tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:/blogs/latest-messages?p=75Revelation - Latest Teaching Series2023-10-20T16:06:02+01:00A systematic study of the New Testament book of Revelation, preaching and teaching through the great mysteries of the final prophetic book of the BibleDr J Stewart Gillespie falseDr J Stewart Gillespie newcumnockgospelhall@gmail.com tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/72906902023-10-20T16:06:02+01:002023-10-20T16:06:02+01:00The Last Lecture - Fairwell Forever - Fruitfulness Faithfulness Fortitude - Revelation 22 - JS Gillespie <div class="video-container size_s justify_left" style=""><iframe data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="olqM7BxHZvc" data-video-thumb-url="" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/olqM7BxHZvc?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></div><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#0F0F0F;"><span>The book of Revelation ends unexpectedly in chapter 22 with a series of practical challenges. The Spirit of God takes the eternal and brings it into time. In the light of meeting the Lord Jesus, the Alpha and Omega, the Lamb upon the throne, now is the time to be fruitful, and faithful, facing the challenges of life with courage, fortitude and hope. The tree of life, fruitful every month, drawing from the rivers of living water is to be echoed in our life now as we hear the invitation of Christ to that same living water, -'let Him that is athirst come'.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#0F0F0F;"><span>Dr J Stewart Gillespie</span></span><br><span style="color:#0F0F0F;"><span>Faskally House Families Week 2023</span></span><br><span style="color:#0F0F0F;"><span>The last lecture - Fairwell Forever</span></span><br><span style="color:#0F0F0F;"><span>Fruitfulness Faithfulness and Fortitude</span></span><br><span style="color:#0F0F0F;"><span>Studies in Revelation chapter 22.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#0F0F0F;"><span>#revelation #christian #god #jesus</span></span><br><span style="color:#0F0F0F;"><span>#Lamb #alphaandomega</span></span></p>44:43Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/72899742023-10-19T13:06:02+01:002023-10-19T13:06:03+01:00The Last Lecture - The Reason for Revelation - Christ is Everything - Revelation chapter 22 - JS Gillespie <div class="video-container size_s justify_left" style=""><iframe data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="D1ohACg_cHE" data-video-thumb-url="" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/D1ohACg_cHE?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></div><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#0F0F0F;"><span>The book of Revelation ends with the supremacy and centrality of Christ, at the centre of heaven and supreme over the universe. Ephesus had left their first love, the root cause of all of the problems at Pergamos , Thyatira, Sardis and Laodicea! Jesus will the centre of heaven as the Alpha and Omega, the Lamb, the bright and morning star and the root and offspring of David. If Jesus is the centre of heaven surely He should be at the centre of our life today.</span></span><br><span style="color:#0F0F0F;"><span>Dr J Stewart Gillespie</span></span><br><span style="color:#0F0F0F;"><span>Faskally House Families Week 2023</span></span><br><span style="color:#0F0F0F;"><span>#jesus #revelation #prophecy </span></span><br><span style="color:#0F0F0F;"><span>#heaven</span></span></p>41:57Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/72893282023-10-18T08:12:36+01:002023-10-18T08:12:37+01:00The Last Lecture - What's so Great about Glory - Revelation chp 21-JS Gillespie <div class="video-container size_s justify_left" style=""><iframe data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="mY6IXIyz5fA" data-video-thumb-url="" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mY6IXIyz5fA?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></div><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#0F0F0F;"><span>Heaven is a place of surpassing glory, infinitely more glorious than the good creation from which we came. Through the experiences of life, all of its sufferings and trials and tribulations God infuses purpose in using the experiences of life and the world's experience of the consequences of sin and rebellion to bring us to Glory and redeem a people who now chose to dwell forever with and serve the Lord.</span></span><br><span style="color:#0F0F0F;"><span>Revelation chapter 21</span></span><br><span style="color:#0F0F0F;"><span>Dr J Stewart Gillespie</span></span><br><span style="color:#0F0F0F;"><span>Faskally House Families Week 2023</span></span><br><span style="color:#0F0F0F;"><span>#jesus #god #christian #revelation #prophecy #heaven</span></span></p>44:13Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/72893272023-10-18T08:12:36+01:002023-10-18T08:12:37+01:00The Last Lecture - What's so Great about Glory - Revelation chp 21-JS Gillespie <div class="video-container size_s justify_left" style=""><iframe data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="mY6IXIyz5fA" data-video-thumb-url="" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mY6IXIyz5fA?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></div><p dir="ltr"><span style="color:#0F0F0F;"><span>Heaven is a place of surpassing glory, infinitely more glorious than the good creation from which we came. Through the experiences of life, all of its sufferings and trials and tribulations God infuses purpose in using the experiences of life and the world's experience of the consequences of sin and rebellion to bring us to Glory and redeem a people who now chose to dwell forever with and serve the Lord.</span></span><br><span style="color:#0F0F0F;"><span>Revelation chapter 21</span></span><br><span style="color:#0F0F0F;"><span>Dr J Stewart Gillespie</span></span><br><span style="color:#0F0F0F;"><span>Faskally House Families Week 2023</span></span><br><span style="color:#0F0F0F;"><span>#jesus #god #christian #revelation #prophecy #heaven</span></span></p>44:13Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/72888712023-10-17T12:03:24+01:002023-10-17T12:03:24+01:00The Last Lecture - The Pilgrims Progress to Heaven - Revelation chp 21 <div class="video-container size_s justify_left" style=""><iframe data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="oDc121O5Giw" data-video-thumb-url="" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oDc121O5Giw?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></div><p>The Christian pilgrim finally arrives at the 12 gates of the New Jerusalem to find that his pilgrimage was after all the path to glory. </p><p>Dr J Stewart Gillespie </p><p>Faskally House Families Week 2023 </p>39:11Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/72882742023-10-16T08:41:55+01:002023-10-16T16:02:01+01:00The Last Lecture - When God Removes the Cause of all Tears - Revelation chp 21 - JS Gillespie <div class="video-container size_m justify_left" style=""><iframe data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="Vhn6Y2KJ-QU" data-video-thumb-url="" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Vhn6Y2KJ-QU?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></div><p>Revelation chapter 21 </p><p>Heaven is not only a place of no tears but a place where the cause of all Tears are removed. For heaven to be heaven Satan must be defeated, the world judged at Armageddon and death and disease, sorrow and suffering removed. Heaven will be the place of no tears and no sorrow because heaven is a place where there is no cause for such tears, sorrow nor pain.</p><p>Dr J Stewart Gillespie</p><p>Faskally House Families Week 2023</p><p>#revelation #heaven #tears </p><p>#jesus #god #christian</p>38:31Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/72882732023-10-16T08:40:19+01:002023-10-16T08:43:54+01:00The Last Lecture Living The Path To Heaven - Revelation chp 21 - JS Gillespie <div class="video-container size_s justify_left" style=""><iframe data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="lnRPLt8G_8M" data-video-thumb-url="" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lnRPLt8G_8M?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></div><p>The book of Revelation is God's concluding lecture to man in the Bible and John's parting prophetic insight into heaven and forever. The new heavens and earth are as different from the old heavens and earth as the new birth is from the natural birth. Whilst different and distinct yet there is a connection. We take our character to heaven, we go prepared as a bride dressed for her wedding. The Christian Life is our path to heaven, ordered and ordained by the God of electing Grace who chose us in Christ to be Holy and without blame before Him in love.</p><p>#jesus #christian #revelation #heaven #election #suffering #ephesians</p><p>Dr J Stewart Gillespie</p><p>Faskally House Families Week 2023</p>43:46Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/72858942023-10-10T23:59:05+01:002023-10-10T23:59:05+01:00Sardis - A name that you live and are dead - Church at Sardis<div class="video-container size_m justify_left" style=""><iframe data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="MKQf822dP4o" data-video-thumb-url="" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MKQf822dP4o?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></div><p>Our study tour of the seven churches of Revelation brings us to the church at Sardis. Sardis pictures the church of the reformation, which has a name that it lives and yet is dead. Like the city of Sardis around it, the church seems to be living in the light of past glory and like the fall of Sardis to Cyrus the great, it has let it's guard down and is unprepared for the coming again of Christ. Part of our tour of the seven churches of Revelation. </p><p>Dr J Stewart Gillespie</p>Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/72843792023-10-07T20:32:03+01:002023-10-07T20:32:03+01:00The Church of Pergamos, The Cost of Compromise, a tour of the seven Churches of Revelation<div class="video-container size_m justify_left" style=""><iframe data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="Yn-SY-FHRrM" data-video-thumb-url="" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Yn-SY-FHRrM?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></div><p>A guided tour of the seven churches of Revelation. We reach the church at Pergamos spoken of in Revelation chapter 2. It was here that Satan's seat was found. On contender for that title was the great altar to Zeus and Athena. It was here also that we find the temple to Asclepius, symbolised by the serpent. Pergamum was also the site for the martyrdom of Antipas as he refused to offer the pinch of incense to Caesar and was, by later accounts roasted alive inside a brass bull. Dr J Stewart Gillespie</p>Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/72843782023-10-07T20:31:13+01:002023-10-07T20:31:13+01:00The church at Smyrna, a tour of the seven churches of Revelation, persecution and suffering.<div class="video-container size_m justify_left" style=""><iframe data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="t5UmvhkpyqQ" data-video-thumb-url="" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/t5UmvhkpyqQ?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></div><p>The church at Smyrna, on localy, a travel guide and tour of the seven churches of Revelation in Turkey. The city of the martyrdom of Polycarp. On location at ancient Smyrna in Izmir with Dr J Stewart Gillespie.</p>Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/72823572023-10-03T23:54:54+01:002023-10-03T23:54:54+01:00Ephesus - A tour of seven Churches of Revelation - JS Gillespie<div class="video-container size_m justify_left" style=""><iframe data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="djxB7PsSqXw" data-video-thumb-url="" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/djxB7PsSqXw?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></div><p>On location, a tour of Ephesus and the history of the church at Ephesus, one of the 7 churches of Revelation.</p>Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/72723342023-09-12T23:08:47+01:002023-09-12T23:14:45+01:00Tell me what heaven is like - Revelation chapter 22<div class="video-container size_m justify_left" style=""><iframe data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="UusxZ-_1LG0" data-video-thumb-url="" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UusxZ-_1LG0?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></div><p>The book of Revelation has as it's supreme goal the drawing of our hearts to the person of Christ, to find our delight, our joy and satisfaction in Him. It was that moving away from Christ as our first love that caused the problems at Ephesus in Revelation chapter 2 and it is this void which the book of Revelation fills. In drawing me to Christ as living water and the tree of life, we gain a glimpse of the place where Christ is, that is heaven. Having concluded our studies in the book of Revelation perhaps we will be left with a flavour of Christ, a thirst for Him and a glimpse of heaven as home, as destiny and as eternal reward. </p><p>Dr J Stewart Gillespie</p>39:45Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/72692542023-09-06T12:33:58+01:002023-09-06T12:34:30+01:00Revelation chapter 22 - The Surprising End to Revelation, 3 words of encouragement - JS Gillespie<div class="video-container size_m justify_left" style=""><iframe data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="tn9TEbbrjsg" data-video-thumb-url="" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tn9TEbbrjsg?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></div><p> </p><p>The final chapter of the final book of the Bible, Revelation concludes with 3 final challanges. In summing up Revelation is ultimately a book of encouragement and challenge and not purely a book of prophetic events yet to be fulfilled. On 3 separate occasions the Lord Jesus concludes with " behold I come quickly." On each of these 3 occasions there follows a practical exhortation for us to appreciate and apply </p><p>Dr J Stewart Gillespie Systematic studies in Revelation.</p>35:29Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/72574462023-08-15T22:58:33+01:002023-08-15T22:59:16+01:00I am Alpha and Omega - The Problem of Revelation! - Revelation chapter 22 vs 13 - JS Gillespie<div class="video-container size_m justify_left" style=""><iframe data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="MRb9hNQqNJg" data-video-thumb-url="" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MRb9hNQqNJg?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></div><p>Why was the book of Revelation written? All of the New Testamant letters were written to address some kind of problem or crises in the church, so what crises did the book of Revelation address? The apocalypse opens with an address to the 7 churches of asia minor. These 7 churches represent 7 distinct problems faced by these churches. It is possible to discern not only problems bit a pattern. The problems begin logically with Ephesus having left her first love. This creates a spiritual vacuum which draws in the world and false religion at Pergamos, false teachers and false teaching in Thyatira until ultimately we arrive at Laodicea. In Laodicea we have not left our first love, the Lord Jesus, rather we have positively locked Him out! He is on the outside of the church! This church is to busy and popular for His presence! The great need of the church and for individual believers is a living and vital union and communion with Jesus Christ! He is the Alpha and the Omega. Jesus Christ is present at the beginning and at the end. Jesus Christ is the cause fo the beginning and the end as the arche and telos. Jesus Christ thus reveals history from beginning to end! It is easy to forget that the essence of Christianity is our relationship with Jesus Christ. </p><p>Dr J Stewart Gillespie From a systematic study of the book of Revelation.</p>34:09Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/72542132023-08-08T22:16:39+01:002023-08-08T22:22:08+01:00God's Grace does not give us what we want, God gives us what we need - Himself - Revelation chp 22 vs 5<div class="video-container size_m justify_left" style=""><iframe data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="9bMuFQxB78E" data-video-thumb-url="" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9bMuFQxB78E?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></div><p>Revelation chapter 22 verse 5 </p><p>"and there shall be no night there and they need no candle, neither light of the sun for the Lord God giveth them light and they shall reign for ever and ever" </p><p>Dr J Stewart Gillespie, from a series of bible teaching ministry in the book of Revelation.</p>29:40Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/72506852023-08-01T23:26:27+01:002023-08-01T23:36:53+01:00Revelation chp 22 vs 4 - And His Name shall be upon their Foreheads<div class="video-container size_m justify_left" style=""><iframe data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="d8NTtXYnHTU" data-video-thumb-url="" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/d8NTtXYnHTU?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></div><p>Revelation chp 22 vs 4 - And His Name shall be upon their Foreheads. A bible study of Revelation chapter 22 verse 4. God not only rewards the service of His people but by the experiences through which they are led God molds and shapes the character of His people. Men like Moses shaped for meekness, Daniel for righteousness, Job shaped by circumstances for patience and Jonah brought to an appreciation of Gods Grace and salvation! God prepares His servants to receive His name upon their forehead. Dr J Stewart Gillespie - 01082023</p>28:09Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/72471582023-07-25T22:58:46+01:002023-07-25T22:58:47+01:00Revelation chapter 20 vs 1 to 5 - 4 lessons from 4 ever - JS Gillespie <div class="video-container size_m justify_left" style=""><iframe data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="v5ZtVcVgk98" data-video-thumb-url="" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/v5ZtVcVgk98?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></div><p>Some see Eden not only as the place of human origin but as the destiny, as though the purpose of God is to bring us back to where we begun. God in His sovereignity has something far better than simply getting us back to where we started. There is purpose and meaning in trial and tribulation, affliction and problems. Our sufferings and sorrows are not wasted. God is sovereign even over our disobedience and is able to mold and shape us into conformity to His image. It is worth taking risks for God, it can lead to unexpected outcomes and blessing for His People! Bible teaching from Revelation chapter 22, Dr J Stewart Gillespie www.graceinchrist.org</p><p>25th July 2023</p>38:07Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/72369012023-07-04T22:55:06+01:002023-07-05T07:22:07+01:00Revelation chapter 22 vs 1 to 6 - The Tree of Life and the River of Life, When Life's too Tuff - JS Gillespie<div class="video-container size_m justify_left" style=""><iframe data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="H3QISHj_nVo" data-video-thumb-url="" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/H3QISHj_nVo?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></div><p> </p><p>A study of Revelation chapter 22, heaven and the New Jerusalem. We consider the eternal resources of the river of life and the tree of life. It would perhaps be easy to forget that either the tree of life or that river of life ever existed. Once they were in Eden, but since Genesis chapter 3 Adam and humanity have been barred from entrance into that garden and resource. Down through the scriptures that river has not been forgotten about. The nation of Israel drank of that river in the wilderness (1 Corinthians chapter 10); David thirsted for that river (Psalm 42 verse 1) and knew of the source of that river (Psalm 46 vs 4). The woman at the well in John chapter 4 tasted of that living water. Here is the source of that living water in Revelation chapter 22. There are two conditions attached to enjoing that living water. It comes from the throne of God and of the Lamb. We must know Him as Lord and as Saviour and then we can taste of that Living Water. What is holding us back? The resources for spiritual progress is all there. Dr J Stewart Gillespie From a systematic study in the Book of Revelation Bridgend Gospel Hall New Cumnock</p>38:46Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/72334582023-06-27T23:03:16+01:002023-06-27T23:03:17+01:00Revelation chapter 21 - Why there are no Diamonds in Heaven - JS Gillespie<div class="video-container size_m justify_left" style=""><iframe data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="c9ubFbI0sRI" data-video-thumb-url="" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/c9ubFbI0sRI?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></div><p>A study of heaven and the New Jerusalem in Revelation chapter 21. We consider the gates named after the tribes of Israel, the precious stones of the foundation of the New Jerusalem and the dimensions of Glory. We consider the significance of the fact that there are no diamonds in the New Jerusalem. Here is a suitable place to reflect the true and eternal Glory of God. Dr J Stewart Gillespie</p>44:12Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/72262942023-06-14T11:21:32+01:002023-06-14T11:22:10+01:00Revelation chapter 21 vs 1 to 12 - The Man who Named the Gates of Heaven - JS Gillespie<div class="video-container size_m justify_left" style=""><iframe data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="gexZJQEpag8" data-video-thumb-url="" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gexZJQEpag8?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></div><p>Heaven as described in Revelation chapter 21 has many surprises. We could perhaps ask the question, if all of earth and heaven pass away, what really is the point to life? Revelation chapter 21 shows us 4 great things we take with us to heaven and some of them are pretty surprising, in particular the 12 names of the tribes of Israel on the gates of heaven. Dr J Stewart Gilllespie, a systematic study of the book of Revelation.</p>48:35Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/72180182023-05-30T22:51:12+01:002023-05-30T22:55:13+01:00Revelation chp 21 vs 1 to 3 - Glorious Uncertainty - JS Gillespie<div class="video-container size_m justify_left" style=""><iframe data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="MtST8JEahTM" data-video-thumb-url="" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MtST8JEahTM?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></div><p> </p><p>The New Heaven and the New Earth of Johns prophetic Revelation in chapter 21 point us a fresh understanding of heaven, a fresh persepctive on the Christian life and a new and glorious appreciation of the source of the voice the Christian experiences day by day from the word of God and His Spirit. Systematic Bible teaching from the book of Revelation. Dr J Stewart Gillespie</p>45:15Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/72059112023-05-09T23:16:02+01:002023-05-09T23:22:46+01:00The World and How it all Ends The Victory over Evil - Revelation chapter 20<div class="video-container size_m justify_left" style=""><iframe data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="8IfQ5efP0SQ" data-video-thumb-url="" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8IfQ5efP0SQ?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></div><p><span style="color:rgb(13,13,13);">Revelation chapter 20 contains the concluding chapter to the story of the world. It is the Bible's 'restaurant at the end of the universe.' In Revelation 20 we have the victory which concludes the battle of the Christian life, a victory over the world, the flesh and the Devil. We have also the conclusion to Satan's defeat. His place is in the bottomless pit and subsequently the lake of fire forever. Satan's ambition is to take as many souls with him to hell as possible, to make as many as he can share in his destiny in eternal judgment. Dr J Stewart Gillespie graceinchrist.org</span></p>49:36Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/72017862023-05-02T23:34:08+01:002023-05-03T00:09:13+01:00The Great Reset The New World Order and The Millenial Reign of Christ - Revelation chapter 20 - JS Gillespie<div class="video-container size_m justify_left" style=""><iframe data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="VdMnexq6Jzs" data-video-thumb-url="" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VdMnexq6Jzs?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></div><p>Revelation chapter 20 sets the preconditions for the New World order under Jesus Christ in the millenial reign of Jesus Christ on the earth. As a precondition for His reign there must be victory over the Dragon, the old serpent, the Devil, that is Satan, the world and the flesh of ourselves. We must be ready to reign with Him and this means to daily engage in the spiritual battle by His power. </p><p>Dr J Stewart Gillespie</p>45:42Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/72003122023-04-30T21:20:14+01:002023-04-30T21:29:54+01:00The Last Judgment and the Final Secret of the Bible - Revelation chapter 20<div class="video-container size_m justify_left" style=""><iframe data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="eID2li4m-ZE" data-video-thumb-url="" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/eID2li4m-ZE?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></div><p> </p><p>Revelation chapter 20 describes the final Great White Throne judgment of all people by the Lord Jesus Christ. It is here that God draws a line between our world and His heaven. Nothing that defiles, decays nor dies will be permitted into His Glorious heaven. There are many ways to this judgment but only one way through this judgment! Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Revelation chapter 20 contains the final secret of the Bible. It is not our works, nor our righteousness, nor or religious endeavours which open up heaven to us but a name known by a Saviour who died, our name written in the Lamb's Book of Life. Heaven belongs to those who belong to Jesus. Faith alone in teh Saviour who is alone the way and the truth and the life is the only way through judgment and into the presence of God forever. Dr J Stewart Gillespie</p>29:39Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/71968592023-04-25T23:35:07+01:002023-04-25T23:36:02+01:00The Day after Armageddon - Why God Destroyed the World - Revelation chapter 19 and 1 Kings chapter 21 - Dr J Stewart Gillespie<div class="video-container size_m justify_left" style=""><iframe data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="Mx4T7TKthZU" data-video-thumb-url="" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Mx4T7TKthZU?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></div><p>The Day after Armageddon - Why God Destroyed the World - Revelation chapter 19 and 1 Kings chapter 21 - Dr J Stewart Gillespie</p>38:02Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/71879562023-04-11T23:52:15+01:002023-04-12T10:02:49+01:00The Marriage Supper of the Lamb - Revelation chapter 19 - Dr J Stewart Gillespie<div class="video-container size_m justify_left" style=""><iframe data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="jHsJK-iIYgM" data-video-thumb-url="" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jHsJK-iIYgM?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></div><p>Revelation chapter 19 and the marriage supper of the lamb, a message preached by Dr J Stewart Gillespie atthe marriage ceremony of Sam and Rebekah Gillespie on Easter Monday of the 10th April 2023.</p><p> </p>15:04Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/71801102023-03-28T23:40:34+01:002023-03-28T23:43:38+01:00Armageddon and The Marriage Supper of the Lamb - The Last Last Supper - Revelation chapter 19<div class="video-container size_m justify_left" style=""><iframe data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="ji-n4A5RxuI" data-video-thumb-url="" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ji-n4A5RxuI?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></div><p>In Revelation chapter 19 we consider the black and white contrast and the stark choice facing us between heaven and earth, the Lamb and the Lord, salvation and judgement and the marriage supper of the lamb and the supper of the Great God that is Armageddon. Part of our series of studies in Revelation - Dr J Stewart Gillespie</p>43:58Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/71760512023-03-21T22:43:30+00:002023-03-21T22:51:23+00:00Jesus is God! Are you Ready for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ? Revelation chp 19 vs 11 to 16<div class="video-container size_m justify_left" style=""><iframe data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="OYcfpZDACtc" data-video-thumb-url="" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OYcfpZDACtc?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></div>45:58Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/71715432023-03-14T22:49:12+00:002023-03-14T22:50:26+00:00Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah - The Final 4 Alleluias before Forever - Revelation 19<div class="video-container size_m justify_left" style=""><iframe data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="04HZZtDRvaA" data-video-thumb-url="" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/04HZZtDRvaA?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></div><p><span style="color:rgb(13,13,13);">A study of Revelation chapter 19 and the alleluia chorus of heaven, the final four alleluias of the Bible, from heaven as Babylon falls. Dr J Stewart Gillespie Systematic studies in Revelation</span></p>38:19Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/71670202023-03-07T23:16:24+00:002023-03-07T23:17:34+00:00Revelation chapter 18 - Babylon and It's Deep Dark Depraved Secret - JS Gillespie<div class="video-container size_m justify_left" style=""><iframe data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="_4LRLvzCh0I" data-video-thumb-url="" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_4LRLvzCh0I?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></div><p>Explaining the mystery and meaning of Babylon in Revelation chapters 17 and 18. What is Babylon? When will Babylon appear? What will the mystery Babylon be like? In this bible study we examine the spirit of Babylon, the system of Babylon and the secret of Babylon. Practically we see the need for separation and Holiness from the corruption of the world's systems. Dr J Stewart Gillespie</p>41:37Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/71657522023-03-05T23:37:58+00:002023-03-05T23:38:34+00:00Suffering It's not God's Fault but He will Fix it - Revelation chapter 21 - J Stewart Gillespie<div class="video-container size_m justify_left" style=""><iframe data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="h8oSpOeomI4" data-video-thumb-url="" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/h8oSpOeomI4?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></div><p>Bible teaching from Revelation chapter 21 verses 4 to 8. In these verses we see God's purpose and plan for the world and the universe. God looks back at a world broken by sin, suffering, death, disease and dissapointment. The disasters of this world are not God's fault but God will fix them by the only means by which He can and will, by the power of His Son Jesus Christ.</p>29:37Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/71625132023-02-28T22:37:19+00:002023-02-28T23:00:02+00:00Revelation 18 - Babylon, How God inspires Holiness - JS Gillespie<div class="video-container size_m justify_left" style=""><iframe data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="bPvDSIbYcek" data-video-thumb-url="" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bPvDSIbYcek?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></div>39:21Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/71583912023-02-22T08:57:36+00:002023-02-22T08:59:33+00:00Revelation chp 17 - Babylon - The Satanic Kingdom of Tomorrow - JS Gillespie<div class="video-container size_m justify_left" style=""><iframe data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="l6rTemYqpSc" data-video-thumb-url="" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/l6rTemYqpSc?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></div><p> </p><p>Revelation chapter 17 and the prophetic future of Babylon, what it is and who it is controlled by and the challenges presented by Babylon today. From our systematic series of bible teaching messages in the book of Revelation.</p>48:01Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/71583902023-02-22T08:57:34+00:002023-02-22T08:59:33+00:00Revelation chp 17 - Babylon - The Satanic Kingdom of Tomorrow - JS Gillespie<div class="video-container size_m justify_left" style=""><iframe data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="l6rTemYqpSc" data-video-thumb-url="" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/l6rTemYqpSc?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></div><p> </p><p>Revelation chapter 17 and the prophetic future of Babylon, what it is and who it is controlled by and the challenges presented by Babylon today. From our systematic series of bible teaching messages in the book of Revelation.</p>48:01Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/71568802023-02-19T21:06:26+00:002023-02-19T21:08:06+00:00What have you got to be so happy about? Revelation 5 - JS Gillespie<p> </p><div class="video-container size_m justify_left" style=""><iframe data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="_UrYZ3Ekduk" data-video-thumb-url="" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_UrYZ3Ekduk?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></div><p>The joy of believers in the presence of the Lamb seated upon the throne of heaven in Revelation chapter 5 contrasts with the disappointment, despair, death and loss of those who pursue the world with its passing atheism, materialism and hedonism. We cannot have both heaven and earth as our part and portion, a wise man will chose that which lasts the longest (Jim Elliot) - J Stewart Gillespie</p>24:24Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/71542012023-02-15T12:02:56+00:002023-02-15T12:03:23+00:00What do I do when I'm depressed and empty? Revelation chapter 17 - JS Gillespie<div class="video-container size_xl justify_center" style=""><iframe data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="6q4HGs5LfZ0" data-video-thumb-url="" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6q4HGs5LfZ0?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></div>Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/71502082023-02-07T23:10:13+00:002023-02-07T23:10:54+00:00Revelation 17 - Babylon and the Beast the World Sleep Walking into Catastrophe - JS Gillespie<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="Kx3RV7v0nVk" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/Kx3RV7v0nVk/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Kx3RV7v0nVk?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>The world looks on and wonders, surprised at the residence and presidence of the demonic beast's take over of Babylon. The most surprising aspect of Revelation 17 is that the world is surprised! Having fashioned a world system of atheism, humanism, hedonism and materialism nothing could be more predictable than that system would become a perfect habitation for the demonic. Anyone surely could predict this, except the world itself! Satan had mankind fashion his anti-church, his anti-kingdom on his behalf. Here was a place of safety, security, and salvation (17:4). Babylon offered everything a soul could wish for! Here was a false saviour and a false salvation! Here was Satan's master piece, the work of millenia! The angel (17:1) pauses from his busy schedule to emphasise to John that whilst the wheels of Divine justice may well turn slow, they turn certain and sure. There is nothing more certain than Divine justice played out in time and in eternity. Dr J Stewart Gillespie, www.graceinchrist.org.</p>42:47Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/71453022023-01-29T21:28:01+00:002023-01-29T21:34:24+00:00Revelation 17 Babylon - Destiny and Disaster - 4 Steps to Hell - JS Gillespie<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="-e6AYh5EWAk" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/-e6AYh5EWAk/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-e6AYh5EWAk?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>25:04Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/71453012023-01-29T21:27:03+00:002023-01-29T21:27:04+00:00Revelation 17 Babylon the End of the World not Extraordinary just Ordinary with Extras -JS Gillespie<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="tROvZsIVuaA" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/tROvZsIVuaA/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tROvZsIVuaA?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/71453002023-01-29T21:25:53+00:002023-01-29T21:25:54+00:00Babylon Revelation 17 - Be careful where you drink - JS Gillespie<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="Hn0Uh0yMzPc" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/Hn0Uh0yMzPc/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Hn0Uh0yMzPc?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/71428622023-01-24T23:04:46+00:002023-01-24T23:14:38+00:00Revelation chp 17 - Babylon - The Dimensions of a Dream - JS Gillespie<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="pjv_LkITGbM" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/pjv_LkITGbM/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pjv_LkITGbM?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>We continue our series of systematic studies through the book of Revelation, arriving at Revelation chapters 17 and 18 and teh subject of the mystery of Babylon the Great, the mother of Harlots. The subject of Babylon is as significant as it is controversial. Babylon in many ways sits uncomfortably in such a sacred part of the closing book of the Bible, in a letter prefaced as being none other than the 'Revelation of Jesus Christ' and yet in this very book 2 out of 22 chapters are dedicated to the subject of mystical Babylon! Babylon is in a sense present here so that it may be removed! The Divine object and that of the 7 seals, 7 trumpets and 7 vials is the complete destruction and removal of this cancerous monstrosity from the Divine Creation! One day Babylon will be no more!</p>
<p>Babylon was conceived as the dimensions of a Satanic Dream in Isaiah chapter 14. It was a means to an end. That end was domination, placing Satan as the object of worship and the power behind the thrones of men. He could not claim the throne of the Most High any longer, but as the god of this world he would do all that he could to bring it down with him!</p>
<p>In Genesis chapter 11 we saw Babylon as a Building</p>
<p>In Daniel chapters 2 and 3 we see Babylon as a Body</p>
<p>In Revelation chapters 17 and 18 we perceive Babylon as corrupted Bride</p>
<p>This is Satan's antichurch, anti kingdom, standing in opposition to Christ.</p>
<p> </p>41:13Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/71396342023-01-18T12:18:33+00:002023-01-18T12:19:13+00:00Revelation chapter 17 - The Bible's final Mystery - Babylon the Great - JS Gillespie<p> </p>
<div class="video-container" style="--video-width: 320px"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="_wSAECK2ve8" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/_wSAECK2ve8/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_wSAECK2ve8?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></div>
<p> </p>43:08Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/71262272022-12-21T12:16:13+00:002022-12-21T12:16:52+00:00Revelation chapter 16 - A War of the Worlds A War of Words - JS Gillespie<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="Tmgr04uNrxw" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/Tmgr04uNrxw/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Tmgr04uNrxw?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>Systematic bible teaching from the book of Revelation chapter 16. We consider the significance of God's seven fold judgement of the vials upon this world, the mark of the beast and, the three frogs and Armageddon. A bible teaching message from the Bridgend Gospel Hall, New Cumnock.</p>36:28Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/71190782022-12-06T23:42:30+00:002022-12-07T11:58:26+00:00Revelation chp 15 - Hell the Unexpected Consequence of Holiness - JS Gillespie<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="85TfsEoQEXQ" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/85TfsEoQEXQ/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/85TfsEoQEXQ?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Although set in a future time of judgment and tribulation, chapter 15 of Revelation contains truths and insights too good to be left till the future. This is a chapter which shows us afresh of God's power to turn victims into victors and which demonstrates God's sovereign power over the wickedness of men. Men may plot and persecute to have God's people put out of this world but an exit from this world quickly becomes an entrance into the Glory of heaven under teh hand of a sovereign God!</p>
<p>We glimpse the Glory of the Divine character in chapter 15. Judgment emerges from an unexpected source here! Out of the sanctuary and the Divine Glory and presence the vials of God's wrath are carried and consecrated by angel's hands! Divine wrath and justice is displayed before the world as the awful and awsome consequence of Divine holiness.</p>32:19Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/71133272022-11-29T23:02:11+00:002022-11-29T23:06:08+00:00Revelation chapter 15 vs 1 to 4 - The Sign The Sea The Song - JS Gillespie<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="JMWMyh_B7_o" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/JMWMyh_B7_o/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JMWMyh_B7_o?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Revelation chapter 15 vs 1 to 4 traces the destiny of those who trusted the God of their strength, never flinching and refusing to let go until He became their salvation. As they stand upon the the crystal sea now mixed with the fires of affliction, they stand perpetual testimony to the God who is able to turn the victim into a victor. Here is the great secret of Christian trial and affliction that we have a God who is able to empower us to emerge butterfly like from the catastrophe of persecution and turmoil. The enemy in his hatred and cruelty may well have chased them to the brink of extinction at the edge of the sea but this was merely God's preamble to opening up the path before them for an eternal entrance to the habitation of God. They were like the Covenanter Martyrs of 1685, Corson and Hair; "Unknown till persecution dragged them into fame and chased them up to heaven"</p>
<p>What a God! What a Saviour! What a Lamb!</p>
<p>A message preached as part of our systematic study series on the book of Revelation by Dr J Stewart Gillespie</p>37:22Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/71085162022-11-23T00:05:47+00:002022-11-23T00:07:46+00:00Revelation chp 14 vs 14 to 20 - How Long - To be Faithful Fearful and Fruitful - JS Gillespie<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="_eOM3DeLoKI" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/_eOM3DeLoKI/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_eOM3DeLoKI?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>Bible teaching from Revelation chapter 14 verses 14 to 20; the two judgments of Revelation chapter 14 of the world and of Israel. Man may be impatient for judgement, God is not! He has appointed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness. God does not merely react to sin! God is sovereign over man and works purpose through even a world in rebellion. We ought not to underestemate the sovereign power of a God who is able to bring good from the slavery and betrayal of Joseph, the murder by Moses and the rebellion of Jonah. After cries which echoe through the Psalms of David, the service of the disciples, the sanctuary of Daniel and the sousl of the saints of Revelation chapter 6; cries of "how long?" finally the answer is "now". Here is God's perfect judgment in God's time. From a systematic exposition of Revelation by Dr J Stewart Gillespie.</p>37:27Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/70982102022-11-08T22:59:47+00:002022-11-08T23:05:17+00:00Revelation chapter 14 vs 6 to 13 - The Everlasting Gospel of the Mid Heavens - JS Gillespie<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="PGhEF3rVoN0" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/PGhEF3rVoN0/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PGhEF3rVoN0?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Take a step down from the mid heaven of the lamb and the 144,000 gives a completely different view of the future, not for the redeemed but for those marked for judgement. The middle section of chapter 14 is a story of missed opportunities, misstaken allegiences and men marked for judgement. The everlasting gospel is declared, but symbolically out of reach of those upon the earth. This is a gospel declared in the mid heaven, a gospel of conviction but with no conversion of fear but no faith. Dissolving before the eyes of men is the delusion of safety in the crowd. There is no longer comfort and security in the demonically inspired Babylon, the world and it's systems have fallen, fallen and with it all who took shelter in it. A bible teaching message preached as part of our systematic series of studies in the book of Revelation - Dr J Stewart Gillespie, Bridgend Gospel Hall, New Cumnock. Graceinchrist.org</p>42:07Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/70933472022-11-01T23:21:47+00:002022-11-01T23:26:00+00:00Revelation chapter 14 - A Letter Written A Song Sung - JS Gillespie<p style="margin-left:8px"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="INZuWeI2oS4" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/INZuWeI2oS4/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/INZuWeI2oS4?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p style="margin-left:8px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Christian hymns, <span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Old Testament Psalms (Psalm 2) and <span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Biblical prophecies all l</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">ook forward to Christ reigning in Zion; the Holy and royal mountain of Jerusalem. </span></span></span><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Well here He is; Christ in Zion, in Revelation chapter 14. </span></span></span><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">John paints the picture, gives us a snapshot of Christ on mount Zion! </span></span></span><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It’s here He has finally arrived, but it's not what I would expect of:</span></span></span></p>
<ul> <li style="margin-left:8px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Son of God </span></span></span></li> <li style="margin-left:8px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The King of Kings </span></span></span></li> <li style="margin-left:8px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Lord of Lords </span></span></span></li> <li style="margin-left:8px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Creator</span></span></span></li> <li style="margin-left:8px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Redeemer </span></span></span></li> <li style="margin-left:8px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Judge of all things </span></span></span></li> <li style="margin-bottom:11px; margin-left:8px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Miracle worker </span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It’s the picture I might anticipate of one who is:</span></span></span></p>
<ul> <li style="margin-left:8px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Omnipotent </span></span></span></li> <li style="margin-left:8px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Omniscient </span></span></span></li> <li style="margin-bottom:11px; margin-left:8px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Omnipresent </span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">“Yet have I set my King upon my Holy hill of Zion” (Psalm 2:6) </span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">I wasn’t expecting to see a lamb there! Maybe a lion! </span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Yet the path from earth to heaven and glory, the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords has taken as a lamb. </span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">That’s interesting that we should find the lamb on Mt Zion </span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">We find the lamb in all sorts of places: </span></span></span></p>
<ul> <li style="margin-left:8px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">On the altar (Gen 22) – sacrifice </span></span></span></li> <li style="margin-left:8px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In the fire and flame (Ex 12) – suffering </span></span></span></li> <li style="margin-left:8px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In the mouth of the lion (1 Sam 17) – Satanic attack </span></span></span></li> <li style="margin-left:8px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Led to the slaughter (Isaiah 53) </span></span></span></li> <li style="margin-bottom:11px; margin-left:8px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Bearing away the sin of the world - As the Substitute </span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Finally we find the lamb here; on the throne (Revelation 4); in heaven (Revelation 14) </span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">This path of the lamb by way of:</span></span></span></p>
<ul> <li style="margin-left:8px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Sacrifice</span></span></span></li> <li style="margin-left:8px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Suffering</span></span></span></li> <li style="margin-bottom:11px; margin-left:8px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Satanic attack</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Is the path followed by those whom we find here in heaven. The route to the destination is the same. </span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">They have followed the lamb all the way to Zion. </span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Some claim that we ought not to be ‘prisoners to our past, it’s a lesson, not a life sentence.’ There is some truth in that, but not much! </span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The biblical view of our past is far higher than being ‘free from the prison’ of the past and the past is certainly no lesson, it is the real thing! </span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">If the past is but a lesson for today and today is but a lesson for the future. Where is it that we put into practice these so called lessons? When do we actually graduate from school into the real world! This of course is the real world!</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">No doubt lessons should be learned but regarding our life as merely a lesson is way short of the profound depths which God attaches to our life here and now. </span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Our past is not a prison from which we ought to regard ourselves as liberated from, our past is </span></span></span></p>
<ul> <li style="margin-left:8px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">what in part moulds and shapes us and produces character in us (Romans 5:1ff). </span></span></span></li> <li style="margin-left:8px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Theatre in which is worked out our service for God, the race is run, and as such reward can follow on. </span></span></span></li> <li style="margin-bottom:11px; margin-left:8px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The arena of sin and error; a place where ripples extend out into eternity, to the judgment seat and to others</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Our past is way more serious than a prison from which we might seek freedom.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Our past does indeed teach lessons, but it has eternal consequences for us and consequences for others, which we cannot ignore nor erase. Consequences not only of:</span></span></span></p>
<ul> <li style="margin-left:8px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Education</span></span></span></li> <li style="margin-left:8px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Retribution</span></span></span></li> <li style="margin-bottom:11px; margin-left:8px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Reward </span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Once we face up to the reality of this, once we grasp the truth of this, this will lead us to:</span></span></span></p>
<ul> <li style="margin-left:8px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Repentance</span></span></span></li> <li style="margin-left:8px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Redemption </span></span></span></li> <li style="margin-bottom:11px; margin-left:8px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Reward </span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">As well as </span></span></span></p>
<ul> <li style="margin-bottom:11px; margin-left:8px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Education</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">There is by far the greater path of:</span></span></span></p>
<ul> <li style="margin-bottom:11px; margin-left:8px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Salvation</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">We are far more than prisoners of our past</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">We are products of our past </span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">A past that is not merely a lesson in life but a past that is life itself, real life with ripples running off into eternity. </span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The 144,000 arrive in heaven, sounding like the lamb (14:2) with a “voice of many waters” and with a “new song” that no man could learn.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Anyone could read the lyrics but they could not learn the song </span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Anyone could learn words but they could not learn the song!</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Anyone could follow a tune but they could not learn this song! </span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Many could play the music but they could not learn the song. </span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">This was a song played on the heart, not only upon the harp (v2) </span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Like Christ who ‘learned obedience by the things which He suffered’ </span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Learning is a change brought about from experience </span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">At times in life we complain, we are resentful, become bitter, get discouraged. </span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">At times we desire an:</span></span></span></p>
<ul> <li style="margin-left:8px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Easier life</span></span></span></li> <li style="margin-left:8px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Smoother path </span></span></span></li> <li style="margin-left:8px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">To take it a little easier </span></span></span></li> <li style="margin-left:8px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Put our feet up </span></span></span></li> <li style="margin-bottom:11px; margin-left:8px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">A bit less hassle</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">This path is the path to mount Sinai </span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">This is the path which brought the Son of God to Glory</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">This song was and is the product of their lives. </span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">This is the song that makes us sound like Christ! </span></span></span></p>
<ul> <li style="margin-left:8px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Bass notes of suffering </span></span></span></li> <li style="margin-left:8px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The treble clef of lifes melody </span></span></span></li> <li style="margin-left:8px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The sharps of excitement</span></span></span></li> <li style="margin-left:8px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The flats of disappointment </span></span></span></li> <li style="margin-left:8px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The rests of recuperation </span></span></span></li> <li style="margin-left:8px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The repeats of routine </span></span></span></li> <li style="margin-left:8px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The majors of life’s dominant themes</span></span></span></li> <li style="margin-bottom:11px; margin-left:8px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The minors of less significant </span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-bottom:11px"> </p>
<p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">We may be an epistle written and read as Paul reminds us but our life also produces a song that is sung and nothing need be wasted. </span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">From a systematic bible teaching series from the letter of Revelation by Dr J Stewart Gillespie, preached at the Bridgend Gospel Hall, New Cumnock. Free to download messages and free to view online. </span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:11px"> </p>37:55Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/70863612022-10-21T23:56:22+01:002022-10-22T00:14:07+01:00 Revelation chapter 14 - The Heart - The Hymn book of Heaven - Faskally 2022 - M6 - JS Gillespie <p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="VxqfGHaB5EE" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/VxqfGHaB5EE/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VxqfGHaB5EE?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>Great songs are born of deep experience. Some of the richest treasures of human expression arise from our deepest emotions of love, both fulfilled and frustrated. From lessons learned in deep anguish arise the expressions of heart uniquely tuned in the life and experience of every believer. To heaven these 144 000 bring a song so unique that only their life and their experience is able to give expression to it. </p>
<p>Dr J Stewart Gillespie at Faskally House Families Week 2022 - Tell me There's a Heaven. </p>38:09Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/70847242022-10-19T22:54:01+01:002022-10-21T23:53:57+01:00Revelation chp 7 - Heaven - Better than we Hoped, Closer than we Realised - Faskally 2022 - M5 - JS Gillespie<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="MW9P6dF5b-4" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/MW9P6dF5b-4/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MW9P6dF5b-4?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>Heaven is the expected conclusion to the life of faith. The path to heaven is fragranced with the presence and provision of the God of heaven. As pilgrims heavenward, the one to whom we go is the one who goes with us. We drink of the well of the living waters of Christ, as he promised to the Samaritan woman in John chapter 4. We hear His word of revelation and enjoy an ongoing relationship with the Saviour day by day. When heaven finally comes the summit is to the believer no surprise. With every step upward we feel the strain in our muscles, the tension in our tendons, the cool dew condensing on our hair, the air becoming thinner and the sun a little brighter. Heaven is the conclusion to a life of faith. We know the way because we know the person. <br> </p>
<p>From a series of messages on the theme of "Tell me There's a Heaven" given at Faskally Families Week in 2022 by Dr J Stewart Gillespie</p>42:57Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/70862872022-10-18T21:00:00+01:002022-10-22T00:14:07+01:00The Book with 7 Seals - Revelation 5 - Faskally 2002 - M4 - JS Gillespie<p> </p>
<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="9ZyyqWymAg8" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/9ZyyqWymAg8/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9ZyyqWymAg8?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>Trace back the fuse wire to the detonator that triggered the pouring out of the 7 vials of judgment, the fall of Babylon the Great, the battle of Armageddon, the sounding of the 7 trumpets, and the opening of the 7 seals, will lead you to this book in the hand of God in Revelation chapter 5. Whatever this book is, it contains the secret of all subsequent judgments and catastrophes in the book of Revelation which are to befall the world. Whatever it is, this book is important. Despite the fact that loosening the seals to open the book leads to global environmental, economic and spiritual melt down following in the wake of war, famine, disease and demonic attack, this is a risk worth taking. </p>
<p>The 4th message in a series of studies in the book of Revelation given at Faskally Family week 2022 on the theme of "Tell me There's a Heaven" by Dr J Stewart Gillespie.</p>38:24Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/70832482022-10-17T21:00:00+01:002022-10-21T23:49:25+01:00The Lion of the Tribe of Judah - Revelation chapter 5 - M3 - 17th October Faskally 2022<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="xgCiIYH5Wc0" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/xgCiIYH5Wc0/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xgCiIYH5Wc0?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p> </p>
<p>The lion of the tribe of Judah reigns sovereign and supreme from the throne of the Universe in Revelation chapter 5. His sovereignty has suffered and sacrificed through time and humanity. To the throne of heaven He brings Divine right and appointment fused with moral right and authority. He is the King who wore the crown of thorns ever before He bore the royal diadem. His reign in Righteousness is above fault and criticism, He was both given this right to reign, and He died for this right to reign. As the Lamb He concludes His retribution with redemption, His purpose in time for the universe collectively and for us individually will not be revealed in the raw power of destruction but rather every pain, each sorrow, every disappointment, all trials and affliction ultimately work together for good and Glory. </p>
<p><br>The 3rd message given at Faskally House Family Week in 2022, by Dr J Stewart Gillespie on the theme of</p>
<p>"Tell me there's a Heaven" - studies in the book of Revelation. </p>49:24Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/70832472022-10-16T20:00:00+01:002022-10-21T22:54:38+01:00Revelation chapter 4 - Glory beyond the Sea of Glass - M2 - JS Gillespie - Faskally 16th October 2022<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="EQJNZRZO_Uo" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/EQJNZRZO_Uo/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EQJNZRZO_Uo?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>The anticipated ecstasy of hymns, the crystal sea pictures the absolute, transparent holiness of God. Solomon was commissioned to reflect the pattern in the sea of his temple, provided for the cleansing of the priesthood. In this solid sea of glass, washing from sin and defilement is eternally out of the question. Nothing that defiles can enter into the dwelling place of God. Access to God's Heaven has as it's requirement holiness. It is a condition of entry and not a consequence. Absolute purity, the kind of righteousness that only Jesus Christ can provide, purchased by His blood and freely given to those willing to receive salvation by faith alone. </p>
<p>This crystal sea marks the boundary conditions of heaven. It is both heaven's floor and earth's ceiling. It is the extent of man's experience of the Divine when sought without Christ; a barrier of solid holiness. <br>Revelation chapter 5 paints a picture of the character and nature of the God of heaven: </p>
<p> </p>
<ol> <li>Lion like in His Sovereignty </li> <li>Calf like in His salvation </li> <li>Man like in His incarnation </li> <li>Eagle like in the transcendence of His Spirit </li>
</ol>
<p><br>Get a glimpse of Glory <br>Get a glimpse of God</p>
<p>From a series of messages presented at Faskally House Family Week 2022 by Dr J Stewart Gillespie on the theme:</p>
<p>"Tell me There's a Heaven" </p>43:01Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/70832402022-10-15T22:00:00+01:002022-10-21T23:48:43+01:00Heaven - A Place of no Surprises - Faskally 2022 - M1 - JS Gillespie - 15102022<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="iH1nGKVgbyc" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/iH1nGKVgbyc/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/iH1nGKVgbyc?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>It has taken 4000 years for the Spirit of God to introduce us to heaven. Heaven is a place of many surprises, but perhaps the greatest of all surprises is that there are so few surprises! Heaven has a door; a door we know of well from John's gospel. Heaven opens with a voice familiar; that of Jesus Christ. Heaven is the throne room of God. Upon the throne of heaven we see one like a Jasper and Sardine stone; one who is the Son of God's right hand and the Son of His mother's sorrow. The throne is surrounded by a rainbow of covenant keeping glory; echoing the one who is life and light.</p>
<p>Here is heaven.</p>
<p>Here is the God of heaven.</p>
<p>This is the God we know.</p>
<p>This is Jesus Christ.</p>
<p>The first of 6 studies in the book of Revelation presented at Faskally House, families week in 2022, by Dr J Stewart Gillespie.</p>44:59Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/70794352022-10-11T23:16:19+01:002022-10-12T09:43:15+01:00 The Mark of the Beast the Tech behind the Lie - Revelation chp 13 vs 11 to 18 - JS Gillespie - 11102022<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="9RiDRzb3UmI" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/9RiDRzb3UmI/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9RiDRzb3UmI?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>Revelation chapter 13 is set in a day not too distant!</p>
<p>This second beast arises out of the earth as opposed to the sea (13:1). </p>
<p>The first beast we have categorised / identified as the AntiChrist on the basis of: </p>
<ol> <li>Wild beast description (13:1) by way of contrast with the description of the Lord Jesus as the lamb. </li> <li>His incarnation in arising up out of the depths of the sea (13:1) in contrast to the one who came down from God (John 6:33,38) </li> <li>7 fold names of blasphemy (13:1) in marked contrast to those names associated with the 7 fold spirit of God, described of the Lord Jesus in Isaiah 11: 2 and ascribed to the Lord Jesus in Revelation 5:6. </li> <li>His mouth “speaking great things” (13:5) that also quite strikingly contrasts with the “gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth” (Luke 4:22) </li> <li>The duration of his reign of 3 ½ years which compares to the 3 ½ of public service of the Lord Jesus as a humble servant. </li> <li>AntiSermon on the mount of 13:6, as the beast opens his mouth in blasphemy against God, His place on earth and His place in heaven. The complete opposite of what we find from the lips of Christ in Matthew 5:2; 6:9. </li>
</ol>
<p>The first beast then we characterised as the AntiChrist. He had the object of distracting us from Christ, providing us with an alternative, a Satanic alternative opposite to the Christ of God.That of course has always been the object and purpose of Satan, to provide an alternative Christ, an antichrist, anti in: </p>
<ul> <li>Character </li> <li>Message </li> <li>Purpose </li>
</ul>
<p>The second beast is intimately tied into the mission of the Antichrist (13:12). His purpose is not so much to provide the lie; that has already been done, but to get us believing the lie, subscribing to the lie and under the power of the lie. </p>
<p>This second beast is referred to as the false prophet in Revelation 19:20. </p>
<p>He is not only false of course but in verse 11 he is DANGEROUS; dangerously deceptive. The second beast looks superficially, to the passing glance, like a lamb, although intriguingly he looks like a lamb in rather peculiar way. That feature of the beast which connects him to, that echoes of the lamb, is perhaps the least lamb like feature of the lamb, the horns! You won't find any reference to that feature of the lamb in the OT. The closest perhaps, is the reference to God providing Himself a lamb in Genesis 22. When Abraham turns there is the provision for the sacrifice, caught by it’s horns in the thicket, but the language is changed from lamb to ram. The horn is symbolic of strength and power in the Old Testament. The power of this beast however is unassuming, maybe even strangely attractive. His power is disguised lamb like as non-threatening, benign and perhaps even kindly. This is the power behind deception. This beast, whilst we appreciate his power, can be trusted because, well quite clearly he is acting in our best interests! We can trust him! He is the master propagandist. He is powerful and dangerous. His power seems to be benign, beneficent. He has managed to convince a lost world that they can trust him! Trust me, I’m a devil. </p>
<p>You don’t need to look too far to get a flavour of that today, religious leaders who project themselves as warm, friendly, with your best interest at heart and in the process get you to swallow a lie hook line and sinker. </p>
<p>There is currently circulating on Facebook and You Tube a video with 3 million views, fronted by a benign and friendly looking Buddhist monk advising us of 3 things we need to know, one of which was ‘don’t be a prisoner to your past, the past is just a lesson not a life sentence.’ </p>
<p>That seems to be, on the surface quite a warm and helpful statement, encouraging people not to be hindered by burdens in the past they cannot alter. But of course it contains the seed of a most profound lie and it fails to stand up to logical scrutiny. </p>
<p>It’s illogical – if the past is but a lesson for the present, then logically the present is a lesson for the future, which begs the question a lesson for what? For life? When does the living come if this is but a lesson. The reality is that the past and present and future are no mere lessons to be learned and moved on from. By all means we must learn lessons from our mistakes in the past. The subtle twist brings in the most profound lie. We learn lessons from the past and in the past but the past itself is not a lesson. The past is our life. The past has consequences for us, what we sow we reap. Consequences for others in time and for us in eternity, ultimately, we receive the ‘due reward of our deeds.’ </p>
<p>We are accountable for our past and our past will be judged by God. It is no simple matter to learn the lesson, dismiss the past as a mere lesson and move on. That denies </p>
<ul> <li>accountability for and </li> <li>judgement of and </li> <li>salvation from sin. </li>
</ul>
<p>This second beast is dangerous and deceptive. </p>
<p>What is the nature of this apparent miracle? </p>
<p>On surface he produces an image / a statue like perhaps that of Nebuchadnezzar and then make it live – that would be a miracle. It would indeed be a miracle! Comparable to the miracle of creation. This is very unlikely. </p>
<p>To God uniquely is imputed the power to give life. We have that truth in Creation.</p>
<ul> <li>“in Him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28) </li> <li>“in Him is life and that life is the light of men” </li> <li>So much so, come John’s Gospel, it is the fact that Christ is able to make alive that John uses as a proof of the Deity of Christ. </li>
</ul>
<p>Come the replication of the miracles of Moses, the magicians of Pharaoh seemed to have a real problem in turning dust into lice, in producing life from the dust (Exodus 8:18). How come Satan can do it now but not then? </p>
<p><br>The word here for life is a bit unusual in verse 15. It is not the word for a living organism, animate with motion and activity ‘zoe’ but rather “pneuma”. This false prophet, manages to take a man made object and impute a spirit to it. By analogy to God’s creation of Adam we recall that God breathed into Adam the breath of lifes and Adam became a living soul then perhaps what we have here is a man made artificial entity empowered by the spirit of the false prophet. As strange as that may sound that is not out with the realms of possibility. </p>
<p>Man cannot create life but he can transfer his life force or spirit to a previously inanimate object. </p>
<p>The story begins back around 1999 with a Prof Miguel Nicolelis creating a Brain Computer Interface. Probes were inserted into the brain, which measured brain action potentials and electrical activity. Some very clever computer analysis was able to anticipate which muscles and movements these electrical activities triggered. He then got a monkey to play a computer game with a joy stick whilst that brain computer interface was reading the monkey's brain. He then disconnected the joystick and the monkey was able to control the screen and computer with mere thought read by the brain computer interface. </p>
<p>Professor Kevin Warwick, professor of Cybernetics at the university of Reading, used an implant into his nervous system in 2002 to control a robotic arm. What was interesting was that he added a further dimension to this by making use of the internet, so that he moved the robotic arm in a different continent. His spirit in a sense animated the inanimate object. </p>
<p>Currently an Elon Musk funded company in California – Neuralink is experimenting with a neural brain implant, about the size of a £1 coin, inserted into a hole hollowed out of the skull, to which is attached 1024 fine electrically conducting channels. The neuralink has inductive, wireless charging and megabyte wireless transfer speeds. These channels pick up the action potentials, the electrical activity of the brain. Complex and clever computer decoding is able to tie those patterns of electrical signals to the physical movements which they cause. Musk’s neuralink group were able to use the brain signals from a monkey to play ping pong! </p>
<p>We are also the first generation to live in the era when we no longer need to doubt the possibility of the fulfilment of verses 16 and 17, nor need we greatly speculate as to how this could be possible. </p>
<p>You can order one over the internet today. </p>
<p>British Polish company Walletmor has now gone into commercial production of these devices just a few months ago. It uses the same technology as is in your contactless NFC payment system in your mobile phone. </p>
<p>“The microchip implants that let you pay with your hand” BBC Website 2022 </p>
<p>Cost euros: 249.00 </p>
<p>The technology referenced in Revelation chapter 13 is already with us. </p>
<p>How long before the antichrist and false prophet are likewise with us?</p>38:00Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/70745662022-10-04T23:33:15+01:002022-10-09T21:04:54+01:00The Secrets of the AntiChrist Revealed - Revelation chapter 13 vs 1 to 10 - JS Gillespie<p> </p>
<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="HaBVfNgdFhQ" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/HaBVfNgdFhQ/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HaBVfNgdFhQ?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>As the king of counterfeit and the master mimic, Satan parallels and contorts the work and ministry of Jesus Christ, into his own fake imitation; a Satanic image to worship, the ultimate deflection away from genuine devotion and affection. The roots of this supreme distraction spread deep, drawing their caustic sap to the final shoots of one supreme manifestation in the AntiChrist. Amusement has fulfilled it's unthinking purpose for generations, lives have been successfully sapped of all success, years frittered unfruitful, time wasted and human lifespans discarded into the dustbins of purposeless unproductivity. A wasted and worthless life is a worthwhile goal for this antichrist infused world over which Satan as prince presides. </p>
<p>In the end, all of these roots will finally feed one shoot, the AntiChrist, the beast from the sea of Revelation chapter 13, Satan's man of Sin on earth. His worship will be volitional, devotion by deception! In the character catalogue of Revelation chapter 13 he attempts to emulate by inversion the character of Christ. The lamb becomes the beast (Revelation 13:1); his incarnation ascends from the depths in stark contrast to Jesus who descends from above, an anointing with the 7 fold Spirit of God in Isaiah 11:2 is parodied by 7 heads of blasphemy in the beast (13:1). The 3 and a half year ministry of Christ is mocked by a 3 and a half year reign of the beast (13:5) and the Sermon on the Mount is parodied by a mouth opening in blasphemy (13:6) rather than blessing (Matthew 5:2ff). </p>
<p>Here is Satan's Antichrist, here is the destiny to which the compass of this world is pointing, passive distraction and distracted devotion to a delusion, 180 degrees from Jesus Christ, our only source of hope and peace. </p>
<p>A message preached by Dr J Stewart Gillespie as part of a systematic series of bible studies in the book of Revelation, free to listen or view online. </p>
<p>Graceinchrist.org</p>41:56Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/70698322022-09-27T23:13:15+01:002022-09-28T11:21:19+01:00Revelation chp 13 vs 1 to 10 - Who is the AntiChrist? Where will we find the Antichrist?<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="p99mhk4_sQE" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/p99mhk4_sQE/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/p99mhk4_sQE?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Revelation chapter 13 details for us the rise of the Satan inspired Beast from the sea. He arises against the same background given to us in Daniel's prophecy of chapter 7. From the area of the Mediterranean emerges a monstrous beast like leader; autocratic and powerful, absolute in his authority, comparable to the lion like Babylon of old (Revelation 13:2). Geographically his origins appear skewed towards that of the footprint of the bear (Revelation 13:2); a territory more similar to that of the Medo-Persian empire; that of Turkey, Greece, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan and Egypt. Taking his inspiration from the Greek Leopard, 4 wings and super charged in speed, his Kingdom rises rapidly and spreads quickly. </p>
<p>It is this same individual whom Daniel refers to as the little horn in Daniel chapter 7. Point for point the 2 individuals are identical:</p>
<p> </p>
<table border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="1" style="width:450px;">
<thead> <tr> <th scope="col"> </th> <th scope="col"> <p>Revelation – The 1st Beast Chapter 13 </p> </th> <th scope="col"> <p>Daniel – The little horn Chapter 7 </p> </th> </tr>
</thead>
<tbody> <tr> <td>1</td> <td> <p>Referred to as “a beast” (v1) </p> </td> <td> <p>Referred to as “a beast” V10 </p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>2</td> <td> <p>Given power by the dragon (v2) </p> </td> <td> <p>(Daniel 8:24) - Given power by another</p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>3</td> <td> <p>Given “a mouth speaking great things” (v5) </p> </td> <td> <p>“a mouth speaking great things” (7:8) </p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>4</td> <td> <p>Reign ran for 42 mouths (v5) </p> </td> <td> <p>“time, times and a dividing of time” (7:25) </p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>5</td> <td> <p>Blasphemed name of God (v6) </p> </td> <td> <p>“speak great words against the most High” (7:25) </p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>6 </td> <td> <p>Made war with the saints (v7) </p> </td> <td> <p>“made war with the saints” (7:21)</p> </td> </tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p> </p>
<p>The importance of this identification of the first beast of Revelation chapter 13 and Daniel's little horn of chapter 7, lies in the additional details which Daniel's prophecy furnish us regarding the origin of the little horn or beast. It is Daniel who reveals to us that the little horn or beast will arise from the fourth of Daniel's beasts: that beast representing the Roman Empire. This of course poses something of a problem for us today as this is an empire long gone. The western part of the Roman Empire fell into obscurity in the 6th century AD with the Eastern part of the Byzantine Empire persisting until the 15th century. It is perhaps from this eastern portion of the empire we can look to find the beast arising; from the footprint of the Medo Persian bear. </p>
<p>How can the beast arise from an empire long gone? Revelation chapter 13 points us to a head once wounded to death but now revived (13:3). It is from the revived, probably eastern portion of the Roman empire that we can look to find the beast arising. </p>
<p>An excerpt taken from systematic bible teaching given on chapter 13 of the book of Revelation by Dr J Stewart Gillespie: "Revelation chp 13 vs 1 to 10 - Who is the AntiChrist? Where will we find the Antichrist?"</p>
<p> </p>43:14Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/70650752022-09-21T11:47:20+01:002022-09-21T12:12:09+01:00Revelation chapter 13 vs 1 to 2 - The Rise of the AntiChrist - JS Gillespie<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="Ybb_6mbvDwM" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/Ybb_6mbvDwM/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ybb_6mbvDwM?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p> </p>
<p>From the lands of the Mediterranean Sea there will arise a Beast, the AntiChrist, the Man of Sin. Echoing features of empires past he will move quickly like the armies and empire of Alexander the Great, as pictured in the Leopard. His geographical domain is likely to be that of the Medo-Persian Empire of centuries ago, standing bear like, with his feet gripping the lands of Turkey, Iran and Iraq. This is Satan's one world dictator, a man with universal political (Revelation 13:2) and spiritual authority (Revelation 13:8) over the worlds. It is interesting to speculate how such a universal dictatorship could arise. The world of Revelation chapter 13, whilst echoed by events in the past century is very unlike the political landscape we see today. This is a world decimated by judgment, wars, disease and famine. between the judgments of the fourth scroll and 6th trumpet, one half of the world's population has been destroyed. Food production has been decimated by poisoned seas and rivers, nuclear explosions have polluted and destroyed productive agriculture and lands. This is a post-apocalyptic landscape, the leadership of which has been grasped, probably out of necessity to restore law and order and distribute evenly what resources there are. Here is Satan's finest hour, achieving his goal from the garden of Eden. This is his takeover of God's creation. Satan's Kingdom has come! Whilst this may be Satan's greatest moment, it is undoubtedly earth's most awful moment. A message preached as part of our series of systematic bible studies in the book of Revelation. Dr J Stewart Gillespie graceinchrist.org</p>47:10Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/70596582022-09-13T23:41:50+01:002022-09-18T22:53:25+01:00Revelation chapter 12 - The Fury and the Flood - JS Gillespie<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="6A1e2V-tkRY" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/6A1e2V-tkRY/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6A1e2V-tkRY?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>Perhaps like myself you find the book of Revelation somewhat daunting with it's ultiplicity of interpretations which is somewhat off putting! Perhaps you can identify with the sentiment of one writer who quipped that there was only one person who understood Revelation and he is at home in the glory!<br>It is a book of complex symbols and language.<br>The subject matter; doesn’t really make for easy reading and is not overtly comforting, at least on the surface that is! This is perhaps typified by the transmission of the Greek title for Revelation “ἀποκάλυψις” into the English language, and is now used for catastrophe and disaster in epic proportions. </p>
<p>Revelation is indeed a book of catastrophe and disaster for the world: </p>
<p>Revelation is a boook containing the extremes of: </p>
<ol> <li>Personalities – Christ and the Devil </li> <li>Places – Heaven and Hell </li> <li>Problems – global and eternal destruction </li>
</ol>
<p>7 seals <br>7 trumpets <br>3 woes <br>7 vials <br>4th Seal sees ¼ of the world’s population destroyed </p>
<p>6th trumpet witnesses 1/3 of the world’s population destroyed! By the time we reach chapter 12, at least ½ of the world’s population has been wiped out! It’s not a cheery read! </p>
<p>Don’t let that put you off! </p>
<p>Ignore the book of Revelation at your peril! </p>
<p>There is at least one great reason not to ignore this book: </p>
<p>Revelation at least in part deals with the extremes of disaster and catastrophe! </p>
<p>If you believe, as I do that God is: </p>
<ol> <li>Sovereign over the problems of life “all things work together for good” </li> <li>Sufficient in His grace “my grace is sufficient for you” </li> <li>Supreme in His power “all power is given unto me…” </li> <li>Solution to all of our problems “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13) </li>
</ol>
<p>Then in these extreme experiences of: </p>
<ul> <li>Trial </li> <li>Testing </li> <li>Suffering </li> <li>Persecution </li> <li>Problems </li> <li>Discouragement </li> <li>Difficulty </li>
</ul>
<p>We see God’s extreme solutions! </p>
<p>If God is able to deal with the extremes, He is surely sufficient for our problems and our needs too!</p>
<p>In Revelation chapter 12 people experience: </p>
<ol> <li>Personal Failure – The Flesh </li> <li>Satanic Fury – The Devil </li> <li>Persecutory Flood – The World </li>
</ol>
<p>God has His provision and His solution in the extremes of these conditions and experiences! </p>
<ol> <li>Fury of the Devil </li> <li>Flood from the World </li> <li>Failure of the Flesh </li>
</ol>
<p>All 3 are inter-related! </p>
<p>It is the fury of Satan which directly causes the flood of persecution from the world (vs12-15). </p>
<p>It is the failure of the flesh that hinders victory over Satan and gives the accuser fuel for his fire (v10-11). </p>
<p>Power to overcome the accuser (v11) holds the key to their personal victory! </p>
<p>The flood of persecution is the product of Satanic fury! </p>
<p>Israel couldn’t see that of course in Revelation chapter 12, but nonetheless the spiritual battle was happening above them, over them and they were caught in the crossfire between heaven and hell. There will be many spiritual battles of which we are unaware but feel the shockwaves in our lives and souls.</p>
<p>Cosider the fury of Satan revealed here in Revelation chapter 12:</p>
<p>Know your adversary </p>
<p>Don’t imitate his character </p>
<p>Note the description of his character: </p>
<ol> <li>Destroyer (v4) cf. John 10 </li> <li>Deceiver (v9) </li> <li>Accuser (v10) </li>
</ol>
<p>Satan characterised as deceiver. </p>
<p>Deception often linked with intelligence! It is so here of course. </p>
<p>Intelligence is often required to pass off a good deception! </p>
<p>Spoof emails and phone calls, fake social media accounts, malicious phone calls etc! </p>
<p>Normally intelligence employs deception for the goal of personal gain. They want what you have! For Satan though the scenario is different! </p>
<p>Satan is under no delusion that he could stand ultimately to gain from these deceptions (12:12), he knows that his time is short. Ultimate gain is not on the horizon for him! </p>
<p>What could possibly motivate him? </p>
<p>The very essence of Satanic character: malicious envy! </p>
<p>Satan isn’t deceiving to personally profit from it but rather that you might lose, that you might be destroyed. This is malicious, destructive, satanic, envy!</p>
<p>Cf John 10:10 </p>
<p>Sufficient for Satan to drag you down, bring you down, get you down and keep you down! He will strive to ruin you at every turn! </p>
<p>Flood of persecution in the world </p>
<p>Satan having fallen from heaven (12:9), turns upon the people of God. </p>
<p>Satan falls from heaven to earth and to hell. </p>
<p>It is interesting that as Satan falls further and further, the glory of Christ fills the void, as the morning star and as King of Kings and Lord of Lords on the earth. </p>
<p>When the world and the Devil send the flood God always has His refuge for His people </p>
<p>“And a man shall be as a hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.” Isaiah 32:2 </p>
<p>For: </p>
<p>Jacob and his sons in famine there was provision in Egypt <br>Moses on the run as a fugitive there was refuge in the backside of the desert. <br>Israel caught between the armies of Pharoah and the Red Sea, there was a path through to the promised land <br>Samaria in the famine and siege of 2 Kings chp 7 – respite and refuge comes through the actions of 4 lepers at the gate of the city. <br>David there was the cave of Adullam <br>Jonah there was the provision of the whale <br>Elijah a morsel of meal in the widow of Zarephath’s house <br>Elisha a place in the home of the Shunammite </p>
<p>For: </p>
<p>Israel a way through the red sea and ultimately into the promised land <br>Elijah a way up <br>Jonah a way down and out of the depths <br>Daniel a way out of the lion’s den <br>Thief on the cross a way into heaven <br>Noah a way over the flood </p>
<p>God is always able to provide a refuge in the storm, always able, since His refuge is a person! </p>
<p>“And a man shall be as a hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.” Isaiah 32:2 </p>
<p>If a man is a hiding place, then that hiding place, isn’t restricted to a place, but is always available as a person! </p>
<p>Sometimes the means of that provision comes from the most unexpected of sources! </p>
<p>The unlikely gentile widow <br>The unexpected provision from Joseph, a son sold as a slave <br>The terrifying whale <br>An unassuming little maid of Naaman <br>An improbable coin in a fishes mouth </p>
<p>Failure of the flesh </p>
<p>The failure of the flesh give substance to the accuser, adds fuel to the fire and keeps the believer down, hinders their recovery. </p>
<p>There is overcoming victory (v11) by</p>
<ul> <li>Blood of the lamb </li>
</ul>
<p>Provision for forgiveness and recovery </p>
<ul> <li>Word of Testimony </li>
</ul>
<p>Power of a changed life </p>
<ul> <li>Total commitment </li>
</ul>
<p>Proof of nothing being more important than the Lord</p>
<p> </p>
<p><a contents="subscribe to our YouTube channel here - help spread the word" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnOg4vwB_OObURRJKDnpCNw?sub_confirmation=1" target="_blank">subscribe to our YouTube channel here - help spread the word</a></p>33:54Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/70451152022-08-24T20:13:53+01:002022-08-24T22:12:37+01:00Revelation chapter 12 vs 1 to 9 - The Rise and Fall of Satan - JS Gillespie <p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="Nf9AHdhsHn8" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/Nf9AHdhsHn8/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Nf9AHdhsHn8?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p> </p>
<p>The prophetic book of Revelation, that gives us a glimpse into the future for this world, also contains a few unanticipated surprises! </p>
<p>Revelation also gives us a glimpse into: </p>
<p>Heaven (chapters 4 + 5) <br>Hell (chapter 9) <br>Satan (chapter 12) </p>
<p>There are not that many passages of the scriptures that deal with the Satanic personality, although in many places we perceive his influence. </p>
<p>Revelation chapter 12 gives us a glimpse into the: </p>
<ul> <li>Destiny </li> <li>Disaster </li> <li>Demise </li> <li>Desires </li>
</ul>
<p>Of Satan </p>
<p>In chapter 12 we learn to recognise Satan as God reckons with Satan. </p>
<p>We gain a glimpse into the ultimate destiny of Satan elsewhere in the scriptures although we do have to join the dots and put the pieces together. </p>
<p>The man of the Gadarenes – those who follow Satan and who are obedient to him, must yet bow to a supreme authority, that of Christ! That does not bode well for Satan! Their end is in the Abyss <br>The testing of Christ in the wilderness – we often perhaps reflect on the character and nature of that temptation, the opportunism of Satan after 40 days of fasting, Satan’s misuse of the word of God and the means of defeating Satan with the sword of the Spirit and the Word of God! One simple of aspect of the testing of Christ in the wilderness that we ought not to miss of course <br>“Satan hath desired to have you that he may sift you as wheat” (Luke 22:31) We note the attack on Peter, but perhaps we ought also to note the ultimate victory of the Spirit of God in the life of Peter, as Peter knows recovery and restoration and becomes stronger for the experience! </p>
<p>Satanic activity is sovereignly controlled and attenuated </p>
<p>We need perhaps to put these pieces together to see the whole story. </p>
<p>Here in verse 1 we have a symbol of Satanic destiny </p>
<p>Sometimes looking back we see a significance that perhaps we don’t see at the time. </p>
<p>“moon under her feet” </p>
<p>The glory of Israel is in the sun (v1), the brightest and most glorious natural object which is known to us. </p>
<p>The moon is under her feet; the moon once worshipped by Israel, the moon that rules the night is under her feet! Israel has dominion and victory over the one who rules the night. Victory is guaranteed! The end is declared from the beginning!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Notice the principle of spiritual gravity which we find here in Revelation chapter 12, seen so clearly in the rise and fall of Satan, but which we can also perceive in the rest of the word of God.</p>
<p>You can pretty accurately predict the destiny of a personality from the impact they make on the lives of others. You can predict an individuals destiny from the direction they give to others,</p>
<p>If you want to know where they are going, look at where they are taking others! </p>
<p>Where they are sending others is where they are heading themselves. </p>
<p>Pharaoh – cast the children into the river Nile (Ex 1:22), into a watery grave is where Pharaoh and his armies ended up! (Exodus 14:28) <br>Ahab and Jezebel – lead the nation into Baal worship and the pursuit of the demonic, unfaithful to their God. Ultimately Jezebels subjects proved equally as unfaithful to her and that was her undoing. The authority of God and His commandments which she undermined and destroyed, was the foundation of all human authority and order, as is the case today. <br>Belshazzer led his people into blaspheming the items of the temple; he and many of his subjects died under Divine judgment. <br>Elimelech led his family to Moab and he died there. </p>
<p>Consider also on the positive side: </p>
<p>It was the apostle Paul who lifted so many up, and led so many to Christ. Is it not so appropriate that he himself was taken up into the 3rd heaven! What about the apostle John? It is John who is the disciple of love, life and light. It is John in his gospel who leads us to the Deity and glory of the Lord Jesus. How apt it is that it is John who gives us the book of Revelation, leading us into heaven itself! Here is the principle of spiritual gravity!</p>
<p>We can predict a personal destiny from the direction they point other. </p>
<p>It is difficult to take others or direct others in a direction we are not travelling in ourselves. </p>
<p>We can predict a persons destiny form the direction they give to others. Here we have this principle worked out in the spiritual realm. It is Satan with his malevolent influence who draws down a third of the stars from heaven to earth. You could predict his end I am sure from this! After the angelic host are cast down (12:4) Satan follows the same trajectory, downward to the earth (12:9)!</p>
<p>Notice also in Revelation chapter 12 the principle of spiritual gravity:</p>
<p>It was no coincidence that as Moses descended Mount Sinai with the two tables of law written by the finger of God, that Satan had made a pre-emptive strike and that waiting there for Moses was a pre-constructed golden calf! </p>
<p>It was no coincidence that placed next to the throne of Egypt were two Satanically inspired magicians; Jannes and Jambres, ready to sway the mind of Pharaoh as the voice of God echoed throughout the land in plague and pestilence. </p>
<p>It was no coincidence that Tobiah and Sanballat were on hand to discourage and to attempt to destroy the walls of Jerusalem as Nehemiah fulfilled his commission to rebuild for God! </p>
<p>Here too in Revelation chapter 12 we perceive exactly the same process at work. As the time approaches for Israel to bring forth Messiah; "when the fullness of the time was come..." in Revelation 12:2; God was ready. At that moment so too was Satan ready; ready with an attempt at annihilation, with the slaughter of the innocents, ready with persecution, temptation in the wilderness, rejection from the synagogue, isolation from society, false accusations, and ultimate execution at Calvary! </p>
<p>If we share the life of that same Saviour we too can anticipate to share the unwanted attention of Satan! Be ready! Be prepared, but not only for attack, but ultimately for victory through Christ! </p>
<p>From our systematic bible study series in the book of Revelation</p>
<p>Dr J Stewart Gillespie</p>
<p>GraceinChrist</p>
<p> </p>36:19Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/70444202022-08-23T22:17:59+01:002022-08-23T22:34:14+01:00Revelation chapter 12 vs 1 to 9 - When God is ready the Devil is Ready - JS Gillespie <p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="kBzY6bYy4fo" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/kBzY6bYy4fo/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kBzY6bYy4fo?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>It was no coincidence that as Moses descended Mount Sinai with the two tables of law written by the finger of God, that Satan had made a pre-emptive strike and that waiting there for Moses was a pre-constructed golden calf! </p>
<p>It was no coincidence that placed next to the throne of Egypt were two Satanically inspired magicians; Jannes and Jambres, ready to sway the mind of Pharaoh as the voice of God echoed throughout the land in plague and pestilence. </p>
<p>It was no coincidence that Tobiah and Sanballat were on hand to discourage and to attempt to destroy the walls of Jerusalem as Nehemiah fulfilled his commission to rebuild for God! </p>
<p>Here too in Revelation chapter 12 we perceive exactly the same process at work. As the time approaches for Israel to bring forth Messiah; "when the fullness of the time was come..." in Revelation 12:2; God was ready. At that moment so too was Satan ready; ready with an attempt at annihilation, with the slaughter of the innocents, ready with persecution, temptation in the wilderness, rejection from the synagogue, isolation from society, false accusations, and ultimate execution at Calvary! </p>
<p>If we share the life of that same Saviour we too can anticipate to share the unwanted attention of Satan! Be ready! Be prepared, but not only for attack, but ultimately for victory through Christ! </p>
<p>Part of a series of messages preached from the book of Revelation by Dr J Stewart Gillespie at the Bridgend Gospel Hall, New Cumnock .</p>
<p>(this recording was prematurely stopped due to a technical error)</p>22:40Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/70393442022-08-16T23:23:46+01:002022-08-16T23:59:27+01:00Revelation chp 12 vs 1 to 5 - How to be on the Winning Side - JS Gillespie<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="HWV5msoYwrc" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/HWV5msoYwrc/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HWV5msoYwrc?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p> </p>
<p>God is in the business of rendering men and women unrecognisable. He is the God who transformed Jacob from a thief and a conman to the judge of the 12 tribes of Israel. He is the God who made a sovereign out of a shepherd, a priest out of a murderer, a law giver out of a law breaker, a philanthropist out of a fraudster! It is little surprise that the recurrently dysfunctional Israel appears here in Revelation chapter 12, clothed with the most glorious of all natural objects (1 Co 15:41; Rev 21:23), the sun. </p>
<p>The woman of Revelation chapter 12 may appear unrecognisable, but Israel she is. She is the nation who gave rise to Messiah, whose remnant perceivers through the days of tribulation and who ultimately will rise to the place of pre-eminence amongst the nations of the earth, for which God had always fitted her. Her secret of triumph and victory is the same as ours. The battle she faces is part and parcel of the same cosmic struggle as ours too. We may at times be oblivious to the spiritual battle unfolding behind the scenes but we ignore it at our peril. On rare occasions we gain an insight and get a glimpse into what is actually taking place in the spiritual realm.</p>
<ul> <li>The deliverance from Egypt was effected by Moses but in the midst of Satanic opposition (Ex 7:11, 22).</li> <li>The trials of Job were only the tangible expression of a conversation between Satan and God. </li> <li>The prayers of Daniel were hindered by the same cosmic conflict </li> <li>The person of God's Son knew the trial in the wilderness and the attack on the cross</li> <li>The denial of Peter proceeded from the attack of the wicked one </li>
</ul>
<p>In all of these cases, God's people triumphed and did so glorious, having discovered the secret of being on the winning side. It was their connection with Christ that brought certainty and victory (Revelation 12:2,5). The victory which is His becomes ours. </p>
<p>From a series of bible teaching messages preached from the book of Revelation at the Bridgend Gospel Hall, New Cumnock by Dr J Stewart Gillespie.</p>33:26Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/70342282022-08-09T22:59:19+01:002022-08-10T09:44:04+01:00Revelation chp 11 vs 14 to 19 - 5 Good Reasons to Worship and Everything going Well isn't one of Them - JS Gillespie<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="nWReyxzOfTo" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/nWReyxzOfTo/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nWReyxzOfTo?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p> </p>
<p>A surgical incision into the closing section of Revelation chapter 11, reveals an unexpected heart beating at it's centre! After 7 seals and 6 trumpets and a third woe pending, this section gravitates around a nucleus of worship (Rev 11:17). This may seem to some a surprising conclusion to death, disease, catastrophe, global conflict and demonic attack upon the earth! Yet we ought not to be surprised at all. It was:</p>
<ul> <li>After Israel apostatised in worshipping the golden calf and the tables of the law were smashed that Moses worshipped</li> <li>After Job had seen the death of his family, the destruction of his home and the decimation of his wealth that Job worshipped</li> <li>Surrounded by the apocalyptic destruction of Jerusalem, the wall and the temple that Ezra worshipped </li> <li>On the storm tossed boat with their life in jeopardy that the disciples worshipped</li> <li>Possessed by a legion of soul wrenching demons that the Gaderene worshipped </li> <li>Whilst he was dying and leaning on his staff that Jacob worshipped</li>
</ul>
<p>Revelation chapter 11 verses 14 to 19 give us five good reasons to worship and everything going well with the world and our lives is not one of them! We can rejoice that God is in control of:</p>
<ul> <li>The woes that befall the world - ordered and announced by Him</li> <li>The world and it's kingdoms </li> <li>The wicked and their judgment </li> <li>The reward of the godly </li> <li>The worship of the one true and living God </li>
</ul>
<p>His word is settled forever in heaven. Despite what we may perceive as the chaos and catastrophe of the past we cannot on that basis predict the plans of God! </p>33:34Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/70293672022-08-02T23:21:32+01:002022-08-24T22:12:37+01:00Revelation chp 11 vs 1 to 13 - The Last Revival - JS Gillespie<p> </p>
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<p> </p>
<p>Grace upon grace, God has poured out on a fallen world. Generation after generation, God adds to His grace. It is almost as if century upon century God is declaring that He is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). By the time we reach Revelation chapter 11 many a mercy has moved towards man. God's dispensations or administrations have rolled through creation, conscience, government, law, grace and tribulation. In each movement of the Divine hand God calls men to repentance and to Himself. </p>
<p>Here in Revelation chapter 11, God brings all of His movements of mercy to a pinnacle. The miracles of Moses, the signs and wonders of Elijah (11:5-6), the plagues of blood and drought, the power of the Spirit of God (11:4) and all under the shadow of the cross, rain down upon man. Some respond, a remnant turn to give Glory to the God of heaven (11:13). </p>
<p>Tragically many reject the message of God. With even greater catastrophe they confuse the message as the product of the messenger and not as the revelation of God. Gloating and glorying over their corpses, the product of the satanic attack of the Beast, the rejoicing of the world is premature. God is still on His throne and 3 and a half days into their death, resurrection power raises them again from the dead. </p>
<p>A study in Revelation chapter 11 from our systematic series of expository bible studies in the book of Revelation. </p>
<p>Yours by Grace in Christ</p>
<p>Dr J Stewart Gillespie</p>37:37Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/70246322022-07-27T12:05:55+01:002022-07-27T12:06:48+01:00Revelation chp 11 vs 1 to 6 - Gods Place Gods People Gods Power be Part of it - JS Gillespie<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="JA93GTXcmtE" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/JA93GTXcmtE/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JA93GTXcmtE?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p> </p>
<p>It's not every day that a man out does God! Death defying is a frequently used phrase but on only two historical occasions have men actually achieved that feat! The Old Testament contains two strange anomalies. Both Enoch (Genesis 5) and Elijah (2 Kings 2) pass from earth to heaven, from time to the eternal without passing through death. This is not only an intriguing record but it also challenges the truth of Hebrews 9 :27 "it is appointed unto man once to die". Did they manage to escape and defy death? Mor importantly did they find a way around conforming to the pattern of Hebrews 9? Fast forward a few thousand years to Revelation chapter 11. Two witnesses appear in Jerusalem at the mid point of the tribulation period. There is something distinctly familiar about this pair! The impact of their ministry extends for a period of 3 and a half years, like that of Elijah (James 5:17), they call down fire from heaven; like that of Elijah (2 Kings 1), they stop the rain, again like Elijah and stand alone against the world, again reminiscent of Elijah in 1 Kings 19. Could we have here these two old testament characters? Does this solve the bible long mystery? Have these men, not so much escaped death, but been reserved and set apart for a future service and ministry in the last days? John observes, John records but perhaps like us, John participates in what God is doing (Revelation 11:1) in this chapter. He measures what belongs to God. It isn't big in the eyes of men. An inner court of 30 by 30 feet, yet it is God's patch, God's place and God's people. God values what belongs to Him, so does John and so do the two witnesses. The interest they have in time, as an interest that continues into forever (11:12). In chapter 11 it is only those with an interest in God's people and place on earth who continue to enjoy that place in heaven! Revelation chapter 11 looks off into future days of tribulation, yet the character, the interests of these witnesses is not foreign or new to us. They have an interest in God's work and worship here and serve God in His power and by His Spirit. Yours by Grace in Christ Dr J Stewart Gillespie From a series of systematic bible expositions in the book of Revelation, free to download audio mp3 and free to watch online at graceinchrist.org</p>46:59Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/70081722022-07-05T23:03:03+01:002022-07-05T23:10:53+01:00Revelation chapter 10 - The Sweet Taste of Victory from the Little book of Mystery - JS Gillespie <p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="uFLDPIodjwQ" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/uFLDPIodjwQ/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uFLDPIodjwQ?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>A chapter which calls time on the mysteries of God and invites us to eat a book doesn't have to try hard to be intriguing. Revelation chapter 10 is such a chapter. Key to our understanding of this mysterious chapter of Divine mysteries is verse 7; announcing that the "mystery of God should be finished." This is not simply the announcement of 'time up' but the anticipation of the completion and fulfilment of the Divine purposes of redemption. The 14 great mysteries of the New Testament find their fulfilment now with the blowing of the 7th trumpet. </p>
<p>The mystery of the Kingdom </p>
<p>The mystery of the blindness of Israel (Romans 11) </p>
<p>The Mystery of the spread of the Gospel (Romans 16) <br>The Mystery of the Cross (1 Corinthians 1) <br>The Mystery of the Rapture (1 Corinthians 15) <br>The Mystery of all things headed up in Christ (Ephesians 1) <br>The Mystery of Jew and Gentile in one body (Ephesians 3) <br>The Mystery of Christ and the Church (Ephesians 5) <br>The Mystery of Christ in us (Colossians 1) <br>The Mystery of Iniquity (2 Thessalonians 2) <br>The Great Mystery of Godliness (1 Timothy 3:16) <br>The Mystery of the Churches and Stars (Revelation chapters 1 to 3) <br>The Mystery of God (Revelation chp 10) <br>The Mystery Babylon the Great </p>
<p>All of these 14 mysteries seem summed up in the one mystery here - the mystery of God. </p>
<p>The open book of the Divine purpose in redemption is open and as John tastes it, there is in it's inner workings a bitterness, a pain and a sorrow, the same bitterness we can detect in history as well as in the lives of individual Christians. Men like Joseph, Moses, David, Samson, Daniel, Paul and John all experienced bitter sweet lives. Lives that were bitter in their execution and yet sweet in their exaltation. </p>
<p>The shadow of the cross casts itself over the workings of history as well as the lives of God's people. </p>
<p>Here in chapter 10 the mysteries of God unify and complete. From chapter 10 onwards a new word will be injected in the vocabulary of exposition, that of victory. God had a plan and a purpose in the rainbow of Noah, in the law of Sinai, in the pillar of fire and cloud to guide and finally and fully in His Son. All of these pictures are reflected in the unified language of chapter 10 verses 1 to 3 as the angel announces that victory is near. </p>
<p>We may not be on the easiest side but we are on the winning side!</p>36:22Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/70037162022-06-28T23:17:27+01:002022-06-28T23:30:12+01:00Revelation chapter 9 vs 12 to 21 - The 6th Trumpet and the 4 Angels from the Euphrates - JS Gillespie<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="CM2zfkyILYs" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/CM2zfkyILYs/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CM2zfkyILYs?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>Whilst undoubtedly one of the more complex chapters in Revelation, chapter 9 also contains some very practical lessons for the Christian by providing insight into the character and conduct of the enemy. The chapter begins with a Satanic smoke screen, emanating from the fumes billowing out their choking acrid debris into the air of earth. As always Satan obscures his purpose and as has been the case for generations his promises invariable conclude in the pit. This is the pit of broken promises, the pit into which the angels who followed him fell and an echo of the same trap set for Adam, David, Solomon, Ahithophel and Judas.</p>
<p>The second half of chapter 9 continues to provide forensic insight into the character of malevolence. The numbers perpetrating evil decrease from the swarms of locusts down to the 4 angels but their impact is amplified. These are the angels referenced in Daniel chapter 9, Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28; angels moving behind the scenes, motivating and manipulating the decisions and agenda of kings and politicians. These are the 4 angels of the Euphrates basin, hitherto placed on hold as the spiritual power house behind the dominance of Iraq, Turkey and Syria, once chained they now rise again, heralding the political ascendency of Turkey, Iraq and Syria. These lands become the setting for the fulfilment for some of the most unlikely of biblical prophecies. An army of 200 million are seen in this vision of John amassing for war with a third of the worlds population destroyed. At the time John wrote the world's population amounted to less than this total number observed as involved in the battle! Today however military, paramilitary and reserve forces already amount to 65 million (International Institute of Strategic Studies), with over 1 billion people potentially able to be called upon in the event of war. Today finally the numbers add up and the picture painted by John is no longer outlandish nor off the scale. Here is a battle and a slaughter ordered and ordained from the horns of the golden altar, all in God's plan and purpose, ultimately for His Glory. </p>
<p>A study in our series of expository messages on the book of Revelation.</p>
<p>Yours by Grace in Christ</p>
<p>Dr J Stewart Gillespie </p>38:40Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/69988342022-06-21T23:36:36+01:002022-06-23T10:25:17+01:00Satanic Secrets behind the Smoke Screen of Hell - Revelation chapter 9 verses 1 to 12<p> </p>
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<p>Chimeric demons, poisoned locusts, tortured humanity and the living dead of earth lurk behind the malevolent purposes of the morning star; Lucifer (Isaiah 14) whose fall from the heavens is recorded in Revelation chapter 9. Satan, ever true to his purposes fails to declare his hand. Like his smoke screen, Satanic purpose lacks transparency. He has and ever will fail to declare his malevolent intent. The light, obscured, the breath of life sustaining air repressive and suffocating with the infernal fumes of hell as the diabolical locusts arise from the abyss, the bottomless depths of a hell of disembodied demons. Eden saw Satan act by deception. He failed to promise Adam death, disaster, destruction and murder at his own door, he offered promotion to the deity of the Creator for the creature. Judas' deal with the Devil, did not have as part of it's terms and conditions, death by hanging and eternal perdition. Satan had promised a tidy profit of treasure for just a little treachery. </p>
<p>From the abyss the locusts arise, demonic in origin and destructive in nature. These beings appear as the antithesis of the living creatures; the cherubim of Ezekiel chapter 1. These servants of Satan are but perverted and corrupted forms of the pure and holy, the cherubic servants of God. Portrayed is a scene terrifying and catastrophic, but the same Lord who had stood witness to the fall of Satan from heaven in Luke 10:18 is the same Lord who promises power over the scorpion and protection from that same fallen angel. In this chapter it is significant that it is only those with the seal of God who are preserved from judgment and loss. The protecting and preserving grace of Christ extends to and beyond the very gates of hell itself for His people. Greater indeed is He that is in you than is in the world, even in the world of Revelation chapter 9.</p>
<p>A message preached at the Bridgend Gospel Hall, New Cumnock by Dr J Stewart Gillespie as part of our systematic teaching series in the book of Revelation, audio and video recordings at graceinchrist.org. </p>45:41Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/69842912022-06-01T15:55:53+01:002022-06-01T16:39:04+01:00Revelation chp 8 vs 6 to 13 - When Prophecy becomes Apocalypse Now - The Day God deconstructed the World and Man Grew Up - JS Gillespie <p> </p>
<p> </p>
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<p>Revelation chapter 8 opens with a silence of separation (8:1), a silence separating all that has gone before in heaven and upon earth from that which is about to happen. So dramatic, terrible and catastrophic are the events which are about to unfold that a line of demarcation is drawn between before the silence and after the silence. This unprecedented silence will forever be a line of separation, a turning point in God’s dealings with His world. </p>
<p>Before this half an hour of silence God had dealt with this world in: </p>
<ul> <li>Creation </li> <li>Grace </li> <li>Providence </li> <li>Upholding sustaining power extended as general grace to all men </li> <li>Redemption </li>
</ul>
<p>Even up until chapter 8 God’s judgments were on the whole passive and consequential upon the opening of the seals. The judgments so far were indirect, as a consequence of the opening of the seals rather than being directly commanded of God. The judgments so far pronounced drew, on the whole from natural causes and instruments in man’s world, familiar to us; eg war, famine and death. You might from the perspective of earth look at the four riders of the apocalypse and the natural disasters of the 6th seal and not clearly appreciate nor apprehend that these events had a Divine and supernatural cause! You could live through the first 6 seals and still hold on fairly tenaciously to your atheism, putting the events you experienced down to man made catastrophes, political upheaval and natural disasters. That is all about to change! </p>
<p>Revelation chapter 8 verse 1 signals a line of bold demarcation, not only in John’s apocalypse but also in the foreign policy of heaven. Earth now becomes the object not of: </p>
<ul> <li>Creation </li> <li>Grace </li> <li>Mission </li> <li>Salvation </li>
</ul>
<p>But of unparalleled judgment. </p>
<p>For half an hour the chorus of heaven ceases. </p>
<ul> <li>The worship of the innumerable company of martyrs of chapter 7, angels, living creatures and elders (7:11) is silenced </li> <li>The harps of the 24 elders are set aside (5:8) </li> <li>The chorus of the redeemed (5:9) is no longer heard </li> <li>Holy, Holy, Holy is cried no longer (4:8) </li>
</ul>
<p>Heaven falls silent. </p>
<p>This silence may occupy only a single verse of that vast volume we call the Bible, but don’t be misled, this is no minor matter! This is a silence that brings to a halt the Holy, Holy, Holy of Revelation chapter 4 and the 4 living creatures! </p>
<p>What is about to transpire is a judgment of unparalleled proportions. A judgment that is unlike any previous activity of heaven. The judgments of heaven move from the natural to the supernatural. In chapter 8 of Revelation we see not only nature turned against man; as it was in chapter 6 but we see: </p>
<ol> <li>Heaven and the angels (8:6-13) </li> <li>Hell and the demonic (chp 9) </li>
</ol>
<p>Mobilised against man! </p>
<p>Here is a half hour of silence. A half hour for: </p>
<ol> <li>Awe </li> <li>Grace </li> <li>Forgotten prayers </li>
</ol>
<p>A half hour of: </p>
<ol> <li>Awe – a reasonable and rational response to greatness and the Glory of God eg Zechariah 2:13; Romans 3:19 </li> <li>Grace – even in the epicentre of Divine judgment God’s character has not changed. As late as Revelation 16:9 there remains an echo of the hope for repentance. “God...is longsuffering to us-ward not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” </li> <li>Forgotten prayers. Here are the prayers of “all saints” (Revelation 8:3), including those ‘forgotten’ prayers of Rev 6:10 and who knowns how many other prayers long offered and thence forgotten. God does not forget the prayers of His people, even if those who offered such prayers have already gone home to Glory. He did not forget: </li>
</ol>
<p> </p>
<ul> <li>The blood of Abel (Genesis 4:10; Matthew 23:35; Luke11:51) </li> <li>The murder of Zacharias (Luke 11:51) </li> <li>Prayer of Abraham (Genesis 15:2) </li> <li>Prayer of Zacharias (Luke 1:13) </li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p>These prayers are now offered in this interlude with the “smoke of incense” fragrant and powerful. Incense added to the fragrance of the believer’s life “for we are unto God a sweet fragrance of Christ” (2 Co 2:15). How much more effective and powerful could my prayers be if the incense of my life truly complemented the fragrance of heaven? </p>
<p><em><strong>The sounding of the first 4 trumpets</strong></em> (Revelation 8:6-13) </p>
<p>In the sounding of these first 4 trumpets we have the outpouring of Divine judgment in a hitherto unknown and unseen fashion. This is the systematic deconstruction of man’s world. You could draw parallels with the 10 plagues of Egypt with the hail (v7), waters of blood (v8), destruction of the plant life (v7) and subsequently of course the plague of locusts (9:3ff). This is bigger than the 10 plagues of Egypt. This is global in extent and spiritual in character. </p>
<p>In these first 4 trumpets man’s world and man’s place in the world is shaken and deconstructed. Each and every sphere of the world as we know it is shaken and impacted part by part: </p>
<ul> <li>The earth and land (8:7) </li> <li>The sea (8:8-9) </li> <li>The rivers (8:10-11) </li> <li>The heavens above (8:12-13) </li>
</ul>
<p>Piece by piece man’s world is systematically deconstructed! </p>
<p>Here is the deconstruction of the creatorial work of Genesis chapter 1. </p>
<p>Here is God’s definitive response to man’s most ancient of sins; idolatry. </p>
<p>“Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and -- fourth generation of them that hate me;” (Exodus 20:3ff) </p>
<p>It is here that God’s jealousy for His own glory finds final justice and satisfaction. The material world adored by man, where man dug deep his foundations and denied his creator crumbles. </p>
<ul> <li>Nature </li> <li>Civilisation </li> <li>Commerce </li> <li>Industry </li> <li>Culture </li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p>Utter devastation and catastrophe abounds, and yet there is in all of this at least one great grace. This is the new enlightenment! Many will be familiar with the that period of western history in the 16th and 17th century we refer to as the enlightenment. A period of time marked by a mushrooming of: </p>
<ul> <li>Science </li> <li>Human rights and individualism </li> <li>Political changes and democracy </li> <li>Pursuit of happiness </li> <li>Materialism </li> <li>Secularism </li>
</ul>
<p>A period of time in which men attempted to: </p>
<ol> <li>Find their place in the world </li> <li>Find their happiness in the world </li>
</ol>
<p>Often this led many to abandon God or at least distance themselves from God and His demands morally and spiritually. These ideas have grown ever since coming down to us today in ever expanding forms. </p>
<p>Here is the new enlightenment! Here is a stage closer to reality. In these days men will have to rethink who and what they are. Chapter 8 challenges us to consider not: </p>
<ol> <li>What man is in the world </li> <li>What man is without the world </li>
</ol>
<p>“whose then shall these things be which thou has provided?” </p>
<p>If everything I have, all I possess, all I have laid by in store for this world was gone, would I have anything left? </p>
<p>“Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,” (2 Peter 3:11) </p>
<p>Edwin Blum: “Peter here makes the impending disintegration of the universe the ground for a personal challenge to his readers” (Expositors Bible Commentary) </p>
<p>Is this not why we are given now an insight into events then? </p>
<p>Where today does our foundation lie? </p>
<p>Where today do we lay up treasure? </p>
<p>What today are we distracted by? </p>
<p>Is it worth it? </p>
<p>Will it endure? </p>
<p>What of the details of these first 4 trumpets? </p>
<p>Many an interpretation has been given. </p>
<ol> <li>Symbolic – trees representing great men, grass the temporal nature of man’s glory, great mountain the kingdoms of men, sea as the nations. I have difficulty with this. The symbols appear to me very stretched and a bit arbitrary; are you really sure trees are great and powerful men in this context? Where trees are used as symbolic of great men there is usually an indicator or clue in the passage that they are being used in that way (Amos 2:9). </li> <li>Literal – 4 literal judgments, distinctive, instigated as a sovereign act of God. What will happen is just as described. That being the case there would be nothing further to expound. The description is as it stands, simple and literal. </li> <li>Descriptive – there are some elements of Johns description here that would suggest that a completely literal interpretation is probably not what is intended; eg sea “became blood” (v8) – a biological material produced by the bone marrow of animals, a complex protein structure carefully controlled by biological hormones, growth factors and cytokines. It is unlikely that such vast quantities of a biological substance would be found in the ocean, nor would they likely survive for any significant period of time in the oceans. Note also the description that the waters became “wormwood” (v11). Wormwood is a plant from which is made Absinthe, a potent and at times toxic alcoholic drink, contains a vast array of biologically active compounds, anti cholinergics, anti cholinesterases, it is toxic. Unlikely however that 1/3 of the waters will be literally turned to wormwood! </li>
</ol>
<p>These first 4 trumpets may then announce 4 distinct catastrophes from God, supernaturally authored and destructive individually as described: </p>
<ol> <li>Hail and fire </li> <li>Meteor or comet hit to the seas </li> <li>Comet strike affecting waters </li> <li>Eclipse of some form </li>
</ol>
<p>However bearing in mind that this section has descriptive elements to it, ie not entirely literal, is there anything that we know of today which might fit with the figurative descriptive language of this section? </p>
<p>There is one modern scenario which does pretty strongly parallel the description which we have here in Revelation chapter 8. A scenario unknown of course to John and to humanity for the next 1900 years. </p>
<p>Allow me to describe from secular academic sources the likely scenario of a nuclear holocaust. </p>
<p>In the event of a nuclear strike: </p>
<p>Likely targets of a nuclear strike would include key population centres and cities in the world: Washington, LA, San Diego, Moscow, Vladivostok, Tokyo, Beijing. </p>
<p>An epicentre of variable size depending on the size of the nuclear warhead would extend out from the point of impact over an area of 5 to 10 miles. Within that epicentre there would be total vaporisation, complete destruction. The episode would be engulfed in intense heat and flames. Everything flammable would be consumed, buildings, vehicles, people and plants. The vaporised products of that explosion would rise as a mushroom cloud, to fall to earth as black rain, embers and burning material. Approximately 50% of the debris from the initial nuclear strike would fall locally within the first 24 hours. A scenario not dissimilar to the hail and fire of verse 7 linked with the burning of vegetation. Interestingly notice that in the description of verse 7 some plants fair better than others. All of the green grass but only 1/3 of the trees were burnt up. This could likewise fit with fires extending out from nuclear epicentres in which some vegetation would be more resilient than others. In Hiroshima hit by the A bomb in 1945, all vegetation above the ground was vaporized extending out in a diameter of 3 km. Some plants with roots deep underground survived including approximately 170 broad leafed trees, including the Hibakujumoku tree. Ground based plants did not survive. </p>
<p>The fallout of radioactive particles would contaminate all surface waters making them undrinkable (consider verse 10). </p>
<p>The smoke and ash from that nuclear strike would rise 20 to 50 miles above the surface of the earth and stay there for a period of years. It is this smoke which would in part block out the light of the sun and moon, resulting in what scientists refer to as a nuclear winter. Note the 4th trumpet in this respect of verse 12. As a consequence, corn and wheat yields would drop depending on how large the nuclear holocaust was. From a relatively small nuclear conflict eg between India and Pakistan it is estimated that food production would drop by up to 40% and 1 to 2 billion people would perish with 90% of the worlds population starving to death in a nuclear winter. </p>
<p>A nuclear hit on or around the sea would likewise have catastrophic effects on the marine life and nearby coastal regions, not only at the epicentre but in the extended area around it as the pressure way dissipates through the water. A nuclear marine hit would cause massive aquatic death, increase the sea temperature locally and change nutrient concentrations in the vicinity from decomposing marine life. </p>
<p>Interestingly in response to changing sea temperatures and nutrient compositions many areas of the world experience red tides in California, Gulf of Mexico, Maine, British Columbia, Florida. This is caused by the overgrowth of a variety of toxic algae species such as Karenia Brevis and bacteria, Cyanobacterium Trichodesmium, Red tides have also been observed as a consequence of overgrowth of Alexandrium species of bacteria in sea temperatures above 50 degrees Fahrenheit. The toxins from Alexandrium species are responsible for Toxic Shellfish Poisoning, these toxins form the bacteria being absorbed by the shellfish. </p>
<p>In a recent paper published by Jae Young Oh, it has been discovered that some marine algae possess radioprotective phytochemicals, radioprotective polysaccharides and carotenoids. The radioprotective qualities of red algae have been extensively studied. </p>
<p>At the Chernobyl site in Ukraine it was found that following the nuclear accident at Ribiyart that Cryptococcus Neoformans were able to feed on radioactive material turning radiation into chemical energy! </p>
<p>Tanks at sellafield nuclear reactor have grown Haematococcus resistent to radiation. Haematococcus produces astaxanthan part of the carotenoid group of substances, which occurs in algae and causes the pink red colour in Salmon. </p>
<p>“Wormwood” : </p>
<p>Ukrainian – Chernobyl – perhaps a little echo of what is to come?</p>
<p>Part of our systematic study of the book of Revelation presented by Dr J Stewart Gillespie, at the Bridgend Gospel Hall, New Cumnock. </p>46:04Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/69789702022-05-24T23:37:09+01:002022-05-24T23:37:37+01:00Revelation chapter 8 vs 1 to 5 - The Silence of the Lamb - JS Gillespie<p> </p>
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<p>Revelation chapter 8 verses 1 to 5, the half hour silence in heaven at the opening of the 7th seal and prior to the sounding of the 7th trumpet Heaven, the place of angelic adoration, worship and singing by the redeemed and the sound of eternal praise comes to a total silence. The sound track of heaven is silenced for half an hour. This deadly silence separates chapters 8 and 9 of Revelation from all that precedes. Here are a series of judgments about to be poured out upon the earth which has qualitatively and quantitatively distinct from all that precede them. These judgments unleash not only death and judgment from the sphere of nature, as did the losing of the 7 seals but these trumpets announce, directly and deliberately the unleashing of all the power of heaven (Revelation chapter 8) and of hell (Revelation chapter 9). Destruction now will be on a scale hitherto unrealised and unwitnessed. Here also is 30 minutes of Divine Grace from a God who is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance even as late on as Revelation 16:9, this remains the case. It is during these 30 minutes of silence that heaven is punctuated with prayers past ascended and long forgotten by those who once prayed for justice, judgment and vengeance. The prayers of God's people are not forgotten. The prayers of God's people do not fall to the ground unheard and unnoticed keep praying. From a message preached at Bridgend Gospel Hall, New Cumnock by Dr J Stewart Gillespie on Revelation chapter 8 vs 1 to 5 - The Silence of the Lamb Part of a verse by exposition of the book of Revelation, free to download audio and video.</p>34:10Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/69628482022-05-03T22:22:01+01:002022-05-03T22:27:17+01:00Revelation chapter 7 vs 9 to 17 - Heaven - The Taste of a Place, The Touch of a Person - J Stewart Gillespie<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="Wix0wzXrF2w" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/Wix0wzXrF2w/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Wix0wzXrF2w?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>For the martyred multitude of Revelation chapter 7, heaven was worth it and heaven came as no surprise. With every strain of the sinews, every stretch of their muscle fibres and with each tensing of the tendons, this great multitude of God's people felt they were stepping upwards, higher and higher to the heavens. Reaching the summit came as no surprise. The clouds seemed closer with every step, the atmosphere of earth thinning and the sun a little brighter. Their journey had been one of progressing a little higher day by day. Along that upward path they had known the:</p>
<ol> <li>The Taste of the Place</li> <li>The Touch of a Person </li>
</ol>
<p>Heaven was reached by a palm tree paved path from the:</p>
<ul> <li>Palms of the oasis of Elim bringing refreshment from the wells of God's provision for His people on their earthly journey</li> <li>Palms of reflection as His people dwelt annually under the booths of palm leaves, reminding them of their pilgrim character on earth </li> <li>Palms of revelation under the palm tree of Deborah </li> <li>Palms of relationship adorning the temple </li>
</ul>
<p>Each step of the pilgrim journey home had a taste of the place, a fragrance of heaven. </p>
<p>That journey to the dwelling place of the Lamb was likewise assured by the presence and provision of the Shepherd along the path. The one who had lead them by the still waters and who had made them lie down in green pastures was the same one who had lead them to the source of that supply. Psalm 23 with its closing promise of dwelling in the House of the Lord forever, is the doorway into the eternal vista of Revelation chapter 7. Still waters in the valley of Psalm 23 find the eternal and abundant source in the "living fountains of water" of Revelation chapter 7. In this eternal abode hearts are fully satisfied (verse 16) with Christ. </p>
<p>It is at the conclusion of the journey for God's people, faithful martyrs for Jesus Christ, men and women who have come through persecution, suffering and death that we are finally able to weigh up the worth and value of all that has transpired before the eternal. Has earth been worth it? Has life been fare? Have the means been worth the end? Can we make sense of life now in the light of forever? The reflection and response of those martyred for Jesus is a resounding volley of praise and worship (verse 12); an emphatic 'yes'. Perhaps like them it would be wise for us to reserve judgment and assessment on our own trials and difficulties until finally we see life in the light of the Lamb, time from the perspective of forever. </p>
<p>A message preached in our systematic series of studies in the book of Revelation at the Bridgend Gospel Hall, New Cumnock by Dr J Stewart Gillespie. </p>
<p> </p>32:28Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/69523872022-04-20T08:50:05+01:002022-10-09T19:45:11+01:00Revelation chapter 7 vs 12 - Blessings from Brokenness - JS Gillespie<p> </p>
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<p>Revelation chapter 7 verse 12 is a high point of praise and worship in the book of Revelation. It is perhaps all the more surprising that this praise comes from the lips of and in the presence of those who have come through the most extreme of experiences of persecution, death and martyrdom. From the embers of suffering comes a choir of praise and worship. Such praise is not naïve nor short sighted but rather founded on an appreciation of the power and wisdom of their God. </p>
<p>Part of our ongoing series in the book of Revelation, a practical and devotional exposition of John's Apocalypse. </p>
<p>Yours by Grace in Christ</p>
<p>Dr J Stewart Gillespie</p>37:51Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/69469222022-04-12T22:59:27+01:002022-04-16T12:10:19+01:00Revelation chapter 7 verse 9 - The Palm Tree Paved Path to the Presence of the Lamb - JS Gillespie<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="WlJbRdwQ7S8" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/WlJbRdwQ7S8/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WlJbRdwQ7S8?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Revelation chapter 7 is a play of two halves. From the events on earth in verses 1 to 8 we move upward and heavenward to the innumerable multitude of martyrs before the throne of the Lamb in verses 9 to 17. We leave the gloom of God's Grace withheld from a fallen and falling world in the first half of Revelation chapter 8 to the Glory of God's grace revealed and all sufficient in the later half of chapter 7. The Lamb is indeed all the Glory in Emmanuel's land! </p>
<p>This "great multitude which no man could number" stands distinct from the 144,000 of the the first half of Revelation chapter 7. This is an international and cosmopolitan company, innumerable in quantity and present in heaven. The 144,000 are numbered, of the 12 tribes of Israel and resident on earth. This vast company have emerged en masse, martyred from the persecution of tribulation days (Revelation 7:14). Undaunted and undiscouraged by the prospect of and reality of martyrdom, they pass through the fire and the flame to gain heaven and home. What motivated this drive? What fed this tenacity? As was asked of Samson in the book of Judges; what was the secret of their strength? Perhaps we have a clue here in verse 9. These martyrs of the tribulation period stand, having grasped finally in their hands the final mention of the biblical 'palm' tree. </p>
<p>The path to their final destination in heaven, was a path paved with palm tress, right the way to the throne of the Lamb. Heaven was no surprise. Heaven was no vague hope. Heaven is home. The fragrance of that place, scented the entire route to glory. The one to whom they went was the one with whom they went. It is the same Lamb, the same Lord who gave them strength for the way, who waited for them at their destination. </p>
<p>Israel redeemed from Egypt needed REFRESHMENT in their wilderness journeys. That refreshment from the 12 wells of Elim was enjoyed in the shade of 70 palm trees (Exodus chapter 15). </p>
<p>Each year the collective consciousness of the nation of Israel would be impressed by the reflection and REMINDER that there presence passing and transient. God had called them out of Egypt for Himself. The character of the nation ought to be that of pilgrims and strangers and so between the two Sabbaths of rest they would rest in booths, under the shade of the palm trees. </p>
<p>The place of REVELATION, a word from the Lord, to guide, direct and inform, came in the days of the Judges from Deborah, under the shadow of the palm tree. </p>
<p>Their RELATIONSHIP with God, centred around the temple of Solomon in 1 Kings 6:29, was surrounded by the image of palm trees. </p>
<p>Finally the REALITY of the presence of Jesus amongst them was marked by the raising of the palm tree (John 12:13). </p>
<p>It is from that constant lifelong taste of heaven, that daily drinking of the living waters of heaven, that feeding in the bread of heaven that strength is given to face whatever persecution and pain and trial this world will throw at them to gain heaven. Heaven for these martyrs is the final step of faith and not the only step of faith. </p>
<p>An excerpt from the audio and video recording of our exposition of Revelation chapter 7. Part of our bible teaching series as we study systematically through the book of Revelation. </p>
<p>Yours by Grace in Christ, </p>
<p>Dr J Stewart Gillespie</p>40:10Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/69411882022-04-05T23:48:43+01:002022-04-16T12:11:28+01:00Revelation chapter 7 verses 1 to 11 - The missing tribe of Dan - Forgetting those who Forget God <p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="QThbUrqgpaM" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/QThbUrqgpaM/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QThbUrqgpaM?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>The prophecies of Revelation chapter 7 transport us into the future days of tribulation. During this period of intense persecution 12 000 people from each of the 12 tribes of Israel will be sealed and set apart as servant for God. Herein lies the first of 2 great problems. For over 2000 years 10 out of the 12 tribes of Israel have been regarded as 'lost tribes', peoples and tribes who never returned to their ancient homeland of Israel following their exile into the empire of Assyria. Over the past 70 years however interest has been rekindled in tracing these 10 lost tribes. Since the reestablishment of the nation state of Israel and the Messianic aspirations of Jewish scholars, the search has been on to find the 10 Northern tribes. Following the ancient silk route out of Assyria and investigating the traditions and practices of the tribes and peoples along that route has yielded fascinating results! Jewish practices, Mosiac law, the practice of the Passover and the preparation of Kosher food as well as ancient traditions of an Exodus story has been found amongst the Pashtun tribes of Afghanistan, the BenIsrael of Bombay, the Manasseh of Tibet and the Ischarof of Uzbekistan, Some leading Rabbinical scholars are convinced that all 12 of the tribes have now been identified amongst nation states and groups. Amongst these groups some are already returning to Israel!</p>
<p>The tribal list of Revelation chapter 7 contains a further bombshell. Included in the list of the 12 tribes is Manasseh. Manasseh was not a son of Jacob at all, but rather a grandson. As included in the list of 12 tribes he has displaced one of the original tribes, that of Dan. The tribe of Dan was no insignificant player in the OT narrative. It was Dan who was:</p>
<ol> <li>Instrumental in constructing the tabernacle under the direction of Aholiab (Exodus chapter 31, 35, 36)</li> <li>Crucial in the design of the temple by the hands of Hiram (2 Chronicles 2:14) </li> <li>Dan who proclaimed the law of the Lord and the warnings against idolatry from Mount Gerizim in Deuteronomy 27. </li>
</ol>
<p>And yet tragically it was also in Dan we see a sustained and collective loss of identity and distinctiveness:</p>
<ol> <li>Marital compromise and unequal yoke (Leviticus 24)</li> <li>The first man to be stoned for blasphemy (Leviticus 24)</li> <li>Moral compromise in the days of Samson </li> <li>Spiritual compromise and idolatry in the days of Micah in Judges 17 and 18.</li>
</ol>
<p>It was seem that by the time we reach Revelation chapter 7 this sustained loss of identity and distinctiveness has removed them from the Divine plan, replaced now by Manasseh, the meaning of whose name is that of 'caused to forget'. God has forgotten those who forgot Him! </p>
<p>The New Testament warning of Paul seems apt here; let us beware that lest having preached to others we ourselves should become shipwreck!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A message preached at the Bridgend Gospel Hall, New Cumnock, from our systematic bible teaching series on the book of Revelation. Audio and video recordings of these bible studies are free to download or view online.</p>
<p>Yours by God's Grace in Christ</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Dr J Stewart Gillespie</p>41:40Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/69353542022-03-29T23:18:40+01:002022-04-16T12:12:08+01:00Revelation chapter 7 verse 1 - If God Should hold back the Winds<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="tGHpz63mfnI" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/tGHpz63mfnI/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tGHpz63mfnI?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Hot on the heels of the catastrophic events of the opening of the first 6 seals of Revelation chapter 6 comes the introduction to the opening of the 7th seal, here in Revelation chapter 7. By all accounts the introduction to this series of events seems pretty benign, even innocuous. What is the problem with with holding the winds that blow upon the earth (Revelation 7:1)? Is this not a good thing? This would have been welcome relief to the disciples in the storm tossed boat of John chapter 6. This could have provided reprieve for Jonah on the ship heading to Tarsus. The restraining of the winds could have averted the terrifying disaster of Paul's ship wreck at Malta! So what if God holds back the winds! </p>
<p>On many occasions God's winds have blown through the scripture. Often times those winds have blown with blessing and grace! </p>
<p>In Genesis chapter 1, it is the Spirit of God; the same Hebrew word for wind, who moves on the face of the waters with:</p>
<ul> <li>Creatorial Power </li>
</ul>
<p>After the flood waters covered the earth, it is the wind that blows, pushing back those waters of judgment and permitting the release of Noah and the occupants of the ark. God's wind blows in:</p>
<ul> <li>Salvation Power </li>
</ul>
<p>By Passover lamb and by the power of shed blood, God purchases and releases His people from bondage in Egypt. The final hurdle is that of the Red Sea. The waters will be blown back by the wind. God blows in:</p>
<ul> <li>Redemptive Power </li>
</ul>
<p>To meet the needs of His people and sustain them in the wilderness, it is the wind of God that will carry the quail into the camp of the wilderness people. God blows in:</p>
<ul> <li>Sustaining Power </li>
</ul>
<p>The needs of Israel and Elijah will be met in draught conditions by the rains carried by the wind. God blows in:</p>
<ul> <li>Refreshing and living Power</li>
</ul>
<p>It may appear a trivial judgment for God to hold back the winds (Revelation 7:1) but such a with holding of Divine Grace belies catastrophe; a catastrophe which can be anticipated in the physical realm as well as the spiritual. This world will feel the effects of the absence of the winds upon the earth. Temperatures will rise at the equator. Temperatures will fall at the poles. This earth will become a place of polar extremes. The earth will dessicate. Precipitation will stagnate. Bareness and dryness will dominate a world turned to desert. Spiritual conditions of course will likewise be reflected in a world which has rejected the Lamb of redemption. This world will become a place of spiritual extremes, bareness and dryness. It is perhaps worth pausing and contemplating the condition of our own life and heart. Would we notice in the microcosm of our own personal existence if God's gracious winds ceased to blow? Are we spiritual enough to detect the dryness, the bareness, the extremeness of our souls, in the presence of no open vision? </p>
<p>There is in Revelation chapter 7 an infinitely more glorious purpose behind this action of God to hold back the winds. It was the winds of God who scattered the tribes of Israel in Zechariah 7:14. This wind will cease and the people of God will be regathered, sealed and set apart as witnesses for Christ. We see today the scene being set for this very event. </p>
<p>A message from our systematic Bible study series in the book of Revelation </p>
<p>Yours by God's Grace in Christ</p>
<p>Dr J Stewart Gillespie </p>
<p>GraceinChrist.org where bible teaching never sleeps. </p>
<p> </p>37:05Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/69231942022-03-15T23:09:45+00:002022-03-26T21:24:11+00:00Revelation chapter 6 verses 1 to 8 - It's the End of the World - But not Quite Yet - JS Gillespie - 15th March 2022<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="NGwVFHGpnsE" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/NGwVFHGpnsE/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NGwVFHGpnsE?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Recent events in the Ukraine and past catastrophes at times of international upheaval have led us to ask the question; 'Is this the end of the world.' The ignorance of unbelief is oblivious to the truth that just as life and creation were deliberate so too is the end of the world. Revelation chapter 6 is not the end, maybe not even the beginning of the end but perhaps the end of the beginning, laying the foundation for the series of future catastrophes which await a world under the judgment and wrath of God. </p>
<p>The four riders of the apocalypse introduce this series of judgments. These are the product of the opening of the first 4 seals of the book of Revelation chapter 5. Introducing each of these 4 horses of the apocalypse is one of the four living creatures (or beasts) of chapter 5. One by one these heavenly living creatures, stamped with the character of the eternal God present their earthly antithesis in the 4 horses. </p>
<p>To reject the kingly lion character of God (Rev 5:7; 6:1) is to embrace the autocratic dictatorship of the expanding kingdom of the rider of the white horse. An omen of empire building. This is a warrior armed with a bow but no arrows, with thunder but no lighting, and given a crown he has not taken. The first phase of judgment lies within the realm of an expanding empire of rule and influence, more perhaps by threat and fear than by battle and blood. </p>
<p>To refuse the sacrificial and atoning character of Christ in the calf (Rev5:7) is to embrace slaughter and death (6:3) in the merciless red horse. </p>
<p>To reject man glorified in Christ is to degenerate to man emaciated, corrupted and destroyed in the black horse and to reject the heights of glory to which His Spirit eagle like can sore (Revelation chp 5 vs 7) will ultimately end in the depths and depravity of death and of hell (6:8). </p>
<p>Here is the apocalyptic vision of John for a world which has come to an end, but not quite yet. </p>
<p>Part of the graceinchrist.org systematic bible teaching series on the book of Revelation delivered by Dr J Stewart Gillespie.</p>
<p>Graceinchrist.org where bible teaching never sleeps.</p>38:44Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/69231932022-03-15T23:09:44+00:002022-03-26T21:24:49+00:00Revelation chapter 6 verses 1 to 8 - It's the End of the World - But not Quite Yet - JS Gillespie - 15th March 2022<p>Recent events in the Ukraine and past catastrophes at times of international upheaval have led us to ask the question; 'Is this the end of the world.' The ignorance of unbelief is oblivious to the truth that just as life and creation were deliberate so too is the end of the world. Revelation chapter 6 is not the end, maybe not even the beginning of the end but perhaps the end of the beginning, laying the foundation for the series of future catastrophes which await a world under the judgment and wrath of God. </p>
<p>The four riders of the apocalypse introduce this series of judgments. These are the product of the opening of the first 4 seals of the book of Revelation chapter 5. Introducing each of these 4 horses of the apocalypse is one of the four living creatures (or beasts) of chapter 5. One by one these heavenly living creatures, stamped with the character of the eternal God present their earthly antithesis in the 4 horses. </p>
<p>To reject the kingly lion character of God (Rev 5:7; 6:1) is to embrace the autocratic dictatorship of the expanding kingdom of the rider of the white horse. An omen of empire building. This is a warrior armed with a bow but no arrows, with thunder but no lighting, and given a crown he has not taken. The first phase of judgment lies within the realm of an expanding empire of rule and influence, more perhaps by threat and fear than by battle and blood. </p>
<p>To refuse the sacrificial and atoning character of Christ in the calf (Rev5:7) is to embrace slaughter and death (6:3) in the merciless red horse. </p>
<p>To reject man glorified in Christ is to degenerate to man emaciated, corrupted and destroyed in the black horse and to reject the heights of glory to which His Spirit eagle like can sore (Revelation chp 5 vs 7) will ultimately end in the depths and depravity of death and of hell (6:8). </p>
<p>Here is the apocalyptic vision of John for a world which has come to an end, but not quite yet. </p>
<p>From our systematic bible teaching series on the book of Revelation delivered by Dr J Stewart Gillespie</p>
<p>Graceinchrist.org where bible teaching never sleeps.</p>38:44Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/69177562022-03-09T12:15:06+00:002022-04-16T12:13:04+01:00Revelation chapter 5 - Worthy? Ask the Angels!<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="AH4KqVFVa2U" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/AH4KqVFVa2U/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/AH4KqVFVa2U?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>Tears begin to flow in Revelation chapter 5 at the possibility that this book in the hand of God could remain unopened. It is the losing of the seals of this momentous book which determines all else that subsequently happens in the unfolding purposes of God in this final prophetic conclusion to the Bible: the book of Revelation. This book, in the hand of God, is destined to be opened and read at the great white throne judgment, determining the destiny of God's redeemed people. It is the eternal list of those, sealed, saved and secure. This is the Lamb's book of life! That such a book should remain unread would be unthinkable. </p>
<p>There is to be found only one who is worthy to break the seals and thus open the book. Redemptive character and power are needed for this task. This alone is can be undertaken by the Lamb.</p>
<p>Revelation chapter 5 concludes with a great, unified, although diverse chorus of praise to the worthiness of the lamb, affirming that indeed He is worthy to take the book and unloose the seals. Each individual in heaven, in turn affirms who the Lamb is, what the Lamb is and what He has done.</p>
<p>To the elder He is the only one fitted by might and by moral right to take the throne of the universe. He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords and has proven His worth and character as a man born into and through the line of Judah. The Lamb upon the throne is uniquely qualified for this role. Unlike mere human and mortal kings the Lamb does not reign purely by inherited right nor even by convincing others of His personal ability nor might. His path of ascendency came through humanity, through the tribe of Judah. His life is an open book in the Gospels and in the scriptures. We see His character, "He did sin... He knew no sin... in Him is no sin." In every way He was tested like we are yet found to be without sin. He is worthy of the throne. He is worthy to reign.</p>
<p>To John He is marked with the attributes of God; all powerful with His 7 horns, all knowing and seeing with His 7 eyes and omnipresent with the 7 Spirits of God sent forth upon all the earth.</p>
<p>To the living creatures and 24 elders His motives and character are above and beyond reproach for He not only has a people, not only has He redeemed a people but the Lamb has redeemed them with His one blood. His people are precious to Him, infinitely and personally precious.</p>
<p>Finally we ask the angels for their perspective on the Lamb? Is He worthy? Ask the angels! He above all inhabitors of a throne is able by the purity of His character to handle absolute power, riches, wisdom, honour and glory without pride and without tyranny. </p>
<p>The one who sits today on the throne of the universe is absolutely trustworthy and dependable.</p>
<p>Part of our series of systematic Bible Teaching in the book of Revelation, brought by Dr J Stewart Gillespie.</p>
<p>Graceinchrist.org where bible teaching never sleeps.</p>43:24Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/68923472022-02-08T22:59:37+00:002022-02-12T20:14:46+00:00Revelation chapter 5 verses 1 to 5 - Heaven's Best kept Secret and Why John Wept<p> </p>
<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="iZwjIQzHqQ4" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/iZwjIQzHqQ4/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/iZwjIQzHqQ4?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>It is John who assures us in Revelation chapter 21 vs 4 that there will be no tears in heaven and yet it is his very description of heaven that opens with the intensity of his own tears (Revelation 4:4). This is indeed a strange and sorrowful introduction to the tearless place. We may be unsurprised that the description of disaster, famine, plaque and pestilence of the subsequent chapters are preceded by tears. What is about to unfold in the 7 seals, the 7 trumpets, and the 7 vials amounts to global catastrophe and world wide destruction. The 4 riders of the apocalypse are followed by the veiling of the sun and the blood moon. The 7 trumpets announce the destruction of 1/3 of the land, 1/3 of the sea. 1/3 of the rivers as well as the solar, lunar and stellar disasters. The bottomless pit is opened and the demonic plaque of locusts are released upon the earth followed by 200 million horseman reeking destruction on the earth. Boils and sores are followed by seas and rivers of blood as the satanically inspired Kingdom of the beast comes crashing down along with the global economic and religious systems. Yet it is not because of any of this John weeps! Even more astounding than the weeping of John in heaven is his reason for weeping. John weeps that these seal may not be loosed and the book may not be opened!</p>
<p>Whatever this book contains the glory of the book is infinitely greater than the grief which it causes! This is a book which demands the redemptive rights of the lamb to open. This is not title deeds of the universe which in reality do not exist. The earth is and always has been the Lord's and the fullness thereof. He did not purchase, neither did He lose the earth. The earth is His by rights. The Creator needs no work of redemption to judge a fallen world; that is His Divine prerogative! Neither does this book contain the story of future events, not the book of revelation in part nor in whole. The story of Revelation chapter 6 to 19 are the product of the seals and not the scroll. </p>
<p>The identity of this book, is perhaps heaven's best kept secret and can only be that of the Lamb's Book of Life of Revelation chapters 20 and 21. It is only this book which requires redemptive rights to handle. It is only the Book of Life who's eternal Glory eclipses the grief of the loosed seals. It would be an unopened book of life which truly would be worth the tears of John for if the Lamb's book were never to be opened the fate of all would be that of eternal loss and damnation. This is indeed why John wept, he wept for you! The opening of this book determines the eternal destiny of all those whose names are contained within it's pages. Once this book is opened John will in chapters 20 and 21 present to us the presence and reality of the opened book of life of the Lamb. Let us value greatly the cost and consequence of our salvation.</p>
<p>Listen below or watch online to the full bible teaching message preached on Revelation chapter 5.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Yours by Grace in Christ </p>
<p>Dr J Stewart Gillespie </p>33:43Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/68859362022-02-01T23:00:16+00:002022-03-26T21:25:49+00:00Revelation chapter 5 verses 1 to 5 - The Book with the 7 Seals - Thy Kingdom Come - JS Gillespie - 01022022<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="lZsW5Qf1Slo" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/lZsW5Qf1Slo/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lZsW5Qf1Slo?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>Upon the fulcrum of Revelation chapter 5 the whole of John's great prophetic book turns. John has introduced us to heaven in Revelation chapter 4 and to the God of heaven. In chapter 4 we learn WHAT God is; He is the covenant making and covenant keeping God of the rainbow encircled throne. All of His rule is founded on the principle of faithfulness and of God's unbreakable promises. He is the God of the crystal sea, impeccably Holy, absolutely pure. We glimpse WHO God is in the Jasper and the Sardine stone. The stones of the breastplate of Israel's high priest contain the names of Benjamin; the Son of His Father's right hand and Reuben: behold a Son. The God of eternity seated upon the throne of glory is the Son. This is the Jesus of the bible! Write above chapter 4 of Revelation: </p>
<p>"Our Father which art in heaven..." </p>
<p>Here is God in His dwelling. Here is God seated upon His throne! </p>
<p>From chapter 6 to 19 of Revelation John will describe in detail not so much WHO God is or WHAT God is like but WHAT God will do. Chapter after awful chapter, catastrophe follows disaster and yet these calamities are anything short of natural or accidental. These earth shattering events are deliberate, ordered, designed and ordained; each one triggered by a definitive act of the Lamb and His angels. These events can in fact be traced back to the opening of the seven seals of Revelation chapter 5. </p>
<p>And so after:</p>
<p>The 4 riders of the Apocalypse; harbingers of war, famine, death and disease you can write:</p>
<p>"Thy will be done on earth..."</p>
<p>After the veiling of the sun and the blood red moon you can write:</p>
<p>"Thy will be done on earth..."</p>
<p>After the destruction of 1/3 of the land, 1/3 of the sea, 1/3 of the rivers; you can write:</p>
<p>"Thy will be done on earth..."</p>
<p>As the solar system moves and the stars fall; you can write:</p>
<p>"Thy will be done on earth..."</p>
<p>As the bottomless pit is opened and as Apollyon leads the demonic locusts on their merciless mission; you can write:</p>
<p>"Thy will be done on earth..."</p>
<p>As 200 million horsemen emerge to destroy 1/3 of mankind, you can write:</p>
<p>"Thy will be done on earth..."</p>
<p>As Armageddon rages, the beast and Antichrist arise and the global financial and religious systems fall; you can write:</p>
<p>"Thy will be done on earth..."</p>
<p>With so much in these chapters as to who God is, what God is like and what God will do; what indeed is the purpose of Revelation chapter 5, and more particularly a scroll or book unsealed, one seal at a time unleashing global destruction? This pattern teaches me that:</p>
<ul> <li>Pain has a purpose</li> <li>Grief has a Glory </li> <li>Madness has a meaning </li>
</ul>
<p>All of these subsequent judgments; wars and destructions are the essential forerunner to the opening of the book. It is in other words the opening of this book which heralds in Gods eternal Kingdom and New Jerusalem that necessitates the opening of this book. You can't have the open book without the preceding catastrophe!</p>
<p>You can't have success in life without the sacrifice!</p>
<p>You can't climb a mountain sitting on your sofa with your slippers on!</p>
<p>You can't have the donuts without the calories! </p>
<p>You can't have a world of sin, rebellion, and separation from God without first the purging of fire, the fulfilment of the ultimate and eternal consequences of sin, the judgment of Satan and rebellion. To be separate from the God of life, light and love necessitates the experience of death, darkness and despair! </p>
<p>The tragedy of Revelation has meaning and purpose as does all tragedy and turmoil under the hand of a sovereign God. </p>
<p>To open the book that leads to Glory means to lose the seals which each demand judgment!</p>
<p>Graceinchrist.org where bible teaching never sleeps.</p>29:54Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/68808112022-01-27T13:12:34+00:002022-10-09T19:50:36+01:00Revelation chapter 5 - The Book with 7 Seals - Outline Notes - JS Gillespie<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="A2n6VlW0EDA" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/A2n6VlW0EDA/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/A2n6VlW0EDA?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p> </p>
<p>The Book with 7 seals: </p>
<p>Book within a book <br>Scroll within the seals <br>Meaning within the Mystery </p>
<p>Book within a book: </p>
<p>Revelation chapter 5 presents us with a book </p>
<p>It is a book on the hand of God </p>
<p>It is a book in the hand of the lamb </p>
<p>This is an interesting and strange phenomenon </p>
<p>Here we are reading God’s book – the Bible, in God’s book the Bible we read of a book in the hand of God! </p>
<p>That is rather strange! </p>
<p>Herein is a book within a book! </p>
<p>That of course is not completely unique in the Bible, the Bible does contain a number of references to ‘external’ books: </p>
<p>The Book of the prophet Shemaiah <br>The Book of Jehu the Son of Hanani <br>The Book of Gad the Seer <br>The Book of Nathan the Seer <br>The Book of the acts of Solomon <br>The Book of the Wars of the Lord <br>The Book of Jasher <br>The Books of the Kings of Babylon (Ezra 4:15) <br>The Books of the Chronicles of Media and Persia (Esther 6:1; 10:2) </p>
<p>Often of course a book or piece of literature will cross reference other works to give validity to it’s own thesis or ideas; as if the author is saying; ‘here you can go away and check the facts for yourself.’ </p>
<p>Intriguingly of course of all of those external books referenced by the Bible, none are still in existence. If you were to place your inter library loan request it would be returned as ‘volume unavailable’. </p>
<p>The Bible has no real need of external validation in any shape nor form! The Bible is the absolute source of validation itself. </p>
<p>It is interesting too, to reflect upon the unique character of the Bible we hold in our hands. That whilst all of these other books have been lost, some that perhaps we might think ought to have been preserved; the histories and chronicles of the Kings of Persia and Babylon, the histories and records of the greatest empires in the world, this book the Bible has bee preserved. Down through the centuries and generations, men and women have been persuaded of the unique value and content of this book and through fire and flame have preserved the Bible at great personal cost. </p>
<p>In the archives of Yad Vashem are scrolls from the synagogues of Eastern Europe, texts of the Torah, preserved through the holocaust, scrolls stained with blood and burned by fire. </p>
<p>Even for those who perhaps do not have faith in the Christ of the Bible, they must surely acknowledge the uniqueness of His book. </p>
<p>Within the pages of this unique book; the bible, there is hidden another book; a book within a book, almost like the Russian dolls of old, a doll within a doll. </p>
<p>We open the safe of the Bible, a book of phenomenal interest in and of itself and within it we find a locked safety deposit box! </p>
<p>Perhaps we ay suspect that this book within a book will contain something of even greater and deeper interest? Some hidden mystery? Some deeper secret? </p>
<p>In fact the hidden character of this book of Revelation chapter 5 is even deeper than that. The bible as we know it, is a title taken from the Greek ‘ta biblia’ which literally means the ‘books’ or the ‘scrolls’ plural. </p>
<p>In our hands we not only have God’s book, but within that book we have 66 of God’s books; ‘ta biblia.’ </p>
<p>The book on the hand of God in Revelation chapter 5 is thus: </p>
<p>A book within <br>A book within <br>A book </p>
<p>That makes it of course a very interesting book indeed! </p>
<p>It is perhaps also worth noting that what is translated as a ‘book’ in Revelation chapter 5 verse 1 is in reality a ‘scroll’ – a rolled up parchment or papyrus. </p>
<p>The ancient word for book was of course ‘biblos’ which was the same as the word for a scroll. The word came from the Lebanese port of ‘biblos’ through which the exportation of papyrus came. </p>
<p>The Book here in Revelation chapter 5, sealed with the 7 Seals would have been in the historical context and from the description given, in reality a scroll. That would be significant to notice for later. </p>
<p>This is not only a book with a book but it is also: </p>
<p>A Scroll within 7 seals: </p>
<p>What may that indicate? </p>
<p>Many over the years have been very caught up on what the contents of this book may be but perhaps an even better or more fundamental question lies in the very existence or description of this scroll with 7 seals. </p>
<p>Why should the unfolding of the subsequent chapters of Revelation be dependent upon the loosing of the seals of this scroll? </p>
<p>Why are chapters 6 to 19 dependent directly and indirectly on these scrolls being broken? </p>
<p>Chapter 5 is positioned strategically within the book of Revelation </p>
<p>It would be easy to miss the significance of the transition between from chapter 4 to chapter 6. </p>
<p>In chapter 1 John has a vision of the Lord Jesus </p>
<p>In chapters 2 to 3 – We are presented with practical and prophetic and personally ministry on teh 7 churches. </p>
<p>Chapter 4 brings us into heaven and a glimpse of: </p>
<p>Where God is <br>Who God is – the Son of God – Reuben and Benjamin <br>What God is like – sovereign, covenant making and covenant keeping, a God of absolute holiness </p>
<p>In chapters 6 to 19 we see what God will do. </p>
<p>Why bother then with chapter 5 and the book with 7 seals. </p>
<p>Why break these seals? </p>
<p>Why make everything else in the book of Revelation dependant upon the breaking of these seals? It is the breaking of these seals one by one that triggers: </p>
<p>The 4 riders of the apocalypse <br>The judgment upon the son, moon and stars <br>The sounding of the 7 trumpets <br>The destruction of 1/3 grass, sea, rivers and stars <br>The release of the locusts from the pit <br>The 200 million horseman of the apocalypse <br>The rise of antichrist <br>The pouring out of the 7 vials on man, sea, rivers, sun, moon and stars. <br>The battle of Armageddon <br>The fall of Babylon </p>
<p>All of these catastrophic events are dependant upon the opening of the 7 seals! </p>
<p>Had we no chapter 5 we would see: </p>
<p>Who God is (chapter 4) <br>What God does (chapter 6 to 19) </p>
<p>But we would have no idea as to Why God did it! </p>
<p>It is chapter 5 that teaches us that all of the events of chapters 6 to 19 are not simply reactive, ie their ultimate cause and purpose does not lie with man, these chapters are not solely focused on the subject of man’s sin and judgement, there is a bigger picture and a grander theme and goal. </p>
<p>The cause of these global and universal events lies here in chapter 5. All of these subsequent chapters unfold, as a consequence of the breaking of the seals. These seals are broken that the scroll might be read. All subsequent events have this as their cause – the reading of the scroll. </p>
<p>It is this scroll with its ultimate glory that demands the grief oo chapters 6 to 19, it is this scroll ultimately of salvation that requires the suffering of subsequent chapters. </p>
<p>This is perhaps too a truth I can apply to my own life and experience. That the grief and the suffering are in the hands of the Lord the unwrapping of Divine blessing! </p>
<p>These chapters are not solely the means of judgment </p>
<p>These chapters are in fact the path to glory. </p>
<p>Christ with a security and guarantee which comes from Him. Christ promised that we are safe and secure, in His hand and in His Father’s hands (John 10:28-31). Our salvation is signed, sealed and delivered. For our security we have the Word of Christ, we have His Word for it, ‘heaven and earth shall pass away but my Word shall not pass away.’ In these chapters we will see that Destiny is so secure, that in order to open and declare it, this world must indeed pass away and having passed away His eternal Word and purposes remain immutable. </p>
<p>Here is a scroll passed from the hand of God to the lamb (5:1) </p>
<p>This scroll in ‘On the right hand of Him that sat on the throne’(5:1), offered out for the lamb to take from His hand. </p>
<p>From Revelation chapter 5 onwards, the story of this scroll reads like a mystery novel, like a cliff hanger film, or a children’s book that constantly teases the reader with, ‘but what’s in the scroll.’ </p>
<p>The story of Revelation from chapter 5 to chapter 19 is essentially the story of the unsealing of this scroll. The breaking of the 7 seals occupies chapters 5 to 6, the 7th seal includes the sounding of the 7 trumpets which is the subject of chapters 8 to 10, the 7th trumpet announces the transfer of the kingdoms of this world to Christ (chp 11) which results in the outpouring of the 7 vials, occupying chps 15 to 16 with the consequent fall of Babylon in chapters 17 to 18. </p>
<p>The bulk of the book of Revelation pertains to the opening of this scroll. </p>
<p>The question then remains – what does this scroll contain? </p>
<p>What is in it? </p>
<p>Title deeds of the world <br>The future plans and purposes of God for the world <br>The subsequent events of Revelation <br>The book of Daniel chapter 12 <br>The lamb’s book of life </p>
<p>hat is in it? </p>
<p>Title deeds of the world </p>
<p>Seems like a reasonable suggestion </p>
<p>Whatever is in the hands of God must be important after all, that seems pretty important. </p>
<p>By the time all of the seals are open the world is now ready for Christ to receive His Kingdom (11:15); so it may seem reasonable that these are the title deeds to the inheritance that Christ is about to receive. </p>
<p>We also know that title deeds in Jeremiah were recorded on a scroll and sealed. </p>
<p>We know historically that title deeds recorded on a scroll were sealed and witnessed and the names of the witnesses were written on the scroll, which may well relate to Rev 5:1. </p>
<p>But: </p>
<p>There is no clear statement in Revelation that these are title deeds. </p>
<p>Certainly title deeds could be written on a scroll as they were in Jeremiah, but go along to any Roman museum such as the one outside Hexham and you will find that party invitations were written on them too! </p>
<p>The identification of this scroll as a title deed seems greatly dependant on extra biblical knowledge and the serendipity of archaeology, a means of interpreting scripture with which I would take issue. Is not the child of God indwelt by the Spirit of God able to interpret the Word of God? John 14:6; 1 John 2:27. </p>
<p>Why is it that in order to open the scroll one must be found who is ‘worthy’? Surely if this is the title deeds for the world then the only qualification to open the scroll is that of Deity? </p>
<p> ‘The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.’(Psalm 24:1) </p>
<p>Why are redemptive rights needed take the book (5:8-9); do the deeds for the earth need to be redeemed? Do they need bought back? Were they lost? Were they not always Gods? Who can steal the deeds of the whole earth from God? </p>
<p>The future plans and purposes of God for the world </p>
<p>Certainly a reasonable suggestion and more or less the same as (3) </p>
<p>The problem here of course is that it is the opening of the seals, blowing of the trumpets from the 7th seal and the pouring out of the vials which actually occupy the bulk of the book of revelation, no specific reference is made to the contents of the book referencing a plan as such. </p>
<p>It seems a good suggestion but lacking substantial evidence. </p>
<p>The subsequent events of the book of Revelation </p>
<p>See above </p>
<p>The book referenced in Daniel chapter 12 verse 4? </p>
<p>I would consider this to be the book of Daniel itself, corresponding not to the book of Revelation chapter 5 but to the book of Revelation itself, cf. Rev 22:10. </p>
<p>The lamb’s book of life </p>
<p>Let me make another suggestion, unusual amongst the commentators, although not unknown. </p>
<p>By the time the seals are opened, trumpets have sounded and the vials have been poured out we reach the closing chapters of Revelation, in fact the repercussions of those events take us to the threshold of chapter 20. The book appears to have been forgotten about if the previous interpretations are correct. No further mention of any of the contents of that scroll despite the fact that the unsealing of the scroll had global and universal repercussions throughout the book of Revelation. All of that pre amble and expectation, then according to the views that this is the deeds of the earth or the future plans for the earth, this all seems to evaporate in the most massive anticlimax of the entire book of Revelation, if not the bible. </p>
<p>Details are added and developed regarding this book through the book of Revelation: </p>
<p>Rev 13:8 : ‘And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.’ </p>
<p>Rev 17:8 : “whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.’’ </p>
<p>These 2 verses appear to be transitional, stepping stones from the ‘book’ taken by the lamb freshly slain in Revelation chapter 5 to the ‘book of life’of Revelation 20:12, 15. </p>
<p>This would explain the need for one worthy to open the book in Revelation chapter 5 and that the qualifications of redemption. This is the Book of Life, only possible because of the work of redemption. </p>
<p>As these seals are opened and the book of Revelation unfolds this qualification of Rev 5:9 is critical in the opening of the scroll. The unfolding purpose of God in Revelation is not primarily that of judgment upon a lost world but rather this book concludes with a new heaven and a new earth and a redeemed people. The emerald rainbow of Revelation 4 sets the scene for the subsequent chapters. Grace informs government, the elect are sealed, preserved and saved (Rev 7, 13, 14) and ultimately brought to the Kingdom (Rev 20) and to eternity (Rev 21-22).</p>28:31Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/68793762022-01-25T22:32:29+00:002022-10-09T19:51:43+01:00Revelation chapter 5 - The Book with Seven Seals - J Stewart Gillespie<p><br><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="A2n6VlW0EDA" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/A2n6VlW0EDA/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/A2n6VlW0EDA?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>We may expect something secret, something special, some deep and mysterious purpose in the book we discover inside the book of the bible. Not without significance do we discover in the final book of the bible, the book of Revelation, a book hidden within the book and kept secret till the very end. Of all the books external to the bible referenced by it, the book found in Revelation chapter 5, is one of the few whose whereabouts we know of. Many enquire as to what this book contains. Is it the title deeds of the world or universe? Probably not since the earth has no title deeds! The earth is the Lord's and then fullness thereof. No special qualification of redemption is needed by God to claim what is rightfully His! Does this book contain the details of future events? Does it detail what is to be revealed in chapters 6 to 19? It is not the reading of the scroll which provides the content of subsequent chapters but rather the losing of the seals. Not until all 7 seals are broken can the scroll be opened and read!</p>
<p>Perhaps a better question would be not so much what do we find in the scroll but why do we have the scroll? What purpose is there here in the scroll? Is the scroll here for mere dramatic effect? What purpose is there in the progressive breaking of each successive seal?</p>
<p>The meaning of the symbolism appears to rest in this simple observation that for the scroll to be opened the seals must be broken! From these broken seals, all of the subsequent events of Revelation flow. The reason behind the 4 riders of the apocalypse, the sounding of the 7 trumpets, the pouring out of the 7 vials of judgement, global destruction, the loosing of the locusts from the pit, the release of the 200 million horseman, the rise of the antichrist, Armageddon and the fall of Babylon, lies here in Revelation chapter 5. All of these catastrophic events find their cause not in man and not purely as a reaction or response to man's sin but rather in the eternal purposes of God. All of the judgements and events of Revelation chapters 6 to 19 are triggered by the opening of these seals. These seals are broken that the book might be opened. Gods purpose is to be found not in destruction but construction, not in grief but in the eternal glory beyond the judgements of this world, in the new heaven, the earth and the new Jerusalem, in the eternal glory of His Son. </p>
<p>Yours by Grace in Christ </p>
<p>Dr J Stewart Gillespie </p>28:31Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/68592532022-01-04T23:23:28+00:002022-10-09T19:54:23+01:00What is Heaven Like? The Tragedy of Heaven! Revelation chapter 4 verses 6 to 11<p> </p>
<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="new3HRZYODM" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/new3HRZYODM/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/new3HRZYODM?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>Our 3rd message in our series of studies in Revelation chapter 4 - What is heaven like? </p>
<p>So far for the student of the Bible our studies of heaven in the book of Revelation has yielded few surprises!</p>
<p>Heaven we can see:</p>
<ul> <li>Has a door (Rev 4:1) - with this we are familiar from John 10:9 - we know the door; "I am the door" </li> <li>There is a voice (Rev 4:1) - a voice as a trumpet, the same voice John heard in Revelation chapter 1. In fact the first voice John heard in heaven was the last voice he heard upon earth - the voice of Jesus.</li> <li>There is a throne (Rev 4:2) - a throne we know well of even from the Lord's prayer we are well aware that heaven is the domain of God's rule; "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." </li> <li>Upon that throne there reigns the Son (Rev 4:3) - symbolised by the Jasper and the Sardine stone. An explanation of this is given in the video above. </li> <li>There is a rainbow - the symbol of a covenant keeping God from Genesis chapter 9 </li> <li>There is a crystal sea - the echo of which we find in the temple of Solomon. Here there is no need for cleansing. Purity and holiness is a condition for entering into heaven, nothing that defiles and can enter. </li>
</ul>
<p>For those who miss the door of heaven and the provision of the cross work of Jesus Christ, heaven is a tragedy!</p>
<p>Here in Revelation chapter 4 we glimpse the character of God in the 4 living creatures. </p>
<p>In character God is:</p>
<ol> <li>Lion like - sovereign, powerful and in control - ordering the world and the lives of all that are in it, ordering each of the circumstances of our life. </li> <li>Calf like - He is the one who has made the provision for sacrifice and reconciliation, He has made the sacrifice for the sinner. Six times in the New Testament we will read of the calf. Three times it is slaughtered in Luke chapter 15 for the prodigal son and twice it is used in reconciliation and sacrifice in Hebrews. </li> <li>Face of a Man - He is the God who became man, incarnate, no one has seen God at any time, the only begotten who is in the bosom of the Father He has declared Him.</li> <li>Eagle like - aerial, air born and soaring as the Spirit of God does (cf John chp 3). He is the one who convicts of sin, righteousness and judgment to come. He is the Spirit who reveals Christ and sanctifies the believer.</li>
</ol>
<p>What is heaven like?</p>
<p>For those who never reach it heaven is tragic.</p>
<p>It is the place we do not reach but ought to have reached for the God of heaven was active in revealing Himself and seeking us all of our life; revealing Himself behind the scenes, sovereign as the lion, providing for teh salvation of teh sinner as the calf, incarnate as Jesus Christ and active as the Spirit of God.</p>
<p>Yours by</p>
<p>Grace in Christ</p>
<p>Dr J Stewart Gillespie</p>41:34Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/68537522021-12-28T22:46:13+00:002022-10-09T19:56:43+01:00What is Heaven like - The Crystal Sea of Heaven - Revelation chp 4 vs 6 - JS Gillespie<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="XcpDg3rgYEs" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/XcpDg3rgYEs/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XcpDg3rgYEs?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Part 2 of our studies in Revelation chapter 4 - What is Heaven Like?</strong></p>
<p>It is surprising that a book about God, from God doesn't say more than it does on the subject of the dwelling place of God! The bible is written of course precisely because man is isolated and alienated from heaven! We live on the wrong side of Eden to enjoy heaven with God. In reality however heaven is in essence a minority interest. The path to heaven is difficult and narrow and there few who embark on that road to eternal life. Heaven may well be a word found on the lips of many, especially at times of loss and bereavement but the heaven of popular imagination, as the universal destiny of all souls, the place of general reunions or the perpetuation of earthly pleasures bears no relationship to the heaven of Divine revelation.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>In Revelation chapter 4 we gain a unique insight into what heaven is actually like. The heaven of Revelation chapter 4 is God centred. This heaven has a door, only one, the voice that calls His sheep on earth (John 10:3) is the same voice we hear in heaven, calling us through the same door (John 10:9). For John as for us all, the last voice we hear upon earth; the voice of the Lord Jesus (John 10:27); is the same voice, ever so familiar that we will hear in heaven. Heaven is the place of God's throne, it is the place where God rules and reigns. This ought to be no surprise to us. Perhaps even from our earliest repetition of the Lord's prayer we were aware that heaven was the place where "thy will be done"; heaven is the place of God's rule and the origin of God's Kingdom; "thy Kingdom come."</p>
<p>Seated upon that throne we glimpse the Son of my right hand (Benjamin), the Son of His mother's sorrow (Benoni); behold a Son (Reuben); symbolised by two stones from the breast plate of the High Priest of Israel. The jasper stone was the stone of Benjamin (the son of my right hand) and the sardine stone was the stone of Reuben: 'behold a son'. Here finally we behold the Son of His Father's right hand, who is also the son of His mother's sorrow 'Benoni.'</p>
<p>For heaven the floor is the crystal sea, and from the perspective of earth it becomes a crystal ceiling (Ezekiel chp1). The pattern of Solomon's temple echoed of this with the molten sea for the cleansing of the priests. In this place all cleansing is past. This sea is crystal clear, it does not function any longer to remove sin. This sea excludes sin, for in this place there is nought that defiles that can enter therein. There is no possibility of rolling out of earth and into heaven. Absolute holiness is a condition of entry and not a consequence. Only the "blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses from all sin."</p>
<p>with Grace in Christ</p>
<p>J Stewart Gillespie</p>32:42Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/68484072021-12-21T23:50:53+00:002022-10-09T19:57:42+01:00What is Heaven Like? Of Thrones and Rainbows - Revelation chp 4 vs 1 to 5 - JS Gillespie<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="37SO7HTxZgg" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/37SO7HTxZgg/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/37SO7HTxZgg?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p><strong>Part 1 of our studies in Revelation chapter 4 - What is Heaven Like? </strong></p>
<p><strong>Of Thrones and Rainbows</strong></p>
<p>It's been a long journey but finally we have got there: heaven! The mysterious object of human conjecture, spoken of little even in the Bible. Perhaps the greatest mystery of all concerning this, the dwelling place of God lies in the fact that it isn't that mysterious after all!</p>
<p>There is a door to heaven (Rev 4:1), we already knew about that from the words of the Lord Jesus; "I am the door, by me if any man enter in He shall be saved."</p>
<p>There is a voice, a voice familiar, a voice as a trumpet we have already heard in chapter 1. This is the voice of Jesus. The first voice John hears in heaven is the last voice he heard on earth! This is of necessity true for us all. Entrance is by the door and called by the voice of Jesus, the same voice who called us on this side of the eternal (John 10:3-4).</p>
<p>Whilst heaven is to us a place unfamiliar, our relationship with heaven is in some aspects not so different from our relationship with this world. Here upon earth we are ignorant of the familiar, understanding little of what lies behind the commonplace. Heaven is a place of the unfamiliar. It is a great paradox of Revelation that as we begin to understand the unfamiliar, that is heaven, light is shed on the familiar of earth. What we learn from heaven explains ever so much of what lies behind the reality of earth. </p>
<p>Heaven is the throne room of God; He reigns, He is in control, there is a plan and a purpose and meaning to life and creation, He brings to fulfilment those 300 ancient prophecies concerning Jesus. He moves empires and kingdoms, He orders and ordains the details of our life.</p>
<p>His throne is surrounded by the emblem of covenant promise; the rainbow. It is the ordered covenant keeping character of God that underpins the laws physical and spiritual behind the universe. We can no more break the laws of gravity and magnetism than we can the spiritual laws of reaping and sowing. He is reliable in the physical universe. He is reliable in the spiritual; His salvation is forever; "I give unto my sheep eternal life and they shall never perish."</p>
<p>The identity of the throne sitter seems obscured by two stones; the Jasper and the Sardine stone; yet turn them over and read the names written from the days of Exodus 28. These are the stones found upon the breast plate of the High Priest and containing inscribed within them the names of Jacobs sons; Benjamin, the son of my right hand, also named by his mother Rachael; Benoni and the Sardine stone of Reuben. The one upon the throne is the Son of His mother's sorrow, (Benoni) the Son of His Father's right hand; (Benjamin) can you 'behold a Son' (Reuben)? </p>
<p>with</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Grace in Christ </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Dr J Stewart Gillespie</p>39:35Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/70016942021-12-15T08:00:00+00:002022-10-09T20:09:45+01:00What is Heaven Like? - Revelation chapter 4 - JS Gillespie (25/06/2022) - Translated from English into Telugu <p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="I_xdTNZlRxc" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/I_xdTNZlRxc/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/I_xdTNZlRxc?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>Dr J Stewart Gillespie shares a study in Revelation chapter 4 - What is Heaven Like? In this chapter we gain a glimpse beyond earth into heaven. God has waited for thousands of years through the writing and inspiration of the Bible before He reveals to us what heaven is like! By the time we get to Revelation chapter 4 we find that the most surprising feature of heaven is that it is not that surprising after all. There is a door into heaven, a door we have heard of before in John chapter 10 There is a voice we hear in heaven, the same voice we heard upon earth in Revelation chapter 1. There is a throne in heaven, the same throne we have known of over many years, as we prayed, "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." We glimpse the one seated upon the throne in the Jasper and the Sardine stone and perceive that here is the Son of God. We discern the absolute holiness of God in the crystal sea. Only Jesus is able to fit us for such a place. Only the precious blood of God's sin is able to cleanse us from all iniquity. This message is given in English and translated into Telugu.</p>
<p>Dr J Stewart Gillespie</p>
<p>graceinchrist.org</p>Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/68410592021-12-14T22:18:28+00:002022-10-09T20:04:15+01:00Revelation chp 3 vs 14 to 22 - The 7 churches of Revelation - Laodicea - Its not What you Make of Life its what Life makes of You - JS Gillespie<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="I-Tkd_CVKpc" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/I-Tkd_CVKpc/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/I-Tkd_CVKpc?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>Laodicea - the 7th and final of the 7 churches of Revelation:</p>
<p>Laodicea - popular? progressive? prosperous? or poor?</p>
<p>Described as divergently as those who assessed it.</p>
<p>Laodicea themselves assessed their own progress from a place of complacency and lukewarmness. That was a tragic mistake. They considered themselves rich and successful as judged by the criteria of what they had made out of life! The standard against which the Lord would measure them was altogether different. The question was not what had they managed to make out of their life but rather what had life made out of them? All of their life was significant, not just the bottom line on the spread sheet.; "rich increased with goods and need of nothing" meant nothing to their Lord and judge who found them lukewarm. The church of Laodicea reflected something of the character of the city of Laodicea. Like the water supply of Laodicea so too the spiritual temperature of the church; lukewarm. The neighbouring city of Colossae was known for its cold water supply and the adjacent city of Hierapolis for it's hot springs. By way of contrast the water supply at Laodicea was neither. A city high above the Lycus valley it lacked sufficient water for the expanding population of the city. Where did the water come from at Laodicea? The mystery was resolved by excavations in the area of Laodicea in 2006 by a Turkish archaeologist Celal Simsek; who published a paper entitled “water springs of Laodicea and its distribution systems.” Pipes were discovered at Laodicea running for many kilometres to the separate water source of the Baspinar Spring. These pipes had heavy calcium deposits, carried water from some distance and so provided a slow running and thus likely a lukewarm water supply to Laodicea. </p>
<p>Just like the lukewarm water supply of Laodicea the church likewise was lukewarm. What is somewhat surprising is the desire of the Lord Jesus; "I would that you were cold or hot." It is perhaps easy to understand that the Lord water desire an increase in their spiritual temperature from lukewarm to hot but why cold? A place of complacency and ambivalence is the most difficult place to bring about change, after all why do I need to change? I'm ok am I not? I mean I am better than the next person, I'm not so bad as ....</p>
<p>It is so often the case that in shaping His people God moves them from a place of lukewarmness, to first of all a cold place where their need is perceptible before moving them to a place of warmth. This was the pattern for Saul of Tarsus the self righteous Pharisee, he had to first be broken on the Damascus road before being brought to salvation on his knees. This was the case for Moses, brought from the palace to the pasture, in the back side of the desert for 40 years before then becoming the leader of the nation of Israel. This also was true of Samson, brought finally to a place of weakness, humiliated and mutilated, led by a young lad until finally and uniquely in his life he prayed, "strengthen me only this once." That final and painful prayer marked the closing transition of revival in a life of at best lukewarmness.</p>
<p>Christ looked for "gold tried in the fire." All of their life under the hand of God, God had moulded and shaped them, bringing out gold tried in the fire, Christ like character! That type of character forged in the furnace of adversity, to which Job refers in Job23:10 "But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold." Job 23:10.</p>
<p>Claiming the Divine title of the "Amen" of Isaiah 65:16 (Rev 3:14), the Lord reminds them that He has the final word after the end. The Amen speaks. After the conclusion of their lives and service, after the study days are past and after the exam has been sat, it is Christ, who as the Amen brings the final verdict. He is the conclusion after the end. His is the terminal assessment of all people. He is the end beyond the conclusion and His assessment proves a lot less flattering than their own! </p>
<p>Yours by </p>
<p>Grace in Christ </p>
<p>Dr J Stewart Gillespie</p>34:26Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/68132112021-12-01T18:00:00+00:002022-01-08T12:35:59+00:00Revelation chp 3 vs 7 to 13 - The 7 churches of Revelation - Philadelphia - Surprising Origins and Unexpected Destinies - JS Gillespie - 17112021<p>Philadelphia shines brightly against a backdrop of dark and dismal failure. It would be impossible to predict that unadulterated commendation of the church at Philadelphia would have followed after the preceding failures of Ephesus, Pergamos, Thyatira and Sardis. When God's Grace is operative it is impossible to predict the end from the beginning. Let us be encouraged, we may come from humble circumstances, we may have had an unpromising start in life, in the estimation of the world we may not amount to very much but when the grace of God is operative the outcomes and end point are consistent not with our limitations but with the immeasurable Glory of God's Grace in Christ. The unqualified commendation of this church after so much correction and condemnation in the other churches of Revelation, comes as a striking and refreshing surprise. It does not follow the pattern of past failure. As is so often the case, when God's grace blows afresh on glowing embers it is impossible to predict how high these glorious flames will rise.</p>
<p>Perhaps we have scratched our heads over the details of 1 Samuel chapter 17. Why the details of David's errand to deliver bread and cheeses to his brothers in the valley of Elah? The answer of course is very simple. 1 Samuel chapter 17 is actually all about David's errand to bring the bread, cheeses and parched corn to his brothers and their captain in the valley of Elah. David was sent on a simple errand of delivering bread and cheese to his brothers. The rest of chapter 17, the details of David's fight with Goliath, his victory over the Philistines, his gaining of a bride and his ascent to the throne of Israel is really an add on, an extra to what he had been sent to do; deliver bread, cheese and parched corn!</p>
<p>When the Grace of God and the power of the God of Israel is operative it is utterly impossible to predict the outcome from the beginning! It may have been a simple task David embarked upon, perhaps even a task like the foot washing of John chapter 13 that the disciples thought beneath them, but this led to David's first and greatest, that of the slaying of Goliath and the path to the throne. </p>
<p>The key to the success of Philadelphia lay ultimately in their likeness to Christ. They kept His word and honoured His name; a path of truth and holiness (3:7). When the door was opened they were ready and waiting to go through that door. </p>
<p>The door was undoubtedly one to mission and ministry, service and success in evangelism. As with all service, which can at times be onerous, involving sacrifice and commitment, service was the direction and not the ultimate destiny. The end point of this journey, through the open door, a door which was opened by David's anointed (Isaiah 22:22), was the heavenly Jerusalem and God's eternal presence (Rev 3:12) just as the keys held by the typical Eliakim in Isaiah chapter 22 were keys to house of David, and to the temple; the "Father's house" (Isaiah 22:24). They too were to become pillars in the place of holiness.</p>
<p>From a series of bible teaching messages on the seven churches of Revelation </p>
<p>Yours by</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Grace in Christ</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Dr J Stewart Gillespie</p>44:35Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/68264472021-12-01T12:06:19+00:002022-10-09T20:05:38+01:00The 7 churches of Revelation - Pillars in the Place of Holiness - Philadelphia (Revelation chp 3 vs 7 to 13) - JS Gillespie<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="ATo6MOz-ZnM" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/ATo6MOz-ZnM/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ATo6MOz-ZnM?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>Philadelphia the church that breaks the mould. Arising from the unpromising soils of corruption and compromise Philadelphia has found the secret of success. The character of Christ is seen in His church; holiness and truth. They value His presence and His Word. Prepared with such a grasp of Divine truth and character they are ready to enter through the open door of opportunity, a door leading to a far greater destiny than service itself. They are destined as pillars in the place of holiness!</p>
<p>From a series of Bible teaching messages on the seven churches of Revelation </p>
<p>Yours by </p>
<p>Grace in Christ</p>
<p>Dr J Stewart Gillespie</p>39:42Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/68118502021-11-16T22:58:00+00:002022-10-09T20:06:39+01:00The 7 Churches of Revelation - Sardis - The Shame of a Name - Revelation chp 3 vs 1 to 6 - Dr J Stewart Gillespie<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="oW-MJh6a59E" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/oW-MJh6a59E/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oW-MJh6a59E?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>The church at Sardis, the 5th of the 7 churches of Revelation is:</p>
<ul> <li>Insensitive to the Spirit</li> <li>Unresponsive to the Scriptures</li> <li>Unenthusiastic in service </li> <li>Uninterested in the preaching of the Word of God </li> <li>Inactive in worship</li>
</ul>
<p>Sardis may have had a name, a reputation of being the place to be, but it was a name, like the city, based on past glory and memories of the 'good ole days' which may not have been that good after all. Sardis spiritually as a church seemed to have imbibed some of the flavour of the city of Sardis historically. Sardis living in the light of past glory, had been the capital of the Lydian Empire, ruled by Croesus, a king of legendary wealth. In the days of Croesus the Lydians of Sardis had worked out how to purify gold and separate it from silver, to a very high standard. Sardis of a by gone day was renowned for minting the highest standards of pure gold coins. </p>
<p>Re-echoeing the themes of the church of Sardis in Revelation chapter 3, the secular historian Herodotus describes the fall of the city to Cyrus the Great in the 6th Century BC. Like the church the city had been caught out sleeping! Caught off guard and failing to be 'watchful' the apparently impregnable Sardis fell. One of Cyrus's troops whilst watching the ramparts of Sardis saw a Lydian soldier lose his helmet over the wall, climb down to the helmet and retrieve it. </p>
<p>The Lydian soldier realised if he could find a way up to that point there was a path thereafter. This provided Cyrus and his forces with the break through they needed, That night Sardis fell, unwatched, and unguarded. A parable indeed of the church of Revelation chapter 3.</p>
<p>Living in the glory of the past did Sardis no favours. Such a practice tends to render us disengaged from being like David and "serving our generation." </p>
<p>The path to recovery for Sardis lay not only in WHAT they knew but in returning to HOW they discovered the fresh fires of revival "remember therefore how thou hast received" (Rev 3:3). That HOW was by the experiential ministry of the 7 fold Spirit of God (Rev 3:1; Isaiah 11:1-2). God's Spirit brings the Divine into personal experience. He is the Spirit of: </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Intercession (Rom 8:26ff)</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Revelation (John 16:15) </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Communication (1 Peter 4:11)</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Education (1 Jo 2:27) </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Consolation (john 14:16) </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Transformation (2 Co3:18) </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Direction (Rom 8:1)</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Without His ministry, Christian life becomes, dead dry and unresponsive.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">It was by the work of the Spirit of God that the revival fires of the days of reformation were fanned. It is to the days of reformation that Sardis would particularly relate in the panorama of Church history. After the days of compromise under Constantine in the period of church history typified by Pergamus, following the orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism of Thyatira, truth was in part recovered in the days of Sardis as the Spirit of God once again was depended upon to reveal the truth of the Word of God to the people of God. This was "how they had received and heard" (3:3); to this they must return.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"> </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Yours by </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"> </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Grace in Christ</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">J Stewart Gillespie</p>34:07Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/68034942021-11-09T23:28:20+00:002022-10-09T20:07:28+01:00The 7 Churches of Revelation - Thyatira - Facing Jezebel - Revelation chp 2 vs 18 to 29 - JS Gillespie<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="xYt59ytIdYM" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/xYt59ytIdYM/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xYt59ytIdYM?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Thyatira proves the adage that the most difficult problems we face are the ones we inherit. Prophetically Thyatira reflects that period of church history which develops after the wholesale sell out to paganism by the Emperor Constantine. From the practices of paganism amongst others comes the:</p>
<p> </p>
<ol> <li>Error of the Altar - inferring that the work of Jesus on cross is not yet finished nor sufficient</li> <li>Error of the Priesthood - inferring that the work of the Holy Spirit as our intercessor is not sufficient </li> <li>Error of our view of God - confusing the identity and supremacy of the one true God of heaven with many false Gods.</li>
</ol>
<p>It was the first of these errors which prevailed at Thyatira. Here was a church trying their level best to work their way to heaven (2:19) and still with a sympathy for the altar, any altar (2:20). </p>
<p>For the first and only time in these 7 letters to the churches, the church is dominated by the feminine; by Jezebel. Reflecting back on church history, we see at this point in time the development of Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy with the unbiblical elevation of Mary and the development of an ideology totally at odds with her biblical place as the earthly mother of Jesus. By 1954 and the papal bull of Pope Pius XII, in Ad Caeli Reginum, Mary is elevated to the "Queen of heaven"; an ancient pagan title for Astarte and she is assigned a form of Divinity seated "at the right hand of God" (point 16); a place reserved for Christ (cf. Psalm 110). It is asserted in the papal bull that "heaven and earth are filled with the sanctity of thy glory" a blasphemous theft of the Divine glory from Psa72:19 and Habbakuk. Borrowing from the pagan myths of Semiramis and Tammuz; Isis and Horus, the edict conflates Mary as not only the mother of Jesus but also the bride of her Son! The crowning absurdity to the apostate view of Mary comes with the assertion in point 37 that Mary, usurping the place of the Holy Spirit (Heb 9:14) "freely offered Him for us" and thus "assisted in our redemption". Here is the period of church history corresponding to the error of the false revelation of Jezebel.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Jezebel needs to be faced, not an easy task. For recovery to come they must:</p>
<p> </p>
<ol> <li>Take Christ Seriously as Lord and judge with his eyes as flames of fire and feet of brass</li> <li>See Christ uniquely as "The Son of God" - His Glory He will not share with another </li> <li>Be satisfied with Christ completely - rest in His finished work </li>
</ol>
<p> </p>
<p>From a series of bible teaching messages preached in New Cumnock, as part of our exposition of the book of Revelation </p>
<p>Yours by </p>
<p>Grace in Christ </p>
<p>Dr J Stewart Gillespie</p>38:54Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/67976562021-11-03T22:53:56+00:002022-01-08T12:45:19+00:00The 7 Churches of Revelation - Revelation chapter 2 vs 1 to 7 - JS Gillespie<p>The opening chapters of this great book of prophecy (Rev 1:3) describes 7 carefully arranged portraits of churches in the western part of modern day Turkey. It is possible to see in them a snap shot of the condition of the church historically. As we reflect upon them we are compelled to consider them practically; what kind of church am I in? Beyond this the challenge is surely to consider these churches personally; what am I in my church? It comes as little surprise to realise that the book of Revelation begins as it continues; that is prophetically. These 7 churches sketch out the history of the western Christian church for the past 2000 years:</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ephesus - the early Apostolic Church</p>
<p>Smyrna - the church persecuted under successive Roman Emperors</p>
<p>Pergamos - the mixed marriage of professing Christianity and paganism triggered by the professed conversion of Constantine.</p>
<p>Thyatira - the development of Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy</p>
<p>Sardis - the rediscovery of truth and reformation </p>
<p>Philadelphia - the explosion of evangelism through the open door of mission in the 18th to 20th century</p>
<p>Laodicea - the self contented, self amused and financially prosperous western church of today </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The problems with the church began early with Ephesus. Right at the beginning Christ presents Himself as He ought to be considered and honoured; at the centre of His church; tragically from this His people have drifted in heart. Here lie the source of 2 millenia of problems.</p>
<p>From a bible teaching series expounding the book of Revelation.</p>
<p>Yours by Grace in Christ </p>
<p>Dr J Stewart Gillespie</p>43:16Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/67965362021-11-02T23:16:52+00:002022-10-09T20:08:31+01:00Revelation chapter 2 verses 18 to 29 - The 7 churches of Revelation - Thyatira and the Error of the Altar - JS Gillespie<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="GGtF6Y_cTBc" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/GGtF6Y_cTBc/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GGtF6Y_cTBc?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>Thyatira prophetically follows on after Pergamos; the church of the mixed marriage. The period of Thyatira relates to that phase of the church during which Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy develops. Constantine after his profession of Christianity imported many pagan practices into the church; the 3 greatest of which were:</p>
<p> </p>
<ol> <li>The Error of the Altar</li> <li>The Error of the Priesthood </li> <li>The Error of the understanding of God </li>
</ol>
<p> </p>
<p>The error of the altar infers that the work of Christ is not complete and requires repetition or a contribution from us. This is the problem underlying the failures at Thyatira. The church is characterised by works, works and more works, motivated quite possibly by a desire to earn salvation.</p>
<p>In the multicultural and apathetic setting of Thyatira, to some Jesus became one amongst many Gods and His uniqueness became blurred. Unlike Apollo, the patron God of Thyatira Jesus was not 'a' Son of God but Christ is 'THE' Son of God! He is:</p>
<ul> <li>Unique in His birth</li> <li>Unique in His death</li> <li>Unique in His sinless humanity </li> <li>Unique in His resurrection </li> <li>Unique in His miracles</li> <li>Unique in His claim to be the way of salvation </li> <li>Unique in the testimony of scripture</li> <li>Unique in His impact on history </li>
</ul>
<p>Let us see the uniqueness of His Person </p>
<p>Let us understand the uniqueness and completeness of His work</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Part of our sermon series on the exposition of the book of Revelation </p>
<p>The seven churches of Revelation - Thyatira </p>
<p>Yours by Grace in Christ </p>
<p>Dr J Stewart Gillespie</p>34:52Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/67891162021-10-27T22:00:00+01:002022-10-09T21:03:36+01:00 The 7 churches of Revelation - Thyatira - Recovery against all Odds - Revelation chp 2 vs 18 to 29 - JS Gillespie - 27102021<p> </p>
<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="FJ0jshkEoD0" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/FJ0jshkEoD0/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FJ0jshkEoD0?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>Bible teaching on the subject of the church at Thyatira from the 7 churches of Revelation </p>
<p>Yours by Grace in Christ </p>
<p>Dr J Stewart Gillespie</p>35:56Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/67986312021-10-20T22:00:00+01:002022-10-09T21:04:17+01:00Revelation chp 3 vs 18 to 29 - The 7 churches of Revelation - Thyatira - The Tragedy of the Altar - JS Gillespie - 20102021<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="DrTZmEppiD0" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/DrTZmEppiD0/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DrTZmEppiD0?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>To the church of Thyatira Christ is presented as the "Son of God" (v18). This is the only time He is so presented to any of the 7 churches! Surely such a title goes without saying? Surely the Lord Jesus does not need to introduce Himself to His own church as the "Son of God"? Perhaps here at Thyatira He does? </p>
<p>The uniqueness of who Jesus is has been eclipsed by affections for other things! </p>
<p>Historically this church would relate to that period of time between: </p>
<p>606 AD - Bonificae assumes the role of universal Bishop of the church up until </p>
<p>1517 AD - the beginning of the protestant reformation with Luther and his 95 Theses nailed to the church door at Wittenberg.</p>
<p>That is interesting because within this time period lies the development of: </p>
<ul> <li>Roman Catholicism </li> <li>Eastern orthodoxy </li> <li>Russian orthodoxy </li> <li>Coptic orthodoxy </li> <li>Ukrainine orthodoxy </li> <li>Greek orthodoxy </li>
</ul>
<p>Systems of Christianised religion with a lot in common: </p>
<p>Veneration of 'saints' <br>Adoration of relics <br>Representations of the image of Christ / God <br>Position given to the virgin <br>An altar adopted from paganism - often given pride of place in their buildings - ought really to have a sign on it: 'out of order since AD34' <br>Liturgy <br>Symbolism <br>Charms <br>Rosary </p>
<p>A very 'crowded' system in which Christ could well be seen as part of something bigger, one of many?? </p>
<p>In case you think that is a very uncharitable assessment of these systems allow me to remind you of how even the best of men, momentarily lost sight of the uniqueness of Jesus on the Mount of transfiguration; 'let us make 3 tabernacles, one for thee, one for Moses and one for Elijah,' as here the voice from heaven had to declare; 'this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased' </p>
<p>In a Roman Catholic Church in the centre of Gdansk there is one of the old Roman Catholic churches in the city, built by the Carmelite monks, nominally Christian. There displayed in that place is their shield, a coat of arms, their insignia; a shield with 3 stars: </p>
<ol> <li>a star for Elijah </li> <li>a star for Elisha </li> <li>a star for the virgin Mary </li>
</ol>
<p>Anyone missing?? </p>
<ul> <li>This is my body </li> <li>This my Bride </li> <li>This is my Building </li>
</ul>
<p>The 2 missing features from Revelation chapter 1 are seen here: </p>
<p>To Pergamos - the Lord presents Himself as the one who has the sharp 2 edged sword - speaking of His discernment but to the church at Thyatira; the Lord presents Himself with:</p>
<ol> <li>eyes like a flame of fire - speaking of His perception </li> <li>Feet like fine brass - speaking of His judgment </li>
</ol>
<p>Here at Thyatira it is perhaps not so much a case of lack of discernment as being quite aware: </p>
<ul> <li>of their compromise? </li> <li>of the error </li> <li>of the sin </li>
</ul>
<p>and yet still deliberately pursuing it, as if God will turn a blind eye? </p>
<p>The case of Jezebel seems to be a case in point: she was responsible for the murder of priests and of Naboth. <br>Both Jezebel and the compromising believers at Thyatira knew their sin and thought they would get away with it! Here it is the perception and the judgment of Christ which is presented. There is no evading His judgment nor His discernment. </p>
<p> v20 - "to teach and to seduce my servants" </p>
<p>2 separate condemnations perhaps here? </p>
<ol> <li>A woman out with her God given sphere - teaching in the church; a significant error. Consider 1 Timothy chapter 2 and 1 Corinthians chapter 14:34 </li> <li>The seduction as a consequence - error. </li>
</ol>
<p>v21 - God does judge sin at times by abandoning men to their own error and sin </p>
<p>cf. Romans chapter 1: </p>
<ul> <li>Idolatry </li> <li>Heathenism </li> <li>Atheism </li> <li>Homosexuality </li>
</ul>
<p>Often sin in the life of the believer is 'believing sin'! That is sin from the perspective of grace! Sin with a smattering of Theology. We can be deceived into believing that the grace and goodness of God will not abandon us to the consequences of our sin! I would liken it to that spirit of youthfulness that considers itself: </p>
<ul> <li>Invincible </li> <li>Indestructible </li> <li>Blaze </li>
</ul>
<p>Believing itself beyond vulnerability, taking risks, living dangerously. But with a 'faith' that nothing can harm us surely? Wearing faith as an amulet that protects us from the consequences of our own folly is a deeper folly still! </p>
<p>v23 - It is often the case that the consequences of the sin and failing of one generation can ultimately reach their fulfilment in the next generation! </p>
<p>Let us be wary of the: </p>
<ul> <li>busy </li> <li>popular </li> <li>appealing </li> <li>easy </li>
</ul>
<p>Christianity - especially with what it spawns </p>
<p>"with death" </p>
<p>"death" as a definite entity rather than the passive absence of life </p>
<p> </p>
<p>If you are happy with the prophetic aspect of the 7 churches then you will note an intriguing division of the 7 churches. </p>
<p>When you arrive at the 4th to the 7th churches a phrase begins to appear that does not appear in the first 3: </p>
<p>2:25 "till I come" </p>
<p>3:3 "I will come on thee" </p>
<p>3:10 "I will keep thee from this hour" </p>
<p>3:10 "behold I come quickly" </p>
<p>3:20 "behold I stand at the door and knock" </p>
<p>The last 4 continue until the end! </p>
<p>"Rule them with a rod of iron" - the moral consistency of life necessary for it to be extended into ministry! </p>
<p>"I will give Him the morning star" - the neglected Son of God - gifted to them that are Holy.</p>
<p>From a bible teaching series on the 7 churches of Revelation </p>
<p>Yours by Grace in Christ</p>
<p>Dr J Stewart Gillespie</p>Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/67849372021-10-12T22:00:00+01:002022-08-24T22:04:27+01:00The 7 Churches of Revelation - Smyrna - Confidence in Catastrophe<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="dww5WxwoIb0" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/dww5WxwoIb0/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dww5WxwoIb0?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>The 7 churches of Revelation : Smyrna : Revelation chapter 2 </p>
<p>Much could be said of Smyrna </p>
<p>Smyrna from the Greek word Myrrh from the Hebrew word ‘mor’ for bitterness. </p>
<p>What was a fragrant perfume: </p>
<p>Psalm 45:8 <br>Prov 7:17 <br>Song of Solomon 1:13; 5:5 </p>
<p> was also a bitter resin. </p>
<p>Myrrh was a bitter tasting perfume, both bitter and fragrant, herein is the paradox of Smyrna! </p>
<p>A church that suffers! </p>
<ul> <li>Tribulation (v9) </li> <li>Poverty (v9) </li> <li>Suffer (v10) </li> <li>Trial (v10) </li> <li>Tribulation (v10) </li> <li>Death (v10) </li>
</ul>
<p>One aspect of Smyrna perhaps not so often considered is the importance or value of understanding, insight, ‘philosophy,’ the importance of a right outlook on life, the right perspective on life. </p>
<p>The power of the mind </p>
<p>‘Man’s search for meaning’ – Viktor Frankyl </p>
<p>Survival not only dependant on physical strength or endurance but also dependant on the mindset of the person; eg Christmas 1944 – many died. </p>
<p>“everything can be taken from a man but one thing, the last of the human freedoms – to choose ones attitude in any given set of circumstances, to chose one’s own way.” </p>
<p>“Ever more people today have the means to live but no meaning to live for” </p>
<p>“Those who have a why to live can bear with almost any how” (Nietzsche) </p>
<p>“But there was no need to be ashamed of tears, for tears bore witness that a man had the greatest of courage, the courage to suffer” </p>
<p>“Life is never made unbearable by circumstances but only by lack of meaning and purpose” </p>
<p>“If there is meaning in life at all then there must be meaning in suffering” </p>
<p>“we who lived in concentration camps can remember the men who walked through the huts comforting others giving away their last piece of bread. They may have been few in number but they offer sufficient proof that everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms – to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.” </p>
<p>The ministry to Smyrna, highlights the importance of ministry. </p>
<p>The importance of right thinking and of Bible teaching. </p>
<p>The importance of looking behind the immediate set of circumstances and experiences. </p>
<p>“Life is never made unbearable by circumstances but only by lack of meaning and purpose” </p>
<p>“If there is meaning in life at all then there must be meaning in suffering” (V Frankyl) </p>
<p>One of the great issues to which Smyrna introduces us is that subject of suffering; the problem of pain. </p>
<p>Herein lies one of the great arguments against God, a problem that discourages men from faith in God and discourages the faith of those who trust in God. </p>
<p>An argument formulated by Greek philosopher Epicurus: </p>
<p>“Is God willing to prevent evil but not able – He is not omnipotent. </p>
<p>If He is able but not willing then He is malevolent </p>
<p>If He is both able and willing then whence cometh evil? </p>
<p>If He is neither able nor willing then why call Him God?” </p>
<p> although perhaps most succinctly put by CS Lewis: </p>
<p>If God is good He ought to desire His people to be happy. </p>
<p>If God is all powerful He ought to be able to make His people happy </p>
<p>If His people are not happy then: </p>
<p> God is not good </p>
<p> God is not all powerful </p>
<p> God is not </p>
<p>On the surface a fairly straightforward and robust argument but one which suffers from at least 5 failings: </p>
<p>It is a moral argument – if there is no God as the argument suggests you are going to have a difficult time in shoring up your idea of morality! You are going to flounder to prove that unhappiness is bad, bad for you but maybe good for me. Cutting lives short for example may well reduce the sum total suffering of that life and the effect of that life on others. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>It is a logical argument – what makes you think that a random universe can throw together a brain of atoms, undesigned and unchecked against any standard that results in being able to draw any reasonable conclusion about anything? </p>
<p><br>The solution lies in the argument that happiness is dependent on goodness – herein is the simplest point! The argument presumes that a good God desires happiness, ie happiness is dependant on goodness; thus absolute happiness is dependent on absolute goodness; a condition we do not have. We cannot have a square circle! A square circle remains absurd even if we prefix it with the term ‘God’ or not. A fallen world is the consequence of free choice, to have no fall is to have no choice, to have no choice is to have no humanity. You cannot have it both ways. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>It limits the sovereignty of God restricting God to act in a way and using means which only ever act to result in happiness, immediate pleasure. What makes you assume that God is so small that He cannot work all things according to His own will, even the rebellion of men? </p>
<p> </p>
<p>It assumes that no ultimate good can come from sorrow, sadness and suffering. Suffering and sacrifice can ultimately bring good. </p>
<p>It is these later 2 points that we see at Smyrna. </p>
<p>That God is able to use the trials and the tears, the suffering and pain, sorrow and the sadness for our good and His Glory and that from the deep and difficult experiences of life there does and can emerge meaning and purpose and Glory. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The view of God that others have of Him is at times way too small; your trials and afflictions are ordered, defined and determined cf Daniel 9:24-27 </p>
<p>They are all bookended within the purposes and plans of He who is the first and the last. </p>
<p>The idea that suggests that if evil happens then God is not in control is wrong on so many levels; one of which is that God is so omnipotent, so in control that He is able to work the purposes of men into the fabric of sovereign purposes to bring about the fulfilment of His will! </p>
<p>They have the ministry of a Person </p>
<p>Their Suffering is Defined </p>
<p>‘first and last’ – setting the boundaries </p>
<p>There is nothing so difficult to cope with than a trial which seems to: </p>
<p>Have no real meaning / origin, no definite course / beginning, no purpose, pointless. <br>No prospect of an end in view </p>
<p>Christ sets the limits </p>
<p>There is purpose </p>
<p>There is a prospect </p>
<p>Time and experience are defined by the boundary conditions I set for it! </p>
<p>A Person, pre-eminent and in control </p>
<p>Purpose and Presidency </p>
<p>A ministry of empathy </p>
<p>He understands </p>
<p>He ‘was dead and is alive’ </p>
<p>He has been there! </p>
<p>Suffering destroyed by victory! Destiny - In this there is the promise of victory! </p>
<p>Death is not the end </p>
<p>Suffering is not final </p>
<p>“was dead and is alive” </p>
<p>Suffering Discerned : “I Know” </p>
<p>Define, redefine, reframe what you mean by ‘rich’ by success, don’t just judge your life by the material. </p>
<p>Discouragement – don’t get discouraged by the opinion of others, take a step back and consider God’s opinion of them; what does God think about those who think about you (v9)? <br>This trial is defined and limited to 10 days – 10 years of intense persecution? 10 persecuting emperors? 10 specific days for Smyrna? <br>Results – from affliction comes fruitfulness (v10); from faithfulness, a crown of life, <br>Do not fear the suffering (v10) – the fear can be greater than the reality! <br>The story is not over until it is over (v11); “should not be hurt of the 2nd death” </p>
<p>There is the prospect and promise of victory. </p>
<p>Here is the antedote to despair – a correct perspective </p>
<p>‘good things happen to good people’ </p>
<p>What’s the point – I’ve done everything correct and now look at the mess that I’m in! </p>
<p>The perspective that difficult circumstances are evidence of Divine displeasure brings despair and defeat. </p>
<p>That perspective is of course not necessarily correct as is evidenced in the life of Christ. </p>
<p>Let’s look a little deeper, take a glimpse behind the veil, looking behind the appearance to reality. </p>
<p>This is the path the Saviour trod (v8) <br>There is material poverty (v9) but spiritual wealth (v9). Behind the appearance of the material lies the eternal and the spiritual! It is a great error to conflate the two! <br>Might is not right (v9) just because they are powerful does not mean that they are right. <br>Satan is behind the attack (v10) </p>
<p>Purpose <br>Perspective</p>
<p>From a bible teaching series on the book of Revelation presented at Faskally House Pitlochry, Families week.</p>
<p>Yours by </p>
<p>Grace in Christ </p>
<p>Dr J Stewart Gillespie</p>44:13Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/67849382021-10-11T22:00:00+01:002022-08-24T22:09:10+01:00The 7 churches of Revelation - Ephesus - It was really Boring without Him <p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="DTh3hJx1xcQ" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/DTh3hJx1xcQ/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DTh3hJx1xcQ?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>Ephesus - the 7 churches of the Revelation:</p>
<p>Within this 1st of the letters to the 7 churches of Asia we have what is arguably the most significant statement made throughout the entire 7 letters. </p>
<p>‘In life the most important thing is that the most important thing remains the most important thing.’ </p>
<p>At Ephesus it would appear that the most important thing, or better the most important person, becomes number 2, 3 or 4 in a list of revised priorities! </p>
<p>If I managed to convince you last week that these 7 churches could be viewed in 5 ways; 4 you will find elsewhere, and the 5th known only to you and me: </p>
<ul> <li>Historically </li> <li>Practically – ‘what kind of church am I in?’ </li> <li>Personally – ‘what am I in this church?’ – in each there is the ‘overcomer’ and the exception (2:24; 3:4) </li> <li>Prophetically: </li>
</ul>
<p>The significance of ‘7’ <br>These stars and lampstands are ‘mysteries’ (1:20) <br>This whole book is a book of prophecy </p>
<p>Perfectly / Positionally / Eternally in Christ </p>
<p>What is a lampstand on earth is also a star in heaven. <br>The temporal has a link with the eternal. <br>The earthy is a reflection of the heavenly; as was the tabernacle and temple of old. <br>What is done of Christ on earth, before men and in time has an abiding worth and dignity in heaven, before God and eternally. <br>That reward never passes away! <br>All of the ministry to these 7 churches has as its goal the conformity of each church to the eternal and heavenly standard for it – its star in heaven! <br>Every step of obedience to this ministry and conformity to it brings us closer to God’s glorious vision of His church in Christ. <br>The star is what the church is in Christ – its perfect heavenly representative and the lampstand what that church is on earth. </p>
<p><br>Cf Elizabeth Elliott who speaks of love as being God’s gift to allow us to see another person the way God originally intended them to be. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>If we appreciate that prophetic aspect to the 7 churches then we will see that in Ephesus that we have the PRIMITIVE church – the very first of the 7 churches, the church of the apostolic era and first century church. </p>
<p>It will be appreciated that problems and errors affecting the foundation of a structure could potentially have lasting and catastrophic effects on the whole of the structure subsequently; like a bad foundation to a house or like the sin sown into humanity in Eden! So it is here. The fundamental problem identified in Ephesus resonates through the subsequent churches; an empty hunger seeking fulfilment throughout the 7 in different avenues. </p>
<p>The church at Ephesus is unique in this list of 7 – it is the only one that we have any other NT letter addressed to: Ephesians, 1 & 2 Timothy. It is only Laodicea out of the others which is mentioned elsewhere in Colossians 4:16. </p>
<p>That turns out to be particularly helpful in our understanding of what is actually going on here at Ephesus! </p>
<p>Verse 2 – the deficit at Ephesus has often been noticed: </p>
<p>“I know thy works, and thy labour and thy patience…” </p>
<p>Cf </p>
<p>“Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;” (1 Thessalonians 1:3) </p>
<p>What has happened to: </p>
<p>Faith <br>Love <br>Hope </p>
<p>That is of course a very pertinent observation, however for me the more pressing question for me is not only: </p>
<p>What happened to … <br>How could anything happen without… </p>
<p>It is absolutely astounding, that you could remove: </p>
<p>Faith <br>Love <br>Hope </p>
<p>Strip away the essence of Christian experience and yet everything seems to run on regardless!! </p>
<p>That is a phenomenal observation! </p>
<p>This is a church in a coma! </p>
<p>Why? How? </p>
<p>Habit <br>Ritual <br>Routine <br>Sense of duty / expectation </p>
<p>Many people find great reassurance in going through the same rituals and routines week after week month after month, never really critically examining what and why they are doing what they are doing, if anything is coming out of it. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>This church seems to have become focused upon / satisfied with: </p>
<p>principles, precepts, dogma and teaching; “and hast found them liars” (v2) <br>practices <br>patterns of behaviour </p>
<p>But not the PERSON of Christ! </p>
<p>What would such a church look like? </p>
<p>Boring Orthodoxy? – routine and ritual with no reality of the presence of Christ and the power of the Word of God?? <br>Respectably backslidden? </p>
<p>As opposed perhaps to Pergamos and Thyatira: </p>
<p>Exciting Heresy </p>
<p>Or Laodiceas </p>
<p>Entertaining Vacuum </p>
<p>Ephesus seems to be dogged with the problem of: </p>
<p> ‘Fatal Distraction’ </p>
<p>Ephesus has become focused on: </p>
<p>Activity for Christ (v2) – Toil <br>Standards of Christ (v2) – Testing <br>Truth about Christ (v3) – Truth <br>Persevering because of Christ (v3) – Testimony </p>
<p>Ephesus strikes me as being like a bad marriage; in which one or both partners are so busy doing and working and earning that they are never present for one another! </p>
<p>Ephesus is the NT church so dogged by distraction: </p>
<p>1 & 2 Timothy: </p>
<ul> <li>False Teachers – 1:20; 2 Tim 2:17ff </li> <li>False Teaching – 1:4ff; 4:14ff; 4:16; 4:2; Asceticism (4:3ff) </li> <li>False Gospel of works righteousness – 1 Tim1:7-9; 1:13ff </li> <li>Immorality – 1:5, 10; 1:19-20; 3:1ff; 3:9, 12; 4:2; 5:20-24; 6:5; 2 Tim 2:18-22; 26 </li> <li>Materialism – 6:5-10; 6:17-19 </li> <li>Lack of fervour in prayer – 2:1ff and evangelism 2:1ff; 2:8 </li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p>It is Ephesus which ultimately becomes canvas upon which is painted the fatal distraction and false desires of the other loves of the last days: </p>
<p> </p>
<ul> <li>Lovers of Self (2 Tim 3:2) </li> <li>Lovers of Money (2 Tim 3:2) </li> <li>Lovers of Pleasure (2 Tim 3:4) </li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p>Intriguingly the Ephesians appear to have tackled many of these problems highlighted by Paul to Timothy: </p>
<ul> <li>Deficit in activity – Rev 2:2 </li> <li>False Teachers – Rev 2:2 </li> <li>False Teaching and the Truth – Rev 2:2 </li> <li>Immorality and evil – Rev 2:2 </li>
</ul>
<p>They appear to have addressed: </p>
<p>Moral Problems <br>Doctrinal Problems <br>False Teachers <br>Inactivity </p>
<p>But they haven’t really managed to tackle the underlying problem! </p>
<p>“thou hast left thy first love” (v4) </p>
<p>In many ways our understanding of this statement is critical not only for our understanding of Ephesus but also for our understanding of the other 6 churches, since this error lies at the foundation of all subsequent churches and their problems! </p>
<p>So what was this problem? </p>
<p>It is a problem which reflects the central concern of Paul for the Ephesians in 1 Timothy 3:16: </p>
<ul> <li>1 Timothy chp 1 – Law and Sin </li> <li>1 Timothy chp 2 – Sacrifice and Saviour </li> <li>1 Timothy 3:16 – The Sanctuary ark and the mercy seat </li> <li>1 Timothy chp 4 – The lamp, the loaf and the altar of incense </li> <li>1 Timothy chp 5 – The sacred </li> <li>1 Timothy chp 6 – The secular </li>
</ul>
<p>The deficit lies in what ought to be at the centre of our Christian life – Christ! </p>
<p>What does it mean to have ‘left your first love’? </p>
<p>Often times this is interpreted to mean that the church at Ephesus has left the ‘intensity of the love it had at first’. </p>
<p>That this was a problem of INTENSITY of PASSION </p>
<p>The problem with that is that if it primarily means the INTENSITY of PASSION it really has little meaning at all. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The problem with setting a fail or a standard based on ‘not enough’ you need a ‘bit more’ is that this will always be true! There is always more that we could love. </p>
<p>How much is enough? </p>
<p>How can I have enough? </p>
<p>How can I know I have enough? </p>
<p>An unrealistic expectation founded on an unjustified assumption leading to an unachievable standard! </p>
<p>I would suggest that the primary issue here is more concrete, down to earth and practical. </p>
<p>This is not so much leaving the intensity of love but rather leaving the object of love. </p>
<p>Not primarily a matter of PASSION but rather a matter of the PERSON. </p>
<p>Not WHAT but WHO </p>
<p>That seems hinted at by the use of the word “left” : ἀφίημι - used approximately 167 times in NT and almost always used of leaving a person or of leaving an object eg nets, a cloak, debts. </p>
<p>The solution to the problem then is not: </p>
<p>How do I work up a greater passion – which will never succeed – there will always be a greater passion </p>
<p>But rather </p>
<p>How do I get closer to the person? </p>
<p>In 1 & 2 Timothy they had got caught up with all of the distractions, here in Revelation they had got caught up with dealing with the distractions and all the activity of being a Christian! </p>
<p>What now seems to hinder is not the problem but rather the solution to the problem! </p>
<p>Starting with the problems won’t necessarily bring you into communion with Christ. </p>
<p>Starting with communion with Christ will tackle the problems however. </p>
<p>Ephesus is unique amongst the 7 churches of Asia in that we have other NT letters written to this church: Ephesians, 1 + 2 Timothy </p>
<p>We know relatively so much about it </p>
<p>Only Laodicea is mentioned in Colossians 4:16 </p>
<p>That is useful for there are some fundamental issues here: </p>
<p>Ephesus is the first of 7 churches <br>Error at the foundation may well make its way through the whole of subsequent church history, if you do as I do take a church perspective on the pattern of the 7 churches. </p>
<p>As you travel through Europe and see the impact of Christianity on city skyline can’t help but be impressed by the impact that Christianity has had. Yet as you take a closer look you are equally struck by the amount of other things and the tangents that people have gone off on. </p>
<p>Probably out of the 7 churches of Revelation I have heard more ministry from Ephesus than any of the others, with Laodicea a close 2nd. It would be and has been very easy to take this verse and to do violence to the verse and use it to berate the believer. </p>
<p>That is not only an unproductive approach but is also an erroneous one. </p>
<p>Over the years I have heard this text used to chasten the Christian that they have left their original intensity of affection to Christ, that their current levels of devotion and love for Christ are insufficient and that that intensity, devotion and passion must be augmented to previous levels. </p>
<p>This is very misleading. </p>
<p>This is almost a salvation by works. </p>
<p>This is not the quantity nor even the quality of a believers devotion to Christ this is the presence or absence of it as a fact! </p>
<p>Its not the kind of love but the reality of that relationship that is absent! </p>
<p>Instead of a relationship with Christ being number 1, that relationship became number 2. </p>
<p>Like Adam in the garden (2:7) the tree of knowledge of good and evil, deceived by Satan, crept in and became the priority; displacing the tree of life (2:9) from it’s Divinely appointed centre place. </p>
<p>The beginning of the Church seems to re-echoe the fundamental problem at the beginning of creation! </p>
<p>History may not repeat itself but it certainly rhymes! </p>
<p>1 + 2 Timothy are so important; these letters give us the background as to what had been making inroads at Ephesus: </p>
<ul> <li>Hedonism (1:19ff; 3:1ff; 4:12) </li> <li>Antinominism (1:19ff) </li> <li>Jewish mysticism and the mystery religions (1:4ff; 4:7) </li> <li>Legalism (1:7ff) and asceticism (4:3ff) </li> <li>Materialism (6:10) </li> <li>Demonic deception (4:1ff) </li>
</ul>
<p>This is why at the centre of 1 Timothy in 3:16 we have THE GREAT MYSTERY, far surpassing anything you could be offered in any of the mystery religions! </p>
<p>They have let their first love (2:4). </p>
<p>How did that happen? </p>
<p>Failed to grasp the obvious </p>
<p>The all sufficiency of Christ </p>
<p>As the foundation and cornerstone of the building, the head of the body and the bridegroom of the church. </p>
<p>Christianity is all about Christ </p>
<p>Neglected the essentials </p>
<p>The centrality of Christ </p>
<p>Distracted by their own attainments and spirituality </p>
<p>False teachers </p>
<p>False teaching </p>
<p>The world </p>
<p>Distracted by the utterly irrelevant </p>
<p>and then inevitably: </p>
<p>'thou hast left thy first love' (2:4) </p>
<p>What is the content to this our first love? </p>
<p>His Person <br>His Presence <br>His Peace <br>His Personal ministry <br>His Prayerful communion </p>
<p>This is a relationship with a person </p>
<p>First the person, not the religion, not the activity but the person </p>
<p>That relationship with Christ is pre-eminent </p>
<p>His Person </p>
<p>in the scriptures <br>in prophecy <br>in picture <br>in patterns <br>in the gospel </p>
<p> </p>
<p>His Presence </p>
<p>'Jesus Himself drew near' <br>'Lo I am with you' <br>'There am I in the midst of them' <br>'I shall not leave you comfortless, I will come to you' <br>'The joy of the Lord is thy strength' </p>
<p>His Peace </p>
<p>That surpasses understanding <br>The peace of the upper room <br>'my peace give I unto you' </p>
<p>Prayer </p>
<p>Communion with Him is two way </p>
<p>Personal Communion </p>
<p>'God is in you of a truth' <br>'let him speak as the oracles of God' </p>
<p>'Thou hast left thy first love' </p>
<p>Here is the first church </p>
<p>Here is the first condemnation </p>
<p>The first condemnation of the first church </p>
<p>This becomes the primary, the root condemnation for each of the failing churches, leading to all of the condemnations thereafter. </p>
<p>Leaving our first love is a prelude to disaster </p>
<p>It is easy to see how that could happen when the heart of Christian experience has been removed. </p>
<p>It is like the distinction between Mary and Martha: </p>
<p>Luke 10:40-43 “But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”</p>
<p>From an expository series of bible teaching messages preached at Faskally House, Pitlochry as part of the Families Week 2021.</p>
<p>Yours by Grace in Christ </p>
<p>Dr J Stewart Gillespie</p>48:19Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/67849392021-10-09T22:00:00+01:002022-10-09T20:16:00+01:00Revelation chp 1 - Jesus The Son of God - A Quantum of Solace - JS Gillespie - 09102021<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="Wyv857kwQqY" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/Wyv857kwQqY/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Wyv857kwQqY?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>47:07Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/67842342021-10-05T22:00:00+01:002022-10-09T20:16:55+01:00The 7 Churches of Revelation - Pergamos and the Virus of Compromise - Revelation chp 2 vs 12 to 17 - JS Gillespie<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="Auemcwuk28w" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/Auemcwuk28w/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Auemcwuk28w?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>The seven churches of Revelation - Pergamos and the Virus of Compromise:</p>
<p>The 3rd of 7 churches in Revelation chps 2 + 3 </p>
<p>The tactics so far from Satan have been: </p>
<p>1 - Drive a wedge between the believer and Christ – Ephesus. </p>
<p>Satan sought to distance from a person rather than simply from the intensity of a passion! The attack at Ephesus was not really about quantity / quality but rather about reality. The reality of the churches relationship with Christ! It’s the old error back again – substitution and distraction (v7). The same error as Eden; Satan presents something better than God! This is distraction from the true centre which at Eden was the tree of life rather than the attractive centre of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>2 - Persecution and attack – Smyrna </p>
<p> </p>
<p>3 - Compromise – probably the most successful tactic so far! </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Pergamos – can be translated as marriage, although some maintain that it ought not to be translated as marriage but rather as citadel. </p>
<p>‘per’ – mixed </p>
<p>‘gamos’ – marriage </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The fact that it could be translated as marriage is nonetheless interesting since that would fit very well with what appears to have been happening at this church; union between church and the pagan world around it! </p>
<p>Pergamos would relate to that period of the church prophetically beginning with the professed conversion of Constantine and the Edict of Milan 313 AD </p>
<p>With the conversion of Constantine, this created a massive problem. Constantine was himself regarded as a god and headed up the whole Roman cultic system! </p>
<p>What do you do with paganism when the man at the top of the system gets converted? </p>
<p>The old paganism was adopted into Christianity. </p>
<p>Old pagan priests, places, practices were all Christianised. </p>
<ul> <li>Christian buildings with altars and idols </li> <li>Altars </li> <li>Priests </li> <li>Holy water </li> <li>Rosary </li> <li>Mother and child cult </li> <li>The mysteries, sacramentum, sacraments – mystery of the mass and baptism </li> <li>Symbolism of saints </li> <li>Purgatory </li>
</ul>
<p>Pergamos is one of the 7 churches with serious problems, although not necessarily with a terminal prognosis. </p>
<p>A serious illness but not a terminal prognosis. </p>
<p>For the first time and the only time to these 7 churches Christ presents Himself as the one with the “sharp sword with two edges.” </p>
<p>The sharp sword proceeding from His mouth (1:16) – the Word of God (Heb 4:12) </p>
<p>Here is the sword of discernment </p>
<p>Christ decides </p>
<p>Christ discerns </p>
<p>Christ divides </p>
<p>He is able to discern and divide even when they are not. </p>
<p>Here is the need of the moment met by Christ. </p>
<p>“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not…” (James 1:5ff) </p>
<p>This is a sword that will not only bring judgment but will also bring salvation by separation! </p>
<p>Vs 13 – The setting, circumstances and Satan </p>
<p>Sometimes Christians struggle and fail where we haven’t but perhaps they have fallen and failed in circumstances and under pressures and trials through which we have never passed! </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Perhaps we have not fallen like them </p>
<p>Perhaps we have not been tested like them! </p>
<p>Their circumstances, intricately linked with Satan; ‘where Satan’s seat is’ (v13) </p>
<p>‘seat’ : throne: ‘θρόνος’ </p>
<p>Is it a specific place at Pergamos? </p>
<p>There are certainly plenty of contenders for that title: </p>
<p>1 - The altar of Zeus and Athena – the great altar of Pergamon; a massive altar on the hillside. </p>
<p>Zeus – the head of the Greek Pantheon of gods; the ‘god of gods’ in paganism according to Plato Paul taught the Corinthians that behind the idol are devils (1 Co 10:20); Clement made the conceptual leap that since Zeus is the head of the false gods, he must be Satan! </p>
<p><br>The Pergamon altar was excavated by a German archaeologist and transported to Berlin in the early 1900’s. The exhibition opened in the Pergamon museum in 1930. This became the inspiration behind the design for Alberts Speir’s Nuremberg stadium from which Hitler made his first public declaration of the ‘final solution.’ </p>
<p>2 - Temple of Asclepius </p>
<p>This represented the second largest temple in the Asian world to the cult of Asclepius and symbolised by the serpent on the pole. A symbol of course highly suggestive of Satan. Treatment at the temple involved lying on the floor under the influence of hypnotics and allowing snakes from the temple to crawl over you. Not that hugely effective I would think, but a great way of keeping the waiting lists down. </p>
<p>3 - Temples to the Emperor cult – Augustus, Roma </p>
<p>This was for the Christians of Pergamos very dangerous and ominous. A pinch of incense was required to be offered on the altar to Caesar. This was a dangerous place for a Christian to be who refused to deny his faith and blaspheme the God of heaven by worshipping false gods. Some later writers suggest that it was this that Antipas fell foul of. </p>
<p>Plenty of options – which one? It is impossible to say. Surely the atmosphere of the entire city is that of idolatry however, of demonism and satanic influence. Pergamon is the Asiatic stronghold of Satan; perhaps in a similar way to Jerusalem being the city of the Lord! </p>
<p>Antipas: </p>
<p>Little in the way of details given of his martyrdom, but interestingly referenced externally in other Christian literature. </p>
<p>Simon Metaphrastes, a Byzantine writer in the 10th century makes reference to the tradition that Antipas refused to offer a sacrifice to false gods, and refused to recant, that he was put inside a hollow brass bull and roasted alive and that he died under the persecution of Domitian. </p>
<p>Antipas is also referenced by Tertullian in the 2nd century and Andrea’s of Caeserea in the 6th century </p>
<p>There is also a later tradition that Antipas was challenged by his persecutors with; ‘behold the whole world is against you.’ Unphased by this Antipas is reputed to have replied ‘well that must mean that I am against the whole world!’ </p>
<p>V14 – great pressure to compromise. </p>
<p>The doctrine of Balaam – a doctrine of corruption and compromise </p>
<p>Notice the power to overcome compromise: </p>
<p>Discern: </p>
<ol> <li>Doctrine </li> <li>Diet </li> <li>Desires </li>
</ol>
<p>Of the world around you </p>
<p>If it arises from a world foreign to God then its ideas, philosophies, appetite and entertainments are immediately suspect. </p>
<p>Almost by definition if it is good in the eyes of the world, it is probably bad! </p>
<p>The Nicolaitans appear to promote exactly this: </p>
<p>Iranaeus of Lyon; in his book ‘Against the Heresis’ comments that the Nicolaitans were a group who “lead lives of unrestrained indulgence.” </p>
<p>Nicolaitans could also be literally translated as ‘nico’ – over and ‘laitanes’ – people – probably a double meaning here in the name – both literal and symbolic in the context of the prophetic meaning of the church. </p>
<p>The encouragement and consolation: </p>
<p>Hidden manna: the manna of the Holy of Holies: </p>
<p>Hidden in the sanctuary <br>Hidden under the mercy seat <br>Hidden in the golden pot </p>
<p>Here is the Divine provision for those excluded and uncompromising – feeding on the bread of life, the bread of God, the bread that came down form heaven. </p>
<p>A distant experience of the world equates with a deeper experience of Christ. </p>
<p>A ‘white stone’ and a ‘new name’ </p>
<p>Is this a white stone for: </p>
<p>Voting – white for innocent / black for guilty? <br>Invitation – to a social gathering <br>Reward for running well and winning – an entitlement to be kept at the publics cost for the rest of your life? </p>
<p>Such interpretations are very dependant upon the serendipitous bequests of ancient history; not too struck on that idea. </p>
<p>Probably a reference to the stones on the breast plate of the high priest. </p>
<p>Not only are we guaranteed an appreciation of Christ but we are brought into communion in the sanctuary. </p>
<p>A new name in recognition of our faithfulness to Christ? </p>
<p>Was that not the case too for Simon Peter? </p>
<p>Or Cephas? (Syriac) </p>
<p>Or Psephos : 5586 : stone </p>
<p>He was the stone with a new name! </p>
<p>This ministry from Pergamos has enormous practical implications for us: </p>
<p>It is possible to live for Christ even when circumstances appear impossible! It is possible but costly. <br>Contrast this with Laodicea – it is not always easy to live for Christ when circumstances are easy! <br>The danger to the church in difficult circumstances when oppression and persecution is present comes primarily from compromise rather than conflict; compare verse 14. The great enemy of compromise” </p>
<p>Cf Israel and idols <br>Cf. Demas and the world <br>Cf. Priesthood and foreign brides in the days of Ezra <br>Cf. Israel and Baal Peor </p>
<p>Here is proof if you need it, of the words of Jesus: “I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.” </p>
<p>Living out Christ in intense adversity </p>
<p>Christ is able to discern and distinguish His people, all is not lost! He has the sharp two edged sword! <br>Beware of Compromise in a society which is antithetical to the Word of God; the template for the Christian is that of “Antipas” – ‘against all’ ! <br>Compromise is more dangerous than conflict! We are responsible for preserving the truth not for preserving ourselves! <br>We must identify, define and reject: </p>
<p>Doctrine from society <br>Diet of that world <br>Desires of that world </p>
<p>Be confident that the Saviours words can be trusted; “I will build my church....” 2000 years later at Bergama – Zeus has gone, Aesclepius is but a symbol, the cult of Caesar regarded as a bizarre historical curiosity but still today there is a small Christian community in that city!</p>
<p>From a series of bible teaching messages preached on the seven churches in the book of Revelation.</p>
<p>Yours by Grace in Christ </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Dr J Stewart Gillespie</p>35:12Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/67842012021-09-28T22:00:00+01:002022-10-09T20:18:07+01:00The 7 churches of Revelation - The Bitter taste of Fragrance - Smyrna (Revelation chp 2 vs 8 to 11) - JS Gillespie<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="lOu4pycUxRE" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/lOu4pycUxRE/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lOu4pycUxRE?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>The seven churches of Revelation - Smyrna </p>
<p>Much could be said of Smyrna </p>
<p>Smyrna comes from the Greek word Myrrh, which derives from the Hebrew word ‘mor’ the word for bitterness. </p>
<p>What was a fragrant perfume: </p>
<p>Psalm 45:8 <br>Prov 7:17 <br>Song of Solomon 1:13; 5:5 </p>
<p>was also a bitter resin. </p>
<p>Myrrh was a bitter tasting perfume, both bitter and fragrant, herein is the paradox of Smyrna! </p>
<p>Smyrna is a faithful church that suffers! </p>
<ul> <li>Tribulation (v9) </li> <li>Poverty (v9) </li> <li>Suffer (v10) </li> <li>Trial (v10) </li> <li>Tribulation (v10) </li> <li>Death (v10) </li>
</ul>
<p>One aspect of Smyrna perhaps not so often considered is the importance or value of understanding, insight, ‘philosophy,’ the importance of a right outlook on life, the right perspective on life. </p>
<p>The power of the mind </p>
<p>‘Man’s search for meaning’ – Viktor Frankyl </p>
<p>Survival not only dependant on physical strength or endurance but also dependant on the mindset of the person; eg Christmas 1944 – many died. </p>
<p>“everything can be taken from a man but one thing, the last of the human freedoms – to choose ones attitude in any given set of circumstances, to chose one’s own way.” </p>
<p>“Ever more people today have the means to live but no meaning to live for” </p>
<p>“Those who have a why to live can bear with almost any how” (Nietzsche) </p>
<p>“But there was no need to be ashamed of tears, for tears bore witness that a man had the greatest of courage, the courage to suffer” </p>
<p>“Life is never made unbearable by circumstances but only by lack of meaning and purpose” </p>
<p>“If there is meaning in life at all then there must be meaning in suffering” </p>
<p>“we who lived in concentration camps can remember the men who walked through the huts comforting others giving away their last piece of bread. They may have been few in number but they offer sufficient proof that everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms – to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.” </p>
<p>The ministry to Smyrna, highlights the importance of ministry. </p>
<p>The importance of right thinking and of Bible teaching. </p>
<p>The importance of looking behind the immediate set of circumstances and experiences. </p>
<p>“Life is never made unbearable by circumstances but only by lack of meaning and purpose” </p>
<p>“If there is meaning in life at all then there must be meaning in suffering” (V Frankyl) </p>
<p>One of the great issues to which Smyrna introduces us is that subject of suffering; the problem of pain. </p>
<p>Herein lies one of the great arguments against God, a problem that discourages men from faith in God and discourages the faith of those who trust in God. </p>
<p>An argument formulated by Greek philosopher Epicurus: </p>
<p>“Is God willing to prevent evil but not able – He is not omnipotent. </p>
<p>If He is able but not willing then He is malevolent </p>
<p>If He is both able and willing then whence cometh evil? </p>
<p>If He is neither able nor willing then why call Him God?” </p>
<p> although perhaps most succinctly put by CS Lewis: </p>
<p>If God is good He ought to desire His people to be happy. </p>
<p>If God is all powerful He ought to be able to make His people happy </p>
<p>If His people are not happy then: </p>
<p> God is not good </p>
<p> God is not all powerful </p>
<p> God is not </p>
<p>On the surface a fairly straightforward and robust argument but one which suffers from at least 5 failings: </p>
<p>It is a moral argument – if there is no God as the argument suggests you are going to have a difficult time in shoring up your idea of morality! You are going to flounder to prove that unhappiness is bad, bad for you but maybe good for me. Cutting lives short for example may well reduce the sum total suffering of that life and the effect of that life on others. </p>
<p>It is a logical argument – what makes you think that a random universe can throw together a brain of atoms, undesigned and unchecked against any standard that results in being able to draw any reasonable conclusion about anything? <br>The solution lies in the argument that happiness is dependent on goodness – herein is the simplest point! The argument presumes that a good God desires happiness, ie happiness is dependant on goodness; thus absolute happiness is dependent on absolute goodness; a condition we do not have. We cannot have a square circle! A square circle remains absurd even if we prefix it with the term ‘God’ or not. A fallen world is the consequence of free choice, to have no fall is to have no choice, to have no choice is to have no humanity. You cannot have it both ways. </p>
<p>It limits the sovereignty of God restricting God to act in a way and using means which only ever act to result in happiness, immediate pleasure. What makes you assume that God is so small that He cannot work all things according to His own will, even the rebellion of men? </p>
<p> </p>
<p>It is these later 2 points that we see at Smyrna. </p>
<p>That God is able to use the trials and the tears, the suffering and pain, sorrow and the sadness for our good and His Glory and that from the deep and difficult experiences of life there does and can emerge meaning and purpose and Glory. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The view of God that others have of Him is at times way too small; your trials and afflictions are ordered, defined and determined cf Daniel 9:24-27 </p>
<p>They are all bookended within the purposes and plans of He who is the first and the last. </p>
<p>The idea that suggests that if evil happens then God is not in control is wrong on so many levels; one of which is that God is so omnipotent, so in control that He is able to work the purposes of men into the fabric of sovereign purposes to bring about the fulfilment of His will! </p>
<p>They have the ministry of a Person </p>
<p>Their Suffering is Defined </p>
<p>‘first and last’ – setting the boundaries </p>
<p>There is nothing so difficult to cope with than a trial which seems to: </p>
<p>Have no real meaning / origin, no definite course / beginning, no purpose, pointless. <br>No prospect of an end in view </p>
<p>Christ sets the limits </p>
<p>There is purpose </p>
<p>There is a prospect </p>
<p>Time and experience are defined by the boundary conditions I set for it! </p>
<p>A Person, pre-eminent and in control </p>
<p>Purpose and Presidency </p>
<p>A ministry of empathy </p>
<p>He understands </p>
<p>He ‘was dead and is alive’ </p>
<p>He has been there! </p>
<p>Suffering destroyed by victory! Destiny - In this there is the promise of victory! </p>
<p>Death is not the end </p>
<p>Suffering is not final </p>
<p>“was dead and is alive” </p>
<p>Suffering Discerned : “I Know” </p>
<p>Define, redefine, reframe what you mean by ‘rich’ by success, don’t just judge your life by the material. </p>
<p>Discouragement – don’t get discouraged by the opinion of others, take a step back and consider God’s opinion of them; what does God think about those who think about you (v9)? <br>This trial is defined and limited to 10 days – 10 years of intense persecution? 10 persecuting emperors? 10 specific days for Smyrna? <br>Results – from affliction comes fruitfulness (v10); from faithfulness, a crown of life, <br>Do not fear the suffering (v10) – the fear can be greater than the reality! <br>The story is not over until it is over (v11); “should not be hurt of the 2nd death” </p>
<p>There is the prospect and promise of victory. </p>
<p>Here is the antedote to despair – a correct perspective </p>
<p>‘good things happen to good people’ </p>
<p>What’s the point – I’ve done everything correct and now look at the mess that I’m in! </p>
<p>The perspective that difficult circumstances are evidence of Divine displeasure brings despair and defeat. </p>
<p>That perspective is of course not necessarily correct as is evidenced in the life of Christ. </p>
<p>Let’s look a little deeper, take a glimpse behind the veil, looking behind the appearance to reality. </p>
<p>This is the path the Saviour trod (v8) <br>There is material poverty (v9) but spiritual wealth (v9). Behind the appearance of the material lies the eternal and the spiritual! It is a great error to conflate the two! <br>Might is not right (v9) just because they are powerful does not mean that they are right. <br>Satan is behind the attack (v10) </p>
<p>Purpose <br>Perspective</p>
<p> </p>
<p>From an expository bible teaching series on Revelation and the seven churches preached at New Cumnock.</p>
<p>Yours by Grace in Christ</p>
<p>Dr J Stewart Gillespie</p>30:50Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/67842022021-09-14T22:00:00+01:002022-10-09T20:50:48+01:00The 7 churches of Revelation - Ephesus - How To Completely miss the Point - Revelation chp 2 vs 1 to 7 - JS Gillespie<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="_ulAt86hZz0" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/_ulAt86hZz0/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_ulAt86hZz0?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p> </p>
<p>The 7 churches of Revelation - Ephesus - How to Completely miss the point </p>
<p>Within this 1st of the letters to the 7 churches of Asia we have what is arguably the most significant statement made throughout the entire 7 letters. </p>
<p>‘In life the most important thing is that the most important thing remains the most important thing.’ </p>
<p>At Ephesus it would appear that the most important thing, or better the most important person, becomes number 2, 3 or 4 in a list of revised priorities! </p>
<p>If I managed to convince you last week that these 7 churches could be viewed in 5 ways; 4 you will find elsewhere, and the 5th known only to you and me: </p>
<p>Historically <br>Practically – ‘what kind of church am I in?’ <br>Personally – ‘what am I in this church?’ – in each there is the ‘overcomer’ and the exception (2:24; 3:4) <br>Prophetically: </p>
<p>The significance of ‘7’ <br>These stars and lampstands are ‘mysteries’ (1:20) <br>This whole book is a book of prophecy </p>
<p>Perfectly / Positionally / Eternally in Christ </p>
<p>What is a lampstand on earth is also a star in heaven. <br>The temporal has a link with the eternal. <br>The earthy is a reflection of the heavenly; as was the tabernacle and temple of old. <br>What is done of Christ on earth, before men and in time has an abiding worth and dignity in heaven, before God and eternally. <br>That reward never passes away! <br>All of the ministry to these 7 churches has as its goal the conformity of each church to the eternal and heavenly standard for it – its star in heaven! <br>Every step of obedience to this ministry and conformity to it brings us closer to God’s glorious vision of His church in Christ. <br>The star is what the church is in Christ – its perfect heavenly representative and the lampstand what that church is on earth. <br>Cf Elizabeth Elliott who speaks of love as being God’s gift to allow us to see another person the way God originally intended them to be. </p>
<p>If we appreciate that prophetic aspect to the 7 churches then we will see that in Ephesus that we have the PRIMITIVE church – the very first of the 7 churches, the church of the apostolic era and first century church. </p>
<p>It will be appreciated that problems and errors affecting the foundation of a structure could potentially have lasting and catastrophic effects on the whole of the structure subsequently; like a bad foundation to a house or like the sin sown into humanity in Eden! So it is here. The fundamental problem identified in Ephesus resonates through the subsequent churches; an empty hunger seeking fulfilment throughout the 7 in different avenues. </p>
<p>The church at Ephesus is unique in this list of 7 – it is the only one that we have any other NT letter addressed to: Ephesians, 1 & 2 Timothy. It is only Laodicea out of the others which is mentioned elsewhere in Colossians 4:16. </p>
<p>That turns out to be particularly helpful in our understanding of what is actually going on here at Ephesus! </p>
<p>Verse 2 – the deficit at Ephesus has often been noticed: </p>
<p>“I know thy works, and thy labour and thy patience…” </p>
<p>Cf </p>
<p>“Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;” (1 Thessalonians 1:3) </p>
<p>What has happened to: </p>
<ol> <li>Faith </li> <li>Love </li> <li>Hope </li>
</ol>
<p>That is of course a very pertinent observation, however for me the more pressing question for me is not only: </p>
<p>What happened to … <br>How could anything happen without… </p>
<p>It is absolutely astounding, that you could remove: </p>
<ol> <li>Faith </li> <li>Love </li> <li>Hope </li>
</ol>
<p>Strip away the essence of Christian experience and yet everything seems to run on regardless!! </p>
<p>That is a phenomenal observation! </p>
<p>This is a church in a coma! </p>
<p>Why? How? </p>
<p>Habit <br>Ritual <br>Routine <br>Sense of duty / expectation </p>
<p>Many people find great reassurance in going through the same rituals and routines week after week month after month, never really critically examining what and why they are doing what they are doing, if anything is coming out of it. </p>
<p>This church seems to have become focused upon / satisfied with: </p>
<p>principles, precepts, dogma and teaching; “and hast found them liars” (v2) <br>practices <br>patterns of behaviour </p>
<p>But not the PERSON of Christ! </p>
<p>What would such a church look like? </p>
<p>Boring Orthodoxy? – routine and ritual with no reality of the presence of Christ and the power of the Word of God?? <br>Respectably backslidden? </p>
<p>As opposed perhaps to Pergamos and Thyatira: </p>
<p>Exciting Heresy </p>
<p>Or Laodiceas </p>
<p>Entertaining Vacuum </p>
<p>Ephesus seems to be dogged with the problem of: </p>
<p> ‘Fatal Distraction’ </p>
<p>Ephesus has become focused on: </p>
<p>Activity for Christ (v2) – Toil <br>Standards of Christ (v2) – Testing <br>Truth about Christ (v3) – Truth <br>Persevering because of Christ (v3) – Testimony </p>
<p>Ephesus strikes me as being like a bad marriage; in which one or both partners are so busy doing and working and earning that they are never present for one another! </p>
<p>Ephesus is the NT church so dogged by distraction: </p>
<p>1 & 2 Timothy: </p>
<p>False Teachers – 1:20; 2 Tim 2:17ff <br>False Teaching – 1:4ff; 4:14ff; 4:16; 4:2; Asceticism (4:3ff) <br>False Gospel of works righteousness – 1 Tim1:7-9; 1:13ff <br>Immorality – 1:5, 10; 1:19-20; 3:1ff; 3:9, 12; 4:2; 5:20-24; 6:5; 2 Tim 2:18-22; 26 <br>Materialism – 6:5-10; 6:17-19 <br>Lack of fervour in prayer – 2:1ff and evangelism 2:1ff; 2:8 </p>
<p>It is Ephesus which ultimately becomes canvas upon which is painted the fatal distraction and false desires of the other loves of the last days: </p>
<p>Lovers of Self (2 Tim 3:2) <br>Lovers of Money (2 Tim 3:2) <br>Lovers of Pleasure (2 Tim 3:4) </p>
<p>Intriguingly the Ephesians appear to have tackled many of these problems highlighted by Paul to Timothy: </p>
<p>Deficit in activity – Rev 2:2 <br>False Teachers – Rev 2:2 <br>False Teaching and the Truth – Rev 2:2 <br>Immorality and evil – Rev 2:2 </p>
<p>They appear to have addressed: </p>
<p>Moral Problems <br>Doctrinal Problems <br>False Teachers <br>Inactivity </p>
<p>But they haven’t really managed to tackle the underlying problem! </p>
<p>“thou hast left thy first love” (v4) </p>
<p>In many ways our understanding of this statement is critical not only for our understanding of Ephesus but also for our understanding of the other 6 churches, since this error lies at the foundation of all subsequent churches and their problems! </p>
<p>So what was this problem? </p>
<p>It is a problem which reflects the central concern of Paul for the Ephesians in 1 Timothy 3:16: </p>
<p>1 Timothy chp 1 – Law and Sin <br>1 Timothy chp 2 – Sacrifice and Saviour <br>1 Timothy 3:16 – The Sanctuary ark and the mercy seat <br>1 Timothy chp 4 – The lamp, the loaf and the altar of incense <br>1 Timothy chp 5 – The sacred <br>1 Timothy chp 6 – The secular </p>
<p>The deficit lies in what ought to be at the centre of our Christian life – Christ! </p>
<p>What does it mean to have ‘left your first love’? </p>
<p>Often times this is interpreted to mean that the church at Ephesus has left the ‘intensity of the love it had at first’. </p>
<p>That this was a problem of INTENSITY of PASSION </p>
<p>The problem with that is that if it primarily means the INTENSITY of PASSION it really has little meaning at all. </p>
<p>Illust: Failing driving test and need to do better, and again and again </p>
<p>The problem with setting a fail or a standard based on ‘not enough’ you need a ‘bit more’ is that this will always be true! There is always more that we could love. </p>
<p>How much is enough? </p>
<p>How can I have enough? </p>
<p>How can I know I have enough? </p>
<p>An unrealistic expectation founded on an unjustified assumption leading to an unachievable standard! </p>
<p>I would suggest that the primary issue here is more concrete, down to earth and practical. </p>
<p>This is not so much leaving the intensity of love but rather leaving the object of love. </p>
<p>Not primarily a matter of PASSION but rather a matter of the PERSON. </p>
<p>Not WHAT but WHO </p>
<p>That seems hinted at by the use of the word “left” : ἀφίημι - used approximately 167 times in NT and almost always used of leaving a person or of leaving an object eg nets, a cloak, debts. </p>
<p>The solution to the problem then is not: </p>
<p>How do I work up a greater passion – which will never succeed – there will always be a greater passion </p>
<p>But rather </p>
<p>How do I get closer to the person? </p>
<p>In 1 & 2 Timothy they had got caught up with all of the distractions, here in Revelation they had got caught up with dealing with the distractions and all the activity of being a Christian! </p>
<p>What now seems to hinder is not the problem but rather the solution to the problem! </p>
<p>Starting with the problems won’t necessarily bring you into communion with Christ. </p>
<p>Starting with communion with Christ will tackle the problems however. </p>
<p>Ephesus is unique amongst the 7 churches of Asia in that we have other NT letters written to this church: Ephesians, 1 + 2 Timothy </p>
<p>We know relatively so much about it </p>
<p>Only Laodicea is mentioned in Colossians 4:16 </p>
<p>That is useful for there are some fundamental issues here: </p>
<p>Ephesus is the first of 7 churches <br>Error at the foundation may well make its way through the whole of subsequent church history, if you do as I do take a church perspective on the pattern of the 7 churches. </p>
<p>As you travel through Europe and see the impact of Christianity on city skyline can’t help but be impressed by the impact that Christianity has had. Yet as you take a closer look you are equally struck by the amount of other things and the tangents that people have gone off on. </p>
<p>Probably out of the 7 churches of Revelation I have heard more ministry from Ephesus than any of the others, with Laodicea a close 2nd. It would be and has been very easy to take this verse and to do violence to the verse and use it to berate the believer. </p>
<p>That is not only an unproductive approach but is also an erroneous one. </p>
<p>Over the years I have heard this text used to chasten the Christian that they have left their original intensity of affection to Christ, that their current levels of devotion and love for Christ are insufficient and that that intensity, devotion and passion must be augmented to previous levels. </p>
<p>This is very misleading. </p>
<p>This is almost a salvation by works. </p>
<p>This is not the quantity nor even the quality of a believers devotion to Christ this is the presence or absence of it as a fact! </p>
<p>Its not the kind of love but the reality of that relationship that is absent! </p>
<p>Instead of a relationship with Christ being number 1, that relationship became number 2. </p>
<p>Like Adam in the garden (2:7) the tree of knowledge of good and evil, deceived by Satan, crept in and became the priority; displacing the tree of life (2:9) from it’s Divinely appointed centre place. </p>
<p>The beginning of the Church seems to re-echoe the fundamental problem at the beginning of creation! </p>
<p>History may not repeat itself but it certainly rhymes! </p>
<p>1 + 2 Timothy are so important; these letters give us the background as to what had been making inroads at Ephesus: </p>
<p>Hedonism (1:19ff; 3:1ff; 4:12) <br>Antinominism (1:19ff) <br>Jewish mysticism and the mystery religions (1:4ff; 4:7) <br>Legalism (1:7ff) and asceticism (4:3ff) <br>Materialism (6:10) <br>Demonic deception (4:1ff) </p>
<p>This is why at the centre of 1 Timothy in 3:16 we have THE GREAT MYSTERY, far surpassing anything you could be offered in any of the mystery religions! </p>
<p>They have let their first love (2:4). </p>
<p>How did that happen? </p>
<p>Failed to grasp the obvious </p>
<p>The all sufficiency of Christ </p>
<p>As the foundation and cornerstone of the building, the head of the body and the bridegroom of the church. </p>
<p>Christianity is all about Christ </p>
<p>Neglected the essentials </p>
<p>The centrality of Christ </p>
<p>Distracted by their own attainments and spirituality </p>
<p>False teachers </p>
<p>False teaching </p>
<p>The world </p>
<p>Distracted by the utterly irrelevant </p>
<p>and then inevitably: </p>
<p>'thou hast left thy first love' (2:4) </p>
<p>What is the content to this our first love? </p>
<p>His Person <br>His Presence <br>His Peace <br>His Personal ministry <br>His Prayerful communion </p>
<p>This is a relationship with a person </p>
<p>First the person, not the religion, not the activity but the person </p>
<p>That relationship with Christ is pre-eminent </p>
<p>His Person </p>
<p>in the scriptures <br>in prophecy <br>in picture <br>in patterns <br>in the gospel </p>
<p> </p>
<p>His Presence </p>
<p>'Jesus Himself drew near' <br>'Lo I am with you' <br>'There am I in the midst of them' <br>'I shall not leave you comfortless, I will come to you' <br>'The joy of the Lord is thy strength' </p>
<p>His Peace </p>
<p>That surpasses understanding <br>The peace of the upper room <br>'my peace give I unto you' </p>
<p>Prayer </p>
<p>Communion with Him is two way </p>
<p>Personal Communion </p>
<p>'God is in you of a truth' <br>'let him speak as the oracles of God' </p>
<p>'Thou hast left thy first love' </p>
<p>Here is the first church </p>
<p>Here is the first condemnation </p>
<p>The first condemnation of the first church </p>
<p>This becomes the primary, the root condemnation for each of the failing churches, leading to all of the condemnations thereafter. </p>
<p>Leaving our first love is a prelude to disaster </p>
<p>It is easy to see how that could happen when the heart of Christian experience has been removed. </p>
<p>It is like the distinction between Mary and Martha: </p>
<p>Luk 10:40-43 “But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”</p>
<p>From a series of sermons in our bible teaching series on the book of Revelation and the seven churches.</p>
<p>Yours by Grace in Christ </p>
<p>Dr J Stewart Gillespie</p>32:40Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/67849412021-09-01T22:00:00+01:002022-10-09T21:04:54+01:00Revelation chp 2 vs 12 to 17 - The 7 Churches of Asia - Pergamos - Overcoming Compromise - JS Gillespie - 01092021<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="DULi_GtGaNU" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/DULi_GtGaNU/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DULi_GtGaNU?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>Part of our series of bible studies on the 7 churches of the Apocalypse, from the book of Revelation.</p>
<p>The church at Pergamos </p>
<p>Yours by Grace in Christ </p>
<p>Dr J Stewart Gillespie</p>34:24Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/67985962021-08-26T08:00:00+01:002022-10-09T20:51:48+01:00The 7 Churches of Revelation - Ephesus - The Star and the Lampstand - Revelation chapter 2 - J Stewart Gillespie<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="1Ijz135lqkc" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/1Ijz135lqkc/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1Ijz135lqkc?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>Bible teaching on the book of Revelation and the 7 churches of Asia - the church of Ephesus</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Yours by Grace in Christ </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Dr J Stewart Gillespie</p>27:06Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/67985952021-08-25T21:00:00+01:002022-10-09T20:55:11+01:00Ephesus - the 7 churches of Revelation - On Automatic Pilot - JS Gillespie<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="yV4W6nWmV5s" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/yV4W6nWmV5s/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yV4W6nWmV5s?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>Ephesus - the 7 churches of the Revelation: </p>
<p>Within this 1st of the letters to the 7 churches of Asia we have what is arguably the most significant statement made throughout the entire 7 letters. </p>
<p>‘In life the most important thing is that the most important thing remains the most important thing.’ </p>
<p>At Ephesus it would appear that the most important thing, or better the most important person, becomes number 2, 3 or 4 in a list of revised priorities! </p>
<p>If I managed to convince you last week that these 7 churches could be viewed in 5 ways; 4 you will find elsewhere, and the 5th known only to you and me: </p>
<p>Historically <br>Practically – ‘what kind of church am I in?’ <br>Personally – ‘what am I in this church?’ – in each there is the ‘overcomer’ and the exception (2:24; 3:4) <br>Prophetically: </p>
<p>The significance of ‘7’ <br>These stars and lampstands are ‘mysteries’ (1:20) <br>This whole book is a book of prophecy </p>
<p>Perfectly / Positionally / Eternally in Christ </p>
<p>What is a lampstand on earth is also a star in heaven. <br>The temporal has a link with the eternal. <br>The earthy is a reflection of the heavenly; as was the tabernacle and temple of old. <br>What is done of Christ on earth, before men and in time has an abiding worth and dignity in heaven, before God and eternally. <br>That reward never passes away! <br>All of the ministry to these 7 churches has as its goal the conformity of each church to the eternal and heavenly standard for it – its star in heaven! <br>Every step of obedience to this ministry and conformity to it brings us closer to God’s glorious vision of His church in Christ. <br>The star is what the church is in Christ – its perfect heavenly representative and the lampstand what that church is on earth. </p>
<p>Cf Elizabeth Elliott who speaks of love as being God’s gift to allow us to see another person the way God originally intended them to be. </p>
<p>If we appreciate that prophetic aspect to the 7 churches then we will see that in Ephesus that we have the PRIMITIVE church – the very first of the 7 churches, the church of the apostolic era and first century church. </p>
<p>It will be appreciated that problems and errors affecting the foundation of a structure could potentially have lasting and catastrophic effects on the whole of the structure subsequently; like a bad foundation to a house or like the sin sown into humanity in Eden! So it is here. The fundamental problem identified in Ephesus resonates through the subsequent churches; an empty hunger seeking fulfilment throughout the 7 in different avenues. </p>
<p>The church at Ephesus is unique in this list of 7 – it is the only one that we have any other NT letter addressed to: Ephesians, 1 & 2 Timothy. It is only Laodicea out of the others which is mentioned elsewhere in Colossians 4:16. </p>
<p>That turns out to be particularly helpful in our understanding of what is actually going on here at Ephesus! </p>
<p>Verse 2 – the deficit at Ephesus has often been noticed: </p>
<p>“I know thy works, and thy labour and thy patience…” </p>
<p>Cf </p>
<p>“Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;” (1 Thessalonians 1:3) </p>
<p>What has happened to: </p>
<p>Faith <br>Love <br>Hope </p>
<p>That is of course a very pertinent observation, however for me the more pressing question for me is not only: </p>
<p>What happened to … <br>How could anything happen without… </p>
<p>It is absolutely astounding, that you could remove: </p>
<p>Faith <br>Love <br>Hope </p>
<p>Strip away the essence of Christian experience and yet everything seems to run on regardless!! </p>
<p>That is a phenomenal observation! </p>
<p>This is a church in a coma! </p>
<p>Why? How? </p>
<p>Habit <br>Ritual <br>Routine <br>Sense of duty / expectation </p>
<p>Many people find great reassurance in going through the same rituals and routines week after week month after month, never really critically examining what and why they are doing what they are doing, if anything is coming out of it. </p>
<p>This church seems to have become focused upon / satisfied with: </p>
<p>principles, precepts, dogma and teaching; “and hast found them liars” (v2) <br>practices <br>patterns of behaviour </p>
<p>But not the PERSON of Christ! </p>
<p>What would such a church look like? </p>
<p>Boring Orthodoxy? – routine and ritual with no reality of the presence of Christ and the power of the Word of God?? <br>Respectably backslidden? </p>
<p>As opposed perhaps to Pergamos and Thyatira: </p>
<p>Exciting Heresy </p>
<p>Or Laodiceas </p>
<p>Entertaining Vacuum </p>
<p>Ephesus seems to be dogged with the problem of: </p>
<p> ‘Fatal Distraction’ </p>
<p>Ephesus has become focused on: </p>
<p>Activity for Christ (v2) – Toil <br>Standards of Christ (v2) – Testing <br>Truth about Christ (v3) – Truth <br>Persevering because of Christ (v3) – Testimony </p>
<p>Ephesus strikes me as being like a bad marriage; in which one or both partners are so busy doing and working and earning that they are never present for one another! </p>
<p>Ephesus is the NT church so dogged by distraction: </p>
<p>1 & 2 Timothy: </p>
<p>False Teachers – 1:20; 2 Tim 2:17ff <br>False Teaching – 1:4ff; 4:14ff; 4:16; 4:2; Asceticism (4:3ff) <br>False Gospel of works righteousness – 1 Tim1:7-9; 1:13ff <br>Immorality – 1:5, 10; 1:19-20; 3:1ff; 3:9, 12; 4:2; 5:20-24; 6:5; 2 Tim 2:18-22; 26 <br>Materialism – 6:5-10; 6:17-19 <br>Lack of fervour in prayer – 2:1ff and evangelism 2:1ff; 2:8 </p>
<p>It is Ephesus which ultimately becomes canvas upon which is painted the fatal distraction and false desires of the other loves of the last days: </p>
<p>Lovers of Self (2 Tim 3:2) <br>Lovers of Money (2 Tim 3:2) <br>Lovers of Pleasure (2 Tim 3:4) </p>
<p>Intriguingly the Ephesians appear to have tackled many of these problems highlighted by Paul to Timothy: </p>
<p>Deficit in activity – Rev 2:2 <br>False Teachers – Rev 2:2 <br>False Teaching and the Truth – Rev 2:2 <br>Immorality and evil – Rev 2:2 </p>
<p>They appear to have addressed: </p>
<p>Moral Problems <br>Doctrinal Problems <br>False Teachers <br>Inactivity </p>
<p>But they haven’t really managed to tackle the underlying problem! </p>
<p>“thou hast left thy first love” (v4) </p>
<p>In many ways our understanding of this statement is critical not only for our understanding of Ephesus but also for our understanding of the other 6 churches, since this error lies at the foundation of all subsequent churches and their problems! </p>
<p>So what was this problem? </p>
<p>It is a problem which reflects the central concern of Paul for the Ephesians in 1 Timothy 3:16: </p>
<p>1 Timothy chp 1 – Law and Sin <br>1 Timothy chp 2 – Sacrifice and Saviour <br>1 Timothy 3:16 – The Sanctuary ark and the mercy seat <br>1 Timothy chp 4 – The lamp, the loaf and the altar of incense <br>1 Timothy chp 5 – The sacred <br>1 Timothy chp 6 – The secular </p>
<p>The deficit lies in what ought to be at the centre of our Christian life – Christ! </p>
<p>What does it mean to have ‘left your first love’? </p>
<p>Often times this is interpreted to mean that the church at Ephesus has left the ‘intensity of the love it had at first’. </p>
<p>That this was a problem of INTENSITY of PASSION </p>
<p>The problem with that is that if it primarily means the INTENSITY of PASSION it really has little meaning at all. </p>
<p>The problem with setting a fail or a standard based on ‘not enough’ you need a ‘bit more’ is that this will always be true! There is always more that we could love. </p>
<p>How much is enough? </p>
<p>How can I have enough? </p>
<p>How can I know I have enough? </p>
<p>An unrealistic expectation founded on an unjustified assumption leading to an unachievable standard! </p>
<p>I would suggest that the primary issue here is more concrete, down to earth and practical. </p>
<p>This is not so much leaving the intensity of love but rather leaving the object of love. </p>
<p>Not primarily a matter of PASSION but rather a matter of the PERSON. </p>
<p>Not WHAT but WHO </p>
<p>That seems hinted at by the use of the word “left” : ἀφίημι - used approximately 167 times in NT and almost always used of leaving a person or of leaving an object eg nets, a cloak, debts. </p>
<p>The solution to the problem then is not: </p>
<p>How do I work up a greater passion – which will never succeed – there will always be a greater passion </p>
<p>But rather </p>
<p>How do I get closer to the person? </p>
<p>In 1 & 2 Timothy they had got caught up with all of the distractions, here in Revelation they had got caught up with dealing with the distractions and all the activity of being a Christian! </p>
<p>What now seems to hinder is not the problem but rather the solution to the problem! </p>
<p>Starting with the problems won’t necessarily bring you into communion with Christ. </p>
<p>Starting with communion with Christ will tackle the problems however. </p>
<p>Ephesus is unique amongst the 7 churches of Asia in that we have other NT letters written to this church: Ephesians, 1 + 2 Timothy </p>
<p>We know relatively so much about it </p>
<p>Only Laodicea is mentioned in Colossians 4:16 </p>
<p>That is useful for there are some fundamental issues here: </p>
<p>Ephesus is the first of 7 churches <br>Error at the foundation may well make its way through the whole of subsequent church history, if you do as I do take a church perspective on the pattern of the 7 churches. </p>
<p>As you travel through Europe and see the impact of Christianity on city skyline can’t help but be impressed by the impact that Christianity has had. Yet as you take a closer look you are equally struck by the amount of other things and the tangents that people have gone off on. </p>
<p>Probably out of the 7 churches of Revelation I have heard more ministry from Ephesus than any of the others, with Laodicea a close 2nd. It would be and has been very easy to take this verse and to do violence to the verse and use it to berate the believer. </p>
<p>That is not only an unproductive approach but is also an erroneous one. </p>
<p>Over the years I have heard this text used to chasten the Christian that they have left their original intensity of affection to Christ, that their current levels of devotion and love for Christ are insufficient and that that intensity, devotion and passion must be augmented to previous levels. </p>
<p>This is very misleading. </p>
<p>This is almost a salvation by works. </p>
<p>This is not the quantity nor even the quality of a believers devotion to Christ this is the presence or absence of it as a fact! </p>
<p>Its not the kind of love but the reality of that relationship that is absent! </p>
<p>Instead of a relationship with Christ being number 1, that relationship became number 2. </p>
<p>Like Adam in the garden (2:7) the tree of knowledge of good and evil, deceived by Satan, crept in and became the priority; displacing the tree of life (2:9) from it’s Divinely appointed centre place. </p>
<p>The beginning of the Church seems to re-echoe the fundamental problem at the beginning of creation! </p>
<p>History may not repeat itself but it certainly rhymes! </p>
<p>1 + 2 Timothy are so important; these letters give us the background as to what had been making inroads at Ephesus: </p>
<p>Hedonism (1:19ff; 3:1ff; 4:12) <br>Antinominism (1:19ff) <br>Jewish mysticism and the mystery religions (1:4ff; 4:7) <br>Legalism (1:7ff) and asceticism (4:3ff) <br>Materialism (6:10) <br>Demonic deception (4:1ff) </p>
<p>This is why at the centre of 1 Timothy in 3:16 we have THE GREAT MYSTERY, far surpassing anything you could be offered in any of the mystery religions! </p>
<p>They have let their first love (2:4). </p>
<p>How did that happen? </p>
<p>Failed to grasp the obvious </p>
<p>The all sufficiency of Christ </p>
<p>As the foundation and cornerstone of the building, the head of the body and the bridegroom of the church. </p>
<p>Christianity is all about Christ </p>
<p>Neglected the essentials </p>
<p>The centrality of Christ </p>
<p>Distracted by their own attainments and spirituality </p>
<p>False teachers </p>
<p>False teaching </p>
<p>The world </p>
<p>Distracted by the utterly irrelevant </p>
<p>and then inevitably: </p>
<p>'thou hast left thy first love' (2:4) </p>
<p>What is the content to this our first love? </p>
<p>His Person <br>His Presence <br>His Peace <br>His Personal ministry <br>His Prayerful communion </p>
<p>This is a relationship with a person </p>
<p>First the person, not the religion, not the activity but the person </p>
<p>That relationship with Christ is pre-eminent </p>
<p>His Person </p>
<p>in the scriptures <br>in prophecy <br>in picture <br>in patterns <br>in the gospel </p>
<p> </p>
<p>His Presence </p>
<p>'Jesus Himself drew near' <br>'Lo I am with you' <br>'There am I in the midst of them' <br>'I shall not leave you comfortless, I will come to you' <br>'The joy of the Lord is thy strength' </p>
<p>His Peace </p>
<p>That surpasses understanding <br>The peace of the upper room <br>'my peace give I unto you' </p>
<p>Prayer </p>
<p>Communion with Him is two way </p>
<p>Personal Communion </p>
<p>'God is in you of a truth' <br>'let him speak as the oracles of God' </p>
<p>'Thou hast left thy first love' </p>
<p>Here is the first church </p>
<p>Here is the first condemnation </p>
<p>The first condemnation of the first church </p>
<p>This becomes the primary, the root condemnation for each of the failing churches, leading to all of the condemnations thereafter. </p>
<p>Leaving our first love is a prelude to disaster </p>
<p>It is easy to see how that could happen when the heart of Christian experience has been removed. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>From an expository series of bible teaching messages on the book of Revelation and the 7 churches of Asia.</p>
<p>Yours by Grace in Christ </p>
<p>Dr J Stewart Gillespie</p>30:43Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/67842032021-08-24T22:00:00+01:002022-10-09T20:56:13+01:00Revelation chp 2 vs 1 to 7 - Ephesus - A Boring Orthodoxy - JS Gillespie - 24082021<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="Pu_12qAPIuc" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/Pu_12qAPIuc/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Pu_12qAPIuc?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>Ephesus, the first of the 7 churches of Revelation. <br>Ephesus is unique amongst these 7 in that we have 3 other letters written to them in the scripture, only Laodicea is mentioned elsewhere as a footnote in the Colossian letter and Thyatira referenced in Acts. <br>There may be a reason as to why we have so much on Ephesus elsewhere in the NT – that we may be given an understanding of the fundamental problem identified in Ephesus. <br>The first problem of these 7 churches is the problem at Ephesus; it is this problem which is fundamental to the other 7 and critical for us to understand, fortunately we have the key to unlock the mystery! <br>The fundamental problem at Ephesus: </p>
<p>“you have left your first love” (2:4) </p>
<p>Probably out of the 7 churches of Revelation I have heard more ministry from Ephesus than any of the others, with Laodicea a close 2nd. It would be and has been very easy to take this verse and to do violence to the verse and use it to berate the believer. <br>That is not only an unproductive approach but is also an erroneous one. <br>Over the years I have heard this text used to chasten the Christian that they have left their original intensity of affection to Christ, that their current levels of devotion and love for Christ are insufficient and that that intensity, devotion and passion must be augmented to previous levels. <br>This is very misleading. </p>
<p>It is an unachievable goal based on an <br>Unjustified assumption leading to an <br>Untenable exhortation </p>
<p>Why do I say that? </p>
<p>The assumption that passion was better and stronger in the past in anyones Christian life is clearly a presumption; what makes you so sure that it was? <br>That that passion / intensity of affection needs to be increased is an unachievable standard. How much is more? How great is greater? How strong is strong enough? How far is far enough? If I don’t know how much more passion I need, how can I ever know that I have enough? <br>This is an impossible ideal founded on an unjustifiable assumption. <br>This is almost a salvation by works; you need to love more and enough, serve with a greater passion than the one that we presume you once had! </p>
<p>This is not the quantity nor even the quality of a believers devotion to Christ this is the presence or absence of it as a fact! </p>
<p>Its not the kind of love but the reality of that relationship that is absent! </p>
<p>Instead of a relationship with Christ being number 1, that relationship became number 2. </p>
<p>Like Adam in the garden (2:7) the tree of knowledge of good and evil, deceived by Satan, crept in and became the priority. </p>
<p>That is why 1 + 2 Timothy are so important; these letters give us the background as to what had been making inroads at Ephesus: </p>
<p>• Hedonism (1:19ff; 3:1ff; 4:12) <br>• Antinominism (1:19ff) <br>• Jewish mysticism and the mystery religions (1:4ff; 4:7) <br>• Legalism (1:7ff) and asceticism (4:3ff) <br>• Materialism (6:10) <br>• Demonic deception (4:1ff) </p>
<p>There appears to be so many threads to the problems facing the Ephesian church, so many that scholars struggle to bring those thread together. <br>What was the challenge at Ephesus? </p>
<p>• Judaisers teaching the law? <br>• Was it an early form of Gnosticism? <br>• Do we have here in 1 Timothy the whole spectrum of problems which we could encounter as a Christian? </p>
<p>This is why at the centre of 1 Timothy in 3:16 we have THE GREAT MYSTERY, far surpassing anything you could be offered in any of the mystery religions! <br>False teachers had been making inroads; not so much to simply take the edge off of devotion to Christ but to present another gospel and keep believers from enjoying a real relationship with Christ and prevent unbelievers from ever knowing Christ! </p>
<p>An unexpected link perhaps between Revelation and pastoral epistles <br>This is the 4th epistle to the Ephesians: </p>
<p>• Ephesians <br>• 1 Timothy <br>• 2 Timothy <br>• Revelation chapter 2 </p>
<p>Decisions have consequences, a little leven, leveneth the whole lump. <br>Disasters have an origin <br>Problems don't just appear as if by magic and out of the blue <br>It is easier to nip a problem in the bud than deal with a full blown catastrophe. <br>The Ephesian epistle is an incredibly Christ centred epistle with an exhortation to be 'filled with all the fullness of Christ' <br>The church is the body, the building, and the bride of Christ. <br>Probably the most Christ centred of all the NT epistles <br>cf. Eph 1:10 – God's purpose. </p>
<p>Perhaps we have illustration of this idea in the 2nd marriages / relationships of the patriachs and others in the OT – with affections drifting and distracted and resulting in all of the contention and problems subsequently: Abraham, Sarah and Hagar, Jacob and his wifes and concubines, Elkannah and his 2 wives; Solomon and his wives! </p>
<p>By 1 & 2 Timothy, the church at Ephesus is drifting quite a bit <br>Paul needs to emphasise the centrality of Christ to the Ephesians in 1 Timothy 3:16, as well as addressing key doctrines: </p>
<p>• Resurrection (2 Tim 2) <br>• Salvation by justification by faith through the gospel (1 Tim 1:5ff) <br>• Moral compromise </p>
<p>Now by Revelation chapter 2, they have left their first love (2:4). </p>
<p>To each of the 7 churches: </p>
<p> “I know…” (2:2) </p>
<p>He knows all about me, nothing escapes his knowledge and understanding. <br>Cf. 1 Thess 1:3: </p>
<p>‘works’ but no faith? <br>‘labour’ but no love? <br>‘patience’ but no hope? </p>
<p>Halfway to paradise <br>The problem at Ephesus is the problem since the beginning of the Bible; their added problem is their attempt at a solution to that problem; their attempt to get back to where they were; their attempt to overcome the problem they perceive they have. <br>The wrong diagnosis results in the incorrect treatment. <br>Sensitive enough to appreciate that something isn’t right but not spiritual enough to know what is wrong. <br>They decide to run faster on the same treadmill! <br>Agitation in response to inadequacy! </p>
<p>More meetings <br>More preaching <br>Longer meetings <br>More activities </p>
<p>More is only the solution if less is the problem! </p>
<p>• Works without faith <br>• Labour without love <br>• Patience without hope </p>
<p>• Lots of activity <br>• Lots of intensity <br>• Lack of reality </p>
<p>They have let their first love (2:4). <br>How did that happen? </p>
<p>1. Failure to grasp the blindingly obvious </p>
<p>The all sufficiency of Christ <br>As the foundation and cornerstone of the building, the head of the body and the bridegroom of the church. <br>Christianity is all about Christ </p>
<p>2. Willingness to neglect the essentials </p>
<p>The centrality of Christ </p>
<p>3. Distraction to something else (2 Timothy) </p>
<p>False teachers <br>False teaching <br>The world <br>Distracted by the utterly irrelevant </p>
<p>and then inevitably: </p>
<p>'thou hast left thy first love' (2:4) </p>
<p>The 'angel' (2:1) </p>
<p>John Baptist is described as an 'aggelos' in Mark 1:2; Luke 7:27, messengers of John Baptist (Luke 7:24) <br>Messengers of the Lord (Luke 9:52) <br>Consider the ministering spirits of Heb 1:14 <br>The angel – likely to be the messenger or correspondent of the church. <br>It would seem unlikely that the apostle would be writing to an angel, a physical letter to a spiritual being is a little improbable! </p>
<p>2:1 'right hand' </p>
<p>cf. 'sit thou at my right hand' <br>Place of dignity? <br>The place the church ought to have? <br>The dignity bestowed on the church by Christ. <br>Do I live up to it? </p>
<p>2:1 'walketh in the midst of the 7 golden lampstands' </p>
<p>'there am I in the midst of them' <br>Christ in the midst of His people <br>'golden' : marked by a sense of the Divine <br>'lampstands' : shine light; Christ like </p>
<p>2:2 Ephesus certainly marked by activity and labours (v2) despite drifting from Christ, we can be busy and active and yet having left our first love! </p>
<p>'first love' </p>
<p>First in what sense? <br>First in order? <br>Is Christ the: </p>
<p>• First person <br>• First object <br>• First religion </p>
<p>They have ever given their affections to? <br>Probably not! <br>First rather in: </p>
<p>• Priority <br>• Importance <br>• Pre-eminence </p>
<p>Rather than first in: </p>
<p>• Primacy </p>
<p>What is this? <br>Perhaps evidenced by how little it takes to distract me from Him! </p>
<p>They have drifted away from: </p>
<p>• Devotion to a person <br>• Care for a person <br>• Enjoyment of that personal relationship </p>
<p>to mere activity! </p>
<p>In their affections. </p>
<p>Ephesus had: </p>
<p>• works <br>• labour <br>• patience </p>
<p>But something seems to be missing? </p>
<p>“work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father” (1Th 1:3) </p>
<p>what about the: </p>
<p>• faith <br>• love <br>• hope </p>
<p>This is not what we do but what we are! <br>This is not Christian service but Christian character. <br>This is a consequence of being 'with' Christ rather than doing things 'for' Christ. <br>They certainly have a sense of morality, a sensitivity to evil </p>
<p>• Activity <br>• Sensitivity <br>• Discernment </p>
<p>And yet: </p>
<p>• Activity in service (2:2) <br>• Perseverance in trial (2:2) <br>• Sensitivity to evil (2:2) <br>• Discernment of teachers (2:2) <br>• Adherence to the truth (2:2) </p>
<p>Is not the same as holding to and is not necessarily preventative of leaving our 'first love' (2:4) <br>This perhaps causes me to ask the questions; was all of this: </p>
<p>• Activity in service (2:2) <br>• Perseverance in trial (2:2) <br>• Sensitivity to evil (2:2) <br>• Discernment of teachers (2:2) <br>• Adherence to the truth (2:2) </p>
<p>Merely religious fervour? <br>Merely orthodoxy? <br>Merely self serving pride? </p>
<p>Perhaps like the proud orthodoxy that can be seen in any religious system, defending its traditions, position and orthodoxy? </p>
<p>Religious fervour but lacking personal devotion <br>Religion without relationship? <br>Cult without a personal Christ? <br>Preaching sermons but never encountering Jesus? </p>
<p>What is the content to this our first love? </p>
<p>• His Person <br>• His Presence <br>• His Peace <br>• His Personal ministry <br>• His Prayerful communion </p>
<p>This is a relationship with a person <br>First the person, not the religion, not the activity but the person <br>That relationship with Christ is pre-eminent </p>
<p>1. His Person <br>• in the scriptures <br>• in prophecy <br>• in picture <br>• in patterns <br>• in the gospel <br> </p>
<p>2. His Presence </p>
<p>• 'Jesus Himself drew near' <br>• 'Lo I am with you' <br>• 'There am I in the midst of them' <br>• 'I shall not leave you comfortless, I will come to you' <br>• 'The joy of the Lord is thy strength' </p>
<p>3. His Peace </p>
<p>• That surpasses understanding <br>• The peace of the upper room <br>• 'my peace give I unto you' </p>
<p>4. Prayer </p>
<p>• Communion with Him is two way </p>
<p>5. Personal Communion </p>
<p>• 'God is in you if a truth' <br>• 'let him speak as the oracles of God' </p>
<p>'Thou hast left thy first love' </p>
<p>Here is the first church <br>Here is the first condemnation <br>The first condemnation of the first church <br>This becomes the primary, the root condemnation for each of the failing churches, leading to all of the condemnations thereafter. </p>
<p>Departure here from their first love, results in: </p>
<p>• Distraction to false gods at Pergamos <br>• Deception at Pergamos and Thyatira <br>• Doctrinal confusion at Pergamos <br>• Defilement at Thyatira <br>• Self deception of Laodicea – quite content with what they are and yet they are a million miles away </p>
<p>Leaving our first love is a prelude to disaster <br>It is easy to see how that could happen when the heart of Christian experience has been removed. </p>
<p>Doctrinal exposition is critical, there must be a faithfulness to the Word of God but who expounds the Word of God? <br>Jezebel? <br>Nicolaitanes? </p>
<p>Sound exposition of the Word of God must be with the same Spirit of God who gave it! <br>Any sound exposition of scripture, any presentation of the Gospel, must be founded on a sound devotion to Christ, otherwise I am just an empty vessel, a tinkling symbol. </p>
<p>Verse 5: Better days in the past “remember” <br>They had put Christ first in the past <br>He had at one point been their first love </p>
<p>'the first works' : </p>
<p>A difference between 'duty' and 'devotion' <br>This is not the same as has been done 'for my name's sake' (2:3) <br>This is the distinction we often see in a family setting, in family relationships, what goes wrong at times: </p>
<p>• To do things for someone <br>• To do things with someone </p>
<p>There is a distinction between the two <br>Works not so much 'for' Him, as many well intentioned works can be, but rather 'works' or encounters that 'focus' on Him. </p>
<p>It is like the distinction Peter makes in 1 Peter 2: </p>
<p>• A Holy priesthood <br>• A Royal priesthood </p>
<p>The distinction? </p>
<p>• Serving God in the temple <br>• Serving for God amongst men </p>
<p>It is like the distinction between Mary and Martha: </p>
<p>• Luk 10:40-43 “But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” </p>
<p>It is perhaps the distinction too, between 1 and 2nd Timothy: </p>
<p>• 1 Timothy – Christ at the heart of the assembly and at the centre of Timothy's experience <br>• 2 Timothy – Timothy transformed by that experience</p>
<p>From a bible teaching series on the book of Revelation and the 7 churches </p>35:47Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/67842052021-08-17T22:35:00+01:002022-10-09T20:57:16+01:00Revelation chp 1 vs 20 - Fanning the Flame of Forever - JS Gillespie - 17082021<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="8epVs2zOrAI" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/8epVs2zOrAI/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8epVs2zOrAI?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>33:21Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/67842062021-08-03T22:00:00+01:002022-10-09T20:58:19+01:00Revelation chp 1 vs 12 to 17 - Facing The Face of God - JS Gillespie - 03082021<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="2arwfhQPavE" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/2arwfhQPavE/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2arwfhQPavE?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>We did note the interesting connection between Revelation chapter 1 and Mt Sinai; that on both occasions: </p>
<p>The trumpet sounded <br>In the midst of a kingdom of priests <br>Announcing a revelation <br>From the presence of God </p>
<p>There was one great prohibition in Exodus chapter 19 + 20 that of drawing close to God, that of seeing the God who spoke! </p>
<p>“And he said, I beseech thee, show me -- thy glory. <br>19 And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious -- to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy -- on whom I will show mercy. <br>20 And he said, Thou canst not see -- my face: for there shall no man see me, and live. <br>21 And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock: <br>22 And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a cleft of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by: <br>23 And I will take away -- mine hand, and thou shalt see -- my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.” Exodus 33:18-23 </p>
<p>But here we ‘see that voice’ </p>
<p>Consistent with the priestly / high priestly / great high priestly appearance of Jesus!! </p>
<p>“no man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten who is in the bosom of the father He has declared Him…” </p>
<p>Here then is something hid from Sinai (v12); a glimpse of the glory of God! </p>
<p>It is finally here in Revelation chapter 1 that we are able to catch a glimpse of God, a glimpse of Glory, a glimpse of Christ! </p>
<p>Appearance – Priest <br>Activity – Prophet <br>Attributes – King </p>
<p>His identity is as that at Sinai: ‘behold your God’ </p>
<p>“9 I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.” Daniel 7:9 </p>
<p>Appearance – that of the Priest: </p>
<p>In the midst of the 7 lampstands </p>
<p>With the girdle (v13) – the use of the girdle associated with the office of priest (Exodus 28) and prophet (eg Elijah and John the Baptist). </p>
<p>Golden girdle, cf Isaiah 11:5 – ‘righteousness shall be the girdle of His loins and faithfulness the girdle of His reins’ </p>
<p>‘Gold’ is linked in the OT with righteousness, and holiness (Mal 3:2; Ex 28:36) </p>
<p>The garment ‘down to the foot’ (v13) – same word is used of the High Priest in Exodus 28:4 (LXX) </p>
<p><br>As we progress through His ministry to the 7 churches and in the remainder of the book, the priestly ministry of Christ emerges in its completeness: </p>
<p>He is the one who “liveth and was dead” (1:18; 2:8) – the qualification par excellence for our High Priest (Heb 2:14ff; Rev 2:8) <br>He is able to meet our needs (Rev 2:7) <br>Marked by an intercessory ministry (3:5,10) <br>We see the care and protection of His own in chps 7 and 14. <br>He Succours, Sympathises and Saves as He does in the Hebrew epistle </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“eyes as a flame of fire” (v14) </p>
<p>The perception of Jesus – He knows, He knows all </p>
<p>Cf the man of Daniel 10:5ff </p>
<p>To see </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“out of His mouth a sharp two edged sword” (v16) </p>
<p>Discernment – To discern </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“feet like fine brass” (v15) </p>
<p>Judgment – to judge </p>
<p>Brass is: </p>
<p>Known for its strength and resilience, used for the structure of the tabernacle – the sockets of brass for the boards of the altar <br>Used for armour and protection </p>
<p>The material of choice and often found in connection with sacrifice and offering: </p>
<p>Resistant to fire and flame <br>Used for the altar and the instruments attached to the altar <br>Used for laver for washing <br>It is the vehicle, the container of Divine judgment </p>
<p>Here is a 2nd great distinction with Sinai, a distinction between the old and New testaments. </p>
<p>Old – static – law </p>
<p>New – dynamic – Spirit </p>
<p>The scriptures speak of the deadness which flows from the law (Rom 7:6; 8:3); or the powerlessness of the law to make alive. </p>
<p>The OT – static – at Sinai the law is given </p>
<p>Here Christ is encountered and the reality of the Divine standard encountered dynamically in a living relationship and experience of Christ. </p>
<p>@ Sinai Moses encountered the law </p>
<p>@ Sinai the nation encountered the law </p>
<p>Here in Revelation we encounter the law giver </p>
<p>This is not a set of dry, dead rules for you to keep, this is a relationship for you to experience. </p>
<p>You become sensitive to the Divine standard, feel the pain, the distance, the sorrow in your heart because of that vital relationship with Christ cf. Romans 8:2-4 </p>
<p>“2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. <br>3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: <br>4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” Romans 8:2-4 </p>
<p>The Divine standard is worked out in the Christian life by the Spirit of God! </p>
<p>Practically here is one of the ways by which this happens; the reality of relationship, of a daily encounter with Jesus Christ! </p>
<p>The reality of a relationship maintained / disturbed / disrupted. </p>
<p>The description here in Rev 1:14-15 is reminiscent of the man of Daniel 10:5-6. </p>
<p>An encounter with Christ will result in a 3 fold experience: </p>
<p>Perception (v14) – eyes as a flame of fire – knowledge and understanding </p>
<p>1 Kings 15:5; 16:25 <br>2 Chron 16:9 “for the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth” <br>2 Chron 29:6 </p>
<p>He knows </p>
<p>He knows all </p>
<p>Discernment </p>
<p>He is not passive in His knowledge <br>He is not agreeable with all I do and say <br>Everything is not ‘ok’ <br>What He knows He discerns <br>Cf Heb 4:12 </p>
<p>From His mouth comes the 2 edged sword: </p>
<p>“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12 </p>
<p>Cf Rev 19:15 </p>
<p>Cf Isaiah 49:2 </p>
<p>The 2 edged sword ‘distomos’ is used in Rev 1:16; 2:12 and Heb 4:12 and in the LXX in Ps 149:6; Prov 5:4; Isa 49:2 </p>
<p>Judgement </p>
<p>“fine brass in a furnace” </p>
<p>His feet – His means of moving </p>
<p>As He walks and moves His feet are like burning brass; fine brass or copper (Rev 1:15; 2:18) same word as Dan 10:6; Ezek 1:4,7; 1:27 </p>
<p>It is used to describe the man in the Sapphire throne (Ezek 1:27) </p>
<p>Brass in the OT: </p>
<p>Structural – noted for its strength and resilience; used in the sockets of the tabernacle (Ex 26; 27; 36; 38) and for the hooks and the tacks (Ex 26) <br>Strength – Lev 26:19; Judges 16:21; 2 Kings 25:7; Job 40:18; Isa 48:4 <br>Sacrifice – those parts of the tabernacle pertaining to the sacrifice and to the work of expiation – the satisfaction of the flames of judgment on the sacrifice of the altar of burnt offering; the items pertaining to it – fire resistant – the pans and shovels and grate (Ex 27; 28; 39) <br>Satisfaction – to check on the purity of the priest, the laver was made of brass (Ex 30)</p>32:20Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/67842142021-07-27T22:00:00+01:002022-10-09T20:59:08+01:00Revelation chp 1 vs 10 to 13 - The Voice I Saw - JS Gillespie - 27072021<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="QZLy4B4BB9s" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/QZLy4B4BB9s/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QZLy4B4BB9s?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>John now shares with us what he saw (v12) – the voice I saw! </p>
<p>That sounds immediately strange and so it is! </p>
<p>You don’t see a voice, but there is a significance attached to this, as we will see. </p>
<p>John is “in the Spirit” (v10) – there are many times in the scriptures when unusual things are seen and heard, and at times few hear and see: </p>
<p>Paul on the road to Damascus <br>Paul in the third heaven <br>John in Revelation <br>Balaam’s ass! </p>
<p>That vision only comes because: </p>
<p>They listen when others only hear <br>They perceive when others only see </p>
<p> </p>
<p>John hears a “great voice as of a trumpet” </p>
<p>That small detail ties this event into a whole series of significant events in the OT scriptures. </p>
<p>The trumpet is so often in scripture an alarm: </p>
<p>To wake <br>To watch <br>To warn – Exodus 19; Neh 4; Jer 6; Ezek 33 <br>To war – Judges 7; Josh 6; Jer 4; Jer 42; Ezek 7 <br>To worship – Exodus 19; 20 <br>To warning – Exodus 19; Neh 4; Jer 6; Ezek 33 <br>To assemble </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The first time we hear the trumpet sound is back in Exodus chapter 19 at Mount Sinai; where the new nation of Israel received her first and foundational revelation from God; the only one written by the hand of God: </p>
<p>Here in Exodus 20; Deut 9:10 <br>In the days of Belshazzer (Dan 5) <br>In John 8:6 with the woman caught in the act of adultery! </p>
<p>In Exodus chp 19 + 20; the trumpet announces a revelation from the presence of God in the midst of a Kingdom of priests (Ex 19:6). </p>
<p>Why would we hear such a trumpet here in Revelation chapter 1? For exactly the same reason! </p>
<p>Here in Revelation chp 1 we have not only the: </p>
<p>Son of man <br>Son of Mary <br>Son of Abraham <br>Son of David <br>Son of Joseph so called <br>Son of the Blessed <br>Son of the Highest </p>
<p>But we have also the eternal Son of God – the God of Sinai and so the trumpet sounds! </p>
<p>At Sinai there was at least one great distinction as the trumpet sounded in the midst of a Kingdom of priests – that Kingdom of priests was expressly prohibited from looking on; “lest they break through unto the Lord to gaze and many of them perish” (Ex 19:21). </p>
<p>Here we see ‘the voice I saw’ </p>
<p>You will find also that the trumpet sounds at the end of the OT, in a series of final references in the minor prophets; announcing not: </p>
<p>Presence of God <br>Revelation of God </p>
<p>But: </p>
<p>Day of the Lord </p>
<p>And the conclusion of all things is anticipated; Joel 2:1; Zeph 1:14ff; Zech 9:14ff </p>
<p>The trumpet is also presented by God to be sounded on the day of Jubilee in acknowledgement that the earth and the rules governing this earth are the Lords and not mans (Lev 25:23) and that both man and the land enter into a Sabbath of rest; perhaps that too may be relevant here as ultimately this book will conclude with an eternal rest. </p>
<p>The content of that voice: </p>
<p>“Alpha and omega the first and the last” </p>
<p>Cf verse 8: </p>
<p>“I AM alpha and omega the beginning and the ending” </p>
<p>The title “I AM” is of significance </p>
<p>V8 – beginning “arche” </p>
<p>V8 – ending “telos” – an end, termination, a completion </p>
<p>V11 – first – ‘protos’ </p>
<p>V11 – last – ‘eschatos’ </p>
<p>As the first and the last we glimpse the character / the nature of Christ; at the dawn of time and at the conclusion of time He was and shall be there, as such, as a consequence of such, as preceding all and succeeding all He gives rise to and concludes all. </p>
<p>He is the cause and conclusion of all! </p>
<p>The book of Revelation then whilst it is the Revelation from Christ grammatically (1:1) is also the Revelation concerning Christ thematically (1:8). </p>
<p>This book which deals with the conclusion of all things brought into being by Christ as the cause is dependent upon Him for its conclusion! All is directed from His throne! </p>
<p>Interestingly the bulk of Revelation is book ended by 2 great thrones: </p>
<p>The Sapphire throne of Revelation chp 4 + 5 <br>The Great White throne of Revelation chp 19 + 20 </p>
<p>That is: </p>
<p>The Throne that governs, instructs, ordains, determines <br>The Throne that judges, concludes and completes all things </p>
<p>Between these 2 great thrones lies the bulk of the book of Revelation and the entirety of human history! </p>
<p>What is especially of interest to us is the identity of the one who sits upon that throne : </p>
<p>The Lamb <br>Alpha and Omega (Rev 21:6) </p>
<p>That is it is Christ – He is the beginning and the end of all things. </p>
<p>When John turns to see the voice, first he sees the 7 lampstands! Where else would we expect to find Christ but in the midst of His people? Where would people find the voice of Christ today in this dark world?? </p>
<p>The first glimpse of Christ in this book is very interesting (v13) – a garment down to the foot and a girdle about the chest. </p>
<p>The girdle is associated with the priestly office and the prophetic office (eg Elijah and John the Baptist) </p>
<p>The garment down to the feet is the same Greek word used for the priestly garment in the LXX . </p>
<p>Righteousness is the girdle of His loins (Isa 11:5) </p>
<p>His Appearance is that of the Priest </p>
<p>His Attributes are that of the King (1:13, 18; 3:7; 1:16; 19:15-16) </p>
<p>His Activities are that of the prophet in chapters 2 to 3 </p>
<p>All together He is the God of heaven (Dan 7:9; Rev 1:14) </p>
<p>He is: </p>
<p>Priestly <br>Kingly <br>Prophetic</p>33:51Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/67842162021-07-20T22:00:00+01:002022-10-09T20:59:52+01:00Revelation chp 1 vs 9 - I John - JS Gillespie - 20072021<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="8KELH5gQOxk" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/8KELH5gQOxk/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8KELH5gQOxk?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>Revelation chapter 1 verse 9 : "I John"</p>
<p>Consider the apostle John: </p>
<p>The difference one man can make in adversity and how he can make it! He is :</p>
<ul> <li>The right person (v9) </li> <li>The right place (v9) – Patmos </li> <li>The right preparation (v9) </li>
</ul>
<p> Same kin </p>
<p> Same Kingdom </p>
<p> Same kind of conditions </p>
<ul> <li>In the right condition (v10) </li>
</ul>
<p>Then John was a right help to the people of God! </p>
<p>It took him until he was about 90 to be: </p>
<ul> <li>That person </li> <li>In that place </li> <li>In that condition </li>
</ul>
<p>God was not in any hurry with the life and ministry of the apostle John, even if I am in a hurry for God to do something with my life, my gifts and my talents!</p>
<p>‘I John’ - consider the significance of this simple, humble statement in verse 9 of chapter 1 of Revelation. This greatest of biblical, prophetic revelations was given to a humble fisherman: to John! This was the John who leaned on the breast of Jesus. From that past experience of John, that proximity to the person of Jesus Christ, extends that reality of Jesus to these Christians now. This is of course the pattern for all true Christian ministry; to draw others into the proximity and experience of Christ, as I too have enjoyed it!</p>
<p>It was that same disciple and apostle John who: </p>
<ul> <li>Travelled with Him </li> <li>Talked with Him </li> <li>Listened to Him </li> <li>Watched Him </li> <li>Rested on Him </li> <li>Wrote the gospel all about Him </li>
</ul>
<p>John summarises His experience of Jesus in 1 John 1:1-2: </p>
<p>"That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)" 1 John 1:1-2</p>
<p>The same John so close to Christ now draws close to Christians, that is his priestly ministry. </p>
<p>This is the same ministry of our Great High Priest, Jesus Christ who: </p>
<ul> <li>Bore our griefs and carried our sorrows </li> <li>Who washed the disciples feet </li> <li>Who being in the form of God thought not Deity to consist of grasping after (Phil 2) </li>
</ul>
<p>John’s ministry was a priestly ministry </p>
<p>All Christian service is priestly service <br>The service of Christ was priestly service (Phil 2, John 13) <br>The pattern of spiritual service is priestly; Joseph, Moses, Aaron, Daniel </p>
<p><br>John’s service isn’t only about preaching to people but is about reaching people. John doesn’t just appear out of the blue and start preaching to everyone about Jesus! John has a history, from history experience, an ongoing experience of Jesus! That history began with the call of Jesus on his life (Matt 4:21) and the obedience of John to that call may have seemed to some a tiny step; let go of his fishing nets and stop mending nets and follow Jesus. That first small step and call of John to follow Jesus, and the subsequent series of tiny steps though have led us and John here to the greatest prophetic revelation of the Bible! </p>
<p>For perhaps the bulk of the gospel narrative an intelligent onlooker may well be forgiven for questioning wither or not all of this sacrifice of job, security, family and finance was really going anywhere? Perhaps especially when we see Christ crucified and the 2 on the road to Emmaus despondent and discouraged. Had John made a colossal error of judgment? Perhaps he even wondered this himself? Returning it would seem at one point to the fishing in John chapter 21? </p>
<p>The first book of the NT records where John came from – humble beginnings, unpromising and unqualified, uninspiring, but listen it is left for the last book of the Bible for us to learn as to where John went to! Not just Patmos but somewhere way more glorious than that:</p>
<p><strong>From the sea of Galilee </strong></p>
<p>To </p>
<p><strong>The crystal sea (Rev 4) </strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p>This journey from earth to heaven, to the eternal Glory of God is not uniquely John’s journey, this too is our journey! </p>
<p>Is it not encouraging to see that the glory he gained was infinitely greater than the small steps of faithful obedience John took! This was a journey of many small steps of faithful obedience, to leave behind the mending of nets, to leave the fishing and boat and father and follow Jesus. Those many small steps of obedience and tiny steps of faithfulness brought John on a journey which concluded here with the statement: “I John” (1:9) </p>
<p>I wonder if there will be many looking back from the edge of the crystal sea and wondering; seriously did I ever consider any of these passing and fleeting sacrifices of time of any real value and significance, past and now long forgotten; compared to the perspective that is now mine in eternity; on the edge of the crystal sea? </p>
<p>“these light afflictions” – did I ever entertain the thought that such light afflictions, such tiny costs, such trivia might seriously be a hindrance or discouragement to me reaching this destination! Oh those light afflictions are so out of proportion to a far more eternal Weight of glory! </p>
<p>Did I ever get: </p>
<p> Discouraged </p>
<p> Distracted </p>
<p> Doubt the purpose </p>
<p>For such trivial gains? </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Little did John anticipate where these individual steps of obedience would lead him to! A life filled with many small steps of obedience can lead somewhere glorious. </p>
<p>God uses / calls a man of experience in the Apostle John! From experience comes revelation and exposition. How much of a help can you be John? That question is in essence synonymous with another question: "How close are you to Jesus?" </p>
<p>John is serving Christ and the people of God in his suffering (verse 9). Serving as a "brother" and a "companion in tribulation" for the sake of the gospel. Serving opens the ear to the saving word of God, consider:</p>
<ul> <li>John 11 and the table set for Jesus with Lazarus </li> <li>Cf the miracles of healing </li> <li>Cf Naamans maid </li> <li>John chapter 13 and the washing of the disciples feet </li> <li>John chapters 8 + 9 </li>
</ul>
<p>Serving demonstrates the sincerity of the concern and care of the Christian in testimony:</p>
<ul> <li>We are not a cult </li> <li>We care </li> <li>We care because God cares </li> <li>We serve because Christ serves </li> <li>We deal with people as people who have a will to be won over </li>
</ul>
<p>This is the ‘Kingdom’ (v9); not the earthly kingdom of Pilate; ‘art thou a King?’ A kingdom not of this world; entrance to this kingdom is by much tribulation. This is a kingdom foreign to this world, belonging to another world, to be part of this kingdom is to be foreign to the world. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>A message preached as part of our series of Bible studies on the teaching of the prophetic book of Revelation</p>
<p>Yours by Grace in Christ</p>
<p>Dr J Stewart Gillespie </p>33:27Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/67842002021-06-29T22:00:00+01:002022-10-09T21:00:50+01:00Revelation chp 1 vs 4 to 6 - The Mystery of all Mysteries - From Tragedy to Triumph - JS Gillespie - 29062021<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="l_6p7i1UnEk" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/l_6p7i1UnEk/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/l_6p7i1UnEk?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>The mystery of the Trinity in Revelation chapter 1: </p>
<p>Note reference to the Trinity in verses 4 and 5 of Revelation chapter 1: </p>
<ol> <li>God the Father (verse 4) : "Him which is and which was and which is to come"</li> <li>Spirit of God (verse 4)</li> <li>Jesus Christ (verse 5)</li>
</ol>
<p>This is a thoroughly Trinitarian section </p>
<p>These opportunities are empowered by the 7 fold spirit of God (v4), able to meet the need of Gods people. </p>
<p>V5 “and from Jesus Christ.” </p>
<p>We note in these 2 verses reference to the doctrine often referred to as the ‘Trinity.’ </p>
<p>Not a Biblical term admittedly but a soundly Biblical teaching and truth and pattern. </p>
<p>God is 1 essential being with a 3 fold personality. </p>
<p>Compare Human nature – not 3 persons but 3 aspects of the 1 individual:</p>
<ol> <li>Body</li> <li>Soul</li> <li>Spirit</li>
</ol>
<p> </p>
<p>Not 1+1+1 but 1X1X1 </p>
<p>The truth of the Trinity is taught throughout scripture and especially in the NT: </p>
<ol> <li>God the Son – John 1:1,14 </li> <li>God the Father – John 6:27 </li> <li>God the Holy Spirit – Acts 5:34 </li>
</ol>
<p>All 3 Persons involved with: </p>
<ul> <li>Incarnation of Jesus – Matt 1:18, 20, 23; Luke 1:35; 1 John 4:14 </li> <li>Miracles of Jesus </li>
</ul>
<p>Performed by Jesus – John 2:11 <br>In the name of His Father – John 10:25 <br>By the power of the Holy Spirit – Matt12:28; Acts 10:38 </p>
<ul> <li>Baptism of Jesus – Matthew 3:16-17; Luke 3:22 </li> <li>Resurrection of Jesus Christ </li>
</ul>
<p>God – Psalm 16:5-10 <br>Lord Jesus – John 10:17-18 <br>Spirit of God – Rom 1:4 <br>God the Father – Rom 6:4 </p>
<ul> <li>Salvation of the Christian </li>
</ul>
<p>Spirit of God – 2 Thess 2:13; John 3:6 – the one who performs / is the executor of the work of saving a soul. <br>Lord Jesus – John 10:28 – whose work provides that salvation <br>God the Father – 1 John 4:14 – with whom the plan of salvation originates </p>
<p> </p>
<ul> <li>Indwelling if the believer </li>
</ul>
<p>Spirit of God – John 14:17 <br>Lord Jesus – John 14:18 <br>God the Father – John 14:23 </p>
<ul> <li>Baptism – Matt 28:19 </li> <li>Teaching of the Believer / Apostles – John 14:26 </li> <li>Our relationship with God – Ephesians 2:18 </li> <li>Prayer </li>
</ul>
<p>In the name of Jesus – John 14:13,14; 16:23 <br>To the Father – Luke 11:2; Matt 6:9 <br>By the Spirit of God – Rom 8:26 </p>
<ul> <li>Fruitfulness in the Christian life: </li>
</ul>
<p>Father – John 15:1-2 <br>Son – John 15:1,4-5 <br>Spirit of God – Gal 5:22 </p>
<ul> <li>Comfort and Consolation to the Christian </li>
</ul>
<p>Father – 2 Co 1:3 <br>Son – 2 Co 1:5; 1 John 2:1 <br>Spirit – John 14:16-17 </p>
<ul> <li>Eternal security of the Christian: </li>
</ul>
<p>Jesus – John 10:28 <br>Father – John 10:29-30 <br>Spirit of God – Ephesians 1:13 </p>
<ul> <li>Testimony in the heavens (1 John 5:7) </li> <li>Inspiration of Scripture </li>
</ul>
<p>Is this a NT doctrine only? </p>
<p>Consider Deuteronomy 6:4 : </p>
<p>Elohyenu – plural title for God <br>Echad – the Hebrew word for a composite unity compare the use of the same word in Genesis 1:5; 2:24; where it is also used for composite unity.</p>
<p> <br>Yahid – by way of contrast, not used here in Deuteronomy is a word for singular unity – used in Gen 22:2 </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Taken from a bible teaching series of studies in the book of Revelation.</p>
<p>Yours by Grace in Christ</p>
<p>Dr J Stewart Gillespie</p>
<p> </p>38:43Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/67841992021-06-22T22:00:00+01:002022-08-24T22:01:02+01:00Revelation chp 1 vs 4 to 5 - God Sovereign Eternal All Sufficient Triune - JS Gillespie - 22062021<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="XA9VsXIE1TU" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/XA9VsXIE1TU/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XA9VsXIE1TU?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>Revelation chapter 1 verses 4 to 5 - God Sovereign Eternal All Sufficient Triune: </p>
<p>We have seen so far in our series of bible studies in the book of Revelation: </p>
<ul> <li>Significance of the author – John </li> <li>Source of the Revelation – Jesus Christ </li> <li>Subject of the book – Jesus Christ </li> <li>Structure of the Book </li>
</ul>
<p>Significance of the author – John </p>
<p>For John the book of Revelation is the 5th and final of John’s New Testament books. This interestingly is comparable to Moses who is the human author of the first 5 of the Old Testament books of the Bible. The closest parallels between these two authors exists between Moses first book; that of Genesis and John's final book that of Revelation.</p>
<p>Consider the parallels in particular between Genesis and Revelation: </p>
<p> </p>
<table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" style="width:500px;"><tbody> <tr> <td> <p>Genesis </p> </td> <td> <p>Revelation </p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p>Creation </p> </td> <td> <p>New Creation </p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p>Satan comes in as the serpent </p> </td> <td> <p>Satan the serpent and dragon removed </p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p>Sin and the fall </p> </td> <td> <p>Redemption and eternal salvation </p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p>Sin, sorrow and suffering begin </p> </td> <td> <p>Sin, sorrow and suffering ended </p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p>Tree of life guarded </p> </td> <td> <p>Tree off life freely available </p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p>Plagues of Egypt </p> </td> <td> <p>Plagues on whole world </p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p>Mark of Cain </p> </td> <td> <p>Mark of the beast </p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p>Sun and moon created to give light </p> </td> <td> <p>Sun and moon no longer needed for light </p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p>Babel its origins </p> </td> <td> <p>Babylon its fulfilment </p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p>Manna for the Israelites </p> </td> <td> <p>Manna for Pergamos </p> </td> </tr>
</tbody></table>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Subject of the book of Revelation is Jesus Christ </p>
<p>Consider the following as suggested outlines of the book of Revelation:</p>
<ul> <li>Plan of Salvation (chp 1) </li> <li>Presence of Christ amidst His people (chp 2 to 3) </li> <li>Power over the world (chps 4 to 19) </li> <li>Purpose for Universe (chps 20 to 21) </li> <li>Pre-eminence in all things </li>
</ul>
<p>Structure of the Book </p>
<p>Cf 1:19 </p>
<ul> <li>Lord in the midst of His people </li> <li>Lamb in the midst of the throne </li> <li>Lion over the world </li> <li>Lover of the Church </li> <li>Light in eternity </li>
</ul>
<p>Or we can divide the book of Revelation according to the locations in which the parts of the revelation were given: </p>
<ul> <li>In Patmos (1:9) </li> <li>In Heaven (4:1,2) </li> <li>By sand of the sea (13:1) </li> <li>In wilderness (17:3) </li> <li>Great and high mountain (21:10) </li>
</ul>
<p>Consider the Setting in which this great book of Revelation was given to John. John was imprisoned on the prison fortress of Patmos. A penal colony and possibly also a quarry, to which prisoners were put for forced hard labour. John’s circumstances are greatly constrained, movements restricted, imprisoned and held on an island; possibly even set to work in a limestone quarry. These are not circumstances of his choosing by any manner of means! Yet this island of Patmos was also conveniently situated just across the water from the port of Ephesus and this close to the 7 churches of Asia, addressed in the opening chapters of the book of Revelation. Whilst it may well be true that of all the places we might choose to be Patmos would not be one of them! It is also true that our disappointments can be Gods appointments! If life gives you lemons! John could either live according to circumstances he would like to be in and proceed to hit his head against a brick wall or he could live according to the circumstances that he was actually in! </p>
<p>This is not just about making the best of a bad situation of course but rather making the most of a God given situation and opportunity! If we understand that God is in control, as we can certainly see here in Revelation then that injects purpose and infuses meaning into every part of human life and experience! If we understand that truth from anywhere in the scriptures that God is in control, it is surely from the book of Revelation! </p>
<p>The 7 churches are in a geographical loop and sequence; interconnected by the Roman roads and each a postal town in the old Roman administration. Ironically the the infrastructure of hostile Rome provided for free movement and facilitated the distribution of the Gospel! John grasps the opportunity that presents itself to him and ministers within the new sphere of service given to him by the sovereign hand of God!</p>
<p>John discerns the hand of God in his circumstances and goes through the door that has been opened to him rather than trying to navigate around about the door. </p>
<p>John is placed here in Patmos by GPS: </p>
<ul> <li>Global Positioning System? </li> <li>God’s Providential Sovereignty! </li>
</ul>
<p>So far as God is concerned John's imprisonment in Patmos is: </p>
<ul> <li>The Perfect Person in </li> <li>The Perfect Place for </li> <li>The Perfect Purpose </li>
</ul>
<p>This may not follow our plan or the normal pattern of life either; let’s not get irritated nor frustrated by Gods sovereignty. </p>
<p>Note that John is thought to be around 90 years of age here! His greatest contribution to the scriptures and to the church and God’s people waited till he was 90 years of age! </p>
<p>Normally we may be used with the secular pattern for life, a progression through: </p>
<ul> <li>Childhood </li> <li>Maturity </li> <li>Education </li> <li>Adulthood and service </li> <li>Old age and retirement </li>
</ul>
<p>Christian life and service doesn’t necessarily comply with that pattern! Moses was aged 80 before God started to use him properly. Esther was present in the palace for one single crises in the 4000 year history of the nation of Israel. </p>
<p>Are we willing to be so used?</p>
<p>Are we only willing to be who and what we wish to be, where and when we want to be? </p>
<p>Like Naaman the leper (2 Kings 5:12) “are not Abana and Pharpar rivers of Damascus better than all the waters of Israel?” Are we only willing to do what we want to do or are we willing to be obedient and humble ourselves to do what God instructs us to do? Are we willing to confess with Christ; "not my will but thine be done"?</p>
<p>This ministry from John is no mere rhetoric or platitudes but is backed up by: God “which is, which was, which is to come.” This is the New Testament parallel to JeHoVaH. In the Old Testament Hebrew title for God, often translated as Jehovah or Yahweh or simply as The LORD, the consonants from the Hebrew word, are derived from the 3 parts of the Hebrew verb ‘to be’; signifying in one title: </p>
<ul> <li>He who will be </li> <li>Who is </li> <li>Who has been </li>
</ul>
<p>We note that the order of tenses is different here between the Hebrew title and the New Testament order here in Revelation chapter 1! </p>
<p>This present order of tenses in Revelation chapter 1: </p>
<ol> <li>Is </li> <li>Was </li> <li>Shall be </li>
</ol>
<p>Consider also the presentation of a similar pattern in the life of the Lord Jesus in verse 5:</p>
<ul> <li>“who is the faithful Witness” – In the present - He Is </li> <li>“first begotten of the dead” – An event in the past for Christ - Was </li> <li>“Prince of the kings of the earth” – Awaiting future fulfilment for its full revelation - Which is to come </li>
</ul>
<p>Consider also the repetition of this theme in verse 8 and verse 18. </p>
<p>The pattern seems to be consistent. </p>
<p>As if we see God from the present extending back to the past and forward into the future; like an eternal light house casting His light into the whole of human history. It is not so much that God has a past and a present but rather it is that God is eternally present throughout history, providing a structure, order, plan and narrative to the whole of history. He is eternally present throughout history and over history; as Alpha and Omega (1:8) the originator and terminator of time and history; as the eternal “I AM” ever in the present! Recall the significance of “I AM the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob” quoted by the Lord to establish the reality of life after death to the Sadducees in Mark chp 12: </p>
<p>“And as touching the dead, that they rise: have ye not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake unto him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living: ye therefore do greatly err.” (Mark 12:26-27) </p>
<p>For this to establish the continued existence of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob there is an inherent assumption in this statement; that God Himself does not change! This statement presumes that the relationship of God to time is different from our relationship to time. For me to state that I am the friend of….. does not provide for them the assurance of their perpetual existence! Yet this statement regarding Abraham, Isaac and Jacob does! For God; what is, will always be because God does not simply have a past / present and future tense but He is the eternal being present in and over past, present and future. </p>
<p>The continued existence beyond death of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is established because they are connected by the perpetual “I AM” to an unchanging God, an eternal being, not simply a person subject to and passing through time. They are "fastened to the Rock which cannot move, Grounded firm and deep in the Saviour's love."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.” (Malachi 3:6) </p>
<p>“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” (James 1:17) </p>
<p>The God whom Abraham met is exactly the same God we meet today! He has not changed, He cannot change! </p>
<p>The eternal character of God orders and ordains not only events today but in the past and present and future. </p>
<p>This gives a coherence, order, plan and structure to all of time. </p>
<p>This brings all of history to an ordered conclusion and destiny! </p>
<p> </p>
<p>We note in these 2 verses; verses 4 and 5 of Revelation chapter 1 there is reference to the doctrine often referred to as the ‘Trinity.’ Not a Biblical term admittedly but a soundly Biblical teaching, truth and pattern. </p>
<p>verse 4 : "from Him which is and was which was and which is to come" - God the Father </p>
<p>verse 4: "the seven Spirits" - God the Spirit </p>
<p>verse 5: "and from Jesus Christ" - God the Son </p>
<p> </p>
<p>God is 1 essential being with a 3 fold personality. </p>
<p>Cf. Human nature :</p>
<ol> <li>Body</li> <li>Soul</li> <li>Spirit</li>
</ol>
<p>Not 3 persons but 3 aspects of the 1 individual. </p>
<p>Not 1+1+1 but 1X1X1 </p>
<p>The truth of the Trinity is taught throughout scripture and especially in the NT: </p>
<p>God the Son – John 1:1,14 <br>God the Father – John 6:27 <br>God the Holy Spirit – Acts 5:34 </p>
<p>All 3 Persons of the Trinity involved with: </p>
<ul> <li>Incarnation of Jesus – Matt 1:18, 20, 23; Luke 1:35; 1 John 4:14 </li> <li>Miracles of Jesus </li>
</ul>
<p>Performed by Jesus – John 2:11 <br>In the name of His Father – John 10:25 <br>By the power of the Holy Spirit – Matt12:28; Acts 10:38 </p>
<ul> <li>Baptism of Jesus – Matthew 3:16-17; Luke 3:22 </li> <li>Resurrection of Jesus Christ </li>
</ul>
<p>God – Psalm 16:5-10 <br>Lord Jesus – John 10:17-18 <br>Spirit of God – Rom 1:4 <br>God the Father – Rom 6:4 </p>
<ul> <li>Salvation of the Christian </li>
</ul>
<p>Spirit of God – 2 Thess 2:13; John 3:6 – the one who performs / is the executor of the work of saving a soul. <br>Lord Jesus – John 10:28 – whose work provides that salvation <br>God the Father – 1 John 4:14 – with whom the plan of salvation originates </p>
<p> </p>
<ul> <li>Indwelling if the believer </li>
</ul>
<p>Spirit of God – John 14:17 <br>Lord Jesus – John 14:18 <br>God the Father – John 14:23 </p>
<ul> <li>Baptism – Matt 28:19 </li> <li>Teaching of the Believer / Apostles – John 14:26 </li> <li>Our relationship with God – Ephesians 2:18 </li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<ul> <li>Prayer </li>
</ul>
<p>In the name of Jesus – John 14:13,14; 16:23 <br>To the Father – Luke 11:2; Matt 6:9 <br>By the Spirit of God – Rom 8:26 </p>
<ul> <li>Fruitfulness in the Christian life: </li>
</ul>
<p>Father – John 15:1-2 <br>Son – John 15:1,4-5 <br>Spirit of God – Gal 5:22 </p>
<ul> <li>Comfort and Consolation to the Christian </li>
</ul>
<p>Father – 2 Co 1:3 <br>Son – 2 Co 1:5; 1 John 2:1 <br>Spirit – John 14:16-17 </p>
<ul> <li>Eternal security of the Christian: </li>
</ul>
<p>Jesus – John 10:28 <br>Father – John 10:29-30 <br>Spirit of God – Ephesians 1:13 </p>
<p>Testimony in the heavens (1 John 5:7) <br>Inspiration of Scripture </p>
<p>Is this doctrine of the Trinity a New Testament doctrine only? </p>
<p>Consider Deuteronomy 6:4 : </p>
<p>Elohyenu – is a plural title for God <br>Echad – is the Hebrew word for a composite unity compare the use of the same word in Genesis 1:5; 2:24 <br>Yahid – by way of contrast is the word for a singular unity – used in Genesis 22:2 : "your only Isaac"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A sermon preached from our bible teaching series on the book of Revelation </p>
<p>Yours by Grace in Christ </p>
<p>Dr J Stewart Gillespie</p>36:44Dr J Stewart Gillespie tag:graceinchrist.org,2005:Post/67841982021-06-15T22:00:00+01:002022-10-09T21:02:05+01:00Revelation chp 1 vs 1 - Revealing Reality Beyond - God Gravity and Glory - JS Gillespie - 15062021<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="K9d3Pu9XZsE" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/K9d3Pu9XZsE/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/K9d3Pu9XZsE?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p> </p>
<p>The closing book of the NT, bringing the entire Bible to a conclusion after more than 2000 years of inspiration! </p>
<p>We might expect a massive finale, and we get one! </p>
<p>This is the conclusion to: </p>
<ul> <li>The Bible </li> <li>History </li> <li>Israel </li> <li>World </li> <li>Satan </li> <li>Evil </li> <li>Death </li> <li>Suffering </li> <li>Sin </li>
</ul>
<p>This is quite a conclusion </p>
<p>There is a lot in it </p>
<p>Revelation addresses: </p>
<ul> <li>The meaning and purpose of life </li> <li>The destiny of humanity </li> <li>The end of the world </li> <li>The plan for the universe </li> <li>The battle of good over ever </li> <li>The ultimate and final victory </li> <li>The mystery of suffering </li> <li>The perplexity of seemingly unanswered prayer </li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p>Perhaps we may feel overwhelmed by this, discouraged from studying the book with so many symbols, demanding such a thorough knowledge of the rest of scripture and maybe even a good working knowledge of Church history. </p>
<p>Perhaps as CA Coates has observed this is the reason for the encouragement of 1:3; the Spirit of God well understanding that we may indeed by discouraged from grappling with the book! </p>
<p>Revelation 1:3 encourages us to personally engage with the book. </p>
<p>Not only engage with someone who has engaged with the book; which may indeed be very tempting. </p>
<p>There needs to be on our part, a fresh appreciation and application of the text of Revelation: </p>
<p>Read <br>Hear <br>Keep </p>
<p>All this given to the Apostle John. </p>
<p>The first book of the Bible – Genesis – written by Moses </p>
<p>The final book of the Bible – Revelation – written by John </p>
<p>Each are responsible for writing 5 books in the OT and the NT </p>
<p>Much of what Moses set the scene for in the first 5 books of the Bible will find its completion here in the final book by John. </p>
<p>The symmetry through the ages of inspiration is striking: </p>
<p>Genesis </p>
<p>Revelation </p>
<p>Creation </p>
<p>Old world passed away </p>
<p>Satan comes in </p>
<p>Satan removed </p>
<p>Sin and the fall </p>
<p>Redemption and eternal salvation </p>
<p>Tree of life guarded </p>
<p>Tree off life freely available </p>
<p>Plagues of Egypt </p>
<p>Plagues on whole world </p>
<p>Mark of Cain </p>
<p>Mark of the beast </p>
<p>Sin, sorrow and suffering begin </p>
<p>Sin, sorrow and suffering ended </p>
<p>Sun and moon created to give light </p>
<p>Sun and moon no longer needed for light </p>
<p>It would seem justified to open the pages of Revelation with a degree of trepidation and humility, it is after all the magnum opus of John, given to him in his 90s after a long and deep experience of Christ and the gospel! </p>
<p>It took a man of deep spirituality to write it, the author of the deeply spiritual 1 + 2 + 3 John! </p>
<p>The apostle who served his apprenticeship leaning on Jesus breast and who gave to us the epistles of love, life and light. </p>
<p>To John is given the task of writing the only completely prophetic book of the NT! </p>
<p>Many books of prophecy in the OT: </p>
<p>Major prophets: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel and Ezekiel <br>12 minor prophets <br>A significant proportion of the Psalms </p>
<p>At least 16/39 OT books could be classified as prophetic books, yet only 1 completely prophetic book in the NT, although parts of other NT books would have a prophetic content; Matthew, 1 + 2 Thessalonians, 2 Peter, and 2 Timothy. </p>
<p>Interesting perhaps to reflect on why we might have that pattern / disparity? </p>
<p>The great burden of OT prophecy is to point us forward, not so much to events nor even a programme but to a person, that is Christ. </p>
<p>The bulk of the NT now looks back at the person; that is Christ. </p>
<p>The NT Gospels take the place mainly of the OT prophets, both from their own perspectives bringing us to Christ prospectively and then retrospectively. </p>
<p>What was prophetic for the OT authors is now historical for the NT. </p>
<p>The prophetic burden is not that God’s people become sign watchers, nor experts in geopolitics but rather that the Lord’s people look off unto Jesus! </p>
<p>It is surely a great challenge to read it and apply it! </p>
<p>Back to the book of Revelation at 50! </p>
<p>It has been an interesting 50 years </p>
<p>The intervening 35 years have shed considerable light on the revelation not so much from a biblical perspective but from human history and the areas of: </p>
<p>technology </p>
<p> infectious diseases </p>
<p>mechanized warfare </p>
<p>Global politics </p>
<p>eg Rev 1:7 “every eye shall see Him,” and the two prophets of Revelation 11 </p>
<p>the general witness of the Nations to two dead in Jerusalem. </p>
<p>In the first half of the twentieth century Christians were unable to explain how this could happen. In the second half of the twentieth century in my younger days some saw the possibility of this by means of the television </p>
<p>Now at the beginning of the 21st century such a statement is completely compatible with current experience, there is no explanation needed. </p>
<p>The mark of the Beast is likewise enabled by modern technology implantable microchips are already in place. </p>
<p>Illust: Story told of Albert Einstein setting a university exam for his students. His assistant professor asked ‘but isn’t that the same exam you set for your final year students last year? Exactly the same exam? You can’t do that! To which Einstein famously replied ‘yes the questions are the same but the answers have changed.’ </p>
<p> </p>
<p>As we come to look afresh at Revelation, the questions, the text, the inspiration, the Spirit remains exactly the same but we come with a fresh perspective as to what some of these texts could potentially mean in the light of recent, very recent changes in the world in which we live. </p>
<p>Perhaps we can see just how close these events have become, how easily and quickly our society has been and can be changed: Mass surveillance of the population; contact apps for ‘disease monitoring’ <br>Control of financial transactions via electronic means <br>Threatened and real abandonment of physical monetary transactions eg Wuhan province <br>Attractiveness of implanted microchip technology <br>Removal of civil liberties eg right to assemble and control of movement and monitoring of social media information feeds for ‘misinformation.’ <br>Imposition of a closely policed state <br>State interference in privacy <br>Compromise of data and confidentiality –</p>
<p>How easily and quickly he Kingdom of the beast could emerge with: </p>
<p>Monitoring <br>Financial control <br>Restriction of personal freedoms and liberties </p>
<p>Outlines? </p>
<p>Can’t go wrong with the one given: </p>
<p>1:19: </p>
<p>Thou hast seen (chp 1) <br>Things which are (chp 2 to 4) <br>Shall be hereafter (chps 5ff) </p>
<p>Or: </p>
<p>Grace (chp 2+3) <br>Government (chps 4 to 19) <br>Glory (chps 20 to 24) </p>
<p>Or thinking of Christ: </p>
<ul> <li>Lord in the midst of the lampstands </li> <li>Lamb in the midst of the throne </li> <li>Lion over the nations </li> <li>Lover in the midst of the marriage supper </li> <li>Light in the midst of heaven </li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p>Consider the differing perspectives we find here in Revelation: </p>
<ul> <li>In the Isle called Patmos (1:9) </li> <li>In heaven before the throne (4:1ff) </li> <li>Upon the sand of the sea (13:1) </li> <li>Carried into the wilderness (17:3) </li> <li>On a great and High mountain (21:10) </li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p>Perhaps my own 7 fold outline of the changing themes and scenes of Revelation: </p>
<ol> <li>Revelation of the Person and Character of Christ (chp 1) </li> <li>Revival in the Church (ch 2 + 3) </li> <li>Reigning and Ruling over the world (chp 4 – 19) </li> <li>Response to the prayers of the saints </li> <li>Retribution on the wicked </li> <li>Removal of evil (chps 13 to 19) </li> <li>Restoration of Righteousness </li>
</ol>
<p> </p>
<p>The righteousness of God is seen in the person of Christ impacts: </p>
<p>Personally <br>On the Church chps 2 + 3 <br>On the world chps 5 to 19 <br>Into eternity chps 20 to 22 </p>
<p>“the revelation of Jesus christ” (1:1) </p>
<p>The whole of the Bible is the 'Revelation of Jesus Christ' </p>
<p>In the sense that it is the revelation about Jesus Christ </p>
<p>'Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.'(Joh 5:39) </p>
<p>The scriptures are full of prophecies / patterns and parables of Christ </p>
<p>Luk 24:27 'And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.' </p>
<p>This revelation is a little different </p>
<p>This is not the Revelation 'concerning' Jesus Christ but rather the revelation from Jesus Christ. </p>
<p>This revelation is very special: </p>
<p>This is the revelation from the Revelation of scripture. </p>
<p>This is the revelation within a revelation, to reveal the truth behind appearance, reality behind perception! </p>
<p>Genitive of Origin? </p>
<p>Notice the flow here: </p>
<p>God gave the Revelation to Jesus </p>
<p> </p>
<p> Jesus Christ "Him" </p>
<p> </p>
<p> By His angel </p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Unto His servants" / "unto His servant John" </p>
<p> </p>
<p> To show unto His servants </p>
<p>God gave the revelation to Jesus </p>
<p>Jesus gave his revelation to us </p>
<p>This is the revelation from Jesus Christ as we follow the flow of the revelation through these verses. </p>
<p>It is hard to miss the significance however of the fact that the whole of the Word of God is a Revelation of Christ: </p>
<p>OT – pictures, prophecies, pointers and parallels <br>NT – Person and work of Christ </p>
<p>And here crowning it all – the concluding Revelation of Jesus Christ! </p>
<p>Here we see that out of the: </p>
<p>Trial and Tragedy comes Triumph <br>Disaster comes deliverance </p>
<p>All has as its destiny the glory of Christ. </p>
<p>As the alpha He is the origin </p>
<p>As the omega He is the destiny </p>
<p>With all things headed up in Christ in chapters 21 and 22: </p>
<p>The bride is the bride of the Lamb <br>The apostles are the apostles of the Lamb <br>The temple is The Lord God and the Lamb <br>The Light is the Lamb <br>The book is the Lambs book of Life <br>The throne is the throne of God and of the Lamb <br>The river of life flows from the throne of the Lamb </p>
<p>History is His Story! </p>
<p>This is about to come as something of a shock to a world which has universally rejected Christ : </p>
<p>“14 But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us.” Luke 19:14 </p>
<p>“38 And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.” Luke 23:38 </p>
<p>And still so: </p>
<p>‘By the world rejected and by the few enthroned.’ </p>
<p>Therein lies the missing piece of the jigsaw of this world </p>
<p>If only he were not so universally rejected there would be no: </p>
<p>Gender confusion <br>Broken marriages <br>Murdered unborn <br>Racial tensions <br>Tribalism <br>War, famine, and man made disasters <br>Corruption <br>Despair </p>
<p>This is indeed a book all about Jesus Christ; charting His life from: </p>
<p>Grave (1:5) to the Glory (Rev 22) <br>Cross (1:5) to the Crown (Rev 19:12, 16) </p>
<p>Yet all of the Bible is about Jesus Christ! </p>
<p>In the OT: </p>
<p>Pictures <br>Patterns <br>Parables <br>Prophecies </p>
<p>In the Gospels – biography – Person of Christ </p>
<p>In the epistles – doctrine </p>
<p>This is the ‘Revelation of Jesus Christ’ – the unveiling! </p>
<p>This is a unique glimpse behind the fabric of space and time, behind and beyond what we can see, to what we can’t see. </p>
<p>This book reveals that righteousness is not random. </p>
<p>Here is what lies behind the veil of reality, what is behind the scenes! </p>
<p>Not only do we see that righteousness is not random, but we also perceive that evil is not random: </p>
<p>Christ and the Church <br>Satan and Babylon </p>
<p>As He is progressively unveiled; we perceive Christ and: </p>
<p>His Plan of Salvation (chp 1) <br>His Presence in the midst of the Church (chp 1 to 3) <br>His Power from the throne, in judgement (chp 4 to 19) <br>His Purpose for the universe (chp 20 to 22) <br>His Person supreme and glorified over all and in all </p>
<p>We peel away the layers of what we refer to as reality and behind the appearance of what we perceive to be transpiring we see that hand of Christ! </p>
<p>We gain a glimpse into the deep mysteries of this universe, beyond the dimensions of space and time. </p>
<p>The Bible is full of mysteries, 14 specific NT mysteries of which we find 3 in the book of Revelation itself: </p>
<p>The NT mysteries: </p>
<p>Mysteries of the Kingdom – Matthew 13:11; Mark 4:11; and Luke 8:10 <br>Mystery of blindness on Israel (Roms 11:25) <br>Mystery of the Gospel to all peoples (Rom 16:25ff) <br>Mystery of the Cross (1 Co 1+2:7ff) <br>Mystery of the Rapture (1Co 15:51) <br>Mystery of His will, of all things in Christ (Eph 1:9) <br>Mystery of Jew and Gentile in 1 body (Eph 3:3ff) <br>Mystery of Christ and the Church (Eph 5:32) <br>Mystery of Christ in you (Col 1:25ff) <br>Mystery of Iniquity (2 Thess 2:7) <br>Mystery of Godliness (1 Tim 3:16) <br>Mystery of the 7 churches (Rev 1:20) <br>Mystery of Gods judgement (Rev 10:7) <br>Mystery of Babylon the Great (Rev 17:5-7) </p>
<p>What is a mystery? </p>
<p>Perhaps we have often heard the memorable phrase: </p>
<p>'Truth once concealed and now revealed' </p>
<p>With the thought of 'mystery' often attribute to previous concealment, ie that they once were a mystery. </p>
<p>Is it? </p>
<p>Certainly this highlights one important aspect of the NT mysteries – that they are NT mysteries and that if anything can be discerned of them in the OT can only really be discerned in retrospect! </p>
<p>But as definitions go its not the best: </p>
<p>It's not very precise, that definition would apply to any NT revelation or doctrine not clearly revealed in the OT for example; the incarnation, life and ministry of Christ, justification by faith etc. It is not very informative. </p>
<p>It tells us nothing about the subject or content of the mysteries, it’s a rather cryptic definition of mystery! Having heard the definition of the mysteries of scripture, if I were to then ask; 'what is a mystery?' we would really be none the wiser. </p>
<p>It's not entirely accurate – there are some mysteries which are not yet revealed (eg 2 Thess chp 2 and 3 mysteries in Revelation). </p>
<p>It demystifies mysteries! Mysteries seem to maintain the character of mysteries in the NT rather than surrendering that character now that they are 'revealed' eg 1 Tim 3:9. This definition almost dismisses / denies the mystery aspect of these truths. </p>
<p>What are the NT mysteries? </p>
<p>''μυστήριον'' : from 'mustes' – a person initiated into the sacred mysteries, from 'mueo' to initiate, learn a secret or esoteric knowledge. </p>
<p>Linked to the sacred mysteries. </p>
<p>At the heart of many of the ancient religions lay a secret, an answer, a hidden insight into the nature of reality, the meaning of life, the destiny of existence, the mysteries! </p>
<p>This is still seen in some today: Mormonism, Free Masonry etc. </p>
<p>There is a reason we come to a place of worship, to a gathering, a reason we read the Bible! </p>
<p>One of those reasons is our search for answers, for meaning, for purpose. </p>
<p>We seek answers to why we are here, where we are going, the meaning of life, the answers to the big questions of life. </p>
<p>There are answers in the Bible. </p>
<p>The Bible is exceedingly interesting! </p>
<p>The Word of God contains God's answers to the reason why, who, what and how! </p>
<p>God's answers to: </p>
<p>Why I am here <br>What in the world is happening <br>How I can find God <br>Who God is </p>
<p>These are the NT mysteries! </p>
<p>These are Gods answers to the question why? </p>
<p>Gods hidden agenda. </p>
<p>They are justification for the conspiracy theorists paranoia that there is an agenda behind the scenes. </p>
<p>Gods hidden agenda, revealed not by time, not by a time delay switch but revealed to those that have ears to hear, those who have the Spirit of God! </p>
<p>'he that hath ears to hear let him hear' (Matt11:15; Luke8:8) and also Matt 13:11; Luke 8:10. </p>
<p>Not so much: </p>
<p>Concealed in the past and revealed in the present but <br>Concealed to the unregenerate and revealed by the Spirit of God </p>
<p>The distinction between: </p>
<p>concealment and revelation <br>mystery and understanding </p>
<p>lies not so much in time but in aptitude and ability. </p>
<p>The mystery is unlocked not by time but with a key; and that key is Christ. </p>
<p>Not so much a distinction between: </p>
<p>then <br>now </p>
<p>But rather: </p>
<p>without the Spirit <br>with the Spirit </p>
<p>It is not time that is the key but Christ who is the key (Matt 16:19; Rev 1:18; Rev 3:7) </p>
<p>God's agenda in human history has not been hidden. </p>
<p>God's desire is for a world saturated with the knowledge of God: </p>
<p>Habakkuk 2:14: 'filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord' </p>
<p>Isaiah 11:9: 'They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of -- the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.' </p>
<p>It is the insight into what is happening behind the scenes that is specific to Revelation. </p>
<p>History is not chaotic <br>Evil is not sporadic <br>Righteousness is not random </p>
<p>Revelation gives us a glimpse behind the scenes of this universe, into dimensions not apparent. </p>
<p>It is interesting that science is perhaps catching up here! </p>
<p>String theory – multiple dimensions beyond this world – possibly 11 <br>M-Theory – membrane / mystery / magic theory! <br>Problem of the low value of gravity – cf. magnetic forces <br>An attempt to identify the graviton via the SERN collider <br>A hope to understand why the force of gravity is so low and the possibility of leakage into another dimension? </p>
<p>Much is speculative of course but one thing is clear, that mainstream science and physicists are seriously entertaining the idea that there is more to this universe than appears on the surface, there are more dimensions to this universe than we have before appreciated! </p>
<p>This is the “revelation of Jesus Christ” </p>
<p>Not only is it all about Jesus Christ – which of course the rest of the Bible is too: </p>
<ul> <li>Prophetically in OT </li> <li>Pictorially in the OT </li> <li>Parable in the OT </li> <li>Person in the Gospels </li> <li>Doctrinally in the epistles </li>
</ul>
<p>Here we see Christ hidden, cryptically, in secret and now unveiled: </p>
<ul> <li>His Plan of Salvation (chp 1) </li> <li>His Presence in the Church (chps 1 to 3) </li> <li>His Power from the Throne (chps 4 to 19) </li> <li>His Purpose for the World (chp 19 to 20) </li> <li>His Pre-eminence Eternally (chp 20 and 21) </li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p>Babylon, Satan, the Beast and false prophet are very much to the fore up until chapter 19; wickedness, death, destruction and chaos ensues, until reality is unveiled in chapter 20 and behind the scenes of the chaos of the apparent in the reality of one working all things according to the counsel of His own will; working all things for His Glory. Christ pulls the trigger on these judgements, from the very first seal which is opened till the final destiny is reached. He has been behind the whole of human history from the very beginning until the end. </p>
<p>His Person sovereign supreme </p>
<p>Righteousness is not Random </p>
<p>Evil is not chaotic </p>
<p>There is order, and organisation. </p>
<p>Consider the coordinated and pan European attack on the Jews in WW2 and consider the ‘spontaneous’ almost world wide rise in woke culture, identity politics and the promotion of homosexuality and transgenderism. None of this is coincidental nor disco-ordinated. </p>
<p>If the DESTINY of this world is headed to Christ so too is the </p>
<p>DIRECTION of this world headed to Christ and by implication, the path too – the DETAILS as to how we arrive at that DESTINY. </p>
<p>“That in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: <br>11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: <br>12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.” (Ephesians 1:10-12) </p>
<p>Not only is the ultimate DESTINY of all things ultimately leading to the revelation of Christ (Rev 22), but the route there, the DETIALS of that journey likewise reveal Christ – His Grace in the church, His Government, power and judgment over the world and His Glory eternally. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>For there to be a definite destination there must be a definite direction. </p>
<p>To reach this destination the direction of all of human history is ordered and ordained! </p>
<p>The reason Abraham was called from Ur of the Chaldees <br>The reason Israel sheltered in Egypt <br>The reason behind the Exodus <br>The reason Ruth accompanied Naomi out of Moab <br>The reason for Daniels captivity in Babylon <br>The reason for the census in the days of Herod <br>The reason Elizabeth bore John </p>
<p>Was that all might be brought to Christ! </p>
<p>Here is a fitting conclusion to the whole of the Word of God. </p>
<p>“to show unto us his servants” </p>
<p>The object of the revelation is for His servants. </p>
<p>If you serve the Lord, or if you desire to serve the Lord, you can claim a right to this revelation. </p>
<p>Why is this relevant to those who serve the Lord? </p>
<p>Because these revelations: 'must shortly come to pass' </p>
<p>These Revelations: </p>
<p>put service to the Lord into context <br>condition the outlook of the believer </p>
<p>This conditions the mind of the servant, the focus of the servant </p>
<p>The mindset of the servant, to leave all and follow, to not take the eye off the goal, to not get distracted. </p>
<p>Why? for curiosity? </p>
<p>Why bother? </p>
<p>What is the purpose? </p>
<p>Is it sufficient that it is: </p>
<p>The Word of God <br>It is about Jesus? <br>It is in the Bible? </p>
<p>Is that enough? </p>
<p>Yet so much of the Bible has a clear purpose: </p>
<p>The Gospels: 'these things are written that you might believe and that believing you might have life through His name.' </p>
<p>Romans: 'the Gospel of Christ, it is the power of God unto salvation' – presenting and defending the gospel. </p>
<p>Epistles: </p>
<p>sanctification truth – 1 Corinthians <br>Church truth: 1 Corinthians, pastoral epistles <br>Work of Christ: Hebrews </p>
<p>But what would I think of Revelation? </p>
<p>What does it do? </p>
<p>What is it for? </p>
<p>Revelation is the 'apocalypse' of John </p>
<p>That Greek word has come into the English language. </p>
<p>The apocalypse, the unveiling. </p>
<p>The unveiling of what? </p>
<p>The clue is in the name </p>
<p>It is the unveiling of what we see. </p>
<p>It is the unveiling to what lies behind what I see! </p>
<p>What lies behind the veil of reality! </p>
<p>Revelation is the true nature of absolute reality. </p>
<p>This is God's plan and purpose and agenda, not ours! </p>
<p>When the veil of appearance is dropped we see the nature of realty beneath it. </p>
<p>That reality is very different from the one we have come to know. </p>
<p>No rather to show the sovereignty of God in all things! </p>
<p>To give a future eternal perspective on life. </p>
<p>This makes sense of life! </p>
<p>“if in this life only we have hope only in Jesus we are of all men the most miserable” </p>
<p>‘laying up for ourselves treasures on earth’ is hardly an option! </p>
<p>Do you see what happens to earth? </p>
<p>Taking the easy way out? <br>compromise with the world? <br>collusion with the enemy? </p>
<p>These are doomed to failure </p>
<p>reassurance despite the difficulties and confusion there is a plan new life </p>
<p>it is imperative to live in the present for the future. </p>
<p>'shortly come to pass' (v1) </p>
<p>Imminent? </p>
<p>But was this not 2000 years ago? </p>
<p>Shortly come to pass – possibly from the Divine perspective. </p>
<p>The blessing is to (1:3) </p>
<p>Read <br>Hear <br>Keep </p>
<p>Surely blessing in all of the Word of God, but particular blessing here, why? </p>
<p>Sense of perspective in life, seeing that all these things shall be dissolved. <br>Thus a sense of priorities <br>A sense of Divine purpose; seeing the underlying and hidden purpose of God in all things. How can I know my purpose in life if I don't know God's purpose for me? <br>For the purpose of my life to be meaningful it must align with Divine purpose. </p>
<p>The content of the book ought to influence our life practically</p>
<p>A sermon preached from our bible teaching series on the book of Revelation</p>
<p>Yours by Grace in Christ </p>
<p>Dr J Stewart Gillespie</p>34:46Dr J Stewart Gillespie