Preparing For Eternity (Part 3)
So on Sunday we saw how God will pour out His wrath on a Christ rejecting world (chapter 8 and 9),that is what chapters 6-19 basically cover (there really is no basic about it because there is so much detail but it is hard to interpret by ourselves). I will try to scratch the surface and get us through 19 so bare with me.
Chapter 10 is a sunnier chapter that follows 9’s dark and dismal setting. We have an angel come down from Heaven (has taken on many of God’s attributes because he has been with Him for so long) and a rainbow is on his head.
Revelation 10:1 “And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head…”
Verse 4 brings about much speculation but we need to understand a few things.
Revelation 10:4 “And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not.”
Why would he (John) mention something and then not explain or tell us? The Seven day Adventists and Mormons have a lot to say about these thunders sealed message, but in my book that is adding to the script because my Bible (all Bibles) is mute on this point. Deuteronomy 29:29 “The secret things belong to Me, says the Lord.” So here is Jon Courson’s stance on the blessing of not knowing what the thunders said.
Not knowing keeps us:
Humble- we are humble when we don’t know everything, pride is a beast and usually shows up in a guy with a wealth of knowledge “know it all”, don’t they erkk you! Sadly that can be me to often.
Useful- keeps us focused on what He has blessed us with knowing, “stay focused man!”
Stable- God gives us a peace that passes our understanding (Phillipians 4:7 /thanks Blake). Focus on Him and we have peace but when we try to figure the world out we have anxiety.
Chapter 11 – about the halfway point of the tribulation
Revelation 11:1 “…rise and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.” This implies that the temple (4th) will be rebuilt at least before the middle of the tribulation. Revelation 11:3 “And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.” This verse is introducing the fact that there will be two witnesses on the earth who will be doing major work for the kingdom, hollering out “Repent and be saved”. If you read on you see that God gives them great authority and power to bring down plagues and shoot fire from their mouth to devour their opposition. So you can imagine that all the pagans (non-believers on earth) will hate these two (I have been taught they will be Elijah and Moses) witnesses for convicting people and bringing in intense plagues. Verse 7 we see Satan come from out of the bottomless pit and battle these two (like Darth Vador verse Obie One) and be victorious. The witnesses then will lie dead in the street for 3 ½ days while the inhabitants of the earth party all around them, rejoicing that the devil killed them. Then in verse 11 God’s spirit enters them and they stand up infront of a crowd of people only to have a voice from heaven say “Come up here”. Prompted by the Spirit and the voice they ascend to heaven miraculously blowing the onlookers minds, can you imagine? The chapter goes on to convey God’s wrath through an earthquake, lightning storms, and hail storms. The people who corrupt and pollute the earth will be destroyed while the witnesses who serve God will be saved. Unfortunately in verse 18 we read that “and the nations were angry” implying that instead of worshipping God for His power and sovereignty they are mad and hate Him, weird.
Well I failed at getting us to chapter 19 and you can see why, Revelation is filled with too much meat. I don’t want to fill you all up too much it takes time to digest this stuff. I once again hope you all are enjoying this. There is a powerful witness in being able to explain the contents of this book and like Tyler said, we will all be blessed for reading it (Rev 1:3).
4 comments:
Meaty son! This study is great for me.
Unfortunately in verse 18 we read that “and the nations were angry” implying that instead of worshipping God for His power and sovereignty they are mad and hate Him, weird.
haha, beautiful delivery Jules. "weird" haha. Holder of the best "furnt" ever as Joe C tried to go deep in BP. I will think of that sometimes by myself and just lose it.
Anyways.....
I love love the scriptures on the two witnesses. Can you even imagine! Man, it gives me chills reading about what they do in there time here. Spittin mad fire like DyLON! ha. Jules pretty much nailed what they did and people's reaction so I wanted to talk about something I find interesting.
Ben, you said you have been taught that the 2 witnesses will be Moses and Elijah. I have heard this as well. I first started looking at this in spring training when Blake's boy, Toops, asked me who I thought the 2 witnesses would be. I, honestly, didn't know what he was talking about so I started looking into it.
I think that many people assume it will be Moses and Elijah because of Luke 9: 28-33. This is when Jesus takes Peter, John and James up on the mountain to pray. Here they witness Jesus having a private powwow with Elijah and Moses. They were talking about Jesus' departure which he was about to bring to fulfillment (v. 30) Some people also believe it is Moses because the miracles in Rev 11 resemble the ones Moses performed back in Egypt.
I think it might not be Moses, and here is why. Moses has already died. Deut. 34:7 "And Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated.
As Jules stated in his post. These men will be killed by Satan and people are going to be dancing around them for 3 days. We also know that in Hebrews 9:27 it says "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgement"
I think it will be Enoch and Elijah, because neither of these prophets ever died. Genesis 5:24 "And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him"
also in Hebrews 11:5 "By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God"
and Elijah also has not died:
Elijah was taken up to heaven in a chariot
2 Kings 2:1 "and it came to pass, when the Lord would take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind..."
It doesn't matter either way who the 2 witnesses are, but I just think it is fun to discuss. Anybody ever heard this spin before?
Tyler, I love your ideas about Enoch and Elijah being the 2, makes sense and I appreciate you explaining my side as well because your perfectly accurate. In another idea, a big thing for me is realizing how important Israel is and will be. Israel has been the focal point of the earth for our (humans) entire existence, why is that? How has Isreal never been wiped off the map when that has been the agenda of most major evil (Biblical stories, hitler, muslims, etc...). Do you think that is a God thing?
Tyler, excellent theory and explanation of your theory about the two witnesses. Never have I thought of it that way but as soon as you mentioned that Moses had already died, I knew exactly where you were going with the next paragraph. I have to say, that is a strong observation on Enoch and Elijah. I'm an instant fan of the theory. I also appreciate your humbleness in your delivery admitting that you could be wrong. It's important to not let differences of theological opinions get in the way of our relationships toward our brothers in Christ. Satan loves to use theological debates as a way to divide the true church against itself. That is how denominations have been formed throughout the years which have done nothing but divide the church if you ask me. That is why my only title is "a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ". Good work everyone.
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