Friday, November 30, 2012

Revelation 14:13-18


Before we go on I feel I need to mention that there is controversy with the third angel.  The Seventh-Day Adventist have a different interpretation about the message of the third angel.  They believe that the message from the angel is the Sabbath message and the we should worship the Beast and receive the mark in recognition of the holiness of the first day of the week. (vs 9) However in verse 10 & 11 there is talk of the torment that will ensue with the taking the mark and worshipping of the Beast.  It appears they think that this is the judgment will come to an end.  But when you read on, it appears to be different. NEVER does the reading of the Holy Bible refer to our Heavenly Father with such a word as Beast.  Please feel free to dive into this and reach your own conclusion but as for me, I will continue on with the line of thought that it is a pronouncement of what is going to happen if you do worship the Beast and take the mark.  And taking that mark will NOT be to glorify God.



Rev14:13And I heard a voice from heaven saying, "Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on." "Blessed indeed," says the Spirit, "that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!" 

  From here on out, the times will continue to be really tough, the darkest part is yet to come.  Especially for those who are believers in Christ.  What this verse is saying is that it would be better for you to die now while your faith is strong than to  live through this and enter the Earthly kingdom after the Great Tribulation is done.  If you were to die now, in this time of the Tribulation, strong in your faith in Christ, you would go to your place in the Heavenly Kingdom and get a much needed rest!

What does the angel mean by labors, and deeds?  If we cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven by works alone, then why mention works here?  The word deeds used here is a word meaning, character.   When you pass, your character is all you will have, just your true "self".

Rev 14:14Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and seated on the cloud one like a son of man, with a golden crown on his head, and a sharp sickle in his hand.

Here is the words of the final judgment.  Here is the Son of Man raping and he will direct the next angels to reap as well.  All judgment is for the Son who died on the cross on Calvary for us.

Rev 14:15And another angel came out of the temple, calling with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, "Put in your sickle, and reap, for the hour to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is fully ripe."

The sickle reaping in verse 15 is a symbolic picture of the battle of Armageddon.

We are reading about the just being gathered, and leaving the wicked, see below.

Rev 14:16So he who sat on the cloud swung his sickle across the earth, and the earth was reaped. 17Then another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. 18And another angel came out from the altar, the angel who has authority over the fire, and he called with a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle, "Put in your sickle and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth, for its grapes are ripe."

The angel coming out from the alter may be Moses alter built for the tabernacle and the fire may be of the altar to minister at in Rev 8:3-5.

The final words in verse 18 are a second picture of the battle of Armageddon.

Lets stop here, the next blog we will discuss the actuial reaping of the Son of Man verses the reaping the angels are doing.



Blessing on all till next time,



Calabash

Thursday, November 22, 2012

Revelation 14:8-12

Rev 14:8Another angel, a second, followed, saying, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, she who made all nations drink the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality." 9And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a loud voice, "If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10he also will drink the wine of God's wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. 11And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name." 12Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.

Remember last blog, the first angel, he preached the everlasting gospel.  He is close enough to earth to be seen and heard by the remaining people.  This is occurring during the last 3 1/2 years.  The message is the same as what we have now with one exception...the hour of God's judgment will be announced at this time.

Now here is the second of three angels.  His job is to announce the falling of Babylon.  Barclay in his book, The Revelation of John vol 2, says that Babylon is actually Rome, and Rome was the seat of all things immoral that a man could do, purchase, or act on.  My honest opinion, I believe it is the lifestyle of our country today.  Stop, look around, be nervous of what you may find, how far we have fallen and consider what God may think of our lifestyles we allow.  Some of the immorality (sexual or otherwise) comes right into our homes through our computers, televisions, & our radios.  We talk about it at our work places and we see it on the streets.  We need to stand fast in our faith and endure, we need to testify and help as many as we can, before it's the second angel himself, in person warning them.

The third angel in verse 9, well, what can I say, it pretty much is in a plain enough language.  It is straight forward and honest.  Those who take the mark or worship the beast will feel God's full wrath!  It is telling those who believe in God, Christ and the Holy Ghost MUST endure, stand firm, do not sway, keep those commandments!

As we start this holiday season, make it your mission to testify to someone, to show Christ in your everyday life, to stop thinking of yourself.  Put Christ and others first!  Make this our motto and LIVE it!

Blessings on all till next time,

Calabash


Thursday, November 8, 2012

Revelation 14:2-7

Rev 14:2 And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters and like a loud peal of thunder. The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps. 3 And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. 4 These are those who did not defile themselves with women, for they kept themselves pure. They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were purchased from among men and offered as first fruits to God and the Lamb. 5 No lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless. 6 Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth--to every nation, tribe, language and people. 7 He said in a loud voice, "Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water."





The sound descried here is the voice of God.  Read it, "roar of rushing waters"; loud thunder; harpist playing their harps.  Description of power, of  a sound like no other, and gentleness.

Verse 3:  When your in a certain "club" or you have a certain profession, there are things only you know.  As a woman, I know things my husband will never experience and the same for him.  There are things I will never know about being a male.  As a nurse, there are things I can do and learn that would not make sense to a cashier.  This is how it was for the 144,000, they were an elite group that experienced many things.  One if which was this song because they had passed through experiences we have not, and will not because we are already God's kids!  Remember, they were not.  They went through some suffering and had stayed loyal.

Verse 4:  We are being taught who and what these people represent.  This first part of the statement describes the purity of the people who are with Christ.  They are pure.  It does not mean they abstained from sex, it says they are virgins, meaning they have never experienced sex.
look back in the Old Testament  where there is talk of the Israelites.  I t speaks of them "a whoring after other gods".  Now look at this passage, it is not written metaphorically, so it is not meaning spiritually.
Those days after the Church was taken was so horrible, so defiled, so deviant.  There was uncleanness, sexual immorally, killing, swearing, filthiness, stealing, etc. if you can imagine it, it happened, and many things I hope you cannot imagine...sin abounding.  And these people abstained from it all.  These people followed the Lamb of God.  these were to be the first fruits of the new kingdom age.


THE THREE ANGELS

Verse 6 tells of John seeing an angel.  This angel is preaching the gospel to everyone on Earth.  In Mathew 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.   This is the fulfillment of this prophecy.
Notice the word "eternal", some versions use the word "everlasting".  This is saying that even in these conditions, the Word is still true, still valid. 
In Romans 16:25 Now to him who is able to establish you by my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past,.   This could be the "mystery hidden", that the Gospel is the eternal, everlasting purpose of our God for man?  We will find out, someday.



We will save the next two angels for the next blogg.

Blessings on all till next time,

Calabash