Revelation chapter 19-22 Study.

[Alan]

Brethren,

If you would like to ask a question concerning anything in this study, or seek seek a clarificatrion on something I said, or, let me know that you disagree with what I have said, you may either send a regular reply, or, you may send me a message by, "private messenger," here on OnLine Baptist.

Alan 

[Alan]

Brethren,

I want to thank all of you that have viewed the lessons. Hopefully they have been a blessing to your heart and encouraged you in your walk with Christ in these last days.The next lesson, Revelation 22:6-11, will be uploaded soon.  Any quesions, comments, areas of discussion, areas of disagreement, or hopefully, areas of agreement, that you want to mention before the next lesson, please let me know.

Alan

 

[Alan]

Revelation 22:6-11, “Remain Faithful.”

Verse 6-11, “And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done. Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book. And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things. Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellow-servant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God. And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand. He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.”

“These sayings are faithful and true:”

Please reference Revelation 21:5. We are again reminded that the climatic, and prophetic events of the Book of Revelation are true and faithful. God is faithful and His Word is Faithful. Praise the Lord! Psalm 119:90, “Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: thou hast established the earth and it abideth.” Psalm 119:86, “All thy commandments are faithful: they persecute me wrongfully; help thou me.”

Brethren, it is required, not asked, nor recommended, but required, that the Man of God remain faithful. “1 Corinthians 4:2, “Moreover it is REQUIRED in stewards, that a man be found faithful.” The steward is the man of God in the ministry. This requires being faithful in the matters of the body, in spirit, in doctrine, in purity and holiness. Every man in the ministry will be held accountable to the qualifications of the steward found in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:7-9

“Behold, I come quickly:”

The Lord Jesus is coming for his bride soon! The scriptures teach that the Lord Jesus will come and take us home to heaven without any notice, or, ‘imminent,’ without any visible signs, and within the twinkling of an eye we would meet the Lord Jesus in the air! And, this coming is for the church only. Only believers in Christ are involved: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 and 1 Corinthians 15:51-56 and Matthew 24:42-44 May Jesus come today!

A Chinese Saying「歎為觀止。」

Translated, “A Sight never to be Forgotten.”

One of these days, hopefully today, the Lord Jesus will personally appear in the clouds of the air above us. One day the Great Shepherd of the sheep will call all of us home. And, like Lazarus, the Lord Jesus will call His sheep by name: John 11:43 and Luke 10:3

First, He will personally call every dead saint from the graves and the body of the dead saints will rise, in a new, glorified body, to meet the Lord in the air.

Second, in the twinkling of an eye, without any of the lost viewing the scene, the Lord Jesus will personally call each and individual by his own name, and we will in the twinkling of an eye, be raised to meet the Lord Jesus in the air. Our first glance at the Saviour will be in our new and glorified bodies.

The living saints, like Enoch of old, will never, may I repeat, never, experience death. Glory Hallelujah! All of the saints will be in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ, our wonderful Saviour, our Dear Friend, and Loving Master, forever!

Like the folks who tried to find Enoch, the folks here on the earth will not understand what happened. They will believe the lie of the Anti-Christ concerning why so many people are missing: 2 Thessalonians 2:11

Please enjoy, and be encouraged by, the story of Enoch in Genesis 5:21-24 and Hebrews 11:5, “By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.”

A Polite Reminder.

The visible coming of the Lord Jesus in Revelation 19:11-21 is for the reign of the Lord Jesus, coming with His Bride, the Church, for the Restoration of the Nation of Israel as foretold by the prophets. As such, His coming will be visible to all the earth. His coming will be preached by the two prophets as recorded in Revelation 11: 1-12. And, the time element, as written in Daniel 9:27 and 12:7-13, is clearly delineated. The church was not given any time periods to look for; all of the time frames in Daniel 7:24-27 and 12:7-13 are for the Jewish nation of Israel only.

Therefore, the coming of Christ in Revelation 19:11-21 and the coming of Christ in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 are two separate and distinct events. Any attempts to make them the same event will produce an erroneous belief in the Second Coming of Christ through the incorrect dividing of scripture.

Mid-Tribulation Rapture Correction

Please take special note for those who believe in a Mid-Tribulation Rapture. The rising of the Two Witnesses in Revelation 11:11 and 12 plainly states, “And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and fear fell upon them which saw them. And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies behold them.”

This cannot be the Rapture of the Church. Paul clearly states in 1 Corinthians 15:52 that the coming of the Lord will be accomplished so fast the eye cannot see it. Yet, in Revelation11:11 and 12 the two witnesses stand on their feet and everybody views them for a while and even their enemies watch them ascend into the clouds. The two events are so different that they obviously are two separate events at two separate times.

“... worship God.”

The Lord Jesus said, “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must [a requirement] worship him in spirit and in truth.” John 4:24

God is a Spirit and He is Holy and Righteous in His Character and very Being. God will not accept any worship that is not done in Spirit nor in Truth.

The Apostle John, like many others throughout the history of man, (through a sincere heart), temporary thought to worship before the angel. The angel, as any true man of God, would not accept the worship of another. When Cornelius mistakenly bowed down to Peter, Acts 10:25, Peter immediately acted as a man of God would act, “But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man.” Acts 10:26

The Roman Catholic practice of men bowing down before the Pope, or a Cardinal, or a Bishop, or an image, and kissing his ring, is a clear indication that these men are not men of God but liars and hypocrites.

“Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book:”

The Book of Revelation is the unsealing of the sequence of the prophetic events of the scriptures. God has condensed all of the prophecies of the Old Testament, and the prophecies of the Lord Jesus, specifically Matthew Chapter 24 and 26, the prophecies of Paul, Jude, and Peter, into one grand prophetic Book: the Book of Revelation. If a person wants to learn the proper sequence of the history of the church, or, the Age of the Gentiles, the 7-Year Tribulation Period, the Restoration of the Sons of Israel, the Millennial Reign of Christ and the glories of the New Heaven and the New Earth, then he must have a proper understanding of the Book of Revelation.

Only the Book of Revelation has the proper prophetic sequence of events of all the prophecies, and promises ,of the other books of the Bible.

To the individual that simply believes that the scriptures are the truth of all matters, and that believes in the literal fulfillment of the prophecies of God, the Book of Revelation is mostly, not all, understood: or unsealed. The passages of scripture not fully understood will be fully understood by the preaching of the two witnesses at the appointed time.

Daniel – The Last Days

The Times, Dispensations, Determined by God

“But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.” Daniel 12:4. The book that the angel was referring to is the Book of Daniel and the prophecies contained therein. When, “the times of the Gentiles,” cease the last week of years (see Daniel 9:27), will start. Then, God will completely unseal the times spoken of in Daniel 12:5-13

The Restoration of the Nation of Israel

In Acts 1:6 the disciples asked the Lord Jesus, “... Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?” Acts 1:6

The Lord Jesus gave them, and us, the answer, “And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the time or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.” Acts 1:7

The disciples were thinking of the promises and prophecies of Isaiah 1:25-27, 5:5-12 and 28:9-12. The Apostle Peter clearly states in Acts 3:19-21 that the Lord Jesus will remain in heaven until He comes again to restore the nation of Israel and commence His Millennial Reign on earth as depicted in Revelation 19:11-21

Paul added, “And hath made of one blood all nations of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and HATH DETERMINED THE TIMES BEFORE APPOINTED, and the bounds of their habitation.” Acts 17:6

God determines the times of the Gentiles and the times of the Jews.

The Gentile Church are not to, “observe times,” Galatians 4:10. The times, dispensations, in the Book of Daniel and the times of the 7 year Tribulation are only for the nation of Israel. The church is not on the face of the earth during the 7 Year Tribulation Period. That time, or dispensation, is reserved for the direct dealing of the nation of Israel as specifically revealed as revealed to Daniel in Daniel 9:24

“That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him.” Ephesians 1:10 The present dispensation is the Church Age. Once God completes His wrath upon the earth during the 7-Year Tribulation Period the Dispensation of the Restoration of Israel will commence.

As the nation of Israel is slowly ‘ripening’ as a nation and is ready to bud, the events of the Book of Daniel are being slowly unsealed further. Please study Matthew 24:32 and 33 and verse 43

The two witnesses, (Revelation 11:1-11), will fully expound the meaning of Daniel 12:5-13 completely and announce the soon coming of the Restoration of the Kingdom to Israel.

“He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.”

Brethren this solemn warning is not only for the lost; but it is for the saved. If a person is not going to repent of his filthy sins while he is still alive those filthy sins will not be forgiven and he will be held accountable in eternity.

Paul taught the Corinthian saints that when a person believes in Christ as their Saviour he becomes a righteous person in the sight of God; 1 Corinthians 1:31 and 2 Corinthians 5:21

Paul also taught the Corinthian saints that if a saint keeps his filthy fleshly sins, and was not righteous or holy in his daily walk with Christ, than that person also will be accountable for his actions in eternity; i.e. ‘still.’ Even a cursory reading of 1 and 2 Corinthians will be enough for any saint to see that the Christian walk of the Corinthian saints was not good. Some of these saints died, ‘still,’ in their sins: 1 Corinthians 11:30

Paul taught that when the saint stepped into eternity that he would be held accountable for his filthy sins and will be judged accordingly: not for salvation, but, for rewards for eternity: 1 Corinthians 3:15

Let this solemn warning encourage us to remain faithful to the Lord Jesus and to the true doctrines of the scriptures in these last days before His coming.

[Covenanter]

How many second comings & judgements are there? Where do they fit in your scheme of things? 

 

[Invicta]

The Lord Jesus is coming for his bride soon! The scriptures teach that the Lord Jesus will come and take us home to heaven without any notice, or, ‘imminent,’ without any visible signs, and within the twinkling of an eye we would meet the Lord Jesus in the air! And, this coming is for the church only. Only believers in Christ are involved: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 and 1 Corinthians 15:51-56 and Matthew 24:42-44 May Jesus come today!

None of those verses suggest a secret rapture.

[Alan]

How many second comings & judgements are there? Where do they fit in your scheme of things? 

 

​Hello Ian, hope things are going well with you. Quite a topic you have given for me to answer!

1. Second Comings.

I would like to qualify the term, 'Second Coming.' The term, 'Second coming,' is not found in the scriptures. One of the problems in eschatology is that when one person thinks of, ' the Second Coming,' and another person thinks of ,'the Second Coming,' they may be thinking of two different events described in the Bible as, "...the coming of the Lord ...'

Thus, brethren are confused when we say Jesus is coming again and one person thinks of the rapture, (another term not found in the scriptures) and the coming of the Lord Jesus as 'KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.'

In this context, I will answer that there are two times that the Lord Jesus is coming back; the first is to the clouds above us (not to the earth), as a thief, not visible to the lost, in order to take His Bride, the church (in this context, only those truly redeemed are part of His church). Please take special note that when Paul talks about this coming he states, "... the coming of the Lord..." 1 Thessalonians 4:15b the phrase, 'second coming' is not there. Paul continues and says, "... shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air ..." 1 Thessalonians 4:17b The Lord Jesus never sets His foot on the earth as described by Paul in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 and is coming only for the saved.

In this context, the second time the Lord Jesus comes to the earth is as KING OF KINGS AND LORD AND LORD as depicted in Revelation 1:7 and 19:11-21 Please take special note. Again, this coming in not called, 'the Second Coming,' in scripture either. Let me quote one of them. In the Olivet discourse the disciples asked the Lord Jesus three questions, one of the questions was, "... and what shall be the sign of thy coming..." Matthew 24:3 b Again, the phrase, 'second coming' is not written.

Special note: The context determines which coming is refered to by the speaker in scripture.

Special note. One of the reasons Matthew 24 and 25 are difficult to interpret correctly by many is that there are three different questions asked that the Lord Jesus answers.

2 Judgments,

I will only answer, in the context of the judgment of the saved and the lost, the following two judgments.

The saved will be judged by the Lord Jesus at the, "Judgement Seat of Christ," Romans 14:10-12 (please note the Old Testament reference to Isaiah 45:23) and 2 Corinthians 5:10. This judgment is for rewards for the saved and our position in service for the 1000 Year reign of Christ and for eternity.

In Revelation 20:11-15 we have the Great white Throne of Judgment for the lost throughout the ages. This judgment will also include the angels, Satan,  rewards for the Tribulation saints and the saints in the 1000 Year reign of Christ.

How do they fit into my scheme of things? That is a somewhat ackward question to answer as I just try and believe what I read and am happy and joyful of the wonderful blessings I personally receive studying the future events that God has planned.

As far as how the fit in the scheme (or plan of God)? I see them fitting perfectly, appropriately, and justly.

 

[Alan]

None of those verses suggest a secret rapture.

​Hello Invicta,

You referenced 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, 1 Corinthians 15:51-56 and Matthew 24:42-44

For meanings of older, and Biblical English words, I use the Noah Webster Dictionary of 1828 and for more modern meanings I use the, "American heritage Dictionary, Fifth Edition. Both may be helpful in this discussion.

One of the meanings of the word secret, (there are numerous meanings in both of these dictionaires), found in the Noah Webster Dictionary of 1828 and the American Heritage Dictionary, both list the following meaning : 1. concealed from knowledge or view. Also, in the Noah 1828 Dictionary, the number 7th., listed meaning is: Known to God only.

The, 'coming of the Lord...' as described by Paul in 1 Thessalonians 4;13-18 is, "concealed from knowledge or view," from the lost inhabitants of the earth. Hence, the word secret is used, properly understood and appropriate in connection to the concealed coming of the Lord Jesus for His saints as depicted in 1 Thessalonians 4:18. It is also concidered secret in 1  Corinthians 15:51-56 and Matthew 24:42-44 because the time of the coming is not known: it is concealed. And, it is known to God only.

The coming of the Lord Jesus in Revelation 1;7 and 19:11-21 is not in secret nor concealed. It is known and witnessed by all the earth. Hence, the coming in Revelation 19:11-21 cannot be considered secret; it is open knowledge to all.

I do hope that this helps you, and possibly others, why the word secret is used in connection with these aforementioned verses.

Thank you very much for the fine discussion and the necessity of me to clarify myself. At the end of this study I plan to revise the study in order to clarify statements, revise the grammer, so that I may be more fully understood. So, I honestly appreciate you bringing things like this to my attention.

Edited May 20, 2015 by Alan
grammer constuction

[Invicta]

​Hello Invicta,

You referenced 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, 1 Corinthians 15:51-56 and Matthew 24:42-44

For meanings of older, and Biblical English words, I use the Noah Webster Dictionary of 1828 and for more modern meanings I use the, "American heritage Dictionary, Fifth Edition. Both may be helpful in this discussion.

One of the meanings of the word secret, (there are numerous meanings in both of these dictionaires), found in the Noah Webster Dictionary of 1828 and the American Heritage Dictionary, both list the following meaning : 1. concealed from knowledge or view. Also, in the Noah 1828 Dictionary, the number 7th., listed meaning is: Known to God only.

The, 'coming of the Lord...' as described by Paul in 1 Thessalonians 4;13-18 is, "concealed from knowledge or view," from the lost inhabitants of the earth. Hence, the word secret is used, properly understood and appropriate in connection to the concealed coming of the Lord Jesus for His saints as depicted in 1 Thessalonians 4:18. It is also concidered secret in 1  Corinthians 15:51-56 and Matthew 24:42-44 because the time of the coming is not known: it is concealed. And, it is known to God only.

The coming of the Lord Jesus in Revelation 1;7 and 19:11-21 is not in secret nor concealed. It is known and witnessed by all the earth. Hence, the coming in Revelation 19:11-21 cannot be considered secret; it is open knowledge to all.

I do hope that this helps you, and possibly others, why the word secret is used in connection with these aforementioned verses.

Thank you very much for the fine discussion and the necessity of me to clarify myself. At the end of this study I plan to revise the study in order to clarify statements, revise the grammer, so that I may be more fully understood. So, I honestly appreciate you bringing things like this to my attention.

​You do read a lot that is not there the verses you mention.  Such as

 

1 Thess 4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

 

13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

Matt 24:42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.

43 But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.

44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.

 

[Alan]

Thank you for your words of comfort.

[Invicta]

Sorry Alan but i think that is a strange reply.  I would like you to shew where in these verses you find anything to say the events show a secret coming?

[Alan]

Invicta,

Both passages that you quoted, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 and Matthew 24:42 are a great comfort to me and to a lot of people no matter how is is presented.

If you also read the words of Paul in the context, 1 Thessalonians 5:1-7, Paul plainly teaches that the coming of the Lord Jesus for His church (herein called the Rapture as it is commonly known), he comes, ...as a thief in the night." 1 thessalonians 5:2 A thief comes in a secret manner in all aspects. To me, and to a whole lot of the brethren, the point is well proved that the Lord Jesus comes in the Rapture in secret.

Matthew 24:42 can be perfectly applicable to both the coming of the Lord Jesus in the Rapture and in His coming in Revelation 19:11-21  It is very plain that the Lord Jesus wants all HIs saints, in any generation, whether in the Church Age, or in the Tribulation perios, to be ready for His coming.

[Invicta]

16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

 

How can this be secret.  He will come as a thief to the unbeliever as it will be a surprise, but to the believer, we are expecting it and watching for it.  We should be anyway.

[Alan]

The shout is for the believers only. The world does not hear the shout nor the trump of God for the dead saints to rise and the living saints to rise.

As I brought out previously:

1. As a thief, the Lord Jesus takes His jewels and leaves, the lost peoples of the world do not know what happened.

2. The Anti-Christ will tell the world a lie to explain away the rapture; 2 Thessalonians 2:11, "And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:"

3. Until we hear the actual shout and trumpet it will be secret even to the Christian: "Known unto God only."

4.   The coming of Christ in 1 Thessalonians is a great comfort.

5. According to Paul, no horses, nor army, are mentioned in 1 Thessalonnians 4:13-18 as it is not a military action.

6. The coming of the Lord in Revelation 1:7 and 19:11-21 is witnessed by the whole world and the whole world  and His coming is a military action to destroy His enemies.

7. There is no rising of the dead in Revelation 1:7 and 19:11-21. In fact, the world mourns. There is no comfort.

8. There are not trumpets mentioned, nor shouts, in Revelation 1:7 and 19:11-21

In conclusion, the coming of the Lord Jesus in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 is only for the dead and living saints only, it is in secret, and is different in time, actions, scope, and purpose from the coming of the Lord Jesus in Revelation 1:7 and 19:11-21

I am waiting for the trumpet to blow and the shout to rise! It may come today, tomorrow or the next year.  

Alan

[John81]

In regards to the trumpets sounding: Has anyone read any of the reports which claim many people in various parts of the earth have recently heard what they described as the sound of trumpets coming from the sky?

Naturally there are some trying to connect this with Scripture and the coming of Christ.

Any idea what it may be all these people scattered around the world actually heard?

[MountainChristian]