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Revelation #11

Dear Listeners, have you been at peace in the Lord during this time? Today, our Lord appears to John and it is a time to study the things that will happen in the future, that is, the Word that is the conclusion of all the Words of God. Everything from Genesis to Revelation is the Word of God. The book of Revelation is the last of them. How does God’s will come to an end? How the heavens and the earth come to an end, what kind of hope God’s children see and what kind of hope are those who do not believe in God, and how is the existence of Satan who brought sin into this world concluded and how they have come to represent Satan? It tells how the false Babylon the Great, who deceives the world, will end. You cannot receive true comfort if you do not know the conclusion of God’s Word. That is why, out of all the words of the book of Revelation, I ask you to remember only the words of our Lord. Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand. Revelation 1:3 (KJV)  We can live in hope knowing the conclusion of all things. Life lasts 70 years and if you are strong you may live to 80. All our hardships, difficulties, and sufferings will be resolved when we leave this flesh, and in the midst of this, we should focus on the work of the Lord while looking towards God’s  eternal blessings. As the Apostle Paul said in the last verse of 1 Corinthians 15, Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. 1 Corinthians 15:58 (KJV) For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you. (1 Peter 1:24-25 KJV)  Let’s continue with Revelation 5:10, And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. (Revelation 5:10 KJV)  1 2Peter also said, But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: (1 Peter 2:9 KJV)  A priest, a priest like a king. If you do the right thing as a priest, you will wear the crown worn by the king. You can hear it as this message. In the old Old Testament times, when the people of Israel sinned, the priests guided them down the path on how they can receive forgiveness of sins when they came to the priests with animals to carry their sins in their place. It was the priests’ job to show them about receiving atonement. In such manner, today’s children of God who have received Jesus Christ and have been born again by the Holy Spirit are now priests. Irrespective of the position within the church. Being a priest is to solve the people’s problems of sin. Therefore, in order to solve the problem of sin, Christians have led them to our Lord Jesus Christ, who took away all the sins of the world on the cross, who was slain like a Lamb for His blood 2,000 years ago, It is receiving forgiveness of sins through this Jesus Christ, who resurrected on the third day after the shedding all His blood, and to be born again through the Holy Spirit to become children of God. This is the purpose of God’s children living on this earth. Because when God sends his only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, not only will everyone who believes in Jesus Christ be saved, but they will also understand all the truth spoken through Jesus Christ, who is the Word, so that they don’t live according to what they see in the world, but hold onto the hope in the words of the truth and live. When Jesus came to this earth, He gave this hope and left. Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. (John 18:36 KJV) This means when the Lord comes again, the whole world will belong to Him, as spoken through today’s text, He hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

When the Lord comes to this earth, everyone who receive Jesus Christ and become members of God’s church, and because the Lord has made them kings and priests, we will reign with the Lord for a thousand years on this earth as a reward. Regarding that faith in Hebrews 11, the writer of Hebrews said But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. (Hebrews 11:6 KJV)  There is always a reward for those who bear the cross and follow the Lord testifying the gospel on this earth. That prize is the right to kingship, which cannot be compared with prizes given on this earth. That is why He hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. (Revelation 5:10 KJV) That is why the Apostle Paul said, If we suffer, we shall also reign with him:  (2 Timothy 2:12 KJV)  and in Romans, For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. (Romans 8:18 KJV)  Glory in the Bible is of the second coming of Jesus Christ, who will come to this earth for judgment of the world and give heaven and earth to God’s children and people. Such a gospel is called the glorious gospel. However, the devil, the god of this world, does not allow the glorious gospel to shine on people’s hearts. He hides the fact that Jesus is coming back to this world, so that even the children of God live on this earth, grieving and lamenting about their lives. It’s very sad. In connection with the words of today’s text from 5:10, we need to recall the Lord’s parables in Luke 19, and we need to hold onto the promises of the Lord in these words. As I read these verses of Luke, I hope that your understanding will be opened and you will realize that it relates well to the words of the book of Revelation. And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading. Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds. And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities. (Luke 19:15-17 KJV)  So what does this mean? When a nobleman returns from receiving his kingship, he calls for his 10 servants to reward them with authority to rule according to how much they worked from what they all were equally given. Unto the one who gained ten pounds, he would receive authority to rule over ten cities. Notice the word pound, it is both a unit of money and weight. Ten servants, ten pounds. Each received equally one pound and was charged to Occupy till the Lord came. It means to take over. So, when the king, the Lord, returned, the servant gained ten pounds with one. Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities. We must not interpret these words spiritually. These words must be interpreted literally. It is counting with the servants when the Lord comes again. Making them kings and priests, He gave a pound each. What would a pound be? The Bible weighs a pound. A pound of Bible was given equally to everyone. There is life in this Bible. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. (John 1:1-4 KJV)  Through the work of the Holy Spirit in the words of all 66 books of the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation contains the life of Jesus Christ the Creator. Therefore, when you open this Bible and testify to these words unto the people, they will receive eternal life by receiving Jesus Christ as you will become the light shining into their dead souls. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? (Matthew 16:26 KJV) It cannot be exchanged for anything. No amount of money in the world is worth it if our soul is lost. That is why the Lord gave a Bible to everyone who has received Jesus Christ and is born again. When you deeply meditate on these words, there will be a work of understanding. He charged us to occupy, to take over. What did God say when He appeared to Abraham back in the days of Genesis 13:14-17? Lift up your eyes and look to the north, south, east and west, and I will give you and your seed all the land you see forever. The seed here is Jesus Christ first. Galatians 3 says, not seeds, as of many, but of one seed, which is Christ. The seed of Abraham is Jesus Christ, biologically Isaac, but Isaac is a type of Jesus Christ, as he carried wood and went up to Mount Moriah, which is the location of Mount Calvary. Isaac appears as a shadow of Jesus Christ, but only the only begotten Son of God, Jesus Christ, has become the true seed. And after saying this to Abraham, God promised to give the land as much as Abraham saw and walked, and he gave the land of Palestine to the Jews as he had said. Galatians 3 says those who are born by faith are descendants of Abraham and are blessed with Abraham. If we are born again by the Holy Spirit and became children of God, the dead will come to life when we bear witness to these words with the Bible, which is one pound. The Bible makes it clear that wherever we go with these words, the land will become ours. Because the word of the Lord that we are blessed with Abraham is the truth. Therefore, this will happen when our Lord comes again. As testified through the apostle Peter, we look forward to new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

When the Lord comes to this earth, all unbelievers will be destroyed, including the wicked and all the demons that follow the devil will be extinguished, and it will finally be a place where only the righteous dwell. For that reason, all those in powers and principalities will be judged, so then, who will rule this earth? Who will have power in heaven?  What should we worry about if this hope is certain? The Lord said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. (John 14:12 KJV) I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? (John 11:25-26 KJV)  For that reason, the words of Revelation 5:10 and Luke 19:15-17 are mutually compatible, and we must firmly hold onto them because they are spoken by the same Lord. The Lord tells us what He will do in the future and how we are to occupy our time on this earth.  We see in Luke 19:17 and below  the Lord shows us the king to round up those who did not want him ruling over them and put them to death. No matter how much you deny the Kingship of Jesus Christ, you are still alive for Now, but this scene will appear in Revelation 19 in the future when the Lord comes for Judgment as the King of Kings, and the Lord of lords.  No one will stand against the Lord in that time.

And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever. (Revelation 5:11-14 KJV)  Such an amazing scene. It’s where the angels and the entire universe exalt the Lamb Jesus Christ. Even all animals praise God. Last verse of Psalm 150 says Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD. (Psalm 150:6 KJV)  All things that have breath. including people. Even now, we believe that all things God created, animals, living things, and flowers praise God. Romans 8 says, moreover they praise God because they had never committed any sin, and they wait for the appearing of the sons of God with groaning. They continue to praise as they look forward to the Lord to come and restore all things. In the Old Testament Bible book of Numbers, when Balaam disobeyed God’s word with continual disobedience, God opened the mouth of the donkey he was riding upon to rebuke Balaam. God even uses animals to preach the gospel. If God’s children do not preach the gospel, God will use animals to preach the gospel, because God’s will must be done. Think for a moment that the sun, creeping things, various aquatic lifeforms, and wild beasts like lions also praise the Lord. We hope that we will realize once again through these words how much you and I are, how much we praise God, and how much we complain to God. We can live a life that is inferior to animals. Now through these words, let us come to our senses and no matter how difficult life may be, God became a man and shed the blood and water of His wretched suffering, wore a crown of thorns, and was whipped to heal us in order to forgive all our sins that would send us to hell. And when we think of the Lord who died carrying all the curses on the wooden cross, how can we not praise the Lord when we think of how He suffered without a day of comfort? Therefore, Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 KJV) All who have been saved through the blood of Jesus should give thanks no matter what their circumstances. Like Job, even if he lost all his possessions and his children,  the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD. (Job 1:21 KJV) But there were times when he lamented when he was weak. However, since he did not sin with his mouth even to the end, we can see that God praised him and blessed him twice in his final years. The final years for the children of God is when the Lord comes. That’s when eternal blessings of new world unfolds in the future, New heavens and New earth. Do you guys remember when our Lord entered Jerusalem on the colt of a donkey a few days before he was crucified?  When many people and little children truly praised the Lord to spread their garments and palm branches on the ground so the donkey carrying the Lord rode passed over? As they were waving and praising Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest!  many religious people and hypocrites rebuked them not to shout praise. So then what did the Lord say? And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out. (Luke 19:40 KJV) Even stones can scream. If we don’t do the Lord’s work, He uses someone else. Therefore, we are always used before the Lord, and while we are on this earth, we have nothing  but to give thanks and praise. Ephesians 1 says ‘we were adopted as children of God in Jesus Christ so that we might praise the glory of our Lord’s grace.’ The purpose of life for all who have been saved on this earth is to praise the Lord, and to lead others to his choir, which leads to salvation, to bring them into Christ and lead them into the kingdom of God. I believe you ad I have been allowed to live for such purpose.

And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever. (Revelation 5:14 KJV) When all things sing praises, you can see the four living creatures on the throne of God saying Amen. In connection with this scene, the apostle Paul and Silas went on a missionary trip to the Philippi region. There, they were sued and sent to prison when the demon-possessed divination spirit was cast out of a person, as the owner realized that his income source was gone, sued them and put Paul and Silas in a deep prison. Paul and Silas were bloodied and thrown into a prison but they did not become discouraged and did not lament, and it was about midnight. Then they prayed and sang praises to God. I don’t know what kind of hymn they sang, but at that time, something great suddenly happened. In Acts 16:26, then suddenly there was a great earthquake, and the foundations of the prison were shaken. All the doors were opened immediately, and the chains that had been placed on each were loosed. The guards knew they were going to die and were going to kill themselves. Paul reassured the guards by saying he was still inside his cell. Through this earthquake that appeared when praising God, through the opening of the prison door and the loosening of the chains, the jailer then asked the apostle Paul, “What must I do to be saved? When asked this, the Apostle Paul said, believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. Then you and your household will be saved. How does preaching the gospel really happen? As if we are in a difficult and impossible situation, as if we are tied up in a stockpile, as if we are in a deep prison, when it is dark and hopeless, when we pray and sing praises to God who makes all things happen, when we sing praises to the God who makes all things work together with faith, The four beasts that are in heaven will also respond with Amen. At that time, a great earthquake will occur in our lives and the foundation of all hardships, the spiritual prison will be shaken and we will be able to escape and show the power of God. When the world is hard, we do not agree and say it is difficult, but when we pray and praise like Paul and Silas, earthquakes like this will occur around us and the people of the world who have seen the amazing work ask us, “What must I do to be saved?”  Then, you will be able to preach the gospel boldly saying, “And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. (Acts 16:31 KJV) ” Therefore, as David confessed It is good for me that I have been afflicted;..(Psalm 119:71 KJV), we need to know that the sufferings that have come to me and you will change and God’s work of salvation will take place. In the Bible, we learn that the jailer and his family who had imprisoned Paul were completely changed, released them, invited them to their house, gave them a meal, healed all wounds, and all the families received Jesus Christ and were baptized.

Even now, the four beasts that are around the throne, the children of God on earth who, in all difficulties, pray and sing praises and weep to God with all creation, work together for good, because of me alone, a sinner. Praise our Lord who came to this earth, overcame all suffering, shed all blood and water, wore a crown of thorns, was whipped, and suffered tremendous suffering from being pierced in his side with a spear, and prayed to share in his suffering. When we say “Amen” and praise the Lord at any time, no matter what happens, these works will take place in heaven (the twenty-four elders and the four beasts sing praises) and on earth (us). Dear listeners, for those who are in the Lord today, let’s bow our heads before the Lord for a moment and meditate. How are you using the Pound the Lord has given you? One servant turned that one pound into ten pounds, and one wrapped it in a napkin. He called THAT servant an evil and lazy servant. What’s wrapping it in a napkin? Isn’t this a person who just keep their Bibles wrapped up throughout the week and read them only at worship services? Now, when you remove the napkin, open the Bible and preach the word of life inside, the Holy Spirit of God will be with you when you testify of this word of God, which gives life, and when you sing “Amen” in the midst of suffering, the twenty-four elders and the four beasts in heaven will answer “Amen”, the wonderful work experienced by the apostles in the past will happen to you as well, and the work of salvation of others will also take place in your life. Through this life, when the Lord comes, we will meet the Lord gloriously, and the Lord will say, “And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities, five cities. (Luke 19:17 KJV) ” I bless you in the name of Jesus Christ that you will receive these blessings.