Christ COMES. We have here a note of time of signal value. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. higher or better of the two). We have seen her connection with the beast; but there is a conflict coming. At the end of the millennium the righteous and the wicked form two distinct arrays, though even then there would appear to be a line drawn between the surrounding camp, and the beloved city Jerusalem on earth, where the Jews were. (and unreachable) way. "Behold I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the words of the prophecy of this book." Therefore the messages John received came from the same God as inspired the great prophets of the Old Testament, and must be treated with equal seriousness. And the coming of the Lord is urged in connection with it. (Jude 1:4). They are not seen here as the bride. If some few have joined on one side, some are sure to help the other, because they are jealous of any one acquiring such a preponderant authority: and power as to govern the rest. Copyright 2011-2023, Third Millennium Ministries, Inc. All rights reserved. Babylon must hear, I do not doubt, the final testimony of God the gospel of the kingdom that is to go forth in the last days; but she loves her pleasure and power, and refuses truth. That age of visible glory is inefficacious to change the heart of man, though in the absence of the enemy and the controlling presence of the great King, they render feigned obedience for a long while. And also they themselves have difficulty in understanding it all. And we look now at the last words of this book and we notice that they are: The Lord God has spoken to open the door of revelation to His people. The full verse runs: "You shall not bring the hire of a harlot or the wages of a dog into the house of the Lord your God in payment for any vow." 2 Thessalonians 1:6 , Does This Mean It Is Okay To Wish Bad On Our Enemies? The other Matthew passage, "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a There was no doubt at all of the character of the emperor; there never had been a worse than he; yet God took that very opportunity to lay this on the Christians as their duty to the worldly authority outside and over them. correct. I admit that afterwards no doubt the new heaven and the new earth are seen; but who contends that this is the sphere to which the Lord comes? "I have come. Knows how to effectively communicate a biblical worldview to students. THE LAST WORD IS OF HOPE AND BLESSING (verses 20, 21). - Part II, Testimony of the Book of Mormon Eyewitnesses. And of course, we have been fooling around genetically with trees and plants and we have been able to do a lot of interesting things with genetic manipulation of plants and trees. The bride represents those that are spoken of in the normal possession and enjoyment of their privileges. For less than $5/mo. "Surely I am coming soon." Verse Revelation 22:19. "Let him that heareth," then, be encouraged to "say, Come." believe this interpretation in these verses because of 1 John 1:19. Still God does not forget His ways with His people; and the angels here are only in the quality of porters, if we may so speak; they are at the gates. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright morning star. Bear this in mind: to leave the last part out is fatal to any accurate understanding of the Revelation. Apostle Paul tells us that the struggles and strife and even persecution that believers will face in life are nothing in comparison to what God has planned for the believers future! Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus. He was the word of God in the revelation of grace; when known, by and by, it will be as the executor of God's judgments. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth. That is, what does; Does the consequence described in these verses mean that a believer (Christian) loses his or her salvation? Instead of taking warning from the wickedness of those before her, who had seduced on the one hand, and persecuted. So far the description has been of the exterior of the holy city; now the scene moves inside. But it really is. In the Greek text it is a strong double negative meaning "I will not, no never blot out". There will be no time for seeking mercy, as it were: whatever the state in which the Lord at His coming will find us, all is closed up and fixed. Some argue this warning only pertains to the Book of Revelation, but the words spoken, under instruction of the Holy Spirit, became part of one book the Holy Canon or Scripture of God the Bible. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. First, there is the river of the water of life. The woman was there seen sitting on a scarlet-coloured beast, i.e., the well-known imperial power of the Roman Empire, "full of [the] names of blasphemy" in its wicked opposition to God, and clothed with the forms we have already seen "seven heads and ten horns." Accordingly the resuscitated Roman empire will carry men away by a storm of wonder at its revival. These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. is a word to him that hears. The principle is very clear. A believer is born again, becoming a son of God; Judas was a son of Satan and was never a believer, but an imposter; Judas was a traitor, and by his transgression (Act 1:25) blasphemed the Holy Spirit and died (Not to say that God had given him no chance to repent, but he chose not to). Those that are unsaved cannot enter the new city their taking and adding to the prophecy will be evidence of their unsaved state. are slightly different than eternal security. "And the Spirit and the bride say, Come." The only right principle in everything is to go to the source of divine truth, and to seek there refreshment and strength and fitness for whatever our God calls us to. He did this to comfort and caution his readers and to affirm the authority of this book. First observation: This is a common way to stress the importance of obedience. Our glorious adventure learning of Him. She is, the mother of the harlots, but also (and with still deeper guilt) of the abominations of the earth. But, further, we find that the saints who had suffered for Christ, during the time that the others were in heaven, are now reunited to their bodies and live, the Lord waiting for the last martyr that He might not leave out one of those who had died for His name. "God," said the rabbis in their dreams of the golden age, "will produce a river from the Holy of Holies, beside which every kind of delicate fruits will grow.". It is clear that Paul was painstaking in ensuring the early church clearly knew and understood their salvation was secure, repeating multiple times that God the Father had given them the Spirit in their hearts as a guarantee. All these things have their place in Babylon the great. One thing an understanding of Johns book of Revelation will do for us is that our eyes are now open to the truth that Christ has, and continues to fulfil His promise "I am coming soon.". The last scene shows Martin sitting at the table on which burns a solitary candle. It is the way to all, if it be not the actual entrance into and enjoyment of it. Moral unfitness has its just censure; but sovereign grace must be asserted also. (Revelation 22:19), Waitwhat? And it's great what man has been able to do messing around with some of the genetic codes of some of the plants and trees.When I was a kid we lived off of North Broadway Street here in Santa Ana, and we had a tree that had both Navel and Valencia oranges growing on it, as well as grapefruits and lemons. Everything that belongs to the body of Christ is unearthly and unworldly. What does that mean for this grim warning? In like manner Hymenaeus and Alexander, Christians of the church at Ephesus, were turned over to Satan by Paul so they might be taught a lesson (1 Timothy 1:20). The day of the Lord on the world in no way sets aside His dealing with individual souls. Christ is "the bright morning star." That pagan Rome, therefore, should set itself against Christianity was to be expected, and so the fact proved. To take from the words of the book is more than rubbing out some words. But here there is none; a temple is for the earth. Let the wrong-doer continue in his wrong-doing; let him who is filthy continue in his filthiness; let the righteous man continue in his righteousness; let him who is dedicated to God continue in his dedication.". (Revelation 22:18-19). Once again he stresses the truth of all that John has seen and heard. The Holy Spirit, the universal church and individual believers join in urging him to return. That is, the tabernacle of God is regarded as a separate object, no doubt associated with men, but not confounded with them. A believer in Christ bases His whole faith on the Word of God. under the Law, that we might receive adoption as sons.". But what is also of consequence to observe is, that John saw souls the souls of those beheaded on account of the witness of Jesus, and on account of the word of God. The words and visions which came to John came from the same God who inspired the great prophets of the Old Testament. Afterwards we come to the description of itself, of its wall, its building, its foundations, and its gates. In this passage there is an ambiguity of punctuation. For I am not aware that any scripture treats of the subject, beyond laying down principles such as we have sought to apply to the case. Jesus is coming again, foolishness. The woman the strange woman sets forth corruption, human nature indulging itself in its own evil desires, irrespective of God's will. 22:18,19 I give this warning to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book. By submitting your email address, you understand that you will receive email communications from Bible Gateway, a division of The Zondervan Corporation, 3900 Sparks Drive SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546 USA, including commercial communications and messages from partners of Bible Gateway. Come, Lord Jesus! Then we have a description of Babylon given. Three emphases mark this epilogue. Of course they will be preserved through that crisis in some sort of way suitable to divine wisdom. "And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the midst of heaven, Come, gather yourselves together unto the great supper of God; that ye may eat flesh of kings, and flesh of chiliarchs, and flesh of strong [men], and flesh of horses, and of those that sit on them, and flesh of all, both free and bond, both small and great." The book of life will confirm what is gathered from the books. If ancient times failed fully to meet the requirements of the chapter, it is evident that the middle ages are passed without its fulfilment as a whole. Personally I never see a vision. The church goes on according to the will of the Lord, who might according to His own purpose lengthen or abridge the space. Verse 22 comes as an exhortation to the Gentiles in Rome to keep in mind both God's goodness and His severity. The people who reject the message of Revelation as it stands will never receive what has been offered to them. of Life means that they had a claim to it previously and now lost it. In doing so they contravened the law itself: You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you. "And I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. However, the unbeliever who is foolish enough to take away the words of this prophecy will receive the gravest of punishments - eternal separation from God in the Lake of Fire. We have here a solemn ratification of the contents of this book, and particularly of this last vision (though some think it may not only refer to the whole book, but to the whole New Testament, yea, to the whole Bible, completing and confirming the can on of scripture); and here, 1. any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet "for God so loved the world" ). Again, we turn to the apostle John where 1 John 3:9-10 states, "Whosoever is born of "On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates. John takes his picture of the tree of life from two sources--from the tree in the Garden of Eden ( Genesis 3:6); and even more from Ezekiel. And, behold [again the Lord is talking], I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be ( Revelation 22:11-12 ). "Having a wall great and high, having twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names inscribed, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel." Those who accept will not tamper with the message, liberating them from the books terrible prophecies. Yet one allows freely a partial application already. mean we will fall from salvation, but from a way of relating to God by grace (i.e. That story of Tolstoys is not just a story. The race was now in the resurrection state either for good or for evil; and thus it must be for ever. NO! It should be, "and shall be present. The Gothic hordes were not yet incorporated with the empire, still less were they horns of the beast, nor did they give their power to it, but destroyed it rather. If he or she is a believer, the part (share) lost must be some special privilege in the eternal state. 8 All these . "Surely I come quickly." The Alexandrian copy, one of Stephens's, and the Complutensian edition, read, "the tree of life"; and so do the Syriac and Ethiopic versions; the sense is the same; see John 15:2 and out of the holy city; the new Jerusalem, before described, a part in which is a right to enter into it through the gates, and possess the glories of it: what is mentioned here is only a seeming one, which wicked men may flatter themselves with; and the meaning is, that such shall never enter into it, and enjoy the happiness of it, but shall ever be without, Revelation 21:27. and from the things which are written in this book; the blessings promised to the overcomers in Revelation 2:7 which such as detract from this book shall have no share in. Not all Christians read this book of the Bible. In the ancient temples there were not only female sacred prostitutes, there were also male sacred prostitutes; and these male prostitutes were commonly called dogs. During the day the old man brings in a sweeper from the street, gives him tea, warms him at the fire. God tells us that we are to WATCH. To say that a true child of God would never tamper with these Scriptures is simply naive. They are given not to help people work out a timetable of future events, but to strengthen Christians so that they will be obedient and not forsake Christ simply to escape persecution (6-7). Also, the warning in Revelation 22:19 is aimed toward unbelievers who would seek to tamper with God's message. 5. There are thrones filled with certain persons, who reign along with Him. Likewise Paul speaks of being shipwrecked when a believer runs astray which is not losing one's salvation (1 Timothy 1:19), but an act of loving discipline by the Father. (Romans 10:14). (2 Corinthians 1:22, 2 Corinthians 5:5, Ephesians 1:14, Ephesians 4:30b). This is known so well, and on such decided grounds, that it would be unbecoming to withhold the fact. a habitual, unrepentant lifestyle; not to fall into a specific sin, even several times. We have just seen that it is the eternal state. It is a time of strong delusion, be it remembered. Christ speaks first to His people as they suffer for Him. "These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them (for he is Lord of lords and King of kings), and they that are with him, called, and chosen, and faithful.". 1999 2023 Come Reason Ministries. THE ACCEPTED AND THE REJECTED ( Revelation 22:14-15 ). It is because they don't attempt to or they attempted to spiritualize the meanings, and if you do that it becomes meaningless. He did this a little earlier and the angel said to him to stand up. This is the first resurrection.". Babylon had once heard the varied testimony of God; for what had she not heard of truth? They were bewildered and broken as they walked the 7 miles from Jerusalem to Emmaus. Tim used a diversion tactic to steer the reader away from his inconsistency. to a particular people from a familiar teacher dealing with real difficulties with which The faithful will enjoy the blessings of life in the presence of God, but their opponents will be excluded for ever (12-15).Christ, the promised Son of David, is like the morning star, whose coming signifies the dawn of a new day. 9. The Pre-Tribulation Rapture, The Tribulation Period To Come, Judgment On The World & Noah. We cannot win the battles against sin by our own unaided powers. In order to be 8. A mysterious lawlessness inherits the well-known name of Babylon when Rome is brought forward; and it does not merely embrace Christian times, but the end of the age after the church has gone, when the course of divine judgment comes. "The ten horns which thou sawest AND the beast" would give unquestionably the right form of the verse. Second, Jesus will return imminently (Revelation 22:6-7; Revelation 22:10; Revelation 22:12; Revelation 22:20). To report dead links, typos, or html errors or suggestions about making these resources more useful use the convenient, Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament, International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Norris' Commentary on the Book of Revelation, Text and Manuscripts of the New Testament, Genuineness of the prophecy: true prophecy, Addressees of the prophecy: bond-servants, Warning of the prophecy: for unfaithfulness.
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