May We All Praise Him For Being Our “Lord God Almighty”!
Rev 11:17 KJV – (17) Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned.
For the SIH devotional on this subject:
The Revelation Of Jesus Christ: “O Lord God Almighty”
Rev 11:17 KJV – (17) Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned.
What a glorious name for our Lord… when He is called “Lord God Almighty” He is being recognized as:
- Lord – the One who possesses all authority over us… we are to serve Him only.
- God – the One who deserves our worship… we are to honor and praise Him only.
- Almighty – the One who is able to do all things… we are to trust Him only.
Sometimes a Christian needs to take a break from all the cares of this world and take a moment to simply stop and think about the greatness of our God. In doing so, we will begin to realize that all of our cares are nothing in comparison to the greatness of our God. This is the very message of Psalms 147… the greatness of God at work in supplying the needs of His people:
Psa 147:1-20 KJV
(1) Praise ye the LORD: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely.
(2) The LORD doth build up Jerusalem: he gathereth together the outcasts of Israel.
(3) He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.
(4) He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names.
(5) Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite.
(6) The LORD lifteth up the meek: he casteth the wicked down to the ground.
(7) Sing unto the LORD with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God:
(8) Who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains.
(9) He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry.
(10) He delighteth not in the strength of the horse: he taketh not pleasure in the legs of a man.
(11) The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy.
(12) Praise the LORD, O Jerusalem; praise thy God, O Zion.
(13) For he hath strengthened the bars of thy gates; he hath blessed thy children within thee.
(14) He maketh peace in thy borders, and filleth thee with the finest of the wheat.
(15) He sendeth forth his commandment upon earth: his word runneth very swiftly.
(16) He giveth snow like wool: he scattereth the hoarfrost like ashes.
(17) He casteth forth his ice like morsels: who can stand before his cold?
(18) He sendeth out his word, and melteth them: he causeth his wind to blow, and the waters flow.
(19) He sheweth his word unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgments unto Israel.
(20) He hath not dealt so with any nation: and as for his judgments, they have not known them. Praise ye the LORD.
May we all stop, think on His greatness, and then live lives that bring honor to our Lord God Almighty.. for He has done great things for us!
For an in depth look at these sections of the Revelation
The Two Aspects Of God’s Eternal Kingdom…
Rev 11:15 KJV
(15) And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
For the SIH devotional on this subject:
The Revelation Of Jesus Christ: “the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.”
Rev 11:15 KJV – And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
As the Kingdom of our Lord overcomes the kingdoms of this world, we see that the Lord’s kingdom will be eternal as His sovereign, perfect rule will never come to an end.
It is interesting to note that the eternal kingdom of God is described in this verse in the plural… “the kingdoms of our Lord and his Christ”. The plural “kingdoms” refers to the two different stages of God’s kingdom that will take place on the New Earth. Here, we are told that the eternal kingdom of God involves both the reign of “His Christ” (Jesus) and also the reign of “our Lord” (God).
In 1 Corinthians 15:24-28, we find a more detailed look at these stages of God’s eternal reign…
“Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him. And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.” (1 Cor 15:24-28)
Basically, when Christ comes back at His second coming, He will be arriving on the “New Earth” which refers to this earth which is renovated by the purifying fire of His wrath. His arrival will inaugurate the first phase of the eternal kingdom of God, commonly referred to as “the 1000 year reign of Christ”, “the Millennium”, or, in our text “the kingdom of His Christ”. During the kingdom of Christ, God’s people will be judged and rewarded for their faithfulness.
The conclusion of the kingdom of Christ will include the completion of His destruction of His enemies. This will involve the judgment of the lost and the final disposition of the Satan, His angels, and lost mankind to the Lake of Fire. At this point, death will be destroyed and the kingdom of Christ will come to an end. This will involve Christ “handing over” the kingdom He had formed, purchased and ruled, to His Father. Then God will become the “All in All” throughout eternity.
(Note: we will look at all these end time events in much greater detail when our study looks at Revelation 20:-22:)
May we all, with thankful hearts, come to understand the privilege we have been given to be subjects of the great kingdom of the Lord. Our membership in His kingdom took place as a gracious blessing from the Lord through His work on the cross. May we all submit to His Supreme Authority and serve Him out of thankful hearts knowing we are citizens of His kingdom and called to do the work of our King.
For an in depth look at these sections of the Revelation
Bible Lessons and Devotionals For Easter Week…
Easter Week Devotion: The Sufferings Of Christ
Video http://youtu.be/je1FlxVv5gA
Easter Week Devotion: The Importance Of The Resurrection
Video http://youtu.be/9Nqrtwb2q-I
Easter Week Devotion: The Resurrection Of Christ
Video http://youtu.be/Jj26nfVrpgo
Easter Week Devotion: The Sayings Of Christ On The Cross
Revelation 11: Summary
SUMMARY OF THE CHAPTER:
Chapter 10:1-11:14 gives us a break from our look at the seven trumpet judgments. (We have already looked at trumpets 1-6 in Revelation 8:-9:; and we will see the contents of Trumpet 7 beginning in 11:15.) In chapter 11:, we will be given the answer to the question “Why does God send His wrath upon lost mankind at His second coming?”
The answer to this question is two-fold. God sends His wrath upon lost mankind because…
- Rev 11:1-2 – Lost Mankind Rejects His Worship
- Rev 11:3-13 – Lost Mankind Rejects His Witness
Then in Revelation 11:14-19 we find preparation for the final segment of God’s wrath that falls at His second coming. Other ways Revelation describes this portion of God’s wrath is “the 3rd woe”, “”the seventh trumpet”, or “vials one through seven”. Symbolic detailed descriptions of this wrath will be found in Revelation 15:-16:.
SUMMARY OF EACH DIVISION OF CHAPTER:
- Revelation 11:1-2 – Rejection Of The Worship of God
In this text, we can see a clear division between those who are the true worshippers of God (shown by Jews who are worshipping in the inner court of the temple) and those who oppose God’s worship and are restricted from it (symbolized by Gentiles who inhabit the outer court of the temple.
The worship in the temple, the use of the altar and the Jews who worshipped therein comes from the Old Testament accounts of genuine worship of Jehovah. In the Old Testament most Gentiles were restricted from temple worship shown by their presence in the outer court only.
John is told by the angel to measure the temple, altar and count up the worshippers that are within the temple confines. The measuring/counting of these is a symbolic representation of the worship of God’s people throughout the ages is accepted, approved and possessed by God.
On the other hand, John’s restriction from measuring the outer court and counting up the Gentiles in the outer court clearly teaches us that the lost of this world are restricted from engaging in true worship and entering His presence, even though they participate in worldly worship of false Gods.
- Revelation 11:3-13 – Rejection Of The Witness of God
In this portion of John’s vision, he sees the Lord give authority and strength to two witnesses (symbolic of all the witnesses of God throughout time, to actively witness of Christ and His truth until His second coming. These two witnesses are likened to the lampstand and olive trees of Zech 4:, teaching us that their ministry of enlightening the world is only done through the enabling of the indwelling Holy Spirit in their lives.
Their ministry involves teaching the truths of God’s Word which will act as a fire purifying those who heed the warnings found in the Word, or increasing the responsibility and final judgment of those who eject their message of truth.
These witnesses are also likened to Elijah and Moses and the NT witnesses of Christ prior to the completion of the Word who performed many accrediting miracles to prove their witness was of God. What does this teach us about all the witnesses of Christ throughout the ages? They are all witnesses of the true Messiah Jesus Christ and they are accredited by God possessing His authority, message and empowerment to take the gospel to the world.
These two witnesses are slain by the beast from the bottomless pit, describing the great martyrdom of God’s people that have taken place throughout history at the hands of the powers of darkness of this world (pictured by the governments of Sodom, Egypt, Jerusalem, and Rome). Please note all of these governments are directly related to the direct opposition to the Lord and His people throughout history.
But that is not the end of the story. In the midst of the lost world’s rejoicing over the death of God’s witnesses, we see Christ bringing the body of the witnesses back to life (at His second coming) and taking them to be in His presence while He avenges the mistreatment of His people (pictured by a great earthquake that takes the lives of many of the lost on earth).
- Revelation 11:14-19 – Preparation Of The Conclusion Of God’s Wrath (Trumpet Seven)
In this final section of John’s vision, we see the Lord being praised by the heavenly host of angels and redeemed men for the completion of His wrath that is about to come to pass. With the completion of Trumpet seven judgment the sinful kingdoms of the world (who we have just seen martyring God’s people) will now be brought to an end, which will result in the Lord’s eternal Kingdom being established on the New Earth.
Along with praise for His ultimate, final victory over those who abused His people, He is also praised for initiating a time of judgment of both saved (rewarding them for their faithfulness) and lost (sentencing them to eternal judgment in the Lake of Fire).
John also sees the symbolic temple of God opened in heaven, revealing the Lord in His greatness and glory. There John sees the ark of the testament revealing Christ as God; Sinless Man; Sacrifice For His People; Miracle Worker; Faithful, Protector, Comforter Of His People; King of Kings; Supreme Judge; Gracious, Merciful, and Forgiving; Ultimate Enabler and Caregiver of His People.
Along with the ark of the covenant being seen, there also appears “lightnings, voices, thunderings, an earthquake and great hail”. All of which audibly and visibly reveals the Lord’s greatness and glory as He prepares to complete His work of vengeance, and reformation as Trumpet seven is now ready to be revealed.
WHAT’S COMING NEXT IN THIS SERIES?:
In Revelation chapter 12, we will be looking at another of John’s visions that reveals the history of God’s kingdom (the woman) and the first coming of Christ (the child) to the earth. It will emphasize the attempts made throughout history to stop Christ from accomplishing His work and destroy His people from whom He came. A short outline of this chapter is as follows:
Woman w Child & War In Heaven 12:1-17
- The Child’s Birth and Opposition To The Child 1-6
- The War In Heaven and Its Results 7-12
- The Divine Protection of The Woman 13-17
May the Lord bless us as we seek to see Jesus in the pages of the book of Revelation.
Homepage: http://www.settledinheaven.org
Text Blog: http://www.settledinheaven.wordpress.com
Video Blog: http://www.youtube.com/settledinheaven
Email Contact: settledinheaven@gmail.com
Christ’s Kingdom WILL Come On Earth As It Is In Heaven!
Rev 11:15 KJV – And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
For the SIH devotional on this subject:
The Revelation Of Jesus Christ: “The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ”
Rev 11:15 KJV
(15) And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
In this vision, John hears the angel sounding the seventh trumpet (announcing that God’s wrath is about to be completed). As His wrath comes to a close, it will result in the total defeat of the kingdoms of this world, with God’s glorious eternal kingdom being clearly revealed. There is a very important dream of Nebuchadnezzar that reveals this same event to us. This dream is found in Daniel 2:31-45.
In this dream, Nebuchadnezzar sees a statue of a man which represents four world kingdoms that will appear throughout history from Daniel’s day to the second coming of Christ. He then sees a large stone (representing God’s eternal kingdom) that destroys the statue and stands forever…
“And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.” (Daniel 2:44-45)
What a wonderful thought for us all! Although, we currently are under the direct influence of the powers of this world (which are controlled sovereignly by our Lord), there is coming a day when we will experience God’s kingdom directly ruling over us.
Think of what life will be like as we live on a New Earth that is sin-free, enjoying an existence in glorified bodies and having Christ directly ruling over us! What a wonderful day that will be! It will be then that our prayer …
“Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. (Luke 11:2 KJV)”
… will be perfectly fulfilled!
May we all seek to fulfill God’s will on earth even now, realizing that someday we will be able to enjoy a sinless world where the will of God will be done perfectly!
For an in depth look at these sections of the Revelation
A Resurrection From The Dead Is Awaiting The People Of God…
Rev 11:11-12 KJV – And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them. And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.
For the SIH devotional on this subject:
Revelation 11:14-19 “Preparation For The Conclusion Of God’s Wrath (Trumpet 7)”
THE TEXT:
Rev 11:14-19 KJV
(14) The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly.
(15) And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
(16) And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God,
(17) Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned.
(18) And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.
(19) And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.
THE INTRODUCTION:
Previously, in Revelation chapter 10, we saw John received a small book from Christ and then John was given a three-fold responsibility concerning that book: to receive the message of the little book; become familiar and understanding of it; and then to share it with his readers by recording it as a part of the Book of Revelation.
Here, in chapter 11:1-14, we find the contents of that little book. In these verses, we will have shown to us why God’s wrath will fall against mankind:
- Revelation 11:1-2 – Rejection of the Worship of God
- Revelation 11:3-14 – Rejection of the Witness of God
- Revelation 11:15 – Preparation for the Conclusion Of God’s Wrath
THE EXPOSITORY STUDY:
The sixth trumpet, also described as the second woe, was seen in Revelation 9:13-21. Following the end of this trumpet, Revelation describes why these trumpets of wrath are being brought against sinful mankind in Rev 10:1-11:13. In our text for this study, Revelation now picks up where it left off in 9:21 by preparing the seventh trumpet of God’s wrath (the third woe) to sound.
Rev 11:14-19 KJV
(14) The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly.
We can clearly see that this verse resumes the look at the wrath of God that falls upon mankind. We previously saw the second woe (trumpet 6) came to completion in 9:21 and, now, we pick up the narrative as the third woe (trumpet 7) prepares to sound.
(15) And the seventh angel sounded;
The sounding of the 7th trumpet marks the beginning of the third woe. The contents of this trumpet will be looked at in detail in Rev 15: & 16:.
and there were great voices in heaven, saying,
Who are these great voices? Probably these voices are the multitude in heaven that includes the saints (4 beasts and 24 elders) and elect angels. They will be honoring Christ by describing His position as King of Kings and Lord of Lords…
The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
Trumpet seven will bring to completion God’s wrath that is falling against lost mankind. In the process, the kingdoms of this world will fall and the visible reign of Christ will begin as eternity on the remade heavens and earth is ushered in at His second coming. His reign is eternal and is described as “ages of the ages”.
Dan 2:44 KJV – “And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.”
1Co 15:24-28 KJV – “Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him. And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.”
The never ending nature of eternity is described as “ages of the ages”. In other words, it extends throughout all ages (divisions of existence, generations), the last of which is the eternal age that has no ending, as in Psalm 146:10… “The LORD shall reign for ever, even thy God, O Zion, unto all generations. Praise ye the LORD.”
(16) And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God,
Following the praises of the Lord being proclaimed by the saved and angels, the 24 elders bow in humility and submission and begin to worship their Almighty Eternal King.
(17) Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come;
They begin to verbally praise the Lord by emphasizing His authority (“Lord God”), power (“Almighty”) and His eternal nature (“which art, and wast, and art to come”). They are giving thanks to their great Lord, but why are they thanking Him?
because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned.
They are thanking Him because He has avenged their mistreatment and defeated His foes. He is now clearly seen to reign over them. Please keep in mind the Lord has reigned in eternity past, and continues reigning throughout all time…
Psa 93:2 KJV – “Thy throne is established of old: thou art from everlasting.”
Lam 5:19 KJV – “Thou, O LORD, remainest for ever; thy throne from generation to generation.”
However, at His second coming His reign becomes clear for all to see as He publically sends His wrath, defeats His foes, and sets up His eternal reign with His people, and judges all mankind. It is this public manifestation of His reign for which the saints of God are praising Him…
Dan 7:13-18 KJV – “I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.
I Daniel was grieved in my spirit in the midst of my body, and the visions of my head troubled me. I came near unto one of them that stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me, and made me know the interpretation of the things.
These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth.
But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.”
Outward proofs of His eternal rule…
(18) And the nations were angry,
At Christ’s second coming the nations of this world will be angry at His great wrath that is poured out upon them.
and thy wrath is come,
In spite of the world’s anger and opposition to the Lord’s judgments, His vengeance falls upon them bringing them to utter defeat.
Proof #1: Although the Lost hate His wrath and oppose it, He still successfully sends His wrath against them, defeating them.
and the time of the dead, that they should be judged,
Following Christ’s defeat of His enemies, the time comes for the judgment of all men.
Proof #2: The Lord’s judgment all of mankind, both lost and saved..
This judgment takes place in two phases….
and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great;
The first phase involves giving rewards to the saints for their faithfulness in the opportunities for service that were opened to them during their lifetime. This takes place during the 1000 year reign and results in the receipt of rewards…
Rev 20:4 KJV – “And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.”
and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.
The second phase of God’s judgment of mankind involves the judgment of the lost. This is a judgment based upon two criteria, their names are missing in the Lamb’s book of life and the sinful acts they have committed on earth. This results in their final eternal disposition in the Lake of Fire…
Rev 20:12-15 KJV – “And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”
(19) And the temple of God was opened in heaven,
The tabernacle and then temple was God’s dwelling place on earth during the times of the Old Testament. This heavenly temple is the source of the great wrath that falls upon lost mankind (Rev 14:15 etc). This temple found in heaven is symbolic of the center of God’s presence. The opening of the heavenly temple symbolizes that God, as His wrath comes to a close and eternity begins, is now clearly revealing Himself as the One who is behind the wrath that falls upon lost mankind.
1Jn 3:2 KJV – “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.”
and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament:
As the temple is opened, John sees the ark of his testament: a gold-covered wooden box that contained three objects: Moses’ rod, the table of Ten Commandments and a jar of manna (Hebrews 9:3-4). This entire ark was found in the Most Holy Place where God Himself met with man. It symbolized God Himself and His glorious attributes…
- The Gold of the ark – reminds us of His Deity and Kingship
- The Wood of the ark – reminds us of His Humanity, suffering and death
- Moses’ rod – reminds us of His miracle working ability and His faithfulness to His people as they live lives of service to Him.
- The table of commandments – reminds us of His authority to rule (King of Kings), and judge (Supreme Judge)
- The jar of manna – reminds us of His grace and endless divine supplies.
This is our Great Lord. He is the One that will send His wrath bringing defeat upon lost mankind.
and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.
Keep in mind the “lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail“ all picture His greatness and is preparatory for His wrath to fall (Rev 4:5, 8:5, 16:19 etc). With this great display of His greatness and might, the wrath of God is about to proceed. This wrath will be described in great detail in Revelation 15: & 16:
CHRIST REVEALED:
In this text, we see Christ revealed as the Almighty, Eternally Reigning Lord that will defeat His enemies and graciously bless His people throughout eternity. In this great display of His wrath and revelation of Himself, we can see Him as God; Sinless Man; Sacrifice For His People; Miracle Worker; Faithful, Protector, Comforter Of His People; King of Kings; Supreme Judge; Gracious, Merciful, and Forgiving; Ultimate Enabler and Caregiver of His People.
And because of who He is, He deserves all the praise and glory from all mankind.
THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION (SUMMARY)
May we all see Christ in His greatness and have a renewed sense of need to praise and honor Christ for His person and His attributes and His workings among men (especially His Rulership and Ultimate, Total Victory gained over the powers of darkness).
Although, we cannot see Him clearly in today’s time, in the latter days we will see His glory clearly, as it will be displayed as His wrath falls upon lost mankind and throughout our eternity with Him…
1Co 13:12 KJV – “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.”
May the Lord bless us as we seek to see Jesus in the pages of the book of Revelation.
Homepage: http://www.settledinheaven.org
Text Blog: http://www.settledinheaven.wordpress.com
Video Blog: http://www.youtube.com/settledinheaven
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The Revelation Of Jesus Christ: “the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet”
Rev 11:11-12 KJV
And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.
And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.
John sees a glorious vision…. The two witnesses for Christ, after being murdered for their stand for Christ, is now brought back form the dead and taken home to be with their Lord!
Please keep in mind, these two witnesses symbolize for us all of the faithful witnesses for Christ throughout history. Although these witnesses have been martyred, that is not the end of the story. At his death, although the Christian’s spirit goes to be with His Lord, His body goes to the grave, separated from Christ. From an earthly viewpoint, it appears as if he has been defeated and the powers of wickedness rule the day.
However, at the second coming of Christ, this seeming defeat is turned into eternal victory. The saint’s body is resurrected from the grave and the saint now enters eternity with a glorified body going home to be eternally in the presence of his Lord Jesus. This takes place immediately before Christ sends His wrath against lost mankind bringing them to utter ruin…
Rom 8:11 KJV – But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
1Th 4:16-17 KJV – For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Jud 1:14-15 KJV – And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.
In this part of the vision we can see another wonderful assurance of our blessings that are yet to come. Even when a Christian is martyred by a lost world, it is not the end of the story. Christ promises a future resurrection from the dead and an entrance into eternity into His presence followed by the permanent defeat of those who have mistreated His people.
May we all praise the Lord for His promise of a certain victory over the powers of darkness, and may we allow this knowledge to encourage us as we face opposition from the lost world around us.
For an in depth look at these sections of the Revelation
Does Our Life and Words Bring Conviction Upon The Lost Around Us?
Rev 11:10 KJV
(10) And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.
For the SIH devotional on this subject:
The Revelation Of Jesus Christ: “these two prophets tormented them”
Rev 11:10 KJV
(10) And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.
Previously, we have seen that lost mankind was joyous at the death and disrespect that was given to the two witnesses for Christ. This symbolically displayed lost mankind’s rejection and hatred of the servants of Christ.
Why does such hatred exist? In our devotional for this morning we will find the answer to our question.
We are told that the basis of lost mankind’s hatred is that the witnesses “tormented them”. The word for “torment” carries with it the ideas of “torture”, “pain”, or “vex”. This terminology is referring to the effect of the witnesses message upon the lost. As the witnesses spoke the truth of God’s Word it brought conviction, guilt, a sense of inability and great need upon them. This is the natural result of God’s Word in the life of those who are yet in their sins.
Joh 3:19-20 KJV – “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.”
This is the core reason why the lost despise witnesses for Christ. It is only through the gracious intervention of the Lord into the life of the lost individual that will allow the gospel message to be received and acted upon. Without His grace, the lost person will always reject the truth and count it as an irritant that needs to be removed for their lives.
2Ti 2:24-26 KJV – “And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.”
May we all understand the lost person’s state of spiritual blindness and their natural inclination to despise the Word and those who deliver it. May we all minister to the lost in a spirit of kindness and love realizing that we, too, at one point in time were in the very same condition as those to whom we now witness.
For an in depth look at these sections of the Revelation
Are We Hated Because Of Our Message Or Our Attitude?
Rev 11:10 KJV – And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.
For the SIH devotional on this subject:
The Revelation Of Jesus Christ: “the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another”
Rev 11:10 KJV
(10) And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.
At the death of the two witnesses (those who take the gospel message to lost mankind) we find the lost world rejoicing, making merry, and exchanging gifts. What a devastating picture this presents to each one of us…
Stop and think about it… two men take the gospel to the lost world, attempting to show them their need of salvation and give them an opportunity to find forgiveness of their sins. In return for their act of love, the lost world slays them, treats their bodies with disrespect and then finds great joy in what they have done. Basically, it is as if lost mankind has a great celebratory party… they experience great fleshly joy, they encourage others to be merry, and they exchange gifts as an act of goodwill. One big happy party!
Throughout all the different time frames of the Bible we find this same type of attitude existing among the lost (Judges 16:23-24; Psa 13:4, 35:19-26; Oba 1:12; Micah 7:8; John 16:20).
Folks, do you know those who are happy when they see distress in your life? Are there family, “friends”, or other acquaintances that literally hate you for your stand for Christ? You are not alone. There are many who have walked in your footsteps and many more to come…
Joh 15:18-19 KJV – “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you… If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.”
But there is one danger against which we need to always be on guard… the danger of childishly being obnoxious and rude in our service to Christ. This simply invites others to turn against us and the message we proclaim. Just as taking a stand for the truths of God is important, it is just as important to take a stand in a loving, kind, gentle way…
Eph 4:14-15 KJV – “That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:”
2Co 8:7-9 KJV – “Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also. I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love. For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.”
Gal 6:1 KJV – “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.”
As we witness for our Lord and Savior, may we all recognize that we cannot expect to be loved by all. Our Lord has clearly explained that being a witness for Him will cause some to despise us.
But likewise, may we all understand the great need to serve and speak with a spirit of love and humility, recognizing that apart from God’s grace, we would still be alienated from God, under His condemnation, and destined for eternal separation from God in eternal punishment.
May we be hated by others due to the CONTENT of our message and never the ATTITUDE in which our message is presented. To proclaim God’s message of love and grace with a hardened, prideful attitude only mocks the true message of grace and brings disgrace to our Lord.
Let us never act in a way which begs for lost mankind to reject our Savior, His truth, and His messenger (ourselves).
For an in depth look at these sections of the Revelation
Are We Lights For Christ That Are Fueled By The Holy Spirit’s Enablement?
Rev 11:4 KJV
(4) These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.
For the SIH devotional on this subject:
The Revelation Of Jesus Christ: “These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks ”
Rev 11:4 KJV
(4) These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.
The two witnesses, which symbolize all of the Lord’s witnesses throughout time, are symbolized by two candlesticks that are being given fuel from two olive trees. This symbolism is taken from Zechariah chapter 4.
What can we learn from this symbolism?
As witnesses of the Most High God, we act as lights in the midst of a sin-darkened world. We “shine a spotlight” on Christ showing forth His greatness, His work and His salvation. But our ministry does not stop there. As we declare other truths of His Word, we clearly reveal sin, its results and its remedy to the lost around us. Combined, these basic principles clearly display lost man’s great need and the way of salvation.
Basically, the Christians ministry is a lot like turning on a light switch which reveals the contents of a darkened room. Only in our case, through our testimony, we are revealing Christ and mankind’s condition to those who are living in a sin darkened world. This is why the witnesses of God are symbolized as lampstands that shine forth light.
What about the two olive trees? Remember, the basic picture is of two olive trees that are feeding olive oil which fuels the candlesticks. These olive trees remind us that the witnesses of the Lord do not minster of their own ability or strength. They are entirely reliant upon this oil that fuels their flame. This oil is a picture of the Holy Spirit’s enabling in the life of the witness.
The witnesses of God are given boldness, wisdom, knowledge, strength, empowerment of their words etc etc from the Holy Spirit. Without these, no genuine Godly witness can exist. This explains the existence of the olive trees in our symbolism.
So what can we take away from our study this morning?
First of all, we can see the great need to tell others about Christ and His wonderful work on their behalf.
Each Christian is called to be a living witness of Christ and what He has done for us. It is only through a spreading of the gospel of Christ that the lost man will be saved. Then, in addition, His local churches are given an added measure of responsibility in fulfilling the Great Commission which includes proclaiming the gospel message, baptizing new believers, and teaching the new believers doctrinal and practical truths from God’s Word.
Secondly, we can see the need to rely upon the enabling of the indwelling Spirit as we witness to the lost.
This means we need to be in prayer that the Lord would give us the knowledge and words to speak, He would open the doors of opportunity to witness for Him, and He would prepare the hearts of the lost to receive the witness we are about to present to them.
Also, following our witness, we should continue to be in prayer for those witnessed to and attempt to keep in contact and minister to the needs of those to whom we have spoken (when possible).
May we all seek to be Godly witnesses through the gracious intervention of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
For an in depth look at these sections of the Revelation
Do Jews Have a Divine Right in the Promised Land? By John Piper
Rob’s Note: This article gives us all something to consider. I would appreciate any comments you may have on Bro’ Piper’s article. Thanks!
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How should Bible-believing Christians align themselves in the Jewish-Palestinian conflict? There are Biblical reasons for treating both sides with compassionate public justice in the same way that disputes should be settled between nations generally. In other words, the Bible does not teach us to be partial to Israel or to the Palestinians because either has a special divine status.
I do not deny that Israel was chosen by God from all the peoples of the world to be the focus of special blessing in the history of redemption which climaxed in Jesus Christ, the Messiah. “The LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth” (Deuteronomy 7:6).
Nor do I deny that God promised to Israel the presently disputed land from the time of Abraham onward. God said to Moses, “This is the land of which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, ‘I will give it to your offspring'” (Deuteronomy 34:4).
But neither of these Biblical facts leads necessarily to the endorsement of present-day Israel as the rightful possessor of all the disputed land. Israel may have such a right. And she may not. But that decision is not based on divine privilege. Why?
First, a non-covenant-keeping people does not have a divine right to hold the land of promise. Both the blessed status of the people and the privileged right to the land are conditional on Israel’s keeping the covenant God made with her. Thus God said to Israel, “If you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples” (Exodus 19:5). Israel has no warrant to a present experience of divine privilege when she is not keeping covenant with God.
More than once Israel was denied the experience of her divine right to the land when she broke covenant with God. For example, when Israel languished in captivity in Babylon, Daniel prayed, “O Lord . . .we have sinned and done wrong . . . To you, O Lord, belongs righteousness, but to us open shame . . . to all Israel . . . in all the lands to which you have driven them, because of the treachery that they have committed against you” (Daniel 9:4-7; see Psalm 78:54-61). Israel has no divine right to be in the land of promise when she is breaking the covenant of promise.
This does not mean that other nations have the right to molest her. She still has human rights among nations when she has no divine right. Nations that gloated over her divine discipline were punished by God (Isaiah 10:5-13).
Secondly, Israel as a whole today rejects her Messiah, Jesus Christ, God’s Son. This is the ultimate act of covenant-breaking with God. God promised that to Israel “a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6-7). But with tears this Prince of Peace looked out over Jerusalem and said, “Would that you . . . had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. . . . You did not know the time of your visitation” (Luke 19:42-44).
When the builders rejected the beautiful Cornerstone, Jesus said, “The kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits” (Matthew 21:43). He explained, “Many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness” (Matthew 8:11-12)
God has saving purposes for ethnic Israel (Romans 11:25-26). But for now the people are at enmity with God in rejecting the gospel of Jesus Christ, their Messiah (Romans 11:28). God has expanded his saving work to embrace all peoples (including Palestinians) who will trust his Son and depend on his death and resurrection for salvation. “Is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, since God is one. He will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith” (Romans 3:29-30).
The Christian plea in the Middle East to Palestinians and Jews is: “Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31). And until that great day when both Jewish and Gentile followers of King Jesus inherit the earth (not just the land), without lifting sword or gun, the rights of nations should be decided by the principles of compassionate and public justice, not claims to national divine right or status.
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John Piper (@JohnPiper) is founder and teacher of desiringGod.org and chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary. For 33 years, he served as pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church, Minneapolis, Minnesota. He is author of more than 50 books.
Do We Sorrow Over The Condition Of Lost Mankind?
Rev 11:3 KJV
(3) And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.
For the SIH devotional on this subject:
The Revelation Of Jesus Christ: “Clothed In Sackcloth ”
Rev 11:3 KJV
(3) And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.
As John sees the two witnesses of the Lord (symbolic of all of the Lord’s servants throughout time), he sees them wearing sackcloth. Many times throughout the Bible, sackcloth is linked to mourning and great loss (Gen 37:34, 2 Sam 3:31, Job 16:15-16, etc etc).
Why would the two witnesses of the Most High Lord be pictured as mourning and sorrowing?
Folks, as we look upon the lost world around us our hearts should be breaking as we consider what their future holds.
In this life, all the lost have to look forward to are the temporal, vain, pleasures of life that will be combined with the earthly trials and heartaches that we all face. On the other hand, those who are saved also experience joyful times in this life, but they also are blessed with the presence of Christ in the midst of the hardships this life. With this presence, they can find a lasting joy, peace, and reassurance even in the center of the storms of life.
But even more sorrowful is the thought that the future will only bring to the lost separation from the Lord in eternal torment. Although the saved also deserve this doomed future, through the gracious intervention of Christ, it has been taken from them and replaced with a glorious future in the presence of Christ Himself.
This is why the witnesses of Christ are said to be wearing sackcloth….
This is why the witnesses are mourning….
This is why the witnesses are willingly to serve the Lord even unto death.,,,
It is for the sake of those who are in desperate need of Christ.
May we all share this attitude of mourning for the lost around us. May we all understand the future that is faced by the lost and understand the great responsibility that is upon us… to take the wonderful gospel message to the lost, opening to them an opportunity to turn from their sin to Christ and trust in Him as their Lord and Savior.
For an in depth look at these sections of the Revelation
Settled In Heaven Blog 