Participants: James Rafferty (Host), Ivor Meyers (Host), Yvonne Lewis, Jason Bradley
Series Code: SISS
Program Code: SISS000026A
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00:31 So we are in Revelation chapter 7,
00:33 now Revelation chapter 7 is still part of the seven seals 00:37 there's no seal mentioned in this chapter 00:40 because in a sense it's kind of like an interlude 00:43 or an interruption in the sequence of the seven seals, 00:46 the seven seals are going to come after Revelation chapter 7 00:49 in Revelation 8 verse 1 so we have the sixth seal 00:52 then we have this interlude of hope... Revelation 7... 00:55 the entire chapter and then we have the 7th seal, 00:57 so why do we have this interruption? 00:59 Why do we have this... 01:00 this interlude right in the middle of these seals 01:04 before the 7th seal is opened, after the 6th seal is opened 01:07 why do we have this... this whole chapter put in here? 01:10 Well, the reason why is because 01:12 this chapter answers the question 01:14 that is asked in Revelation chapter 6. 01:17 When the sixth seal is opened, 01:19 there's a sequence of events that takes place, 01:20 and those events culminate in the coming of Jesus and God 01:24 and the question that's asked is, 01:26 "Who is going to be able to stand 01:28 before the throne and before the Lamb?" 01:31 And so what happens is 01:32 John is inspired by God, by the Holy Spirit 01:35 to give a whole chapter to answer that question. 01:38 And that's what we're going to do in this next study 01:40 we're going to seek to understand 01:42 Revelation chapter 7's answer to the question, 01:44 "Who is going to be able to stand?" 01:45 Yvonne: So, is this kind of a continuation of the idea of 01:48 who can open the seals? 01:50 James: No, it's not a continuation 01:52 of who's going to open the seals, 01:54 because that's already been answered, 01:55 Jesus, the Lamb is opening the seals 01:58 but this is more like a statement of, 02:01 you know, this sequence of seals 02:03 has taken us from the Apostolic Age... 02:04 all the way down through history 02:06 to the Second Coming of Jesus, 02:08 we've gone through the disappointment of 1844... 02:11 we've headed into the judgment, 02:12 we've seen the signs in the heavens that indicate 02:14 that the Millerite Movement was right on track 02:17 and now we're seeing the Second Coming of Jesus 02:19 well, who is going to be able to stand when Jesus comes? 02:23 Well, I forgot to tell you... 02:26 let me tell you about this little... 02:27 little bit right here... that judgment... 02:29 is involved... involves a sealing 02:31 a sealing work that's going to take place 02:34 and there's going to be this number that's going to be sealed 02:36 "I heard the number... 02:37 they were a hundred and forty and four thousand 02:39 and then I saw this great multitude 02:40 that no man could number... " 02:41 that's what Revelation 7 does, it's kind of like... 02:44 I call it... "an interlude of hope" 02:45 because there's this despair that comes from this question, 02:50 "Who's going to be able to stand?" 02:51 And I mean, even the righteous will kind of ask that question, 02:55 "who's going to be able to stand?" 02:56 And Revelation chapter 7 is an interlude to hope 02:59 because it gives an answer... it points to a people 03:01 who are going to be able to stand 03:03 because they have the seal of God. 03:04 Yvonne: Yeah... 03:05 James: And that people is so large 03:07 that you can't even number them 03:08 so it's... it's encouragement for us 03:09 they come from every nation, kindred, tongue and people so... 03:12 all right... Jason, let's get into this with a word of prayer 03:14 and then, Yvonne, can you read 03:16 Revelation 7 verses 1 through 4 for us? Yvonne: Sure... 03:18 James: All right, let's get started. 03:19 Jason: "Dear Heavenly Father, thank you so much 03:20 for blessing us with the privilege 03:22 to be able to study your Word, 03:23 we invite you to be with us and help us to understand 03:26 what we are studying, in Jesus' name we pray, amen. " 03:28 All: "Amen... " 03:29 Yvonne: Okay, Revelation 7 verses 1 through 4... 03:34 "And after these things I saw four angels 03:36 standing on the four corners of the earth, 03:38 holding the four winds of the earth, 03:40 that the wind should not blow on the earth, 03:42 nor on the sea, nor on any tree. 03:44 And I saw another angel ascending from the east, 03:47 having the seal of the living God: 03:49 and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, 03:52 to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, 03:55 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, 03:59 till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. 04:02 And I heard the number of them which were sealed: 04:05 and there were sealed 04:07 an hundred and forty and four thousand 04:09 of all the tribes of the children of Israel. " 04:11 James: Okay, these verses are the introduction to the sealing 04:17 and the introduction in verse 1 identifies four winds, 04:20 four winds that are ready to blow on the earth 04:24 now these four winds are touched on 04:27 in our previous chapter 04:29 because when we got into the opening of the sixth seal, 04:31 we saw all kinds of natural disasters, 04:35 we saw a great earthquake 04:37 and we referenced that to the Lisbon earthquake, 04:39 we saw the signs in the sky, 04:41 the sun and the moon and the stars falling to the earth, 04:46 all of these were indicating of natural disasters 04:49 that were coming... calamities that were coming upon the earth 04:52 and in Revelation chapter 7 04:54 the idea is that these calamities are being held back, 04:56 they're being restrained... they're not coming in full force 04:59 because there's a work that has to be done 05:01 in sealing God's servants and we see the same thing, 05:03 and the same idea in Ezekiel chapter 9, 05:06 this whole picture is borrowed from the Old Testament 05:10 so in Ezekiel chapter 9 God shows Ezekiel 05:14 this same 05:16 sealing work that is taking place 05:18 and the same consequence that's being held back 05:21 yeah, Ezekiel chapter 9 and Jason could you read for us, 05:24 Ezekiel 9, verses 1... all the way through 05:30 to verse 6. 05:33 Jason: Okay, "He cried also in mine ears with a loud voice, 05:39 saying, Cause them that have charge over the city 05:41 to draw near, even every man 05:43 with his destroying weapon in his hand. 05:45 And behold, six men came from the way of the higher gate, 05:49 which lieth toward the north, 05:51 and every man a slaughter weapon in his hand; 05:54 and one man among them was clothed with linen, 05:57 with a writer's inkhorn by his side: 06:00 and they went in, and stood beside the brazen altar. 06:05 And the glory of the God of Israel 06:08 was gone up from the cherub, whereupon he was, 06:12 to the threshold of the house. 06:14 And he called to the man clothed with linen, 06:16 which had the writer's inkhorn by his side; 06:19 And the Lord said unto him, 06:21 Go through the midst of the city, 06:22 through the midst of Jerusalem, 06:24 and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh 06:26 and that cry for all the abominations 06:29 that be done in the midst thereof. 06:31 And to the others he said in mine hearing, 06:34 Go ye after him through the city, and smite: 06:37 let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity: 06:40 Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, 06:46 and women: but come not near any man 06:49 upon whom is the mark; and begin at my sanctuary. 06:52 Then they began at the ancient men 06:55 which were before the house. " 06:58 Now really quickly here on these verses, 07:01 we see the same two ingredients that we see in Revelation 7, 07:04 we see a mark that's being set on God's people... 07:07 who are sighing and crying for the abominations 07:10 and then we see destruction 07:11 coming on those who are not going to have the mark... 07:13 the destruction is the same thing 07:16 that we see in Revelation 7 as the four winds... 07:18 Yvonne: Hmmm... 07:19 James: God is not going to allow those four winds... 07:20 He's not going to allow that destruction to come 07:22 until God's people are sealed, why? 07:23 Because according to Ezekiel 9, 07:25 the destruction is not going to come 07:27 to those who have the seal of the Mark of God. 07:29 So, this is an important parallel that we see here 07:33 taking place between these two chapters, 07:35 Ezekiel 9 is helping us with Revelation chapter 7 07:37 the four winds being held back to God's servants 07:40 are sealed in their foreheads. 07:42 Ivor: Yeah, I also want to pick up on... 07:44 to go back to the Book of Revelation 07:47 and looking at the context of Revelation chapter 7 07:52 we've seen that it is set within the context of the seven seals 07:58 and we established in earlier programs 08:01 that the seven seals unfold 08:03 according to Revelation chapter 4 and 5, 08:05 at the Table of Shewbread, that's the "sides of the north," 08:09 and it's interesting as you were speaking, James, 08:12 we were actually reading the description of the... 08:16 of the tribes... 12,000 from each tribe, 08:18 so, how many tribes are there? 08:20 There are twelve... and on the Table of Shewbread 08:23 how many loaves of bread? Twelve... 08:25 and what's interesting is that 08:27 if you take each one of those loaves... 08:29 as representing a tribe, you know, 08:31 you have 12,000 in each tribe so those 12 loaves of bread 08:37 are almost a shadow form of this 144,000. 08:41 Yvonne: Hmmm... 08:43 Ivor: Okay, so, think if this... think of it in this context, 08:46 remember where Lucifer wanted to sit... 08:49 he wanted to sit... according to Isaiah 14 verse 13, 08:53 "on the sides of the north," okay, 08:56 so what we see unfolding within the seven seals 08:59 is this conflict between God and Lucifer 09:05 over "the sides of the north," 09:06 so what's on the sides of the north? 09:08 According to Isaiah 14:13, 09:09 Lucifer said, "I will set my throne 09:11 upon the sides of the north 09:13 where the mount of the congregation is... 09:16 okay, this again is speaking about "the congregation of God" 09:19 so, when that question is asked, 09:23 we saw that the rider on the white horse 09:26 going forth with the Word of God, 09:27 this... going forth of the Word of God 09:31 is to help establish the mount of the congregation 09:34 where Satan's trying to destroy the mount of the congregation, 09:37 he's trying to rule over the mount of the congregation 09:39 so we get to Revelation chapter 6 09:42 or it's... yeah... chapter 6... to the sixth seal... 09:45 we have this question, "Who shall be able to what...? 09:49 Yvonne: Stand... 09:51 Ivor: To stand... all right... 09:52 and the answer comes in Revelation chapter 7 09:55 where it's very interesting... I want you to notice, 09:57 Revelation chapter 7 and look at verse 9... 10:02 Revelation chapter 7 verse 9... 10:05 after John describes the 144,000... 10:08 verse 9 says this... "After this I beheld, and lo, 10:11 a great multitude, which no man could number, 10:15 of all nations, kindred's, tongues and peoples, 10:17 stood before... " where? "the throne... " 10:21 all right... where is God's throne? 10:23 "The sides of the north... " 10:25 in other words... the... this Revelation 7 10:29 shows us the end product of the Word of God going forth 10:33 and in fact, here's what's even more interesting... 10:36 if you flip over to Revelation 14... 10:38 and look at how the 144,000 are described here, 10:42 Revelation 14 verse 1, it says, 10:45 "I looked and lo, a Lamb stood... " where? 10:48 All: "Mount Zion... " 10:49 Ivor: Where is Mount Zion James: side of the north... 10:52 Ivor: sides of the north... 10:53 according to Psalm 48... verses 1 and 2 10:55 "Beautiful for situation... " right... 10:57 James: "the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, 11:00 on the sides of the north, the city of the great King. " 11:01 Ivor: the city of the great king... so... 11:03 Yvonne: "king" singular or kings? 11:06 Ivor: King... singular... so in other words, 11:10 those who stand on Mount Zion at the very end... 11:14 when all things are said and done... 11:17 are represented by the loaves of bread 11:20 they are the "mount of the congregation" 11:23 that has made it to heaven. Yvonne: Hmmm... 11:25 James: So that number 12 is significant... because 11:29 the number 12 in the Old Testament... 12 tribes... 11:33 in the New Testament... 12 disciples... 11:35 Ivor: 12 Apostles... 11:37 James: And even the New Jerusalem 11:38 which is the Bride of Christ has 12 foundations 11:40 and 12 gates... 12 times 12 is a 144... 11:44 and 1,000 is the largest number in the Bible... 11:47 see... when God wants to get big... 11:49 and see... sometimes we think 11:50 "Oh, a 144,000... that's not very many people... " 11:52 well, first of all, it is a symbolic number 11:55 because if you look at it in the Greek... 11:57 it actually reads twelve... 1,000... 11:59 twelve... 1,000... twelve... 1,000 12:00 twelve... 1,000... and it's repeated 12 times 12:03 and the thing that's so powerful about this is 12:06 twelve is a symbol of the kingdom number 12:09 and the 1,000 is the largest number in the Bible, 12:12 when God wants to get big He says, 12:13 "a thousand times ten thousands and thousands of thousands" 12:16 okay, so when he using a 1,000 He's saying, 12:19 "I want you to think big... " okay, a thousand... 12:21 so who's going to be sealed 12:22 twelve... 1,000... from this tribe... 12:24 and 12,000 from this tribe 12:25 and 12 one thousand from this tribe... 12:27 and 12 one thousand from this tribe, that's a lot, 12:29 or 12 one thousand from this tribe 12:30 and 12 one thousand from this tribe... 12:32 how many have we done so far? Jason: A lot... 12:34 James: Six... 12 one thousand from... 12:35 12 one thousand from... 12:37 and it just keeps going and going... 12:38 and even though he stops at 12... 12:40 the point is not... it's only this is not... 12:42 the point isn't limited, the point is... it's great, 12:45 it's big... that's why... in Revelation 7:9... 12:49 John turns to see 12:51 what he first heard, 12:52 now this is a key point right here, 12:54 let's just touch on this real quick... 12:56 in Revelation chapter 7 in verse 4, 12:59 he says, "And I heard the number of them that were sealed 13:05 and there were sealed a 144,000" then in verse 9 he says, 13:09 "And after this I... " what's the word? 13:11 Yvonne: Beheld... James: "Beheld... " 13:13 Yvonne: Ah... 13:14 James: when John first is introduced to the sealing... 13:17 he hears... he doesn't see this... 13:19 he just hears who's going to be sealed, 13:21 then he turns around and he sees them 13:22 what he's seeing is the same thing he heard, 13:24 how do we know this? 13:26 Go back to Revelation chapter 1... 13:28 and look in Revelation chapter 1 13:30 at what happens when Jesus first comes to John 13:32 on the Isle of Patmos, in Revelation chapter 1 verse 10 13:37 John says, "I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, 13:41 and I heard behind me a great voice... " 13:43 what was it like? Yvonne: A trumpet... 13:45 James: A trumpet... now was it a trumpet? 13:47 a little... no... it wasn't... so what was it? 13:49 well, it sounded like a trumpet, right? 13:52 That's what I heard... and then there was verse 12, 13:54 "And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. 13:57 And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; 14:00 And in the midst... " verse 13... 14:02 "of the candlesticks... one like unto the Son of man. " 14:05 So, what he first heard was a trumpet 14:08 but then what saw was Jesus. 14:09 What he heard and what he saw were the same things... 14:13 He heard the voice of Jesus and he saw Jesus, 14:15 in Revelation 7... he hears 14:17 the number of those that are sealed, 14:19 and they're the 144,000... and he beheld and he saw 14:22 a great multitude that would make that number, 14:25 12 one thousands of it and 12 one thousands... 14:27 and 12 one thousands... and 12 one thousands, 14:28 just continuing on and on and on... 14:30 recognizing that twelve is a symbol of the Kingdom of God... 14:34 Old Testament... Kingdom of God, 14:35 New Testament... so you've got the Old Testament redeemed, 14:37 the New Testament redeemed... 14:38 times a thousand... a thousand... a thousand... 14:40 a thousand... 12 times 12... a 144,000s... 14:43 Ivor: I think what's also pretty significant 14:45 is that if you look at the first four seals 14:47 it follows that very pattern, he says, 14:50 "I heard the angel... basically saying, 14:53 'come and see... ' and then I go look... " 14:56 the second seal... "I heard... and then I looked... 14:59 I heard... " three... four seals... 15:00 "I heard... then I looked" 15:02 so this concept I think is very... 15:04 it's crucial to understand 15:05 that he doesn't see the number first, 15:08 he hears it and then when he looks... 15:10 what does he see? 15:11 He sees a great multitude, 15:13 now, I want to mention something here 15:14 because this is... this is important to understand 15:16 the great multitude is a 15:19 fulfillment of the promise given to Abraham. 15:21 James: Hmmm... hmm... Yvonne: Hmmm... 15:22 Ivor: Abraham's seed... 15:23 "Abraham... you're going to have seed 15:26 so great that they cannot be numbered... " 15:28 James: Like the stars of heaven. 15:30 Ivor: Like the stars of heaven... 15:31 this is the promise to Abraham, 15:32 Abraham... the father of the Children of Israel, 15:34 right... so, Abraham never saw this promise 15:37 so when he gets to heaven, I mean, just imagine 15:40 he's like, "Man, where my great multitude?" 15:43 And God says, "Well, count those 144,000... " 15:45 he's like, "Wait a minute... that's the great... 15:47 that's the... " no, no, no... God shows him 15:50 this great multitude, 15:52 he was to be the father of many nations 15:55 and so, what we see here is that 15:58 this promise is being fulfilled, this group... 144,000 16:02 is... is the symbolic number for the great multitude... 16:07 those that have been redeemed 16:08 and here's something else that's interesting is that 16:11 in the Old Testament God called Israel to serve him, 16:14 he said to Pharaoh, "Let my people go 16:17 that they may serve me in the wilderness" twelve tribes... 16:20 in the New Testament He calls 12 disciples to serve Him, 16:23 so there's a connection with that number 12 16:26 and service so guess what? 16:27 When you see the sealing of the 144,000... 16:30 who were they sealing? 16:31 those that... that... it says, 16:33 "That we may seal the servants of our God... " 16:36 James: Hmmm... hmmm... Yvonne: Hmmm... 16:38 Ivor: When John asks, 16:39 "Who are these... this great multitude?" 16:42 "These are they that serve Him day and night in the temple. " 16:48 So all those points become crucial to understand 16:52 when we're looking at this... this number... 144,000... 16:57 we're seeing that this is a symbolic number 17:01 that is the same as the great multitude. 17:03 James: And those two verses, verse 3... 17:06 "sealing the servants of our God" 17:07 and verse 15... "Who are these? 17:09 these are they who serve Him day and night in the temple" 17:11 and that's another point, the great multitude 17:13 that cannot be numbered served God in the temple, 17:16 they entered into the temple 17:18 and they served God day and night in that temple, 17:20 what's beautiful about this picture 17:23 and this is something we need to look at 17:25 when we highlight because we... 17:26 maybe haven't emphasized this, 17:27 we're looking at four epochs of time, 17:29 we're looking at four visions in Revelation, 17:31 we're looking at the churches, the seals, the trumpets 17:34 and the seven salvation signs, 17:36 and we know they begin at this Apostolic Age 17:38 they begin in Christ's day 17:40 and the day of the establishment of the early church... 17:43 the apostles... that's what we mean by the Apostolic Age, 17:46 the time of the apostles being established by Christ 17:49 being filled with the Holy Spirit 17:51 and taking the gospel to the world 17:52 and they take us down to the new heaven and the new earth, 17:56 now, sometimes we think, "Oh each one of these epics of 17:59 time take us down to the Second Coming... " 18:02 I thought that for a long time 18:04 but as I reexamined this I've realized that in the context 18:08 of the churches... you have all these promises 18:12 that are given to those who overcome 18:14 and notice... for example... notice the promise 18:16 that is given to the church in Smyrna 18:18 in the... in the... in the... 18:20 well, actually, let's start with the church in Ephesus, 18:23 in verse 7... yeah, read that for us... 18:26 Jason, Revelation 2 verse 7 18:30 and then Yvonne, would you read after that... 18:34 will you read Revelation chapter 2 and verse 11. 18:38 so, 2:7... 2:11... 18:39 Jason: Okay, "He that hath an ear, 18:42 let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; 18:45 To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, 18:48 which is in the midst of the paradise of God. " 18:51 Yvonne: And then 2:11... says, "He that hath an ear, 18:54 let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; 18:57 He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death. " 19:01 James: The second death is on the other side of the millennium 19:04 it's when the New Jerusalem comes down 19:07 out of God from heaven and rests on this earth 19:09 and this earth becomes the center of the universe, 19:12 the Tree of Life... the Tree of the Paradise of God 19:14 is also going to be in that new heaven and that new earth 19:17 so the implication here in the seven churches is 19:20 we're going from the Apostolic Age all the way 19:22 down to the new heaven and the new earth... 19:25 Eden restored... Yvonne: Hmmm... yes... 19:27 James: We're going all the way to Eden restored, 19:29 okay now, do we have that same thing 19:31 taking place in the seven seals? 19:33 Notice here in Revelation chapter 7... 19:35 Ivor talked about verse 15, let's just read there 19:39 Jason read for us... 19:41 Yvonne: Can I add something about the... 19:42 make an observation of the 144,000 before we... 19:45 James: Yeah. 19:46 Yvonne: It's really interesting to me like... 19:48 I've read about that before and I've thought 19:50 "Man, a 144,000... that's not a whole bunch of people" 19:54 so then you think, 19:55 "Okay, am I going to make the cut 19:56 because it's only a 144,000," like... "do I measure up?" 20:00 kind of thing... but then the encouraging thing for me 20:03 was when I read that John said he saw a number 20:05 that no man can number... now I'm like... okay, 20:08 "I'll surely... I can be in that number" 20:10 which is really... that's really the emphasis is wrong 20:14 because the emphasis should be on 20:15 Christ and His righteousness not mine... 20:17 but you know how we go 20:19 so, I was looking at that and I'm thinking, 20:21 "144,000... okay... that's not a whole bunch of people" 20:24 but again it's so encouraging to see that number 20:28 "that no man can number" so then you think, 20:30 "Wow! it's going to be... you can't even imagine 20:34 how many people... from the beginning of time 20:37 all the way to the end... " but you know... 20:40 to when the Lord comes... it's a whole lot of people 20:42 so praise the Lord for that. 20:44 Jason: You have a chance. 20:45 Yvonne: Yeah, it makes you feel like, "Okay... " 20:47 which we all do... I mean intellectually we know 20:50 and from the Word we know that it's about Christ 20:53 and it's not about what we do and all that 20:55 but you still feel like, 20:57 "Well, broad is the way that leads to destruction 21:00 and many there be that find it 21:03 and then narrow is the way... " so you're thinking, 21:05 "Okay, so... " you know 21:09 but with this it's encouraging, that's what I want to say. 21:11 James: You just caught it... 21:12 you just caught the point of the chapter... 21:14 because see the point of the chapter is 21:16 the interlude of hope... Yvonne: Ahhh... 21:18 James: The point of the chapter is, 21:19 Okay, there's this white horse... 21:21 he's going forth with the gospel 21:22 but then there's a red horse, then there's this black horse, 21:24 then there's this pale horse, 21:26 and then there are these martyrs and they're crying out, 21:28 "How long you're not going to judge" 21:29 and then there's all of these natural disasters and signs 21:32 and then there's all... 21:33 rich, poor, free, bond, mighty, all crying out, 21:35 "who's going to be able to stand?" 21:37 it's like... "Whoa... whoa... one white horse 21:39 and all this negative... " you know, 21:41 that's what it appears like but then John says, 21:43 "Wait a minute... wait a minute, I forgot to tell you 21:45 there's something else here God wants me to show you, 21:47 I saw that all these natural disasters are being held back 21:50 and all these calamities are being held back 21:52 while God's children were sealed 21:53 and then I heard this number of those that were sealed" 21:55 and Hebrew... Hebrew thinkers now you're never going to guess 21:59 12 yeah... Kingdom number... but a 1,000... wow! that's big! 22:02 Again and again and again and again and again and again 22:07 and again... whoa... 22:09 am I hearing things? 22:11 This sounds really big... am I hearing things? 22:14 Well, then I turned and I looked 22:17 and beheld and lo, sure enough, 22:19 sure enough, a great multitude that no man can number 22:23 he's not seeing two different groups here 22:24 you see... when he first hears... 22:26 Ivor: He only saw one group. 22:28 James: He only saw one group, he only heard the first group 22:31 and so... and he had to be... 22:34 it had to be confirmed in his mind, 22:35 "Is this really what I'm hearing because this sounds... " 22:38 and he was thinking, "This sounds big... 22:39 this sounds like a lot, I mean, these thousands... " 22:41 but sure enough, it's confirmed... 22:44 and these... these servants... now notice this, 22:46 I want us to read here, just finishing up this thought, 22:49 verses 15, 16 and 17, 15 through 17, 22:57 let's read those verses, Jason, thank you. 22:59 Jason: "Therefore are they before the throne of God, 23:01 and serve him day and night in his temple: 23:04 and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. 23:07 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; 23:10 neither shall the sun light on them, 23:12 nor any heat. 23:13 For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne 23:16 shall feed them and shall lead them unto 23:18 living fountains of waters 23:20 and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. " 23:24 James: Okay, if you compare that with Revelation chapter 21 23:27 when the temple comes... when the city comes down... 23:29 it talks about how in Revelation 21, 23:31 "I saw a new heaven and a new earth: 23:33 for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; 23:35 and there was no more sea. 23:37 And I saw... " John said, 23:39 "I saw the holy city coming down from God out of heaven, 23:41 prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 23:43 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, 23:45 Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, 23:48 and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, 23:50 and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. 23:52 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes: 23:54 and there shall be no more death and no more sorrow, 23:56 no more crying, neither shall there be any more pain... " 23:58 no more back pain... 24:00 no more neck pain that makes you just want to complain 24:04 "for the former things... " see, John is taking us 24:08 in Revelation seven seals 24:09 all the way to the new heaven and the new earth. 24:11 John is taking us in Revelation seven churches 24:13 all the way to the new heaven and the new earth... 24:15 Eden restored, Eden restored... 24:18 and we're going to see the same thing in the trumpets 24:19 and then in the seven salvation signs, 24:22 it just takes us all the way there because we're... 24:24 that Revelation 21 is part of the last epic, 24:26 it's part of that last series, that last vision 24:30 and so it fills out... 24:31 the little hints we have in the churches, 24:33 the little hints we have here in the seals, 24:35 is filled out in that final epic where he just expands... 24:38 he gives full revelation of exactly 24:40 what that new heaven and new earth is 24:42 and how that all comes about. 24:43 Ivor: Yeah, it's a beautiful picture. 24:44 Jason: So with Eden restored that means that... 24:47 that same diet is going to be restored too, huh? 24:49 James: Absolutely. 24:50 Yvonne: All he thinks about is food. 24:51 Laugher... 24:53 James: It's going to be unbelievable... 24:54 the food that we are going to eat 24:57 from the Tree of Life... 24:58 we are not even going to want to touch anything 25:01 that's even close to earthly food ever again, 25:04 it is going to be unbelievable, have you ever tasted 25:08 a piece of fruit that was perfect? 25:10 I mean... we eat a lot of fruit that's... 25:13 but... we eat a lot of fruit that's, you know... whatever... 25:16 but when you get that one, you want to go, 25:18 "All right, we got to go back there and buy them out... 25:20 we got to buy them out... " Yvonne: Absolutely. 25:21 That doesn't even come close to what's... 25:23 Yvonne: It happened to me last summer, these peaches... 25:27 I love peaches... many times 25:30 peaches are bland and have no flavor 25:32 but these were the bomb... and I tried to find them, 25:36 they had run out at one store 25:37 and I was going to go all the way to the orchard 25:40 to get some more... I didn't tell you that right, 25:42 so I do know what you're saying, yes. 25:44 James: That's what we're talking about here... 25:47 Ivor: I think one of the other points that, 25:50 that I think it's really... 25:52 it's an insight that helps us to unlock the 144,000 even more 25:57 is that... remember under the fifth seal 26:00 the saints are crying out underneath the altar, 26:05 "How long before you judge?" Yvonne: Hmmm... hmmm... 26:08 Ivor: And then at some point they're given white robes 26:11 and they're told... 26:12 "Listen, there are others to come after you" 26:15 they too will receive white robes, 26:17 well, as we look at this great multitude, 26:20 right, and chapter 7... what do we have? 26:24 They are clothed in white robes. 26:26 Yvonne: Wow! 26:28 Ivor: Okay... but they are identified 26:30 as "the mount of the congregation," 26:33 which is symbolized by the twelve loaves, 26:36 right, so the... you know... people... 26:39 that same concern you had, you know, 26:42 "the 144,000... am I going to make it or not?" 26:44 I'm going to show you something that is absolutely 26:46 crucial to understanding... 26:49 so let's go over to Revelation 15... 26:50 Revelation 15 and... actually... I'm sorry Revelation 14, 26:56 Revelation 14... and let's... 27:00 this is a second description of the 144,000 27:03 and we've got very little time left... 27:07 James: We can pick this up though in our next program. 27:10 Yvonne: Oh wow! cliffhanger... 27:12 James: This is a cliffhanger right... but it is good... 27:14 we're going to have to do at least one or maybe two more 27:17 on this 144,000 in Revelation 7 anyway, 27:20 so we'll do that... so... we need to remind our Viewers 27:22 to go into... 27:24 Yvonne: E-mail us at sss as in Salvation in Symbols and Signs 27:30 at 3abn. org 27:33 James: sss... okay... close us out with prayer, Jason. 27:36 Jason: All right... "Dear Heavenly Father, 27:37 thank you for being with us as we study the Word, 27:40 thank you for the hope that you give us 27:42 that we can be a part of that number, Lord, 27:45 help us to be prepared for your soon return, 27:48 in Jesus' name we pray, amen. " 27:50 All: "Amen... " 27:51 James: So, we'll be looking at continuing, Ivor, 27:54 you're going to pick it up for us, 27:55 we're going to start and continue with this thought... 27:57 this cliffhanger thought you've got on your brain. 28:00 Ivor: Absolutely... Jason: Amen... 28:02 Yvonne: That's great... |
Revised 2016-09-15