Resurrection
The Revelation of Jesus Christ describes intense events that have never happened before. The Book of Revelation is the culmination of the prophecies given throughout the Bible. Peter said that the prophets were all speaking about the last days when the plan of salvation we are walking out right now would find completeness in the resurrection of bodies, following Jesus' resurrection:
I Peter 1:10-12 Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things which angels desire to look into.
Most of these prophecies, given over thousands of years, culminate...manifest in full...in the last 7 years leading up to the return of Jesus. This makes the Book of Revelation VERY intense. Most of the things described in detail have never happened, if you take the main and plain meaning of the book. The sky has never rolled up, the moon turned red, the sun dark, 1/2 of the worlds population has never died in 3.5 years, the waters of the earth turned bitter or to blood...every island disappearing, or all the cities of the earth simultaneously collapsing at the same time a great earthquake hits Jerusalem!
This is a LOT of intense activity in a few years, to say the least! It is overwhelming to take the words of Revelation literally. This is the main reason many do not take the book literally. The human mind symbolizes what it cannot accept...that is the compromise our mind must make in order to reconcile the INERRANCY of the word with the INTENSITY of the word. BUT, Jesus said this:
Revelation 1:3 Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.
Revelation 22:6-7 Then he said to me, “These words are faithful and true.” And the Lord God of the holy prophets sent His angel to show His servants the things which must shortly take place. “Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”
Jesus said, basically "This is not symbolic. This is a foretelling of EVENTS." Jesus warned us to NOT make it symbolic, but to KEEP it...to make it real and steel our hearts to agree with it. This requires intentionally coming to grips with what the book describes.
The problem with studying a book about the future is that we try to place it in the present context, forgetting that the world is not static. Three specific things trip me up when I try to place the events of Revelation in the context of March 2014:
1. Time,
2. The state of sin and righteousness, and
3. The amount of empowerment I am feeling right this moment to walk out the events well...the empowerment to obey is called "grace."
1. Time is not static, it is accelerating...Jesus said this all goes down like a baby being born. What drags on for nine months quickly accelerates in the last few weeks until the last hours which are so intense they carry you through them like a rushing whitewater river. Revelation is describing a very similar process. Being ready to navigate this intense time is essential.
2. Sin and righteousness are not static. Jesus described the end as the "maturing of the wheat AND the tares":
Matthew 13:24-30, 37-39 Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’ But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.” ’
” He answered and said to them: “He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one. The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels.
The news is doing a good job keeping us up to date on how the tares are growing. Demon possessed moms driving kids into oceans, main stream entertainers claiming to be possessed by demons and actually looking pretty possessed, random acts of mass murder in schools, offices, and shopping malls literally happening weekly is just the beginning of what is accelerating on earth.
Revelation describes God, in one generation, giving mankind the fullness of what it wants. The earth has never seen this before. We have never seen the fullness of man getting the evil desires in their heart fulfilled OR the righteousness other hearts desire. Every increase in darkness is actually being met by a more full increase in light, but remember, the news is not going to report the light! You have to be flowing in the circles of the light to see it. Now is the time to fully engage with over believers. It is in the community of those chasing after God with all their strength that you will experience the increases in light. Like any group activity, the harder those you hang with run, the harder you will run. Lukewarm begets lukewarm. BUT, we take the increases in light we experience out into the community to raise the level of light across our geographic region...we don't hide that light in our home or in a church building!
Matthew 5:14-16 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
3. Grace is not static. This is the biggest hurdle to viewing the events described in Revelation accurately. We assume generally that we will walk through the events of Revelation with the measure of empowerment...grace... we have right now! NO WAY! Grace is appointed to be poured out through each increase in intensity:
I Peter 1:10, 13 Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ
When I study the Book of Revelation I need to keep in mind that the world is changing, the time is accelerating, and the grace to meet the intensity is prophesied. This is faith: being sure of the things hoped for. Revival is coming in FULL.
The earth has never seen the revival that is coming soon. This isn't a just a "healing" revival. This isn't just a manifestation revival. This isn't even just a salvation revival. What is coming is the "greater things" revival...the Spirit being poured out on all flesh. Prophecy in full, healing in full, multiplying resources in full, walking on water, angels going up and down, heaven incrementally opening right before our eyes...so that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
This coming revival isn't JUST leading up to another generation that walks in more righteousness and salvation than the one before it. No! This revival will lead up to Jesus splitting the sky and coming back to physically restore God's Garden so that the Father will return!
Jesus will do all this with a Bride who makes herself pure and spotless with righteous acts!
Revelation 19:7-8 Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.” And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.
Jesus' Bride is made up of those who have chosen to enter into the wedding events with zeal...knowing the time is at hand and that there is more than enough grace prophesied...stored up...to take everyone who wants it...choice by choice...into the most intense events the earth has ever seen in VICTORY!
Matthew 22:2-7 “The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come. Again, he sent out other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding.” ’ But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business. And the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them. But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.
I Peter 1:10-12 Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things which angels desire to look into.
Most of these prophecies, given over thousands of years, culminate...manifest in full...in the last 7 years leading up to the return of Jesus. This makes the Book of Revelation VERY intense. Most of the things described in detail have never happened, if you take the main and plain meaning of the book. The sky has never rolled up, the moon turned red, the sun dark, 1/2 of the worlds population has never died in 3.5 years, the waters of the earth turned bitter or to blood...every island disappearing, or all the cities of the earth simultaneously collapsing at the same time a great earthquake hits Jerusalem!
This is a LOT of intense activity in a few years, to say the least! It is overwhelming to take the words of Revelation literally. This is the main reason many do not take the book literally. The human mind symbolizes what it cannot accept...that is the compromise our mind must make in order to reconcile the INERRANCY of the word with the INTENSITY of the word. BUT, Jesus said this:
Revelation 1:3 Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.
Revelation 22:6-7 Then he said to me, “These words are faithful and true.” And the Lord God of the holy prophets sent His angel to show His servants the things which must shortly take place. “Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”
Jesus said, basically "This is not symbolic. This is a foretelling of EVENTS." Jesus warned us to NOT make it symbolic, but to KEEP it...to make it real and steel our hearts to agree with it. This requires intentionally coming to grips with what the book describes.
The problem with studying a book about the future is that we try to place it in the present context, forgetting that the world is not static. Three specific things trip me up when I try to place the events of Revelation in the context of March 2014:
1. Time,
2. The state of sin and righteousness, and
3. The amount of empowerment I am feeling right this moment to walk out the events well...the empowerment to obey is called "grace."
1. Time is not static, it is accelerating...Jesus said this all goes down like a baby being born. What drags on for nine months quickly accelerates in the last few weeks until the last hours which are so intense they carry you through them like a rushing whitewater river. Revelation is describing a very similar process. Being ready to navigate this intense time is essential.
2. Sin and righteousness are not static. Jesus described the end as the "maturing of the wheat AND the tares":
Matthew 13:24-30, 37-39 Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’ But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.” ’
” He answered and said to them: “He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one. The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels.
The news is doing a good job keeping us up to date on how the tares are growing. Demon possessed moms driving kids into oceans, main stream entertainers claiming to be possessed by demons and actually looking pretty possessed, random acts of mass murder in schools, offices, and shopping malls literally happening weekly is just the beginning of what is accelerating on earth.
Revelation describes God, in one generation, giving mankind the fullness of what it wants. The earth has never seen this before. We have never seen the fullness of man getting the evil desires in their heart fulfilled OR the righteousness other hearts desire. Every increase in darkness is actually being met by a more full increase in light, but remember, the news is not going to report the light! You have to be flowing in the circles of the light to see it. Now is the time to fully engage with over believers. It is in the community of those chasing after God with all their strength that you will experience the increases in light. Like any group activity, the harder those you hang with run, the harder you will run. Lukewarm begets lukewarm. BUT, we take the increases in light we experience out into the community to raise the level of light across our geographic region...we don't hide that light in our home or in a church building!
Matthew 5:14-16 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
3. Grace is not static. This is the biggest hurdle to viewing the events described in Revelation accurately. We assume generally that we will walk through the events of Revelation with the measure of empowerment...grace... we have right now! NO WAY! Grace is appointed to be poured out through each increase in intensity:
I Peter 1:10, 13 Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ
When I study the Book of Revelation I need to keep in mind that the world is changing, the time is accelerating, and the grace to meet the intensity is prophesied. This is faith: being sure of the things hoped for. Revival is coming in FULL.
The earth has never seen the revival that is coming soon. This isn't a just a "healing" revival. This isn't just a manifestation revival. This isn't even just a salvation revival. What is coming is the "greater things" revival...the Spirit being poured out on all flesh. Prophecy in full, healing in full, multiplying resources in full, walking on water, angels going up and down, heaven incrementally opening right before our eyes...so that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
This coming revival isn't JUST leading up to another generation that walks in more righteousness and salvation than the one before it. No! This revival will lead up to Jesus splitting the sky and coming back to physically restore God's Garden so that the Father will return!
Jesus will do all this with a Bride who makes herself pure and spotless with righteous acts!
Revelation 19:7-8 Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.” And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.
Jesus' Bride is made up of those who have chosen to enter into the wedding events with zeal...knowing the time is at hand and that there is more than enough grace prophesied...stored up...to take everyone who wants it...choice by choice...into the most intense events the earth has ever seen in VICTORY!
Matthew 22:2-7 “The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come. Again, he sent out other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding.” ’ But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business. And the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them. But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.
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