SERMON - THE BOOK OF REVELATION IN WORDS OF UNDERSTANDING part 13

The Book of Revelation

In

Words of Understanding

Part 13

 

 

God is telling us all that has happened in years past as well as things that continue to happen this very day. His intent is to tell every man what must be done in order to truly do His bidding and live by His Word. Again I must caution you, do not rely on past teachings of those that rely on the words and man-made doctrines that will do nothing to save your immortal souls.

I have heard interpretations of the Book of Revelations that give some of the most contrived meanings to events that rather than being taught anything, I grew more confused and uncertain as to what God was really revealing to John. I have heard symbols as descriptions of airplanes instead of what God revealed to John. I have heard of beasts that were said to be ‘fire breathers,’ and representative of anything but what God intended them to mean.

I do not mean to soften the message that God is revealing as we learn the Book of Revelation. It is intended to be interpreted as God is giving me, and each of you, the opportunity to be real in your worship of Him and to live by His Word with the thought of doing His will rather than the will of yourself or of any man made religion.

I now continue:

Revelation 11: 1 I was given a reed like a measuring rod and was told, “Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, and count the worshipers there. 2 But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months.

John was given a measuring device to show him just how fruitless it would be to measure heaven and to attempt to count the number of God’s children. The instruction respecting the outer court allows us to realize that the inner court was initially for Jews as before Christ the Gentiles were relegated to the outer court.

The ‘trampling’ to occur was to say that the pagans of the world would last for a period of time as they taught false Christianity as a counterfeit Priesthood was set up by the RCC. This would last for a time period.  

 

3 And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.” 4 These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth.

The identity of the two witnesses is often stated, mistakenly, as being Elijah and Moses. This is NOT SO. The two witnesses are the Old Testament and the New Testament. John 5:39 and Matthew 24:14 set forth God’s command that Scriptures are to be searched for truth. Indeed they are the “two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord.”

To be sure, those false Pastors and Preachers that are taking away the TRUE MEANING of God’s Word shall be subjected to God’s punishment as set forth in Malachi 4:1 and Revelation 20:15; 22:18-19.

 5 If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies. This is how anyone who wants to harm them must die. 6 These men have power to shut up the sky so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying; and they have power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want.

The “fire” that comes from the Old and New Testaments is the Word of God. Those that “harm” must die.

If you recall the teachings of the Old Testament you must recall that Elijah stopped the rain for 3 ½ years and Moses made the rivers of Egypt as blood. That explains the confusion of the Pastors and Preachers naming God’s witnesses in a wrong manner. The plagues are not yet fully experienced.

7 Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them. 8 Their bodies will lie in the street of the great city, which is figuratively called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified. 9 For three and a half days men from every people, tribe, language and nation will gaze on their bodies and refuse them burial. 10 The inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them and will celebrate by sending each other gifts, because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth.

 

The “beast that comes from the Abyss, properly identified symbolically, is the RCC. Read Daniel 7:17-23 to gain understanding. Along with the victors of the French Revolution, the RCC banned the reading of the Bible. Where the RCC used writings created by men, other nations, especially France banned any sort of religious practice as well. 

 

It was during this period that the RCC altered God’s teaching and changed from recognizing the Sabbath as such and began to recognize Sunday as God’s day of rest. The method used was by saying the Pope, with his divine authority, had the power to modify God’s Word.

 

“Their bodies will lie in the streets,” is affirmation that although banned, the Bible continued to live as the RCC sought to deny the Bible and replace it’s teachings with their own. Reference to Sodom is a reference to ‘wickedness’ and the reference to Egypt refers to ‘bondage’ to sin by many men for many years.  Christianity was banned in France thereby identifying the “gloating” but there were men of faith that kept the Word on earth alive. 

 

11 But after the three and a half days a breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and terror struck those who saw them. 12 Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” And they went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies looked on. 

 

After a time God breathed new life into His Word and many joined in with the few and Christianity was reborn where it had been banned. It was by men obeying God and living by His dictates that raised the Old Testament and the New Testament to a new life. 

 

13 At that very hour there was a severe earthquake and a tenth of the city collapsed. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the survivors were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven. 

 

During the French Revolution and shortly following there were people of the upper class, royalty, including kings and queens that were slain and this is the 7,000. The earthquake was the revival of God’s Word lifting it so high that neither the French government nor the RCC could suppress it any longer!

 

14 The second woe has passed; the third woe is coming soon.

 

The “third woe” that is to come is the end of the earth as we know it. So many Pastors teach of the ‘rapture’ making it sound like a peaceful event that will see men that believe in God flying up to meet Christ. I hate to be the harbinger of bad news but read 2 Peter 3:10. This Scripture clearly states the quickness of the end.

 

(Closing prayer)

 

Heavenly Father, Yahweh, our God and our Fountain of Knowledge please accept our praise, our devout worship and the love we offer You in a willing manner. We thank you for allowing Your Holy Spirit to work on our minds and show us the meaning of Your Word as revealed in the Book we are reading. We pray that You see us as servants who are repenting to You and from sin. 

 

Father, when we fall, as we often do, please know that we confess our sins to You and ask for Your forgiveness.

 

Lord, as we often ask, we ask again that You send Your angels to look over and protect our military. We ask that You change the hearts of the political leaders that are charged with doing the people’s business and have them do so. We ask that You touch our judges and police as You have them listen to Your Word and do their duties is a manner that is honest and in Your Way, not their own. 

 

Father, we ask that You protect our security service personnel and shield them from harm. We also ask that You fill the hearts and minds of our Christian brethren with hope, love and fill their bodies with health. Be with them Lord…please…be with them.

 

These things we pray in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, who is One with You and the Holy Spirit, One God, forever and ever,  Amen, amen and amen.