How Many?

Posted on September 24, 2016 by ahabiblemoments.com

If you were to ask the average Christian (whatever that means) how many people they have led to Jesus Christ, the number would be alarmingly small. The majority ofChristians know they have a spiritual obligation to share the Gospel, but how to do it is an entirely different question.

I remember early in my ministry I promoted “soul winning” programs that would help the bashful saint present the GOOD NEWS. I tried everything from James Kennedy’s Evangelism Explosion to producing our church’s own tracts (pamphlets). Bumper stickers plastered the cars with spiritual gems with the hope that the simple message would draw the unsaved to the nearest salvation station. In one city where I pastored, I had the youth of our church meet every Thursday to hit the streets to present our salvation tracts. For over two months, they distributed the pamphlets to over 1,000 homes with the hope that the recipients would respond to the written invitations. Instead of jubilation at the responses, discouragement laced their minds. There were a number who made the decision, and for that we were thankful, but the toll it took on our youth weighed heavily on the leadership of our church. It was not only in our body of Believers, but many other evangelistic churches also experienced the same disappointments.

Within the next few years, the “soul winning movement” moved from the streets into the houses of worship. Altar invitations became the way of bringing the lost to Jesus. People were released from “one on one” evangelism. Their calling was to bring people to the church. It was there that the pastor would take over the “soul winning” duties. What happened was the salvation message took center stage, and soon the saved begin to starve for meat that would help them grow and become effective Christians. People failed to realize that pastors don’t reproduce sheep, the sheep do!

Today, it seems the evangelical church is slowly coming out of its citadels of worship to once again bring the Gospel message to the lost. I am thankful for those who understand their Biblical calling and are willing to share the wonderful message of God’s love. We must be careful though, not to adopt man made techniques to present the Gospel. The Church tried that before and it did not work.

Much of the discouragement that faces Believers today is based on not knowing what is expected of them. Instead of attending seminars and course instruction on “soul winning,” Christians need to simply share their story. Every day there will be opportunities to present the Truth that has been instilled in us. When we see people going through similar life-altering experiences, we must be ready to present our story. Simply share how the Lord helped you through your crisis or situation. People will not challenge your presentation, because you are the living proof of that victory. Share how you came to know Jesus Christ. Maybe that individual will not respond to your sharing, but you planted the seed. That planting will pave the way for another Believer to water that seed with his story and, through the Holy Spirit, that person may experience the miracle of rebirth. (I Corinthians 3:6-9)

How many people have you led to Jesus Christ? Maybe we don’t have a definitive number, but if the Lord would reveal to us how many came into the Kingdom by way of our seed planting or watering, we would be amazed! Maybe your joy was the sunshine that helped the seed to grow.

Share your story! Be a Planter! Be a Waterer! Let your SON shine! It is a team effort! God gives the increase.

Revelation 19

Posted on September 16, 2016 by ahabiblemoments.com

There is significant and justifiable debate over part of this chapter. That is the part that has to do with the Battle of Gog and Magog? Since there is a 200,000,000 man army gathered in Har Megeddo just prior to the 2^nd Advent of Christ; i.e. the end of the Tribulation and the beginning of HIS Millennial Reign, there is a battle. However, Satan is afterwards chained [Revelation 20], and uninfluential to those who live during the Millennial Reign. Then he is released for a “short period of time” [Revelation 20] once again to draw the nations against the King of Kings whose throne is in Jerusalem. This too is a major battle fought for the same reason; to remove the King of kings from ruling what Satan wishes to claim as his domain… the earth.

am123 in a blog, a Steve Quayle… http://beforeitsnews.com/prophecy/2015/04/steve-quayle-the-battle-of-gog-and-magog-has-begun-2468618.html] …he writes: The Gog and Magog prophecies in the Bible are not something that plays out in the dispensation [period] we now find ourselves in. It plays out after the Millennial Reign. (emphasis mine)

http://www.discoverrevelation.com/5.html points out that this war is upon the return to earth of Jesus and his heavenly host after the Great Tribulation but before the Millennial Kingdom. (emphasis mine)

Which blogger is correct? Both pre and post Millennial Reign battles are Satan against Christ with *Satan using mankind to do and die for his dirty work. Actually, the bible gives little evidence as to the timing of the Battle of Gog and Magog or the Battle of Armageddon. Since enemies of God and armies of all nations gather in Har Megiddo to wage war against Jerusalem and the self-proclaiming King of kings, this is the Battle of Armageddon. Goh and Magog are only mentioned in conjunction with Satan’s release after his 1,000 years in the pit of abyss.

heavenorhell To cut to the quick before discussing chapter 19 of Revelation in this website, the real question is not the timing or duration of these wars against Christ, but our eternity options. There are only two; Heaven or Hell. There is no third option! I write, you decide per your own eternal destiny. Personally I would rather be wrong about this eternity thing and live a life on the side of Christ with Him as the Savior then take the chance by denying Him as Lord and Savior while still alive.

*It is amazing that Christ and Satan are so different in that Satan wants mankind to die for his dirty work and Christ died to pay the penalty for our sin. Both offer an eternity though. Which one is your destiny? Remember that staying neutral is not one of the options per eternity. The short of it, staying neutral means NOT ACCEPTING eternity with Jesus and Heaven. This means the other destiny is one’s choice by default.

Author’s note: I do suggest one re-read the blog in this website on chapter 18. These two chapters flow together. Both C18 and C19 begin with the same words… “and after this…”; they are sequential. Chapter 14 through to the end of chapter 22 and the end of Revelation, other than chapters 18 and 19 are given events in John’s visions due to the word, Then…” [ESV]. We might conclude from this that these events in their playing out follow the same pattern or happen concurrently.

For a good spoken message from David Guzik on chapter 19 go to: http://blb.sc/002lBA. What you will read from this blog is a much shorter summary of C19 as is the usual practice in ahabiblemoments.wordpress.com. This website may or may not represent every opinion of David Guzik. However, you read this blog, listen to him, than decide for yourself.

First and foremost is the excitement in heaven per the return of Jesus Christ to his created earth. Four different times we find Hallelujah (Alleluia; borrowed from the Hebrew in some translations); 19:1, 19:3, 19:4b, and 19:6b. Such proclamation and rejoicing is unparalleled in scripture. One might argue the same is true of the angels announcing the birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem, but this resounding support from within heaven per the end of the time with Satan “roaming to and fro” on earth and at the controls is beyond compelling [1 Peter 5:8]. It is worth repeating four times in the first 6 verses of Revelation 19. The redeemed join in this chorus of voices at this time. Such wording is exclusive to this chapter.

Recall from chapter 18 that God has already judged the harlot; John’s reminder is in C19:2. It is probable that C19:2c, “he has avenged on her the blood of his servants” is in reference to the plea of voices crying out from under the Throne of God back in Revelation 6:10.

This is an extra thought per avenging the blood of God’s servants. I have occasionally been asked about God’s policy or thoughts on capital punishment. God is only a loving God, so says the Pope, right and many pulpit dwellers? Read Genesis 9:6, than decide for yourself.

Some ask if born again believers are in heaven or in a holding tank of sorts prior to and during the Tribulation. Before the Tribulation we have the rapture of the church. In Verse 1 per many translations it reads “a great multitude.” In the Young’s Literal Translation, an almost word-for-word translation of the Greek, it reads “multitude.” In the King James Version it reads “people.” Some translations say “voices.” We leave this to your own discernment. It matters not since the sound comes from heaven from a large number of (different) voices indicating there is a probable mix of voices: angels, redeemed, other angelic hosts, the 24 elders, four beast guarding the Throne of God, martyred saints, etc. This is the point in created time that all creation has awaited.

We deduce this all-inclusiveness of unison shouting “Praise the Lord” and upon reading the Greek word used here for “heaven;” ouranos, it is inclusive of what we see in the starry skies, the universe itself, all other universes, and from the streets of Heaven itself.

19:3 says the “The smoke from her (the harlot) goes up forever and ever.” Some misunderstand the meaning of this passage. When sin is done, it is cast into the eternal hell never to be again. This verse is analogous. Sin is gone forever never to be dealt with again. Hell is eternal as is the punishment of the great harlot who represents unpardonable sin.

In Revelation 19 5 we read at the end of the verse, “Praise God all ye his servants…. ‘both small and great.’ The late Reverend Charles Stark once stated that there is room in this verse to understand the small could include childhood deaths, aborted babies, and those who never reached the age of personal responsibility. One of the points in his reasoning is the word “great”; i.e. megas. Thayer includes in his dictionary, and as Strong leaves open to the same conclusion, that megas includes a very broad interpretation of its meaning and inclusiveness. Thayer flat out states it includes the variation in ages from the smallest (mikroteros) unborn to those who reach a ripe old age.

Charles Spurgeon once stated, “We must NOT worship God in a half-hearted way. Mechanical worship is easy, but worthless.” We at this website believe far too many express a greater joy at a dull ball game than s/he does in church during the time of worship or Bible study. Bill Gaither wrote a praise song that has a phrase in it: “Let’s just lift our HANDS toward heaven.” Far too many churches and praise teams change the word “hands” to “hearts”. Why the fear of praising God by lifting one’s hand(s) demonstrating thankfulness and praise????? 19:7 is very specific. It reads, “Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory…” Exult??? Hmmmm? This overt expression, however, does not replace true bible study and worship. God is Spirit and we must worship Him in Spirit, says Jesus in John 4:24.

Verse 6-9 is the wedding feast. This has so many articles written on it we need not stay here long. In Old Testament practices and for a time in the New Testament, at the wedding time, the groom would first come to his future wife’s home, than they together would go to his home. Think of it this way. Jesus, the bride-groom comes to our current home (earth first) then after a stay, in this case, of a thousand years, he takes his bride, the church, and believers to his house; the New Heaven and the New Earth. This becomes our home for eternity.

The White Horse!

Beginning in verse 11 through the end of this chapter we have the truth of what it means when the Bible tells us that God is a JUST God. Loving, yes, but also judicious. A BIG difference between the four horsemen of the Apocalypse, the first rider being on a white horse and wearing a crown “given to him”, followed by the red, black, and green horses, is that the rider in verse 19:11 is wearing multiple crowns (diadems in some translations) that are his; not loaned or given to him.

Verse 13 says “…his name is the Word of God.” Where have we seen this before? How about John 1:1; “in the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was (is) God.” Note that the riders who accompany him on white horses do not have any (mentioned) weapons. There is only one weapon needed at this time and it is the very word of God via the tongue of the lead horseman, Jesus, “with which he will strike down the nations” (NIV). God already declared “It is Done” in Revelation 16:17 and again in 21:6.

The condition of rule most often ignored or glossed over in many messages and found in 19:15b reads, “He will rule them (the nations) with an IRON SCEPTOR. What does this sound like he, King Jesus Christ, is doing during his rule? There is right and wrong… no gray or white lies, false worship, deception accepted. The earth is not yet perfect and neither will be man. We will be judged per the intent of our hearts during the His reign on earth.

This time during the Millennial Reign [Revelation 19:19] the sheep and goats, as mentioned in the book of Matthew 25, will be separated by their hearts’ intent and true desire. It is also why Satan will be able to raise a mighty army after his 1,000 years of being chained then *released for a season. There will be those who are probably born during the Millennial Reign that will want to rebel against this “iron scepter” rule of Jesus while on earth. This is Matthew 25:32; the Great White Throne Judgment at the end of the Millennial Reign. If there is not going to be any deviation from worshiping the King of kings for a thousand years, why is there even a need for any scepter of rule, yet alone one made of “iron”? Man’s heart will still have “CHOICE.” Satan is chained, but mankind is still not a robot. This means a Godly rule of absolute consistency.

*Another often asked question is why is Satan released by God from his solitude confinement in the bottomless pit? There are two probable reasons. One is so that his eternal and final judgment can be handed down and the other is to expose those whose hearts have not really and only mechanically worshiped the true Messiah Jesus during the Millennial Reign. By the way, the word Christ is not a name. It means Messiah; i.e. Jesus the Messiah (Christ).

In conclusion of this week’s blog, here is a short sequence and conclusion of our discussion per chapter 19 with the events and reasons for such halleluiah shouts in the heavens above (all creation). The harlot is dealt with; Babylon is utterly destroyed; the evil one is no longer hiding or in disguise; those still alive question their evil leadership; the voices from under the Throne of the slain saints is heard and avenged; the rider on the white horse wearing multiple crowns leads a massive army to earth; the armies of the (evil) are destroyed; the angel announces that “our Lord God Almighty [now] reigns; the *beast and *false prophet (v20) are captured, judged and thrown into the eternal lake of fire.

*This does not include Satan himself. His judgment is a 1,000 years away.

Too often we hear from pulpits and the religious and politically correct that God is Love; i.e. that alone defines him. This is as false as the false prophet of Revelation. God according to this chapter in Revelation is General, Judge, Love and absolutely just. His love does NOT NEGATE His judgment of wrong and denial of Him; i.e. those who have never accepted the God of the heavens or his son Jesus as Lord of his or her life seeking forgiveness.

Blogger Note: I was born an American citizen. This required nothing on my behalf to find membership once born into this country. There are many things I can do that may seem or are wrong according to our laws and customs of this country. Yet, I remain a citizen. However, I can renounce my citizenship and turn my back on the American way. I say this only to help those who think once saved there is nothing that can renounce our citizenship in heaven. God won’t but we can. There is the unpardonable sin. Turning our back on and devaluing the Holy Spirit, openly rejecting or in a sense, petitioning to “get out” or renounce (blaspheme) means one’s citizenship is no longer recognized. (Matthew 12:31-32)

In this light, read a couple of the following passages using the above comparison to better understand what the Bible tells us about security in Christ.

Deuteronomy 31:8 (but we must follow)
Hebrews 13:5 (a conditional promise)
John 3:16 (whosoever believes, but if one ceases to believe, then…)
John 1:12 (but… only to those who have and continue to receive Him)
John 14:6 (none come to God but through Jesus. If we decide at any time to reject Jesus, then Jesus doesn’t leave us, we leave Him…)
Romans 10:9 (If we confess with our mouths… but what happens if we cease?

Church Immigration

Posted on September 10, 2016 by ahabiblemoments.com

In our political quagmire, rhetoric has evolved that has added to the division of our Country. Immigration has been front and center to a continuing volcanic eruption of opinions. The vacillating of viewpoints has driven our divide into a chasm that widens everyday. On one side, there are the open arms of acceptance to anyone who wants to be part of this great land. On the other side are those with folded arms of immigration restraint. One group conveys an open door way, while the other group offers a door that can only be opened by meeting certain criteria.

Parallel to the political landscape is the Church and its immigration policy. There are basically two viewpoints to the accepting of individuals who are seeking Christian citizenship. One is an open door policy that offers acceptance to anyone occupying a pew. The other offers citizenship by the person’s acceptance of Jesus Christ. The oversimplification of these two approaches has led to a corrupted and ineffective Church.

Our Country is concerned about people entering it who seek to destroy our liberties. The Church needs to be equally aware of people who are entering the Christian community with the intent to destroy the standards of Biblical integrity. The attack on Biblical inerrancy is not so much an external challenge as it is an internal threat. There are those within the Church who have assumed leadership roles with the intent to misdirect the “very elect” on issues that challenge the basic core of Biblical truths. The open door policy of the Church has been a gateway for “Biblical Terrorist” to enter the confines of the elected. As we read the Scriptures, we find continual warnings about the internal assaults against the Church, yet we turn a blind eye to its reality. Until the Church understands what it is facing, perilous times will continue to rock its foundation.

When you look at what has been happening in the Church today, we will readily conclude that something is out of kilter. Have those who have truly been Born Again suddenly decided to question the authority of God’s Word? Would they challenge the Bible’s stand on homosexuality? Would they redefine what constitutes marriage? Would they condone same sex marriages? The true Believer would never entertain anything that would question God’s Word. Who then would pursue such a humanistic approach?

The Bible makes it clear that no one can come to Christ except God draws him. It is also emphatically clear that no one comes to God except through Jesus Christ. The drawing is implemented by the Holy Spirit. The problem is “soul winners” try to do it on their own. Programs are initiated on how to lead someone to Christ. The intent is good, but sometimes they supersede the working of the Holy Spirit. The initial response could be favorable, but in many cases the result of their salvation bares no evidence. This is also where sheep in wolves clothing can enter the commune of Believers.

Difficult days lie ahead for both the Church and the Country. As there is a path for those who want to pursue citizenship in the United States, shouldn’t there also be a directive for those interested in being part of the Kingdom of God? The Church needs to take seriously its role in preparing people for their life changing experience, so when the Holy Spirit presents the Son, they will be prepared to receive Jesus not only as Savior, but also as Lord.

I am asking that we examine the Scripture and see the warnings that have been issued to the Church. The sheep in wolves clothing is not something new, but has been revealed throughout the Word. The Church is facing steady decline of its constituency. Pew Research just released statistics showing that between 2007 and 2014 there was a drop of almost 8% by those who had identified themselves as Christians. There is an assault against the Church as well as our Country. It is time to wake up and realize what is happening. It is time to draw a definitive line and say enough is enough. When our Constitution and the Bible are not defended, evil will triumph. May God help us!

The Coming Change On How We Train Leadership

Posted on September 9, 2016 by ahabiblemoments.com

There seems to be a great need in the Body of Christ in the way we train our leaders but most especially our ministers. What do I mean by this? It has been my experience that our top leaders, those who train and lead our ministers have been taught to chase the wrong things. As a result of their training they are passing on those flawed leadership priorities. We have deviated so far from the Biblical pattern of raising up our leaders that we no longer seek to duplicate the methods Jesus used and instructed His disciples to follow.

ifollowjesus I do not wish to disparage or blame anyone for this tragedy only to look for and diligently pray that we return to the biblical examples left us by our Lord and Savior. It has been said that 1800 ministers a month in the United States are leaving the ministry. In our own denomination the average age of our pastors has increased dramatically and churches that need qualified ministers are taking longer and longer to fill. I spoke with a pastor just the other day who said he does not know any pastors who enjoy what they are doing but rather are going through the motions in obedience to their calling. This scenario is not new to me, for over ten years ago a beloved minister was sitting in on one of our elder’s meetings and when it was over and the elders left, he began to weep. He said very sadly, “Bob you are the only pastor I know that still loves what he is doing. The rest of us are just being obedient.” Obviously, he was speaking from deep wounds and did not speak for everyone. Yet there are far too many Godly men and women who fit Ezekiel’s sad vision.

Ezekiel 37:1-3 NKJV

37 The hand of the Lord came upon me and brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord , and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones.

2 Then He caused me to pass by them all around, and behold, there were very many in the open valley; and indeed they were very dry.

3 And He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”

In many ways this vision of Ezekiel is a perfect picture of much of the ministry today. Broken, scattered, divided, and dry. Where is this frustration coming from? How many men and women of God must be sacrificed on a broken system before we seek to find out what is wrong? I write a great deal on the broken men in leadership but what about the precious wives who are often times the ones who suffer the most? I remember my precious wife once had the wisdom to say to me, “Honey, I will always love you and always be your wife, but I will not stay here to watch this church destroy you. I will be at my Mother’s. and when the Lord releases you from here I will be ready to go with you.” Her wisdom was great enough for me to change what I had been falsely taught and put my family first. I changed very quickly and was able to save my marriage and my sanity. I learned that the first church I must pastor is my own family. It is here that we learn the real skills that matter in Godly leadership.

How did we get where we are, and why I am I writing like this? Yet more importantly is “how do we change?” The dear Holy Spirit is taking many of us down into this valley of dry bones and requiring us to walk up and down in it until we see just how dry, how divided, broken, and lifeless it truly is. May He keep us there until we are ready to totally give up on the present system and allow Him to put His words of life into our spirit and empower us to Prophesy until our ministers are filled with life and power once again.

Ezekiel walked this valley so thoroughly that he knew no human plan, program, or strategy could bring life into this valley. Indeed, it is our confidence in programs and plans that has largely created this valley of despair. There is a place for programs, but they must never be the priority. For many decades now, we have run to conferences and seminars to learn about an effective program that we can take back to our churches to see them grow. Yet how many conferences have we attended that focused on the top priority of Christ likeness?

The error it seems is that our leadership think that Christ likeness is something we are responsible to gain on our own time, and it is their responsibility to teach us methods and programs. In reality, we must see the passion of our leaders to be like Christ, and the relationship building they are doing to pass that passion on as their chief priority.

I have and still do love my leaders. Yet in all of my interactions with them, I cannot remember a time when I was inspired to be more like the Christ life reflected in them, save one. This is a great departure from the admonition we receive in scripture.

1 Cor 4:16 KJV

16 Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.

1 Cor 11:1 KJV

11 Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.

Phil 3:17 KJV

17 Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.

It is very difficult to write on the need for change without becoming negative. We must not allow ourselves to walk in criticism or use negative methods to bring about the change that is needed. We must always remember it is Christ who is building His Church and the gates of hell will never prevail against it, but we must also know when Christ is speaking to us about change.

I will try to state how I see that our present system works. As I have watched over the past thirty years of ministry, I have seen some amazing things happen. What do I mean by this? In my area the leading cutting edge ministry, when I first came to this region, was the ministry of a church called Resurrection Life. It seemed they could do nothing wrong, and that everywhere they started a church it grew to a thousand or more. Right now, that ministry is waning and another ministry is gaining prominence and every church it starts seems to grow in the thousands. Yet when we look more closely at these ministries we are seeing that it is almost if not all transfer growth. One of our good churches lost 600 members to the Harvest Ministries.

Here is what I see happening. These ministries have come up with a program and method that is superior to other ministries in caring for the flock. So much so, that they draw great numbers of transfer growth. Many of our own sheep have flocked to them. Yes, indeed they do have a great system of caring for the members of other churches. They are superior in their abilities to meet the needs. Yet I have not seen the kind of Christ-like change in the members they have gathered. Do not mis-understand me in what I am saying. I am very grateful for these ministries and what they are accomplishing. Still it is not the pattern that is impacting the unsaved with believers who are the salt of the earth and the light of the world.

food_factory Perhaps, I can better state it like this. There once was a factory that produced the most delicious food. When asked how much of that food they were able to bring to the market and sell they said, “Oh, we cannot sell any, we need all that we have to feed and care for those here in the factory.” Then another factory came along with better methods of producing a tastier product, and they grew much larger than the other one and they were asked, “How much of this excellent food are you able to make available for others to buy?” They too responded, “Oh, we do not have any leftover, we need all that we make to feed our workers.” This is what I have seen as the pattern for much of what we see here in America. Can you see what I mean? Oh I know that some of what we have is getting out saving the lost and reaching the world but, dear one, it is very little. It seems we need all of our strength and energy just to care for those we have. We must not disparage what we presently have, but we must recognize the truth of what we are calling church growth is not really the church growth the Lord is after.

Yes, and I can say that at one time the ministry that I led developed a better system, and many flocked to what we had. I, too, counted that as a kind of success and found identity in the “church growth” that was happening under my ministry. Yet I am here to say there is a better way. Earlier this year I heard the Lord say I am going to take Oak Crest back down to its very foundations, so that what is built again is built upon me. My character changing presence will be the priority, and programs and methods will be in their proper time and order. Indeed, I was called into the Holy of Holies to experience what the Lord wants to do.

Guest Blogger

Robert D. Roberts

Seek and Set

Posted on September 3, 2016 by ahabiblemoments.com

Have you ever noticed how difficult it is to stay focused on God? Think for a moment how many times the things of the world take center stage in our lives. Take a situation with which you have been struggling. Just when you think the challenge is under control, it reappears with its ingredients of doubt, anxiety, worry, and the “what ifs.” Mixing these thoughts into our consciousness will tend to affect our spiritual life. We know that we are to cast, throw down, and place all our cares on Him who cares so much for us. (I Peter 5:7) But for some reason, we feel we need to use our human resources to combat life’s challenges. It is true we have the human capacity to respond to all the aspects of life, but when the situations control our time and energy, we must reach beyond our own abilities and let God handle them. Timing is so important. If we hold on to the problem too long, it will make it harder and harder to disconnect from the situation. Satan loves to have Believers second guess their actions. The more the problem dominates our thoughts, the greater the challenge to our spiritual stability. Thoughts like, “You should have…”, “Why didn’t you?”, “If only…”, will enter our thought compartment. We must understand the limits to our human resources. The sooner we do, the quicker we will learn to cast all our cares on Him!

One of the most neglected verses in the Bible is Colossians 3:1, 2. Here Paul stresses two words that should be in every Christian’s vocabulary: Seek and Set. We are to SEEK the things that are above, and to set our affection on Heavenly things. To seek is to desire and enquire. The things of the world are temporal, while the things of Heaven are eternal. The foundation of our faith rests in the things “above,” not on the things “below.” Would it not seem that our interests and desires should be about God and His Kingdom? Jesus said to seek and we will find. (Matthew 7:7) As we seek the things of God, we will find His Truths and will exhibit them in our daily lives. We are also called to SET our affections on the eternal. Set is to put in a specified place. Affection is to exercise the mind, to interest oneself, to regard, and to think. We are to set our interests on Heavenly principles. Our interest should be in achieving the directives of our Heavenly Father.

When we seek and set our ways in the Heavenlies, we will learn quickly what His ways are. How much of our day is spent dwelling on the negatives of life? How much of our time is spent in self-centeredness? How much of our prayer time is around our needs and wants? How much of our life is around problems? How much of our life dwells on things that are not really that important? Let us learn to reverse our thought patterns and center on what is really important.

The Fruit of the Spirit is an example of seeking the things that originate from above. The Holy Spirit reveals to us what He hears in the Heavenlies. (John 16:13) The nine fruits mentioned in Galatians 5:22, 23 originate from God. When we seek after the things of the Kingdom, we are putting our problems on notice that they will be short lived. When we set our minds on the Heavenly, the earthly matters will be opportunities to bring glory to God.

THE SHROUDED TRUTH

Posted on August 26, 2016 by ahabiblemoments.com

The Bible contains the greatest collection of written words ever assembled. There has never been, and there never will be, anything that can parallel its power and authority. The problem is the Scripture has been shrouded from the minds of so many readers. To help assist the inquiring minds are commentaries and Biblical helps that consist of “cliff notes,” CD’s, and interpretative books and study guides, as well as a plethora of translations. Still, the difficulty meter continues to red line. Bibles are handed out to the “whomsoever” with the hopeful intent that the reader will be led into a spiritual epiphany. But so many times the potential believer becomes confused as to the implication of its content. Soon the Bible becomes a dust catcher. It is true that there have been people that were so moved by what they read that it led them to a life changing encounter with their Creator, but those are the exceptions instead of the norm.

The Disciples experienced the Word by hearing and seeing, yet they failed multiple times in illustrating its reality. As we go through the Scriptures, we see a continuity of misunderstanding by His followers. Time and time again, Jesus would expose their shallowness in implementing His truth. From the Sea of Galilee to the hills of Judea, the Disciples lacked understanding of the things Jesus taught and did. There were times when they introduced their own spiritual ignorance by their actions and statements. Many of their questions were intended for their own self promotion. As we read the Gospels, we need to be more aware of the actions of the Disciples. As we do, we will soon be sympathetic to what Jesus faced in preparing them to carry on His ministry.

To simply read the Bible with the hope that the spiritual mysteries of life will be answered is to face disappointment. The Bible is a closed book to the unsaved. They will never understand Its truth until the Holy Spirit opens their heart. The Ethiopian Eunuch, who had acquired a copy of the Scroll of Isaiah, was on his way back to his country when he stopped his chariot and tried reading from the Scroll. A layman by the name of Philip was led by the Spirit to approach the Eunuch and ask him if he understood what he was reading. The Eunuch simply said, “How can I, accept some man would guide me?” (Acts 8:31) Philip, under the power of the Holy Spirit, led him into such an understanding of the Scripture that he turned his life over to Jesus Christ and was baptized in a stream not far from where they were. After Jesus resurrection, He appeared to two confused and unbelieving disciples as they journeyed toward their home in Emmaus. They had heard rumors that Jesus was alive, but there was no proof. Jesus then gently led them through the Old Testament, beginning with Moses and then through the Prophets, showing how it applied to Him. It was shortly after this revealing that their eyes were opened and they recognized Jesus. As quickly as He appeared, He vanished. They shared, “Did not our heart burn within us…while he opened to us the Scriptures?” (Luke 24:32) The two disciples immediately ran back to Jerusalem to the locked upper room to tell their story. While they shared their excitement, Jesus suddenly appeared to His assembled disciples and proceeded to fine tune His previous teachings. The Bible says that “He opened their understanding that they might understand the Scriptures.” (Luke 24:45)

Revelation Study – Chapter 18

Posted on August 19, 2016 by ahabiblemoments.com

The last book of the Bible - Revelations Before we get into chapter 18, let’s understand something. The Harlot or whore of Revelation is not a person; she is an institution; a great city according to 17:18. She confides, shares, and connives with government leaders to milk the public of wealth and uses great deceit. It is led by a religious organization located within this city; i.e. the Harlot. The false prophet is the leader of this religious deceptiveness; i.e. the false church and the false prophet.

Babylon is the reference only location from where this “governing association” with this false church organization functions or operates [17:18]. If one is to make an educated guess, this is probably Rome. It is all under the influence of Satan until he takes over directly during the second half of the Tribulation; either through the resurrected false prophet or through the beast. At that time Satan himself will call the shots. Recall in chapter 17 this Babylon falls out of grace with its associates and God destroys it in “in one hour.” Those who make great wealth from her existence mourn her loss as do many others who have made fortunes from her existence and their alliance with her will wail from a distance [Rev. 18:9]

The great John Walvoord wrote: “…two separate parts or stages of the fall, answering to the two aspects in which Babylon is contemplated, referring first to Babylon in mystery, as a system or spirit of false worship, and second to Babylon as a city, in which this system or spirit is finally embodied

burning city The burning of the “the woman whore” by the beast with ten horns in chapter 17 is probably the city itself (Rome?). Consider this. The false institution and religion during the first half of the Tribulation is only incited and encouraged by Satan. During the second 3 ½ years of the Tribulation, called “the Great Tribulation,” Satan steps in as the guy, the man, the one to fear and worship. The false prophet of the first three and one-half years in the Tribulation may still be around. Some theologians believe that he dies during this great scourge of “Babylon/Rome” and is resurrected but now possessed by Satan or one of his demons.

A wise person would also keep in mind that Isaiah 1:21; Jeremiah 2:20; Ezekiel 16:1–43; and Ezekiel 23, do refer to Jerusalem as a harlot. However, Jerusalem does not fit as cleanly as does Rome for this end time prophecy. Their partial destruction is coming but at the hands of Satan himself.

Chapter 18:

This chapter begins with an angel of great power and Illumination upon the earth… meaning those alive at this time will bear witness to this proclamation of:

“Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great!’ She has become a dwelling for demons and a haunt for every impure spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird, a haunt for every unclean and detestable animal.

3 For all the nations have drunk the maddening wine of her adulteries. The kings of the earth committed adultery with her, and the merchants of the earth grew rich from her excessive luxuries.”
Oddly, this does little to draw in more believers and followers of Jesus Christ at this time in end history yet to happen. However, verse 4 of Revelation 18 is the basis of how some believe to be the timing of the Church Rapture. “Come out of her, my people…” This may or may not be true of the church such as what is called The Rapture. There will still be those who are “God’s people” at this time. We also know some are still on earth at the end of the 7 year Tribulation. This may be the church (v4) or it may simply be those believers who are on location and are told to evacuate to avoid the judgment coming down from heaven upon her. To come out of her tells us that it is a location; probably Rome or perhaps Jerusalem but this website supports the likeliness that it is Rome. It is the great wealth and the fact that it is the false prophet and a place of great luxury that puts the hat of demise on Rome, not Jerusalem at this time. But, Jerusalem (Jews and other members of the 12 Tribes) still hangs in the balance and will suffer greatly for rejecting the Messiah of the gospels.

Revelation 17:15 – 19 describe how these merchants and great masses of wealth attributed to the whore lament over her demise. Verse 20 however tells us that there are “people of God” still on earth [and in heaven?]. They are told to REJOICE over her judgment.

Verse 21 is often misunderstood. It reads: “Then a mighty angel picked up a boulder the size of a large millstone and threw it into the sea, and said: “With such violence the great city of Babylon will be thrown down, never to be found again” [NIV translation]. The second half of this verse says… “with such or similar violence.” It is a comparison, not a method of her destruction for it is quick. A human example would be like kicking a stool leg at night in your bare feet. It is sudden and without remorse. It is totaled! We see this in the remained of chapter 18; no more life in this city; no more business transacted; no more music or trade; no more weddings; no more… (You name it, and it will be forever gone). Actually with a literal view of this passage, there simply is no more Rome (city).

This is, in part, fulfillment of Revelation 6:10 and Revelation 14:10. One is the promised vengeance of those believers who are slain by the evil of this time and the other a warning by example of pending destruction. Both are found in the same ending verse of Revelation 18.

In our next chapter blog, C19, we get a better idea per the celebration of God’s destruction of the Revelation Babylon. It is all part of what God is recorded to say, “It is done;” Revelation 16:17 and again in 21:6.

Note:

Her judgment, Babylon, comes in one day. This reminds me of Daniel 5 where Belshazzar is destroyed within a day of Daniel telling him he is doomed.

The rich fool lost his possessions in one day according to Luke 12:16-20. This is the same for Babylon of Revelation.

Rev. Dr. Jstark
August, 2016

Revelation 17- Part 1

Posted on August 5, 2016 by ahabiblemoments.com

There is so much parallel between the Book of Daniel and Revelation, a simple blog could not begin to conclude. The truly amazing facts are not so much the content as the fact that both books speak to the same thing. God’s direction is powerful today (N.T.) and yesterday (O.T.). Simply put and without explanation in this blog is that Daniel sets the stage for the Book of Revelation. We get details in Revelation than Daniel can only infer. It is also a special note that what Daniel saw as individual creatures, Apostle John sees as ONE 10 horned beast; [Revelation 13:2] “And the beast which I saw was like to a leopard, and its feet as of a bear, and its mouth as a lion’s mouth.” Who might be the combined military or governmental forces that are represented as a leopard, bear and lion of Revelation? Recall that the Dragon and the Beast are two different entities.

One Step Closer to Pulling Things Together

Chapter 17 of Revelation takes us a step closer to figuring this out. We have the dragon, beast 1 and beast 2, the image of beast 1, a red dragon with multiple heads and horns, a woman riding the beast which soon those in charge turn against it rider, four forces converging on Har Megiddo, the seventh bowl, kings in some symbolic adultery with the woman on the beast, blasphemous names, a mysterious Babylon the Great, a book of life and names not in it, three symbolic frogs hopping nation to nation to call to arms these ignorant arrogant millennial losers, a speaking image of beast #1, 10 unnamed kings (for an hour) who then hand over their authority to the anti-Christ…

…no wonder people’s heads spin when trying to put this all together as one orchestrated sequence of events leading the return of Jesus the Messiah.

We MUST remind ourselves that the mind of God is so far greater than ours, it should be a simple thing to understand that our mental capacities are not equal to God’s, but our faith and hearts should be totally online. If not, then we need to check with our spiritual internet provider; what I enjoy calling our spiritual GPS; Gods Provided Seal on our forehead.

The very first thing we see in C17 is Apostle John in a bit of a dither. This is when I default to Young’s Literal Translation (YLT) as it is probably the most “literal” translation of scripture; but often difficult to read just for that reason. We say, the boy went to the game. YLT in in its literal translation would write, the games is to which the by went. Other translations try to simplify their translation but often lose something(s) in the process.

For this reason I include the YLT of C17: (1898) – All emphasis mine

And there came one of the seven *messengers, who were having the seven vials, and he spake with me, saying to me, `Come, I will shew to thee the judgment of the great whore, who is sitting upon the many waters, *often meaning angels

²with whom the kings of the earth did commit whoredom; and made drunk from the wine of her whoredom were those inhabiting the earth;’

³and he carried me away to a wilderness in the Spirit, and I saw a woman sitting upon a scarlet-colored beast, full of names of evil-speaking, having seven heads and ten horns,

⁴and the woman was arrayed with purple and scarlet-colour, and gilded with gold, and precious stone, and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and uncleanness of her whoredom,

⁵and upon her forehead was a name written: `Secret, Babylon the Great, the Mother of the Whores, and the Abominations of the earth.’

⁶And I saw the woman drunken from the blood of the saints, and from the blood of the witnesses of Jesus, and I did wonder — having seen her — with great wonder;

⁷and the messenger said to me, `Wherefore didst thou wonder? I — I will tell thee the secret of the woman and of the beast that [is] carrying her, which hath the seven heads and the ten horns.

⁸`The beast that thou didst see: it was, and it is not; and it is about to come up out of the abyss, and to go away to destruction, and wonder shall those dwelling upon the earth, whose names have not been written upon the scroll of the life from the foundation of the world, beholding the beast that was, and is not, although it is.

⁹`Here [is] the mind that is having wisdom; the seven heads are seven mountains, upon which the woman doth sit,

¹⁰and there are seven kings, the five did fall, and the one is, the other did not yet come, and when he may come, it behoveth him to remain a little time;

¹¹and the beast that was, and is not, he also is eighth, and out of the seven he is, and to destruction he doth go away.

¹²`And the ten horns that thou sawest, are ten kings, who a kingdom did not yet receive, but authority as kings the same hour do receive with the beast,

¹³these have one mind, and their own power and authority to the beast they shall give over;

¹⁴these with the Lamb shall make war, and the Lamb shall overcome them, because Lord of lords he is, and King of kings, and those with him are called, and choice, and stedfast.’

¹⁵And he saith to me, `The waters that thou didst see, where the whore doth sit, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues;’

¹⁶and the ten horns that thou didst see upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and shall burn her in fire,

¹⁷for God did give into their hearts to do its mind, and to make one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast till the sayings of God may be complete,

¹⁸and the woman that thou didst see is the great city that is having reign over the kings of the land.

Before moving on I feel totally compelled to issue a warning by example. During this end falseamongreal of time Tribulation, Satan will confuse many with false prophets, so-called miracles, a silver tongue of persuasion, unmatched deceit and a look-good universal church. Look at the picture on the right. If you look real close one can see the weeds that have grown up so close to the real flowers, one can easily be deceived into thinking the weeds are actually part of the flower arrangement. This is what Satan’s church will look like during the first 3 ½ years of the Tribulation. These fake flowers of beauty are so close in proximity to the genuine, one easily misses them.

Gradually more and more look-similar and delicate, but weeds grow up amongst the real thing. So close in proximity even the gardener will miss them. Eventually they overtake the garden while one stays politically and garden correct by watering, tolerating and wishing to be inoffensive to the garden saying it takes too much time to clean them out. They are allowed to be a part of the garden via compromise or failure to recognize they are plants but NOT flowers. This is precisely what is happening in our churches today.

Examples of what these weeds will look like:

A song sung in church with a great tune but unidentifiable as a praise or worship song
A person whose tithing is a goodly share of the church budget but demands political correctness be exercised within the church; not identifying or giving warning of sin.
Pastors who fear calling out sin as defined in the Bible; Ephesians. Don’t be offensive.
Board members who command weight and influence within the church, a community, city or politics but have little to no bible knowledge.
Those willing to sit in the pews and not overtly stand on the promises of God.
Inter and intra denominational bickering that leads to separation of church and church. There is but ONE CHURCH of which Jesus Christ is the head; not the pope or St. Peter.
Churches that teach good living and self-improvement while ignoring the WORD.
Beautiful buildings with debt that requires a congregation of several #2’s (above) to pay the debt.
Singers and instrumentalists on the Praise Team who are really good but live lives unbecoming of The Church of Jesus Christ.
Prayer that is not in the spirit as commanded in Romans 8 (study the entire chapter).

Take a moment of pause while using your weed-sin pulling tools and write in more cautions from which will come the universal false church. [Mark 13:22, Matthew 24:24]

During the final 3 ½ years (Tribulation) there will no longer be any doubt. Satan sets himself up in the Temple of God in Jerusalem, slaughters Jews and those who refuse to bow the knee to him while claims to be God. Those who refuse to worship will be shrewdly eliminated.

Back to our study; C17:1 – 6 (we will pick up on more of 17 in our next blog)

The first six verses set the somewhat mystery stage of dragon, woman, fornicators, scarlet beast,…with their explanations in the remainder of C17. Let’s look at them.

The beast that was, is not, and is about to come up from the abyss then go away to potof destruction is often identified with the Roman Church of the dark and pre-dark ages. It wasn’t until Napoleon disposed of the Pope who ultimately died in prison do we get the “then it was not.” The future and news worthy items today per the pontiff and his decrees show the Roman Church and its global influence is once again asserting [coming alive] itself.

Drunken (17:6) from the blood of the saints can be present or past tense. Most likely it is a continuum or revival of the Holy Roman Empire that replaced the original Roman Empire. Still considered the Roman Empire but with the innocuous word “holy” as the first word in the title. However we read “the blood of the Saints and of those who witness of Jesus.” The saints are those from the past and those who witness and are present at this time of bloodshed.

Revelation Chapter 16

Posted on July 13, 2016 by ahabiblemoments.com

Check out the overview by clicking on link below:

Power Point Presentation for Chapter 16

It is difficult to write on something that so many other scholars and want-to-be teachers have already covered in so many different formats. The FACTS don’t change. Bible content is something that cannot be copyrighted. Just like the free will of man to accept or deny the existence of a God supreme, it cannot be outlawed. Simple example in America: To pass a law about discrimination in any form does not eliminate it. This country (2016) is more polarized today than it was just 8 years ago. We can probably go back to the Civil War and see very similar hate, choosing of sides, difference of opinion in neighborhoods and a cluster of houses in a common section of almost any town feeling they are not a neighborhood-in-common.

I state the above as we close in on the end of our Revelation study. This is precisely what the Apostle John and many other bible prophets and authors of books in the bible have said for 3,000 years. They go into much greater detail, but without knowledge, how can one prepare for End Time? Simple answer… they can’t! This however does not mean End Time will also not come. It simply means that millions will lose his or her opportunity to survive it and spend eternity in a much more preferred place than hell.

Revelation 16

A voice from out of the heavenly temple commands the 7 angels to “go their way and pour out the vials of God’s wrath upon the earth and mankind”. Note that John hears the command that all 7 angels are told to GO! Not go #1; then go #2 and so forth. There is an order or sequence but no timing is evidenced. Since all 7 are told to go with ONE COMMAND, it is highly unlikely that there is a span of much, if any time between the pouring out of the wrath bowls of God. [suggested insight follows later]

The sequence is as follows:

Bowl #1 is great sores upon man (and woman) if they have worshiped the beast, his image or taken the mark of the beast.
*Bowl #2 is God’s wrath on the sea. We are not told if this includes lakes, ponds, or oceans. The Greek word used here is Thalassa. Thayer and Strong point out that this is a term usually indicating the Red or Mediterranean Seas. Since Thalassa is a prolonged form of halce, which means “salt” it would be unwise to conclude it does not include the great oceans and gulfs.
*Bowl #3 is when and where the rivers, streams, springs are included in God’s wrath. The third angel pours out his bowl upon these waters.

*a word of caution… some bible translations say “the waters turned to blood like a dead man.” Young’s Literal Translation from 1898 says “blood.” We do not know if this analogy is a comparison of similarities or the actual thing. It is not important to know which as all translations worth any study say that all living creatures within these waters die.

At this point there is a short interlude as an angel “in charge of the waters” points out (v5) that God is justified in doing this to his creation. He explains that man has shed the blood of God’s followers and “deserves” the same treatment. Then in verse 7 a voice from the alter seconds this proclamation made by the angel of the waters. The obvious…this is at the end of the Great Tribulation Period of 7 years.

We might also note that the first three bowls of judgement are similar to judgements one and six cast on Egypt at the time of the Israeli bondage in that country. Even though these Egyptian plagues were limited to Egypt, we do know what these “plagues” were limited to in durations. This may only be studied speculation, but it gives us some insight as to the possible duration of each plague in Revelation: The first Egyptian plague lasted for 7 days (Ex 7:25), the 9th Egyptian plague lasted for 3 days (Ex 10:21-23), and the 10th was for one night, beginning at midnight (Ex 12:29-31); all within a given week. This may be helpful to those who want a duration number or some possibilities given for the plagues in Revelation. For some reasonable speculation on days of duration, go to http://www.jesusalive.cc/ques219.htm. scorchingsun

Bowl #4 is the sun scorching those on earth (this does not include anyone who has not worshiped the beast, his image, and/or taken the mark of the beast. One must speculate that the turning of waters into a blood-like substance is not a permanent plague. Mankind would die after a few days of no water. Add the 4^th plague of a scorching sun to no available water and mankind would fall like flies in a very short period of time.

We hasten to add another note for the reader. Verse 9 states flat out that men cursed God and refuse to repent or recognize Him for who and what He was, is, (and at this point in Revelation) is to very soon come. It appears there is room for men to repent or at least give God recognition for who He is. Not to keep adding Greek to this blog, but sometimes it helps our understanding of scripture. The word “repent” in verse 9 is metanoeō in the Greek. This means to “change one’s mind.” However, we must recall what Revelation 14:9-11 states. If someone repents at this point, it could be suggested that their eternal punishment from the “books that will be opened” [Revelation 2012] could be lessened. However, changing one’s mind does not mean changing one’s heart. One can begrudgingly accept a previously denied fact but still not embrace it.

This is a turning point for Satan, the beast, and his false prophet. Up to this point the false trinity may have escaped the plagues on earth and man. But, plague #5 is pointed… God’s wrath is turned upon the kingdom of the beast. There will be total darkness and an unspecified pain poured out on the throne of the beast and his kingdom. People will finally see that the false-god isn’t even able to prevent or immunize itself against these judgments. What a Day That Will Be!
Now to set the possible stage for the fulfillment of Plague or curse #6. We have the angel of vial #6 drying up the Euphrates. We know that this is already happening. Type drying of the Euphrates River into your search engine and read it from secular sources. There are multiple events happening at this time. Let’s briefly look at a few of them.
1. Water has by now become very scarce due to the plagues. It may even replace the demand for oil by that time. There already is and has been a short supply of drining water in the Middle East; even during the time of Jacob.
2. Putin and Netanyahu have recently agreed to a joint venture in developing oil and gas reserves found in Israel.
3. The most recent world class oil reserve has been found in Har Megiddo; i.e. Armageddon territory; 55 miles north of Jerusalem.
4. When oil reserves are threatened, armies converge to protect or steal it.. Examples? The Kuwaiti war with Saddam; Iraqi War; WWII… *(See the asterisk paragraph below)
5. When water becomes totally scarce the Aswan Dam in Egypt will become a terrorist target. If breached or destroyed, this will fulfill the prophecy of Ezekiel 29:9.
6. The dams in Jordan, Russia, Syria, Turkey…; King Hussein of Jordan has said “the volatile issue of water could drive the region to war. (See Matthew 24:22)
7. UN Secretary-General Bhoutros-Ghali, while he was still Egypt’s foreign minister, said, “The next war in the Middle East will be fought over water, not politics.”
8. Ironic as it may sound, the Persians defeated the Babylonians by diverting and drying up the river waters to Babylon back in 539 B.C.. Is this a preview of the fall of the Revelation Babylon???

*There needs to be something that calls these armies together at Har Megiddo; 55 miles north of Jerusalem. We are not without strong compelling attractions to this Valley of Jezreel in northern Israel AKA, Har Megiddo. Here are a few:

Daniel 11 prophecies battles between the King of the North (probably the anti-Christ) and the king of the South (probably Muslim nations who refuse the anti-Christ as their master.) In their final battle they meet at Har Megiddo.
In order to protect its oil rights in Israel and as agreed upon between Putin and Netanyahu (2016), Russia marches in to fend off destruction of their oil rights only recently discovered. See Daniel 11:44.
A dry Euphrates River allows the king(s) of the East cross over and to get into the battle to either prevent a mutual destruction or to make sure it gets its fair-share of booty after the fight (war)
Why would they gather to do battle? Revelation 16:13; it is all God arranged.

Plague #7:

Cataclysmic events such as islands disappear, mountains collapse and are no more, Jerusalem rises up to a high altitude as the waters from under soon-to-be Throne of God in Jerusalem begin to flow both toward the Jordan River and to the Mediterranean Sea. Jesus Christ sets foot on the Mount of Olives east of Jerusalem. Zechariah (14) tells us that the place of Jesus’ return to earth will not be Zion, Illinois, but the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem, Israel. The city of Jerusalem is divided into three parts. The armies gathered in plague #6 march on Jerusalem and are judged by Jesus. Babylon the Great, city or an institutional power, is destroyed as announced by an angel in Revelation 14:8 and again in Revelation 18:21. Great and fiery hail falls from the heavens. This hail from heaven has similarities to the Exodus account of plague #7 on Egypt recorded in Exodus 19:13-35. Is it a coincident for us to overlook the fact that this hail in Revelation is plague #7, just as it was in Egypt; i.e. #7?

Much of these plague events and event to follow occur simultaneously and/or in rapid succession. These events continue to be recorded by John in the next couple of chapters in Revelation.

Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to wage war against the rider on the horse and his army [Revelation 19:19; NIV]

___________________________________________________________

REVIEW QUESTIONS

1) What are the main points of this chapter?

– The pronouncement (1)

– The seven bowls of wrath (2-21)

2) What did a loud voice from the temple say to seven angels? (1)

– “Go and pour out the bowls of the wrath of God on the earth”

3) Upon what was the first bowl poured out? What happened? (2)

– The earth; foul and loathsome sores came upon those who had the mark of the beast and worshiped his image

4) Upon what was the second bowl poured out? What happened? (3)

– The sea; it became blood as of a dead man; every living creature in the sea died

5) Upon what was the third bowl poured out? What happened? (4)

– The rivers and springs of water; they became blood

6) Why did the angel of the waters proclaim God’s judgments as just?

(5-6)

– Because they had shed the blood of saints and prophets

7) Upon what was the fourth bowl poured out? What happened? (8-9)

– On the sun; men were scorched with great heat

8) Despite these judgments, how did men respond? (9)

– They blasphemed the name of God, and did not repent and give God glory

9) Upon what was the fifth bowl poured out? What happened? (10)

– On the throne of the beast; his kingdom became full of darkness, and people gnawed their tongues because of the pain

10) What again is said about the response to these judgments? (11)

– They blasphemed God because of their sores and pain, and did not repent of their deeds

11) Upon what was the sixth bowl poured out? What happened? (12)

– On the river Euphrates; it was dried up, so the way of the kings from the east might be prepared

12) What did John see next? (13)

– Three unclean spirits like frogs coming of the mouths of the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet

13) What were these, and what was their mission? (14)

– Spirits of demons, performing great signs

– To gather the kings of the earth to the battle of the great day of God Almighty

14) What warning and beatitude did Jesus give at this point? (15)

– Behold, I am coming as a thief

– Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame

15) Where were the kings of the earth gathered? (16)

– To the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon

16) Upon what was the seventh bowl poured out? What happened? (17)

– The air; a loud voice from the temple of heaven, from the throne, proclaimed, “It is done!”

17) What then occurred? (18-21)

– There were noises, thunderings, lightnings, a mighty earthquake

– The great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell

– Great Babylon was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath

– Every island fled away, and the mountains were not found

– Great hail from heaven fell upon men

18) How did people respond to the plague of the hail? (21)

– They blasphemed God, because the plague was exceedingly great

Revelation Chapter 14 (b)

Posted on June 15, 2016 by ahabiblemoments.com

Continued from Chapter 14 (a)

Revelation 7

This chapter is very specific in identifying who will be marked; 12,000 from 12 Tribes of Jacob (Israel). The Tribe of Dan walked away from their designated spot in the Promised Land and is not included as a tribe mentioned in Revelation 7. Ephraim’s name is simply replaced by the name of his father, Joseph of Egypt fame. Manasseh, Joseph’s first born in Egypt is listed as one of the twelve Tribes.

Additional considerations from Revelation 14:

The souls under the throne and the handing out of white robes until the right number have died. Might this “right number” equal 144,000?
Those who appear in great multitudes that cannot be counted.
Who are 24 elders?
The woman in chapter 12 and the woman in chapter 15
The dragon, 1^st beast, 2^nd beast, the image and the false prophet.

A blog cannot cover all of this but we do recommend that the serious student go through Revelation Chapter 14-1Power Points provided and identified with chapter 14 and chapter 15 in this website. The PP for chapter 14 is long but has an identified division point where one can leave off and return to it at later time. The Power Point blog addresses many of the specifics of chapter 14.

The “virgin status” of those “men” (People) identified in C14 are people who are new babes in Christ, probably converted during the Great Tribulation. They know (YADDA) they are going to pay a severe price for their decision by accepting Christ therefore denying the mark of the Beast and his image. They have no reason to violate any of Gods laws or principles since their decision is a permanent and a do or die decision. These are not Sunday or Sabbath Day Christians. It is and end in and of itself so no purpose is served in them making a false statement. No lie is to be found on their lips after this decision to follow Christ to their death during the Tribulation of 7 years.

no more ignorance 14:6 & 7 answer the question of whether or not all people hear the gospel or are doomed to condemnation due to their ignorance. There is NO IGNORANCE. Every tongue, every tribe, every nation, every people; leaves little room for someone to be missed. After all, this last angel with the final opportunity to accept the gospel follows the 3 ½ years of the two witnesses in Jerusalem who also were heard world-wide. Yet, many still refuse to accept Christ.

We have a fascinating sequence of events within the next few verses;

Verse 6 finds an angel announcing to the world (no exceptions) the eternal Good news. Verse 7 gives due warning and instructions for all individuals who heard the angel in verse 6.
Verse 8 Informs the same global population that the false prophet and leadership (Babylon) is now destroyed so they have nothing to fear from this group.
Verse 9 tells of the consequence for not heading this final warning and message from an angel in the sky. It also explains the consequences for taking the mark of the beast or worshiping either it or its image. It is the unforgivable sin.
Verse 10 says it straight… “He also shall drink of the wine of God’s wrath and ultimately tormented with fire and brimstone (in hell).”
Verse 11 specifically states it is forever and ever.

Here is an absolutely new fact of end time as read in Revelation 14:13…

Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord. From henceforth now, says the Spirit that they may rest from their labors. For their works follow them. [BRB]

“…from this point forward?” These people are probably the ones redeemed from earth for their flawless living after all the above has transpired. We are well into the Great Tribulation at this point in time and any choice is but one; follow Christ or follow the beast. No murky waters or fog at this time in history. This also explains why these men of earth who reject the beast and accept Christ are identified as the first-fruits and sinless from that point forward. They have everything to gain and KNOW IT. They also know the only thing they have to lose equals NOTHING! Poor example but a human thought with heavenly meaning…to give up a fake pass to Disney for an everyday any day pass is not a loss. There is no need to fake anything.

JIV NOTE: In 14:10 we read something about “spiritual fornication.” Does one actually grasp the depth of this statement? Revelation 10:9-10…

9) “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand,

10) he also will drink the wine of God’s wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.

There is a parallel to this when the Tribe of Dan “leaped out of Bashan, leaving the Promised land in the Old Testament. His people worshiped idols and set up”high places” outside the realm of what God had instructed Israel, His chosen, to do. They walked away from the Promised Land and are not included in the list of Tribes and 144,000 identified in Revelation 7.
The very first commandment of the Old Testament states: ‘mankind’ shall have no other gods before me.” In verse 9 we see many will have openly worshiped the beast and its image receiving their “seal [club membership] of approval.” It is a one way membership club. One can get in or stay out, but cannot get in then back out. Verse 11 re-explains who these folks are. Here is no guess work. It is laid out in plain language.

harvest ready Chapter 14:14 to the end of this chapter is the reaping of the earth. The first thrust of the sharp sickle is to harvest the *fully ripe grain or followers of God/Jesus Christ. This is the first harvest.

In verse 17 we discover a second harvest; one of grapes. These are thrown into the wine-press of God’s WRATH. Not a good thing. They are crushed or punished for their continual rejection over the past 7 tribulation years; 3 ½ years with the two witnesses in Jerusalem but who were heard and seen worldwide; the angel who proclaimed the gospel to the entire world near the end of the Great Tribulation period; the individual witnessing of the 144,000 who died “from this point forward” for their testimony [14:13]; and the their acceptance of the false prophet, the beast, its image and the Mark of the Beast.

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