SERMON - THE BOOK OF REVELATION IN WORDS OF UNDERSTANDING (part 24)

The Book of Revelation

In

Words of Understanding

Part 24

 

 

John is basically explaining everything he has witnessed and giving further clarity to much of his earlier writings.

 

We must realize that John, as a prophet of God, is not guessing about all he witnessed, as are many of the so-called ‘prophets’ we hear of today.

 

For elucidation allow me to make the following known: There are prophecies and there are miracles that some claim as prophecies. A true prophecy is verifiable by its being fulfilled and enjoyed by all, while a miracle cannot be proven to all that did not see it, or the results of that miracle.

 

I point this out as most men who have held themselves out to be prophets teach errantly and have no idea as to what is prophecy and what is not. Some who say, “I am a prophet of God,” have no idea as to what is a prophecy. Furthermore, these types seek to isolate a particular piece of Scripture and ignore all other pertinent Scripture on the subject matter at hand. A prophecy is a spiritual truth decipherable by guidance granted by the Holy Spirit. As they then set out to explain God’s Word they give an inaccurate edification and render their preaching meaningless.

 

Corinthians 14:33 reveals that, “God is not the author of confusion.”

 

I do not claim to be a prophet but I do claim to be correctly edifying the Words of the Book of Revelation.

 

Revelation 20: 1 And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. 2 He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. 3 He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time.

 

God’s messenger came out of heaven and with God’s Word (key) and His truths (chain) bound the “Dragon,” (Satan and Paganism) and “bound him for 1,000 years.”

 

The binding of Satan was the life and crucifixion of Jesus Christ. God saw Satan thrown out of heaven and bound him by giving us His Word!

 

Many preach of that 1,000 years as being ahead of our time but I preach of that time as having passed years ago. I say this as Satan’s paganism was replaced by the RCC and later by Protestantism combined with the RCC. As the two religious systems merged Satan reemerged and is loose in the world today. He is presently deceiving more man than ever before simply due to the increase of communications brought about by television, radio and the computer networks.

 

We must be aware that the reference to 1,000 years cannot be taken literally. The number 1,000 often, in our Bible, is used to signify a ‘large number.’ Deuteronomy 1:11; 2 Samuel 18:12; 1 Kings 4:32; Psalm 50:10; Isaiah 7:23 and with respects to actual ‘time,’ Deuteronomy 7:9; Psalm 84:10, 90:4, 105:8 and Ecclesiastes 6:6.

 

 Revelation 20: 4 I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

John saw “thrones” upon which were seated TRUE Christians. These were those who had been martyred for Christ and those who had not succumbed to the RCC, Protestantism or any other strange religion.

Revelation 20:5 (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.

The “first resurrection” can be seen as those that accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior getting a new life. This resurrection is spiritual. 

Again, the 1,000 years can be seen as ‘a long period of time.’

Revelation 20:7 When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog—to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore.

 

Gog, actually spelled as Gowg (Hebrew) means, “roof, coverin, or, a mountain.’ Magog or correctly, (Hebrew) Magowg, means’, ‘expansion or extension of family.’  Gowg signifies the RCC and Magowg is Protestantism.

 

Satan is using both the RCC as well as Protestantism, in conjunction with the World Council of Churches to battle TRUE Christianity. Indeed their followers are numerous.

 

 

 

Revelation 20: 9 They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God's people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them. 10 And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

 

“Fire,” God’s Word, defeated Satan and his vast number of followers and Satan along with his followers no longer were in the Abyss (earth) but were cast into the Lake of Burning Sulfur , which is to say, Hell!

 

 

Revelation 20: 11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. 14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15 If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

 

This Scripture tells of the Day of Judgment. All the dead, (spiritually) were judged. If you will recall, TRUE Christians are not included in the judgment as they are ALIVE in their SPIRIT having accepted Salvation through the Blood of Christ.

 

This may be the ‘why’ of the Scripture that says, Romans 14:11 …”As surely as I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow before me, every tongue will confess to God.”

 

TRUE Christians are saved through their faith in Jesus Christ and their ‘works’ are their ‘white robes’ in heaven. The ‘works’ of those who did not accept Jesus Christ in their lifetime will be His method of rendering judgment. Those unfortunate souls found lacking in both ‘works’ and ‘belief,’ shall be cast into hell. This is the, “second death,” the death of their eternal spirit!

 

Undoubtedly you have asked yourself, “what about men like Mahatma Gandhi and similar men and women that lived their lives in an effort to spread peace and understanding amongst men? What about those that were not Christian yet lived good and productive lives?”

 

Re-read Revelation 20: 12 and you learn that Jesus Christ judged these people, “according to the work they had done.”  Contrary to what many Pastors erroneously preach, not everyone who was not Christian here on earth is condemned to hell! Just as I sermonized in earlier writings, NO MAN, no matter his position in life, can rightly say that, “only Christians are going to heaven. God says different and if asked to choose between the teaching of man and God, I will choose God in a heartbeat!

 

Ask yourself a question. ‘If Jesus Christ did not walk on earth as a man until well after the deaths of the leaders of the tribes of Israel, well after the deaths of Moses, Jeremiah, Isaiah, Hosea, Noah. Eli, Elisha, and the many prophets and spiritually sound men and women, am I to assume they DID NOT gain Paradise ?’

 

As I have never suffered earthly death and do not have all the answers to every question, I can only say, by God’s revelation, He is the One to decide who is saved and who is not saved. No man knows when He will reveal Himself to anyone and that is that!

 

(Closing prayer)

 

Heavenly Father, our Yahweh Roi, You alone are God and You alone are the One to render judgment of Your children. We accept Your power and bow as Your servants. We also accept Your Word as being superior to and more powerful than any man could interpret them to mean.

 

Lord, You alone are worthy of our praise and You alone are the One we worship. Father, You are the witness to men twisting and misrepresenting Your Word. We pray that You will protect us from those men and their hypocrisies. Enlighten them, Lord, and enter their hearts rendering them to preach Your Word with accuracy and in the manner which You intend for it to be taught.

 

Lord, we ask that You see to the safety of our military, that You enter the hearts of our elected officials and enlighten them as well as the judges that are over our civil lives. Protect the many police and security personnel charged with protecting us from harm. Send Your blessings to any that call upon You and see them safe from the evils that seek to do them harm.

 

We pray these things 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.   

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Pastor Lee S Gliddon Jr
God's Word Christian Ministry
Conservative Patriot http://conpats.blogspot.com