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Thursday, January 31 2013
Introduction: Last week we continued in our study by looking at the authority in the name of Jesus, the meaning of authority, the connection between the name of Jesus and authority and the fact that authority in His name commands the supernatural. We concluded that Jesus confers His authority to us because He knows we will have need of it for a victorious Christian living. We cannot afford to be ignorant of the use of our delegated authority as satan thrives on ignorance.
His name our Surname In Rev. 3:8 Jesus commends the church for keeping both his word and his name." It is apparent that God wants us to know him by name for his name represents to us who He is and in Rev. 2:13 He commended the Church in Pergamum: "I know your works and where you dwell, even where Satan's throne is: and you hold fast my name, and have not denied my faith, even in those days when Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwells" A Christian must know his status, his authority and his rights IN CHRIST. Satan always yields to the commands of a child of God who knows his position and God always confirms His Word with signs and wonders following that believer "that the eyes of our hearts may be opened, that we may know the exceeding greatness of His ability on our behalf..." (Eph. 1:17-23). To pray in the name of Jesus, is to take ownership of that which he has given to us as His bride and representatives on earth and as such we are united with Him and His purpose.
Jesus gave His authority to those who believe in him. It gives us God's power to fight spiritual warfare and do God's work on earth Amen," (Mk. 16:17-20). Jesus is the only name in which salvation is found (Acts 4:12) and gave the Church the power of attorney to use His Name. The disciples are commissioned to go and bear fruit; and they are given a legal right to use the Name of Jesus and to have the same authority that Jesus exercised in His earthly walk: John 16:23-24,26.
In Acts 5:27-28 - The high priest, all his associates, who were members of the party of the Sadducees knew they were combating a "force" that they had never met before. Jesus, they had crucified, but His Name was more powerful! His name was working wonders and none could arrest His name or wrest it from his disciples. When you know how to take full possession of His name you will be a wonder in your world, you will be strong and do exploits. Acts 4:18,19 "And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. 19But Peter and John answered and said to them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, judge you"
What does it mean when Jesus gives us power in His Name--the free use of it--with assurance that whatever we ask in His Name will be given to us? (John 14:13-14; 15:16; 16:23-24, 26). Jesus solemnly gives to all who are His, a general and unlimited power to use His Name at all times. He could trust us with His interests and that His honour would be safe in our hands. Do not take His name in vain.
The free use of someone else's name is always a token of great confidence and close union. Someone who gives his name to another stands aside to let that person act for him. Someone who takes the name of another gives up his own as of no value. When I go in the name of another, I deny myself. I take not only the name of another, but himself and what he is, instead of myself and what I am.
Peter at the beautiful gate despite having no silver or gold he knew he had the name of Jesus which is more valuable than silver and gold.
Do you know you have his name as your possession? Do you fully understand what Jesus has accomplished on the cross? Colossians 2:10 and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority. Colossians 2:15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. As a believer you must understand the mystery of Christ, His name, person, office, and grace.
According to Kenneth Hagin "Charles Spurgeon (1834-92), noted English Baptist preacher, told this personal experience. He was called to the home of an elderly woman who was bedfast. Malnutrition was about to take her physical life. During his visit, Spurgeon noticed a framed document on the wall. He asked the woman, "Is this yours?" She said it was, and explained that she had worked as a maid in the household of some of the English nobility. "Before Lady So-and-so died," the woman said, "she gave that to me. I served her for nearly half a century. I've been so proud of it because she gave it to me. I had it framed. It's been hanging on the wall ever since she died 10 years ago." Mr. Spurgeon asked, "Would you allow me to take it and have it examined more closely?" "Oh, yes," said the woman, who never learned to read, "just be sure to see I get it back." Spurgeon took it to the authorities. They had been looking for it. It was a bequest. The English noblewoman had left her maid a home and money. She lived in a little one-room house built out of wooden boxes and was starving to death?yet she had hanging on the wall a document that authorized her to be well cared for and to live in a fine house. The money was gathering interest. It belonged to her. Spurgeon helped her get it, but it didn't do her as much good as it could have earlier. I think that is indicative of what has happened to much of the church world. We live in a little run-down shanty? spiritually speaking?while lying on a table somewhere is the New Covenant. We're proud of it. But we've never taken the time to find out what it says belongs to us"
The devil has deceived the majority of Christians and kept them ignorant of the power in the name and the right to use it. To effectively use His name you must know what it entails and how to use it by studying the word, obeying and living by the word. The name is not a magic wand.
CONCLUSION When the Lord Jesus went to heaven, He left His work--the management of His Kingdom on earth--in the hands of His servants. He also gave them His Name to draw all the supplies they need for advancing the kingdom. We have the spiritual power to use the Name of Jesus only as far as we yield ourselves to live only for the interests and the work of the Master. The use of the Name always supposes the surrender of our interests to Him Whom we represent. All the authority and all the power that is in Jesus is in His Name and He has given the name to the Church. He said "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." Matt. 16:18-19 The name of Jesus belongs to you when you marry Him, it will not work for people dating God. Christ is the bridegroom and you as His bride automatically possess His name, can represent Him and co-owns all that belongs to Him. His name has been freely given to you.
Contributor: Esther Alajiki Thursday, January 31 2013
INTRODUCTION: Last week, we continued in our journey into walking in the miraculous by gaining understanding of the origin of the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We concluded that He obtained the great Name, Jesus by Inheritance: Hebrews 1:1-6 "......hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name.....", by Bestowal: Philippians 2:9-11 "Wherefore God has highly exalted Him, and given Him a name....", and finally by Conquest: Ephesians 1:20-21 "which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated him at His right hand in the heavenly....". We concluded last week that knowledge of the origin of the Name will enhance our walk in the original dominion God intended for us.
This week, we will be looking at how we can walk effectively in this dominion, through Authority in the Name of Jesus Christ.
1. Meaning of Authority The words, Power and Authority are sometimes used interchangeably in the New Testament. The word Power is translated from the Hebrew (Old Testament) and Greek (New Testament) from several different words. In O.T.: Koach - Strength; Force; Ability to do something (Exodus 15:6 & 32:11) In N.T.: Dunamis - in reference to God: Matthew 26:64, Mark 14:62; of Christ:1 Corinthians 1:24; the Gospel: Romans 1:16 Exousia - freedom of action, right to act; Luke 12:5, Ephesians 3:10 Ischus - ability, force, strength; 2 Thessalonials 1:9 Kratos - power; 1 Timothy 6:16, Hebrews 2:14
The word Authority is translated from the Greek word exousia denoting ability or strength that one is endued or given. We see that this word is used somewhat interchangeably in the New Testament meaning power or authority depending on its context. Summarily, Power is the ability or force to accomplish something and Authority is the right to carry it out. Authority is delegated power! Example - Uniformed Personnel and a very strong person.
2. Connection Between the Name of Jesus & Authority "I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death." [Revelations 1:18]
In classical Greek, key (kleis (noun), kleio (verb)) described keys, as well as a bar, a catch, or a bolt. It also carried the idea of authority (the ability to "open and close" something. A general summary for the word key in the scripture is a "symbol of authority." We can therefore conclude from the above explanations that the one who has the key is the authorised one. Jesus is saying here, "I am the authorised one." He has authority - the right to carry out!
"And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit," [Matthew 28:18-19]
"And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover." [Mark 16:17-18]
Jesus Christ delegated His authority in the earth to the Church (You and I) by commanding us to Go therefore. Not only this, He also gave us His name as the authority. He's commanded us to exercise authority in my Name. In his book, The Believers Authority, Kenneth. E. Hagin mentioned that the value of our authority rests on the power that is behind that authority. God Himself is the power behind our authority! The devil and his forces are obliged, therefore, to recognise our authority! We, as believers, can therefore exercise this authority and face the enemy fearlessly!
Policemen who direct traffic during the rush hour just raise their hands and the cars stop. These men dont have the physical power to stop the vehicles if the drivers choose not to stop. But guess what, they dont use their own strength to stop traffic; they are strong in the authority that is invested in them by the government they serve. People recognise that authority and stop their cars. blessed be God, there's authority that's vested in us by the Lord Jesus Christ!
When a uniformed personnel goes to make an arrest, he or she simply declares that the offendant is under arrest. If asked to show any arrest warrant, the arrester just simply shows document which authorises him to make the arrest! We have the warrant to carry out Jesus's authority here on earth, hallelujah! The authority is in His Name! He gave us the name that is above every name. He gave us the name that is recognised in three worlds - the Name that has authority in heaven, on earth, and under the earth. Angels, men, and demons have to bow at that Name - and that Name belongs to us. We have the Authority to use that Name, Hallulujah!!!
"Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." [Philippians 2:9-11]
"which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come." [Ephesians 1:20-21]
3. Authority In His Name commands The Supernatural According to Mark 16:17-18, Jesus Christ promised that the supernatural signs mentioned (new tongues, taking up serpents and you can add to the list) will accompany the believers. We became born again through His name. By believeing in His name. There is no other Name given under heaven whereby we must be saved (acts 4;12).
Blessed be God, the Name of Jesus does belong to us today! And thank God, that Name not only carry salvation, the Name enwraps all the power, all the majesty, and all the glory it ever did. Remember that the name of a person, stands for the person. Jesus is seated at the right hand of the father on high (the seat of power), far above every known authority. His name has all authority, all the power, all the dignity, all the majesty and all the glory that Jesus the Person has. We will discuss how the name of Jesus healed Lazarus (Smith Wigglesworth) and the Girl with convulsion (16 Year Old Leader of the Full Gospel)
Conclusion In conclusion, the Lord Jesus Christ confers His authority to us because He knows we will have need of it for victorious christian living. Imagine if the uniformed men refuse or are ignorant to use their delegated authorities? They would have made a shipreck of their authorities and been seriously injured in the process. The bible says;
"lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices." [2 Corinthians 2:11]
Satan thrives on ignorance. We must not only be knowledgeable of our authority in Jesus Christ, we must use and enforce our Authority in His Name!
Contributor: Leye Olayiwola Wednesday, January 23 2013
Introduction: Last week we started off our journey into walking in the miraculous by understanding the name Jesus - the name by which the miraculous happens. We looked at the meaning (Jehovah is salvation), the significance, the content and implication of the name Jesus. Today, we will consider the origin of the name - how He obtained this great name! There are examples of people who were self-acclaimed. The Roman emperor Domitian became power drunk and decreed himself to be god demanding to be addressed as dominus et deus (master and god) in AD 81. Idi Amin came into power in 1971 as the Ugandan president and decreed himself Field Marshall! But Kenyon writes: "Men obtain great names in three ways. Some men are born to a great name?a king, for instance. Others make their name great by their achievements. Still others have a great name conferred upon them." The name Jesus is great because it came by all three means. · He inherited a great Name. · His achievements were great. · His Father conferred it upon Him. Let us consider one after the other how, when and why Jesus obtained this great name. 1. By Inheritance Hebrews 1:1-6 "God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high: Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son? And again, when he bringeth in the first begotten into the world, he saith, and let all the angels of God worship him. Jesus inherited a "more excellent name than they." He inherited a greater Name than any angelic being. As Son, He is heir of all things. He is "the express image" of God. He is "the brightness of the Father. He is God speaking to us. And He "by inheritance obtained a more excellent name." When did He inherit it? Not in heaven before He came to this earth, because He already had everything. Not when He came to the earth, because the Philippians 2:7 says that He stripped Himself of all honour and glory. Hebrews 1:4, 5 These verses tell us when He inherited this more excellent Name. It was when God said to Him, "Thou art my son, THIS DAY have I begotten thee" This day! That's when it happened?the day He was begotten. When was Jesus begotten? When He was raised up! On that Resurrection morning "God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee." Acts 13:33 Emphasis mine We will not be able to understand the authority in the Name of Jesus until we understand this fact that Jesus went down to hell and satisfied the claims of Justice on the behalf of each one of us, because He died as our substitute. 2. By Bestowal "Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name; That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things [beings} in heaven, and things [beings] in earth, and things (beings] under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." ?Philippians 2:9-11
The second is by bestowal; God gave Him a Name, which is above every Name. Let us imagine for a moment that God had a Name (known in heaven, unknown elsewhere), and this Name was kept to be conferred upon someone who would merit it: and Jesus came down to earth and made himself of no reputation, became a servant, God became like men. He then humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. He therefore merited and was given this Name, and at this Name every knee shall bow in the three worlds?Heaven, Earth, and Hell?and every tongue shall confess that He is Lord of the three worlds to the glory of God, the Father. Paul praying for the Church at Ephesus in Ephesians 1:18-20 prayed that the eyes of their spirit would be enlightened to truths they would never be able to figure out in their heads. God not only gave him a Name before which every being in the three worlds must bow and confess His lordship, but God seated Him in the highest place in the universe, at His own right hand, and made Him to be head over all things. Why did was the name given to us? 1. To use that Name against our enemy (the Devil and his cohorts). Mark 16:17 2. To use it in our petitions. John 14:13-14 3. To use it in our praises and worship. Luke 4:8
Finally, we will consider the third means by which Jesus obtained His Great Name. 3. By Conquest In Paul's prayer for the Church, he stated that God had raised Christ from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenlies, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named "(Eph. 1:20,21). By His conquest of these principalities, powers, might, and dominions, Jesus obtained that Name! Colossians 2:15 says: "And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it" These are the same principalities and powers spoken of in Ephesians 6:12: "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual "wickedness in high places" The principalities and powers we wrestle against are the same ones that He overcame, No wonder He said, "In my Name they will cast out demons"! The conquest that Jesus made of the devil, of sin, of sickness and disease is wrapped up in the Name. The Name, when we use it, will bring into reality in our lives what Jesus has already accomplished. We need to be well aware of the authority invested in that Name Colossians 1:13 "Who hath delivered us from the power [authority] of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son." After spoiling the principalities and powers, putting them to nought, overcoming them and defeating them, He delivered us from the "power of darkness." Satan has no authority to dominate the Christian or the Church. Conclusion When we know this truth, that the name is not a self-acclaimed name, and know that the Name has been given to us. When we recognize the power and authority embedded in this name and the completeness it offers; then we can indeed walk in the original dominion God intended for man in the Garden of Eden; dominion over all of creation including the Devil and his agents.
Contributor: Isekhua Evborokhai Wednesday, January 23 2013
Introduction: The final days of anyone on earth are always days of handing over precious information to the next generation. When Jesus knew that He was coming close to His passion, He met with His disciples for the last supper, washed the disciples' feet and Judas Iscariot finally left the company of the disciples. Jesus begins His parting address to His disciples. It was the intimate fellowship around the table and Christ proclaimed the new commandment, that they should love one another (Chpt 13). He comforted their hearts by telling them that He was to go to prepare a place for them; He had shown Himself to be the revelation of God the Father. He had given them a vision of their coming task: the greater works that they should accomplish. Then, as if coming to the heart of His message, as indicative of how these greater works should be accomplished, he solemnly speaks these words, "And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it" (John 14:13, 14). We learn from John 16:24, that the disciples had asked nothing in the name of Jesus up to this time. It was a new command; a new challenge; a new revelation. The statement was clear. There was only one condition: "in my name." There is no greater revelation concerning prayer, nor a greater challenge to enter into and claim God's promise than in this verse. Here, then, is the key to prevailing prayer. But what did Christ mean by asking "in my name"? 1) The meaning of the name of Jesus: Isa. 9:6, Matt.1:21 "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given: and the government shall be on his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." "And she shall bring forth a son, and you shall call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins." "Jesus" is an English rendering of the Greek name Iēsous(Joshua), which is a translation of the ancient Hebrew Yehoshua[Yeshua (ישוע)]. This name is formed from Hebrew roots signifying "Jehovah is salvation" and is translated in our English Old Testament as "Joshua." The name of Jesus is infinitely glorious because of it significance and content.
a) The Hebrew meaning of Jesus is "Jehovah is salvation". Salvation is available to all only by His name. Act 4:12 b) The angel proclaimed His name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
a) His name shall be called Wonderful (Isa.29:14) b) His name shall be called Counselor (Jhn.14:26) c) His name shall be called the mighty God (Jhn.1:1) d) His name shall be called the everlasting Father (Heb.1:2) e) His name shall be called the Prince of Peace (Jhn.14:27)
2) The Implications of His name. Jhn.1413,14 "And whatever you shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it." When an individual does something in the name of another, it indicates union which may be of different kinds. Andrew Murray pointed out that this union may take three different lines: legal union, family union and marriage or love union.
Contributor: Alex Alajiki Monday, December 31 2012
Introduction In the last study, John walked us down heaven's street and introduced to where we would spend eternity; no greater "incentive" to gear us to live right and be there forever! In this study, John describes the last bit of heaven and brings us to the end of his visions, drawing us back into time and the reality that face us. Verses 1-2 "1 And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations." Pure River of water of life echoes the promise of Christ to the woman at the well of John 4. Living water has benefits for those that drink it. They will never thirst again! (i) Proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb: This water supply is supernaturally supplied, which ensures the eternal or continuing nature of not only the supply of water, but the quality as well. (ii) And on either side of the river, was there the tree of life: This statement is difficult to comprehend because one tree cannot be on two sides of a river. My opinion is that the tree is in the midst of the river and it extends its branches and leaves to both sides of the river. (iii) Which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: 12 types of fruit are produced on the tree each and every month
Verses 3-5 "And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: 4 And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. 5 And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever. And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; . Implies that because the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, there will be no more curse. (i) And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: The Lord God becomes the light of the Holy City
Verses 6-7 "And he said unto me, these sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done. Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book."
Behold, I come quickly: Jesus says He comes quickly and some have misunderstood this to mean that He will come back in the generation it was spoken. The word in Greek actually means that He is coming suddenly. The angel was sent to show His servants (the Church) the things that must shortly be done. This prophecy actually started with the seven churches of John's time. It continues to be mostly about the Church age on earth until the Church is completed at the marriage in Heaven. Then the focus is in Israel.
Verses 8-9 "And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things. 9 Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God."
You would think that John would have got the message when the other angel rebuked him for falling to worship him. It should be apparent that angels appear as if they were Gods to men, as does Satan. In any case, it is clear that angels are not to be worshiped and righteous ones do not even want to be worshiped. Verse 10 "And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand." Again, we are told this book is a prophecy. John is told not to seal it because the future things written in it started with the letters to the seven churches in Asia. Some of these things written to the seven churches actually did begin in John's lifetime. The book of Revelation is written to those who are in spiritual light. The passages for those in the light cannot be sealed. The book is only sealed to those who live in spiritual darkness.
Verses 11-12 "He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be." This verse literarily brings the revelation to an end and returns us back to the now. It indicates that the giving of this prophecy will not change the hearts of all the people.
Verses 13-14 "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. Blessed are they that do his commandments that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city" When Jesus comes suddenly all the judgments and rewards written in this book will take place because He is Almighty God the Creator of all things. He is the beginner and finisher of all things. The eternal commandments are fulfilled in loving God and loving our neighbor as ourselves. Keeping these two commandments fulfill all the other commandments of God. Those who do so will be allowed access to the tree of life in the Holy City so they can eat of it and have spiritual life forever. The truth of the matter is - you cannot love God if you reject His Son and you cannot in truth love your neighbor without the Spirit that is given by the Son. Therefore, keeping the commandments can only be fulfilled by the Spirit of Jesus Christ in you.
Verses 15-17 "For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie. 16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. 17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
These are left out of the Holy City; they will not have access to the tree of life. They will be in an eternal state of death (separation from God). Jesus is the one who sent the angel to John to tell the Church about these things. He says he came from the lineage of David and that He is the bright and morning star (the light of the world the first light to shine that indicates that the night is over). The verse is directed at those that are thirsty. We are told the water of life is given freely to all that are thirsty for Him (Jesus). The words and whosoever will seems to indicate that mankind has free will of choice to come to Jesus to be saved or not. Verses 18-19 "For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: 19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book."
God takes the prophetic message He gave to John seriously. Any who add to the words of this prophecy will receive the plagues written in this book and those that take away the words of this prophecy will be cast into the Lake of Fire.
Verses 20-21 "He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen."
Conclusion The final words of the book tell us that Jesus will come suddenly. We should all be watching and waiting for His return. The time set by the Father for the bride to be completed is getting very short. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all!
Contributor: Isekhua Evborokhai Friday, December 28 2012
Introduction: The study of Rev. 20:1-3 last week put a seal to the fact that the devil is way below the status of the Almighty God. Just one Angel was able to bind and cast him into the bottomless pit for 1000 years. Satan is not and will never be God's rival. We studied the millennial reign of Christ and His saints and the white throne judgement. We concluded with the warning that our works will be tested and eternal damnation awaits those who will not receive Jesus as Lord and Saviour. We are to be out there prayerfully reconciling the world back to God.
This week, as we study chapter 21 of the book of Revelation, let us take note of the phrase "and I saw". This book is a documentation of visions that were given to John and we can also have access to God's visions for our days. More importantly, we are introduced to where we would spend eternity; there is no greater "incentive" to gear us to live right and be there forever! Verses 1-5 "All Things Made New" "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful." A new heaven and a new earth: The new heaven and earth is not simply the old renovated but an act of new creation. It was mentioned in Isa.65:17; 66:22-24. Peter, in 2 Pet.3:10-13, also described the dissolving of the old heaven and earth. Paul also made mention of the heavenly Jerusalem in Gal.4:22-26 and Heb.12:22-24. The New Jerusalem: (Also see Rev.3:12) was described as the Holy City prepared like a bride adorned for her husband. Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men: Despite the self existing ability of God, He, in His love, longs to dwell among us in order to have fellowship with us and to bless us with His personal care. This ought to touch our hearts and cause us to draw near to Him. Verse 6 "It is Done!" 6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. The Lord was the Alpha in creating a perfect world. Here He has fulfilled His work as the Omega bringing an end to sin and evil. Verse 7-8 "Rewards for good and evil" 7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; The Greek indicates habitual or continual victory over sin. If this is a problem for us, we may ask for strength and put it to work in our lives (2Cor.12:9) He shall be my son: We may now be children of God but then, in a special way will we be His sons and daughters! With the curse of evil gone we will be able to see Him face to face! But the fearful: Fearful or "cowards" - Those who fear the temporary consequences of following Christ, telling the truth. Verse 9-21 "The Great City Described" 9 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,11 Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;12 And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:13 On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates.14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.15 And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof.16 And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.17 And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel.18 And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass.19 And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald;20 The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolyte; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst.21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls: every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass. Having the glory of God The great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God also had the glory of God. The Description John had an idea of some of the names of the precious stones used to construct the foundations of the city. Sapphire, chalcedony, emerald, sardonyx, sardius, chrysolite, beryl, topaz, chrysoprasus, jacinth, amethyst. But for the others, he must have used the best words he knew to describe the glory of the place. "Unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal; Pure gold, transparent glass!" The twelve gates "And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several [individual] gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass." (Verse 21). Today large perfect pearls are highly prized. In our verse each gate is an individual pearl. Amazing!
The Golden Street We often hear of heaven as having golden streets, but the text says "street," singular. We will see the street of heaven again in Chapter 22. "And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it [the city], and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life" Verse 22-27 "A Perfect Place" 22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.24 And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.25 And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.26 And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.27 And there shall in no wise enter into it anything that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life. No temple therein: No sin, no need for a temple; why? Because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. At this point it is clear that no more sinners will ever claim restoration through the blood of the sacrificed Lamb, that phase of the temple services will end. Will we still need our Lord? Absolutely. In Him we will still live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28). He and the Father will ever be our joy. Conclusion Interestingly, there were twelve gates of the celestial City (Verse12); the twelve kinds of precious stone of the celestial City (Verses 19-20), twelve foundations, the twelve names of the apostles. The Symbolism of 12 in the Bible; Twelve is the number of what is completed, which forms a whole, a perfect and harmonious unit. In the ancient civilizations, like Oriental and Judaic, it corresponds to the plenitude (the quality or state of being full), the completion and the integrality of a thing, The number "12" represents: "The Government of God being established." it is also a number attributed to the government of the world. It represents the months per year, tribes of Israel, and the twelve apostles of the Jesus Christ. Also, there were 12 fruits in the tree of life that we shall all eat! Rev 22:2 Contributor: Isekhua Evborokhai Thursday, November 22 2012
Introduction: After the fall of Babylon, we looked at how John heard what was like a roar of many peole praising God in an apparent response to the judgement of Babylon. Then, there was the praise anticipating the second coming of Christ (Rev. 19:6-8). We learnt that our worship is only meant to be directed to God and not to angels. It is also instructive to pay attention to the way Christ was decribed: Faithful and True - As believers, we must not live below such standard. Finally, we saw the destruction of the wicked, where the armies of the earth are no match with the armies from heaven. The judgement of God on the wicked is as certain as His grace which is available to save all who believe. Today, we will look at the Millennial reign of Christ and the judgement of the great white throne.
Satan Bound (vs 1-3) 1 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, 3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. First it is very interesting to see that Satan is not God's peer or equivalent as he would always have people to believe. As we have consistently seen in this book of revelation that it is an angel of God who handles the devil (Satan) all the times. Satan is not God's rival! The Millennial Reign of Christ (vs 4-6) 4 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. 5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. Vs 4 talks about a particular set of martyred dead and John's description shows that they are given resurrected bodies since he could see them. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. Lesson for us: Whatever a man does for the Lord, there is always a ?payday' (reward). I Cor 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. Vs 5 informs us that the rest of the dead did not come to life until after a thousand years, implying the resurrection of the wicked dead as we will see in vs 11-15. First resurrection: I will align with the description of the Bible Knowledge commentary with describes it as follows: It should be obvious, however, that in no sense could this be the number- one resurrection chronologically because historically Christ was the first to rise from the dead with a transformed, resurrected body. There was also the resurrection "of many" (Matt. 27: 52- 53) which took place when Christ resurrected. In what sense then can this resurrection in Revelation 20: 5 be "first"? As the context which follows indicates, "the first resurrection" (vv. 5- 6) contrasts with the last resurrection (vv. 12- 13), which is followed by "the second death" (vv. 6, 14). It is first in the sense of before. All the righteous, regardless of when they are raised, take part in the resurrection which is first or before the final resurrection (of the wicked dead) at the end of the Millennium. This supports the conclusion that the resurrection of the righteous is by stages. Christ was "the Firstfruits" (1 Cor. 15: 23), which was preceded by the token resurrection of a number of saints (Matt. 27: 52- 53). Then will occur the Rapture of the church, which will include the resurrection of dead church saints and the translation of living church saints (1 Thes. 4: 13- 18). The resurrection of the two witnesses will occur in the Great Tribulation (Rev. 11: 3, 11). Then the resurrection of the martyred dead of the Great Tribulation will occur soon after Christ returns to earth (20: 4- 5). To these may be added the resurrection of Old Testament saints which apparently will also occur at this time, though it is not mentioned in this text (cf. Isa. 26: 19- 21; Ezek. 37: 12- 14; Dan. 12: 2- 3). Vs 6: There is not much detail of what will happen during this millennial reign of Christ but indeed it will be a time of great blessing Satan's final ruin (Vs 7-10) 7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, 8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. 9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. 10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. Satan was released from the prison but being Satan he unrepentantly went and deceived nations to gather them for battle again. Isn't that funny given all the battle he had lost since the beginning of the book of revelation? Why is the term Gog and Magog used? It is not explained by John but in Ezekiel 38 Gog was described as the ruler and Magog was the people, and both were in rebellion against God and were enemies of Israel. The result of such battle can be predicted apriori as we have seen in many preceding incidences: Fire came down from heaven and devoured Satan's followers while he was thrown into the lake of burning sulphur. The Great White throne Judgment 11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 12 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. 13 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. 14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. The One who sat on the great white throne caused the earth and heaven to flee from His presence but they found no place to hide. He'd come to judge the dead (both the small and the great). Many bible scholars believe that this judgment will be for the wicked dead since all the righteous dead have been raised including Old Testament saints, the dead of the Great Tribulation, and the church saints, the body of Christ. Indeed since these dead have not been raised is an indication that they do not have eternal life so their judgment is the judgment of works. Whether Christians or non-Christians, our works will be tested: 1 Cor. 3:13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. So we must pay attention to what we do!!! Conclusion I will conclude with these words from BK Commentary: Though many have attempted to find some scriptural way to avoid the doctrine of eternal punishment, as far as biblical revelation is concerned there are only two destinies for human souls; one is to be with the Lord and the other is to be forever separated from God in the lake of fire. This solemn fact is motivation for carrying the gospel to the ends of the earth whatever the cost, and doing everything possible to inform and challenge people to receive Christ before it is too late.
Contributor: Akin Akande Thursday, November 22 2012
Introduction In the last study, John was shown an expanded explanation of the judgment of Babylon he is now about to see the coronation and marriage of the Lamb of God in heaven as well as the beginning of the end. In this study, we will experience the joy and jubilation and praise of God by the saints over the judgment of Babylon as well as at the celebration wedding and the feast that occurs afterwards. And then step straight out of the merriment into the final battle!
Verses 1-3:
" 1 And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God: 2 For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand.3 And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up forever and ever."
A Great Voice of much people in heaven . . . true and righteous are His judgments: The outburst of praise (from verse 1) rests upon the fact that the judgments of God - specifically, his judgment of the great harlot - are true and righteous (from verse 2) Also pay attention to the contents of the call to praise the Lord: Salvation and glory and power belong to our God; ascribing to God attributes, which He alone has. We know of coal mines that continue to burn underground for scores of years so this is not out the realm of natural possibilities. The smoke of the great whore continues to rise eternally even after the thousand years, when all that are identified with her are judged at the great white throne judgment and cast into the Lake of Fire (Rev 20:11 - Rev 20:15).
Verses 4-6:
"4 And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia. 5 And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great.6 And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth."
Once again, we see the twenty-four elders and the four beasts that surround the throne of God worshipping Him, saying "Amen; Alleluia". (If the word amen is used prior to any discourse - in this case the word alleluia - the word amen means "truly" or "surely". If the word were used after any discourse, the word amen would mean "so be it" or "even so". The word alleluia means "praise the Lord". Therefore, the words "Amen; Alleluia" in the context of verse 4 indicate that the twenty-four elders say, "truly, we praise you Lord".)
Verses 7-8 "7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. 8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints."
These spells out the purpose of God's eternal plan - the marriage of the Lamb purposed from the foundation of the world. The bride of Christ is now a wife and she is ready to be joined with Jesus and be one forever. The wife is ready because she was adorned with gifts at the judgment.
The Linen could be referred to both the "righteousness of the saints" (that comes through the blood of Jesus) and the "righteous acts of the saints" (that comes through the Holy Spirit working in believers). It is important that we realize that both are essential. Our righteous acts mean nothing without the righteousness given by Christ. So we should do away with the erroneous belief that once this righteousness is given to us we don't have to live a righteous life anymore. Both are very important in our walk with God
Verses 9-10
"9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God. 10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."
John was so awed by the angel that showed him these things that he fell down to worship him. In contrast to Satan who demands worship, the angels of God will not allow anyone to worship them. All worship is to be directed to God. The angel told John that Jesus is the fulfillment of all God given prophecy; worship Him alone. The angel links himself with John by calling himself a fellow servant with you. There are important differences between angels and men, but the really significant thing is that they are both ?servants' of their common Lord. This Angel clearly tells us that Angels are not to be worshipped.
INTERLUDE
John saw the second coming of Jesus and what will happen to the armies that gather against the Lord at Megiddo. Chapter 16 told us all the armies of the world will be assembled at Megiddo against the Lord. Then chapter 17 gave us the mystery of the woman that rides the Beast and her destruction by the Beast. After that chapter 18 gave us the details about the destruction of the Beast kingdom called "Babylon the Great". Now we pick up again where chapter 16 left off.
The seventh vial was already poured out and destruction came on all cities of the world and Babylon was completely destroyed. However, the Beast and False Prophet were not in Babylon when it was destroyed. They probably got out of town in the plague of darkness at the fifth vial. The armies of the world that destroyed Babylon are deceived by the unclean spirits (demons) that come out of the mouth of the Dragon, the Beast and the False Prophet (Rev 16:13). The armies from the north and the east move to Megiddo in northern Israel where the Beast and False Prophet have relocated. These unclean satanic spirits convince the kings of all the nations and armies of the world to oppose Jesus when He comes.
Verses 11-16
"11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. 13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. "14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS." "
There is no doubt about the identity of the Person on this white horse. There had been another rider of a white horse (as we see in chapter six) but he only wears a single conquerors reef called in the Greek "stephanos", Jesus comes wearing "many" golden crowns of royalty. The Greek word for crowns used here is "diadems". The Son of God is known by many names in the scriptures but the name the Word of God (1st John 2:14 and in John 1:1) precedes verse 15 "And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword". The Word of God is two-edged sword (Hebrews 4:12)
These armies (plural) in verse 14 include all the hosts of heaven, the angels and all who make up the body of Christ. They all come wearing fine linen, white and clean. This indicates that all of their sins have been removed and they have on the righteousness of Christ.
Verses 17-19
"17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God;18 That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great.19 And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army.
The so called battle of Armageddon really is not a battle at all. It is a slaughter of all of the enemies of God on earth. All the armies of the world are gathered against Jesus and His saints by Satan and by his lying spirits. The armies gathered by Satan will all end up being food for the vultures. Lying spirits come out of the mouths of the Dragon, the Beast and the False Prophet to deceive the whole world and the armies that destroy Babylon. These lying spirits somehow convince the kings of the earth to move all their armies against Jerusalem. The real question is why would the world dare to fight against the God of heaven? The answer might be that the lying spirits somehow manage to convince the kings of the earth that the God of Heaven is not almighty and can also be stopped from setting up His kingdom on earth by enough military force (like the counterfeit kingdom of god at Babylon was at least partly overthrown by worldly military force). When these armies fight against the Kingdom of the real God of creation they will all come to their destruction.
Verses 20-21
"20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.21 And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh."
The Antichrist Beast and his False Prophet, who worked miracles by the power of Satan and deceived all who took the mark of the Beast and those that worshipped his image, are taken captive. Just as Satan deceived and took a third of the angels in his rebellion against God, Satan in the Beast and False Prophet will deceive and take a large number of humans in this rebellion against God. Those that follow him do not want the Son of God to rule over them. Notice, there is no real resistance against the real God of creation. The armies are gathered for slaughter because all the forces of Satan and man are no match against the God of creation. I am sure Satan knows this but he hates humanity and God so much that he intends to bring humanity to total destruction. The Beast and False Prophet are judged by Jesus and they are cast alive into the Lake of Fire.
Conclusion At this point, one will think that we have finally come to the end of all the wars and battles and killings. In the next chapter Satan himself will be bound for a thousand years. But the suspense is not entirely over; watch out for yet another twist in the tale!
Contributor: Isekhua Evborokhai Friday, October 19 2012
Introduction: Last week, we considered the two faces of Babylon; the Religious Babylon (Rev.17); guilty of religious abominations and Commercial Babylon (Rev.18), guilty of pride, greed and self-indulgence and the judgment that befell her. We concluded by saying that it was very easy, these last days to be lured into the entrapment of the system that rules the world we live in so we have to be careful to steer clear of "self" - a destroyer and a waster. Today, we will consider the aftermath of the judgment of Babylon and learn a few valuable lessons 1. Verses 9-10: The kings of the Earth Lament "The kings of the earth who committed fornication and lived luxuriously with her will weep and lament for her, when they see the smoke of her burning, standing at a distance for fear of her torment, saying, ?Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! For in one hour your judgment has come.'"
When you read this verse of scripture two things can be suggested about the kings of the earth standing at a distance · The heat and smoke of her burning must be very intense that they had to stand at a distance. · When God's judgment comes, no one can contend it. The best they can offer will be idle lamentations "Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! "
2. Verses 11-17a The Merchants reveal their greed and selfishness as they lament.
Verse 11 "And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more" They were not concerned about the fact that Babylon was burning It is plain that the mourning was rooted in self-interest: for no one buys their merchandise anymore
Verses 12-13 The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble, And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men.
They reveal their materialism and rebellion. Note the last bit of verse 13: "And slaves and souls of men" Their dealings were not only exploiting people and the city but they traded the souls of men; cruelly using others. They sold the bodies and souls of men, occultism, prostitution and pornography were the order of the day. We are already seeing these.
Verse 14 And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all. . The things craved for (the worldly pleasures) will bear up wings and fly away. These are same things that chased away the things that are dainty and goodly . Verses 15- 17a The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, And saying, Alas, alas that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls! For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. Notice as well that the merchants kept their distance and once again their emphasis on materialism. "For in one hour so great riches is come to nought."
3. Verses 17b - 19 The Sea-Captains lament. "And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off, And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city! And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! For in one hour is she made desolate."
We see another group of fake lamenters; their source of business was gone. That was their concern "Alas, alas, that great city, in which all who had ships on the sea became rich by her wealth"
4. Verse 20: Call to the heavens and the people of God: rejoice! "Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you holy apostles and prophets, for God has avenged you on her!" Proverbs 11:10? Should God's people rejoice when judgment comes? Yes, but we don't rejoice in the destruction in judgment. Rather, we rejoice in the righteous resolution God's judgment brings.
5. Verse 21: An angel graphically shows Babylon's fall. "And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all"
Jeremiah 51:61-64: "He said to Seraiah, "When you get to Babylon, see that you read all these words aloud. Then say, ?Lord, you have said you will destroy this place, so that neither people nor animals will live in it; it will be desolate forever.' When you finish reading this scroll, tie a stone to it and throw it into the Euphrates. Then say, ?So will Babylon sink to rise no more because of the disaster I will bring on her. And her people will fall.'".
Matthew 18:6: "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea." This applies to Babylon in Revelation 18, because she led others into sin. It is a terrible thing to sin; it is even more terrible to lead others into sin.
6. Verses 22-23a Babylon is left desolate and powerless. "And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee; And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth;
Shall be heard no more at all in thee . . . shall be found any more in thee . . . shall be heard no more at all in thee. . . shall shine no more at all in thee: In graphic and poetic language, John describes how Babylon will become at the end. All the clamor and glamour gone; no music, no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, no light (not even that of a candle), no more marrying and giving in marriage - Nothing!
7. Verses 23b - 24: The reasons for the judgment of Babylon "for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived." And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth."
"For by thy sorceries were all nations deceived": Sorcery is the ancient Greek word pharmakia, which means, "to prepare drugs." The lure of Babylon can be likened to drug addiction, fueled by deceptive advertising deceiving all the nations The ultimate reason for Babylon's judgment was that she has killed the prophets and saints. God takes the persecution of His people as a personal offense. Those who attack His people really attack Him.
Conclusion The people that mostly drive us into participating in evil usually do so for their own benefits and not ours. And when the time for reaping the consequences of our actions come, the best they can offer will be half-hearted lament and it will not be because they are sorry for us but that they are concerned only for themselves. Chasing after worldly pleasure will eventually chase away the things that are graceful and goodly and leave us empty, bare and at risk of eternal judgment. Babylon, in judgment crashed and burned! We don't have to! Contributor: Isekhua Evborokhai Friday, October 19 2012
Introduction The fall of Babylon was first mentioned in Chapter 14:8 but there were no details about its fall. And then again in Chapter 17 where Babylon was revealed and its alliances; there are many interpretations of what Babylon represents today; physically, spiritually, etc. Verses 4-5 of Chapter 17 describe Babylon as the Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth and chapter 17:18 says "And this woman you saw in your vision represents the great city that rules over the kings of the world." [NLT] The combination of these scriptures (chapter 17 and our text for today) has led to the analogy that Babylon manifests in two faces: Religious Babylon (Rev.17); guilty of religious abominations and Commercial Babylon (Rev.18); guilty of pride, greed and self-indulgence
Verses 1-3: "After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illuminated with his glory. And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, "Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird! For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury."
The Angel So after the happenings in Chapter 17, John saw another angel shinning with the "carryover" from the presence of God; he was literarily glowing to the extent that he lit up the earth! No wonder the Bible says that in heaven we will not need the Sun because God Himself will be our light!
His Message Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird! The Angel was prophesying the fall of Babylon as though it had already happened. God had revealed to him the future of Babylon.
The Future of Babylon The city has become a dwelling place of demons: This is a prophetic picture of absolute desolation where the proud achievements of man become the demonic haunts of unclean and horrible creatures.
The Reason For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication: Babylon's sin is not only idolatry (referred to with the term fornication), but also becoming rich by devious means "and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury"
Verses 4-5: "And I heard another voice from heaven saying, "Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues. For her sins have reached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities." The Call Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins: Amazing! At this stage in the events of time, Jesus still calls out to His own "Come out of her, my people," It is inconceivable that a child of God could be a part of the fornication with Babylon but because of the commercial angle of Babylon, it is very likely that some may have been lured in as we are being lured in today. This materialistic lure is a constant threat to be guarded against.
Lest you receive of her plagues: Recall the story of Lot while he living in Sodom in Genesis 19. God sent his angels to warn him of the impending disaster. This is a similar warning especially for those who would have been lured in the name of business located at the wrong place at the wrong time. Similar warning in (Isaiah 52:11, Jeremiah 50:8, Jeremiah 51:45, 2 Corinthians 6:14, Ephesians 5:11)
d. Their sins have reached to heaven and God has remembered her iniquities: There is always a day of reckoning. No matter how long it takes, it will surely come. Just as God remembered Amalek (1 Sam.15:2-3) and sent King Saul to annihilate them.
Verses 6-8: "Render to her just as she rendered to you, and repay her double according to her works; in the cup which she has mixed, mix double for her. In the measure that she glorified herself and lived luxuriously, in the same measure give her torment and sorrow; for she says in her heart, ?I sit as queen, and am no widow, and will not see sorrow.' Therefore her plagues will come in one day; death and mourning and famine. And she will be utterly burned with fire, for strong is the Lord God who judges her."
Render to her just as she rendered to you: The ancient Greek word for render (apodidomi) means literally "to pay a debt" or "to give back that which is due." God will give to Babylon exactly what she deserves. He is a just God.
Repay her double according to her works . . . mix for her double: Double restitution was required in the Old Testament in cases of theft (Exodus 22:4-9). This perhaps is a commentary on how Babylon has made her wealth - through dishonest dealings.
Her Works (sin): Self-glorification (she glorified herself), Self-indulgence (lived luxuriously), Self-idolization (for she says in her heart, ?I sit as queen, and am no widow, and will not see sorrow)
Therefore her plagues will come in one day: The destruction of Babylon will come suddenly, and with completeness (utterly burned with fire).
Conclusion God's judgment on Babylon was sudden and could not be averted because as in verse 8d says: "for strong is the Lord God who judges her." It is very easy these last days to be lured into the entrapment of the system that rules the world so we have to be careful to steer clear of "self" - a destroyer and a waster. Remember Lucifer? ""I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred" Isaiah 14:13[NIV] Contributor: Isekhua Evborokhai |
