The Great Whore

Posted on September 2, 2018 by bibleteacherorg

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(Revelation 17:1-6) 1 And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: 2 With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. 3 So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet colored beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. 4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet color, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: 5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. 6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.

Last week we saw the forces of evil gather for a battle called Armageddon. But this week we see the force that is behind all rebellion against God. It is false religion, idolatry, described as “the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus”.

An Angel Of The Bowl Judgment Speaks

Back in chapter 10 an angel spoke directly to John. As this chapter starts we read:

(Revelation 17:1-2) And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: 2 With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.

Once more one of the Judgment Angels speaks directly to John. He wanted to show John – and us – why this Judgment was being poured out so severely on the world. The Angel points to “the great whore that SITTETH upon many WATERS”. There is significance in this phrase. If you let Scripture define itself you will find that …

(Revelation 17:15) And he saith unto me, The WATERS which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are PEOPLES, AND MULTITUDES, AND NATIONS, AND TONGUES.

These are people of all nationalities. The Whore is “SITTING” on these people. What is the significance of this? If I am sitting on you my weight is pressing you down, restricting you, keeping you from moving or, if you move, making any movement very difficult. If I am sitting on you I am holding you away from freedom. If you are wounded or need help my sitting on you keeps you from reaching salvation. To sit on you is to hurt you.

The Whore has sat on Kings ans on common people. She impedes their finding of God and salvation in Christ. She convinces those she sits on that good is evil and evil is good. The Prophet said:

Isaiah 5:16-24 (KJV)  But the LORD of hosts shall be exalted in judgment, and God that is holy shall be sanctified in righteousness.  [17]  Then shall the lambs feed after their manner, and the waste places of the fat ones shall strangers eat.  [18]  Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with a cart rope:  … [20]  Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!  [21]  Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!  … [23]  Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!  [24]  Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.

The Bible declares that the Wages of sin is ALWAYS DEATH (Romans 6:23). But Babylon the Prostitute sits on the lap of her victim, whispering in the ear, holding the victim back in sin and destruction. Babylon whispered from the mouths of past presidents who claimed to be saved. Babylon rejects the Word of God, knowing full well that to do so is to bring destruction. But Babylon does not care. She is a prostitute, a whore, a harlot. She does so for temporal profit. She does not care for you, but for your money.

The Power Behind The False Religions

(Revelation 17:3) So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet colored beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.

Don’t miss the significance of this verse. “He carried me away in the Spirit into the wilderness”. After Jesus was baptized we read:

Matthew 4:1 (KJV)  Then was Jesus led up of the SPIRIT INTO THE WILDERNESS to be tempted of the devil.

Jesus was led into the wilderness to meet and be tested by the devil. John is led by the Angel “in the Spirit into the wilderness” not to be tempted, but to be instructed. Here he will see the Devil. The Woman – the Prostitute of False religion – is “Sitting upon a SCARLET colored BEAST”. This strange creature is “FULL of names of BLASPHEMY” speaking against God, “having seven heads and ten horns”. We saw this “Beast” before back in:

Revelation 12:3-4 (KJV)  And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.  [4]  And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: …

This “Red Dragon” tried to take over Heaven, and convinced a third of the angels to follow him. This Red Dragon is clearly presented as the Devil or Satan:

Revelation 12:9 (KJV)  And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

This woman is RIDING on the back of this Red Dragon.
This Beast also represents the devil’s manifest presence, the anti-Christ.
False religion is powered by Satan and the anti-Christ.
No matter how harmless it might seem it is but a distraction from that which is right, and holy, and true. False religion is Satanic no matter where it comes from.
Babylon the Prostitute is riding on this Dragon.

The woman is wealthy, a well paid prostitute. We read:

(Revelation 17:4) And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet color, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand …

False Religion looks GOOD!
Oh how she’s dressed up!
It sounds GREAT!

The Prosperity Gospel sounds great.
The Self Help Gospel sounds wonderful.
The All Roads Lead to Heaven Gospel is very appealing.
The You Can Be Saved And Still Freely Sin Gospel will fill churches.
The Our Church/Denomination Is The Only Way To Christ is so exclusive.
These are all Golden Cups, but what is in them?

It is …

(Revelation 17:4) …. full of ABOMINATIONS and FILTHINESS of her fornication:

The Bowl Angel carried a golden cup filled with plagues
intended to punish mankind for rejecting God.
False Religion carries a golden cup that is supposed to bless mankind
but it is filled with hideousness and filthiness.

Tim Keller writes in his book “The Reason For God”:

“Everybody has to live for something. Whatever that something is becomes ‘Lord of your life’, whether you think of it that way or not. Jesus is the only Lord Who, if you receive Him, will fulfill you completely, and, if you fail Him, will forgive you eternally.”

It is so sad that so many Churches are trying to compromise with False Religion. I have heard people say “Well, let’s just say it’s ok. After all, God is love”. But friend, God is also JUST. The Cross proves that.

The Three Names Of False Religion

The Bible makes much over names. This whorish woman is named with three names:

(Revelation 17:5) And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

Mystery
Babylon The Great
The Mother Of Harlots & Abominations

  • She is called “Mystery” or the Greek μυστήριον mystērion. This word was used in the New Testament by Jesus and the Apostles to speak of our faith. The disciples – those who follow Christ – came to Him with a question one day:

Matthew 13:10-11 (KJV) …. Why speakest thou unto them in parables?  [11]  He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries (mystērion) of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.

When we say “Yes, Lord” to Jesus He gives us the power to understand the deeper things of God, things which the world considers “mystērion”. The change that Christ brings in us is a mystērion. The fact that the Spirit of God can indwell we who are still sinful creatures is mystērion. In fact, there are so many mysterious and wonderful truths to our faith – miraculous things – that the Apostle said:

1 Corinthians 2:6-12 (KJV)  Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:  [7]  But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:  [8]  Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.  [9]  But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.  [10]  But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.  [11]  For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.  [12]  Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

The “mystērion” or mystery of our faith is not revealed to the world nor to the godless but to those who are surrendered to Christ. So why is “mystērion” one of the names given false religion? Because false religion imitates Christianity. It was false religion that founded this country. When a “Catholic” was in power in Old England that king ordered the death and persecution of the “Protestants”. When a “Protestant” was in power in Old England that king ordered the death and persecution of the “Catholics”.

When did Christ order we kill our enemies? Did He not command:

Matthew 5:44-46 (KJV)  But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;  [45]  That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.  [46]  For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?

The fighting in Northern Ireland between Catholic and Protestant is not godly, but Satanic. False religion cloaked as a form of Christianity – whether Protestant or Catholic – ignored Christ’s Word and made killing acceptable in the name of God. It was not in God’s name they killed, but in falseness. The Pilgrims came to America to escape persecution in England and founded this nation to follow after Christ. False religion cloaked as Christianity twists Christ’s words, pretends to be “mystērion”, but is not. It is a travesty.

  • She is called “Babylon The Great” because the first organized rejection of God and His Word came from ancient Babylon. Babylon was founded by a mighty hunter called Nimrod (Genesis 10:9-10). Nimrod was the grandson of Noah, his father was Cush. Nimrod’s hunting business was so good that he founded not just Babylon, but three other cities. Nimrod’s four city metropolis was hugely successful, and people flooded into the area. And this was a problem.

When Noah and his family left the Ark God gave humanity a simple command:

Genesis 9:1 (KJV) … Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.

“Be fruitful” is something only man and woman can do, so God endorsed one man one woman marriage. “Multiply” means that God endorses marital sex, not the horrendous perversion that has gripped America and most of the world. And “replenish the earth” meant to spread out, to populate not just one area, but all of earth.

Nimrod may not have been there when Cush heard this command, but his father share it with him. God’s order was for mankind to spread out over the face of the earth. But instead of spreading out and doing as God said mankind revolted against God. They went to Shinar and while in that place said:

Genesis 11:3-4 (KJV)  And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them throughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for mortar.  [4]  And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.

The people chose to reject the Word of God, so God scrambled their word. The Bible says that all the earth was of one language up to this point. But God said:

Genesis 11:6-9 (KJV)  And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.  [7]  Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.  [8]  So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city.  [9]  Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.

The Triune LORD God said “Let US go down and confound their language”. They rejected God’s Word, so He confused theirs.

Once their language was confused they scattered, doing as God commanded they do in the first place.

Therefore it was named BABEL
Babel eventually became known as Babylon.

King Hammurabi made Babylon a religious power again in 1600 BC by making Marduk god of the city of Babylon and head of the 1300 gods and goddesses worshiped there. The first fake christ came from Babylon. The goddess Semiramus gave birth to a son name Tammuz, supposed to be the savior prophesied in Genesis 3:15. False religion would steal the glory from God and from His Son if it could. That is why it is called “Babylon”.

  • False religion is called “The Mother of Harlots and of the Abominations of the Earth” because this is her true face. She is both a Whore and a producer of Whores. A Whore or a Harlot is someone who sells her body and its use for profit. God gave us our bodies. He created us in His image and in His likeness (Genesis 1:26). The Bible says:

1 Corinthians 6:20 (KJV)  For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

The prostitute worships money and things rather than the God Who made us. False religion does not care what God has said about a thing. It only cares about promoting self, while demoting God. The Beast is carried by Satan and the Anti-Christ. We read:

(Revelation 17:7, 8) And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns. 8 The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ASCEND OUT OF THE BOTTOMLESS PIT, AND GO INTO PERDITION: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonderadmire, WHOSE NAMES WERE NOT WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF LIFE from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.

False Religion is carried by anti-Christ, and empowered by Satan. This is why the text says that the Beast is “full of the names (plural) of blasphemies”. The anti-Christ, like his father Satan, hates Jesus and hates the Father.

There Is No Compromise Between Light And Darkness

The true face of false religion is found in what it does. We read:

(Revelation 17:6) And I saw the woman DRUNKEN with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.θαῦμα thauma means “wonder”

There is NO COMPROMISE between false religion and Christianity. I recently read that the United Methodist Church is considering changing it’s statutes to endorse abortion as a good thing. Abortion is an evil – it kills a child. But the United Methodists began a dark descent from the Word of Christ long ago, departing for the honorable Wesley and Whitefield who founded them. Yet this is true among many “denominations” and “non-denominations” even today. Even among Baptists there have been slips where well meaning people and soft hearted pastors have pushed compromise with the darkness. But there can be no compromise between light and darkness. The Apostle said:

2 Corinthians 6:14-18 (KJV)  Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?  [15]  And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?  [16]  And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.  [17]  Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,  [18]  And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

There can be no compromise between the devil and the Kingdom of God. We must choose. We can love the world, and love it by sharing the unvarnished Gospel of the Kingdom. But we must not believe – even for a moment – that there is any possible compromise. Those who have compromised with darkness have found themselves sitting in darkness. The Whore of False Religion will drink the blood of saints, martyring the Children of God. The devil desires your damnation and, failing that, your death. If he can get your faith to die then all the better.

Some Final Considerations

Revelation 17:9-13 (KJV)  And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.  [10]  And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.  [11]  And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.  [12]  And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.  [13]  These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.

The “Seven Mountains” are the seven hills of Rome. The Harlot would rule from Rome. Some have taken this to mean that the Catholic Church will be the root of the Harlot. That is possible, though not stated in the text. I believe the text plainly taken means that the Capital of this False Religion empowered by Satan and endorsed by the anti-Christ will be in Rome. We do not know who the seven kings are, though they are somehow connected to Rome. The ten kings are mentioned in Daniel’s prophecies:

Daniel 7:24 (KJV) And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.

These ten kings or nations will rise up and bind with the devil and the anti-Christ, but they will only be in power for a set time (one hour). It may be for 3 ½ years but in comparison to God’s reckoning of time it is but for a short time.

Revelation 17:13-14 (KJV)  These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.  [14]  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 are called, and chosen, and faithful.

Though these ten nations are in collusion with one another, with the anti-Christ, and with Satan, they shall still lose to the Lamb of God. There is a lesson in this for us all. God is always triumphant. His Word is always right. Regardless as to what we “feel” or “think” what God has said will stand. No matter what flight of fantasy a denomination shall fly, God ultimately wins. Jesus Christ has the victory, and His people shall stand triumphant!

Revelation 17:17 (KJV)  For God hath put in their hearts to fulfill his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.

God is in control! He is always in control!

Blessed be the Name of the Lord!

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The Just Shall Live By Faith

Posted on September 2, 2018 by bibleteacherorg

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Habakkuk 2:4 (KJV) Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.

One of the most obscure books in the Bible – a book you may never have read nor even heard of – is the Book of Habakkuk. It’s a small book – only three chapters in length. It is the fifth book from the end of the Old Testament, nestled between Nahum and Zephaniah. In most Bibles it occupies two sheets of paper. If you’re still looking for it it is on page 1307 in your Pew Bibles.

The Book was written by God through the Prophet and Preacher Habakkuk. If I were to ask you to spell his name most of you would get it wrong.

Hebrew names have meaning, and
Habakkuk means “a wrestler”

We know nothing about Habakkuk. He isn’t mentioned in the Bible outside of this Book, and he is not written about in history. But Habakkuk was a wrestler.

He wrestled with God.
He wrestled with God in prayer.
Habakkuk was confused.
He was a righteous man who loved the Lord.
But he had questions, so he wrestled.

Habakkuk sought the Lord in prayer, and recorded not only what he said, but what the Lord said. The first two chapters of Habakkuk’s book is a prayer journal.

Habakkuk Was Burdened

Habakkuk 1:1 (KJV) The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see.

The word “Burden” is the Hebrew מַשָּׂא massa’ means “something that cannot be carried”. Habakkuk was weighed down and overwhelmed. The land that he was in was fallen into grievous sin. Habakkuk had prayed about the sin of Judah many times, but it seemed as if God was not listening. He said:

Habakkuk 1:2-4 (KJV) O LORD, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save! 3 Why dost thou shew me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance? for spoiling and violence are before me: and there are that raise up strife and contention. 4 Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceedeth.

The land was filled with evil. Judah had gone from God. The righteous were outnumbered, it seemed, as if 1000 to 1. Violence filled the land and no one cared.

As I read this, I think of our great Country and its collapse into evil. Watch the news. Read the papers. On a three day weekend there were 74 murders in Chicago – and no one cared. If a gunman went into a high rise and shot down 74 people there would be cries throughout the land for gun control. If a madman killed 74 school children people would be demanding the government do something. But 74 die in Chicago – the murder capital of the world – and no one cares. Babies are aborted by the hundreds, and no one cares. Murderers are released after just a few year in prison, and no one cares. Violence was all about Habakkuk. He cried out against it. He asked God to do something about it. What will God do?

Our Loving God Will Do What Is Best

The world is fond of that Bible verse which says:

1 John 4:8 (KJV) He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

Yes, God is love. But what does that mean? How is God as “love” manifested? The world never reads the NEXT verse of Scripture that says:

1 John 4:9-10 (KJV) In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. 10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

John says “God is love. Let me show you a picture of ‘love’. Do you see that Man hanging between those two thieves? Do you see the blood pouring from His wounds. God loves Him. That’s God’s Son, Jesus Christ. Hear Him groan. See His bones show through His skin? That’s love in action. He was nailed to that tree because God is JUST, and God loves you. Jesus is taking my punishment and your punishment on Himself. There’s love. That’s love!”

We don’t know what love is, nor what justice is. But God does. Habakkuk went to God in prayer, asking God to do something. And God answered Habakkuk, but not as he expected. God told Habakkuk:

Habakkuk 1:5-7 (KJV) Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvelously: for I will work a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be told you. 6 For, lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, which shall march through the breadth of the land, to possess the dwelling places that are not theirs. 7 They are terrible and dreadful: their judgment and their dignity shall proceed of themselves.

God tells Habakkuk “I’m going to raise up the Chaldeans (the Babylonians) and they will march through the land.”. God’s Israel has gone from the Presence of God, so God is going to send a terrible people to conquer them. The Babylonians will not be conquered, but will terrorize and conquer. God will smite His people who are acting as unbelievers with the worst kind of unbelievers.

Habakkuk is flabbergasted. How can God raise up the Babylonians and send them against Israel? Habakkuk speaks to God once more:

Habakkuk 1:12-13 (KJV) Art thou not from everlasting, O LORD my God, mine Holy One? we shall not die. O LORD, thou hast ordained them for judgment; and, O mighty God, thou hast established them for correction. 13 Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity: wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he?

God, we are Your people! The Babylonians are not Your people, but we are. You cannot look on evil, so how can you support the wicked Babylonians against your own people?
Habakkuk was confused by God’s answer to prayer.

There have many times in my life when I have prayed, but God seemingly did not respond to my prayers, or perhaps answered prayer with something I didn’t understand. The Bible tells us that:

Romans 8:28 (KJV) And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

How can a baby born diseased be for my good?
How can the death of a child be for my good?
How can cancer, or a debilitating disease upon a loved one be for my good?

Yet the Lord has said that “all things work together for good to them that love the Lord, to them who are the called according to His purpose”. God called us to salvation for His purpose. God called us to salvation because He loves us.

As Habakkuk shares his confusion with God …

… and we can share our confusion with God.
(He loves us, and will listen to us.)

… he ends his second conversation with the Lord by saying:

Habakkuk 2:1 (KJV) I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved.

Habakkuk stopped talking. He stopped speaking. He stood upon his watch, that is, he listened for God’s answer. Habakkuk knew that God is always right. He knew he would be “reproved”, yet he still shared his heart with God.

There is no reason to hide your heart from God. God knows your innermost thoughts. We are told in …

Psalms 139:1-2 (KJV) O LORD, Thou hast searched me and known me. 2 Thou knowest my down-sitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.

So Habakkuk stopped talking, and just listened to God. The Lord told Habakkuk:

Habakkuk 2:2-3 (KJV) … Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. 3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.

“Habakkuk – write what I told you down so it can be read. Give it to a runner, and have the herald read it. The Babylonian invasion is coming. It has an appointed time, and it will come.” But then the Lord tells Habakkuk:

The Just Shall Live By Faith

Habakkuk 2:4 (KJV) Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.

The verse has two parts. The first is:

his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him

The “lifted up soul” or prideful person is never upright. We become prideful when we think ourselves to be God. We are prideful when we think we know better than God. We are not God. God is good, and righteous, and just. God always knows what is best. God establishes the standards of life. He says “yes” or “no” to our behaviors. In short:

God Is God And We Are Not!

What God has said is RIGHT will never be WRONG, and what God has said is WRONG will never be right. God sets the standards. When we in pride try to set the standards our society collapses. The Bible says:

Psalms 33:12 (KJV)12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.

Israel had wandered from God, and now it as Jesus said. Do you remember that text where Christ is the Vine and we are the Branches? Jesus said:

John 15:5-6 (KJV) I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. 6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.

Most people hear verse 5 but do not pay attention to verse 6. If we abide not in God, if we do not cling to Him, then we wither, and MEN gather the withered and cast them into the fire and they are burned. When we wander from God we become the subjects of the Babylonians. When we wander from God we lose our blessing, the blessing of His Presence.

Our souls must not be lifted up. We must bow down to Him Who loves us and gave Himself for us!

The second half of the verse is:

but the just shall live by his faith

Those who are UPRIGHT, JUSTIFIED by faith in God shall live by their faith in God. When things happen around us that we do not understand let us, like Habakkuk, wrestle with God in prayer. But let us continue in our faith. Let us trust our God. He knows what is best. God reveals in the next few verses that He will later judge Babylon as well. The Lord says to Babylon:

Habakkuk 2:8 (KJV) Because thou hast spoiled many nations, all the remnant of the people shall spoil thee; because of men’s blood, and for the violence of the land, of the city, and of all that dwell therein.

God will use Babylon to chastise Israel, but then Babylon will fall to another nation. God will judge. God will do what is right. As Abraham said to the Lord:

Genesis 18:25 (KJV) That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?

God will not slay the righteous with the wicked.
The death angel will not strike where the Blood is.
God’s people will endure.
The wicked will be judged.
God will see to it.

Why is God going to bring judgment on Israel, and later on Babylon. The Lord tells us and Habakkuk:

Habakkuk 2:14 (KJV)14 For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.

God will cast down all idols. He will be glorified. He will be worshiped by His people. God is God. God’s final word to Habakkuk was:

Habakkuk 2:20 (KJV) But the LORD is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.

Let us reverently worship our God. He is in Heaven, and rules the earth. We have no reason to accuse Him. The Just will live by his faith. Once more,

The Just Shall Live By His Faith
Is Declared FOUR Times!

This beautiful text is quoted three times in the New Testament, a total of FOUR times in the Bible. The FOURTH Commandment commanded a Day of Rest for the Child of God, and we REST in this four times repeated statement.

  • The first time this beautiful phrase is found in the New Testament is in relationship to the Gospel:

Romans 1:16-17 (KJV) For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

We who are saved do not rest in our works of righteousness, but in ability of Christ to save us. He paid for our sins on Calvary. He shed His Blood for us. The Scripture clearly states:

Romans 3:23-25 (KJV) For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

We stand clean before God because Christ cleansed us by His Blood. I believe His shedding of Blood brings remission of sins. This is the Way unto salvation.

  • The second time this wonderful verse is quoted is in relationship to the Law:

Galatians 3:10-11 (KJV) For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. 11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.

It is not by keeping the Law that we are saved, but by loving Christ. We are told in:

Galatians 3:13 (KJV) Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:

He paid the Law for us in full. We live by faith in Him, following Him, loving Him.

  • The third time we see this wonderful phrase is in relationship to the obedience the Gospel brings.

Hebrews 10:38-39 (KJV) Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. 39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.

We are to follow God by faith. He loves us, and we love Him. Forever.

Understanding The Phrase My Heart Sings

The first two chapters are the prayer journal of Habakkuk, but the third chapter is a SONG. Faith trusts in God. I don’t have time to go over the whole of this song, but I want you to see the last three verses of it. Habakkuk sings:

Habakkuk 3:17-18 (KJV) Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labor of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: 18 Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.

Though my fig trees do not produce
Nor my grape vines yield grapes
Though the olive trees be barren
And the fields be like a desert
Though my sheep be all killed
And my cattle be diseased
Though I lose everything, yet I will REJOICE!

I will REJOICE IN THE LORD, THE GOD OF MY SALVATION. I belong to God. I do not belong to my stuff. I will trust in Him. When Job lost everything he said:

Job 1:21 (KJV) …. Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.

This is a life of faith. We love Him because He first loved us. The last stanza is one of the most beautiful verses in Scripture.

Habakkuk 3:19 (KJV) The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.

When I trust in Him – living by my faith – He will make me like the mountain goat. I will be able to walk on dangerous paths just as sure as if on flat ground, for my God will make me do so.

We serve an amazing God. Let us live by our faith.

May Christ touch your hearts with His Word!

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The magic pill for depression: It doesn’t exist.

Posted on August 30, 2018 by bibleteacherorg

Source: The magic pill for depression: It doesn’t exist.

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At Home In Christ’s Word

Posted on August 29, 2018 by bibleteacherorg

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John 8:31-32 (KJV) Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Continue In My Word

Last week Jesus had His early morning Bible Class disrupted by the scribes and Pharisees. They brought a woman taken in adultery into the middle of His class and, disrupting it, demanded Jesus give an accounting. If you were here last week you saw how Jesus used the Law of God to defeat His enemies, while at the same time bringing this woman to a place of repentance and renewal.

The Pharisees were not finished.
They had an audience, and were determined to destroy our Lord’s ministry.

We can learn a lesson from this on the persistence of evil. Evil is not easily defeated. The devil is persistent. His disciples are persistent. Evil cannot be defeated by lowering ourselves to its standard. Jesus through the Apostle:

Romans 12:21 (KJV)  Be not overcome of evil, but OVERCOME EVIL WITH GOOD.

Evil is persistent. Though Jesus defeated the Scribes and Pharisees who interrupted His class Pharisees still remained and still attacked. So Jesus said something that we are need to take heed of. There is a mixed crowd before Him. Some believe in Him, others are violently opposed to Him, and yet others are undecided. But Jesus addresses only one faction in that crowd. We read:

John 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which BELIEVED on him

Jesus doesn’t address the fence sitter.
Jesus doesn’t address the unbeliever.
He addresses the Believer, the one who loves Him.
How do you defeat persistent evil?
How do you stand as Light in this dark world?
It begins by BELIEF in Christ, but it does not end there.

Jesus says to the Believer – to You if you have committed your life to Him:

John 8:31 … If ye CONTINUE in MY WORD,
then are ye My disciples indeed;

The word rendered “CONTINUE” is the Greek μένω MENŌ which means “To dwell in, make yourself at home in, stay with”. The word is used in this sense in several scriptures:

Luke 1:56 (KJV) And Mary abode with {Elizabeth} about three months, and returned to her own house. The word ABODE is the Greek MENŌ.

When Jesus went to see the little Tax Collector Zacchaeus and saw him sitting in a tree, Jesus looked up and said …

Luke 19:5 (KJV) … Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house. The word ABIDE is the Greek MENŌ.

When the first disciples started following Jesus …

John 1:38 (KJV) Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou? The word DWELLEST is the Greek MENŌ.

One of my favorite passages of Scripture is in John 15. Jesus tells those who believe in Him:

John 15:1-4 (KJV)  I am the true vine, and my Father is the {Gardener}.[2]  Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.  [3]  Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.  [4]  ABIDE in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it ABIDE in the vine; no more can ye, except ye ABIDE in me. The word ABIDE is the Greek MENŌ, which means “To make yourself at home or dwell in”.

Jesus said we must make ourselves at home in His word.

Now what is a “home”? It is a place we rest ourselves in. It is not like a motel or even – when Sherry and I go to visit our grandkids – a wonderful place my son allows us to stay in. Home is YOUR place.

At HOME I have my special recliner, my own bed, my own pillow.
At HOME I have secure doors and walls where my wife and I can live safely.
At HOME I have a yard I tend, neighbors I know, a place where my car is.
At HOME I have the conveniences of kitchen, bath, and laundry.
At HOME we hang pictures on the wall where we want.
We rest, love, and are blessed at HOME.

Like the old saying goes, there is no place like home!

How do we make ourselves at home in Christ’s Word? I read once of a little girl who shows us the way. When the offering plate was passed the little girl put the plate on the floor, and stepped into it. The shocked usher asked her what she was doing. She said “We were taught in Sunday School to give ourselves to Jesus. He can have all of me!” She got the point. God wants all of us. Christ wants us completely. He doesn’t want just our Sundays, but our every days. We are to make ourselves at home in His Word.

Jesus Christ Is The Faithful Witness

The Pharisees attacked Jesus. They said:

John 8:13 (KJV)  The Pharisees therefore said unto him, Thou bearest record of thyself; thy record is not true.

“What You have said about Yourself Jesus is fabricated. You are the only One Who says You are from God”. They were saying “We don’t support You Jesus, and You have no support of Anyone of Any stature. No great Rabbi supports You. You are false.” But Jesus replied:

John 8:14-18 (KJV)  Jesus answered and said unto them, Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true: for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but ye cannot tell whence I come, and whither I go.  [15]  Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man.  [16]  And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me.  [17]  It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true.  [18]  I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me.

Jesus was sent of the Heavenly Father, and the Father affirmed Him as His Son. Jesus had at least two witnesses that He was Heaven sent. John the Baptist witnessed that Christ is the Messiah.

John 1:29 (KJV) … John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

When Jesus was baptized of John the Bible says:

Matthew 3:17 (KJV)  And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

Christ is THE BELOVED SON. There is no other. He is THE BELOVED SON in Whom the Father is WELL PLEASED. Jesus came to do the Father’s will. He spoke as the Father would have Him speak. He went where the Father bade Him go. When Jesus took Peter, James, and John with Him into a high mountain there Christ was transfigured, and stood speaking with Moses and Elijah. Jesus is conversing with the LAW and the PROPHETS, the two greatest representatives of God’s Word. Peter speaks up.

“Let us make THREE SHRINES here, Jesus.
One for YOU, and one each for Moses and Elijah!”

No, Beloved One. The Father spoke:

Matthew 17:5 (KJV)  While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; HEAR YE HIM.

THIS is My Beloved Son. Moses and Elijah were great men who followed God, but there is but One Jesus. Hear Him. Hear His Word. Make yourselves at home in His Word.

The Pharisees could not understand this. They sought Jesus to kill Him for they saw Him as a rival to their power.

John 8:21-22 (KJV)  Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come.  [22]  Then said the Jews, Will he kill himself? because he saith, Whither I go, ye cannot come.

Unbelief cannot go where Jesus came from. Jesus was going to a place where the Pharisees could not go. Jesus is in a place that many cannot go. They sought Him to debate Him, to argue with Him, to disparage Him, but NOT to believe in Him. Because the Pharisees would not believe in Christ – resting in Him – they could not go where He was going.

Jesus’ Word is not just a man’s opinion.
His Word is God Breathed.
His Word is Heaven bound.

Jesus told the Pharisees:

John 8:23-24 …. Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world.  [24]  I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.

Jesus is the God sent Messiah. Christ is indeed God Himself manifest among us. His Word is the Word of God. In fact, His nickname is “The Word”. He is the Word Who was in the beginning WITH God and WAS God.

John 1:1-3 (KJV)  In the beginning was the WORD, and the WORD was with God, and the WORD WAS GOD.  [2]  The same was in the beginning with God.  [3]  All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

He is CREATOR GOD, and so He knows how all things should work. He is the Word of God become flesh (John 1:14) who dwelt among us. And unless we make ourselves at home in Him – believing in Him – we will die in our sins, unable to go to Heaven to be with Him. The Pharisees knew and studied the Bible that they had, the Old Testament. Yet they never knew the Author of the Scriptures, Jesus Christ Himself. Jesus Christ came from Heaven representing the Father. When the Pharisees asked Jesus “Who are YOU?” (I can almost hear the sarcasm dripping from the question) our Lord replied:

John 8:26 (KJV)  I have many things to say and to judge of you: but he that sent me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him.

Jesus said “The things I am saying I have heard DIRECTLY from the Father. I am not flavoring it or twisting His Words in any way. I am the faithful witness”. The Bible says:

Proverbs 14:5 (KJV)  A faithful witness will not lie …

Jesus Christ is the faithful Witness, the first begotten of the dead, the Prince of the kings of the earth Who has loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood (Revelation 1:5). He speaks only what the Father has told Him to speak. When we make ourselves at home in His Word, we rest in the very Word of God! Jesus told the Pharisees:

John 8:19 (KJV) … Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also.

To know the Son is to know the Father. We must make ourselves at home in His Word. Not in the word of the world, nor in the word of the world’s religions, but in the Word of Christ.

At Home In Christ’s Word I Am Freed

John 8:31-32 (KJV) … If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;  [32]  And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

When we CONTINUE (Meno) or MAKE OURSELVES AT HOME IN CHRIST’S WORD it does two things. First, we know the truth. The world doesn’t know the truth. But Christ’s disciples are children of truth. When Jesus stood before Pilate to be judged He told him:

John 18:37 (KJV) … To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.

Jesus speaks the truth of Heaven. When Pilate heard Jesus say this he replied:

“What is truth?”

The world believes that “truth” is what it defines as true. Pilate had Christ executed though he found no fault in Him – because the majority said “This is the truth”. Listen Beloved, what the majority says is TRUTH is NOT TRUTH. Christ’s Word is truth. The Word of God is truth. What the Scripture teaches is true, of God, and valid. Jesus prayed for His Church:

Father, sanctify them through Thy truth: THY WORD is truth!
(John 17:17)

The world cries out “This is TRUTH because WE say so! Crucify Him. He may be innocent, but CRUCIFY HIM.” And the innocent hangs on a Cross between two thieves.

The world cries out “This is TRUTH because WE say so! Abort him. Abort her. They are innocent, but ABORT THEM.” And the innocent is removed from the place of safety and thrown in a garbage can.

Sin like a disease has spread throughout our country and our capital and our networks and our families because we have our worldview shaped by the world, not by Christ.

We make ourselves at home with PUBLIC OPINION.
We make ourselves at home with FEELINGS.
We make ourselves at home with OTHER THINGS.
We need to make ourselves at home with Christ’s Word.

When you make yourselves at home in Christ’s Word, when you rest in what He said rather than what the talking heads of Hollyweird says, then you are freed from sin. Jesus said:

John 8:34-36 (KJV) … Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.  [35]  And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.  [36]  If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

When you make yourselves at home in Christ’s Word then Christ comes to you and abides with you, and you with Him. He changes your life. Whatever sin was binding you will lose its grip. The world cannot do this. Sin is persistent. It is like a python. It grabs, holds, and slowly constricts. With every breath it gets tighter and tighter. The world cannot fix this. The world normalizes sin. Where must I go? I must go to Jesus. I must go to his Word.

I must make myself home in His Word!

Some people say “My sin has trapped me, so I will focus on my sin.” That doesn’t work. That’s like going on a diet and studying a Pizza Hut menu so you’ll know what to avoid. It’s counterproductive. Repent of your sin, but make yourself at home in Christ’s Word. Read His Word daily. Read it through several times, hundreds of times, thousands of times. Never finish reading. Immerse yourselves in His Word. Meditate on it. Study it. Memorize it. I can walk through my home with my eyes closed because it is my home. I can visualize every room in my home, so even in the darkness I know where I am at. As His Word floods your soul you will be freed from sin. Study what the Bible says about sexual sin, about marriage, about raising your family, about everything.

But first and foremost make yourselves at home with what Jesus has said about HIMSELF. Jesus told the Pharisees:

John 8:42-43 (KJV) … If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.  [43]  Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.

Unless you know Him as Lord and Savior, unless you have first rested in His ability to save you, you cannot hear His Word. The lost person can only hear the Gospel, and then only if the Spirit opens their hearts to the message. You must rest in Him. You must believe in Him. You must solely trust Him. When you do, then He bids you come … make yourselves at home in His Word.

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Finishing The Work

Posted on August 27, 2018 by bibleteacherorg

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Exodus 40:33-37 (KJV) … So Moses finished the work.  [34]  Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.  [35]  And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.  [36]  And when the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the children of Israel went onward in all their journeys:  [37]  But if the cloud were not taken up, then they journeyed not till the day that it was taken up.

God Saves A People To Work With Him

God does not NEED us to do His work, but LOVES us, and BLESSES us when we work with Him.

The Bible declares of the Christian:

Ephesians 2:10 (KJV) For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

God saves us, then shapes us. He builds our faith. He calls us to serve Him. That which brings the blessing of God on a people is that they do as the Lord says. God gave Moses a task to do. Moses was to honor God in the creation of the Tabernacle.

God Never Bids We Work Alone

Moses did not do the work by himself. God set apart others to become invested in the work. The Children of Israel all contributed. Moses recognized others that the Lord pointed out to do the work. We read:

Exodus 35:30-35 (KJV) And Moses said unto the children of Israel, See, the LORD hath called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah; 31 And He hath filled {Bezaleel} with the spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship; 32 And to devise curious works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, 33 And in the cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving of wood, to make any manner of cunning work. 34 And he hath put in his heart that he may teach, both he, and Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. 35 Them hath he filled with wisdom of heart, to work all manner of work, of the engraver, and of the cunning workman, and of the embroiderer, in blue, and in purple, in scarlet, and in fine linen, and of the weaver, even of them that do any work, and of those that devise cunning work.

The work that God set before Israel was the building of the Tabernacle, a movable Church. The Tabernacle was the precursor to the Temple. Israel could not build a permanent structure until they settled in the land of Canaan. But until then, God wanted them to build a Tabernacle, a place to learn of Christ. We are told in:

Hebrews 10:1 (KJV) For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.

John 1:17 (KJV) For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

The Tabernacle, the furniture, the implements, and the sacrifices we SHADOWS of the Christ. The lamb without blemish that was slain taught Israel that the Lamb of God must be slain for their sins. The Burnt Offering emphasized the judgment of God poured out on His Son for us.
The Tabernacle was a teaching tool to bring Israel to Christ.

God Ordered Without Explaining Why

God put an exacting and difficult work before His people, but He didn’t explain the WHY of it. God ordered it. He decreed it. He didn’t explain it. God can do that. In our arrogance we often want to ask God,

“But WHY, Lord?”

God is gracious and often does give the “Why”. But many times God does not, and will not. God may never explain why. And that is fine, because God is God. When God came to Noah He didn’t explain anything. God told Noah:

Genesis 6:13-14 (KJV) … The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth. 14 Make thee an ark …

God did not tell Noah how long he had to make the “Ark”. God didn’t explain why babies would be killed in the floods. God just told Noah to build an “Ark”, and that those who got on the Ark would be safe. And God gave Noah everything he needed to build the Ark.

God gave Moses and Israel everything they needed to build the Tabernacle. God never asks us to do anything that He does not equip us to do. God put every person in every place with every tool and material needed.

But they must finish the work!

When Moses and Israel finished the work we read:

Exodus 40:34-35 (KJV) …Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.  [35]  And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.

God manifested Himself when the work was finished. In fact, God did something else. His Presence led the people. Previously God led Israel by pillar of cloud and pillar of fire. But now the Lord does something different:

Exodus 40:36-37 (KJV) … And when the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the children of Israel went onward in all their journeys:  [37]  But if the cloud were not taken up, then they journeyed not till the day that it was taken up.

When God’s glory left the Tabernacle, they folded up their tents. The Levites all gathered the holy things, and they traveled once more. If God’s glory was on the Tabernacle they stayed in that place until God’s glory departed. Then they moved – ever forward – toward the Promised Land.

We Are Never Finished Working For God

Moses and Israel finished the work God gave them.
The Book of Exodus ends.
Cinderella has her prince.
The Three Little Pigs roast marshmallows in the fireplace.
Little Red Riding Hood outwits the Big Bad Wolf.
Everyone lives happily ever after.
THE END

This is the difference between Christianity and a fairy tale, the Gospel and a myth. When God saved you by Grace

Ephesians 2:8-9 (KJV) For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Titus 3:5-7 (KJV) Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; 6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior; 7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

He could have taken you to Heaven. But God wants His people to live for Him FIRST on this earth. So He always gives another work. We never rest. Some people think they are saved so that they can drift through life. That is absolutely wrong! God gives us a work to do, then another, then another until, we reach Him in glory.

Israel Must Enter The Promised Land

God promised the Promised Land to Abraham. We read in …

Genesis 15:18-21 (KJV) In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates: 19 The Kenites, and the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites, 20 And the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Rephaims, 21 And the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.

God made a covenant with Abraham, giving the land to him and his children. The land was occupied with a godless people. But at the right time God would send His people into the land. Israel was supposed to trust God and dispossess the godless from that land.

The Tabernacle would one day become a Temple, the portable would become fixed. But only when Israel possessed the land. They must finish the work.

The “sequel” to Exodus is the Book of Numbers. Israel heads toward the Promised Land. When they get to the border of that Land we read:

Numbers 13:1-2 (KJV) And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Send thou men, that they may search the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel: of every tribe of their fathers shall ye send a man, every one a ruler among them.

Twelve spies from Israel went into the land. God had already given the land to His people. He said:

which I give unto the children of Israel

Not “I shall give” but “I give”. God owns the land. He just wanted the spies to return and tell Israel how bountiful that land was. Israel needed to finish the work. They needed to go and take what God gave them to finish the work.

The Tabernacle taught of Christ.
The Tabernacle must become a Temple.

Christ must come.
Christ must be born in Bethlehem.
Christ must teach in the Temple.
Israel, you must finish the work!
You must do the hard thing so Christ can come!
Christ must die on Calvary.
You must enter the land, for the future depends on it.

You know the story. The spies went into the land and searched through it for forty days (Numbers 13:25). At the end of that time the spies returned and gave their report:

Numbers 13:27-28 (KJV)27 And they told {Moses}, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it. 28 Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there.

The children of Anak were exceptionally large people. Joshua and Caleb encouraged the people to go forward, saying:

(vvs 30) Let us go up at once, and possess it;
for we are well able to overcome it

God is with Israel. God sent them to finish the work. God will empower us to do this. Yet the other spies disagreed, and discouraged the people:

Numbers 13:32-33 (KJV) And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature. 33 And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.

Fear Crowded Out Faith And
Blasphemy Destroyed Blessing

Israel let their fear control them rather than their faith in God. Fear caused them to say NO, then their NO turned into blasphemy. The people blasphemed God rather than glorifying Him. They began to revolt against God rather than finishing the work:

Numbers 14:2-4 (KJV) And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness! 3 And wherefore hath the LORD brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt? 4 And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt.

Because they would not finish the work God caused them to wander in the wilderness. They were controlled by fear rather than faith. They would not finish the work, so God finished them. God told Moses:

Numbers 14:21-23 (KJV) But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD. 22 Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice; 23 Surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it:

God demands that He be glorified. God demands His people finish the work.

The Lord’s Table Is A Reminder Of Finished Work

Our Master came to finish the work that God set before Him.

John 4:34 (KJV) … My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.

For 3 ½ years Jesus did exactly as the Father asked Him to do. As the end came the Bible tells us that:

Luke 9:51 (KJV) And it came to pass, when the time was come that {Jesus} should be received up, he steadfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem,

Jesus knew that His time was at hand. He must be betrayed. He must be beaten and bruised, whipped and shamed. He should be received up, offered as a lamb without spot or blemish. He must be put on display with two criminals, the innocent with the guilty. He must be mocked, humiliated. And most of all the hand of God’s judgment should be put on Him.

This is what the Tabernacle taught Israel.
This is what the lamb without blemish, killed and burned, showed.
Jesus must take the place of the little lamb.
The Lamb of God must died for the sins of the world.

Jesus knew what was coming, but He set His face to go to Jerusalem. When in Jerusalem Jesus sat with His disciples at the Feast of the Passover. At the end of that meal we read:

Mark 14:22 (KJV) And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body.

Christ was not yet sacrificed, but knew He must finish the work. Three and a half years of ministry would mean nothing if He did not go to Calvary. He must finish the work. His body must be broken, crushed, so that we can be blessed. Oh what a Savior!

Mark 14:23-25 (KJV) And {Jesus} took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it. 24 And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many. 25 Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God.

Jesus blessed the broken bread, His Body. Then He THANKED God for His spilled Blood. His Blood must be shed. He must finish the work so that we can be saved.

Nailed to the Cross the next day, He kept His eyes on the work set before Him. Naked, mocked, and hanging from the Cross He prayed:

Luke 23:34 (KJV) … Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

Crying out “I thirst” they thrust gall in His face. Yet Jesus was not defeated. He finished the work. Weary and suffering one of the thieves cry out:

Luke 23:42-43 (KJV)42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. 43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.

Saving souls to the very end, Jesus did not shirk His duty. As He died He said:

John 19:30 (KJV) When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

The last thing Christ tasted before He died was VINEGAR. Even this did not discourage Him. He bore our sins, and our sorrows. He cried out “It is finished!” The work was finished. Our salvation was secured by Him.

Let Us Imitate Christ And Honor The Father

If you are born again, then I encourage you to finish the work set before you. Honor God with your lives. I have known professing Christians who have refused to be baptized. Jesus commanded baptism.

You haven’t even STARTED the work if you haven’t obeyed Him in this simple request.

Hebrews 10:38-39 (KJV) Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. 39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.

Those who live by faith in Christ walk by faith in Christ. We do as He calls us to do. Let us finish the work. Let us follow Him. Let us glorify God. Let us not be weary, nor frightened of the work. I admit there are weeks when I feel so weary. But God says to me:

Galatians 6:9-10 (KJV) And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. 10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

God is worthy of our best. Let us keep on serving Him, living for Him, glorifying Him. The Apostle often compared the Christian way of life as a race, saying:

Hebrews 12:1-3 (KJV) Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

Keep running. Keep serving. Keep going forward. Keep doing what God has called you to do. We’re not to sit down until the Lord calls us into glory.

May God touch your hearts with His Word.

Posted in Exodus, Faithfulness of God, Following Disciples, Following Jesus, Sermons Preached | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Early In The Morning

Posted on August 23, 2018 by bibleteacherorg

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John 8:1-6 (KJV)  Jesus went unto the mount of Olives.  [2]  And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them.  [3]  And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,  [4]  They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.  [5]  Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?  [6]  This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.

Nothing hurts worst than to do the right thing and to be maligned for it.
Nothing hurts worst than to have your family turn on you.
I’ve been there, done that, bought the T Shirt.
It hurts. And I’m sure Jesus got hurt.
Jesus did the right things. He always did the right things. Jesus never sinned. We as humans have sin in our lives. The Bible says:

1 John 1:8 (KJV)  If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

We sin. That doesn’t justify our sin, but as humans we are subject to failure. Not so the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible says that that Jesus Christ as our High Priest:

Hebrews 4:15 (KJV) …. was in all points tempted like as we are, YET WITHOUT SIN.

Jesus Christ is the Redeemer, the Lamb of God Who was in all points sinless. We are the redeemed because He is holy and pure. We are redeemed by His precious and sinless sacrifice:

1 Peter 1:18-19 (KJV)  Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;  [19]  But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

There is no sin in Christ. He does what the Father tells Him to do. He is pure, holy. Jesus started His day doing the right thing. We read:

Jesus went unto the mount of Olives. 

The Mount of Olives was Jesus’ prayer room. The Mount of Olives is a mountain range east of Jerusalem named for the Olive Groves that once covered its slopes. Jesus often went up on a mountain to pray (Matthew 14:23; Luke 6:12) and to release the hurt that I’m sure He endured.

His brothers did not believe in Him. (John 7:5)
His sisters did not believe in Him.
His friends, the friends He grew up with,
did not believe in Him. (Mark 3:21)
One of His disciples was planning to betray Him (Luke 22:3)
And the leaders of Israel that Christ came to save
Were determined to destroy Him.

Oh Beloved, you can do everything right, and the world itself be against you. When you are overwhelmed with grief do as our Lord did. Find yourself a Mount of Olives, and go there and pray. Jesus had been praying. He had been praying early. We know this because:

John 8:2 (KJV) … And early in the morning he came again
into the temple

Jesus came to the Temple early in the morning, directly after being with the Father on the Mount of Olives. He started His day in prayer, then went to the Temple to fellowship and teach those whom He loved. Jesus didn’t chase after the people. The Bible says:

John 8:2 (KJV) … He came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them.

The people came to Jesus. They came to Jesus early in the morning. They met Jesus where He was likely to be. Jesus sat down and taught them. He came and settled in, teaching those He loved the Word of God. The people came to Jesus to hear Him.

They were not in Church to start trouble.
They were in Church to learn.
They didn’t come to show off their new suits.
They came to hear the Author of the New Covenant.
They came to LISTEN, not to DIRECT.
They came focused on JESUS, not on themselves.
And I bet they were all learning something great!

Then Religion Comes In To Hijack The Class

John 8:3 (KJV) …. And the SCRIBES AND PHARISEES brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,  [4]  They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.  

Now let me start out by saying that adultery is a horrible sin against God. In America we read about the woman taken in adultery and in our sex crazed society our first response is either:

So What?
Or
As Long As She Wasn’t Hurting Anybody.

Either response is wrong.
Adultery hurts someone.
The Adulterer invades and destroys a marriage.

This woman was “taken in adultery, in the very act”. I don’t believe that the Scribes and Pharisees were lying about this. The woman certainly didn’t protest. She was an adulterer from one of two positions:

She was either a wife who cheated on her husband, or
She was a single person who gave herself to a married man.

Adultery breaks the bonds of a marriage. Any sexual sin that disrupts or warps God’s design of marriage was considered by God to be a very grievous sin.

In the Law God addressed sexual sin and His attitude toward it. We read in:

Leviticus 20:10-15 (KJV)  And the man that committeth adultery with another man’s wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbor’s wife, the ADULTERER AND THE ADULTERESS SHALL SURELY BE PUT TO DEATH.  [11]  And the man that lieth with his father’s wife hath uncovered his father’s nakedness: both of them shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.  [12]  And if a man lie with his daughter in law, both of them shall surely be put to death: they have wrought confusion; their blood shall be upon them.  [13]  If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.  [14]  And if a man take a wife and her mother, it is wickedness: they shall be burnt with fire, both he and they; that there be no wickedness among you.  [15]  And if a man lie with a beast, he shall surely be put to death: and ye shall slay the beast.

People say “But Preacher, that was another time, another place”. The Scripture says that
God does not change.

James 1:17 (KJV) … the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

Malachi 3:6 (KJV)  For I am the LORD, I change not …

We certainly do not in this day execute the sexual sinner. But we also do not execute most murderers. Regardless, we need to be aware that God’s attitude toward any sin that violates the covenant union of marriage is that He is NOT IN FAVOR OF IT. However,

  • The Scribes & Pharisees weren’t interested in God’s Word. This woman was taken in the very act. Now here is the first indication that these so called holy men are not on the up and up. If she was taken “in the very act” then where IS THE MAN? This is one of the great flaws of religions and self righteousness. It recognizes part of God’s standard … the part that it likes … but rejects the rest of the standard. God did not give us His Word so that we can cherry pick it, choosing what we like while disregarding the rest. This is hypocrisy. God gave us the Word for us to agree with, to trust, to obey. Furthermore,
  • The Scribes & Pharisees were trying to trick Jesus. They said:

John 8:5-6 (KJV) Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but WHAT SAYEST THOU?  [6]  This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him.

Religion is not concerned with God nor His righteous Law.
Religion is concerned with itself.
The Self Righteous doesn’t look up. They looks around.

Think about this for a moment. When Israel was an independent nation they could and should do as God’s Law said. But Israel at this point in history is under Roman dominion. The Law of Moses did indeed say that the woman AND HER COMPANION be stoned with stones until they were dead. However as a Roman conquered country they were all under the Roman laws. The Jews had no right to execute anyone! Period! The Scribes & Pharisees knew this.

If Jesus said “Yes, the Law says stone her”, then the Pharisees & Scribes could have reported Him to the Roman authorities, and Jesus could have been imprisoned for insurrection. But if Jesus said “But we are under Roman control” the Jews could accuse Him of colluding with the enemy, and the people would have turned against Him. Either way they figured that they had won.

They figured wrong.

Jesus Is Far Better Than Religion

John 8:6 (KJV) … But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.

Jesus shows us the best way to react when the foolishness of the world and religion comes. Too often I find myself saying something I wish I had never said. Jesus said nothing. He occupied Himself while He thought – and waited. He was not going to be forced into something foolish. Oh that we could all understand this.

John 8:7 (KJV)  So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is WITHOUT SIN AMONG YOU, let him first cast a stone at her.

Jesus said “Let the one who is ἀναμάρτητος anamartētos” which means “sinless”. The word is only found HERE in the Greek New Testament. In the Law no one was executed for sin unless there were two witnesses to the fact of the sin. Once judgment was pronounced these two witnesses were to be the first ones to cast the stone at the guilty. We read:

Deuteronomy 17:6-7 (KJV)  At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be put to death; but at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death.  [7]  The hands of the witnesses shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterward the hands of all the people. So thou shalt put the evil away from among you.

Jesus was asking for the two witnesses to step forward and do their duties according to the Law. Yet here’s the problem. First, if the two witnesses stepped forward and cast the stones, those men could be tried in Roman court for rioting and insurrection. Second, I don’t believe there was two guiltless witnesses in the bunch. Those who saw the woman in adultery were guilty of conspiracy, for they allowed her lover to flee. Both Adulterer and Adulteress were to be executed. These people either did not see the woman, or were guilty themselves.

Jesus looks at all of us who would be judgmental and self righteous and says:

He that is WITHOUT SIN AMONG YOU,
let him first cast a stone at her, him, or them!

The reality is we are all at heart sinners. We shouldn’t be chucking stones at one another. We should be pointing toward the Christ of Calvary, the One Who loved the world so much that He died for it.

John 8:8-9 (KJV)  And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.  [9]  And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.

They all departed. Religion and self righteousness will stand up in the presence of Christ our Lord. Jesus and this woman are standing before Jesus’ Bible Class, but His eyes are on her and her alone.

John 8:10 (KJV)  When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?

The woman replied “No man accuses me, Lord”. Notice that she calls Jesus “Lord”. Jesus tells her in front of His disciples:

Go And Sin No More

John 8:11 (KJV) … Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.

I do not condemn you … but do not commit adultery again. Repent of that lifestyle. You are not to violate God’s standards, but to walk in love with Me.

But Jesus is not finished. He looks at His disciples – His Bible Class – and says:

John 8:12 (KJV)  Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

To the person in sexual sin Jesus says “Go and sin no more”. Walk with Christ. When you follow Christ – Who is the Light of the world – you shall not walk in darkness. There are so many bound to sexual sin today who declare themselves to be Christian. You cannot be. Jesus said “the one that follows Me SHALL NOT WALK in darkness, but SHALL HAVE the light of life”. You cannot walk with Jesus and walk in darkness. He changes us. He moves us from dark to light. And when we err, when we sin, He draws us ever inexorability and absolutely into His Kingdom of light. The Scripture says that because of Christ:

Colossians 1:12-14 (KJV) … the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:  [13]  Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:  [14]  In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

This woman was changed by Christ. She came to Jesus an adulteress, and left a Child of God. She came to the Lord a sinner, but left a saint, marked by Christ. She was whole and clean because she gave herself to Him and He gave Himself for her. Thank God for His unspeakable gift! Thank God for Jesus! As that dear woman walked away from that encounter that day I can imagine her heart sing:

Jesus lifted me, Jesus lifted me
When no-one else would help
Jesus lifted me
Jesus lifted me, Jesus lifted me
When no one else could help
Jesus lifted me

I was sinking deep in sin, Far from the peaceful shore
Very deeply stained within, Sinking to rise no more
But the Master of the sea, Heard my despairing cry
From the waters lifted me, Now safe am I

All my heart to Him I give, Ever to Him I’ll cling
In His blessed presence live, Ever Christ’s praises sing
Love so mighty and so true, Merits my soul’s best songs
Faithful, loving service too, to Him belongs

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They Repented Not!

Posted on August 20, 2018 by bibleteacherorg

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Revelation 16:1,15 And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth. …15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.

As we come to chapter 16 of this wonderful Book of Revelation we see the Bowl Judgments of God poured out on the earth. These Judgments are different from the Judgments of the Trumpets and Seals. In those Judgments there was a break between the sixth and seventh judgments:

The Seven Seals (Revelation 6:1-17 … 8:1-5)
The Seven Trumpets (Revelation 8:6-9:21 … 11:15-19)
The Seven Seals, Trumpets, and Bowls are connected to one another.
The Seventh SEAL introduces the Seven Trumpets (Revelation 8:1-5)
The Seventh TRUMPET introduces the Seven Bowls (Revelation 15:1-8)

The Bowl Judgments have no break in them. The seven plagues of the bowls are rapidly poured out on a rebellious world.

The Bowl Judgments Are The Culmination Of God’s Wrath

Revelation 16:1 And I heard a Great Voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth.

As we come to Revelation 16 we see 7 angels carrying 7 “vials” or “bowls”, the Greek φιάλη phiale (fee-al’-ay) which means “a broad shallow cup or bowl”. It’s interesting that this word is used. The bowl isn’t DEEP, it’s SHALLOW. It is easy to spill a shallow bowl. I remember when I was a little boy my first chore was to take Daddy a cup of coffee when he got home from work. He’d work hard all day, come home, and sit down in his recliner to read the paper. Momma would call me, “David, come take daddy some coffee”. I was probably about 8 years old, and I’d go get his cup. Momma would fill it up to the brim then tell me, “Daddy likes it full. Be careful you don’t spill it!” And I’d carefully carry it, watching the brim of the cup as I walked, until I got it into Daddy’s waiting hands … it was very easy to spill.

God calls to the seven angels – Seven is the number of God, of completion.
God rested on the Seventh Day, and gave us a Sabbath to rest and remember Him.

These 7 seven Angels are not rushing to judgment, but carrying these 7 shallow bowl judgments exactly where they need to be. The Bowls are easily emptied out on a fallen and unrepentant world. A Great Voice from the Temple in Heaven releases these Angels, saying “Go your ways, and pour out these bowls”. These Angels are representatives of God, judging sin on the earth.

I don’t think we as a nation are far from the Judgment of God.

We live in a day where – like it was in the time of the Judges of Israel:

Judges 21:25 (KJV)  In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.

The world has rejected the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and is making up it’s own rules and standards. “I am King, and there is no other” is in the heart of many. So God sends Judgment – a well deserved Judgment – on the earth. But it is not just broadcast or scattered Judgment.

a The Bowl Judgments Are TARGETED and SPECIFIC. We read:

Revelation 16:2 And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshiped his image.

Though the Judgment is “poured upon the earth”, it has a very specific focus. The First Bowl targets those who had the Mark of the Beast, those who worshiped his image. These are the people who compromised with the anti-Christ. They are the people who forged the god of their imagination and made out that he was the God of creation. They are idolaters, worshipers of the created rather than the Creator. God brings grievous sores – cankers – on these people.

These people allowed the anti-Christ to “mark” them,
now they are “marked” with sores.

God despises idolatry. God created us to worhip HIM. Dr. J.I. Packer said:

“It is impossible to worship nothing: we humans are worshipping creatures, and if we do not worship the God who made us, we shall inevitably worship someone or something else.”

The first THREE of the Ten Commandments deal with worshiping God properly. Worship is in our makeup. God told His people Israel when they entered Canaan:

Deuteronomy 7:25-26 (KJV)  The graven images of their gods shall ye burn with fire: thou shalt not desire the silver or gold that is on them, nor take it unto thee, lest thou be snared therein: for it is an abomination to the LORD thy God.  [26]  Neither shalt thou bring an abomination into thine house, lest thou be a cursed thing like it: but thou shalt utterly detest it, and thou shalt utterly abhor it; for it is a cursed thing.

You were not just to destroy the image, but also throw away the raw material. What you WORSHIP determines what you WILL BE. If you worship the God Who loves you then you will be like Him. If you worship money, power, sex, or any one of the false gods of this world, you will be like what you worship. Dr. Timothy Keller said:

“{An idol} is anything more important to you than God, anything that absorbs your heart and imagination more than God, anything you seek to give you what only God can give. … An idol is whatever you look at and say, in your heart of hearts, “If I have that, then I’ll feel my life has meaning, then I’ll know I have value, then I’ll feel significant and secure.” … [An idol] is anything so central and essential to your life that, should you lose it, your life would feel hardly worth living.”

Revelation 16:3 And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea.

The world turned away from God and received a godless mark so that they could buy and sell. In both ancient and modern times the sea is a source of great commerce. Fishermen take their livelihood from the sea. Ships bring commerce from the sea.

God now turns the sea to the clotted blood of a dead man. Not just blood, but the “blood of a dead man”. The imagery is sickening. The second Bowl kills every fish, every creature that can be used for food.

every living soul died in the sea

The Second Trumpet Judgment caused a THIRD of all life to die in the sea. The Second Bowl destroys ALL LIFE.

The Redeemed starved to death because they would not take the mark.
Now those with the mark of the Beast starve, for the sea provides much of what we eat.

Revelation 16:4 And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood.

The wildlife drink from fresh water streams, but now they are as blood. Farmers irrigate their fields with fresh water – but now it is blood. We bathe in water, cook in water, we are 60% water ourselves …. and now it is blood. Why does God cause ALL the waters to become blood? We are told:

Revelation 16:5-7 And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus. 6 For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy. 7 And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.

The “Angel of the Waters” is only mentioned
here in the Bible.

The commentaries suggest that this is the Angel responsible for the water on the earth, the Superintendant of God’s Water Department. When the water are turned to blood this Angel – now out of work – acknowledges that what God has done is right and righteous.

they have shed the blood of saints and prophets,
and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy
(they deserve it)

God will avenge His people. Do not avenge yourself if someone does you wrong. Look to the Lord. Has He not said:

Deuteronomy 32:35 To Me belongeth vengeance, and recompence; their foot shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste.

Hebrews 10:30-31 For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Pharaoh drown the Jewish boy babies
And he and his army drown in the Red sea.
Haman planned to hang Mordecai on the gallows
But he himself was hanged on the gallows.
King Saul refused to obey God and slay the Amalekites
So he was slain by an Amalekite.

God will balance it all out!

These are the people who killed the Tribulation Saints.
These are the people who killed prophets,
Maligned pastors, & mutilated the people of God.
And God will repay.
It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

b The Bowl Judgments Show The Hardness Of The Lost. The world will not repent. We read:

Revelation 16:8-9 And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire. 9 And men were scorched with great heat, and BLASPHEMED THE NAME OF GOD, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.

The Fourth Angel’s Bowl causes the sun to erupt. Maybe this is a solar flare. I was watching a documentary of the Sun the other day on the Discovery Channel. On September 2, 1859 telegraphs went crazy all over the world. Operator’s lines were overflowing with electricity. They unplugged the telegraphs from their batteries, and they continued to work from the current in the air. A solar flare erupted and it’s discharge headed toward earth. The documentary I was watching said that if such a thing happened today it would shut down all computers, electrical grids, and technology worldwide. A strong enough solar flare can punch a hole in our atmosphere, allowing radiation to come through and microwave the planet.

The Fourth Bowl Angel causes a great solar flare, one that causes terrible heat and, along with it, I suspect a suspention of all technology. Cars with onboard computers will shut dow, The Internet will close down. Banking services will cease. You will have money in the bank, but no way to get it. Computers run our stores, so you will not be able to buy or sell. Electric grids will shut down. There will be no air conditioning, and God will turn up the heat.

The King James says that men were “scorched” with the heat. The actual word is καυματίζω kaumatizo (kau-mat-id’-zo) which means “to burn”. I saw a movie once where a hole formed in the ozone layer of our earth. Where that hole was, the microwaves from the sun pierced through and literally set people and things on fire. That’s the image we see here.

With all of this suffering and agony, what is the response of those who are being judged. They blasphemed the name of God, which had power over the plagues, and they repented not to give Him glory. They refused to repent.

The world is so hardened that they blame God for the first four plagues, not their own sinfulness. They cursed God for interfering in their lives. “How dare You allow this? How can a Loving God allow such a thing? You do not exist. You are a lie!”

Revelation 16:10-11 And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat {thronos – throne} of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain, 11 And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.

As the Fifth Bowl is poured out, it is poured out on the Throne of the anti-Christ. Where his kingdom is it is full of darkness. I don’t think that this is dark as in the absence of light. The Fourth Angel caused the sun to flare, so their will be light from it, the moon, and the stars. I think that this darkness is spiritual darkness, depression, panic attacks, mental illness on an unheard scale. It will be so painful that they will gnaw their tongues for pain.

Will they repent? No. They blasphemed the God of Heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.

They want life without the Father of Life.
They want peace without the Father of peace.
They want Heaven on earth, but not the God of Heaven.

The Godless Revolt Rather Than Repent

The 6th and 7th Bowl Judgments do not bring a plague to mankind as the first five Bowls did. They enable man to do what he has always wanted to do. If a person will not repent and turn to God saying “Thy will be done”, in time God will turn to man and say “All right, now THY will be done”. Mankind has been in rebellion from the day of his creation. When God said “You can have it all BUT this” man said “But I want THAT TOO!”. When God – in the fullness of time …

Galatians 4:4-5 (ESV) ….. sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law ….

Israel rejected the Messiah. The Leadership, rather than following Him, followed their own hearts, and God turned them over to destruction. Everyone has a choice to accept Christ or not, but in the end those who will not choose God cannot go into God’s Heaven nor possess God’s creation. He made it, and He will give it to whosoever will.

Whosoever will believe on Christ and submit to His Lordship shall be saved, shall be adopted into the family of God, and shall inherit the things that the Father made. Whosoever will not shall not. It is that simple!

a The 6th Bowl Judgment Gives All Nations In Rebellion A Pathway To Invade God’s Jerusalem.

Revelation 16:12-14 And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared. 13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 14 For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.

The Euphrates River is the northeastern border of the land God promised to Abraham’s descendants (see Genesis 15:18; Deuteronomy 1:7; 11:24; Joshua 1:4).

  • God dried up the Red Sea (Exodus 14:21-22) when Israel took her exodus from Egypt under the leadership of Moses.
  • God dried up the Jordan River (Joshua 3:13-17) as the second generation of Israel from the Exodus moved back into the Promised Land under the leadership of Joshua.

Now God dries up the Euphrates River – not so the righteous can pass, but so the unrighteous can pass. They have rejected God, have revolted on God, and now declares war on God and His Israel. They are encouraged in this blasphemous revolt by the dragon, the beast (the anti-Christ), and the false prophet, who call forth “three unclean spirits” or demons who “work miracles”. The unholy trinity of evil speaks words of encouragement, then uses demons to produce miracles, convincing the rulers of the earth that Jerusalem and God can be overthrown. They will not win, for we see in verse 14 that this is “that great day of God Almighty”. Evil will be destroyed at Armageddon. God paves the way!

b The 7th Bowl Judgment Releases The Battle Of Armageddon. Before the battle begins Jesus gives a warning to all who will hear. We read:

Revelation 16:15-16 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. 16 And HE GATHERED THEM TOGETHER into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.

1 Thessalonians 5:2-4 (KJV)  For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.  [3]  For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.  [4]  But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.

Jesus will come unexpectedly – first to Rapture His Church, and second to save Israel and His Earth.

Please note that though these forces are in rebellion against God and supposedly following the leadership of Satan’s unholy trinity, the Bible says “HE gathered them together”.
God provided the crossing.
God lead them to the attack.
The God destroys them.

Note the next verse:

Revelation 16:17 And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, IT IS DONE.

We are told in John:

John 1:14 (KJV)  And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

“Was made” is the Greek γίνομαι ginomai (ghin’-om-ai) meaning “to cause to be, to become or come into being”. God became Man to bring us to Himself. God loves us, and went above and beyond to redeem us. Redemption begins when we repent and turn to Christ. Yet the world will not come to Christ. It will not receive the God Man Jesus as Lord and Savior. It chooses instead a Beast, a Dragon, and a False Prophet. Since the world rejects the Ginomai of Christ, the Lord now says:

IT IS DONE
γίνομαι ginomai (ghin’-om-ai)!

You rejected Me, so now Judgment has come. You could have chosen the Christ and the Cross. Instead you chose to reject Christ, and have become the defeated, the destroyed, the disinherited, the demonized.

Revelation 16:19 And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.

A great earthquake comes and destroys all the powerful cities of the world. Babylon is destroyed. The capital city of the unholy trinity is destroyed. God’s wrath is poured out to the last drop!

Revelation 16:20-21 And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. 21 And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and MEN BLASPHEMED GOD BECAUSE OF THE PLAGUE OF THE HAIL; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.

and even then they repented not. Holy Father, even then they repented not! Oh that they had repented. Oh, that you would repent!

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Shine For Jesus

Posted on August 19, 2018 by bibleteacherorg

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Exodus 34:28-30 (KJV)  And {Moses} was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments.  [29]  And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses’ hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with {God}.  [30]  And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come nigh him.

Fasting for forty days does not usually cause a person to look better, but to look starved. Moses had been on the mountain with God for forty days. He fasted. The Bible says that :

he did neither eat bread, nor drink water

This was not the first time Moses fasted. Deuteronomy 10:10 tells us that he fasted this long more than once.

Moses did not suffer for being without food or water.
The Lord sustained him.

When Moses came down the mountain the Bible tells us that:

the skin of his face shone; and they {the Israelites} were afraid to come nigh him

The people saw the shining of Moses’ face. The glory of God had literally rubbed off on Moses, and as they saw it they were frightened by it. The people were so frightened that they could not hear what Moses had to tell them. They were afraid to come near to him. Moses was God’s Ambassador, and he needed to tell the people what the Lord had told him. But the people would not come near or, if they did, they were more focused on the glow of Moses’ face than they were with the message that Moses brought. So what did Moses do?

He covered his face.
He hid the light of God’s glory,
So the people would hear what God had to say.

Moses Wanted The People To Hear God’s Word

Exodus 34:32-35 (KJV)  And afterward all the children of Israel came nigh: and he gave them in commandment all that the LORD had spoken with him in mount Sinai.  [33]  And TILL Moses had done speaking with them, he put a veil on his face.  [34]  But when Moses went in before the LORD to speak with him, he took the veil off, until he came out. And he came out, and spake unto the children of Israel that which he was commanded.  [35]  And the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face shone: and Moses put the veil upon his face again, until he went in to speak with him.

Moses put the veil on his face so that he could keep his audience attention. Some of you may be thinking “How silly that they would be distracted by a shining face!”. I have stood and addressed audiences with the Word of God for over 22 years now. When a baby burps or giggles some will focus on the baby rather than on the Word of God. I have seen a wasp come into the Church while I was preaching, and all eyes stare at the wasp as it wanders across the ceiling. I saw one person stare throughout a service once at the carpet. After the service was over I went to where that person was staring and found a dead bug on the carpet. To be kind, perhaps the distracted one was praying for the resurrection of that bug. I don’t know. We are easily distracted.

A young preacher I was mentoring preached in my place one Sunday morning. Following the service an old, retired pastor in the congregation came to him and handed him a piece of paper. On that paper he had tallied up every tick or repeated phrase that young preacher used throughout the sermon. The retired pastor did not hear the Word of God – he heard the ticks or mannerisms. He couldn’t see the glory of God for the man that was there.

Moses wanted his audience to see the glory of God, to hear the Word of God, to be blessed by his encounter as much as he was blessed. So he placed a veil over his face so that the people could perhaps hear. I suspect some in the audience still didn’t hear, but were distracted by the veil.

The Apostle Paul spoke of the veil of Moses in 2 Corinthians 3. In 1 Corinthians 13 the Apostle spoke to us the need of LOVE, love toward God and love toward one another. In 2 Corinthians 3 He speaks to us of the two Testaments or Covenants, the Old Covenant and the New Covenant. The Apostle said that the Church was the “epistle or letter of Christ …

2 Corinthians 3:3 (KJV) … written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; NOT IN TABLES OF STONE, but in fleshy tables of the heart.

Moses was a minister of the Old Testament, the Law of God. The people focused on the Law were frightened of Moses’ shining face. They were frightened of God. They did what God told them to do because the Law was written on tablets of stone. It was never God’s intent to save anyone by the Law, but by Grace.

The Law entered because Israel, experiencing the grace of God over and over again, never trusted in God nor received His Grace.

It was by Grace that Israel was not destroyed of the Destroyer. It was the Blood of the Lamb without blemish, sacrificed, eaten, that caused the Death Angel to Pass Over Israel. This is Grace. This is love.

It was the love of God and His graciousness that parted the Red Sea for Israel. It was not by works that Israel was saved, but by God. The armies of Egypt died, but Israel lived because of God’s love.

It was the love of God for His people that He gave them manna and water in the wilderness, yet Israel would not believe. So God called Moses up the mountain and gave the Law. If you are not under Grace, you are under the Law. If you are under Grace you are not under the Law. You must be one or the other. There is no fence sitting with God.

Moses’ Face Shined NOT Because Of The Law
BUT Because Of Grace

God called Moses up the mountain to receive the Law.

Exodus 34:1-3 (KJV)  And the LORD said unto Moses, Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first: and I will write upon these tables the words that were in the first tables, which thou brakest.  [2]  And be ready in the morning, and come up in the morning unto mount Sinai, and present thyself there to me in the top of the mount.  [3]  And no man shall come up with thee, neither let any man be seen throughout all the mount; neither let the flocks nor herds feed before that mount.

Moses cut two tablets out of stone, but it is God Who wrote the Law on these tablets.

It was not the Law that caused Moses’ face to shine.
It was GRACE.
It was that God communed with Moses.

Exodus 34:4 (KJV)  And {Moses} hewed two tables of stone like unto the first; and Moses rose up early in the morning, and went up unto mount Sinai, as the LORD had commanded him, and took in his hand the two tables of stone.

Grace loves God.
If you are under Grace you love God!

John 14:15 (KJV)  If ye love me, keep my commandments.

God told Moses to hew two tablets of stone like the first. Cut out TWO tablets. Not three. Not one. Two. TWO. What size should they be? “Like the first”. Moses, you know what that is. You broke the first set of tablets, so make them again. Make them EARLY.

Exodus 34:4 (KJV)  … and Moses rose up EARLY in the morning …

Don’t procrastinate. People say “I’ll read my Bible later on, when I have time.” Or they say “I’m going to read through the Bible … but NEXT year”. We put God on the back burner. Moses didn’t do that. God said “Do it” so Moses “Did it”. He went “Early in the morning”. When God went to Father Abraham and said:

Genesis 22:2 (KJV)  And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.

Did Abraham put it off to a better time? No! The Bible says:

Genesis 22:3 (KJV)  And Abraham rose up EARLY in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him.

The Lord says in Proverbs 8:17 (KJV)  I love them that love me; and those that seek me EARLY shall find me.

Moses did not procrastinate. The Bible says:

Exodus 34:4 (KJV) … Moses rose up early in the morning, and went up unto mount Sinai, AS THE LORD HAD COMMANDED HIM, and took in his hand the two tables of stone.

A lot of people say “I Love God” but never show it.
God wants to see your love in action!

When Moses did as God asked – showing his love for the Lord – we read that:

Exodus 34:5 (KJV)  And the LORD descended in the cloud, and STOOD WITH HIM THERE, and proclaimed the name of the LORD.

God came down and stood with Moses.
God proclaimed His Name.
He proclaimed Who He was.
God did not start by giving the Law,
but by describing Himself to Moses.
Moses experienced God!

What is “The NAME of God?”. It is Who God is. God defines Himself to Moses. He moves into Moses’ presence.

Exodus 34:6 (KJV)  And the LORD passed by before him …

God defined Himself by His Presence. He is the LORD, the Eternal and Great I AM. This infinite and eternal God “passed before Moses”. He loves His people. He loves them that love Him. God defines Himself as:

Exodus 34:6 (KJV)  And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed,
The LORD, The LORD God …

He is “The LORD, the LORD God”. It is the LORD God Who made the heavens and earth (Genesis 2:4). It is the LORD God Who made man, and put him in Eden (Genesis 2:15). He is the LORD God who punished Cain, but provided for Noah. It is the LORD God who called Abraham from Babylon, and promised the land of Canaan to his descendants. He is the One Who came in Christ to redeem His people.

The LORD Defines Himself To The Obedient

In our world today everyone thinks that they are an authority on Who God is. Yet God alone is the Authority on Who God is. God defines Himself to Moses, and defines Himself to us. God is …

Exodus 34:6 (KJV)  …. MERCIFUL and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,  

God has not written one word on those stone tablets yet. He did not want to write anything on those stone tablets. Yet Israel would not see Him as He is. God is first of all MERCIFUL. He is filled with mercy. Why would God mention His mercy first? I read a statement the other day that said:

God’s Mercy Is Bigger Than Any Mistake
That You’ve Made!

Moses is standing before God right now.
Yet Moses is not perfect.

When Moses came down the mountain with the first set of commandments he broke them when he saw the children of Israel dancing before a golden calf, worshiping it! That was not in accordance with the will of God. Because someone else violates God’s Law is no reason for ME to break God’s Law. Yet many of us are like Moses. Someone does something wrong, then we respond by doing something wrong. My brothers and sisters, this must never be!

Self righteousness says “I would never do that”. Yet the truth is, we all are subject to failure. Moses had no right to break God’s Law just because Israel broke God’s Law. If someone breaks the Law of Love and hurts me, I have no right to break God’s Law and hurt them back. Instead, I am to …

Love my enemies. Do good to those who do bad to me.
Vengeance is God’s, not mine.

Though Moses did not worship the golden calf, he later would worship himself when he let anger get the best of him. Rather than glorify God Moses will strike the rock (Numbers 20:12), making himself a golden calf in the eyes of the people. Though Moses broke God’s Law and later would fall into idolatry God was still merciful to him. God came down to Moses in love. He comes to us in mercy and love.

Ephesians 2:4-6 (KJV)  But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,  [5]  Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)  [6]  And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

God is merciful and gracious.
Mercy is an ocean, and from it run rivers of grace.

God is not only merciful and gracious, but longsuffering. He is patient. He is more patient than we deserve. If God gave us what we DESERVED then none of us would be alive. The Psalmist said:

Psalms 103:10-13 (KJV)  He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.  [11]  For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.  [12]  As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.  [13]  Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.

Praise God for His patient and gracious love.

Exodus 34:6-7 (KJV) …. abundant in goodness and truth,  [7]  Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.

And yet God does not forget the guilty. To those who repent and come to Him in love, He forgives and loves. Yet God does not wink at sin. Today in America we think that god winks at sin. That’s just not true. God is abundant in GOODNESS and TRUTH. What is “truth”? Pilate asked Jesus Christ

“What is TRUTH?”

Do you know what Jesus said? He said:

John 18:37 (KJV) …. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.

Jesus Christ came into the world – Eternal God in human flesh – to bear witness to the truth. The truth is that we need the Lord. We need God in our lives. We need Him, and need to spend time with Him.

Moses’ face shined because he spent time with the Lord. Moses’ face shined because he loved the Lord. Moses’ face shined because he loved Israel, God’s people. We read:

Exodus 34:8-9 (KJV)  And Moses made haste, and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshipped.  [9]  And he said, If now I have found grace in thy sight, O Lord, let my Lord, I pray thee, go among us; for it is a stiff-necked people; and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for thine inheritance.

Moses did not want to make excuses for his sin and the sin of the people. He bowed himself before the Lord. He asked God’s forgiveness for both himself and the people. And he asked that the Lord not just come and be a temporary blessing, but that the Lord …

go among us

If God Goes Among Us, We Too Will Shine

Israel was frightened of Moses’ shining face because Israel did not understand grace. Beloved, we who are Christ’s are called to shine as Moses shined. Jesus said to us in …

Matthew 5:14-16 (KJV)  Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.  [15]  Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.  [16]  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

And again in …

Philippians 2:12-15 (KJV)  Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.  [13]  For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.  [14]  Do all things without murmurings and disputings:  [15]  That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;

We are to shine for the Lord. We do this by entering into His Presence by prayer and by His Word. We spend time with Him. We do as He says do. We love the Lord by showing our love. We are not to hide the glory of God in our faces by a veil. We are to love the Lord boldly. We are to be a Spirit Filled people, loving and doing, walking hand in hand with our Savior. We are to shine for the Lord.

Romans 13:12-14 (KJV)  The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.  [13]  Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.  [14]  But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof.

Oh that God would go among us. That He would visit His Church. That He would manifest Himself in our hearts, writing love and obedience there. Oh that we would worship Him so that unbelievers could see Christ in our midst. Oh God, come and be among us. Let us be revived again. Let Your Church be revived again, both here and throughout America.

In Christ’s name we pray.

Amen!

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Living Water, Living God

Posted on August 17, 2018 by bibleteacherorg

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John 7:37-39 (KJV)  In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.  [38]  He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.  [39]  (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)

As we come to John 7 we see it is the time for the Jewish Feast of Booths – also called Tabernacles or Sukkot. Tabernacles was an important and joyous time for the Jews. The Feast was when Solomon’s Temple was dedicated to the Lord (1 Kings 8:2). When that Temple was destroyed and the people came to rebuild they gathered to heard the Word of God at Booths (Nehemiah 8).

During Booths or Tabernacles Jewish males were to go to Jerusalem, and take with them their tithes and offerings (Deuteronomy 16:16). It was a time of celebration and thanksgiving to God. During the eight days of the Feast the Israelites were to dwell in booths or tabernacles (tents) made from branches of trees (Leviticus 23:40-42).

Booths symbolized God’s provision for wandering Israel.
Booths symbolized that God is faithful to His people.
God comes to His people and leads them.

As Israel left Egypt and headed toward the Promised Land God promised to be with them, and to be in their midst. Though wanderers, God met their every need.
God promised one day to come to His people and tabernacle with them forever.

Jesus Revealed Himself As God Tabernacling With Man

In John 6 Jesus fed 5000 men with a child’s lunch.
Jesus walked on water in the midst of a storm.
Then in Capernaum, Jesus taught that He was the Manna of God
Sent to give eternal life to all who believed on Him.

This was too much for the Pharisees. They didn’t want Him stirring up trouble – PARTICULARLY at the Feast of Tabernacles. So they plotted Jesus’ death. They weren’t secretive about it either, and Jesus knew what they plotted. The Pharisees didn’t believe in Jesus.

And neither did Jesus’ brothers!

His brothers told Him:

John 7:3, 5 (KJV)  His brethren therefore said unto him, Depart hence, and go into Judaea, that thy disciples also may see the works that thou doest. … [5] For neither did his brethren believe in him.

Jesus told His brothers:

John 7:6-8 (KJV) …. My time is not yet come: but your time is alway ready.  [7]  The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil.  [8]  Go ye up unto this feast: I go not up YET unto this feast; for my time is not yet full come.

Jesus was going to the Feast, but not yet. If He went too soon He would be a target of the worldly self righteous Pharisees. He would go, but only at the best time. Jesus knew He was going to die for our sins, but only at the appointed time of the Father. He would not go with the crowd. So Jesus tarried while His unbelieving brothers went on ahead. When He later went to Jerusalem for the Feast He went to the Temple about the third day of the Feast to teach.

John 7:14 (KJV)  Now about the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught.

There were large crowds gathered in the Temple, and this protected Him from the assassins who would try and kill Him. As Jesus taught people were amazed at the knowledge He had. Was this not the Carpenter’s son? A common Man? How could such a person know so many things? He never went to Seminary, Bible College, or even sat at the Rabbi Gamaliel’s feet! Jesus told them:

John 7:16-17 (KJV) … My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.  [17]  If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.

Jesus spoke the words of God. He came doing the Father’s business. He is the Christ, the Messiah foreseen by the Prophets, promised by God. The source of what He said was not human opinion nor of man’s learning, but it came from God.

John 7:28-29 (KJV)  Then cried Jesus in the temple as he taught, saying, Ye both know me, and ye know whence I am: and I am not come of myself, but he that sent me is true, whom ye know not.  [29]  But I know him: for I am from him, and he hath sent me.

The Pharisees and Chief Priests sent soldiers to take Jesus captive (verse 32). They were too cowardly to step up and do it themselves, so they hired it done. But they could not take Jesus. Why? Because His time had not yet come. The Messiah had to be fully presented to the people. As the Apostle said:

Galatians 4:4-5 (KJV)  But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,  [5]  To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

Until God’s time was right Christ would not be killed. Then He would not be murdered, but sacrificed as the Lamb of God to pay for our sins of Calvary.

Only Christ Can Satisfy Our Thirst

John 7:37 (KJV)  In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. 

Jesus taught in the Temple for about three days during the Feast. For each of the first seven days of the Feast the priests would go to the Pool of Siloam and there draw water into jugs.

That water was taken back to the Temple and poured on the altar as the Israelites sang Psalm 118, praising God for His provision. The site Bible-History.com notes:

“On the Eighth day, the last day, called “the great day of the feast” the priests made no procession and poured no water onto the pavement and this too was very significant, because it symbolized the fact that God had fulfilled the promise to their fathers, He had now brought them into this land that was well watered, flowing with milk and honey, they no longer needed the miraculous supply out of the Rock.

It was on this day the last day that Jesus stood and cried out: “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”

It is interesting to note that it was on this day that they sang the marvelous “hallel psalms” of praise, which conclude with this passage Ps. 118:22 “.. and You have become my salvation, the Stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone .. and blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.”

The Messiah is in the midst of the people. He is the One Who will provide Living Water to those who believe. There is salvation in no other but in Christ. Jesus went on to say:

John 7:38 (KJV)  He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of the promise God made in …

Isaiah 44:3 (KJV)  For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring:

During the Feast the people lived in temporary tents, receiving sustenance from the Lord. But Jesus promised something greater to those who believed in Him. He promised that once we believed on Him we would become tabernacles in which God’s Holy Spirit would live. God would place wells – not in the ground where we lived, but in our bellies or within our bodies. This would not be a limited supply, not a trickle, but …

RIVERS of living water

Not a little bit, but a lot. To those who give themselves to Christ there is the satisfied life. He meets our needs. He slakes our thirst. And the Spirit indwells us. He flows through us. The Bible tells us:

John 7:39 (KJV)  (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy {Spirit} was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)

In the Old Testament era the Holy Spirit was active among the people of God. Yet the Spirit did not indwell people to stay. The Spirit came upon people, and then after they accomplished their mission the Spirit left. Charles Ryrie noted:

“The Spirit “came upon” such Old Testament people as Joshua (Numbers 27:18), David (1 Samuel 16:12-13) and even Saul (1 Samuel 10:10). In the book of Judges, we see the Spirit “coming upon” the various judges whom God raised up to deliver Israel from their oppressors. The Holy Spirit came upon these individuals for specific tasks. The indwelling was a sign of God’s favor upon that individual (in the case of David), and if God’s favor left an individual, the Spirit would depart (e.g., in Saul’s case in 1 Samuel 16:14). Finally, the Spirit “coming upon” an individual doesn’t always indicate that person’s spiritual condition (e.g., Saul, Samson, and many of the judges). So, while in the New Testament the Spirit only indwells believers and that indwelling is permanent, the Spirit came upon certain Old Testament individuals for a specific task, irrespective of their spiritual condition. Once the task was completed, the Spirit presumably departed from that person.”

With the death and resurrection of Jesus – His glorification – the Spirit would take on a new role for every believer. He would come to stay in us. He would flow through us. He would live in us. We are told in …

1 Corinthians 3:16-17 (KJV)  Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?  [17]  If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

With the indwelling of the Spirit comes a graver and greater responsibility for every believer. We are to be aware that the Spirit indwells us, and are not to defile our temple. We are not to fall into and remain in sin. Sexual sin defiles the body. The Apostle wrote:

1 Corinthians 6:18-20 (KJV)  Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.  [19]  What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?  [20]  For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

We are to glorify God in our body – and in our spirit – which belong to God. We are not our own. We are His, and He is ours. The Spirit of God indwells the Christian (Ephesians 1:13-14), and will not tolerate unrepentant sin in that which He indwells. We can let Him flow through our lives like living water. This is the way we are to go. We are to walk in the Spirit:

Galatians 5:16 (KJV)  This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

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Choose God NOW

Posted on August 13, 2018 by bibleteacherorg

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image courtesy of publicdomainpictures.net

Revelation 15:1-8 And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God. 2 And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. 3 And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. 4 Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest. 5 And after that I looked, and, behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened: 6 And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles. 7 And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever. 8 And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.

We come now to the shortest chapter in the Book of Revelation. Being the shortest does not make it unimportant. In fact, this is one of the most powerful chapters in the Book. As we start the chapter we read:

Revelation 15:1 And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God.

The Wrath Of God Must Be Filled Up

“And I saw” tells us John has another vision. John sees seven angels with seven plagues. What is the purpose of these “plagues”? We are told:

in them is filled up the wrath of God

The culmination of God’s wrath is in these plagues. People in our world today do not believe in a God of wrath. They believe that God is no more than love embodied, the kindly Eternal and Absentminded Grandfather who always has a little change for his grandbabies. This is not what the Scripture says of God. God must exercise wrath against sin. The Bible tells us that God’s wrath is justified. The Apostle said to those who would not repent:

Romans 2:5-11 (KJV)  But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;  [6]  Who will render to every man according to his deeds:  [7]  To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:  [8]  But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,  [9]  Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;  [10]  But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:  [11]  For there is no respect of persons with God.

To those who reject Christ and His Lordship Salvation the Lord promises a payday someday. As we come to Revelation 15 we see payday coming. The world has been given the Gospel. The Lord was preached to by

Three Angels, and
144,000 Hebrew Evangelists, and
Two Witnesses

The world has been told of Christ for more than 2000 years now. The world has been blanketed by the Gospel. Had they come to Christ they could have claimed the promise …

Romans 5:9 (KJV)  Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

Oh Christian, you never need fear the wrath of God! Has He not promised that the Blood of Christ is sufficient? Has He not promised that He poured out ALL THE WRATH OF GOD onh HIS BELOVED SON so that you do not need to endure it. Oh Beloved, what a wonderful truth is this! We Who are Christ’s shall not see Hell, nor Great Tribulation, nor Great White Throne. Christ took the weight of God’s just wrath on Himself. What a wonderful promise:

1 Thessalonians 5:8-10 (KJV)  But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.  [9]  For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,  [10]  Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.

Wrath is for the lost. And wrath will come to the lost. J.I. Packer said:

“God’s wrath in the Bible is never the capricious, self-indulgent, irritable, morally ignoble thing that human anger so often is. It is, instead, a right and necessary reaction to objective moral evil” (Knowing God, 151).

God’s wrath will be poured out on those who are not under the umbrella of Christ’s magnificent Gospel. People will be soaked to the bone with God’s wrath!

The Prophet Nahum said:

Nahum 1:2-3 (KJV)  God is jealous, and the LORD revengeth; the LORD revengeth, and is furious; the LORD will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies.  [3]  The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: the LORD hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.

God’s wrath will be poured out on those who have rejected His standard. He says in …

Romans 1:18-22 (KJV)  For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;  [19]  Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.  [20]  For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:  [21]  Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.  [22]  Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

God has not kept Himself secret, but has revealed Himself to us in:

Our bodily design
Our moral attributes
Our world itself

Even moreso during the Great Tribulation God will reveal Himself through supernatural and magnificent ways. And yet mankind will reject Christ. And so God’s wrath will be fulfilled. It must be poured out. But before we see the Angels pour out this wrath there is another vision John sees. He sees …

Those Who Chose The Wrath Of Man Rather Than God

Revelation 15:2 And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.

“And I saw” marks another vision, not of wrath, but of salvation. We see the Tribulation Saints – those who missed the Rapture of the Church but who received Christ rather than receive the Mark of the Beast – standing on a sea of glass mingled with fire. The last time we saw this “sea of glass” was in Revelation 4:

Context Revelation 4:6 And before the throne there was a sea of glass
like unto crystal …

Previously the “sea of glass” was like crystal, but now it is mingled with fire. The Judgment of God is now here. The Tribulation Saints – those who went through the worst time of martyrdom in all of human history – shed their blood rather than bow their knees to the anti-Christ. They refused to compromise, and loved God until the end.

They stood not with popular opinion, but the Lord.
The rested in Christ, not in the curiosity of the culpable.
They went through the fire like the Hebrew Children.
And now stand before the Almighty God!

They stand now before the Throne of God on a “sea of glass mingled with fire” and they are not afraid.

Those who love the Lord have the harps of Gold. They worship God. For God has saved them and brought them to His side! They Choose To Praise God!

They chose the Harp of Gold over the Bowl of Gold.

1 John 4:17-19 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. 19 We love him, because he first loved us.

These Saints are standing before the Source of all Power and Majesty. They are standing before the Almighty God before Whom even the most powerful nuclear weapon that man can make looks like a mosquito bite in comparison. These Saints respect God and are in holy awe of Him. But they do not quake. They SING! They PRAISE HIM. They are not judged, but they are loved!

Choosing to follow Jesus will put you at odds with the fallen world. These Tribulation Saints died for their faith. They were not merely ostracized – they starved to death because they would not receive the Mark of the Beast. Yet what do these Saints do?
They praise God. They magnify Him by singing.

Revelation 15:3 And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, …

The Tribulation Saints Sing The Song Of Moses.
There are three songs of Moses in the Bible.

Exodus 15:1-19 – written at the Red Sea Crossing
Psalm 90
Deuteronomy 32

The substance of each of these songs is that God is Almighty, Faithful, and True. In the first song of Moses (which is the first recorded song in the Bible) Moses sang:

Exodus 15:1-2 (KJV) …. I will sing unto the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.  [2]  The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father’s God, and I will exalt him.

Exodus 15:11 (KJV)  Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?

This is just a portion of this song, but it is wonderful because it magnifies God. The Song of Moses recorded in Psalm 90 states in part:

Psalms 90:1-2 (KJV) …. Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations. [2]  Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.

Psalms 90:12 (KJV)  So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

The third Song of Moses was written at God’s direction. God told Moses in:

Deuteronomy 31:19 (KJV)  Now therefore write ye this song for you, and teach it the children of Israel: put it in their mouths, that THIS SONG MAY BE A WITNESS FOR ME AGAINST THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL.

The song is in Deuteronomy 32. In part it reads:

Deuteronomy 32:1-4 (KJV)  Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth.  [2]  My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass:  [3]  Because I will publish the name of the LORD: ascribe ye greatness unto our God.  [4]  He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.

Deuteronomy 32:9 (KJV)  For the LORD’S portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance.

Which “Song of Moses” did these Tribulation Saints – more than likely Redeemed Israelites – sing unto the Lord? I don’t know. But I do know whichever song they chose,

it magnified God as He triumphed over their enemy.

Revelation 15:3 (KJV)  And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God,
and the song of the Lamb, …

They also sang “The Song of the Lamb”. Some have suggested certain Psalms as the “Song of the Lamb”, but I think this makes the interpretation too difficult. The Song of the Lamb is actually right here:

Revelation 15:3-4 (KJV) … Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.  [4]  Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.

The Song of the Lamb magnifies God and His Great Salvation wrought through Christ. He is Just and True. He is the King of the Saints – of which you are a part, if you are Christ’s. You are set apart for His glory. You are called to worship and glorify Him and Him alone. Because of the Lamb:

all nations shall come and worship before Thee

Many shall be saved because of Christ. Praise God and His magnificent Grace!

Proper Worship Of God Releases Judgment

Revelation 15:5-6 And after that I looked, and, behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened: 6 And the seven angels came out of the temple ….

If we would worship God, God would take care of our enemies. Too often we become entranced with an eye for an eye philosophy. Someone hurt us, so we want vengeance. What did the Lord tell us?

Romans 12:19-21 (KJV)  Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.  [20]  Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.  [21]  Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

Those who stood before the Throne were martyred for their faith. They did not moan, but sang praises unto God. They trusted God to do what was right. As soon as they finished singing to God judgment was released. God will repay. Oh yes, God will repay!

Let God do the whipping, and we’ll do the worship!

Following worship the Seven Bowl Angels are released from Heaven to the earth. These angels are carrying terrible plagues with them. How are they dressed? We read:

Revelation 15:6 {they are} clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles.

These plague carrying Angels are dressed in pure, white linen.
What they are doing is sinless.
It is what is right, regardless as to what we think.

God offered Heaven, but the world refused.
So now the world gets the alternative.
It receives wrath!

We read that:

Revelation 15:7 (KJV)  And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever.

Do you remember who these “four beasts” before God’s Throne are? They are the Heavenly Worship Leaders. One of the Worship Leaders passes off the vials of the wrath of God to the Angels. He loads the gun. Now judgment comes.

Revelation 15:8 And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.

What is this symbolic of? “No one can enter the Temple”? In Old Testament times a person accused of wrongdoing could run to the Temple and grab hold of the horns of the altar, crying out for mercy. There will be no running to the Temple. There will be no crying for mercy. Man was offered mercy, but rejected it.

He could have got on the Ark.
But the door is closed, and the water is rising.
He could have killed the Lamb without blemish.
But he ignored the warning, and the Death Angel has come.
He could have walked the aisle, and committed himself to Christ.
But he was too proud to do so. He would not obey.
He could have cried the name of Jesus.
But instead he cursed His Name.
Mercy would have come running a thousand times.
But he had no time for God.
And now the door is closed.
The service over.
Damnation.
Sure.

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