shout for joy

13) before YAHVEH, for He is coming – He is coming to judge the earth.  He will judge the earth with righteousness and the peoples with His faithfulness.

 

And from Isaiah eleven.  Isaiah writes:

 

1)    And there shall come forth a shoot out of the stock of Jesse, a branch out of his root shall bear fruit.

2)    And the Spirit of YAHVEH shall rest upon Him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of YAHVEH.

3)    His delight shall be in the fear of YAHVEH; and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither judge after the hearing of his ears;

4)    but with righteousness shall he judge the afflicted, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he will smite the earth with the rod of his mouth; and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.

5)    And righteousness shall be the girdle of his waist, and faithfulness the girdle of his loins.

 

As John writes here in verse eleven of our text, at the Parousia of Kurios Almighty God the Son, He will judge and wage war in righteousness – exactly as prophesied in the older Scripture.

One last prophecy… here’s Jeremiah chapter twenty three:

 

1)    Woe unto the shepherds that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! says YAHVEH.

2)    Therefore, thus says YAHVEH God of Israel against the shepherds that feed my people: YOU have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them; behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings.

3)    And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and multiply.

4)    And I will set up shepherds over them who will feed them; and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed; neither shall any be missing, says YAHVEH.

5)    lo, the days come, says YAHVEH, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and he will reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.

6)    In his days Judah shall be saved; Israel (Jacob) shall dwell safely; and this is his name whereby he shall be called: YAHVEH Our Righteousness.

 

So you see, when John writes to the Churches of the Parousia/coming of the One Who judges and wages war in righteousness, the Churches will recognize the language and be driven back to the older prophetic Word of the One “coming” Who is the promised King!  He is the One Who will gather the remnant of Israel into the New Jerusalem and the New Israel where they will dwell safely – crushing the oppressor, and overcoming and righteously ruling the nations with the rod of His mouth!

Now, further, John continues to affirm for the Churches that this is the Parousia/appearance of the Christ by now describing His eyes!  This description of His glorious appearance in the glory cloud of God’s tabernacle is the same as that which has been seen previously by John!

At the beginning of The Revelation, having been apprised of the quickness in which all would be happening, John is confronted with the appearance of the glorified Christ Himself.

Listen to what John wrote in Revelation chapter one:

 

“And I turned around to see the voice that was speaking with me; and when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands,

 

and in midst of the lampstands like a son of man, having been clothed upon to the feet and having been wrapped at the chest with a golden girdle:

 

His head and hair white as wool, white as snow, and His eyes as flaming fire,

 

and His feet like burnished brass as in having been fired in a furnace, and His voice as a sound of many waters….

 

Here in our chapter nineteen text, as John is shown the appearance of the Christ at His Parousia, the description of Him continues in verse twelve with the words: “His eyes as flaming fire….”

It’s exactly as John describes Him in chapter one.  And both occurrences in The Revelation refer to one other place in all of Scripture in which we find those same words.  And they’re found, once again, in the prophecy of Daniel where the scroll of the mystery of God was sealed until the last days!

The pre-incarnate appearance of incarnate God the Son is described by Daniel in chapter ten; and it is just before Daniel heard that the scroll would be sealed – not to be opened until the last days.

Here is that description by Daniel in chapter ten:

 

5)    and I lift up mine eyes, and look, and lo, One clothed in linen, and his loins girt about with pure gold of Uphaz,

6)    and his body as beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as flames of fire, and his arms and his feet as the color of burnished brass, and the voice of his words as the voice of a multitude.

 

As the glory cloud tabernacle of God is opened for John, he is shown the very One Who appeared to Daniel – the One Who sealed the scroll until the last days.  And John sees Him, that very One, seated on a white horse, His eyes as flames of fire, ready to carry out the sentence upon Jerusalem and the land – crushing the oppressor that has persecuted His people.  It is the last days.  And in justice and righteousness, by the Sword and in fire and brimstone, Jerusalem and the land will cease to exist in His wrath and fury.  And His further work of subduing the nations under His authority will commence.

For clarity now, let’s go through the sequence of events as God purposed and willed them to be.

One with eyes as flames of fire appears to Daniel and speaks to him of the last days.  And He shows Daniel a scroll with seven seals, a scroll of the mystery of God which will be opened at the end of the age to reveal all that God had decreed for those last days.

And apostle John sees the sacrificial Lamb of God open the seals of that scroll there in the last days. 

And at the opening of the very first seal, John sees the King of Kings, with the covenantal bow of Almighty God, ride out on a white horse – overcoming and to overcome, the opening of the seals revealing all that would come to pass quickly.

And in chapter eighteen, John hears the details of the judgment of God upon the harlot Israel.  And here in chapter nineteen John sees the glory cloud open.  And there He is – seated on the white horse, eyes aflame, ready to carry out that judgment.

 

As John writes, all of the remnant of the tribes of Jacob have been freed from the oppressor, and they’re scattered throughout the nations in the little Churches.  They belong to The Christ; and He comforts them and assures them in this letter that this is all of God.  The King of Kings and Lord of Lords is their new temple; and they are His new Jerusalem – His new Israel.  And as the river of living water flows into the nations and peoples and tribes and tongues from under the new temple of God, they will all one day acknowledge Him as King and Savior of the world.

This is the view of the Parousia of the Lord Jesus Christ that John is shown; and it continues through verse sixteen; so we’ll be back here next Lord’s Day.  After that, we’ll hear all about the “second feast” that is revealed to John (verses seventeen through twenty-one).

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Revelation 19:1-21 Part 6

 

1)    After these I heard as a great sound of a multitude in the heaven saying "halleluia the salvation and the glory and the power of our God,

2)    for His judgments are true and just; for He judged the great harlot that corrupted the earth in her fornication and avenged His servants' blood at her hand."

3)    Then again they declared "halleluia!  Her smoke ascends into the ages of ages."

4)    Then the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshipped The God seated over the throne, saying "Amen!  Halleluia!"

5)    Then there came forth a sound from the throne saying, "all you His servants, the small and the great who are afeared, extol our God!"

6)    Then I heard as sound of a multitude and as sound of many waters and as sound of mighty thunders saying "halleluia!  Kurios the Almighty God reigns!

7)    Rejoicing and celebrating we will give Him the glory, for the wedding feast of the Lamb did come!  And His betrothed did ready herself!

8)    And it was given to her that she be arrayed in pure, bright linen; for the fine linen is the righteousness of the holy ones."

9)    Then he says to me, "write: ‘blessed the ones called to the wedding feast of the Lamb'"; and says to me, "these true words are from God".

10) And I fell before his feet to pay homage to him, and he says "see you not do that, for I am the fellow servant of you and your brothers who hold the testimony of Jesus; for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."

11) Then I saw the heaven opened and, lo, a white horse; and seated upon it One called Faithful and True, and He judges and wages war in righteousness,

12) His eyes as flaming fire, many diadems on His head, having a written name that is known by no one but Him.

13) He was clothed about - the raiment blood-spattered, and His Name called The Word of God,

14) the armies in the heaven - clothed in pure white linen - following Him on white horses,

15) a sharp sword proceeding from His mouth, that with it He would smite the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron.  And He treads the winepress of the wine of the wrath - the vengeance of Almighty God.

16) And He has a name written on His raiment and on His thigh: King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

17) Then I saw one messenger standing in the sun; and it cried out - a great sound - saying to all the birds flying in mid-heaven: "Come!  Gather to the great feast of God

18) that you may eat the flesh of rulers, the flesh of commanders, the flesh of the strong, the flesh of horses and of those sitting upon them, the flesh of all - both free and slave, small and great.

19) Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered to wage war with the One sitting upon the horse and His army;

20) and the beast was seized (and with it the false prophet that did the signs before it by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and paid homage to its image); both were cast alive into the lake of fire, being burned in brimstone;

21) and the remaining ones were killed with the sword of the One sitting upon the horse - that which proceeded from His mouth; and all the birds were gorged from their flesh.

 

The events shown to John here in chapters eighteen and nineteen are to take place quickly.  They are shown to him via God's prophesied, covenantal perspective - that is, how He sees His will and purpose about to come to pass.

It's really important that you understand that.  The "end of the age" had been prophesied from the beginning; it is "not yet", but is "about to be"!  It's time!  It's the end of the age... the "purpose" of God long-prophesied. And John watches what is "about to be" in order that the Churches will be comforted and assured when they receive the letter.

The Churches, by this time, had some Gentile converts; but, for the most part, the members were the elect from the tribes of Jacob that Jesus had come to seek and to save!  They had the books of the Law and the prophets; and they now had the Gospels and the letters from the apostles.  So they were aware of God's will and purpose.  But until they received John's account of what he saw and heard in God's tabernacle, they didn't know for certain that it was imminent!

And the Churches would read (there in chapter eighteen) that Jerusalem and the land had been declared "ready"... ready for the "day of YAHVEH".  As you remember, that declaration was made by Jesus.

Then, since Jerusalem and the land was made ready for the "last day", the court could convene for judgment.  As in a court of law, there were many witnesses to God regarding her guilt, including the blood of all of the "holy ones" through history.  They cried out to God that He would avenge them.

Then John writes the "charges" that he heard against Israel.  And they are 1) she has corrupted all the nations of the earth by her fornications and 2) she has poured out the blood of God's holy ones on the land.  Then the pronouncement of "guilty of all charges"; and the judgment is rendered.  The harlot will die by the sword and burned in fire and brimstone; and the smoke of her burning will be a satisfaction to God into the ages.

Then (here at the beginning of chapter nineteen), having heard the judgment pronounced, the entire host of God's tabernacle erupts with "halleluias" - praises to YAHVEH for His salvation and His glory and His power! 

All of His prophetic Word had said it, you see!  And now He has judged in Truth and Righteousness and Justice!  And therefore all of His bondservants are to fear Him.  All He has said is True!  And it is all imminent!

 

Then (written in verse six of our text), there is a fourth "halleluia", for Almighty God The Son, Xristos Kurios, has saved His people; and He has now assumed all authority in the heavens and the earth (as prophesied); and He is ready to go forth to His further work of carrying out the judgment that has been pronounced, and of "overcoming" and saving the world!  And the prophesied Word regarding Him and His further work is also True and Just and Righteous!  He is the One Who is Faithful and True.  (As we'll see in a few minutes, the fact that He is called Faithful and True is critical to this text.)

And John is shown the essence of His further work in verses eleven through sixteen.  Beginning this morning, these six verses is what we'll need to concentrate on for a while... after all, it is our Lord's dominion over all His creation that is shown to John.

You remember from last Lord's Day that what John hears is three mighty sounds from the heaven.  Heretofore he has heard these sounds one at a time.  But now, as our Lord's further work is praised by the host of the tabernacle, the great "halleluia" that emanates from the host to John's hearing is all three mighty sounds that were heard previously in the prophetic Word.   Verse six of Revelation nineteen is the only place in Scripture where this occurs.

The three-fold sound of the "halleluia", "Kurios the Almighty God reigns" refers His people to the prophets concerning God's Anointed One - His King!

John writes, in verse six, that he heard as the sound of a multitude - the very sound that the prophet Daniel first heard; and he heard as the sound as of many rushing waters - the sound first heard by Ezekiel; and he heard as the sound as of great thunderings - the sound recorded in 1 Samuel.  And as we read last Lord's Day, each occurrence of the mighty sounds that were heard and recorded in the three prophets had to do with the coming appearance and work of God's Anointed King!

So, what we're led to understand here in John's carefully written words is that the first three "halleluias" from the host of the heaven are praise to Almighty God the Father, for He has judged in Truth and Justice and Righteousness; then the fourth "halleluia" is the host's praise to Almighty God the Father for the further prophesied work of Almighty God the Son!  For He will carry out the judgment of the Father; and He will go forth to overcome the world!  This, too, was all prophesied, you see; and it, also, will be done in Truth and Justice and Righteousness!

And along with His people in the first century, we are strengthened in The Faith.  We are comforted - as they were!  And we are given assurance in the Truth and Justice and Righteousness of our God.  And (as they were) we are given to anticipate the full completion of the work of the Savior of the world.

Then the three verses (seven, eight and nine of our text) are John's confirmation to all the Churches that the Paschal Lamb of God had provided righteousness to the unrighteous, you see.  In order for the daughter of the harlot to be present at the wedding festivities, she had to be clothed upon with righteousness!  She had to be declared virginal - the white, linen garments being indicative of the virginity required of one who was betrothed at Sinai!  The blood of the Lamb of God covered her sin and satisfied the wrath of God in order that she might be an acceptable bride.

And therein is the analogy of the bride, you see.  The one-flesh union of Christ and His people is prophesied right there in the creation narrative!  Adam and his wife were of one flesh (as were all who proceeded from them).  And in the resurrection, the Christ and those who belong to Him are of one flesh - that of the second Adam.  And His righteousness is their righteousness.  His righteousness is the white, linen garment of virginity.  They are made clean and acceptable to be made one flesh with Him; and the curse of God no longer applies to them; for they are rebirthed into a new heritage... the heritage of God the Son.  They no longer belong to the cursed race of Adam.  They belong to the race of Christ the Second Adam. 

So John hears: "the wedding feast of the Lamb did come!  And it was given to her that she be arrayed in pure, bright linen; for the fine linen is the righteousness of the holy ones" (verses seven and eight).  "Blessed are the ones called to the wedding feast of the Lamb" (verse nine).  "Kurios the Almighty God reigns!  Halleluia!

Then John takes special note (verse ten) of the words that he heard; and he writes it just so, in order that the Churches would read it and understand that this messenger that was speaking to John was not of a cursed race; it was not therefore a participant in the resurrection of the Lamb of God; it was not present at the wedding feast of the Lamb; it was not rebirthed into the very family of God the Son.... It was a servant of Kurios the Almighty God like John and his brothers who hold the testimony of Jesus and keep His Commandments; but it did not have the supreme honor of union with Christ - being one IN HIM - being a member of His family!

Those of us who belong to the Christ (holding His testimony - keeping His Commandments) are adoptees into His family and made brothers of His.  Although as Gentiles we aren't of the original elect of the tribes of Jacob; nonetheless we too are draped with the white garments of the righteousness of Christ; we too are rebirthed out of our cursed and depraved heritage in Adam and united to The Christ - Kurios, Almighty God the Son - as brothers of John and the other apostles and brothers of the remnant of Israel; and we too are given faith as a gift and justified before God.

And if you think about it for a minute from God's Word, you'll realize that none of the creatures in the heaven are recipients of these sublime blessings!

And while we're here, I would suspect that an inordinately large portion of all that's been written and said about the creatures of God in His tabernacle is mythology and mysticism.  And the more mysterious it all is, the more fertile the imaginations of people become!

But the point I want to get to is this: although the heavenly creatures shout "halleluias" to the Truth and Justice and Righteousness of Almighty God; and although they are exultant over the further work of Kurios Almighty God the Son, they don't know what it means to be the brother of Jesus Christ the risen Lord.  They don't know what it means to have been rebirthed out of a cursed and depraved humanity.  They don't know what it is to have been liberated from the prison of darkness and death!

They don't have the exquisite joy that you and I have in being in union with God the Son after having been dead in sin.  They have no concept of being "bought and paid for". (They are "fellow-servants"; but they're not bond-servants, you see, having been purchased).  Even though they receive benefits from our Lord's work in overcoming death and the curse, they don't know what mercy is, for the blood of Jesus Christ wasn't poured out for them!!  They have no idea what it means that the body of Jesus Christ was given for us, and that we anticipate resurrection in Him!

The creatures in God's tabernacle aren't ignorant of these things, since they know what the prophetic Word of God says; but they aren't human!  So they must marvel at the love of God for humanity and the cosmos that He created!

Now... that having been said, let's consider all that John is shown next - starting with verse eleven and then, over the next couple of weeks at least, through sixteen.  And please continue to hold this in your mind, that this is the Revelation of that which is "about to take place"; and the host of the tabernacle has just rendered a cosmic "halleluia" for Almighty God the Son Whose further work is about to begin.  The time is near.

Let's read the verses again:

 

11) Then I saw the heaven opened and, lo, a white horse; and seated upon it One called Faithful and True, and He judges and wages war in righteousness,

12) His eyes as flaming fire, many diadems on His head, having a written name that is known by no one but Him.

13) He was clothed about - the raiment blood-spattered, and His Name called The Word of God,

14) the armies in the heaven - clothed in pure white linen - following Him on white horses,

15) a sharp sword proceeding from His mouth, that with it He would smite the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron.  And He treads the winepress of the wine of the wrath - the vengeance of Almighty God.

16) And He has a name written on His raiment and on His thigh: King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

 

John is now shown a view of Kurios Almighty God the Son; and I have some initial comments and observations for you about what he has written.  Obviously we'll go back to the older Scripture, since all of this is prophesied.  But my observations have to do with the setting and the structure - how John writes what he's been shown.  He's very careful with the description... after all, he's writing to the Churches about our Lord's Parousia!

And first I want to go back to what we've noted a number of times before - that which is written at the beginning of the letter, and that which is written at the end.

Here's what's written at the beginning:

 

"Revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave to Him to show His servants that which is necessary to be done in quickness, and He did make it known having sent through His messenger to His servant John,

who did bear witness the Word of God and the witness of Jesus Christ all he saw.

Blessed the one reading and the ones hearing the words of the prophecy and keeping things having been written in it, for the time is near."

 

And here is what we find at the end:

 

 20) The One Who testifies to all of this says "yes, I Am coming   quickly!"  Amen!  Come, Lord Jesus.

 

Now, the reason that I bring this up again is that it has everything to do with the way John writes what's found in our text here in chapter nineteen.

The beginning of John's letter says that all of the things revealed are to happen quickly, for the time is near!  And at the end of the letter, Kurios Jesus says yes, He is coming quickly!  Yet, in our text (verses eleven through sixteen), John is shown the coming!

This hasn't happened yet (as the Churches read it); it is about to happen very soon.  But John sees it happening!  That which is to happen quickly is shown to him!  And he will have to write this to the Churches in such a way that they get that!

That's what I meant when I mentioned the setting and the structure... how the sentences are put together and, especially, the tenses of the verbs.  Does John write as if he is observing the Parousia of Jesus Christ?  Does he write to the Churches as if he has observed the Parousia?  Does he write as if he (and the Churches) will observe the Parousia?

Or does he write (as best the language will allow) the will and purpose of God as He has decreed it - from above His holy tabernacle!

Of course it's the latter: but these are all important items aren't they?  The care with which John writes these things has everything to do with how the Churches receive them!  Then, of course, there's the problem of translating it arightly into English and then explaining it.

Some have changed the structure of the sentences to facilitate easier reading; and there are others who have even changed the tenses of the verbs to match pre-conceived eschatological notions!

But we have to take care that we observe the proper setting and context.  And we have to take note of the structure of the sentences and the tenses of the verbs as John wrote them.  He has been shown these things because (as he has been told) he is to prophesy one last time!  It's the end of the age; it's the appointed time; the Day of YAHVEH is at hand.  And the Churches won't be assured and comforted if they don't receive the Word of God regarding His will and purpose.  "Blessed the one reading and the ones hearing the words of the prophecy and keeping things having been written in it, for the time is near."

John is shown, by the messenger, that which is necessary to be done in quickness!  And the heavens are opened up for John so he can see the will and purpose of God that is about to happen, in order that John can write it for the Lord's servants in the Churches!  And, of course, it's preserved for us as well; for we are to be comforted and assured along with our brothers who constituted the first Churches in the nations.

And what John sees first is a white horse and One seated on it called Faithful and True (very important as I mentioned earlier); and John begins that description with the word "Lo".

And we know (from our past seven + years in the Gospel of Matthew) that that little word calls attention to a marvelous prophetic event concerning the Savior of the world.

That event would be the pre-incarnation appearance of our Lord to Daniel during the time that Israel was in captivity in Babylon.  What he heard (what Daniel heard) rendered him completely powerless and ill; for he not only was shown Israel's punishment and captivity under the first great beast of history.  But he received prophecy concerning three additional beasts that would defeat and subjugate Israel as punishment for Israel's ongoing harlotry.

These beasts were described to Daniel as four world-wide kingdoms raised up to cut off the Seed that was promised from the beginning,.

The visions that Daniel was caused to see included all the terrible things that Israel would suffer under the heavy hand of pagan nations; and it all caused him to grieve mightily.

But Daniel was also shown a fifth Kingdom that would be raised up in the midst of the fourth one; and that fourth beast (the most ferocious of the four) would then be shattered and splintered by the fifth Kingdom... a Kingdom that would last forever and never be destroyed.

Daniel's desire for more information about Israel's ultimate demise and the rise of that fifth Kingdom was answered in the negative; for it was a great mystery only for the end of the age.  And Daniel was given a scroll with seven seals.  And in that scroll was the Revelation of the mystery of God.  And the seals weren't to be opened until the last days.

Fast forward now to Revelation chapter six:

 

1)    And I watched when the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals; and I heard one of the four creatures speaking as thunderous sound: "COME"!

2)    And, Lo!  A white horse.  And the One sitting upon it holding a bow, a crown having been given to Him.  And He did come out overcoming and that He may overcome.

 

The Lamb of God Who was sacrificed to God for the sin of the world, having faithfully completed the work that the Father had given Him to do, opens the first seal of the scroll shown to Daniel.  And the very first thing that John is shown from the scroll is One holding the covenantal "bow", wearing the crown of the King of Kings, and going forth on a white horse "overcoming" - and that He may "overcome" sin and the curse upon this creation.

It is obviously the first Revelation of the mystery of God sealed to Daniel until the end of the age.  It's also obvious that this is the Revelation of the fifth Kingdom shown to Daniel.

The "horses" come from the prophecy that God gave to Zechariah in which the horses and their riders were waiting for the will and purpose of God to be given to them in the last days.  The "white horse" is the sign of overcoming and dominion.

 

So, in our text here in chapter nineteen, the judgment upon the harlot nation having been pronounced (to great "halleluias" from the host of the tabernacle), there is another mighty "halleluia" as the three mighty sounds of the prophetic Word are heard by John at the Revelation of the Christ of God.  Lo!  A while horse...!

What was revealed to Daniel and sealed until the end, and then seen by John when the first seal of the scroll was opened, is now fully revealed; for it's the last day, and the time is near.

The lost sheep of the house of Jacob - the remnant promised by YAHVEH - have been saved from the wrath to come; the harlot has been judged and will be destroyed by the sword and burned in fire and brimstone; and the further work of Kurios Almighty God the Son commences in the nations and peoples and tribes and tongues of the world.

As we go on now, the text says (verse eleven), "the One seated on the white horse, called Faithful and True...."

Several years ago, Flo and I went to Asia Minor... the area in which existed the seven Churches to which John's letter was originally sent.  I so wanted to go to all seven of the cities in which John's Churches had been established; but we only had enough time to visit two: Ephesus and Smyrna.

But remember that in the Revelation to John, Jesus sent specific messages to the seven Churches; and the seven messages addressed issues having to do with Israel and judaism.  The Churches that had dealt with those issues were praised; and the ones that had not were threatened and called to repentance; for the Day of YAHVEH was near.

One of those Churches had been established in the city of Laodicea.  Jesus' message to that Church was threatening.  He said in that message that He would knock on the door of that Church, and if it would repent He would come in and "sup" with them; but if not, He would "visit" them in the Day of YAHVEH.  (It is implied here that a "visit" would not be pleasant.)

The judaist issue in that Church was exactly the same as that which brought the wrath of God upon Jerusalem and the land of Israel; and the history behind it is quite "telling".

Very briefly... the seventy year captivity in Babylon left a number of Jews willing to stay there.  They had become settled and comfortable under Persian rule.  And when "freed" to return to the land, they just stayed there.

But when the nations of the world came under the rulership of the third beast of history, things changed.  Antiochus the First, the king of the Greek world, moved people around at will - for his own purposes.  And there was a very important city on the trade route between Europe and Asia.  It was prosperous and wealthy; but it needed laborers in large numbers.  So Antiochus had two thousand men of that remaining Jewish community in Persia rounded up and relocated to that city.  It was Laodicea.

When the Church was established there two hundred and fifty years later by attendees at Pentecost, that Jewish community had become very large and very wealthy.  It was also very "judaist"... partaking of all the wealth and harlotry and idolatry for which Israel was originally taken into captivity, and for which she would be judged in the "last day".  Apparently, some of these judaists were members of Christ's Church.

So, when Jesus sent the message to the Church in Laodicea (via John, as recorded in chapter three of The Revelation) the Church had not dealt with its judaist members who were still acting like the harlot Jerusalem!

Here is that message:

 

14) And write the message to the Church in Laodicea.  The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of God's creation, says these things:

15) I know your works.  You are neither cold nor hot.  I would that you were cold or hot!

16) So, since you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold, I am about to vomit you out of My mouth.

17) Because you say ‘I am rich and wealthy and have want for nothing'; and you don't know that you are the afflicted, and pitiable and lowly and blind and naked,

18) I counsel you to acquire gold having been refined by fire from Me in order that you might be rich, and white garments in order that you might clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness might not be disclosed, and collyrium to rub in your eyes that you might see.

19) I, I put to the proof and teach all of those who I love.  Be alive, therefore, and repent!

20) Lo!  I stand at the door and knock.  Should someone hear My sound and open the door, I will go in to him and I will sup with him and he with Me.

21) I will give to him who overcomes to sit with Me in My seat as I overcame and did sit with My Father in His seat.

 

In our text here in chapter nineteen: the Amen; the Faithful and True Witness (the words that we find here in verse eleven).  Kurios the Almighty God reigns!  And the wedding feast of the Lamb did come!  And seated upon the white horse One called Faithful and True (the exact words Jesus spoke in His message to the Church in Laodicea.)

He is Faithful and True; He IS the One from the beginning: and He will go forth to overcome; and He will judge and wage war in righteousness.  The Church at Laodicea will be spewed out of His Mouth should it not repent; for those who supped with Him at the wedding feast of the Lamb are those who have put on the white robes of righteous virginity.

The Faithful and True One will knock on the door of this Church; but He won't go in to sup with them should they not repent and deal with the judaists who are still connected with Jerusalem by their harlotry.  They were wealthy, self-sufficient, and self-defined (just like the harlot Jerusalem).  So, when he executes the judgment which His Father has now pronounced, Jesus will also "visit" this Church in Laodicea.  They can't cling to Jerusalem and the land of Israel and be members of the body of Christ at the same time!

 

Now.  Some final words here, and we'll continue with verse eleven, and beyond, next time as we work our way through verse sixteen....

Jerusalem, in all of its brightness and glory and wealth (all of it given by God as a reflection of His glory) considered itself the eternal city - blessed forever, no matter what it did.  And what it did was enchant and entice the nations with its great wealth and beauty - corrupting the peoples of the world with its fornication.

The priests and elders and scribes and pharisees of Israel considered all of this Israel's "due" as the people of God.  Jerusalem had determined for herself what she was and what she should be!  She had defined herself - for herself!  And when God sent His prophets to call her to repentance, the blood of His prophets was poured out on the land.  And then the judaists pursued and persecuted those who Jesus came to seek and to save - the remnant of Jacob.

And it was judaists that corrupted the Churches in the nations (or tried to).  Every letter from the apostles dealt with them to one degree or another.  And Jesus' messages to the Churches at the beginning of The Revelation all have to do with them.  Their sins against YAHVEH were all the sins of a cursed and depraved world order.  But she was worse than all the pagan nations of the earth, because she was betrothed to YAHVEH at Sinai.

But as we've seen here in verse eleven of our text, which matches exactly the message to the Church at Laodicea, Jesus Christ is the Faithful and True Witness at Whose parousia all Israel was to be judged.  And He would not abide the leaven of judaism, in any form, in His church.

We'll start right there next time.

 

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REVELATION 19:1-21 Part 5

1)    After these I heard as a great sound of a multitude in the heaven saying "halleluia the salvation and the glory and the power of our God,

2)    for His judgments are true and just; for He judged the great harlot that corrupted the earth in her fornication and avenged His servants' blood at her hand."

3)    Then again they declared "halleluia!  Her smoke ascends into the ages of ages."

4)    Then the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshipped The God seated over the throne, saying "Amen!  Halleluia!"

5)    Then there came forth a sound from the throne saying, "all you His servants, the small and the great who are afeared, extol our God!"

6)    Then I heard as sound of a multitude and as sound of many waters and as sound of mighty thunders saying "halleluia!  Kurios the Almighty God reigns!

7)    Rejoicing and celebrating we will give Him the glory, for the wedding feast of the Lamb did come!  And His betrothed did ready herself!

8)    And it was given to her that she be arrayed in pure, bright linen; for the fine linen is the righteousness of the holy ones."

9)    Then he says to me, "write: ‘blessed the ones called to the wedding feast of the Lamb'"; and says to me, "these true words are from God".

10) And I fell before his feet to pay homage to him, and he says "see you not do that, for I am the fellow servant of you and your brothers who hold the testimony of Jesus; for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."

11) Then I saw the heaven opened and, lo, a white horse; and seated upon it One called Faithful and True, and He judges and wages war in righteousness,

12) His eyes as flaming fire, many diadems on His head, having a written name that is known by no one but Him.

13) He was clothed about - the raiment blood-spattered, and His Name called The Word of God,

14) the armies in the heaven - clothed in pure white linen - following Him on white horses,

15) a sharp sword proceeding from His mouth, that with it He would smite the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron.  And He treads the winepress of the wine of the wrath - the vengeance of Almighty God.

16) And He has a name written on His raiment and on His thigh: King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

17) Then I saw one messenger standing in the sun; and it cried out - a great sound - saying to all the birds flying in mid-heaven: "Come!  Gather to the great feast of God

18) that you may eat the flesh of rulers, the flesh of commanders, the flesh of the strong, the flesh of horses and of those sitting upon them, the flesh of all - both free and slave, small and great.

19) Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered to wage war with the One sitting upon the horse and His army;

20) and the beast was seized (and with it the false prophet that did the signs before it by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and paid homage to its image); both were cast alive into the lake of fire, being burned in brimstone;

21) and the remaining ones were killed with the sword of the One sitting upon the horse - that which proceeded from His mouth; and all the birds were gorged from their flesh.

 

First this morning let's re-establish the fact that what John is being shown here, from the viewpoint of God and His covenant, are events that are yet to be but are to come to pass quickly!  And they are events that are repeatedly prophesied throughout the Scripture.  And the remnant of the house of Jacob (now scattered among the Gentile nations) are to be made aware that all of this is imminent; and they are to expect it, eagerly anticipate it, and be comforted in the fact that it is all of God!

Comforted.

That's very special, isn't it?  In conditions in which everything looks to be "random", to be assured and comforted that it is all "of God" - "by God"; in conditions in which everything looks dire and threatening to the very existence of the whole world order, to be comforted that it is "of God"... it isn't random; it isn't accidental.

And no matter whether man takes credit for the causes or the consequences or the solutions (as they usually do), God's people are to examine everything through the mind of Christ.  (That's what we're supposed to have, by the way.)

In the Isaiah nine passage that we read last week, God told Isaiah that a child would be born, and that He would not judge by what He sees; and He would not judge by what He hears.  But He would judge by the Truth and the Justice and the Righteousness of God.

The mind of Christ... that's what we are to have.

There should be nothing that we see with our eyes that isn't judged by the Truth and Justice and Righteousness of God.  There should be nothing that we hear with our ears that isn't judged by the Truth and Justice and Righteousness of God.  It's the mind of Christ, you see.

God's people of the first century, in all of the turbulence and upheaval, were comforted and given assurance in this letter - the Revelation of Jesus Christ - that it was all "of God", and that He was judging in Truth and Justice and Righteousness!  They were to rest in Him and "wait" on Him in expectation; for there was nothing outside of His will and purpose!

That's what Isaiah said - remember?  Although God had revealed to him, in detail, all that would occur in the "Day of YAHVEH", yet he was to go and prophesy and do signs and wonders in Jerusalem and the land.  Even though their eyes would be blinded and their ears would be deafened by the prophecy and the signs and the wonders, he was to go and do them.  And Isaiah said he would "wait" on YAHVEH.  Later on he said he would wait "patiently".  You see, he was assured and comforted in the Truth and Justice and Righteousness of God.

When we see all that goes on; and we hear what's being said, we are to examine it all in the light of God's sovereign will and purpose.  There shouldn't be a statement made or a philosophy espoused that isn't judged by you from that standard!  There shouldn't be a cause or event or movement that isn't judged by you from that standard!  And should the world look like it's crumbling into chaos (like in the time of the original Churches), we should be comforted and assured in the Truth and Justice and Righteousness of God!

As the text here is read in the Churches of the first century, the events shortly to take place are all decreed by God and prophesied in the Scriptures; and they are (variably) called "the end of the age", and "the last day", and "the day of YAHVEH".  And as the events of the "end of the age" occur, the Churches are to understand it all in the light of what is revealed to John in this letter.  And they are to "wait" on YAHVEH; they are to be comforted in that God is judging in Truth and Justice and Righteousness; and they are to examine everything they see and hear by the will and purpose of God... as found in the decrees of God and His prophetic Word.

 

There is a sequence of events here in chapters eighteen and nineteen... events that are to come quickly.  And the Churches would read that Jerusalem and the land have been declared "ready".  As you remember, that declaration was made by God the Son.

Then, as in a court of law, there were many witnesses to God regarding her guilt, including the blood of all of the "holy ones" through history.  They cried out to God that He would avenge them.

Then John writes the "charges" that he heard against Israel.  And they are 1) she has corrupted all the nations of the earth by her fornications and, 2) she has poured out the blood of God's holy ones on the land.  Then the pronouncement of "guilty of all charges"; and the judgment is rendered.  The harlot will die by the sword and burned in fire and brimstone; and the smoke of her burning will be a satisfaction to God into the ages.

Then (here at the beginning of chapter nineteen), having heard the judgment pronounced, the entire host of God's tabernacle erupts with "halleluias" - praises to YAHVEH for His salvation and His glory and His power! 

All of His prophetic Word had said it, you see!  And now He has judged in Truth and Righteousness and Justice!  And therefore all of His bondservants are to fear Him.  All He has said is True!  And it is all imminent!

 

Then in verse six of our text, there is a fourth "halleluia", for Almighty God The Son, Xristos Kurios, has saved His people; and He has now assumed all authority in the heavens and the earth (as prophesied); and He is ready to go forth to His further work of "overcoming" and saving the world!  And the prophesied Word regarding Him and His further work is also True and Just and Righteous!  And John is shown what the essence of that work will be.  And the view of what will come to be will take us through verse sixteen.

 

I think it very interesting, and especially revealing, that what John hears (in verse six) is three mighty sounds from the heaven.  Heretofore he has heard these sounds "singularly" (i.e. one at a time).  But now, as our Lord's further work is praised by the host of the tabernacle, what emanates from the host to John's ears is the "three" - the three sounds, all at the same time!

We've mentioned many times before that here in the capstone of the Revelation, nothing is insignificant; for it is the "fullness" of all that was previously written.  And John is careful to write that all three of the sounds from the tabernacle shout "halleluia" regarding all that the Christ has done and all that He is about to do!

First, He has saved His elect from the tribes of Jacob; second, He has faithfully obeyed the Father all the way to the cross and has received the nations as His inheritance and was crowned King of Kings; and third, He is about to go forth to overcome the world!

The great cosmic "halleluia" is "as the sound of a multitude": it is also "as the sound of many waters"; and it is "as the sound of mighty thunders".  John writes that the sound is "as" all three.  He purposely writes all three.

 

Listen once more as I read from verse six:

 

"Then I heard as sound of a multitude and as sound of many waters and as sound of mighty thunders saying "halleluia!  Kurios the Almighty God reigns!

 

Kurios is the name by which the New Testament writers refer to the reigning almighty God The Son.

 

But the reason John writes all three of the great sounds of the host of the heaven is found in verse ten where he writes: "the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy".  The prophetic Word is the testimony of Jesus!  He IS the Word; and the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.

And as John the baptizer - the prophet/forerunner of Jesus - said: "Lo the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world!"  The testimony of the Law and the prophets is Jesus The Christ of God.

All three of the sounds (here in verse six) are purposefully written here by John, for they - all three - recall the testimony of Jesus.

Listen to what Daniel writes as he is made aware of all that is to occur... all the way to the "fifth Kingdom" - the Kingdom of God the Son.  What he sees and hears is Jesus as He appears and identifies Himself as Archangel Michael - One "as God".  He says:

 

5)    Then I lifted up my eyes and looked, and lo, a man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold....

6)    His body was as beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as flames of fire, and his arms and his feet as polished brass in color, and the sound of his words as the sound of a multitude.

 

That's what John writes here as the first sound of the halleluia - the sound of a multitude.

Then John writes that the halleluia was as the sound of many waters.  And it is not coincidental that that's exactly what Ezekiel writes (chapter forty three) as the new temple of God is prophesied to the people of Israel while they were in captivity in Babylon.  And the new temple is compared to the old one that was filled with every abominable thing imaginable.

Listen to Ezekiel's prophecy about the filling of the new temple, which is the body of the risen Christ:

 

2)    And lo, the glory of the God of Israel will come from the way of the east, and His voice [is] as the sound of many waters, and the earth will shine with His glory.

 

The figure that Ezekiel hears and writes to Israel has to do with the dawning of a new day as the Light of Christ arises as the dawn and glorifies The Father as He lights the world.  The sound of His voice is as the sound of many waters as He speaks to the nations and tongues and tribes of the earth.  This is the new temple, you see - the body of Jesus Christ.  And here in verse six the halleluia that John hears, he writes that it is as the sound of many waters... obviously referring to the prophecy of Ezekiel.

And John also hears the sound as the sound of thunder.  And the inclusion of this sound from the heaven is a direct reference to the prayer to God that is written in 1 Samuel chapter two.  Here it is:

 

8)    The pillars of the earth are YAHVEH's, and on them he has set the creation.

9)    He will guard the feet of his faithful ones, but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness, for not by might shall a man prevail.

10) 10)The adversaries of YAHVEH shall be broken to pieces; against them he will thunder in the heaven.  YAHVEH will judge the ends of the earth; and He will give strength to his king - exalting the horn (the Kingship) of his Anointed One.

 

The sound as of thunder is the sound of the Presence of the King of Kings as He proceeds in His further work of ruling over the nations and peoples and tongues and tribes of the earth... judging all the way to the ends of the earth.  It was a prayer to YAHVEH, written by Samuel; and here the prayer is answered in the thunderous "halleluia" by all the host of the heaven; for Kurios, Almighty God, reigns to the ends of the earth!

Once again we're made aware of the consistency and the perfections of the Word of God, aren't we?  In one statement about the sound emanating from the tabernacle, John collects prophecy from Samuel (a thousand years before the birth of Christ), and from Isaiah (seven hundred years before the birth of Christ), and from Ezekiel (four hundred and seventy years before the birth of Christ).

The sound of the "halleluia" (praise YAHVEH), "Kurios the Almighty God reigns" takes His people all through the prophetic Word concerning God's Anointed One - His King!

And along with His people in the first century, we are strengthened in The Faith.  We are comforted - as they were!  And we are given assurance in the Truth and Justice and Righteousness of our God.  And (as they were) we are given to anticipate the full completion of the work of the Savior of the world.

When He first appeared in Israel, John the baptizer recognized Jesus as God's Anointed, the promised King - the prophesied Savior of the world.  First, however, Jesus came for the lost sheep of the house of Jacob - the remnant to be saved before the prophesied destruction of Israel.

And Jesus was the Lamb of God - the paschal Lamb prophesied in the Passover, the One to be taken and bound to the horns of the altar and sacrificed to the Father for the sins of the world.

He is also the covenantal bridegroom Who promised to come for His bride.  But when He arrived He found that His betrothed was a harlot; and there was no one who had prepared for the wedding festivities!  So He sent His bondservants out to find those who would come.

And we know from the Scripture that these who were found and who came to the festivities were the lost sheep of the house of Jacob - the promised remnant of Israel who Jesus came to seek and to save, previously called "The Daughter of Zion" in the prophetic Word; also called the "Bride of Christ" - the Church scattered among the nations!

He is also the "Seed of the woman" promised in the first paradise, and promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and promised to David, and preserved throughout history from the vengeance and enmity of the serpent.  And, as such, He was born of a virgin whose ancestry is traced through King David - all the way back to Adam and his son Seth; and was worshiped by Gentiles at His birth.

He is also the One Who was crucified by the offspring of the serpent; and Who was raised out of death and hades to ascend to the Father in order to be crowned King of Kings and Lord of Lords and be given all the nations as His inheritance.  And He is the One Whose risen human body constitutes the new heritage of the human race - guaranteeing the eternality of humanity in Him, and guaranteeing the eternal destruction of the cursed humanity in Adam.  That is God's Truth and His Justice and His Righteousness!

And He is the One Who is explicitly prophesied in the Scripture to subdue the nations and submit them to His authority by the Sword of His mouth and His rod of iron.  The covenantal council determined this before the foundation of the earth.  Therefore He is called Wonderful Counselor.  He is the Savior of the world for the glory of the Father.

 

As you can see, all of this is prophesied in the Scripture; and therefore His testimony is the spirit of prophecy (verse ten)!  He is the Strong Right Arm of YAHVEH, and the Word of God without Whom nothing was made that was made (John's words at the beginning of His Gospel).  The Word is "of Him"; the Word is "by Him"; the Word is "about Him".  The Word IS Him; the very essence (the spirit) of prophecy is the testimony of Jesus.

 

As we proceed in the text, what we now see in the three verses following the great sounds of the "halleluia" (verses seven, eight and nine), is the Wonderful Counselor Who counseled before the foundation of the world to be the sacrificial Lamb of God foreshadowed in the Passover and in the entire sacrificial system.  And John heard what was said to him: "these are the true words of God".

Let's hear the three verses once more.  Verses seven, eight and nine:

 

7)    Rejoicing and celebrating we will give Him the glory, for the   wedding feast of the Lamb did come!  And His betrothed did ready herself!

8)    And it was given to her that she be arrayed in pure, bright linen; for the fine linen is the righteousness of the holy ones."

Then he says to me, "write: ‘blessed the ones called to the wedding feast of the Lamb'"; and says to me, "these true words are from God".

 

Now, you may remember that an interim sermon was preached in November in preparation for this chapter nineteen of The Revelation. It was preached specifically for these three verses.  It was Jesus' parable of the wedding festivities recorded in Matthew chapter twenty-two.

Since the twelve tribes of Jacob were, with all the people's affirmation, betrothed to YAHVEH at Sinai, and the sacrificial lamb prophesied in the feast of Passover and in the sacrificial system, and the entire prophetic Word urging all Israel to prepare for the coming of God's Anointed, in the fullness of the time the Promised One arrived and nobody expected Him... nobody had prepared for Him... and nobody showed up!  In fact, all Israel had committed harlotry continually during the betrothal!  And when He arrived they were either apathetic, or they hated Him.

So, in the parable, since the celebration and feasting was all prepared and ready, the servants were sent out to "gather all who they did find, both evil and good.  And the wedding feast was filled...." (verses nine and ten of the Matthew text).  And they all were given white linen wedding garments!

These are the "called ones", you see... the ones of the house of Jacob who God had kept for Himself.  When they were found and called, they followed the sacrificial Lamb of God into Jerusalem - as He was to suffer and die at the hands of the priests and elders of Israel.

These "called ones" were the sick and the blind and the crooked and the dispossessed and the harlots and tax collectors.  They weren't "invited" to the wedding feast... they were "called" and given the white robes of righteousness - the righteousness of The Lamb of God.  They were the seed of the woman preserved through history by YAHVEH - the "remnant" of Jacob; the "Daughter of Zion" who Jesus had said He came to "seek and to find".

It was the "Daughter of Zion" that came to the wedding festivities; it was the "Daughter of Zion" that was given the white robes of virginity, for the "fine linen is the righteousness of the holy ones" (verse eight of our text).

It was the "daughter" of the harlot that Jesus kept for Himself of the house of Jacob.  She was the one for whom the Paschal Lamb shed His blood.

She did not anticipate His coming; she did not prepare with joy and expectation when all Israel was called to the festivities; she was cursed and depraved mankind - many of them living as the dregs of society; others living as wealthy land owners, tax collectors and harlots.  She only came to the wedding feast when Jesus sought her out and found her and called her!  She came to the wedding feast of The Lamb, and she was given the white linen garments of righteousness.

These three verses (seven, eight and nine of our text) are John's confirmation to all the Churches that the Paschal Lamb of God provided righteousness to the unrighteous, you see.  In order for the daughter of the harlot to be present at the wedding festivities, she had to be clothed upon with righteousness!  She had to be declared virginal - the white, linen garments being indicative of the virginity required of one who was betrothed at Sinai!  The blood of the Lamb of God covered her sin and satisfied the wrath of God in order that she might be an acceptable bride.

"Rejoicing and celebrating we will give Him the glory, for the wedding feast of the Lamb did come" (verse seven).

 

Let me give you the very heart of the matter here.  It's of the nature of the great covenantal matters that we so often mention; for the analogy of the bridegroom and the bride (which is revealed even more fully in the last chapters of The Revelation) - (the analogy) begins to be revealed in the Garden of Eden.

The first man, created in the image of God, was given a helper "meet" for him (appropriate for him).  And God declared them "one flesh".  But God cursed this seminal father of all mankind, for his wife sinned against God (becoming the harlot of the serpent) and enticed Adam to do the same.  Thereafter all mankind was a cursed and depraved race, incapable of righteousness before God.

But God promised a "seed".  And throughout history He kept a seed of depraved mankind for Himself (as promised to Abraham and to the house of Jacob).  And that "Seed" was born a man in the fullness of the time.  It was the Lamb of God (the Paschal) prophesied in the Passover and the sacrificial system provided to the twelve tribes of Jacob.  God had also promised that the seed would include a remnant of the house of Jacob that would be saved in the Day of YAHVEH.

In the Truth and Justice and Righteousness of God, that remnant was sought out and found and called by the Lamb of God and Savior of the world.

And on that Passover day of gross darkness, the Father abandoned and cursed the paschal Lamb in a sacrifice to Himself in order to satisfy Himself that there had been complete justice - that full payment had been made.

The first beneficiaries of that sacrifice were the remnant of the house of Jacob - the Daughter of Zion.  The Man - God the Son - God-man arose out of death with all of His people IN HIM.  He was the second Adam; and His people were ONE FLESH in Him... no longer of the flesh of Adam.

And therein is the analogy of the bride, you see.  The one-flesh union of Christ and His people is prophesied right there in the creation narrative!  Adam and his wife were of one flesh (as were all who proceeded from them).  And in the resurrection, the Christ and those who belong to Him are of one flesh - that of the second Adam.  And His righteousness is their righteousness.  His righteousness is the white, linen garment of virginity.  They are made clean and acceptable to be made one flesh with Him; and the curse of God no longer applies to them; for they are rebirthed into a new heritage... the heritage of God the Son.  They no longer belong to the cursed race of Adam.  They belong to the race of Christ the Second Adam. 

So John hears: "the wedding feast of the Lamb did come!  And it was given to her that she be arrayed in pure, bright linen; for the fine linen is the righteousness of the holy ones" (verses seven and eight).  "Blessed are the ones called to the wedding feast of the Lamb" (verse nine).  "Kurios the Almighty God reigns!  Halleluia!

 

Then John is told (verse ten) that the messenger isn't to be worshiped, since the message was sent to John by God.  Worship God! The messenger is only a "fellow-servant" of John and his brothers!

The messenger is a "fellow-servant"; but it doesn't include itself in the brotherhood!  The messenger isn't of the body of the risen Lamb of God... just John and his brothers!  What a powerful distinction to be made!!

Only once in the four Gospels does the term "brothers" appear.  Jesus never once called His disciples "brothers" until after His resurrection.  And that's because there was no union of Christ and His people before the resurrection.  His disciples were not yet "of the family of the Second Adam" until His resurrection.  There was no forgiveness of sin and rebirth into Him until death and the curse of God were overcome.

But John takes special note here of the words that he heard; and he writes it just so, in order that the Churches would read it and understand that this messenger was not of a cursed race; it was not therefore a participant in the resurrection of the Lamb of God; it was not present at the wedding feast of the Lamb; it was not rebirthed into the very family of God the Son....  It was a servant of Kurios the Almighty God like John and his brothers who hold the testimony of Jesus and keep His Commandments, but it did not have the supreme honor of union with Christ - being one IN HIM - being a member of His family!

Lastly, the testimony of Jesus is the spirit (the breath) of prophecy; it is the very "essence" of the prophetic Word.  The Law and the prophets "breathe" the testimony of Jesus from beginning to end.

Those of us who belong to the Christ (holding His testimony - keeping His Commandments) are adoptees into His family and made brothers of His.  Although as Gentiles we are not of the original elect of the tribes of Jacob, nonetheless we too are draped with the white garments of the righteousness of Christ; we too are rebirthed out of our cursed and depraved heritage in Adam and in union with Christ as brothers of John and the other apostles and brothers of the remnant of Israel; and we too are given faith as a gift and justified before God.

This too is the Truth and Justice and Righteousness of God.  And this too is the testimony of Jesus - the spirit of prophecy.

 

 

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What is Covenantal Continuity?

     Covenantal continuity simply means that there is ONE God (Father, Son and Spirit) Who has spoken. That Word proceeded from One God Who is eternal and unchangeable in His Being, Wisdom, Power, Holiness, Justice, Goodness and Truth.
     From Genesis one to Revelation twenty-two, there is a continuity of purpose and speech because it all comes from One. The perspective is the same from beginning to end; the language is the same from beginning to end; the purpose is the same from beginning to end. And He revealed the beginning to Moses, and revealed the completion to John.
     That very Word was made flesh and gave Himself in order that that purpose might come to its fullness for the glory of God. That was the covenant made even before the cosmos was called into being!
     The language and purpose revealed to Moses (the first prophet) is the same revealed to John (the last prophet) because it is all One Word... it all comes from the same mind, in the same language, and with the same perspective on all that He has created! And it is complete.
We who belong to Him can actually read and see and hear that continuity and rest in His unchanging Person and Word.

 

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REVELATION 19:1-21 Part 4

Christmas Day 2011

Supplemental: Isaiah 8-11

 

1)    After these I heard as a great sound of a multitude in the heaven saying “halleluia the salvation and the glory and the power of our God,

2)    for His judgments are true and just; for He judged the great harlot that corrupted the earth in her fornication and avenged His servants’ blood at her hand.”

3)    Then again they declared “halleluia!  Her smoke ascends into the ages of ages.”

4)    Then the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshipped The God seated over the throne, saying “Amen!  Halleluia!”

5)    Then there came forth a sound from the throne saying, “all you His servants, the small and the great who are afeared, extol our God!”

6)    Then I heard as sound of a multitude and as sound of many waters and as sound of mighty thunders saying “halleluia!  Kurios the Almighty God reigns!

7)    Rejoicing and celebrating we will give Him the glory, for the wedding feast of the Lamb did come!  And His betrothed did ready herself!

8)    And it was given to her that she be arrayed in pure, bright linen; for the fine linen is the righteousness of the holy ones.”

9)    Then he says to me, “write: ‘blessed the ones called to the wedding feast of the Lamb’”; and says to me, “these true words are from God”.

10) And I fell before his feet to pay homage to him, and he says “see you not do that, for I am the fellow servant of you and your brothers who hold the testimony of Jesus; for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”

11) Then I saw the heaven opened and, lo, a white horse; and seated upon it One called Faithful and True, and He judges and wages war in righteousness,

12) His eyes as flaming fire, many diadems on His head, having a written name that is known by no one but Him.

13) He was clothed about – the raiment blood-spattered, and His Name called The Word of God,

14) the armies in the heaven – clothed in pure white linen - following Him on white horses,

15) a sharp sword proceeding from His mouth, that with it He would smite the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron.  And He treads the winepress of the wine of the wrath – the vengeance of Almighty God.

16) And He has a name written on His raiment and on His thigh: King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

17) Then I saw one messenger standing in the sun; and it cried out – a great sound – saying to all the birds flying in mid-heaven: “Come!  Gather to the great feast of God

18) that you may eat the flesh of rulers, the flesh of commanders, the flesh of the strong, the flesh of horses and of those sitting upon them, the flesh of all – both free and slave, small and great.

19) Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered to wage war with the One sitting upon the horse and His army;

20) and the beast was seized (and with it the false prophet that did the signs before it by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and paid homage to its image); both were cast alive into the lake of fire, being burned in brimstone;

21) and the remaining ones were killed with the sword of the One sitting upon the horse – that which proceeded from His mouth; and all the birds were gorged from their flesh.

 

 

As John looks on in God’s tabernacle in the heaven, he is shown (from God’s purview) that which “was” and “is”; and he is shown that which is to come to pass quickly… all of which is prophesied in the older Scriptures.

Being the “capstone” of all Revelation, it is shown to Him via the great “covenantal matters”.  Since it is the mind of God regarding His Own history (all of it), it is meticulously integrated and interwoven so that there is perfect continuity from Genesis one to the last words of the Revelation of Jesus Christ.  And John was shown it all from the point of view of the covenant made in Triune Godhead before there was a creation.  It is revealed in covenantal terms and in language that is recognizable throughout.

Misappropriation of the text of The Revelation comes from not recognizing that language, and from ignoring the covenantal context in which God reveals His will and purpose.  It’s only when folks impose their own language and their own historical context on God’s Revelation that the letter to the Churches becomes unintelligible.

That’s the reason that we’ve gone to the Scriptures innumerable times in the last three and a half years.  We’ve done that in order to give us a clear and unquestionable connection between the language and context of the older prophetic Word and that which we find here in John’s letter.

And since this is the celebration of the birth of Christ the Lord (XRISTOS KURIOS), I’d like to take you back to another portion of the prophetic Word – this one concerning His birth (700 years in the future) and the covenantal context in which it was spoken.  And as we read you’ll hear all of the context surrounding that wonderful future event, and that both context and language are the same that which we find in John’s Revelation.

We hear the words of God through the prophet Isaiah every year when the season rolls around.  They’re made famous in Handel’s Messiah… and that’s good!  But hardly anyone ever reads the context in which they were spoken to Isaiah!  They just hear the words and make the leap directly to the nativity scene in the New Testament!

But the fact is that that context is required reading for our understanding of God’s Revelation of Jesus Christ – not only in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, but also to the apostle John here in his letter to the Churches! 

So what we’re going to do this morning is read portions of what God said to Isaiah concerning the birth of the Son; and, as we go, we’ll make some pertinent comments about the context. 

As verse ten of our Revelation text says, “the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy”!  As we hear and learn the prophetic Word, hopefully we all will be strengthened to hold the testimony of Jesus and keep His Commandments; for the testimony of Jesus IS the very “breath” (spirit) of prophecy!

Here then is what Isaiah writes… first at chapter eight:

 

11) For this is what YAHVEH said to me with great authority, to keep me from going the way of this people:

12) ‘Do not call everything an alliance these people say is an alliance.  Do not fear what they fear;  do not be terrified.

13) You are to regard only YAHVEH of Hosts as holy.  Only He must be feared; only He must be held in dread.

14) He is a sanctuary; (a tabernacle) But for the two houses of Israel, He will be a stone by which to be crushed and a rock to trip on (and be smashed), and a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

15) Many will stumble (and fall) over these; they will fall and be broken; they will be snared and trapped.

16) Bind up the testimony.  Seal up the law among my disciples.’

17) I will wait for YAHVEH who is hiding His face from the house of Jacob.  I will wait for Him.

18) Here I am (with the children YAHVEH has given me) to be signs and wonders in Israel from YAHVEH of Hosts who dwells on Mount Zion.

19) ‘When they say to you, ‘Consult the spirits of the dead and the spiritists who chirp and mutter,’ shouldn't a people consult their God? [Should they consult] the dead on behalf of the living?

20) To the law and to the testimony!  Should they not speak according to this Word, there will be no dawn for them (the light… the dawning of a new day… they won’t be there for that!).

21) They will wander through the land, dejected and hungry. When they are famished, they will become enraged, and, looking upward, will curse their God and king.

22) They will look at the land and see only distress, darkness, and the gloom of affliction, and they will be driven into thick darkness.

 

To the Law and the Testimony!  They both speak of the coming Christ of God, you see.  The essence (or spirit) of the prophetic Word is the testimony of Jesus Who is the Light of the World… the dawning of the Day!

Rather than joyfully anticipating the announced coming of the Savior of the World Who is Light and Life, the house of Jacob (Israel) was consulting with the dead through spiritists, wizards and fortune tellers.  And their end was famine and affliction and thick darkness over the whole land.

And I might just mention before we go on, that any nation – any people – whose expectation is lodged in something other than The Christ of God is already blinded, and will suffer the same condition prophesied of Israel!  He is Light and Life; the opposite is thick darkness and death.  And I don’t think we have to do much analyzing to see that there’s a pall of darkness settling over our own country.  Temporary… yes; but with consequences… absolutely.

But that’s for another day.  Let’s go on….  Here are the Words of YAHVEH through the prophet Isaiah – from chapter nine:

 

1)    Nevertheless, the gloom of the distressed land won’t be like that of the former times when He humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali.  But in the future He will bring honor to the way of the Sea (to the West), to the land east of the Jordan (to the East), and to Galilee of the nations (to the North).

2)    The people walking in darkness (Gentile nations) will see a great light; on those living in the land of darkness, a light will dawn.

3)    You will enlarge the nations and increase their joy.  [The people] will rejoice before You as they rejoice at harvest time and as they rejoice when dividing spoils (celebrating).

4)    For You will shatter their burdensome yoke and the rod on their shoulders, the staff of their oppressor, just as [You did] on the day of Midian.

5)    For the trampling boot of battle and the bloodied garments of war will all be burned as fuel for the fire.

6)    For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us, and the government (of those nations) will be on His shoulders.  He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

7)    The dominion will be vast, and its prosperity will never end.  He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from now on and forever.  The zeal of YAHVEH of Hosts will accomplish this.

 

In the triune counsel of Almighty God, the One to be born will be the “Wonderful Counselor” Who will establish His Kingdom among all the nations which before had only walked in darkness; and He will sustain His Kingdom with justice and righteousness.  And its prosperity will never end.

Israel and the city of Jerusalem will be blinded in gross darkness, and experience famine and plagues and gross incivility; but the light of the dawning of a new day will shine upon the nations; for a child will be born to us!  And the government (of the nations) will be on His shoulder; and His Kingdom will be forever!  The great “zeal” of YAHVEH is the salvation of the world, you see.  That’s what the One “born” to us that day is doing among us Gentiles to this very day!

But… more about that in a few minutes.  For now, let’s continue with God’s Word to Isaiah there in chapter nine:

8)    YAHVEH sent a message against Jacob; it came against Israel.

9)    All the people — Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria (northern Israel) —will know it.  They will say with pride and arrogance: 

10) "The bricks have fallen, but we will rebuild with cut stones; the sycamores have been cut down, but we will replace them with cedars."

11) YAHVEH has raised up Rezin's adversaries against him and stirred up his enemies.

12) Aram from the east and Philistia from the west will consume Israel with open mouths.  In all this, His anger is not removed, and His hand is still raised [in anger].

13) The people did not turn to Him who struck them; they did not seek YAHVEH of Hosts.

14) So YAHVEH will cut off Israel's head and tail, palm branch and reed in one day.

15) The head is the elder, the honored one; the tail is the prophet, the lying teacher.

16) The leaders of the people mislead [them], and those they mislead are swallowed up.

17) Therefore YAHVEH does not rejoice over Israel's young men, and has no compassion on its fatherless and widows, for everyone is a godless evildoer, and every mouth speaks folly.  In all this, His anger is not removed, and His hand is still raised [in anger].

18) For wickedness burns like a fire that consumes thorns and briers and kindles the forest thickets so that they go up in a column of smoke.

19) The land will be scorched by the wrath of YAHVEH of Hosts, and the people will be like fuel for the fire.  No one will have compassion on his brother.

20) They carve out on the right, but they are [still] hungry; they have eaten on the left, but they are [still] not satisfied.  Each one will eat the flesh of his own arm.

21) Manasseh with Ephraim, and Ephraim with Manasseh; together, both against Judah.  In all this, His anger is not removed, and His hand is still raised [to strike].

 

As God speaks to Isaiah, He has afflicted Israel over and over, and would do so again and again throughout her history.  And through it all, she would cry out to Him for an end to her misery.  And YAHVEH would relent… only to have Israel go right back to her harlotry and idolatry as soon as her condition improved!  So He says to Isaiah that His Right Hand – His strong Right Arm – is still raised in wrath and vengeance!  And He will consume them in the fire of His wrath.

The language of our Lord that was spoken to His disciples before His crucifixion was first heard by Isaiah right here in chapter nine!  When His disciples were questioning Jesus about the signs of His Parousia (Matthew chapter twenty-four) He told them of the dire conditions that would overtake Israel in those last days… the plagues and famines so severe that family members would turn on one another, and there would be pseudo-prophets and pseudo-christs and roving bands of thieves and murderers, and despair and even cannibalism.  And John, too, was shown these plagues, you remember, in earlier chapters of the Revelation.

Ultimately the entire land would be burned in the fiery heat of the wrath of God; and the smoke of the burning would ascend as incense into the ages as God’s vengeance is satisfied.  That same language is here in chapter nineteen of John’s Revelation of Jesus Christ.

Now reading God’s words at the beginning of chapter ten:

1)    Woe to those enacting crooked statutes and writing oppressive laws

2)    to keep the poor from getting a fair trial and to deprive the afflicted among my people of justice, so that widows can be their spoil and they can plunder the fatherless.

3)    What will you do on the day of judgment when desolation comes from afar?  Who will you run to for help?  Where will you go with your wealth then?

4)    [There will be nothing to do] except crouch among the captives or fall among the slain. In all this, His anger is not removed, and His hand is still raised [in anger]….

20) But in that day the remnant of Israel – the survivors of the house of Jacob – will no longer depend on the one who struck them (that’s the beast), but they will faithfully depend on YAHVEH, the Holy One of Israel.

21) The remnant – the remnant of Jacob – will return to the Mighty God.

22) Israel, even if your people were as numerous as the sand of the sea, [only] a remnant of them will return.  Destruction has been decreed; justice will overflow.

23) For throughout the land YAHVEH GOD of Hosts will carry out a destruction that was decreed.

 

Right after the prophecy of the birth of a Son Who would bring light and life and justice and righteousness to the nations (One Whose Kingdom would be forever) comes the prophetic Word of Israel’s complete desolation in the wrath of YAHVEH!  That one who Israel trusted, and on which she depended (that’s the fourth beast), would strike her; and only a remnant would be saved and turn to YAHVEH.

And remember, John watched while God showed him that remnant being found and marked and sealed and rescued from the land before the great and terrible “Day of YAHVEH”.  It was the remnant of the house of Jacob Who Jesus Himself said that He came to seek and to save.  It was first revealed to Isaiah in that same language right here in chapter ten of his prophecy.

Now for a few verses of chapter eleven….

1)    A shoot will grow from the stock of Jesse, a branch from his roots will bear fruit.

2)    The Spirit of YAHVEH will rest on Him — a Spirit of wisdom and understanding, a Spirit of counsel and strength, a Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of YAHVEH.

3)    His delight will be in the fear of YAHVEH. He will not judge by what He sees with His eyes, He will not execute justice by what He hears with His ears,

4)    but He will judge the poor righteously and execute justice for the humble of the earth.  He will smite the earth with the rod from His mouth, and He will put the wicked to death with the breath from His lips.

5)    Righteousness and faithfulness will be a girdle around His loins.

6)    The wolf will sojourn with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the goat.  The calf, the young lion, and the fatling will be together, and a child will lead them.

7)    The cow and the bear will graze, their young ones will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like an ox.

8)    A suckling will play beside the hole of an asp, and a toddler will put his hand on a snake's den.

9)    They will do no evil nor harm or destroy in My holy mountain, for the earth will be as full of the knowledge of YAHVEH as the water covers the sea.

10) On that day the root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples.  The nations will seek Him, and His rest will be glorious….

 

In the progression of God’s Word through Isaiah, chapter eight (with which we began this reading) is a continuation (of course, from chapter one) of the sin and iniquity of Jerusalem and all the land of Israel.  This people had had the light of God’s Law-word and the testimony of prophecy.  It had all served to promote their deep depravity.

The nations (Gentile nations) however, had no light of the Law and the Testimony.  They had always been in darkness.  Israel’s iniquity therefore was so much greater than that of the Gentiles.

God then reveals to Isaiah a great light dawning on the nations of the earth.  And Israel would be driven into thick darkness. A Son would be born; and His dominion would be over all the nations.  His Name would be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, and The Prince of Peace.  And of His reign and rule there would be no end.

Then God reveals His will and purpose regarding Israel.  Isaiah hears that the Hand of God’s fierce anger would be raised against her until she was completely destroyed and the columns of her smoke ascended into the heaven.  It was a “decreed” destruction from which only a remnant would be saved.  That remnant was the “lost sheep of the house of Jacob” which The Son saved from God’s wrath.

And now we hear what God revealed to Isaiah regarding the just and righteous dominion of The Son over all the nations.  Those that previously walked in darkness will see a great light!  His reign and rule (from the heaven) would be as a stone cut (without hands) from Mt Zion, and would grow to be a great mountain over all the mountains of the earth. 

The Son is the root and the fruit of Jesse (the father of King David) – the “Seed” preserved by YAHVEH for Himself all through His history… a Seed previously promised to Abraham.  The promise being that Abraham’s seed would be from all the nations, peoples, tongues and tribes; and that they would be a numerous as the stars in the heavens and the sands on the seashore.

And just as YAHVEH said to Isaiah, the Son to be born would kill the wicked, and He would rule the nations with the rod of iron, which is His sovereign authority over all the heavens and the earth.  He would rule in Truth and Justice and Righteousness, shining the Light of His Presence and bringing life to the world; and His Kingdom would never be destroyed.

In our final reading – chapter eleven – YAHVEH reveals to Isaiah the consummate fullness of the Son’s kingdom over the nations (which He also shows to the apostle John in the last chapters of The Revelation.  We’ll get to those in the coming months).

But in order for us to grasp those wondrous words to the prophet written there in chapter eleven, we have to remember all that we’ve learned regarding the curse of God in the first paradise.  The curse involved enmity!  Enmity: hatred and vengeance!  A creature – having been cast down from God’s tabernacle, the serpent spews its poisonous venom against Triune God by turning the first woman into a harlot.  She then enticed her husband to sin against God; and the curse was enmity from the serpent and its seed toward the seed of the woman.

The Scripture reveals the seed of the serpent in terms of beasts… beasts that prowl and lie in wait for the seed; beasts that are ferocious and have great teeth or talons to rip and tear and kill.  There are four of them that are called the great beasts of history; and they are described in God’s Word by the familiar names of animals of prey.  They are leopards and lions and bears and wolves.

So the serpent with its vengeful, venomous bite raises up ravenous beasts through history to cut off the seed of the woman!  But God preserved that Seed through it all; and the seed includes all who belong to Him – all “NEWLY BORN” into Him by His Word and Spirit – newborns from cursed humanity, rebirthed into the new humanity in Christ Jesus.

And that, you see, gives us God’s view of the consummate fullness of the Kingdom of our Lord presented to Isaiah in chapter eleven!  A world in which the kings and presidents and leaders acknowledge that He has overcome the world… that He is King of Kings and Savior of the world.

A world in which the serpent and its seed no longer have any power or influence due to the authority of The Overcomer; so all of Christ’s “newborns” are fearless with regard to them!

A world that is “at peace” with God because of the work of the One with the Sword of the Spirit and the rod of iron and, therefore, is civilized and prosperous!

As the Scripture says: All of those who (from the beginning) walked in darkness have seen a great light!”  It’s like the dawn of a new day when the sun rises from the East and, over time, brightens the entire earth.  Jesus Christ is WAY, TRUTH AND LIFE; and He is the LIGHT of the world!  And when the Light shines, darkness is taken away.

The same is true concerning God’s view of the River of Life flowing out from under the new temple on the new Mt. Zion.  It flows ever deeper and wider until all the earth is treed and flowered like a new garden of paradise!

The four chapter Revelation to Isaiah is truly an encapsulation of the great covenantal matters; and it is revealed as God sees it and in His language: the filling up of the decadence of His people Israel; the birth of the Son (Who is the Seed of the woman); the saving of the elect of the twelve tribes of Jacob (the remnant); the complete destruction of Jerusalem and the land in the fiery wrath of God; the dawning of a new day over all the nations; and, finally, the work of Christ Jesus in subduing the peoples and tribes and tongues of the world under His reign and rule.

Many times during the course of God’s history (the last two thousand years), things haven’t looked (to men) like what God has revealed here.  It has looked “bleak”… man becomes discouraged and reverts to despair (because of what he sees).  Peoples falling into idolatry; wars; plagues; famines… darkness settling back in where once there was light (as is the case in our own nation).  And what does man do whenever these things take place?  He says, “Well, God must not have meant this!”  “Given the conditions that we can see with our own eyes, things aren’t turning out the way the Scripture reads (there in Isaiah and other places)!  Our experience tells us that there must be another scenario (or other scenarios – plural!).”

That’s when God’s Word gets a “re-interpretation”, you see.  Despair at the way things look will do that.

The antidote, though, is to be wide-eyed with wonder (after all He is “wonder-full”) and to be filled with anticipation.  For…

2)    The peoples walking in darkness (Gentile nations) will see a great light; on those living in the land of darkness,  a light will dawn….

6)    For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us,
    and the government (of those nations) will be on His shoulders.  He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

7)    The dominion will be vast, and its prosperity will never end.  He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from now on and forever.  The zeal of YAHVEH of Hosts will accomplish this.

 

No re-interpretation of God’s Words to Isaiah will suffice!  All the Gentile nations, the ones that formerly walked only in darkness, have seen a great light!  Like the dawn of the day from the East, over a period of time it will shine over all the earth!  YAHVEH said it!  And His zeal will accomplish it!  Expect it!  Anticipate it!  For a Child was born unto us.

HOSANNA!  Save now!  And prosper us Lord Jesus!

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REVELATION 19:1-21 Part 3

1) After these I heard as a great sound of a multitude in the heaven saying "halleluia the salvation and the glory and the power of our God,

2) for His judgments are true and just; for He judged the great harlot that corrupted the earth in her fornication and avenged His servants' blood at her hand."

3) Then again they declared "halleluia! Her smoke ascends into the ages of ages."

4) Then the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshipped The God seated over the throne, saying "Amen! Halleluia!"

5) Then there came forth a sound from the throne saying, "all you His servants, the small and the great who are afeared, extol our God!"

6) Then I heard as sound of a multitude and as sound of many waters and as sound of mighty thunders saying "halleluia! Kurios the Almighty God reigns!

7) Rejoicing and celebrating we will give Him the glory, for the wedding feast of the Lamb did come! And His betrothed did ready herself!

8) And it was given to her that she be arrayed in pure, bright linen; for the fine linen is the righteousness of the holy ones."

9) Then he says to me, "write: ‘blessed the ones called to the wedding feast of the Lamb'"; and says to me, "these true words are from God".

10) And I fell before his feet to pay homage to him, and he says "see you not do that, for I am the fellow servant of you and your brothers who hold the testimony of Jesus; for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."

11) Then I saw the heaven opened and, lo, a white horse; and seated upon it One called Faithful and True, and He judges and wages war in righteousness,

12) His eyes as flaming fire, many diadems on His head, having a written name that is known by no one but Him.

13) He was clothed about - the raiment blood-spattered, and His Name called The Word of God,

14) the armies in the heaven - clothed in pure white linen - following Him on white horses,

15) a sharp sword proceeding from His mouth, that with it He would smite the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron. And He treads the winepress of the wine of the wrath - the vengeance of Almighty God.

16) And He has a name written on His raiment and on His thigh: King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

17) Then I saw one messenger standing in the sun; and it cried out - a great sound - saying to all the birds flying in mid-heaven: "Come! Gather to the great feast of God

18) that you may eat the flesh of rulers, the flesh of commanders, the flesh of the strong, the flesh of horses and of those sitting upon them, the flesh of all - both free and slave, small and great.

19) Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered to wage war with the One sitting upon the horse and His army;

20) and the beast was seized (and with it the false prophet that did the signs before it by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and paid homage to its image); both were cast alive into the lake of fire, being burned in brimstone;

21) and the remaining ones were killed with the sword of the One sitting upon the horse - that which proceeded from His mouth; and all the birds were gorged from their flesh.

As we continue with this text this morning, please listen carefully to the psalmist:

1) Oh give thanks unto YAHVEH; for he is good; for his lovingkindness endures for ever.

2) Let Israel now say, that his lovingkindness endures for ever.

3) Let the house of Aaron now say, that his lovingkindness endures for ever.

4) Let them now that fear YAHVEH say, that his lovingkindness endures for ever.

5) Out of my distress I called upon YAHVEH. YAHVEH answered me and set me in a large place.

6) YAHVEH is on my side; I will not fear; what can man do to me?

7) YAHVEH is on my side among them that help me. Therefore shall I see my desire upon them that hate me.

8) It is better to take refuge in YAHVEH than to put confidence in man.

9) It is better to take refuge in YAHVEH than to put confidence in princes.

10) All nations compassed me about. In the name of YAHVEH I will cut them off.

11) They compassed me about; yea, they compassed me about. In the name of YAHVEH I will cut them off.

12) They compassed me about like bees; they are quenched as the fire of thorns: In the name of YAHVEH I will cut them off.

13) You did thrust sore at me that I might fall; But YAHVEH helped me.

14) YAHVEH is my strength and song; and he is become my salvation.

15) The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tabernacles of the righteous: the right hand of YAHVEH doeth valiantly.

16) The right hand of YAHVEH is exalted. The right hand of YAHVEH doeth valiantly.

17) I shall not die - but live, and declare the works of YAHVEH.

18) YAHVEH hath chastened me sore; but he hath not given me over unto death.

19) Open to me the gates of righteousness. I will enter into them; I will give thanks unto YAHVEH.

20) This is the gate of YAHVEH; the righteous shall enter into it.

21) I will give thanks unto thee; for thou hast answered me, and are become my salvation.

22) The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner.

23) This is YAHVEH's doing; It is marvelous in our eyes.

24) This is the day which YAHVEH has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

25) Save now, we beseech thee, O YAHVEH; O YAHVEH, we beseech thee, prosper now!

26) Blessed be he that comes in the name of YAHVEH. We have blessed you out of the house of YAHVEH.

27) YAHVEH is God, and he has given us light. Bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar.

28) Thou art my God, and I will give thanks unto thee: Thou art my God, I will extol thee.

29) Oh give thanks unto YAHVEH; for he is good; for his lovingkindness endures to the ages.

In the Psalter there are six Psalms - Psalm 113 through Psalm 118 - called the "hallel". You'll recognize "hallel" as the first part of the word "halleluia"... its translation being "praise YAHVEH".

The six Psalms praise YAHVEH for His mighty deeds and His truth and His justice and His lovingkindness... especially in the light of the "One coming" in the Name of YAHVEH.

These Psalms were to be used especially during a seven-day festival which ended with the feast of tabernacles on the eighth day. As with all of the feasts prescribed by God for Israel, this one is prophetic of an eighth day (first day of the week) Lord's Day in which, by God's enduring lovingkindness, salvation is created.

The Psalm I just read (Psalm 118 - the last of the six "hallel" Psalms) is called the "hosanna", a Hebrew word which means "save now!" "This is the day which YAHVEH has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. Save now, we beseech thee, O YAHVEH; O YAHVEH, we pray thee, prosper us now!"

Now listen to Matthew and Mark in their Gospels:

Matthew 21:9 "And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!"

Mark 11:8 "And many spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut from the fields. And those who went before and those who followed were shouting, "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!"

Jesus had told His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem where He would suffer and die at the hands of the priests and scribes and pharisees. And as they entered, before Him and behind Him were the thousands from all over Israel and beyond that were following Him into the city.

They were singing and shouting the Hallel! Halleluia! Praise YAHVEH! Hosanna! Save now! Blessed is He Who comes in the Name of YAHVEH!

A thousand years is as a day. And a thousand years before, David was inspired to write the very words being shouted at the triumphal entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem. And the words they were shouting were from the Hallel. The Word of God is true and just; for here was the promised King Who comes in the name of YAHVEH. "Extol our God", for He is true to His Word into the ages. "Halleluia!"

Nearly forty years later (here in our text) John writes what he sees and hears in God's tabernacle. And he hears the words of the Hallel from the feast of tabernacles. And the connections between a thousand years of Revelation are made between the Psalms of the hallel (the words that were shouted at Jesus' entry into Jerusalem) and all that John hears here at the beginning of chapter nineteen.

All the creatures in God's tabernacle in the heaven burst out in cosmic halleluias, for YAHVEH is true to His Word, and judgment has been rendered as prophesied. And YAHVEH has answered the shouts of "Hosanna" (save now!). Fear YAHVEH; extol our God, for the harlot of the world - the very one that was betrothed to YAHVEH, and the very one that has shed the blood of all of God's holy ones upon the land - has been judged! And her smoke ascends into His nostrils as incense - into the ages. And His vengeance will be satisfied. Amen! HALLELUIA!

Never once does the Halleluia appear in the New Testament Scripture until John hears it in God's tabernacle. And that's because this is where the prophesied judgment is pronounced! There are many allusions to the judgment; and there are warnings throughout the Gospels and the letters of the apostles. But this is where it's pronounced, you see... right here in our text.

In the older testament Scripture the halleluia is found in the prophesied judgment of Israel... and in connection with the fear of YAHVEH and the coming salvation of God's people in His promised Messiah/King.

These are mighty things... fearful things!

This is from Psalm twenty-two:

You who fear him praise YAHVEH; all you seed of Jacob, glorify him; fear him, all you seed of Israel.

And so we see in our text! John hears the judgment pronounced on the harlot nation that has shed the blood of the righteous (as was prophesied); and there are jubilant halleluias shouted by the host of heaven.

Then comes this in verse five:

"Then there came forth a sound from the throne saying, "all you His servants, the small and the great who are afeared, extol our God!"

Exactly the way the Psalmist puts it in Psalm 118. The judgment of God has been rendered; and He has, indeed, saved His people in response to the "hosannas". So all you His servants who have been caused to fear, extol (magnify) our God... the insignificant and the mighty, the poor and the rich, the sick and the strong....

He is true and just in His judgment of the harlot that poured out the blood of His holy ones! And whether you His servants are great or small - be afeared... and extol our God. Sing Halleluias! Your "hosanna" has been answered.

Whether His servants are kings or paupers, the extent of the flood of wrath upon His betrothed nation (a true and just judgment) brings great fear - not of man, but of YAHVEH! And that fear is the beginning of wisdom; for He is able - not only to kill the body, but to destroy life forever in the lake of fire.

No one else, nothing else, is able to do that... only Him! No emperor, no king, no mad-man can do that. Not even Satan. That dragon itself will be thrown into the fire and brimstone.

And since all mankind is cursed and depraved, that judgment would be true and just! Save for the lovingkindness and mercy of God upon the promised seed, all would be due that ultimate judgment!

And since His Own Word is proved to be true and just, in that He has pronounced judgment upon His Own paradise land of Israel, all His servants (i.e., those who are "afeared") are to extol our God as did the host of God's tabernacle!

As you can see, according to Scripture, fear isn't "inimical" to our worship of God; but, rather, it is at the "core" - the beginning - of true worship. The full realization that He alone is able - and indeed does - terminate life itself in an eternal lake of fire, is the source of wisdom!

The ones "caused to fear" know that He is YAHVEH - GOD! He is IS; He is WAS; He is SHALL BE; and this creation WILL BE for His glory.

The apostle Paul, you remember, used an analogy that was directly out of the older Scripture. He said, in essence, how could a pot refuse to be that which its creator made? What could possibly cause it to perform some other function other than that of a pot? And if, somehow, it did that, then the potter would just crush it into a thousand pieces and start over!

The issue there is whether a creation (in this case a pot) could self-determine its own existence and function, and therefore do things that it wants to do, and be what it wants to be - having NO FEAR of its creator's ability to shatter it!

Paul's analogy is imminently sensible, isn't it? For cursed and depraved mankind - creatures of God - won't acknowledge Him as Creator, preferring self-determination... and, in fact, being rebellious toward the One Who made them! And one who won't even acknowledge his own creaturehood won't acknowledge a fearsome Creator!

Why would a creature be in fear of his Creator if he won't acknowledge that there IS a Creator. And if he won't acknowledge that there is a Creator, then he won't know the mighty, fearsome deeds of his Creator!

He won't know that God brought this creation into existence by the Word of His Power... and for His Own glory. He won't know that all of history is God's history. He won't know that God preserved a Seed for Himself through all the machinations of cursed mankind and the vengeance of a dragon. He won't know that that Seed was birthed in a nation that would soon be destroyed with the sword and burned in fire and brimstone... its smoke ascending forever to God's pleasure and satisfaction. He won't know that the love of God for His people and for His creation required Him to pour out His wrath upon that Seed and abandon Him as a sacrifice to Himself for the sin of the world!

These are fearsome things, you see.

But as our verse five says, "all you His servants, the small and the great who are afeared, extol our God!"

John hears the mighty sound from the throneroom of God's tabernacle; and it addresses His bondservants - there are ones of high rank and there are those of low rank - and they have all been caused to fear. They are all to "extol" our God (same word as was used in Psalm 118).

His servants are those who "fear". The ones caused to fear are His servants. They have heard the judgment pronounced upon Jerusalem and the land; and it is fearsome! And they are to extol our God, for He is holy and just and true!

What can be more fearsome than this... the Seed promised to Abraham - the Seed of the woman - was preserved though history and brought forth from the harlot with the pangs and agony of childbirth. The Savior of the world (and those In Him of the twelve tribes of Jacob) was born from the harlot that had poured out the blood of the righteous from the beginning... and then poured out the blood of the Son of God. The salvation of the world was born out of Israel - the harlot, you see. Then Almighty God pronounces judgment on her for her harlotry and for the murder of God's holy ones. And all the nations are beneficiaries of that judgment!

These are most fearsome things to know!

The fear of God isn't just something that's "healthy". Rather it's the beginning of wisdom. Fear makes us wise; for who are His servants who would deign to disobey? Who among His servants would return to his cursed, adamic heritage?

Listen to Hebrews chapter six:

4)For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in Holy Spirit,

5)and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come,

6)and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying the Son of God afresh and holding him up to contempt.

7)For land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it, and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God.

8)But if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, and its end is to be burned.

Fear of God is good in that it makes us wise in the ways of God - His judgments, His justice, His truth. Who is it that would "fall away" (as the writer to the Hebrews said) if he was "afeared" - caused to fear - God's judgment?

Those who know and fear our God restrain themselves from any evil way. Certainly we are to love God - for He first loved us and gave Himself for us that we might have life. That love, however, mustn't be used to negate the fear that makes us wise in our walk before Him; for should we become arrogant and disobedient (cultivating those thorns and thistles), we place ourselves at great risk. His judgment is, indeed, fearsome. Love for God and the fear of God exist side-by-side for His bondservants, you see.

It has been asked thousands of times: "how can we know we're saved?" My response to that is my question: "do you know?"

Formerly, in the text of the Revelation, it was said that those who belonged to Him were the ones holding the testimony of Jesus and keeping His Commandments. That's the identifying evidence. The present tense there is a continuous state. Under the most severe of circumstances there in the first century - persecution, torture and death, those who our Lord held on to were in a continuous state of holding His testimony and keeping His Commandments! They didn't consider the fear of man to be consequential in comparison, since man can only kill the body!

Please note that I said "those who our Lord is holding on to". Those who belong to Him, He keeps! He is the Rock upon which all things hold together; and He is able to keep us from falling. We don't hold onto Him; He holds onto us!

Here in the text of chapter nineteen, those who are His bondservants (those belonging to Him) are caused to fear due to the justice and truth and judgment of Almighty God; and they (whether of high rank or low) were to extol (magnify, praise) God for His pronounced judgment of Jerusalem and the land.

Jerusalem and the land of Israel proved itself to be a worthy subject for execution. And there was an incredible, fear-producing destruction of the harlot. And the desolation produced by Almighty God in all His wrath was to cause fear in all of His people... that they not prove themselves worthy of His judgment!

All of the ones who our Lord is holding on to (i.e. His bondservants) are afeared of the judgment of God; and therefore they restrain their feet from any evil way. They refuse to return to the old heritage in Adam. And thus they "make their election sure"... they are assured, and they assure themselves, as they remain in "the way". And that assurance grows day by day and year by year.

This is the way the apostle Peter put it in his second letter:

8) for these things being worked in you and abounding, do make [you] neither inert nor unfruitful with regard to the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ,

9) for he with whom these things are not present is blind, dim-sighted, having become forgetful of the cleansing of his old sins.

10) Wherefore, the rather, brethren, be diligent to make sure your calling and election; for doing these things, you may never fall away,

11) for so, the entrance into the age-enduring reign of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly added unto you.

So, to the question: "how do we know we're saved", comes the answer from the Scripture itself. Assurance of your place in the age-enduring Kingdom of Jesus Christ (assurance that He is holding onto you as His bondservant), is abundantly provided you as you fearfully walk in the way - holding the testimony of Jesus and keeping His Commandments.

The "hosannas" (save now!) in the hallel; the "hosannas" (save now) shouted by the multitude following Jesus into Jerusalem before His crucifixion, are answered in verses six through nine as the host of the glory cloud breaks out once more in halleluia! For the One prophesied to come has come; and He has saved; and He will reign forever. We'll take up these four verses next time.

But since it's the time for celebrating the birth of Jesus, let's just spend a couple of minutes with some of the things that happened seventy years previous to John's Revelation.

And since I'm over seventy years old, it's all fascinating to me since the events prophesied in Scripture - including John's Revelation - all happened in a period of time that was shorter than my age! It was truly one generation!

There was one event that marked the beginning of "the end of the age". Here it is from Luke chapter two:

8) And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

9) And a messenger from the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear.

10) And the messenger said to them, "be not afraid, for lo, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the peoples.

11) For unto you is born this day a Savior who is XRISTOS KURIOS - in the city of David.

12) And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger."

13) And suddenly there was with the messenger a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

14) "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to those with whom he is well-pleased!"

There is much here; and perhaps we'll see more next Lord's Day (and remember that next Sunday is The Lord's Day - the only "holy day".) But let's mention two things here.

The first one has to do with the words XRISTOS KURIOS. The two words are equal proper nouns. In the declension of nouns, they are the same. And the translation is "Christ Lord"; XRISTOS KURIOS is His Name! (That's why He's called "Kurios" in the apostles' letters... including verse six of our chapter nineteen text!) God the Son - the promised Anointed - has been born. And, as promised, He has been born in the city of David. And He is Savior of "all the peoples".

Note that the messenger from the mouth of God doesn't say that Christ was Israel's Messiah! He says that Christ is the Savior of the peoples! It's no wonder that the king in Israel sought to kill Him; and it's also no wonder that among the first to bring gifts and worship Him were Gentile magi!!

Secondly, let's see that there was a single messenger sent to deliver a message to these shepherds; and as in every case throughout Scripture, the message directly from God to these shepherds caused them great fear and dread. And as in our chapter nineteen text, they were "afeared". It's passive. God's message puts them at ease, though: "be not afraid".

But then the entire host of the glory cloud/tabernacle of God was revealed to them (just as with the prophets of old), including all the messengers of the glory cloud and the twenty-four elders and the cherubim at the throne/room - mercy seat in the tabernacle! The entire tabernacle of God was opened up to them.

After all, this is the announcement of the appearance of the promised Anointed One - the Savior of the world. And, therefore (since the promised Anointed One has appeared) it is the appointed time! It is the fullness of the time... as promised in the prophetic Word. It is the last days - the end of the age.

And seventy years later, here in our text, the host of the tabernacle in the heaven bursts forth in multiple "halleluias" to The God Who sits over the throne; for the end of the age has come; and He has pronounced the judgment: the Sword of YAHVEH - and the burning... the aroma of which will ascend to the nostrils of God into the ages.

And God the Son will proceed to His work as King of Kings and Lord of Lords - to subdue the peoples ... with the Sword of His mouth and the rod of iron.

 

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REVELATION 19:1-21 Part 2

 

1) After these I heard as a great sound of a multitude in the heaven saying "halleluia the salvation and the glory and the power of our God,

2) for His judgments are true and just; for He judged the great harlot that corrupted the earth in her fornication and avenged His servants' blood at her hand."

3) Then again they declared "halleluia! Her smoke ascends into the ages of ages."

4) Then the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshipped The God seated over the throne, saying "Amen! Halleluia!"

5) Then there came forth a sound from the throne saying, "all you His servants, the small and the great who are afeared, extol our God!"

6) Then I heard as sound of a multitude and as sound of many waters and as sound of mighty thunders saying "halleluia! Kurios the Almighty God reigns!

7) Rejoicing and celebrating we will give Him the glory, for the wedding feast of the Lamb did come! And His betrothed did ready herself!

8) And it was given to her that she be arrayed in pure, bright linen; for the fine linen is the righteousness of the holy ones."

9) Then he says to me, "write: ‘blessed the ones called to the wedding feast of the Lamb'"; and says to me, "these true words are from God".

10) And I fell before his feet to pay homage to him, and he says "see you not do that, for I am the fellow servant of you and your brothers who hold the testimony of Jesus; for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."

11) Then I saw the heaven opened and, lo, a white horse; and seated upon it One called Faithful and True, and He judges and wages war in righteousness,

12) His eyes as flaming fire, many diadems on His head, having a written name that is known by no one but Him.

13) He was clothed about - the raiment blood-spattered, and His Name called The Word of God,

14) the armies in the heaven - clothed in pure white linen - following Him on white horses,

15) a sharp sword proceeding from His mouth, that with it He would smite the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron. And He treads the winepress of the wine of the wrath - the vengeance of Almighty God.

16) And He has a name written on His raiment and on His thigh: King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

17) Then I saw one messenger standing in the sun; and it cried out - a great sound - saying to all the birds flying in mid-heaven: "Come! Gather to the great feast of God

18) that you may eat the flesh of rulers, the flesh of commanders, the flesh of the strong, the flesh of horses and of those sitting upon them, the flesh of all - both free and slave, small and great.

19) Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered to wage war with the One sitting upon the horse and His army;

20) and the beast was seized (and with it the false prophet that did the signs before it by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and paid homage to its image); both were cast alive into the lake of fire, being burned in brimstone;

21) and the remaining ones were killed with the sword of the One sitting upon the horse - that which proceeded from His mouth; and all the birds were gorged from their flesh.

John's Revelation of Jesus Christ is a letter to the Churches. And it didn't have any chapters. What we have here in (what we know as) chapter nineteen is a continuation of what is written in chapter eighteen - without a break in the script of the letter!

And as the letter continues, Johns writes, "After these..." (verse one). "After these" refers to what has just been previously shown to John. And all that he is shown, and all that he is caused to hear, is prophetic... in continuation of all of the former prophecy. The continuity is unmistakable. He was told at the beginning that there had to be one last prophecy before the end of the age (which was imminent), and that he was the one to prophesy this one last time. All that he sees and hears he is to write to the Churches that they be assured and strengthened and comforted in all that was about to be, for the Day of YAHVEH was at hand! Mighty things of God were about to take place; and those in the Churches scattered in the nations all over the earth were to hold fast the testimony of Jesus and keep His Commandments.

This entire prophetic Word constitutes the testimony of Jesus (that's how chapter one verse one begins); and the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy (verse ten of our text). And all prophecy concludes here with the apostle John as he is shown all that has been prophesied heretofore, and all that is about to take place here in the "last days" - the "end of the age" - the "Day of YAHVEH".

John is shown all of these things as God has purposed them and as He perceives them. They are not necessarily in chronological order; but, as God reveals them, John sees them as the great covenantal matters that have been revealed throughout God's Word. Prophecy doesn't occur in sequence; it takes place by way of the great matters of God's covenant.

In chapter eighteen John wrote what he was shown concerning the lawsuit against the harlot Israel and its capitol city Jerusalem (we read the prophecy of this lawsuit in Ezekiel chapter twenty seven); for Israel had been betrothed to YAHVEH at Sinai. But all through the betrothal, Israel had played the whore of the nations, deceiving them by her enchantments... causing them all to drink of the cup of the wine of her fornications.

During the betrothal Israel was to prepare for the wedding festivities with joy and anticipation. But, as Jesus said in His kingdom parable (Matthew twenty-two), there had been no preparations at all! Instead, she hated Him when He arrived; for she had been a harlot during the entire betrothal!

And secondly (as the last verse of chapter eighteen says), "...the blood of the prophets was found in her, and that of every one of the holy ones ever slain upon the land."

Chapter eighteen is the prophetic Word regarding the lawsuit - a lawsuit with all witnesses present - it is the prophecy of her execution... all to take place shortly. And there were these two charges against her in the former chapter: 1) rather than being the light of the world - the city on the hill - shining the light of the glory of God upon all the peoples of the world, she was the harlot of the world - enchanting the kings and merchants of the nations with her great beauty and wealth; and 2) she persecuted and killed the prophets and shed the blood of God's holy ones.

And then, in a review of the history of God's covenantal promise of a "seed", we looked once again at Jesus' condemnation of the priests and scribes and pharisees just before His crucifixion.

Here it is from Matthew chapter twenty-three:

27) Woe to you scribes and pharisees hypocrites, you repair the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous (the holy ones),

28) and you say, ‘If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers of them in the blood of the prophets."

29) So you are witnesses to yourselves that you are sons of those who killed the prophets;

30) and you, you fill up the measure of your fathers.

31) Serpents, brood of vipers, how shall you escape from the judgment of Gehenna?

32) Because of this, Lo, I send to you prophets and sages and scribes; of them you will kill and crucify, and of them you will scourge in your synagogues, and you will persecute them from city into city,

33) In order that all righteous blood shall come upon you which has been spilled upon the land from the blood of the righteous Abel until the blood of Zacharias Son of Barachias, who you murdered between the temple and altar!

34) Amen I say to you, these things shall come upon this generation.

35) Jerusalem, Jerusalem, she who kills the prophets and stones the ones who were being sent to her, how many times I wished to gather together your children (even as a bird gathers her brood under her wings) and you would not.

36) Lo, your house is left to you a desolation.

Not only does our Lord identify Jerusalem as the city under judgment (as does the entirety of the Revelation), but He also condemns the scribes and pharisees as self-admitted sons of their serpent fathers who killed the holy ones of old!

The seed of the serpent is always at enmity with the seed of the woman (Genesis chapter three). And these hypocrite leaders of Israel were the seed - the progeny - of the serpent. It's one of the great covenantal matters revealed from the beginning of the Scripture all the way to the end; and therefore it is of primary import throughout John's Revelation.

Our Lord's promise of the desolation of Jerusalem and the land of Israel (in this generation) comes to its fullness in what is recorded for us in chapter eighteen. It is the tabernacle of God in the heaven as a court of law with all the witnesses.

Our Lord, at the beginning of chapter eighteen, declares Jerusalem ready for judgment; and the charges are brought. And (once again) they are: her harlotry with the nations all during her betrothal to YAHVEH, and her shedding of the blood of the righteous all through her history.

The judgment that is rendered by God upon the "greater Babylon" - Israel, is in the last five verses of chapter eighteen. Listen one last time:

"'Be gladdened over her heaven and holy ones and apostles and prophets! for from your lawsuit God did pass judgment on her.'

Then the one mighty messenger raised a stone as a great millstone and cast it into the sea, saying "so with violence Babylon the great city shall be cast and shall never again be found.

The sound of harpers and musicians and pipers and trumpeters shall never be heard in you again; and no craftsman of any craft shall ever be found in you again; and the sound of a millstone shall never be heard in you again;and the light of a candle shall never shine in you again; and the voice of the bridegroom and the bride shall never be heard in you again; for your merchants were the princes of the earth, and by your enchantment all the nations of the earth were seduced;and the blood of the prophets was found in her, and that of every one of the holy ones ever slain upon the land."

What John hears now in chapter nineteen is the entire tabernacle of God erupting in joyous praise at the judgment that has just been rendered (recorded in chapter eighteen). And what we want to get at this morning before communion is the anticipation of God's imminent judgment upon Israel and the city of Jerusalem, and the great joy among all the creatures in the heaven that it was now about to take place!

YAHVEH is just in His judgment, and He is true to His Word; for all His prophets have prophesied the very Day of YAHVEH in which this judgment would come to pass!

Since the beginning, you see, there had been this great expectation among all the creatures in the heaven because God had spoken it! They didn't know when it would be, but they knew it would be! And when God pronounced the judgment (chapter eighteen) they all broke out in thunderous halleluias (chapter nineteen)!

And let's see that it wasn't just the creatures in the heaven that were eagerly awaiting the Day of YAHVEH, but as we heard in chapter six (as the Lamb opened the seals of the scroll), the blood of the righteous cried out to God for His vengeance! As Jesus said, the blood of holy ones all through history had been shed by these "sons of vipers".

Listen once again to what John was shown then (chapter six):

9) And when He did open the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the lives of those who had been slaughtered because of the Word of God and because of the testimony that they were holding.

10) And in a great sound they did cry out, saying "until when, holy and worthy Master, are You not judging and avenging our blood from those dwelling on the land?

And a white priestly garment was given to each one, and it was spoken to them that they should rest themselves yet a little time until also their fellow-servants and brothers who are about to be killed even as they, should be fulfilled.

So, you see, there was eager anticipation for (what Luke called) the Days of Vengeance in which YAHVEH would bring desolation to the harlot and the land. There was yet more blood of the righteous to be shed; and the sin of Israel was not yet piled up into the heaven. But as we heard in chapter one, it was all to take place quickly!

But there was excitement and longing and yearning for that day. It had been prophesied, you see! And John hears that judgment from above the throne there in chapter eighteen. And now in chapter nineteen there is the sound of a tumult throughout the extent of the cosmos! John hears it all as the entire glory cloud/tabernacle of God bursts out in joyous praise; for judgment had been rendered and the time had arrived!

The mighty roar of ten thousands times ten thousands of the messengers of the glory cloud; the twenty four elders under and around the mercy seat; the four magnificent creatures - the cherubim - all breaking out in joy and praise at the Revelation of the arrival of the "day".

The "Seed" of the woman - God's Messiah/King - had arisen out of death with all of the elect of the twelve tribes of Jacob. He had sought out every last one of them... all of which had been marked and sealed in baptism and removed from the land before the coming of the burnished sword of Almighty God against the condemned harlot!

The flaming sword that YAHVEH had stationed before the way to the tree of life (Genesis chapter three) would now be the instrument of execution; for Jerusalem and the land had sought to determine her own way. She had wished to have "life" on her own terms.

This is another of those exalted covenantal matters appearing throughout the text of Scripture, you see; and throughout the Revelation John is shown that self-same Sword proceeding from the mouth of the glorified Jesus Christ.

It was a fear-producing sight for John (as we heard from chapter one), for not only is the sword of YAHVEH the implement of death and desolation for Jerusalem and the land; but it is the instrument of life for the Gentile nations, peoples, tribes and tongues.

Wherever it is wielded by the Savior of the world, there is death to the old humanity in Adam, and men and women and children are rebirthed into the new humanity of Jesus Christ - the second Adam.

And once again all the creatures in God's heavenly tabernacle are exhilarated - jubilant - as these things are revealed; for they have expected all of this!

As the imminent judgment of Jerusalem and the land is uttered from above the throne, they all break out in "halleluias" regarding the truth and justice of God. And they do so again at the reign and rule of The Christ... for the judgment of the harlot marks the reign of the King of Kings over the nations. The true "paradise" will now come to be... IN HIM.

The very first location in Scripture (and one of only a few) in which the Hebrew word "halleluia" appears is in Psalm 104. The Psalm is an absolute delight, in that it is anticipatory of the perfect paradise-creation of God as sinners are consumed out of the earth.

I'll wait until another time to read the entire Psalm for you; but listen to just a few verses at the end:

33) I will sing unto YAHVEH as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.

34) My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in YAHVEH.

35) Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless YAHVEH, O my soul. HALLELUIA!

The "hallel" is "praise"; the "u" sound is the imperative; and the "Yah" sound is the Name of God: YAHVEH. "Hallel-u-ia"

Let it be observed here without doubt that what John sees and hears here at the beginning of chapter nineteen is exactly what the Psalmist prophesies in Psalm 104. When in His justice and truth God consumes the wicked, there is the onset of a paradise creation that reflects the glory of Almighty God in His tabernacle.

Here in our text the "halleluias" break out among the entirety of the glory cloud of God; for He, in all His truth and justice, has pronounced the imminent judgment of the wicked harlot - just as in Psalm 104.

And there is then another thunderous roar of "halleluia" for Kurios - Almighty God the Son; for His is the work of the "new heavens and the new earth in which dwells righteousness". In Him is the new temple in the new Jerusalem by which all the creation will once again reflect the glory of His Father. That's the personally stated purpose of Jesus... to glorify His Father.

As the Psalmist anticipated all of this, so the creatures in God's tabernacle anticipated it. As the Psalmist uttered a loud "Halleluia", so the whole glory cloud of God erupted in mighty "Halleluias". They expected it, and now it has come to be!

Now, the word "hope" (the common English translation of the Greek word "elpis") leaves everything open to some uncertainty. But the real translation of the word is the English word "expectation", or "anticipation". You see, one can "hope" that some future event comes to pass; and therein is the uncertainty that it will. But to expect it - or to anticipate it - tends to remove that uncertainty. One can expect only that which he knows to be true! God has said it. And if He has said it, then you can look forward to it! You can expect it! And there is rejoicing when it comes to be!

And that's exactly the case here at the beginning of chapter nineteen. The host of the heavenly tabernacle knew (from the prophetic Word) that there was a day of judgment coming... they expected it; and they were elated when it was pronounced. And they also knew that that end-of-the-age day of YAHVEH would inaugurate the reign and rule of Jesus Christ over all the nations - as promised to Abraham. And they knew that In Him was a new paradise heaven-and-earth to the glory of the Father! They expected it because it was prophesied; and when it was announced, the glory cloud was filled with halleluias!

Now... in that light, and as we come to the sign and seal of the covenant that our Lord introduced on the night in which he was delivered up, there are a few things that I would like for you to consider.

First, as we think about all the things we've learned so far from The Revelation, it ought to be with great joy to know that our Lord has "joined together" many people from all nations, tongues and tribes in His new humanity.

By His grace and mercy Gentiles everywhere have been received ... all promised afore to Abraham. And we're no longer members of that cursed and fallen humanity from which we've been so freely rebirthed. We are "seed" that God has kept for Himself - seed of the woman promised in the original paradise, brothers with a new heritage in the Second Adam.

Secondly, our Lord's instruction to His apostles was that, as the Gospel of Christ's salvation was preached to the nations, they were to baptize them (and that included their children). Place the "mark of Christ" on them. It is the mark of God on our bodies, and the mark of the outpouring of His Spirit on the nations. Baptize them. And, then, teach them to obey. He is King of the nations; they are to receive His mark as did our Lord's lost sheep of the tribes of Jacob. And they are to be taught to obey their King. By the "mark"; and by their fearful obedience, they are identified.

Thirdly, there is a "unity" in this new humanity. Jesus said that all who belong to Him are "in Him", and He in them, and we in God (John chapter fifteen). It is a brotherhood in Christ. We are made His brothers; and we are "His body". We are no longer the "body" of Adam. We no longer belong to the race of Adam.... We are a new body... the body of Christ the Savior of the world! And all who bear His "mark" have access to His table, where we "remember" Him and receive "nourishment" in His body and anticipate His further work!

Although all of us who are baptized are given assurance of the truth and validity of His covenant promises (which includes all of our children), the letter to the Church at Corinth chastises the Church for its sacramental practices. Members who have more don't separate themselves from those who have less; members of one race (Jewish members, for example) don't separate themselves from others races (Gentiles, for example); and vice-versa! There are no races in the body of Christ! As we've said before, there are only two races... the one whose heritage is Christ and the other one whose heritage is Adam!

And there's to be no "boasting" in that (Paul says). Can a newborn boast that he had something to do with his birth? Can a newborn somehow earn the right to choose which family he's to be born into? How is it that you boast in your heritage? If you boast, says Paul, boast in the will and purpose of our sovereign God - not in your heritage!

And you don't come to His table in a party spirit either... gorging yourselves on food and wine. Paul said that if you're hungry, eat at home! This isn't a party! It's a solemn event! This is with reference to His body... not to fill your own!

And also, even if you're a baptized member of His covenant, you're expected to examine yourselves (and your children). If you're out of accord with your brother; or if you're in some kind of rebellion against our Lord's Commandments, then you need to get it straight before you come! And that requires self-examination, confession and repentance. Otherwise you may be eating and drinking judgment unto yourself. In that, this is indeed a solemn occasion.

But, further, this is a joyous event to be celebrated. There is not only to be self-examination and confession and repentance, and restrained eating and drinking, but there is also to be thankfulness, gladness and comfort in our having been included.

In the sacrament itself, which is the sign and seal of the covenant, we must be elated that we were in Him in His birth; we were in Him in His humiliation, death and burial; we were in Him in His resurrection. And now we are in Him at His Seat over the throne-room in the heaven where we actually participate in judging the world!

Because of what HE did - not what we did - we are washed in His blood, and we are nourished in His body. And it is all given to us freely. We are not wage-earners... we are gift-recipients, you see.

And lastly I just have a few things to say about our expectations. And before the table is a great time and place.

Our Lord Jesus Christ was delivered up to crucifixion by the seed of the serpent. The third day He arose out of death. Forty days after His crucifixion He came to The Father in the glory cloud in the heaven, having completed His covenantal work on earth; and He was given all authority in the heavens and the earth and awarded all the nations for His faithfulness to the Father's will and purpose. On the fiftieth day He poured out His Spirit at Pentecost; and thousands went back home to the nations and tribes and tongues of the earth as newborn babes in Christ. The Church was born in the nations; the Church, the visible representative of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ.

From the heaven His work proceeds. And just as before - He will not fail. He has all authority over the host of heaven; He has all authority over the creation and all of its creatures; and He has all authority over the creatures in the abyss. They all obey.

Now, expectation is at the core of the faith, isn't it? In the seven messages to the Churches in chapters two and three of The Revelation, there was severe chastening of those who weren't anticipating what was promised in the prophetic Word and what was promised in the preaching and letters of Christ's apostles! It was the imminent Parousia of Jesus Christ the King! In some, there was no expectation, and their false teaching was infecting the Churches! And unless the Churches sanctioned these false teachers, there would be judgment on the Churches at His Parousia! That's how important it is to anticipate that which God has said in His prophetic Word! That's how important it is to expect the "fullness" of the work of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords!

So, when we celebrate at the table, there should be not only a solemn remembrance of Him, with confession and repentance; and there should be not only joy and thanksgiving as we receive the sign and seal of the covenant.

But there should also be an enlightened expectancy - a wondrous anticipation - of His further work. He's not finished! What you see isn't all there is. There's so much more to come!

This creation isn't to be destroyed; it is to be saved! Lo! The Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world! He is the Overcomer. He overcomes Satan; He overcomes sin; He overcomes death; He overcomes the curse on humanity and the creation. And God's creation will once again reflect the glory of God in His tabernacle.

The first paradise was cursed and made a wilderness. The second heaven-and-earth paradise - Israel, was cursed and made a wilderness. But the new heavens and the new earth is a true paradise In Him; for He has overcome the curse. He is this creation's Ruler and King; and all kings and nations and tribes and tongues will bow before Him and acknowledge Him. And as was spoken to Daniel, His Kingdom will never be destroyed (as the four kingdoms before Him were).

Communion is the sign and the seal of the Covenant. And the salvation of the world is at the very essence of the Covenant! The table is the place for confidence and expectation! Since He has already faithfully performed the will and purpose of The Father, we are to be confident that He is able to complete the further work that is promised!

The salvation of the world was covenantally promised to Abraham and revealed through the prophets and apostles - the capstone of which is right here in the Revelation of Jesus Christ; and that's what we are to look forward to with ardent - FERVENT anticipation.

 

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REVELATION 19:1-21 Part 1

 

1) After these I heard as a great sound of a multitude in the heaven saying "halleluia the salvation and the glory and the power of our God,

2) for His judgments are true and just; for He judged the great harlot that corrupted the earth in her fornication and avenged His servants' blood at her hand."

3) Then again they declared "halleluia! Her smoke ascends into the ages of ages."

4) Then the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshipped The God seated over the throne, saying "Amen! Halleluia!"

5) Then there came forth a sound from the throne saying, "all you His servants, the small and the great who are afeared, extol our God!"

6) Then I heard as sound of a multitude and as sound of many waters and as sound of mighty thunders saying "halleluia! Kurios the Almighty God reigns!

7) Rejoicing and celebrating we will give Him the glory, for the wedding feast of the Lamb did come! And His betrothed did ready herself!

8) And it was given to her that she be arrayed in pure, bright linen; for the fine linen is the righteousness of the holy ones."

9) Then he says to me, "write: ‘blessed the ones called to the wedding feast of the Lamb'"; and says to me, "these true words are from God".

10) And I fell before his feet to pay homage to him, and he says "see you not do that, for I am the fellow servant of you and your brothers who hold the testimony of Jesus; for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."

11) Then I saw the heaven opened and, lo, a white horse; and seated upon it One called Faithful and True, and He judges and wages war in righteousness,

12) His eyes as flaming fire, many diadems on His head, having a written name that is known by no one but Him.

13) He was clothed about - the raiment blood-spattered, and His Name called The Word of God,

14) the armies in the heaven - clothed in pure white linen - following Him on white horses,

15) a sharp sword proceeding from His mouth, that with it He would smite the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron. And He treads the winepress of the wine of the wrath - the vengeance of Almighty God.

16) And He has a name written on His raiment and on His thigh: King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

17) Then I saw one messenger standing in the sun; and it cried out - a great sound - saying to all the birds flying in mid-heaven: "Come! Gather to the great feast of God

18) that you may eat the flesh of rulers, the flesh of commanders, the flesh of the strong, the flesh of horses and of those sitting upon them, the flesh of all - both free and slave, small and great.

19) Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered to wage war with the One sitting upon the horse and His army;

20) and the beast was seized (and with it the false prophet that did the signs before it by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and paid homage to its image); both were cast alive into the lake of fire, being burned in brimstone;

21) and the remaining ones were killed with the sword of the One sitting upon the horse - that which proceeded from His mouth; and all the birds were gorged from their flesh.

There are many things swirling around in my mind that I need to do... to help bring clarity, knowledge and understanding, in order that you are caused to fear, for (as the Scripture says) fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. It's the starting place.

John hears this mighty sound thundered throughout the tabernacle (verse five) "all you His servants, the small and the great who are afeared, extol our God!"

We'll spend some more time on it when we come to the verse; but, for our purposes this morning, I had to coin the new word: "afeared". His servants are the ones who have been caused to fear. It's in the passive voice... so it isn't something servants do; rather it is something that they receive!

By Word and Spirit all of the ones who are "afeared" of God (i.e. caused to fear) are the ones who are His servants. And these same ones are to "extol", or applaud or magnify, our God; for all His judgments are true and just.

But the thoughts run through my mind like the ticker tape at the stock market... one after another. I need to do this; I need to do that; this needs some more time; that requires more repetition; clarity is lacking, so the knowledge of the Scripture needs expanding....

Every time we enter another chapter (all of which are continuations of all that came before), there comes an all-new set of anxieties that not enough has been done! (We're going on... but maybe we're not ready to go on.)

I remember twenty-five years ago when David Chilton's "Days of Vengeance" was published. It was acclaimed the most thorough exposition of The Revelation ever written... "a massive work" it was said. It's five hundred and ninety pages - much of which dealt with symbolism, astrology and Church liturgy. I don't know whether David ever preached through the Revelation.

Most everything that I've read indicates that The Revelation is too complex for a sermon series... that it just can't be made "simple" enough! When it's addressed as a series from the pulpit (which is rare), it's usually something like a chapter a week for twenty-two weeks!

But you see, the task isn't to make all of this "simple". That's what most preachers would tell you: "make it simple so everybody can understand it... speak to the level of the children!" But what would be the purpose in that? Understand what?

Rather, the challenge is the expansion of our knowledge of the mind and will and purpose of God (as much as He has revealed it); and that doesn't lend itself to simplicity! It's by the Word of God and through the work of Holy Spirit that we're caused to know Him and to fear Him. And that, according to verse five, is the defining character of a servant!

It's my job (with the tools given to me) to bring you the fullness of God's Word as best I can - and do so in the shortest possible time (considering our propensity to forgetfulness). It's that word: "fullness" that produces the anxiety, you see. "Fullness" and "shortest possible time" are mutually exclusive as far as God's mind is concerned.

The "shortest possible time" for the apostle/prophet John was (what is now written as) twenty-two chapters of what he was shown while in God's tabernacle. And the letter has to do with the entire purpose of God for His creation! And the elders of the Churches were to preach it and explain it in order that the people of God would gain assurance and faithfulness.

But how does one absorb that? "The shortest possible time" comes in to play because of our limited abilities to absorb and retain! And we only have an hour a week! The level of difficulty therefore is enormous! How does one absorb it - and then retain it?

It isn't even in what we would consider "chronological order". It's GOD's chronology. He reveals it in His Own order. He isn't limited by time as we are. The Revelation is shown to John by way of "covenantal matters", you see, rather than sequential events. And these great matters are entwined and interlaced throughout the narrative of John's letter AS GOD VIEWS THEM!

Chronology would be helpful to us, since we remember things better that way; but we have to learn how God views them. And He views them in terms of His covenant! And all the things of the covenant that are revealed are revealed Scripture-wide rather than in historical sequence!

And as I consider all the things that run constantly through my mind about what needs to be done, I'm reminded of something Sir Winston Churchill said many years ago. It was said in a totally different context of course, and it had very little Theological content, but he said: "and in the long run, there is no long run".

Now, he said that in the context of the war with nazi Germany; and it wasn't going well for Britain. They didn't have much time left. And we could certainly pick his statement apart Biblically and Theologically. But, practically speaking, we have a limited period of time to approach the fullness of God's revealed purpose! And that's (at least partially) due to our limitations to absorb and retain. The complexity of it all poses a conundrum.

As the writer to the Hebrews said in his letter to the Jewish Christians in the Churches, they should be way past the "milk"; they ought to be feeding on the meat of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And it's those things that burden me when we go on to the further things shown to John. Are we ready to go on? Have we done enough? Is there clarity about any of this? Is there then fear of God; and is it producing wisdom?

And as all of these things race across my mind I get troubled that maybe this is taking too long... or there isn't enough clarity, and that more explanation is needed, and more repetition and expansion are required.

So, for my personal assurance that I've done something more for you (and as we ready ourselves for chapter nineteen), I thought we would profit from periodically re-visiting some of these magnificent concepts - the great Scripture-wide covenantal matters - as John is shown the fullness of His purpose and will. Hopefully it will help you keep it all together.

We've already observed many connections with the entire corpus of Scripture; and we're able to do that due to the fact that the Revelation is the "capstone" of all that God has said and done in His history. It is the vast and infinite mind of God revealed! We just need to review (and do the expansion where we can)... the purpose being a body of believers with knowledge of God's will and purpose, a Church of Jesus Christ filled with awe and fear of Almighty God, a congregation prepared to witness to the sovereign rule of Jesus Christ over all the heavens and the earth, and a people who hold the testimony of Jesus and keep His Commandments!

We need to know! We need to have assurance (just as did the Churches that first received John's letter). We need to rest secure in our paradise heaven-and-earth - the body of Christ. And we need to be able to speak with confidence that which is "faithful" and "true"!

And so, the review and expansion... a necessity in my view, which we'll continue to employ as we go. Hopefully we can do this often.

So, before we get to the last chapters of John's letter (in which is revealed the "paradise" - the "new heavens and the new earth" in Christ Jesus) I need to be certain that I've done all I can for you with some of these Scripture-wide covenantal matters... one of which is "paradise".

Now... as was said earlier, God likened His creation of the land of Israel to the creation of His original edenic paradise. The language of cosmic creation that was (naturally) spoken at the beginning is the very same language that is used in the creation of Israel; and that same language is used in the prophets - and here in the Revelation - in the destruction of His heaven-and-earth - Israel.

Therefore, knowing the mind of God in the fact that He knows the end from the beginning; and that His language is always the same; and knowing that, in His mind, all is covenantally connected, we have to hear and understand the connections... as He sees them and reveals them!

And the first thing that is observed here (one that we've already commented on) is that the two "paradises" - the original one and the land of Israel - are revealed by God as being "alike"... similar. The language used to reveal the one is the same that's used to reveal the other.

In that both of them reflect the bright glory of God's Person and His heavenly tabernacle, they have many similarities. And both of them are prophetic reflections of the paradise-Kingdom of Jesus Christ which, in our text, was "at hand". And when we come to the last three chapters of the Revelation, His Kingdom-paradise is revealed in the prophetic language that we've heard all along! And we'll hear how it all fits together - from the beginning of Genesis, through the prophets, and all the way to the end of John's Revelation!

There are so many similarities between the original one and the paradise land of Israel. One of the more striking ones has to do with the incredible beauty and perfections of each.

Moses' description of the original one (which He received directly from YAHVEH at Mt Sinai) is brief. But it's obvious when reading his account that the creation was endowed with magnificent beauty; for it was called into being by the Word of God for His glory. It reflected His glory. It was like His tabernacle in the heaven. God called it "good" (and very good) because, in many ways, it looked like His heavenly tabernacle.

However, there was a creature there, an adult woman who God had made in His Own image (and for His glory). He had taken her from the man who He had made; they were "one flesh". But this image of God in paradise wanted to be "like" God in her own right, and to know what He knows, and to be able to make decisions for herself as to what was right and wrong. She was "enticed" by the serpent to self-idolatry ... to seek independent self-determination as to what was right and wrong, and to what was best for her.

By every Biblical definition, she became the harlot of the serpent. It enchanted her, and it enticed her; and she submitted. And then she enticed the man into the same self-idolatry. And the first family, in the original creation/paradise of God, became a household of harlot-idolators!

And God cursed these two human images of Himself that He had made (and all of their progeny); and He cursed the paradise creation that He had made. But He also promised a "SEED" from this harlot... a Seed Who would crush the head of the serpent. And there is the awesome covenant promise of a Savior of cursed, depraved mankind... a "Seed" of depraved humanity. GOD would do it (not man); God would deliver up a Seed out of cursed humanity that would glorify Him.

And we find the very same language in all the text of Scripture with regard to the paradise land of Israel. The creation of Israel and the great city of Jerusalem as being a paradise likened to the garden of Eden incorporates all the language of the creation of the cosmos at the beginning. Israel and its great city shining with the glory of God was the center of all the creation, with its own sun, moon and stars! It (like the original creation) is described by God as its own cosmic entity... all in the likeness of His tabernacle in the heaven.

It was called the land of plenty... a paradise; for God caused it to reflect His own glory. It was filled with everything beautiful (as was the original paradise) and given great wealth. And its herds and trees and vineyards and watercourses produced in great abundance. And the riches of the world flowed into it. And the great city itself sat beneath the man-made tabernacle of God with the golden brightness of YAHVEH's glory. She had been created like unto the garden of Eden and like unto the tabernacle in the heaven.

But... like the first woman, Israel was a harlot. All through the Scripture she is "like" Eve. And as did Eve, Israel ignored God's Law-word; and she exerted her indulgent self-determination.

As did Eve in the garden, Israel determined that she would not die (as God said she would)... that she would always retain her status as queen of the world; and no matter what these prophets said, she was who she said she was and not what God said she was to be! In God's view, she wished to be "I am" (which is the English translation of YAHVEH)!

All through God's Word, idolatry and harlotry are equated. Fornication is idolatrous, you see; and idolatry is fornication with false gods. And it's that way because Israel is like the first woman. Eve abandoned her Creator and His Word in order to believe a creature which enticed her; and that's harlotry. It's also idolatry; for she determined for herself what was best for her.

Eve and Adam and the whole creation were cursed by God. And the two images of God died. The communion with God was cut off; and they were separated from their Creator in the depths of their depravity. And death was their judgment. And God's creation became a wilderness of briars and thorns.

Like also Israel and the land. She was an idolatrous harlot that caused all the nations to drink from the passions of the wine of her fornications - just like Eve (for all the nations descended from her fornications!). And as all of YAHVEH's prophets said to Israel, she would die the death in the Day of YAHVEH. But to the very end she believed that she would not die - just like Eve (who believed the serpent when it said "surely you will not die").

And the land - the paradise of God - would be returned to briars and thorns... a wilderness (like the original creation). As the prophet said, anyone traveling that way afterward wouldn't recognize Israel as a habitable place.

What is about to be struck with the burnished flaming sword, and burned in the wrath of God and returned to uninhabitability is all the beauty and riches and wealth of God's paradise on earth. It has become a cursed and detestable place for all the reasons that we stated earlier... just like the original paradise.

Because of the beauty and wealth and productivity with which God had bestowed His heaven and earth paradise, all the kings and merchants and ship captains and seamen had come to do business with the harlot; and they were all enchanted by her beauty and enticed by her favors and participated in her idolatrous harlotry. They all drank of the cup of the wine of her fornications (as did all the nations descending from Eve).

But they would all be astonished, and would mourn for her in the Day of YAHVEH, for she had been the beautiful paradise of the world and the source of all of their riches.

The "Paradise Lost" connection to the original Eden is unmistakable; and the "Seed of the woman" is preserved by God in both cases... as revealed by YAHVEH in Genesis chapter three.

Even though the harlot of the first paradise was cursed and died, God brought forth a seed from her through whom the Savior of the world would be born. And the harlot of the second paradise - Israel - was cursed and died in the full and perfect wrath of God. But from her was born the Seed promised in the first paradise - Jesus Christ and His elect from the tribes of Jacob.

The first woman - although she had everything of beauty and perfection, wanted to be "I am"... to be self-determinative... to "know" for herself. And all that was lovely was removed from her. And all humanity descending from her was cursed. But through the pangs and travail of childbirth, she brought forth a seed.

And Israel - although she had everything of beauty and perfection, declared herself to be "I am"... to be self-determinative. After all, she descended from Eve! And all that was lovely was destroyed. But she, too, through the pangs and travail of childbirth, brought forth a seed.

Adam - the father of man-kind and the husband of a harlot - born into the first Eden/paradise, was enticed into disobedience of His Creator-God; and he was cursed. And he died.

Jesus - called the "Second Adam" - born into the second edenic paradise (a harlot betrothed to Him), was enticed, but He did not disobey The Father; but He, too, was cursed! And He, too, died! But this One - the Seed - died to atone for the sins of the world... a seed promised by God through history. As John the baptizer said when he saw the Christ of God: "Lo, the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world".

It is a formidable doctrine, but one which is invaluable to all who seek to know God and to fear Him, that the carefully enscripted heritage and ancestry of Jesus Christ is filled with cursed and depraved humans - every one of them. None are excepted! But that God kept a Seed for Himself as promised.

These are just some of the obvious connections between the first heaven-and-earth paradise and the second one. And we are, once again, set in wonder at the incomprehensible mind of our God.

And it all gives us pause to wonder just how in the world one is to comprehend a Revelation that reaches as far back as the garden of Eden, and then extends all the way to the judgment of God's paradise land of Israel... and then into the new heaven and the new earth in Christ Jesus. It's far-and-away more than our capacity....

But wonder as we might, by Word and Spirit we are to hear it and receive it and delight in it. And then we are to rest in it contentedly and faithfully. It is the mind of Almighty God, you see. It is as He sees it, as He observes it, as He created it, and as He brings it all to its fullness for His Own glory! And it's why we have to spend enough time to know it.

But regarding that first paradise let's see further that God, having cursed mankind, and having cursed the creation itself, placed a flaming sword to guard the way to the tree of life. No depraved man, by his own way, would ever approach life. No man would ever attain to life by his own means. There would never be a paradise of man's own making.

And it should be no surprise whatever that the entire Word of God prophesies the terminal end of the second paradise by the burnished sword of God! The harlot Israel determined for herself that she was the eternal utopia - the hope of life for all nations. She had declared herself "I AM"... the one enriching all the nations with her wealth and beauty.

But as God had done with four previous world-wide dominions that sought to establish paradise on earth, the sword of Almighty God cut off Israel's aspirations to be the "tree of life" for the world.

Those four dominions (called "beasts" by God) aspired to be "saviors" of the nations of the earth. Babylon, Persia, Greece and Rome sought to produce utopias... world-wide utopias. The first of those - Babylon - was world-famous for its magnificent "gardens" - seeking to build that "Eden" on earth for the world. But all four of the beasts wished to be "as God" and produce paradise on earth - to bring life to all the world!

And it is revealed by God throughout Scripture that the ultimate goal of them all was the use of the sword to cut off the seed of the woman so that God's paradise would not come to be! The goal was a world-wide paradise of their own making and for their own glory. And to do that meant the cutting off (by the sword), the cutting off of God's promised paradise - the one promised in the garden of Eden, the one promised to Noah, the one promised to Abraham, the one promised to David, and the one originally promised to the Son of God/Son of Man!

In order to establish man's paradise on earth, the Kingdom/Paradise of the Seed of the woman had to be cut off. And it was attempted, all through history, by the sword! But... by the Sword of God, each of them perished... including the harlot - Israel! The Sword of God had been placed before the tree of life - to guard it in order that no man could achieve life by his own design.

These are magnificent covenantal matters, you see!! And we must not miss them... no matter how long it takes.

And we certainly have to extend the hatred of God's paradise to the present age! Cursed and depraved mankind still aspires to produce his own utopia/paradise on earth in opposition to God's paradise! In one form or another that's been going on for the last two millennia.

At the present there are two conflicting world-views struggling with one another for supremacy as they oppose our Lord's Kingdom/Paradise. They have something in common in that they both want to cut off the Kingdom/Paradise of Jesus Christ and bring in a utopia of their own making; but the "commonality" ends right there!

One of those conflicting world-views is fully founded on the false prophecy that the Messiah of the world is to be born of the Jews and will rule the world from the dome of the rock in Jerusalem. And in order to stop that from happening and to set up their own paradise on earth, Jews have to be eliminated. Then all others have to be either killed or placed in subjection to the law of their utopia. And let it be known that, by guile or by force, that is the vision of every single one that holds to the words of that false prophet! The vision is a third world-wide paradise of their own making.

The present-day world view that is in conflict with that one is equally malevolent to the Kingdom/Paradise of Jesus Christ. In a utopia/paradise of its own making, in this world view all the nations and tribes and tongues and peoples must share equally in all things. In a man-made utopia, no one can be permitted to have more than the others. It's only in a classless society in which all share equally that there can be true happiness.

And they must be few in number in order to sustain nature in a pristine condition! There can be no paradise without a pristine environment! These three things, then, are the critical issues: redistribution, population control, and environmental controls.

By guile or by force, all must submit to the architecture of this paradise. It is a priceless goal of all of history, you see - a third world-paradise; so whatever means necessary to achieve it are justified! And since it is the Kingdom of Jesus Christ that must be "cut off" in order to bring in this man-made paradise on earth, Christianity is "unacceptable".

So, you see, even in the grand, world-wide conflict which is in progress as we speak (as to how a utopia is to be brought into being on the earth) there is this one commonality between them... that the (quote-unquote) "judeo-christian" religion has to be relegated to the ash-heap of history. It has to be "cut off".

By guile - insidious cunning, craftiness and deception (as in the garden of Eden); and, when necessary, by the sword (as with Babylon and Persia and Greece and Rome), these two present-day, malicious world-views will do their best to find and produce "life" on their own terms.

But remember that God stationed that flaming sword before the way to the tree of life. And no man can achieve life for himself; nor can any creature; nor can any nation; nor any world view. There is a cursed depravity permeating every fiber.

And as with the first four beasts of history, God is using these two competing world-views for His Own glory. They derive from their satanic origins - both descending from idolatry, craft, deceit and sorcery; and God will have them in derision. For what do we see in the text of chapter nineteen? The One with the Sword!

The sharp, two-edged, burnished Sword, guarding the way of life, is proceeding from His mouth (verse fifteen)... first to the execution of the betrothed harlot; and then to the smiting of the nations. It is the Word of God that shattered and scattered the fourth beast so that its intended world utopia would be crushed.

And all competitors will meet the same end. The way of life is in Him. He IS Way; He IS Truth; He IS Life! His is the paradise prophesied by the garden of Eden and by God's paradise heaven-and-earth Israel. And the beasts of history, and the competing world-views of the last two millennia are raised up by God in order that He might show His power and manifest His glory. They will all suffer an ignominious end; and by the further work of the Christ of God, all of God's creation will shine with the perfections of His glory.

 

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Revelation 18:1-24 Part 8

 

1) After those I saw another messenger, one having great authority, come down from the heaven; and the land was emblazoned by His glory.

2) And He did cry out in a mighty sound, saying "she has fallen! Babylon the Great has fallen! She has become a dwelling place of demons and a haunt of every unclean spirit and a gathering of every unclean and detestable bird.

3) All the nations drank from the wine of the passion of her fornication; for the kings did fornicate with her, and the merchants of the earth became rich from the power of her wantonness."

4) Then I heard another sound from the heaven, saying "come out of her My people that you not participate in her sins and receive her plagues;

5) for her sins are heaped up unto the heaven and God remembered her iniquities.

6) Repay her just as she meted out; and double double according to her works! Mingle her double in the cup that she mingled!

7) As much as she appeared glorious but waxed wanton, give her that much torment and mourning; for she says in her heart, ‘I am the sitting queen, I am not a widow, and I will never see mourning'.

8) Because of this, in one day her plagues will come: death and mourning and famine, and she will be utterly burned in fire; for mighty is the Lord God Who judged her.

9) When they look upon the smoke of her burning, the kings of the earth who fornicated and reveled with her will weep and lament over her,

10) having stood at a distance in awe of her torment, saying ‘woe, woe the great city', Babylon the mighty city, for your judgment came in one hour.

11) And the merchants of the earth weep and sorrow over her because there is no longer anyone buying their cargo -

12) cargoes of gold and silver and precious stone and pearl and fine linen and purple and silk and crimson; and all kinds of scented wood, and every kind of ivory vessel, and every kind of costly wood, bronze, iron and marble articles;

13) cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, frankincense; wine, oil, fine flour, wheat; cattle and sheep; horses and chariots; and slaves...... human souls!

14) And the fruit of your soul's lusts has gone away from you; all - the dainty and the bright - have gone away from you; and you will never find them again;

15) These merchants who had been enriched from her shall stand at a distance weeping and mourning at the awesomeness of her torment,

16) saying ‘woe, woe the great city', arrayed with fine linen and purple and scarlet, adorned with gold and precious stone and pearls, for in one hour so much wealth is made desolate.

17) And every shipmaster and all sailing to the place and mariners and all who trade by sea did stand at a distance

18) and cry out when seeing the smoke of her burning, saying ‘any likeness of the great city?'

19) Weeping and mourning they cast dust upon their heads, saying ‘woe, woe the great city' by which all that had ships in the sea did abound from her great worth, for in one hour she was made desolate.

20) Be gladdened over her heaven and holy ones and apostles and prophets! for from your lawsuit God did pass judgment on her."

21) Then the one mighty messenger raised a stone as a great millstone and cast it into the sea, saying "so with violence Babylon the great city shall be cast and shall never again be found.

22) The sound of harpers and musicians and pipers and trumpeters shall never be heard in you again; and no craftsman of any craft shall ever be found in you again; and the sound of a millstone shall never be heard in you again;

23) and the light of a candle shall never shine in you again; and the voice of the bridegroom and the bride shall never be heard in you again; for your merchants were the princes of the earth, and by your enchantment all the nations of the earth were seduced.

24) And the blood of the prophets was found in her, and that of every one of the holy ones ever slain upon the land."

 

The language used in the Revelation of God's original Garden of Eden appears as well in the descriptions of Israel - the paradise land of promise. So, we know that, in the infinite and incomprehensible mind of God, they are "alike". And they were alike in that they both were to reflect the glory of God and His tabernacle in the heaven.

A number of the "likenesses" were brought to our attention last Lord's Day in the preaching; and there were others mentioned in the second hour. But that wasn't an exhaustive study. There are others (probably many others) which would serve to illustrate the height and depth and breadth of the immeasurable and unfathomable mind and will of God.

And, by extension, the consideration of these things and the meditation on them serves to keep us in fear and humility; for, having reflected on them, how could one ever think too highly, or take up his own independent course, or presume self-determination (as did Eve in the original paradise, and as did the harlot in the second "heaven-and-earth" creation known as Israel).

The "flip-side" of that is, that one who has taken up his own way in opposition to God has no fear of Him. The Psalmist said that the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. In other words, when we begin to fear Him, we start being wise. Therefore God's reasoning is that - opposing Him, or rebelling against Him, reflects the absence of fear and wisdom! It's just foolish arrogance!

 

After reading from the twenty seventh chapter of the prophecy of Ezekiel (a fearful passage of Scripture), we were made aware that the same language there also appears here in the verses nine through nineteen as Almighty God brings judgment upon the harlot that was given all of the beauty and perfections of paradise - just as in the original edenic paradise. And just as in the original, so it was in the land of plenty (Israel) - it was all taken away... paradise lost.

The mourning of the kings and merchants and seamen of the nations appears in both passages (here and in Ezekiel twenty seven). So, the loss of the harlot that had caused the nations to drink of the passions of the wine of her fornications meant the loss of the riches she provided... which brings us once again (for just a minute or so) to the third (and eternal) Kingdom in Christ Jesus, one which will bestow all of the perfections of Paradise; and one which will never be destroyed.

The apostle Paul, in his letters to the Churches, elaborates on just these things, doesn't he? He makes it clear that Israel's loss is to the gain of the nations! The loss suffered by the Gentiles of all the riches from dealing with the harlot nation of Israel is more than made up for by the gain that has been secured for them - as promised in the Abrahamic covenant!

The destruction of the paradise land of Israel meant the inclusion of the Gentile nations in the Kingdom of Jesus Christ! They lose the beauty and riches of the paradise of the harlot; and they gain the Paradise of the Savior of the world!

And, once again, we'll hear all about His Kingdom/Paradise in the later chapters of The Revelation; and (just as in these first eighteen chapters) we'll hear it in the prophetic language of God... all of which leads us to understand that the original "Eden", described to us only briefly by Moses, is prophetic of the future Kingdom of Jesus Christ. And the later creation of Israel was a much more explicit prophecy of His future Kingdom!

In the later chapters John will hear our Lord's Kingdom Paradise described in the very same language used by God in the conformation and fashioning of His heaven-and-earth land of promise.

So, the creation and loss of the original paradise, and the creation and loss of the second one (both due to sin and the curse) are essentially prophetic revelations of One to come Who would take sin and the curse upon Himself for the sake of the world - and ultimately for the glory of God the Father. And since He will have overcome sin and the curse, there will be no loss of His Kingdom Paradise!

Just a few further comments about it before we continue in verse twenty....

It's been said that the Kingdom is "in heaven", where Jesus is. But nothing is any more plain in Scripture than the fact that Jesus has been given reign and rule over all the creation. And He rules it all "from" the heaven. And since He IS the Overcomer of sin and death and the curse, all of His work in this creation will be completed.

It's also been said that the Kingdom of Christ is "in your heart". But, you see, as much as that sounds good to the ears, it's just another unbiblical attempt to separate Jesus Christ from the work of His creation! His work is not to save individual souls "out of" this creation, but to save His people AND the creation itself! "In the beginning was The WORD; and the WORD was with God; and the WORD WAS God. And without Him nothing was made that was made." There is not one indication in all of Scripture that His intent is to destroy the world! His work in His creation is ongoing; and it's not done until all of it glorifies The Father.

When we say that we now live in the Paradise inaugurated at the death, burial and resurrection of The Christ, we must never forget that the resurrected Christ was thereafter crowned King of Kings! He's not only Prophet and Priest - He is also King! His work wasn't over at His resurrection, for all the creation has not yet been subjected to His rule! And we who belong to Him haven't yet experienced the completed work! We live in it; and we see it and anticipate it through the Word of God and the gift of Faith.

But, you see, He is the OVERCOMER. The curse and abandonment of Jesus Christ on the cross "overcomes" the curse of God that was pronounced on mankind and the creation in the first paradise - AND in the second one. Now His work proceeds; and the promise to Abraham will come to its fullness as the kings and nations and tribes and tongues acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord. And at the "general" resurrection, the paradise inaugurated at Jesus' resurrection will be fully realized - by not only the creation itself, but by an innumerable seed promised to Abraham in Christ Jesus.

Our lives span only a brief period during Jesus' work; and when we die we are by no means separated from Him - abandoned and alone in death. Even in death we are In Him; and we're kept by Him - to be resurrected in Him to a fully realized Paradise - and all to the glory of the Father.

Much of it is yet to be heard in The Revelation - all of it heard and written by John in the words and language of God that we're becoming so familiar with.

The elect of Jacob (the remnant of Israel scattered in the nations) and the Gentile converts received this letter in advance of our Lord's Parousia. The hope and anticipation in their time was the Parousia - the prophesied execution of the harlot and the beginning work of the Christ in subduing all of the Gentile nations.

Our perspective is somewhat different in that the Parousia of our Lord has already occurred (as prophesied); the harlot has been executed and there is no more paradise land of Israel. Our forefathers, the elect remnant of Jacob, established the visible representation of Christ's Kingdom (the Church) in the midst of the fourth beast of history! And that empire was splintered and shattered into many parts by the rod of iron in the hand of the King of Kings.

Our original forefathers in the first Churches shouldered the load; and they took the brunt of the attack from that beast; and the Church of Jesus Christ won! For almost two thousand years now, the beasts (mini-beasts) keep on coming, and raising their ugly heads in multiple attempts to cut off the Kingdom.

But there has been victory after victory after victory. Not one of them has ever ruled the earth in competition with the Christ. He has overcome each time. And now the Church is visible in almost every nation tongue and tribe, and is growing faster and faster! And no matter how ominous present and future attempts may be, we anticipate more victories and more growth - even in times of persecution... (and may I say it) especially in times of persecution!

And, in our time, and from our viewpoint, we may find it ironic that the nation that is often called the greatest and freest nation in history is now led by the latest, serious provocation of the King and His Kingdom! And when these mini-beasts rise up against the King of Kings, that's when His mighty rod of iron demonstrates the futility of that arrogance.

One last thing about the Church before I'm through with this....

Theologians have posited that the Church of Jesus Christ is "more or less pure". And statements like that serve to "confound" lots of folks. They don't like the sound of it, because the Church is supposed to be the "body of Christ". The "supposition" is that it is to be pure.

Others have said that all of the various sects and denominations that exist in the Church deny the unity of the body of Christ. They say it shouldn't be that way... that there shouldn't be "divisions"; and that imperfections shouldn't exist in His institution.

Many others say that they want no part of "organized religion" because there are "hypocrites" in the Church.

Then there are those who just generalize about the "imperfections" that seem to abound in all Churches; and, in their opinions, those imperfections serve to denigrate the value and even the legitimacy of the Church!

And then there are Churches that actually deny that any other Church is the real Church! They throw them all out... except their own.

But you see, here's the thing... the original "Eden", and the heaven-and-earth paradise land of Israel, are both prophetic of a coming Paradise - already created in Christ Jesus - that is yet to be fully realized! ... one in which there will be no imperfections... one in which there will be no disunity... and one in which there will be no sin and curse on humanity and the creation.

In His death and resurrection that new paradise was inaugurated, and He was crowned and installed as its Head! And in His further work as reigning King of Kings from the heaven, all the nations will one day acknowledge His Kingship.

So the question has to be: why in the world would anybody expect unity and perfection in the Church as long as the creation suffers under the curse... and as long as humanity languishes in its own depravity?

The fully realized paradise that we long for and anticipate isn't finished yet! Jesus Christ - King of Kings and Lord of Lords hasn't completed His work yet! So the critique of the Church as not being pure and unified is inane and empty! Although the seed of Abraham are secure in Christ, nothing this side of the resurrection is without blemish!

Of course we should anticipate it and work for it; but... judge Christ's Church and condemn it because it isn't perfect? Avoid it because it isn't pure? Rubbish! That's just another example of the lack of fear of Almighty God and His King - and the ensuing paucity of wisdom.

Now...the last words that John hears from the mighty sound from above the tabernacle appear here in verse twenty:

 

"Be gladdened over her heaven and holy ones and apostles and prophets! for from your lawsuit God did pass judgment on her."

 

We've heard what I'm about to say before; but, due to the importance of it, let's do it again. We've all heard Jesus quoted (by evangelicals and unbelievers alike): "judge not lest you be judged". And if you remember, they never quote the whole text!

Rather, they pick and choose the parts they want in order to pummel anyone who calls sin: sin! And the real irony here is that their accusation is a judgment! They're judging the one who they accuse of judging!

And since they leave out most of wh at Jesus said, they're judging by their own standard rather than God's standard. What Jesus further said was: "... for you will be judged with the judgment with which you judge".

So the real issue there that Jesus was addressing was "by what standard". (That's the title, by the way, of a very good book by my [now deceased] friend and mentor: Greg Bahnsen).

Should you judge and condemn by your own standard, then you'll be judged by that same standard. But should you judge by the only "just" standard (i.e. God's holy Law-word), then you are included in the four groups that we find here in verse twenty!!

All four of these groups have judged by God's standard; and they form the witnesses in the law-suit against the harlot Israel! God's Law requires multiple witnesses in order to confirm a thing. He is Three in-and-of-Himself. But He has many, many more Who He calls "judges of the world"! They are: heaven, holy ones, apostles and prophets!

In the first place, God calls attention to heaven itself. And, by that, He means the entire glory cloud/tabernacle and all its creatures. In our repeated readings of all the chapters in the Revelation, we've been made aware that the entirety of the heaven rings and flashes and thunders with the sights and sounds of joy and praise to YAHVEH of Hosts as He reveals to John and the Churches what His will and intent is with regard to this harlot.

We don't need to read all of those again. But as the time nears for the Day of YAHVEH and the Parousia of His Christ, the entire prophetic Word is brought to bear as John is shown all that's happening in the tabernacle. He sees it all; and He hears it all. And all the creatures there in the tabernacle respond with rejoicing! They all are participants, you see; and they are witnesses to what is about to be! And, as so, they are "judging" - making judgments - by God's standards rather than some other.

Then the mighty sound that John hears refers to "holy ones". The Greek word means those who have been "separated out" and belong to God. They are the seed Kept for Himself; and they are "holy" because of that! King James and other translations use the term "saints" to translate the word; but that just doesn't do the word justice. And, besides that, the word "saints" has collected some negative connotations through the centuries of the Church. It's better - much better - to use the direct translation: "holy ones".

There are holy ones from the tribes of Jacob scattered into the nations to form the Churches of Christ; and there are holy ones who have been persecuted and whose blood has been shed by the ancestors of Israel's priests and pharisees throughout history.

I have two passages to read for you... one from the apostle Paul as he writes to the Churches in Corinth; and the second from chapter six of John's Revelation. They both have to do with the people of God being judges of the world.

Here's Paul first...

 

1) When one of you has a grievance against another, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the holy ones?

2) Or, do you not know that the holy ones will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases?

3) Do you not know that we are even to judge messengers? How much more, then, matters pertaining to this life!

4) So if you have such cases, why do you lay them before those who have no standing in the church?

5) I say this to your shame. Can it be that there is no one among you wise enough to settle a dispute between the brothers,

6) but brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers?

7) To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded?

8) But you yourselves wrong and defraud-even your own brothers!

9) And do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Don't be deceived! Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor the effeminate,

10) nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God....

11) and such were some of you! But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

 

You see, Paul says that in the Kingdom of our Lord, the holy ones (those separated out by God for Himself) are to judge the world... and the fallen angel/messengers! They are witnesses before God who are to make judgments according to the standard - not by some other standard, but by "no other standard".

And here's what John heard from the heaven as the Lamb of God opened the seals, you remember... chapter six at verse nine:

 

9) And when He did open the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the lives of those who had been slaughtered because of the Word of God and because of the testimony that they were holding.

10) And in a great sound they did cry out, saying "until when, holy and worthy Master, are You not judging and avenging our blood from those dwelling on the land?

11) And a white priestly garment was given to each one, and it was spoken to them that they should rest themselves yet a little time until also their fellow-servants and brothers who are about to be killed even as they, should be fulfilled.

The holy ones of God whose blood has been shed for the Word of God and their testimony - their witness - are judges of those who remain in "the land" - the heaven and earth paradise of God. And they cry out from beneath the mercy seat in God's tabernacle - petitioning for God's vengeance to be poured out upon their persecutors.

And now they are to be "gladdened" (John hears) - they are to rejoice and be glad; for the time is near for Almighty God to avenge their blood. All of the harlot's beauty and riches and world-wide fame is about to be extinguished in one hour in the wrath of God. The testimony of the persecuted holy ones in YAHVEH's lawsuit against the harlot is by God's standard; for there is no other standard.

Just a couple of points here from Paul's letter before we continue:

We are not to take a brother to law before those who operate by some other standard. Paul made that clear when he told the Church at Corinth that the Roman government was not the legal entity before which Christians should settle disputes between them. However, if we are forced to go to law in a venue that doesn't hold God's Law as the standard, then we are to use their law against them as best we can. The apostle himself did that, you remember....

Second point is... if, or when, we are persecuted at law for holding the testimony of Jesus Christ and keeping His Commandments, then we are to be judges of that law and petition our Lord to avenge us. We are not to take vengeance into our own hands; for vengeance on our adversaries belongs only to God. And, further, we can rejoice and be glad when that vengeance takes place!

And even further than that...! Should a government subvert its own law for its own purposes, and invoke another standard in place of God's standard, and God's holy ones become subjects of persecution, we can very easily conclude that imprecatory prayers are required of us! This is the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ. And a government that rises up against Him and His people becomes a subject for vengeance from Him. The prayers of His people constitute a cosmic lawsuit against anyone who purports to compete with Him and to persecute His holy ones.

When you pray (and I hope that you take advantage of the incredible privilege of prayer often), don't ever take it to be a "duty". It's not. If you see it as a duty, then it's not by HIS standard. Rather, it's a great privilege - afforded only to those who are separated out as His Own - to humble ones self before Almighty God in the Name of Christ. And when you do, your petitions will be heard. And they should include asking for His vengeance to be poured out on all who would persecute His people.

Let's go on now and finish this text - verse twenty.

The third and fourth categories of those judges and witnesses in God's lawsuit against Israel are prophets and apostles. We've read so many passages from the prophets - from Moses to the apostle John here in the Revelation. I'm not going to read any here.

But just remember that each and every one of them were personally confronted by God Himself; and each of them were given words and deeds as witnesses to God. And, as such, they are proclaimed here in our text as "judges" in this lawsuit. As God pronounces the execution of the harlot, it is their judgment that forms the multiple witnesses to Israel's unrepentant sin against God.

And the same is true of the apostles of Jesus Christ. They too have preached the Gospel of the Kingdom. And they, along with the lost sheep of the house of Jacob, were the subjects of persecution at the hands of Israel's elders and lawyers and priests.

And as the Churches receive this letter from John, all of these witnesses join with the creatures in the heaven to rejoice and be gladdened that the time is near; that the Parousia of the Christ is "at hand"; and that Almighty God would avenge them.

As we finish the preaching this morning, the words of Jesus to His disciples (just before His crucifixion) come to mind once again; for He was warning them about the "end of the age" and the "Day of YAHVEH"... that they and all of His sheep from the tribes of Jacob would join the prophets of old in persecution and death by this harlot. Their witness was the same as the prophets; and their allotment of persecution was also the same.

Listen to it from the Gospel of Matthew:

"Woe to you scribes and pharisees hypocrites, you repair the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous,

and you say, ‘If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers of them in the blood of the prophets."

So you are witnesses to yourselves that you are sons of those who killed the prophets;

and you, you fill up the measure of your fathers.

Serpents, brood of vipers, how shall you escape from the judgment of Gehenna?

Because of this, Lo, I send to you prophets and wise men, and scribes; of them you will kill and crucify, and of them you will scourge in your synagogues, and you will persecute them from city into city,

In order that all righteous blood shall come upon you which has been spilled upon the earth from the blood of the righteous Abel until the blood of Zacharias Son of Barachias, who you murdered between the temple and altar!

Amen I say to you, these things shall come upon this generation.

Jerusalem, Jerusalem, she who kills the prophets and stones the ones who were being sent to her, how many times I wished to gather together your children (even as a bird gathers her brood under her wings) and you would not.

Lo, your house is left to you a desolation."

You see, the elders and priests and pharisees of Israel proved themselves to be not the seed of the holy ones - but the seed of those who persecuted and killed the holy ones!

The "holy ones" of God, and the prophets sent by God, and the apostles of Jesus Christ are all the promised seed; and they are all witnesses to God of Israel's persecution. And they're all judges in this lawsuit... a lawsuit with no other standard! And they would all join with the creatures in the heaven to rejoice and be glad in the coming vengeance of God.

 

 

 

 

 

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At the Parousia of the Son of God/Son of Man (shortly to take place – as John looks on) the land is filled with the brightness of His glory; and the depravity and corruption of Jerusalem is made manifest.  And John is shown her holding the golden cup of YAHVEH in her own hand; and it’s full of abominable things.

She’s adorned with every beautiful and glorious thing imaginable, and proclaiming herself queen of the world; and there’s no one else – no one sees her, for she is “I AM”.

She “was”; and she “is”.  And, in her opinion, she “shall be”.  However, John has already heard that before, hadn’t he?  After all, this is the Revelation of Jesus Christ; and at His appearance to John (recorded at the beginning of this book) that’s what He said to John.  He “WAS”; He “IS”; and He “SHALL BE”.  The very name YAHVEH means “I AM”.

We’ve all heard Israel’s impertinence and brazen temerity addressed by YAHVEH through the prophets.  We’ve read from every one of them – from Moses to the apostle John – that she had the “gall” to consider herself the “eternal city”… that she would never be “widowed”; that she would never lose her children; that she was “I am” – the sitting queen of the world.  It is as if she had assumed equality with God.

Sound familiar?  We’ve heard that before… at the beginning of the Scripture.  But we’ll come back to that shortly.

But, from the beginning she had done everything YAHVEH had told her not to do.  As soon as her covenantal life had begun, she made a gold idol – by which she might worship God better!  And while in the desert, she lit strange fire in the encampment; and at the instigation of a false prophet, the sons of Jacob participated in fornication with pagan women.

And once inserted into the promised land, Israel shed the blood of sacrifices all over the land (in violation of explicit instructions.)  And she built idols of stone and wood and gold on all of the high places and made sacrifices to them… some of those sacrifices being her own children!  She consulted with false prophets, astrologers and fortune-tellers.  She intermingled with foreigners and took their false gods as her own, and enchanted the kings and merchants of the nations with her great beauty and wealth – spreading the wine of her abominations over the entire earth.

When YAHVEH sent personal emissaries (the prophets) to her to call her to repentance, she ignored them and mocked them and persecuted them and killed them.  The many times in which she was chastened and afflicted for her contempt for YAHVEH and His Law-word, she would become sorrowful and meek and submissive until the affliction was removed; and then go back to her harlotry with the nations and their idols.

Her priests and scribes and lawyers turned YAHVEH’s Law-word “upside down” in order to free themselves for their own benefits. (That’s God’s exact words, by the way, through the prophet Isaiah.)

When the prophet Elijah finally arrived in the person of John the baptizer to announce the coming of God’s Anointed One, they persecuted and killed him.

Her priests had made the entire sacrificial system a “religion” of their own, so that Israel didn’t even recognize the Lamb of God when He arrived; so they killed Him.  And then she pursued and persecuted the lost sheep of the house of Jacob who Jesus came to seek and to save!  And then her prophets and astrologers and fortune-tellers all aligned themselves with the fourth beast of history – proclaiming the beast as the savior!

And as we read (from about twelve of the prophets) last Lord’s Day, all through Israel’s history she had been warned of a day of reckoning in which YAHVEH would exact full three-fold and seven-fold restitution for all her abominations.  But the harlot believed that she was the eternal land of paradise; and she refused to believe His prophets.

This was the “land of plenty” that God Himself called the “garden of Eden”.  And the terms that God used in its description indicate that it was the one location in all of God’s creation that most resembled His tabernacle in the heaven.

The sights in this paradise on earth would correspond with the sights in the heavenly tabernacle that were seen by the prophets.  Even the sounds heard in God’s tabernacle would be replicated in the earthly paradise.  The colors and the beauty and the brightness and the glory and the numbers and the order and perfections… Israel was given it all!  It was given “heaven and earth” – a special place all its own; a replica of His tabernacle in all its beauty – even to the extent of The Glory inhabiting it over the firmament of His holy mountain in Jerusalem!

As we’ve mentioned numbers of times here, the land of Israel was likened to the original paradise; for at the beginning, when it was all brought to be, God had made His creation to reflect His glory in His heavenly tabernacle.  In all its perfections it shone with the glory of God – including two “images” of His glorious Person!

The brief descriptions of that paradise that Moses wrote for us, and the further references throughout God’s Revelation to man, give us indications of the wonders of that original creation.

God brought “light” to be; for there is nothing more reflective of the brightness and glory of God than light.  Then He made the bodies of the heavens to reflect that light – all to resemble the glory cloud of His heavenly tabernacle.  Then He made the sea to imitate that which Ezekiel describes as a “sea of glass” – the firmament over which God reigns.  And He made all the animals and birds and creatures as reflective of the great variety of creatures in the heaven… especially the variety found in the four cherubs.  (And, by the way, remember the number four?  That will be important a little later.)

And Moses even wrote of all the beautiful stones that were found everywhere in Paradise; and their names all reflected their colors.  This was a lush place of perfection; a paradise indeed – all resembling God’s tabernacle in the heaven.

And remember that God had likened the land of Israel to this original paradise.  He said that she was like the garden of Eden.  All of her wealth and beauty were given her; and the entire land shone with the brightness of His glory… much like that first paradise.  The words of God through the prophets indicate that, in the mind of God, Israel was considered her own “cosmos” – a separate and distinct creation for Himself… in many ways just like the original one!

Now, while we’re considering the infinite mind of God here; and just as an interlude, I don’t think for one minute that my status as a preacher is anywhere near that of a prophet.  In fact, it was made clear here in the Revelation that the apostle John was the one to prophesy one last time.  So there are no more of them.

But the prophets – including John – were to speak and write only what God told them and showed them.  They were not to be “creative”; they weren’t to use their imaginations; they weren’t to speak extemporaneously… they were only to say and do exactly what God revealed.  It was HIS Word, and not theirs, that they were to deliver.

And, although we’re not prophets, that’s a pattern for those of us who are called to preach the Gospel, isn’t it?  We’re to say what God has already said and what He caused to be written for us.

I’m not gifted at all at extemporaneous speaking anyway.  I’m always very fearful of saying something off the top of my head that’s incorrect, or of leaving out something that’s important, and that it would mislead you - the Lord’s people.  And I’ve always considered that fear to be a good thing!

And I’m not creative or imaginative either.  And that’s a good thing too!

And since I don’t have those skills, I just have to stick with the pattern.  And the pattern with the prophets and the apostles was to say and write what God said, and leave the “creative activity” to the Spirit of our Lord.

Creativity and imagination in preaching are problematic, to be sure… as is extemporaneous speech.  However, that’s not to say that the pattern for preaching that we’ve received from the prophets and apostles is free of its own complications!  It’s not!  There’s no felicity here.  The huge problem with it is (and we’ve talked about this a number of times before) that the mind of God has no boundaries!  His mind and will are limitless!  So, how do we ever do this!?

 And the struggle (one which I have to wrestle with every day of my life) is how to bring the Revelation of His infinite mind to you every Lord’s Day in some coherent way!

Hearing the Word read in context is good; repetition is good; making the connections is always good; explaining the Greek and Hebrew words is good….  When I look out and see light in your eyes, I know that I’ve done okay.  But when I see blank stares, I realize my own limitations.

The eleven verses before us this morning (nine through nineteen) give us pause to wonder just how in the world one is to comprehend Revelation that reaches as far back as the garden of Eden, and then extends all the way to the judgment of God’s paradise land of Israel.  It’s far-and-away more than our capacity… mine anyway.

But wonder as we might, by Word and Spirit we are to hear it and receive it and delight in it.  And then we are to rest in it contentedly and faithfully.  It is the mind of Almighty God.  It is as He sees it, as He observes it, as He created it, and as He brings it all to its fullness.

Now… as was said earlier, God likened His creation of the land of Israel to the creation of His original edenic paradise.  The language of cosmic creation that was (naturally) spoken at the beginning, is the very same language that is used in the creation of Israel; and that same language is used in the prophets – and here in the Revelation – in the destruction of His heaven-and-earth – Israel.

Therefore, knowing the mind of God in the fact that He knows the end from the beginning; and that His language is always the same; and knowing that, in His mind, all is covenantally connected, we must attempt to hear and understand the connections… as He sees them!

And the first thing that is observed here (one that we’ve already commented on) is that the two “paradises” – the original one and the land of Israel – are revealed by God as being “alike”… similar.

In that both of them reflect the bright glory of God’s Person and His heavenly tabernacle, they have many similarities.  And both of them are prophetic reflections of the paradise-Kingdom of Jesus Christ which, in our text, was “at hand”.  And when we come to the later chapters of the Revelation, His Kingdom-paradise is revealed in the prophetic language that we’ve heard all along!  And we’ll hear how God fits it all together from the beginning.

There are so many similarities between the original one and the paradise land of Israel… but one of the more striking ones has to do with the great beauty of each.

Moses’ description of the original one (which He received directly from YAHVEH at Mt Sinai) is brief (to be sure).  But it’s obvious when reading his account that it was endowed with incredible beauty; for it was called into being by the Word of God for His glory.  It reflected His glory.

However, there was a creature there who God had made in His Own image (and for His glory).  He had taken her from the man who He had made; and they were “one flesh”.  But she wanted to be “like” God in her own right, and to know what He knows.  She was “enticed” by the serpent to self-idolatry… to seek independent self-determination.

By every Biblical definition, she became the harlot of the serpent; and then this harlot enticed the man into the same self-idolatry.

And God cursed these two images of Himself that He had made; and He cursed the paradise creation that He had made.  But He also promised a “SEED” from this harlot Who would crush the head of the serpent.

And we find the very same language in all the text of Scripture with regard to the paradise land of Israel.  The creation of Israel and the great city of Jerusalem as being a paradise likened to the garden of Eden incorporates all the language of the creation of the cosmos at the beginning.  Israel and its great city was the center of all the creation, with the sun and moon and stars belonging to it!

It was called the land of plenty… a paradise; for God caused it to reflect His own glory.  It was filled with everything beautiful (as was the original paradise) and given great wealth.  And its herds and trees and vineyards and watercourses produced in great abundance.  And the riches of the world flowed into it.  And the great city itself sat beneath the man-made tabernacle of God with the golden brightness of YAHVEH’s glory.  She had been created like unto the garden of Eden.

But like the first woman, she was a harlot.  All through the Scripture she is “like” Eve.  And as did Eve, Israel ignored God’s Law-word and exerted her indulgent self-determination.

As did Eve in the garden, Israel determined that she would not die (as God said she would)… that she would always retain her status as queen of the world; and no matter what these prophets said, she was who she said she was and not what God said she was!  In God’s view, she wished to be “I am” (which is the English translation of YAHVEH).

All through God’s Word, idolatry and harlotry are equated.  Fornication is idolatrous, you see; and idolatry is fornication.  And it’s that way because Israel is like the first woman.  Eve abandoned her Creator and His Word in order to believe a creature which enticed her; and that’s harlotry.  It’s also idolatry; for she determined for herself what was best for her.

And Eve and Adam and the whole creation were cursed by God.  And the two images of God died.  The communion with God was cut off; and they were separated from their Creator in the depths of their depravity.  And death was their judgment.  And paradise became a wilderness of briars and thorns.

Like also Israel and the land.  She was an idolatrous harlot that caused all the nations to drink from the passions of the wine of her fornications – just like Eve.  And as all of YAHVEH’s prophets said to her, she would die the death in the Day of YAHVEH.  But to the very end she believed that she would not die – just like Eve.

And the land – the paradise of God – would be returned to briars and thorns… a wilderness.  As the prophet said, anyone traveling that way afterward wouldn’t recognize it as a habitable place.

And that brings us to these eleven verses – nine through nineteen; for what is about to be burned in the wrath of God and returned to uninhabitability is all the beauty and riches and wealth of God’s paradise on earth.  It has become a cursed and detestable place for all the reasons that we stated earlier.

Because of the beauty and wealth and productivity with which God had bestowed His heaven and earth edenic paradise, all the kings and merchants and ship captains and seamen had come to do business with the harlot; and they were all enchanted by her beauty and enticed by her favors and participated in her idolatrous harlotry.  They all drank of the cup of the wine of her fornications.

But they would all be astonished, and would mourn for her in the Day of YAHVEH, for she had been the beautiful paradise of the world and the source of all of their riches.

Here’s the passage that prophesies exactly what we see in our text.  It’s from Ezekiel chapter twenty-seven.  Listen to the language that we heard in verses nine through nineteen of our text:

12) "Tarshish was your trading partner because of [your] great wealth of every kind. They exchanged silver, iron, tin, and lead for your merchandise.

13) Javan, Tubal, and Meshech were your merchants. They exchanged slaves and bronze utensils for your goods.

14) Those from Beth-togarmah exchanged horses, war horses and mules, for your merchandise.

15) Men of Dedan were also your merchants; many countries and islands were your regular markets. They brought ivory tusks and ebony as your payment.

16) Aram was your trading partner because of your numerous products. They exchanged turquoise, purple and embroidered cloth, fine linen, coral, and rubies for your merchandise….

18) Damascus was also your trading partner because of your numerous products and your great wealth of every kind, [trading] in wine from Helbon and white wool.

19) Vedan and Javan from Uzal dealt in your merchandise; wrought iron, cassia, and aromatic cane were [exchanged] for your goods.

20) Dedan was your merchant in saddlecloths for riding.

21) Arabia and all the princes of Kedar were your business partners, trading with you in lambs, rams, and goats.

22) The merchants of Sheba and Raamah traded with you. They exchanged gold, the best of all spices, and all kinds of precious stones for your merchandise.

23) Haran, Canneh, Eden, the merchants of Sheba, Asshur, and Chilmad traded with you.

24) They were your merchants in choice garments, cloaks of blue and embroidered materials, and multicolored carpets, which were bound and secured with cords in your marketplace….

27) Your wealth, merchandise, and goods, your sailors and helmsmen, those who repair your leaks, those who barter for your goods, and all the warriors within you, with all the other people on board, sink into the heart of the sea on the day of your downfall.

28) The countryside shakes at the sound of your sailors' cries.

29) All those who handle an oar disembark from their ships. The sailors and all the helmsmen of the sea stand on the shore.

30) They raise their voices over you and cry out bitterly. They throw dust on their heads; they roll in ashes.

31) They shave their heads because of you and wrap themselves in sackcloth. They weep over you with deep anguish and bitter mourning.

32) In their wailing they lament for you, mourning over you who, like Tyre, was silenced in the middle of the sea.

33) When your merchandise was unloaded from the seas, you satisfied many peoples. You enriched the kings of the earth with your abundant wealth and goods.

34) Now you are shattered by the sea in the depths of the waters; your goods and the people within you have fallen.

35) All the inhabitants of the countries and islands are appalled at you. Their kings shudder with fear; [their] faces are contorted.

36) Those who trade among the peoples hiss at you; you have become an object of horror. and will never again exist."

The language is exactly the same as John hears and writes for us here in verses nine through nineteen, isn’t it?

The “great city”, the center of all of creation and the capital city of God’s paradise on earth, is fallen.  She is the greater Tyre, the greater Sodom, the greater Babylon.  Her great beauty and immense wealth (much like the original paradise) is about to be destroyed in the Day of YAHVEH, and become a wilderness of briars and thorns – uninhabitable.

And the kings and the merchants and the ship captains and mariners of the nations will mourn and lament the loss of the great city; for she was the source of their riches.

John hears the very words of Almighty God the Father as He pronounces the judgment – as it was before written in Ezekiel.  But here in these verses he hears the perfect threes.  The three categories of witnesses to Jerusalem’s destruction will pronounce the three woes as they mourn their loss.

And the complete loss of the incredible beauty and wealth of the city comes to John’s ears in “fours”.  Judgment upon Israel’s wealth is revealed in four categories… all attesting to the infinite mind and will of God and the perfections of His judgment on the harlot.

The “Paradise Lost” connection to the original Eden is unmistakable; and the “Seed of the woman” is preserved by God in both cases… as revealed by YAHVEH in Genesis chapter three.

Even though the harlot of the first paradise was cursed and died, God brought forth a seed from her through whom the Savior of the world would be born.  And the harlot of the second paradise was cursed and died in the full and perfect wrath of God.  From her was born the Seed promised in the first paradise – Jesus Christ and His elect from the tribes of Jacob.

The first woman – although she had everything of beauty and perfection, wanted to be “I am”… to be self-determinative.  And all that was lovely was removed from her.  But through the pangs and travail of childbirth, she brought forth a seed.

Israel – although she had everything of beauty and perfection, declared herself to be “I am”… to be self-determinative.  And all that was lovely was destroyed.  But she, too, through the pangs and travail of childbirth, brought forth a seed.

Adam – the father of man-kind - born into the first Eden/paradise, was enticed into disobedience of His Creator-God; and he was cursed.  And he died.

Jesus – the Savior of man-kind – born into the second edenic paradise, was enticed, but did not disobey The Father; and He was cursed and died to atone for the sins of the seed promised to Abraham.  As John the baptizer said when he saw the Christ of God: “Lo, the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world”.

These are just some of the obvious connections between the first heaven-and-earth paradise and the second (the eleven verses of our text being one of those connections).  There are so many more; and we are, once again, set in wonder at the incomprehensible mind of our God.

We’ll continue with this next Lord’s Day, and maybe even finish the last five verses… we’ll see.

But before we stop, let me make just a few more comments about “paradise”.  John Milton’s Paradise Lost is an amazing read; and it should be on everyone’s reading list – especially our young people.  And David Chilton’s Paradise Restored is a good sequel.  I recommend them both to you.

However, Paradise wasn’t lost!  And, if not lost, it couldn’t be restored.  In the unfathomable mind and will of God there could be only one way for a true and permanent paradise to exist.  And that was through the work of God the Son.  And in all of the history of mankind, that is demonstrably true; for the first one wasn’t permanent, and neither was the second – Israel.  That was made obvious in our text today; for all of their incredible beauty was to be destroyed in favor of that Paradise which exists only in the resurrected body of Jesus Christ.  It is a Paradise wrought in Him, which will come to full fruition in the resurrection of all who are in Him.  This was the covenantal will of God from the beginning.  And the Bible is His covenant revealed!  The later chapters of The Revelation of Jesus Christ provide, in the prophetic language of God, that Paradise which exists in His risen and ascended body.

This is the very language that our Lord spoke to the thief on the cross.  In one day the heaven-and-earth paradise called Israel would be destroyed; and The Christ would raise up a new, and perfect, and permanent Paradise for all who are in Him.  He is the “SEED” promised by YAHVEH; and all of His faithful people are the “seed” promised to Abraham.

And, as revealed to the prophet Daniel, the Paradise Kingdom of Jesus Christ will never be destroyed

 

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Toward the end of the preaching last Lord's Day we read the fearsome words of YAHVEH through the prophet Isaiah in chapter forty-seven, and we'll read some of it again later this morning. But his words were directed at the vain and prideful nation of Israel and its capitol city - Jerusalem.

John hears those same words here in verse seven of our text.... YAHVEH would unsheath His sword of indignation, and He would sharpen and polish it to kill; for He would repay Israel double - and double again - for her works!

It wasn't that Israel had just mingled the golden cup in YAHVEH's hand with all her abominations... and all the nations having drunk the wine of her fornications from that cup. But, remember, she is shown to John as having the golden cup in her own hand - all filled up with abominable things; and she was holding it up high - flaunting it pridefully - while sitting atop the fourth beast of history!

And it wasn't only that Israel polluted the entire land with the blood of sacrifices to idols; and it wasn't only that she had persecuted and killed the prophets sent by God; and it wasn't only that she had resorted to astrologers and enchanters and fortune tellers... but in it all - and at the base of it all - she was haughty and presumptuous, vain, and full of pride.

"I am; and I am wealthy; I have need of nothing; I am the queen of the world. All of the kings and merchants of the nations come to me! I'll never be widowed; I'll never mourn the loss of children. I am secure; and I have everything I want. And nobody sees me!"

In all of her self-satisfied pretension and self-love, she even claims that God isn't watching! He turns away (she thinks) from all of her indulgences because she's his favorite! He just "winks" at it. And all of the nations know that. In all of her twisted understanding of the covenant relationship, she thinks the nations know that she's God's favorite. After all, they can see it!

Besides, God promised. And therefore she would always be the queen; she would never lose all her children; she would never mourn: she would never be widowed.... She WAS; and she IS! After all, there was the promise!

But YAHVEH is the One Who had said: "I AM" (Isaiah forty-three: "I, even I AM; [that's what YAHVEH means], and there is no savior beside Me"). And He does see her pride and hubris; and He sees her fornications; and He sees her idols and her astrologers and enchanters; and He sees His persecuted prophets!

And as He said in Jeremiah sixteen: "I will doubly repay her iniquity and her sin, because she has polluted My land". And again, in Jeremiah seventeen: "I will bring on her a day of disaster and crush her with twofold destruction."

In the "day of YAHVEH" there will be multiple restitution (as reads the Law of God in Exodus chapters twenty one through twenty three.) It would be the day of atonement in which the harlot will be repaid double - and double again, for her whoredoms and for her arrogant disdain for her own promise to obey, and her prideful disregard for YAHVEH and His Law-word, and her scorn for the coming Holy One of Israel - the promised Savior of the world.

Then... God would be satisfied. Atonement would be made, and restitution would be paid.

Pride goes before the fall; and the Commander of the hosts of the heaven has proclaimed her "fallen" (verse two). All the demons of the wilderness have taken up residence, and the vultures are circling; for the Day of YAHVEH is near as the prophetic Word reaches its fullness at the end of the age, and the sword is sharpened and polished to kill!

The Words that the apostle John hears from the tabernacle in the heaven are the same as those spoken to Israel through the prophets of old. She said: "I AM. No matter what these so-called prophets say, I am the queen that sits on the throne. I'm not some betrothed, virgin maiden. They say I'm going to mourn in some future day of reckoning; but I'll never mourn. They say that one day I'll be widowed; but that's ridiculous. I'll never be a widow... I am queen of the world! I have a promise and a legacy; God has bound Himself to me! ... and because of this no matter what happens, there won't be a day of reckoning."

Without going into a sermon-length treatise on pride this morning, we do need to say something about it, because this is the essence of what John hears here in verse seven. In one of his earlier letters to the Churches, he writes to them about "the pride of one's life" (1 John 2:16).

That harkens back to the prophetic Word of YAHVEH to the prophet Jeremiah. Chapter thirteen of his prophecy includes one of those instances in which the prophet - rather than delivering the spoken Word, is required by YAHVEH to actually act out the prophecy! And the analogy that's contained in what he is to do is extremely interesting.

Here is some of it... from Jeremiah thirteen:

1)Thus says YAHVEH to me, "Go and buy a linen loincloth and put it around your waist, and do not dip it in water."

2)So I bought a loincloth according to the word of YAHVEH, and put it around my waist.

3)And the word of YAHVEH came to me a second time,

4)"Take the loincloth that you have bought, which is around your waist, and arise, go to the Euphrates and hide it there in a cleft of the rock."

5)So I went and hid it by the Euphrates, as YAHVEH commanded me.

6)And after many days YAHVEH said to me, "Arise, go to the Euphrates, and take from there the loincloth that I commanded you to hide there."

7) Then I went to the Euphrates, and dug, and I took the loincloth from the place where I had hidden it. And behold, the loincloth was ruined; it was good for nothing.

8)Then the word of YAHVEH came to me:

9 "Thus says YAHVEH: Even so will I spoil the pride of Judah and the great pride of Jerusalem.

10) This evil people, who refuse to hear my words, who stubbornly follow their own heart and have gone after other gods to serve them and worship them, shall be like this loincloth, which is good for nothing.

11) For as the loincloth clings to the waist of a man, so I made the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah cling to me, declares the LORD, that they might be for me a people, a name, a praise, and a glory, but they would not hear.

A little later in that chapter we hear some very familiar words as YAHVEH continues His speech to Jeremiah. Our Lord quoted from it - as recorded in Matthew twenty-three; and the apostle Paul quoted from it in his letter to the Churches in Rome in chapter nine. Listen to it from Jeremiah. YAHVEH says to him:

23) Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots? Then you who are conformed to do evil; can you do good?

24) I will scatter you like chaff driven by the wind from the desert.

25) This is your alllotment, the portion I have measured out to you, declares YAHVEH, because you have forgotten me and trusted in lies.

26) I myself will lift up your skirts over your face, and your shame will be seen.

27) I have seen your abominations, your adulteries and neighings, your lewd whorings on the hills and in the field. Woe to you, O Jerusalem! How long will it be before you are cleaned up?"

As we've heard now from six readings of this text, the "woes" are about to be placed in the mouths of the kings and merchants of the world as Jerusalem - the "greater Babylon" - is to be finally "cleaned up" as it burns into oblivion, and there is no more wealthy harlot with which they can do business. We'll hear all of that next Lord's Day.

But it needs to be said that however the "pride of one's life" is exhibited among men, it is always - first - with reference to God. Whether it's pride in one's heritage or place in life; or pride in one's looks; or pride in one's possessions; or pride in one's knowledge or abilities; or pride in one's connections... the pride is always, first, with reference to God. For it is God Who gives, and God Who takes away.

It is the very essence of pride in one's life to refuse to acknowledge Him and submit to Him as Creator, Law-giver, and Savior of the world. That's where it begins. And that pride then is manifest in many different ways in the lives of corrupt and sinful mankind.

As YAHVEH said through Jeremiah concerning Israel: "but they would not hear". That's where it begins, you see. "They would not hear." They refused to hear. That IS the exhibition of the pride of one's life! Refusing to hear the Creator and Savior of man is the "core" of pride. Cursed and depraved man says: "I am. And I will think and do and say whatever I most want to think and do and say".

Israel refused to hear; and the life of the nation was thereafter lived as an idolatrous whore of the world that caused the kings and merchants of the nations to drink from the cup of her fornications.

And like Israel, the pride of ones life always leads to dissipation. God is Who He says He is. And short of an acknowledgment of that, it's all vain; and it's empty and useless. And it all just disintegrates.

"Because of this", John hears (verse eight), "in one day her plagues will come: death and mourning and famine, and she will be utterly burned in fire; for mighty is the Lord God Who judged her."

"In one day..." It is "the day of YAHVEH" in which she will be utterly burned in fire.

I'm going to take you through the prophetic Scripture now - from the beginning to the end - concerning the "day" - the one day of YAHVEH. So, once again we'll see the continuity that exists in what God said through the prophets of old and what He says here to the last prophet - John.

From Isaiah chapter two:

6) You have forsaken Your people the house of Jacob, because they are filled with customs from the east, and are soothsayers like the Philistines, and they strike hands with the children of foreigners....

8) Their land also is full of idols; they worship the work of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made....

11) Their lofty looks shall be brought low, and their haughtiness shall be bowed down, and YAHVEH alone shall be exalted in that day.

12) For there shall be a day of YAHVEH of Hosts upon all that is proud and haughty, and upon all that is lifted up; and it shall be brought low.

Isaiah chapter thirteen:

6) Wail; for the day of YAHVEH is at hand; as destruction from the Almighty shall it come.

7) Therefore shall all hands be feeble, and every heart of man shall melt:

8) and they shall be dismayed; pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman in travail: they shall look in amazement one at another; their faces shall be faces of flame.

9) Behold, the day of YAHVEH comes..... cruel, with wrath and fierce anger, to make the land a desolation, and to destroy the sinners thereof out of it.

From Jeremiah forty six:

10) For that day is a day of YAHVEH, YAHVEH OF HOSTS, a day of vengeance, that he may avenge him of His adversaries: and the sword shall devour and be satisfied, and shall drink its fill of their blood....

In Ezekiel thirteen God rails at Israel and her false prophets:

4) O Israel, YOUR prophets have been like foxes in the waste places.

5) You have not gone up into the gaps, neither built up the wall for the house of Israel, to the end that you can stand in the battle in the day of YAHVEH.

From Joel chapter one:

15) Alas for the day! for the day of YAHVEH is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come.

And from Joel chapter two:

1) Blow the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of YAHVEH comes, and it is nigh at hand;

2) A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong there has not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations.

3) A fire devours before them; and behind them a flame burns; the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them.

4) The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so shall they run.

5) Like the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devours the stubble, as a strong people set in battle array.

6) Before their face the people shall be much pained: all faces shall gather blackness.

7) They shall run like mighty men; they shall climb the wall like men of war; and they shall march every one on his ways, and they shall not break their ranks:

8) Neither shall one thrust another; they shall walk every one in his path: and when they fall upon the sword, they shall not be wounded.

9) They shall run to and fro in the city; they shall run upon the wall, they shall climb up upon the houses; they shall enter in at the windows like a thief.

10) The earth shall quake before them; the heavens shall tremble: the sun and the moon shall be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their shining:

11) And YAHVEH shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very great; for he is strong that executes his word: for the day of YAHVEH will be great and very terrible; and who can abide it?

From the prophecy of Obadiah:

12) But don't look down on your brother in the day of his disaster, or rejoice over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction; nor speak proudly in the day of their distress.

13) Don't enter into the gate of my people in the day of their calamity; yea, don't look on their affliction in the day of their calamity, and don't lay hands on their substance in the day of their calamity.

14) And don't stand in the byway to cut off those of his that escape; and don't deliver (don't save) those of his that remain in the day of distress.

15) For the day of YAHVEH is near upon all the nations. As you have done, it shall be done unto you; your dealing shall return upon your own head.

From Zephaniah chapter one:

14) The great day of YAHVEH is near, it is near and hastens greatly - even the sound of the day of YAHVEH; the mighty man cries there bitterly.

15) That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of waste and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness,

16) a day of the trumpet and alarm against the fortified cities and against the high battlements.

17) And I will bring distress upon men - that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against YAHVEH; and their blood shall be poured out as dust and their flesh as dung.

18) Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of YAHVEH's wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he will make an end - yea, a terrible end of all them that dwell in the land.

And from the fourteenth chapter of Zechariah:

1) Behold, the day of YAHVEH comes, and your spoil shall be divided in the midst of you.

2) For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken....

And from Malachi chapter four:

1) For, behold, the day comes, it will burn as a furnace; and all the proud, and all that work wickedness, shall be stubble; and the day that comes shall burn them up, says YAHVEH OF HOSTS, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.

2) But unto you that fear my name shall the sun of righteousness arise with healing in its wings; and you shall go forth, and frolic as calves of the stall.

3) And you shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I make, says YAHVEH OF HOSTS.

4) Remember the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, even statutes and ordinances.

5) Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of YAHVEH comes.

The apostle Peter quotes directly from the prophecy of Joel, as recorded in the Acts of the Apostles - chapter two:

19) And I will show wonders in the heavens above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke:

20) The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes....

The apostle Paul warned the Church in Corinth (1 Corinthians 5) that they hadn't dealt with a fornicator in the Church... one who didn't belong. He was "old leaven" one of "souring" - one who came out of the harlot, but didn't belong. And Paul wrote:

7) Purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, even as you are unleavened. For our passover has been sacrificed, even Christ Jesus.

5) ... deliver such a one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit be saved in the day of Kurios - the Lord Jesus.

And Paul writes to the Church in Thessalonica (1 Thessalonians 5):

1) But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I write to you.

2) For you yourselves well know that the day of the Lord (the day of Kurios) so comes as a thief in the night.

3) When they are saying, "peace and safety", then sudden destruction will come upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall in no wise escape.

And the apostle Peter in the third chapter of his second letter to the Churches, writes:

9) the Lord is not slow in regard to the promise, as certain ones count slowness, but is long-suffering to us, not counseling any to be lost but all to pass on to reformation,

10) and it will come -- the day of Kurios -- as a thief in the night, in which the heavens with a rushing noise will pass away, and the elements with burning heat be dissolved, and the land and the works in it shall be burnt up.

11) All of this, then, being destroyed, what kind of persons does it behoove you to be in holy behaviours and pious acts?

12) waiting for and hasting to the parousia - the day of God, by which the heavens, being on fire, shall be dissolved, and the elements melt with burning heat;

13) for we do wait for new heavens and a new earth according to His promise, in which righteousness dwells....

The apostle Peter, having been taught by The Christ, and under influence of Holy Spirit, writes to the Churches at some point before the Day of God; and he knows all of those prophetic passages that we just read.

And just like the seven messages that our Lord sent to the Churches, as recorded in the first three chapters of John's Revelation, Peter is quick to remind them of the coming Day of God... that they shouldn't doubt the prophets - that they shouldn't doubt the promise of God. He promised, and He's not being "slow" in fulfilling that promise!

In one day it will come. In that day in which all of the lost sheep of the house of Jacob have been delivered, it will come. And the very words of Almighty God to John here in verses six, seven and eight are directly from Isaiah forty-seven.

As we conclude this morning, listen to the prophet once more - seven hundred years before the birth of the Christ:

8) Now therefore hear this, you that are given to pleasures, that sits securely, that says in your heart, ‘I am, and there is none else besides me; I will not sit as a widow, neither shall I know the loss of children';

9) but these two things shall come upon you in a moment - in one day: the loss of children, and widowhood; in their full measure shall they come upon you, in the multitude of thy sorceries, and the great abundance of your enchantments.

10) For you have trusted in your wickedness; you have said, ‘no one sees me' Your wisdom and your knowledge, it has perverted you, and you have said in your heart, ‘I am, and there is none else besides me'.

11) Therefore shall evil come upon you; you shall not know the dawning thereof. And mischief shall fall upon you; you shall not be able to put it away; and desolation shall come upon you suddenly, which you know not.

12) Stand now with your enchantments, and with the multitude of your sorceries, wherein you have labored from your youth; maybe you will be able to profit, maybe you will prevail.

13) You are wearied in the multitude of your counsels. So, now let the astrologers, the star-gazers, the monthly fortune tellers, stand up and save you from the things that shall come upon you.

14) Behold, they shall be as stubble; the fire will burn them; they won't even be able to deliver themselves from the power of the flame...!

We've done all we're going to do with verses six, seven and eight now. Next Lord's Day we'll take up the next eleven verses, the three "woes" to come - from the kings and the merchants and the mariners; for they will bemoan the loss of the "great city" by which they had all become rich.

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REVELATION 18:1-24 Part 5

So many times YAHVEH had turned away His anger and removed the chastening and affliction.  But this people would always return to its whorish ways... all while being betrothed to YAHVEH - covenanted to YAHVEH.

One of God's beautiful analogies has to do with the "cup".  Israel was conceived a glorious golden cup in His hand.  But this people spent its entire existence mingling the wine of its fornication in that cup.  And all the nations drank from that wine.

Another analogy in the mind of God (one that is associated with the cup filled with abominations) is that of "betrothal".  From the birth of the nation of Israel all the way to the end of The Revelation of Jesus Christ, this people was under "covenant", which is "like" a betrothal.  And Israel had "agreed" to YAHVEH's covenant.  However, she never was faithful... having "prostituted" herself with all the nations and their idols.  She was like a bride-to-be, fornicating with anyone and everyone during the entire period of betrothal!

But you see, even in all of that, there was a promised seed!  God had promised.  The seed was one man born from this harlot - one from among all cursed and depraved mankind.  And from those kept by God from among the descendants of Jacob (twelve thousand from each tribe of Jacob's sons), there was a promised remnant whose sins and iniquities would be forgiven.

Therefore, because of His faithfulness to His promise, God's elect of Jacob would be sought out and found and sent into the nations to bless the peoples and tongues and tribes of the Gentiles... as He had promised to Abraham!

So the temporal and spiritual reach of the covenant establishes and secures the unity and continuity of the one church of God composed of the people of God living both before and after the cross of The Christ.  The seed of the woman is Jesus Christ and all Who are In Him from the beginning; all saved by grace through faith, which is a gift of God to those of the promise.

The signs of the covenant (both of which we participated in last Lord's Day) confirm God's faithfulness to His covenant promise.  And they confirm the unity of Christ and His people.  And they seal to us the fact that the covenant is true - from the beginning....

Even among the greater Babylon and the greater Sodom and the greater Egypt, there was a promised seed.  In the midst of the whore of the world there was a promised seed - kept by YAHVEH as His Own.

And there's the glory of God revealed in the Scripture!  In the worst of the worst, all through His history God kept His Own!  Even when all the nations were gathered against Him and His Anointed, He kept His Own for Himself.  Even during the four great tyrant nations of history that were raised up in satanic fury against the seed, YAHVEH kept them.  And all through the repeated sanctions against Israel for her continual prostitution with the nations, YAHVEH "remembered" His promise and birthed the seed from the belly of the whore... and called her the "Daughter of Zion".  That's what the apostle Paul meant when he wrote to the Churches in Rome: "nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus".

It's the story of God's history - written from the earliest chapters in Genesis.  Even in the worst of conditions - a satanic enemy and the complete depravity of man and a chosen nation that won't obey - God preserves and manifests His Own.  That gives Him GLORY, you see?  There isn't anything that can separate us from Him.  That "Seed" is the Christ and those "IN HIM" for whom His blood was shed.

Once again let's look at YAHVEH's promise - a promise that Israel always purposefully disregarded and interpreted for its own benefit.  The prophetic Word says that God remembered His promise - and Israel's eyes were closed to it; and her ears were stopped up (Isaiah six), (and it's the reason that Jesus spoke to them in parables, you remember).

John wrote these words of God here in verse five of our text - that God remembered her iniquity.  But God also remembered His promise to Abraham and to Isaac and to Jacob and his twelve sons - the seed of the woman Who would crush the head of the dragon and establish His Kingdom and preserve every last one of His Own and defeat death and overcome sin and the curse and raise up a people to Himself - all for the glory of The Father.

God did remember; and the clarity of the prophetic Word concerning these things is irrefutable.

As you may remember, here's what God said through the prophet Isaiah at chapter sixty-five:

11) But you who forsake the LORD, who forget my holy mountain, who set a table for Fortune and fill cups of mixed wine for Destiny,

12) I will destine you to the sword, and all of you shall bow down to the slaughter, because, when I called, you did not answer; when I spoke, you did not listen, but you did what was evil in my eyes and chose what I did not delight in."

13) Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: "Behold, my servants shall eat, but you shall be hungry; behold, my servants shall drink, but you shall be thirsty; behold, my servants shall rejoice, but you shall be put to shame;

14) behold, my servants shall sing for gladness of heart, but you shall cry out for pain of heart and shall wail for breaking of spirit.

15) You shall leave your name to my chosen for a curse, and the Lord GOD will put you to death, but his servants he will call by another name.

16) So that he who blesses himself in the land shall bless himself by the God of truth, and he who takes an oath in the land shall swear by the God of truth; because the former troubles will be forgotten and will be hidden from my eyes.

17) "For behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth, and then the former things shall no longer be remembered or come into mind.

One more time... judaists must purposefully re-interpret the prophets in order to maintain their status, and to hope for an end to their affliction, and to anticipate Israel's return to world-wide prominence!  Their eyes are blind, and the disregard of the text must be purposeful; for God was very specific in speaking to them through Isaiah, that He had a chosen people from among them who would be called by another name; and all the rest of them would meet a terminal end!  And then His justice would be satisfied and all that came before would no longer be remembered.

In that lengthy passage from Ezekiel sixteen that we heard before, there is that wondrous description of the harlot of the world and her last-days-judgment by Almighty God.  But at the end of the passage Ezekiel writes YAHVEH's words concerning His promise to Jacob and his father Isaac and his grandfather Abraham. Listen to it:

58) You yourself must bear the consequences of your indecency and abominations" -  (This is) YAHVEH's declaration.

59) "For this is what YAHVEH says: I will deal with you according to what you have done, since you have despised the oath by breaking the covenant.

60) But I... I will remember the covenant I made with you in the days of your youth, and I will confirm an everlasting covenant with you.

61) Then you will remember your ways and be ashamed when I receive your older and younger sisters. I will give them to you as daughters, but not because of your oath!

62) I will raise up My covenant with you, and you will know that I am YAHVEH,

63) so that when I make atonement for all you have done (when I Am satisfied), you will remember and be ashamed, and never open your mouth again because of your disgrace." [This is] the declaration (affirmation) of YAHVEH .

As verse six of our text says, God will double - and double again - payment for the works that she meted out with the kings and merchants of the world.

But in that time of God's atonement, which includes the destruction of the harlot and the flood of wrath upon the Son Of God/Son of Man, He will remember His covenant promise to the house of Jacob.  And the Daughter of Zion - the elect Israel - will be blessed with many daughters from her "sister" nations - those of Samaria and Sodom and Gomorrah and the Canaanites and from Syria - all of which the harlot disdained in pride, but all of which she surpassed in iniquity!

The harlot's sin against God was SO heaped up into the heaven that, in comparison to it, the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah was absolved!  And the shame of it all will be remembered by the house of Jacob when God freely atones for her sin and even adds those sister nations to her in the new heavens and the new earth!

God remembered His covenant; and He made atonement to Himself for His people!  And it would include - not only His elect from the tribes of Jacob, but many from all the nations and tribes and tongues of the earth.

Listen to it again from Isaiah sixty-six:

22) For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, says YAHVEH, so shall your seed and your name remain.

23) And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, says YAHVEH.

As the older Scripture is read through from Jacob onward, it becomes evident that each one of the tribes, from the beginning, exhibited its own corruption and rebellion.  But, in the end, which one of them was the worst of the worst?

From which of Abraham's great-grandsons arose King David, with Whom YAHVEH chose to covenant?  From which of Abraham's great grandsons was born the Seed of the woman?

Of course it was the tribe of Judah.  And the area of the promised land that Judah's tribe occupied encompassed the city of Jerusalem and the temple on the mount - the one location in all the created cosmos that was to resemble the tabernacle of God in the heaven!

As is evidenced here in Revelation eighteen, the Seed of the Woman was born amidst the worst of the worst - in Judah; and He was crucified in the city of God.  He was born in Judah, of the tribe of Judah - the seed of Solomon - the seed of David (through Bathsheba) - the seed of Jesse - the seed of Boas (through Rahab) - the seed of Jacob - the seed of Isaac - the seed of Abraham - the seed of Japheth - the seed of Shem - the seed of Noah - the seed of Seth - the seed of Adam!

(I left out a lot of them); but Matthew lists forty-two generations from the promise to Abraham to the day the Seed was born of Mary.  And it's no wonder that Mary was thankful to God for remembering His promise to Abraham for a Seed!

For twenty-four hundred years God had kept a Seed for Himself from among cursed humanity.  And He was born from the worst tribe of the twelve born of Jacob... for there was the city of God - the very heart of the harlot!

But God remembered His promise in the garden; and He remembered His promise to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; and He remembered His promise to David.  He kept a remnant of all twelve tribes for Himself - marking and sealing them; and here in verse five of our text He commands them to come out of the harlot before the day of YAHVEH.

And please understand that God did not keep them for Himself because they were good!  All of our Lord's forebears (ancestors) were depraved and corrupt!  All of humanity was cursed and corrupt, and Israel was the worst of them all.  And Judah was the worst of the twelve, for that's where the glory of God was revealed the most!

God kept His promise and elected to save some from among the worst!  So, you see, it was by grace that any were preserved throughout God's history; and it was by grace that any were sought out by our Lord; it was by grace that any of them were found and marked and sealed in the risen body of Christ.  And it was by grace that any from the tribes of Israel were scattered into the nations to bless the Gentiles (as promised to Abraham).

And of course it is by grace that the nations and peoples and tongues of the earth received the Spirit of the ascended Christ - all to the glory of God; for all mankind had broken the covenant made before the foundation of the creation - as had Adam.  All were cursed and condemned, and deserving of the wrath of a just and righteous God.

But Almighty God desires His entire creation to reflect His glory; and it will; all because One Man - the seed of the woman - received the full wrath of God in our place.  And therefore the descendants of Abraham will be as the stars in the heaven and the sands of the seashore.

However... as God is absolutely just in His gracious provision (according to His covenant), He is just and righteous in His retribution (as verses six and seven reveal); for Israel and its capitol city of the world has played the harlot with the kings and merchants of the world.

It was to be the one place in the midst of the peoples of the world where the glory of God shone in all its brightness.  But in all of its perversions it was worse than Babylon - worse than Sodom - worse than Egypt - worse than Nineveh.  She was the worst of all corrupt and cursed mankind!  And YAHVEH remembered her iniquities (verse five).

And John then hears the thunderous sound of the Lord of Hosts as He proclaims in judgment: "Repay her just as she meted out; and double double according to her works!  Mingle her double in the cup that she mingled" (verse six).

Ezekiel, at chapter twenty-one writes:

1)    And the word of the Lord came to me, saying:

2)    Son of man, set your face toward Jerusalem, and let your speech flow towards the holy places, and prophesy against the land of Israel;

3)    And say to the land of Israel: Thus says YAHVEH God: Behold I come against you, and I will draw forth my sword out of its sheath, and will cut off in you the just from the wicked.

4)    And forasmuch as I will cut off in you the just from the wicked, therefore shall my sword go forth out of its sheath against all flesh from the south even to the north.

5)    That all flesh may know that I YAHVEH have drawn my sword out of its sheath not to be turned back.

6)    And you, son of man, mourn with the striking of your loins, and with bitterness sigh before them.

7)    And when they shall say to you: Why do you mourn?  You shall say: For that which I hear.  Because it comes, and every heart shall melt, and all hands shall be made feeble, and every spirit shall faint, and water shall run down every leg.  Behold it comes, and it shall be done, says YAHVEH.

8)    And the word of YAHVEH came to me, saying:

9)    Son of man, prophesy, and say: Thus says YAHVEH God: Say: The sword, the sword is sharpened, and polished!

10) It is sharpened to kill victims: it is polished that it may glitter. You remove the sceptre of my son, you have cut down every tree (i.e. to make idols).

11) And I have given it to be polished, that it may be handled.  This sword is sharpened, and it is polished, that it may be in the hand of the slayer.

12) Cry, and howl, 0 son of man, for this sword is upon my people, it is upon all the princes of Israel, that are fled: they are delivered up to the sword with my people, strike therefore upon your thigh,

13) because it is proven: and that when it overthrows the scepter, then it shall not be, says YAHVEH God.

14) You therefore, O son of man, prophesy, and strike your hands together, and let the sword be doubled, and let the sword of the slain be doubled again.  This is the sword of a great slaughter, that makes them stand amazed,

15) and languish in heart, and that multiplies ruins. In all their gates I have set the dread of the sharp sword, the sword that is furbished to glitter, that is made ready for slaughter.

16) Be sharpened; go to the right hand, or to the left, whichever way you have a mind to set your face.

17) And I will clap my hands together, and will satisfy my indignation: I YAHVEH have spoken.

For all her works that she has "meted out"; for all her works that she has dealt out; for all her favors that she has "dished out" to her lovers; for all her harlotry she has bestowed on the pagans and foreigners of the world; for all the blood she has shed on the land to idols, YAHVEH will repay her double double!

God had made her a golden cup in His hand - filled with all the blessings of His covenant.  But she has "mingled" that cup with all her abominations.

Listen to it again from the beginning of chapter seventeen:

"And it bore me away in spirit into isolation.  Then I saw a woman sitting upon a crimson beast full of blasphemous names, having seven heads and ten horns; and the woman was purple and crimson clothed, adorned in gold and precious stone and pearls, and having in her hand a gold cup full of abominable things and the unclean things of her fornications...."

And as John hears the words of God from the tabernacle, He says (verse seven) "mingle her double in the cup that she mingled".

Israel and its shining city on the mount was about to drink that cup down to the dregs in repayment for her abominations.

But, you see, this is the "cup" our Lord referred to when He asked His disciples if they were able to drink the cup that He was about to drink; for He was about to be abandoned and struck in the awesome wrath of the Father for His elect people of the house of Jacob.  He was pierced with the sharpened and polished sword of God; and out came the blood of atonement and the water for cleansing of iniquity.

For the ones promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the "Seed" was to drink that cup of repayment for all their cursed depravity.  The One born of the worst-of-the-worst became the "cursed One" for them.  And then He marked out the promised ones, and sealed them, and removed them in order that they not receive "double double" for all Israel's abominations.

Then, in verse seven, John hears these words: "As much as she appeared glorious but waxed wanton, give her that much torment and mourning; for she says in her heart, ‘I am the sitting queen, I am not a widow, and I will never see mourning'."

What the Lord of Hosts is referring to there is directly from the prophecy to Israel through Isaiah, chapter forty seven.  Listen to it:

1)    "Go down and sit in the dust, Virgin Daughter of Babylon.  Sit on the ground without a throne, Daughter of Chaldea!  For you will no longer be called pampered and spoiled.

2)    Take millstones and grind meal; remove your veil, strip off [your] skirt, bare your thigh, wade through the streams.

3)    Your nakedness will be uncovered, and your shame will be exposed.  I will take vengeance; I will spare no one....

7)    You said: "I will be queen forever".  You did not take these things to heart or think about their outcome.

8)    "So now hear this, lover of luxury, who sits securely, who says to herself:  "I am, and no one else; I will never be a widow or mourn the loss of children."

9)    These two things will happen to you suddenly, in one day: loss of children and widowhood.  They will happen to you in their entirety, in spite of your many sorceries and the potency of your spells.

10) You were secure in your wickedness; you said: "No one sees me".  Your wisdom and knowledge have deluded you, for you said to yourself:  "I am, and no one else."

11) But disaster will happen to you; you will not know how to charm it away.  And it will fall on you, and you will be unable to atone for it.  Devastation that you don't know will happen to you suddenly and unexpectedly.

12) So... take your stand with your spells and your many sorceries, which you have wearied yourself with from your youth.  Perhaps you will be able to succeed; perhaps you will inspire terror!

13) You are worn out with your many consultations.  So let them stand and save you - the astrologers, who observe the stars, who predict monthly what will happen to you.

14) Look, they are like stubble; fire burns them up.  They cannot deliver themselves from the power of the flame.  This is not a coal for warming themselves, or a fire to sit beside!

15) This is what they are to you - those who have wearied you and have traded with you from your youth -  each wanders on his own way; no one can save you.

I am wealthy; I have need of nothing; I'm the queen of the world.  All of the kings and merchants of the nations come to me!  I am!  I'll never be widowed; and I'll never mourn the loss of children.  I am secure, and I have everything I want.  And nobody sees me!

However, YAHVEH is I AM (Isaiah forty-three: "I, even I AM YAHVEH, and there is no savior beside Me").  And He does see her pride and hubris; and He sees her fornications; and He sees her idols and her astrologers and enchanters.

And as He said in Jeremiah sixteen: "and I will first doubly repay her iniquity and her sin, because she has polluted My land".  And again, in Jeremiah seventeen: "I will bring on her a day of disaster and crush her with twofold destruction."

In the "day of YAHVEH" there will be multiple restitution (as reads the Law of God in Exodus chapters twenty one through twenty three.)  It is the day of atonement in which the harlot will be repaid double - and double again, for her whoredoms.  And as Josephus later wrote about the holocaust in 70AD: "there was left nothing to make those who came there believe it had ever been inhabited".

On the other hand (as contrasted with that day), there will have already been made atonement for the sin and iniquity of The Father's elect from the tribes of Jacob; for the wrath of God had been poured out upon the One Savior of the world.  He received the full punishment (seven times restitution) for His Father's elect people.

And we - the Gentiles - are the beneficiaries of that restitution; for those of us who have received faith as a gift are recipients of His promise - the promise made to Adam and to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  And we are to be faithful to Him - to hold the testimony of Jesus and keep His Commandments.

 

 

 

 

 

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REVELATION 18:1-24 Part 4

John observes as the Commander of all the hosts of the tabernacle in the heaven appears.  And what he is shown is the Parousia - His active Presence; for His magnificent glory emblazons the land (just as the rising sun from the East).  And the light of His blazing glory illuminates the whole land in all of its foul and repulsive ugliness.  Jerusalem's iniquity is "heaped up unto the tabernacle in the heaven".  In other words, it is "filled up".  And the light of His Presence makes it all evident.  The squalid is made manifest by His glory.  And it's time for the pronouncement of judgment in YAHVEH's law-suit against the harlot of the world!  And Michael testifies:

Jerusalem - worse than all the surrounding nations - is now the "dwelling place", the home, the preferred habitat, for the demons and unclean spirits that had been cast down from the tabernacle in the heaven.

Israel and the city of Jerusalem and the temple on the mount were to have been the one place in all the creation where the glory of God was to be seen.  It was to be a "resemblance" of His tabernacle in the heaven from which the demons were cast!  It was to shine with the glory of God for all the world to see and to be in "wonder" at God's people!  Outside of this paradise on earth was described in Scripture as a wilderness in which roamed these demons and unclean spirits... everywhere else except this paradise!

But now, Michael proclaims her "ready" for judgment, for the demons and unclean spirits of the wilderness places of the earth have found a home... a "dwelling place" in Israel.  Jerusalem has become so evil and depraved and unclean that it's more compatible with the nature of these unclean spirits!  It's so much better for them than the wilderness nations; so they've all occupied it!

Remember Jesus' teaching regarding the demons, as recorded in Matthew's Gospel; one went out and brought back seven (a complete number)... all much worse than the first.

And we are also reminded that Jesus, in His Own words, came to seek and to save the lost sheep of the house of Jacob.  And when he found them, He "reversed" the demon possession that had taken place among them.  And note also that Jesus didn't send the demons out of Israel; He just expelled them from His Father's elect people... all of that in prophetic preparation for what we're reading here in Revelation eighteen!

Later on in John's Revelation, we'll find out how the Commander of all the hosts deals with all of these creatures that were cast down from the heaven, for their ideal "dwelling place" - Jerusalem and Israel - was about to be destroyed.  Soon they would no longer enjoy the perfect "habitat"; for it would be reduced to "wilderness"!

Then, continuing His testimony, Michael proclaims that the vultures of the desert places are gathered; and they are ready to feast on the rotting bodies.  And here in the second verse they are gathered for the feast; for Jerusalem, Michael says, is "fallen".  She is "ready".  "Where the fall, there the eagles are gathered".

Thirdly, Michael says the golden cup of the wine of her fornications with all the nations is full (verse three).  That's a direct quote from the prophet Jeremiah concerning the greater Babylon to come; for over the entire period of her existence she has filled the cup with her iniquities, having committed fornication with all the kings and merchants of the world while being covenanted to YAHVEH... while being betrothed to YAHVEH!

From God's view of His history, it could be said that she actually joined - and even led - the nations in the attempt to cut off the "Seed" and overthrow the Kingdom of God's Messiah/King!

Rather than being thankful to God for her birth and her care and her immense beauty and wealth - freely given to her, she chose instead to rebel against her Creator/Benefactor/Savior (breaking His covenant), and prostitute herself with all the nations.

And then, lastly (at the end of verse three), Michael proclaims that "all of the merchants of the world have become rich from the power of her wantonness".

What we read (from Ezekiel) last week is one of the greatest analogies of Scripture in which a Sovereign God covenantally betrothed a people unto Himself and endowed her with every beautiful and glorious thing imaginable, only to have that fabulous dowry used to build high and eminent places to the strange gods of the foreigners in every location, and to prostitute herself with them.  Her great beauty and immense wealth, given to her by YAHVEH, is what is meant here in verse three of our text by the "power of her wantonness".

All of the producers and merchants of the earth became rich because of that power, for she used her beauty and great wealth to acquire the finest things made on earth in order to bedeck all of those places of idolatry that she built on every high place and under the beautiful oaks and at the head of every road in Israel.  She shed the blood of the sacrifices all over the land - polluting God's edenic paradise; and she even sacrificed many of her own children before these idols!

She became worse than Babylon - the first beast of world history, that made all the nations drink from the cup of the wine of its fornication; she became worse than Nineveh - the wicked city that repented at the preaching of Jonah; she became worse than Sodom and Gomorrah - the places known for sexual perversity; she became worse than Egypt - the nation that had enslaved her; she became worse than Tyre and Sidon - the ports through which the kings and merchants shipped the dainties that she so desired and that she acquired by her harlotry.

And she is called by their names!  She is called "Egypt"; she is called "Sodom" and "Gomorrah"; she is called "Tyre"; and she is called "Babylon", for she exceeded them all - for she was betrothed of YAHVEH and given a magnificent dowry.  And He gave her His Law-word and placed a replica of His glory right in her midst!  And He promised her a Messiah King.

God called her by these names in His prophetic Word!  She is the greater Babylon; she is the greater Tyre and Sidon; she is the greater Egypt; and she is the greater Sodom and Gomorrah!  She disdained them all in her pride; but she exceeded them all in iniquity! And the cup of the wine of her fornication is filled to the brim.  It's now "heaped up" all the way to YAHVEH's tabernacle in the heaven. And the kings and merchants of the earth have become rich from the power of her wantonness.

We are hearing, as John has written, the Parousia of the King of Kings as He brings testimony of the end-of-the-age status of this harlot nation.  He says, "she has fallen".

And now, having heard all of the witnesses (i.e. the blood of all the righteous in history and the persecution of many of the lost sheep of the house of Jacob; and having heard the prophets, and having heard the testimony of the Christ Himself as He illumined the nation's illicit history) and pronounced her "fallen", John now hears the final judgment of The Father in this covenantal law-suit. 

And never again will he afflict her and call her to repentance; for as John has previously written, it is the "last day" - the Day of Yahveh; and the time is near.

John writes to the Churches of the mighty, thunderous voice of God the Father from above the firmament over His tabernacle (verse four), as He shouts for all of His elect remaining in the land to come out of her!

You see, in the house of the harlot is the "daughter of Zion" - the elect remnant of the house of Jacob - those of the promise. They are marked and sealed.

The ones marked with the mark of the beast are to remain and suffer the final end; but those marked with the mark of the Christ are not to participate in the sins of the harlot nor suffer the plagues of the last day.  Their sins have already been paid for on the cross of the Christ; so they are not to receive the punishment due the harlot.  They are to "come out of her" and be scattered into the nations to bring the light of the dawn of a new day in the Kingdom of Jesus Christ.

Any of the lost sheep of the house of Jacob (the remnant) remaining in the land are to "come out"; for it is the last hour!  Israel's sins are "heaped up into the heaven; and God has remembered her iniquities" (verse five).  He has remembered her iniquities.

Considering the way we do Biblical Theology - that is: "covenantal continuity" - it is for us to take note of the magnificent place that "remembrance" occupies in the text of Scripture.  And we must remember that God remembers His Word and promises.  In the older Scripture, that's in contrast to Israel's consistent absence of remembering God's mighty deeds on her behalf.

What Israel was consistent in doing was proliferating harlotry!  And Scripture is replete with instances in which YAHVEH would afflict her for her iniquity.  Then, in the midst of that affliction, she would cry out for Him to save her... and remind Him of His promises!  Only in its sore afflictions would Israel prostrate itself and petition Almighty God to "remember"!

And then, when God heard the petitions and removed the affliction, she would go right back to her whoredoms with the kings and merchants of the nations... right back to the idolatry with the nations' false gods.

After the last sermon during which we read the stunning passage from Ezekiel sixteen in which is prophesied the final judgment of the harlot, my wife asked me how in the world Jewish people could possibly disregard that passage!

And the answer, of course, is that they have always purposefully misread the promise of God to the house of Jacob.  And through that "misreading", they continually "remind" God of His promise... even though they've always been an idolatrous nation, even though they've always turned God's law-word upside down, and even though they have always militated against God's Anointed King!  Over and over again they have broken covenant with God - continually disregarding it; but they require God to keep HIS promise and put an end to their affliction!  And they're still doing that!  It's a historical fact; it's a Biblical fact!

And of course they "wrap themselves in the cloak of affliction", (they are the persecuted people of God, you see), believing that God will restore them to His favor!  He will "remember" His promise to Israel (they say), and will set them on high once again over all the nations of the earth.

Having joined with the nations to cut off the seed of the woman, and having prostituted herself with the kings and merchants of the world, Israel has always rejected the terminal end of the nation in the Day of YAHVEH (as prophesied through all the prophets of old).  And it has always rejected the eminently prophesied fullness of God's promise to save His elect people in The Christ - the Strong Right Arm of YAHVEH!

The "seeking" and "finding" and "saving" of the remnant of Jacob was the fullness of His promise.  It was all "filled up" in the prophesied Anointed One of God.  He has heard the cry of the afflicted; and He has saved all Israel!  His promise to Jacob and his twelve sons was kept in full!  They are the "seed" which He kept for Himself.

Even today, Jews see themselves as "victims" of the nations.  They revel in the affliction; for that's their history, you see.  God will one day put an end to all of the affliction and raise them up once again.  That's their "hope"... which purposefully disregards the Scripture from Genesis to The Revelation.

You remember Jesus' answer to His disciples when they asked Him why He spoke in parables.  And He answered them by quoting directly from Isaiah chapter six and verse ten:

"Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and turn, and be healed."

God's Anointed One had arrived at the end of the age; and He came to seek and to find the lost sheep of the house of Jacob; and He came preaching the Kingdom "at hand".  And that's exactly what God was telling Isaiah to prophesy to Israel... the end of the age!

I speak in parables, Jesus said, in order to shut their ears and blind their eyes; for the Day of YAHVEH is at hand.  He will not hear them this time!  They are not to seek His favor this time!  He will not hear their pleas to save them this time!  They have been afflicted many times, and they have turned and asked Me to save them over and over and over; but yet they continued in their harlotry when I ended their affliction... but not this time!

His people are the remnant of the twelve tribes who He came to save!

"Come out from among them My people that you not participate in her sins and receive her plagues; for her sins are heaped up unto the heaven, and God remembered her iniquities."

God "remembered"....

Listen to the words of YAHVEH through the prophet Jeremiah at chapter fourteen.  Israel will cry out to YAHVEH, as it always has in its deep affliction, reminding God of His promise to remember them and to save them... .and actually accusing Him of being "impotent" to save!  And then listen to God's response to their pleas:

Here it is:

7)    "Though our iniquities testify against us, act, O YAHVEH, for your name's sake; for our backslidings are many; we have sinned against you.

8)    O You hope of Israel, its Savior in time of trouble, why should You be like a stranger in the land, like a traveler who turns aside to stay for a night?

9)    Why should You be like a man confounded, like a mighty warrior who cannot save?  Yet you, O YAHVEH, are in the midst of us, and we are called by Your name; do not leave us."

10) Thus says YAHVEH concerning this people: "They have loved to wander like this; they have not restrained their feet; therefore YAHVEH will not accept them; now He will remember their iniquity and punish their sins."

11) YAHVEH said to me: "Do not pray for the welfare of this people.

12) Though they fast, I will not hear their cry, and though they offer burnt offering and grain offering, I will not accept them. But I will consume them by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence" (the three plagues of the end of the age).

Here in our text (verse five) John writes, "and God remembered her iniquities"... a direct quote from the prophecy of Jeremiah fourteen.

Never in all of Scripture is the covenantal harlotry of Israel more specifically illustrated by God than in the prophecy of Hosea.  He was the prophet who was required by God to suffer a harlot for a wife all during his life.  And suffer he did.  Over and over again she was unfaithful to him, selling herself to all her lovers.  Hosea's life was a prophecy to Israel concerning her whoredoms!

But his life married to a harlot wasn't the sum total of His prophecy to Israel!  YAHVEH had words to say to them through this man.  Listen to them at chapter eight, verse thirteen:

"They sacrifice flesh for the sacrifices of My offerings, and eat it; and YAHVEH will not accept them; now will he remember their iniquity and visit their sins....

As John writes here in verse five: "her sins are heaped up unto the heaven and God remembered her iniquities".

Once again... in Hosea chapter nine:

9) They have deeply corrupted themselves, as in the days of Gibeah; therefore he will remember their iniquity, he will visit their sins.

So many times YAHVEH had turned away His anger and removed the chastening and affliction.  But this people would always return to its whorish ways... all while being betrothed - covenanted.

But, you see, there was a promised seed!  Even among the greater Babylon and the greater Sodom and the greater Egypt, there was a promised seed.  In the midst of the whore of the world there was a promised seed - kept by YAHVEH as His Own.

And there's the glory of God revealed in the Scripture!  In the worst of the worst God kept His Own!  Even when all the nations were gathered against Him and His Anointed, He kept His Own for Himself.  Even during the four great tyrant nations of history that were raised up in satanic fury against the seed, YAHVEH kept them.  And all through the repeated sanctions against Israel for her continual prostitution with the nations, YAHVEH "remembered" His promise and birthed the seed from the belly of the whore... and called her the "Daughter of Zion".  That's what the apostle Paul meant when he wrote to the Churches in Rome: "nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus".

It's the story of God's history - written from the earliest chapters in Genesis.  Even in the worst of conditions - a satanic enemy and the complete depravity of man and a chosen nation that won't obey - God preserves and manifests His Own.  That gives Him GLORY, you see?  There isn't anything that can separate us from Him.  That "Seed" is the Christ and those "IN HIM" for whom His blood was shed.

For our last few minutes, let's look at YAHVEH's promise - a promise that Israel always purposefully misread and disregarded.  The prophetic Word says that God remembered His promise - and Israel's eyes were closed to it; and her ears were stopped up (Isaiah six), (and it's the reason that Jesus spoke to them in parables, you remember).

John wrote these words of God here in verse five - that God remembered her iniquity.  But God also remembered His promise to Abraham and to Isaac and to Jacob - the seed of the woman Who would crush the head of the dragon and establish His Kingdom and preserve every last one of His Own and defeat death and overcome sin and depravity and raise up a people to Himself - all for the glory of The Father.

God did remember; and the clarity of the prophetic Word concerning these things is irrefutable and undeniable.

Let's listen to some of it.  Here's what God said through the prophet Isaiah at chapter sixty-five:

11) But you who forsake the LORD, who forget my holy mountain, who set a table for Fortune and fill cups of mixed wine for Destiny,

12) I will destine you to the sword, and all of you shall bow down to the slaughter, because, when I called, you did not answer; when I spoke, you did not listen, but you did what was evil in my eyes and chose what I did not delight in."

13) Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: "Behold, my servants shall eat, but you shall be hungry; behold, my servants shall drink, but you shall be thirsty; behold, my servants shall rejoice, but you shall be put to shame;

14) behold, my servants shall sing for gladness of heart, but you shall cry out for pain of heart and shall wail for breaking of spirit.

15) You shall leave your name to my chosen for a curse, and the Lord GOD will put you to death, but his servants he will call by another name.

16) So that he who blesses himself in the land shall bless himself by the God of truth, and he who takes an oath in the land shall swear by the God of truth; because the former troubles will be forgotten and will be hidden from my eyes.

17) "For behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth, and then the former things shall no longer be remembered or come into mind.

Once again, judaists must purposefully misread the prophets in order to maintain their victim status, and to hope for an end to their affliction, and anticipate Israel's return to world-wide prominence!  Their eyes are blind, and the disregard of the text must be purposeful; for God was very specific in speaking to them through Isaiah, that He had a chosen people from among them who would be called by another name; and all the rest of them would meet a terminal end!  And then His justice would be satisfied and all that came before would no longer be remembered.

In that lengthy passage from Ezekiel sixteen that we read last Lord's Day, we heard a wondrous description of the harlot of the world and her last-days-judgment by Almighty God.  But at the end of the passage Ezekiel writes YAHVEH's words concerning His promise to Jacob and his father Isaac and his grandfather Abraham. Listen to it:

58) You yourself must bear the consequences of your indecency and abominations" -  (This is) YAHVEH's declaration.

59) "For this is what YAHVEH says: I will deal with you according to what you have done, since you have despised the oath by breaking the covenant.

60) But I... I will remember the covenant I made with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish an everlasting covenant with you.

61) Then you will remember your ways and be ashamed when I receive your older and younger sisters. I will give them to you as daughters, but not because of your oath!

62) I will raise up My covenant with you, and you will know that I am YAHVEH,

63) so that when I make atonement for all you have done (when I Am satisfied), you will remember and be ashamed, and never open your mouth again because of your disgrace." [This is] the declaration (affirmation) of YAHVEH .

In that time of God's atonement, which includes the destruction of the harlot and the flood of wrath upon the Son Of God/Son of Man, He will remember His covenant promise to the house of Jacob.  And the Daughter of Zion - the elect Israel - will be blessed with many daughters from her "sister" nations - those of Samaria and Sodom and Gomorrah and the Canaanites and from Syria - all of which the harlot disdained in pride, but all of which she surpassed in iniquity!

The harlot's sin against God was SO heaped up into the heaven that, in comparison, the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah was absolved!  And the shame of it all will be remembered by the house of Jacob when God freely atones for her sin and even adds those sister nations to her in the new heavens and the new earth!

God remembered His covenant; and He made atonement to Himself for His people!  And it would include - not only His elect from the tribes of Jacob, but many from all the nations and tribes and tongues of the earth.

Listen to it from Isaiah sixty-six:

22) For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, says YAHVEH, so shall your seed and your name remain.

23) And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, says YAHVEH.

 

 

 

 

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...Here are a few things about the abiding nature of God’s Law-word under the reign and rule of Christ the King.

The first thing that needs to be said is that, over and above the purpose for which it was revealed, in exhaustive detail, to the covenanted nation of Israel, God’s Law-word IS the revelation of His righteousness.  Therefore it has abiding validity.  Not one iota of His righteousness has been abrogated.  (An “iota” is the smallest mark in the Hebrew language, by the way).  So not one bit of the Revelation of God’s holy Person has passed away!

Secondly, the holiness and righteousness of our Triune God, as revealed in His Law-word, continues (as always) to excite hatred and animosity among depraved mankind.  And rebellion is kindled and inflamed in the hearts and minds and bodies of cursed and fallen creatures.  God’s Law-word arouses those who are dead in sin, and provokes them to more – and further – degradation.

 

The creation, itself, reveals the power and the glory of its Creator, leaving all mankind without excuse; but God’s Law-word piques and quickens man’s defiance and drives him to deeper and deeper perversity.

Thirdly, by the shed blood of the Law-Giver and perfect Law-Keeper, all of the ones rebirthed into Him have access to all of His virtues and perfection; and because He is the perfect law-keeper, they are confronted with the Righteousness of God in His Law; and they mourn their sin and turn from it – finding in His Law the love and grace and mercy of a holy God; and coveting the faithfulness to Him that’s required there.

And they all can then say with the Psalmist: “O how I love Thy Law, O God”.  And they can say that because it’s the Revelation of His righteousness!

You see, God’s Revelation of His Own holiness – His Law-word – becomes the original model for our faithfulness; for there’s nothing more important for one who is IN CHRIST than to reflect the righteousness of our God – to His glory.

And I say to you that God’s Law-word is loving; and His love is lawful.  This is an irrefutable truth to those who are In Christ.  On the other hand, those who proclaim that the old testament is one of Law, but the new testament is one of love and grace, are doing so in order to excuse themselves for their unfaithfulness. 

The Law-word of God makes sin exceedingly sinful!  That’s purposeful, you see.  But to those In Christ the Revelation of His glorious nature (in His Law) is precious indeed; for it convicts us and turns us and arouses us to repentance and stirs us to obedience and faithfulness.  Because of His Law, we desire to emulate The Christ to Whom we belong, and to reflect God’s holiness and righteousness!

The purpose of the Revelation of God’s righteousness (His Law-word) is, at the same time, to manifest the ungodly and to manifest those who belong to the Christ; for the re-born in Him are the ones given the right to be Sons of God in faithful obedience.

Remember what was said earlier here in the Revelation: that those who are being manifest as His people are those who are “holding the testimony of Jesus and keeping His Commandments”.

 

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"...A nation whose leaders refuse to lead by the revealed righteousness of God in His Law, will surely descend into lawlessness.  And chaos will not be far behind; for an ungodly and perverse people will inevitably descend into libertine corruption and lawless anarchy.

A godly magistrate provides justice and order and peace and prosperity for all those in his keeping; but one that is hostile to God’s Law cultivates and nurtures disorder and barbarity and deviance and poverty and hardship and turmoil.

We don’t yet know what our immediate state is going to be in this nation; but we can be certain of one thing: that God will always do what is right!  And those of the promise will always be manifest.  We know that because that’s what He’s always done.  And the King of Kings will glorify His Father by keeping all of His Own, for He is the Overcomer!...

 

Sermon from Revelation 18: 1-24 Part 2

To read more click here: http://cpctyler.com/archiveview.php?id=515

 

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AUTOCRACY IN THE CHURCH

Rev. John C. Martin

OPENING STATEMENT

To be self-attested, or self-validated, is a driving force among fallen human-kind; therefore the need for recognition, the need for attention, the need for esteem, the need for acknowledgement, etc., for the attestation one provides for one's self HAS to be met (at least equally) by all of that which is external. (This is seen clearly as counselors describe their counselees as having LOW self-esteem; but that's NOT what it is. What it is, is that all that's external doesn't attribute to the counselee (or the counselor) the same HIGH regard as that which he attributes to himself).

Unfortunately (although we pastors and elders are to be among those redeemed by the blood of the Lamb and partaking of the virtues of our Lord, having been rebirthed into His Body), (unfortunately) there are those among us who are elders who remain in great need of external compliance with how they view themselves. Rather than relying on how God sees them, they must have feedback from the world which complies with their own view of themselves.

No matter their lifestyle, they become authoritarian, driving rather than leading, masters rather than servants, having attributed to themselves authority that has not been given, and causing great harm to individuals, families, congregations and denominations that are called by His Name. For these, the office of elder in the Church of Jesus Christ is a call to personal power and an opportunity for the exercise of authority. And should the recognition of that self-attribution be withheld from them, the consequences are often grave.

Once again, the lifestyle of the self-attested, authoritarian elder is a "secondary" issue; compliance is the primary. And what that usually means is, that the authoritarian may take "license" with God's Word in his own life, because he is the authority (his own authority). And therefore he excuses his own sinful lifestyle. All must comply with his authorityexcept himself.

THE SHEPHERDS OF ISRAEL

Our Lord Jesus Christ came (as He said) to seek and to save those who were lost of the House of Jacob. The elders of the tribes of Israel and the priests and scribes and pharisees had turned God's Law-word upside down (Isaiah twenty nine) for their own benefits; and they had preyed upon the people like ferocious animals, keeping them in a prison of darkness, leaving them poor, sick, crooked and demon-possessed.

By their own authority the elders and priests of Israel had added to, subtracted from, and reinterpreted God's Word in order to keep the people under their authority for their own benefits. They had shed the blood of the righteous from Abel to Zechariah, including the prophets sent to them. So the people under their care didn't anticipate the two major events prophesied throughout the written Word. Therefore they didn't know the Savior of the world when He came; and they were unaware of the coming "Day of the Lord'.

When Jesus came He reversed, for all of His Father's elect from the twelve tribes, that which had been done to them by the false shepherds and pseudoprophets of Israel. And every last one of His elect was "exodused" out of Israel into the nations before God's wrath was poured out on the land.

But the point here is, that the shepherds of Israel took to themselves an authority that wasn't given to them. And they are condemned and judged throughout Scripture, culminating in the Word of God Made Flesh pronouncing final judgment upon them in Matthew twenty three and again in Revelation sixteen.

GOD'S LAW

We are to live by every Word that has proceeded from God. And our Lord confirmed the validity of every word (Matthew five). Since He is the Word of God made flesh, then He is the fullness of the (spoken and) written Word.

In Revelation fourteen the Churches that were scattered in the nations of the Roman Empire are enjoined to "keep His Commandments", and to "hold the testimony of Jesus" in the face of persecution and death at the hands of judaists and the fourth great beast of world history.

In the seven letters to the Churches, it was the ones who didn't keep His Commandments and didn't hold the testimony of Jesus and refused to anticipate His imminent Parousia that were to be excommunicated from the Church.

Although we are members of His body and are, as much as it is in our power, to be at peace with all, there is no place in all of Scripture where the shepherds of our Lord's people are permitted to require submission to themselves. They are to teach and preach faithing and submission to God (and are to receive honor when they do [1 Tim. three and five]). And there is no place in all of Scripture where the shepherds of our Lord's people are permitted to add to God's Law-word, thereby loading His people with that which God Himself doesn't require. Rather, extra-Biblical requirements are NOT permitted by those who have been given authority. It's only the ones who want more authority than they've been given who "force" the Scripture to say what they want it to say, regardless of the language and context.

SPHERES OF RESPONSIBILITY

God has decreed and has given authority to men; and He has defined that authority. And men have the responsibility to remain within HIS definition. To exceed the authority that God has given is to add to His Words........ a great sin for which anathema is pronounced.

God raises up and God removes magistrates both civil and ecclesiastic. And the authority that is given is a "derived" authority. It is not an authority that is "assumed" by the one appointed. In other words it can't be authority that one wishes to exercise. Lawlessness inevitably brings consequences including disorder, disarray, anarchy and judgment from God.

Civil magistrates are confined to exercising authority according to God's Word. Ecclesiastical magistrates are confined to exercising authority according to God's Word. And authority given to the family is confined to exercising it according to God's Word.

All this to say that when an ecclesiastic exceeds his authority and usurps the authority that exists in the home, trouble and confusion inevitably result. And in the instance in which the family authority abdicates his authority to the ecclesiastic, the family will reach a state of crisis.

In my opinion the distemper infecting some Reformed denominations and some Reformed Churches is due in part to the overreaching and overlording of autocratic elders and counselors who have assumed an authority that they've not been given. And they do so because it "feeds" their self-attested identity.

AUTHORITARIANS AS TYRANTS

The turmoil and disorder and chaos that is propagated by authoritarians not only splits Churches into pieces, but it leaves confusion, pain, heartache and lack of trust in its wake. It tears up families; and it leaves professing Christians at enmity with one another. And, most significantly, it causes some to doubt God's Word because it's been reinterpreted to fit the tyrant's mode of operation. "Obey what I say" is the key phrase here. Rather than being the servants of the Lord's people, they become their "masters".

Tyrant elders and counselors (those who assume to themselves more authority than they've been given) have some identifiable behaviors and modes of comportment. That's not to say that they all have them all; but I want to go through at least some of my observations here:

1) They seek to diminish, or obviate, the authority that has been given to others.

2) They demean others who question their authority. Often this takes the form of nasty accusations and bold confrontation.

3) Their own lifestyles are more likely to be rebellious against God's Law-word. And what should one expect? They've already broken God's Law by adding to it! Having already done that, it's easier to add some profligacy to one's own life.

4) Similar to that of Islam and other cults, they are more likely to be misogynists. Although faithful women and girls are "priests" before God in the body of the risen and ascended Son of Man, they are treated as "less" than the ones who attribute to themselves the authority to dictate behavior. What's wrong with this picture!

5) Also similar to cultic practice, tyrants try to separate members (especially young people) from their families and the support that they might receive from them; and they cultivate a resentment in them toward their parents and others. The Commandment of God to "Honor your mother and your father" seems not to have the least effect on this ugly and dishonorable activity!

6) They are very good at the sin of hypocrisy since (like the elders and priests of Israel) they condemn and judge what they permit for themselves. And isn't it "strange" that they would call freedom in Christ Jesus from the oppression of dictatorial elders a "strange" teaching?!

7) They tend to think that whatever they preach and teach should be received by the congregation with thanksgiving, even if they've spent little or no time in exegetical preparation.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF CHURCH MEMBERS

Since the apostle Paul is clear on the "spiral of sin" (Romans chapter one); and since that spiral begins with idolatry; and since the addition of non-Biblical legal requirements is self-idolatry; and since that spiral descends all the way to the depths of homosexuality, it's not presumption to assert that heads of households should protect their families and move to a place where they can worship under the shepherding of Biblical servants. It shouldn't take a "minute" for a Godly head of household to assess the situation where a Church is under the rule of an oppressive eldership, and move his family to a place where they can be fed with the Word of God by Godly teaching elders.

Pray to Almighty God for the purity of Christ's Church. And pray for confession and repentance of His elders. But never think that chaos and disorder isn't forthcoming when elders assert their own authority rather than God's. Get your families away before great harm comes to them. Dictatorial elders are shepherds with great big sticks; and they seek to "drive" the sheep rather than lead them.

 

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Men and women and children are still the same as they’ve always been.  We’re all born after our father Adam. 

Another thing that’s the same… the “call” goes out to sorrow, and repent (turn) and follow Jesus.  And it doesn’t matter whether you’re rich, or poor; sick or well; great, or insignificant; thief, or law-abiding; hypocrite, or guileless; prostitute, or chaste; profligate, or honorable.  All are called to turn in sorrow and repentance, and follow Jesus Christ.  Some will apathetically turn away and pay little attention to that call!  Others will turn against it in anger – and even violence.

But many respond to the call in sorrow and repentance… and join in an eternal chorus of thanksgiving and joy and celebration – following the King of Kings in obedient submission.

This morning we come to the public worship of our Lord Jesus Christ celebrating with the elect remnant of Israel.  They and the eleven elect disciples of Jesus were the first fruits of the ransom sacrifice of the Son of God.

God had known them at the beginning – by name.  And He had kept them by His Power.  And by His keeping them they did not bend the knee to Baal.  And by His keeping them they knew Him when the disciples found them and preached to them……and when Jesus healed them – reversing the devastation of centuries of idolatry and rebellion.

And on that great day when the Son of God was murdered, His blood was shed to satisfy God’s wrath and to cover their sin; His body was given that they might have a new heritage.  And the third day, when He rose from death, they were with Him and in Him.

Today there are not “a few” to be taken from the many.  The celebration today is that “many” belong to Him – and there will be many, many more!  It is a celebration of complete victory.  Mankind is redeemed!  The world is redeemed!  Man, by the millions, will recognize Him when they are called.  And we will all celebrate our resurrection from the dead with those first few who God knew by name – and kept – and loved.

For all things have been delivered over to Him – all things!  Earth, heaven, hell; men, messengers (both good and fallen); time, death and eternity.  All things. 

Salvation and damnation, grace and judgment, life and death.  All things.  Truth, righteousness, glory, peace and joy, consolation and refreshing, rest and hope, deliverance from sin, victory in temptation, overcoming the world order, communion with God, the love of God, life in God.  All things have been delivered over to Him.  He is Mighty God in Whom exists all the virtues of God, and He is the possessor and executor of all creation and history.  He is the Prince of life and the captain of our salvation.  He is the King and the mighty Warrior Who submits the world to Himself, and Who won’t fail to subdue it all to the glory of His Father.

 

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