1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:06,279 Invite everyone to open their Bibles to Revelation chapter 1 as we continue our study of the book of Revelation. 2 00:00:11,518 --> 00:00:14,663 Let's begin with a word of prayer as we get started. 3 00:00:16,288 --> 00:00:21,635 Our gracious Father in heaven, we bow before your throne, grateful for the day that you've blessed us with. 4 00:00:21,780 --> 00:00:34,206 grateful for your blessings that you shower upon us each and every day, mindful of all that you do for us as we go through this day and as we go through the days to come. 5 00:00:34,206 --> 00:00:44,961 We pray that we might always be cognizant of the things that you have blessed us with and the ways that you provide for us and the way that you have provided for us in giving us 6 00:00:44,961 --> 00:00:51,714 the church and giving us your written word that we might know how to live and how to walk and how to serve you 7 00:00:51,714 --> 00:01:03,273 acceptably, but also most especially in giving us your Son that we might have salvation, justification, and sanctification before you, that we might stand wholly before you in the 8 00:01:03,273 --> 00:01:04,584 blood of Christ. 9 00:01:04,624 --> 00:01:10,969 Lord, we ask that you forgive us of our sins and may we always strive to walk in the light as you are in the light. 10 00:01:10,969 --> 00:01:14,111 All this we pray and ask in Jesus' name, amen. 11 00:01:16,704 --> 00:01:25,323 We got down to around verse 18 of chapter 1 as we're going through and noticing these beginning chapters. 12 00:01:25,404 --> 00:01:38,344 Now, we spent a little bit of time last week talking about how to understand a text, and I want to say just a little bit more about that just to make sure there's no 13 00:01:38,344 --> 00:01:41,264 misunderstanding of what I was saying last week. 14 00:01:41,664 --> 00:01:56,984 In certain books of the Bible, you should open the book and you should assume, or you should presume at least, that the things that you're reading are fact because they're 15 00:01:56,984 --> 00:02:02,704 written as standard information or historical information in prose. 16 00:02:02,704 --> 00:02:05,724 They're just normal writing. 17 00:02:05,864 --> 00:02:09,824 If you were to get a letter, 18 00:02:10,580 --> 00:02:22,908 from the IRS and you open up the letter and you begin to read, you should not begin by assuming that everything stated there is figurative and visionary. 19 00:02:24,249 --> 00:02:27,671 It probably would lead to a wrong interpretation of the letter. 20 00:02:28,172 --> 00:02:35,057 The standard letter from the IRS is in prose and it's ordinary, plain language. 21 00:02:35,057 --> 00:02:36,808 And you should interpret it that way. 22 00:02:36,808 --> 00:02:40,079 You'll get a better result from the IRS if you do. 23 00:02:41,020 --> 00:02:41,540 Why? 24 00:02:41,540 --> 00:02:43,761 Well, because the context. 25 00:02:43,781 --> 00:02:51,243 The context indicates to you that you should understand it as plain, ordinary language. 26 00:02:51,523 --> 00:02:56,734 And that's what we do typically in a book of the Bible. 27 00:02:56,734 --> 00:03:06,907 We start with the assumption as we open any book of the Bible that it is plain, ordinary language. 28 00:03:07,227 --> 00:03:10,428 How do we determine if it's not? 29 00:03:10,980 --> 00:03:13,030 plain ordinary language. 30 00:03:19,801 --> 00:03:20,757 All right. 31 00:03:22,906 --> 00:03:25,237 All right, context. 32 00:03:26,099 --> 00:03:36,167 Individual terms within the context that would point us to an idea that perhaps this language is not ordinary language. 33 00:03:36,167 --> 00:03:42,491 Perhaps this language is more figurative language in its usage. 34 00:03:42,702 --> 00:03:53,040 And so when you're looking in a context, you should assume that it's ordinary unless the context tells you it's not. 35 00:03:53,642 --> 00:03:57,892 When you open up the book of Daniel, turn to Daniel chapter 1. 36 00:03:58,486 --> 00:04:01,428 Daniel is my favorite example of this. 37 00:04:01,626 --> 00:04:15,367 because Daniel in the Old Testament provides you both examples, both scenarios that you can begin to understand why and how to operate in this type of environment as far as 38 00:04:15,367 --> 00:04:17,269 interpreting language. 39 00:04:17,269 --> 00:04:21,434 In Daniel chapter one, we open the book, 40 00:04:21,434 --> 00:04:30,351 Chapter 1 verse 1, in the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 41 00:04:30,351 --> 00:04:33,612 Does it sound like plain ordinary language? 42 00:04:34,974 --> 00:04:36,455 Outside the names. 43 00:04:37,055 --> 00:04:43,219 They don't sound like regular ordinary English names, this is a here's a date. 44 00:04:43,532 --> 00:04:49,404 here's a king who was reigning, here's another king of another nation who was reigning, here's what they did. 45 00:04:49,404 --> 00:04:50,454 Okay? 46 00:04:50,454 --> 00:04:52,535 Sounds like plain ordinary language. 47 00:04:52,535 --> 00:05:02,778 You should begin, if the author begins with that, you should begin by assuming that what you're going to read is plain ordinary language. 48 00:05:02,778 --> 00:05:03,379 All right? 49 00:05:03,379 --> 00:05:07,080 So when you come down to chapter two, 50 00:05:07,918 --> 00:05:16,250 Now in the second year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams, and his spirit was troubled that his sleep left him. 51 00:05:16,250 --> 00:05:23,332 Then the king gave the command to call the magicians and astrologers and sorcerers and the Chaldeans to tell the king his dreams. 52 00:05:23,332 --> 00:05:25,753 So they came and stood before the king. 53 00:05:25,753 --> 00:05:31,655 And the king said to them, I have had a dream, and my spirit is anxious to know the dream. 54 00:05:31,655 --> 00:05:36,292 Then the Chaldeans spoke to the king in Aramaic, O king, live forever. 55 00:05:36,292 --> 00:05:45,317 Tell your servants the dream and we will give the interpretation." Then the king answered and said to the Chaldeans, My decision is firm. 56 00:05:45,317 --> 00:05:55,963 If you do not make known the dream to me and its interpretation, you shall be cut in pieces and your houses shall be made an ash heap. 57 00:05:57,224 --> 00:05:59,405 Is this plain ordinary language? 58 00:06:01,266 --> 00:06:04,888 I suggest that the Chaldeans knew it very much was. 59 00:06:05,536 --> 00:06:15,470 The king was not using highly figurative language when he described the punishment they would receive if they didn't tell him the dream. 60 00:06:16,312 --> 00:06:19,115 So, let's look at the reaction. 61 00:06:19,274 --> 00:06:20,264 Verse 62 00:06:49,237 --> 00:06:51,138 me till the time has changed. 63 00:06:51,138 --> 00:07:00,845 Therefore tell me the dream and I shall know that you can give me its interpretation." The Chaldeans answered the king and said, There is not a man on earth who can tell the king's 64 00:07:00,845 --> 00:07:01,505 matter. 65 00:07:01,505 --> 00:07:10,211 Therefore no king, lord, or ruler has ever asked such a thing or any magician, astrologer of any magician, astrologer, or Chaldean. 66 00:07:10,211 --> 00:07:19,497 It is a difficult thing that the king requests and there is no other who can tell it to the king except the gods whose dwelling is not with flesh. 67 00:07:19,497 --> 00:07:25,220 For this reason the king was angry and very furious and gave the command to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. 68 00:07:25,220 --> 00:07:32,783 So the decree went out and they began killing the wise men and they sought Daniel and his companions to kill them. 69 00:07:33,084 --> 00:07:43,748 Was the context literal when the king gave the warning that if they didn't tell him the dream they'd be killed? 70 00:07:44,249 --> 00:07:45,199 Very much so. 71 00:07:45,199 --> 00:07:48,491 The result, how you know, they started dying. 72 00:07:49,087 --> 00:07:51,468 Alright, context tells you. 73 00:07:52,049 --> 00:08:00,295 Now, if you go down to where Daniel begins to tell the dream, notice what we find. 74 00:08:00,295 --> 00:08:05,227 uh Beginning in verse 24. 75 00:08:05,663 --> 00:08:10,505 Therefore Daniel went to Ariok whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon. 76 00:08:10,505 --> 00:08:17,028 He went and said thus to him, Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon, take me before the king and I will tell the king the interpretation. 77 00:08:17,028 --> 00:08:27,073 Then Ariok quickly brought Daniel before the king and said thus to him, I have found a man of the captives of Judah who will make known to the king the interpretation. 78 00:08:27,073 --> 00:08:35,837 The king answered and said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, are you able to make known to me the dream which I have seen and its interpretation? 79 00:08:35,837 --> 00:08:43,528 Daniel answered in the presence of the king and said, The secret which the king has demanded the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, and the soothsayers cannot declare 80 00:08:43,528 --> 00:08:44,459 to the king. 81 00:08:44,459 --> 00:08:47,980 But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets. 82 00:08:47,980 --> 00:08:57,483 And he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days your dream and the visions of your head upon your bed were these. 83 00:08:57,987 --> 00:09:08,923 As for you, O King, thoughts came to your mind while on your bed about what would come to pass after this, and he who reveals secrets has made known to you what will be. 84 00:09:08,923 --> 00:09:15,467 But as for me, the secret has not been revealed to me because I have more wisdom than anyone living. 85 00:09:15,467 --> 00:09:21,771 but for our sakes who make known the interpretation of the king and that you may know the thoughts of your heart. 86 00:09:21,771 --> 00:09:25,453 You, O king, were watching and behold, a great image. 87 00:09:25,453 --> 00:09:30,916 This great image whose splendor was excellent stood before you and its form was awesome. 88 00:09:30,916 --> 00:09:41,702 This image's head was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. 89 00:09:42,929 --> 00:09:50,424 You watched while a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet of iron and clay and broke them in pieces. 90 00:09:50,424 --> 00:09:57,689 Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were crushed together and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors. 91 00:09:57,689 --> 00:10:10,018 The wind carried them away so that no trace was found and the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth." All right, what does Daniel tell the 92 00:10:10,018 --> 00:10:10,838 king? 93 00:10:12,826 --> 00:10:13,867 His dream. 94 00:10:14,228 --> 00:10:15,429 The vision. 95 00:10:15,930 --> 00:10:17,111 He tells him where he was. 96 00:10:17,111 --> 00:10:18,913 He tells him what he saw. 97 00:10:19,354 --> 00:10:25,942 Now when Daniel tells him the vision, does the king say, thank you, I've got all the information I need now? 98 00:10:29,048 --> 00:10:31,668 No, what is the King looking for? 99 00:10:34,214 --> 00:10:40,059 how to understand the vision but he first needed to know what the vision was. 100 00:10:41,001 --> 00:10:46,285 The king said I need the dream and I need the interpretation. 101 00:10:46,285 --> 00:10:50,949 Had the dream been in plain ordinary language would he have needed the interpretation? 102 00:10:52,151 --> 00:10:56,174 When he saw the image did he know that it meant something? 103 00:10:56,936 --> 00:10:59,758 Well he knew it meant something but he know what it was. 104 00:11:00,282 --> 00:11:09,726 When he saw that the head was of gold and the arms and the chest were of silver and the belly and the thighs were of brass and the legs and the feet were of iron mixed with clay, 105 00:11:09,726 --> 00:11:11,927 did he know it meant something? 106 00:11:13,168 --> 00:11:13,998 Something! 107 00:11:13,998 --> 00:11:16,949 That's why he wants the interpretation. 108 00:11:17,809 --> 00:11:28,954 You see, when you get to visionary language, you are not to assume that what you see is what it means. 109 00:11:29,988 --> 00:11:37,722 The king, Nebuchadnezzar, knew immediately that what he saw wasn't what it meant. 110 00:11:37,722 --> 00:11:50,669 He wasn't seeing that one day in the future someone would build a great image and they'd build the top out of gold and they'd build the top center out of silver. 111 00:11:50,810 --> 00:11:52,730 He didn't make that assumption. 112 00:11:53,571 --> 00:11:55,472 As matter of fact, neither did Daniel. 113 00:11:55,472 --> 00:11:57,253 Notice what the text says. 114 00:11:57,253 --> 00:11:58,894 This is the dream 115 00:11:59,058 --> 00:12:04,498 Now we will tell the interpretation of it before the king. 116 00:12:05,198 --> 00:12:07,558 This is what you saw. 117 00:12:08,418 --> 00:12:11,718 You should not assume what you saw is what it meant. 118 00:12:11,998 --> 00:12:14,758 You should assume this is what you saw. 119 00:12:14,758 --> 00:12:18,358 Now this is what it meant. 120 00:12:19,996 --> 00:12:26,168 How did Daniel and the king know they should be looking for an interpretation? 121 00:12:26,168 --> 00:12:30,389 Notice they were looking for an interpretation before Daniel was ever in the picture. 122 00:12:30,809 --> 00:12:34,850 They didn't need Daniel to tell them they needed an interpretation. 123 00:12:34,850 --> 00:12:39,091 The king asked for that way back there when he was talking to the Chaldeans. 124 00:12:39,992 --> 00:12:43,893 He knew he had a vision and he knew he needed an interpretation. 125 00:12:43,893 --> 00:12:44,553 Why? 126 00:12:44,553 --> 00:12:48,434 Because what he saw was a picture. 127 00:12:49,558 --> 00:12:52,179 Now he wants to know what the picture means. 128 00:12:52,440 --> 00:12:53,100 Okay? 129 00:12:53,100 --> 00:13:05,388 So when you come to a text and you just jump right in and you read Daniel and he says, saw this, but what he's talking about is a vision. 130 00:13:06,009 --> 00:13:10,992 You should be asking yourself, that's what I see, but what does it mean? 131 00:13:11,293 --> 00:13:12,033 Okay? 132 00:13:12,033 --> 00:13:18,357 You should not assume that's what I see and that's what it means. 133 00:13:18,635 --> 00:13:26,830 And the reason why we're going through this is because this is what you will find when you deal with people in the book of Revelation, especially when you deal with people who have 134 00:13:26,830 --> 00:13:31,713 been taught the book of Revelation by culture in the United States. 135 00:13:33,377 --> 00:13:35,458 They'll see 144,000. 136 00:13:35,458 --> 00:13:39,260 And guess what they'll say? 137 00:13:39,901 --> 00:13:41,041 There's 144,000. 138 00:13:41,041 --> 00:13:44,303 And that's the exact number. 139 00:13:44,597 --> 00:13:45,244 144,000. 140 00:13:45,244 --> 00:13:51,047 They'll see events occur. 141 00:13:51,867 --> 00:13:54,909 And they'll say, happened in the Plain of Megiddo. 142 00:13:55,529 --> 00:14:00,422 And guess where they will be looking for it to occur physically someday in the future? 143 00:14:00,422 --> 00:14:02,503 In the Valley of Megiddo. 144 00:14:04,277 --> 00:14:07,019 and they'll see great armies. 145 00:14:07,019 --> 00:14:08,840 And guess what they'll be looking for? 146 00:14:09,401 --> 00:14:11,002 Great armies. 147 00:14:11,423 --> 00:14:11,853 Why? 148 00:14:11,853 --> 00:14:19,769 Because they're not following the rules of interpretation for visionary language. 149 00:14:20,951 --> 00:14:25,894 They're going, that's what I see, and that's what it means. 150 00:14:27,176 --> 00:14:34,181 Instead of going, this is what I see, and having the wisdom of Nebuchadnezzar to say, now what does it mean? 151 00:14:35,787 --> 00:14:46,757 When you are in a context where the author tells you this is visionary language, turn to Revelation chapter 1 verse 1. 152 00:14:52,159 --> 00:15:06,720 revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave Him to show His servants things which must shortly take place, sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John. 153 00:15:07,241 --> 00:15:13,667 The term signified means it was given in imagery. 154 00:15:15,413 --> 00:15:20,356 the message and the imagery wasn't the meaning. 155 00:15:21,137 --> 00:15:25,320 It was that which showed them the meaning. 156 00:15:25,320 --> 00:15:27,481 They needed an interpretation. 157 00:15:27,682 --> 00:15:28,662 Okay? 158 00:15:28,662 --> 00:15:34,066 So when you come to the book of Revelation you're going to start off seeing prose. 159 00:15:34,066 --> 00:15:44,223 Is God literally and in a definitive technical term the beginning and the end? 160 00:15:45,919 --> 00:15:47,690 Is He the first and the last? 161 00:15:47,991 --> 00:15:48,891 Yeah. 162 00:15:49,532 --> 00:15:51,293 Did He exist before anything else? 163 00:15:51,293 --> 00:15:53,655 Will He exist forever? 164 00:15:53,655 --> 00:15:54,915 Absolutely. 165 00:15:55,216 --> 00:16:00,839 When John starts off and writes to the seven churches, is he writing to actual churches? 166 00:16:01,500 --> 00:16:07,364 Yeah, because we're still in the beginning introduction where the visions haven't started yet. 167 00:16:08,565 --> 00:16:14,389 So when you're dealing with chapter one, you start off, interpret it as it's written, 168 00:16:14,389 --> 00:16:21,229 This is the introduction informing you of what's to come, just the same way we did in Daniel 2. 169 00:16:21,495 --> 00:16:30,111 Just the same way the Chaldeans knew that Nebuchadnezzar wasn't speaking in figurative language when he said, you're going to die if you don't tell me. 170 00:16:31,720 --> 00:16:40,909 But when you get down into the text, you read in verse 9, I John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation in the kingdom and the patience of Jesus Christ was on the 171 00:16:40,909 --> 00:16:44,523 island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. 172 00:16:44,523 --> 00:16:47,426 Was he literally, physically on the island? 173 00:16:47,426 --> 00:16:48,166 Yes he was. 174 00:16:48,166 --> 00:16:49,368 He says, here's where I was. 175 00:16:49,368 --> 00:16:55,533 Same way Daniel said, it was in this day of this king when this occurred. 176 00:16:58,461 --> 00:17:06,097 But he says, "'I was in the Spirit on Lord's Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice as of trumpet, saying, I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, what you see right 177 00:17:06,097 --> 00:17:06,728 in a book. 178 00:17:06,728 --> 00:17:13,734 Send it to the seven churches, which are in Asia, to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea. 179 00:17:13,734 --> 00:17:24,683 Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me, and the visionary language begins.'" How do we know it began? 180 00:17:24,683 --> 00:17:28,005 Because he starts to tell us what he saw. 181 00:17:29,575 --> 00:17:33,528 he's starting to give us the visionary language. 182 00:17:33,609 --> 00:17:50,543 But, as you get into this text and you get into chapter two and into chapter three, you're going to have a mix of visionary language and literal, normal language. 183 00:17:51,104 --> 00:17:51,905 Okay? 184 00:17:51,905 --> 00:17:56,741 And we're gonna have to deal with those images inside the normal language. 185 00:17:56,741 --> 00:18:01,164 as he writes these small messages to the seven churches. 186 00:18:02,266 --> 00:18:08,591 And we're going to be able to see John mix imagery and normal prose. 187 00:18:09,272 --> 00:18:13,835 Then we're going to get into chapter four and most of the normal prose is going to disappear. 188 00:18:15,117 --> 00:18:20,942 The normal prose will now only occasionally be interspersed with the visionary language. 189 00:18:21,643 --> 00:18:23,424 So notice where we're at. 190 00:18:23,424 --> 00:18:24,833 Verse 17, 191 00:18:25,649 --> 00:18:41,859 when I saw him I fell at his feet as dead but he laid his right hand on me saying do not be afraid I am the first and I am the last." In the book of Revelation you have a number 192 00:18:41,859 --> 00:18:46,221 of occasions where John falls down. 193 00:18:47,342 --> 00:18:52,167 Occasions where John falls down out of fear, John falls down out of awe, 194 00:18:52,167 --> 00:19:03,082 that's one of these occasions, John falls down out of worship and on multiple of those occasions he's corrected and said, no, no, don't worship anyone but God. 195 00:19:03,383 --> 00:19:15,229 Now, if you're thinking about this, bear in mind John's presenting you a vision. 196 00:19:17,033 --> 00:19:23,745 So you should not assume that John literally fell down every time John in the vision sees himself fall down. 197 00:19:26,522 --> 00:19:32,165 When we're in the visionary language, John is seeing himself too. 198 00:19:33,226 --> 00:19:36,508 And John is going to see himself fall down and worship an angel. 199 00:19:36,508 --> 00:19:52,887 Do you think John, as an elderly apostle who had spent his entire adult life following Jesus and guiding and leading the church, knew it was improper to worship angels? 200 00:19:54,606 --> 00:19:55,496 Sure. 201 00:19:55,976 --> 00:19:58,357 So why would John fall down and worship an angel? 202 00:19:58,937 --> 00:20:04,779 The answer is John sees himself in the vision fall down and worship an angel. 203 00:20:05,599 --> 00:20:12,841 And then John sees the message come back and say, no, you don't worship anybody but God. 204 00:20:13,481 --> 00:20:21,723 God's using John in the vision to see these things, to teach lessons to the church. 205 00:20:22,016 --> 00:20:22,624 All right. 206 00:20:22,624 --> 00:20:23,280 So. 207 00:20:23,280 --> 00:20:31,765 We'll deal with that more when we get into those passages, but I wanted to introduce the fact that sometimes in the vision, John sees John in the vision. 208 00:20:33,420 --> 00:20:35,101 recently watched a movie. 209 00:20:36,002 --> 00:20:43,528 It was written and directed and it had the lead actor as the guy who wrote and directed the movie. 210 00:20:43,829 --> 00:20:45,029 Guess what? 211 00:20:45,410 --> 00:20:48,042 The director saw himself in the movie. 212 00:20:49,718 --> 00:20:53,832 John sees himself in the vision. 213 00:20:54,574 --> 00:20:57,296 He participates in the vision. 214 00:20:58,358 --> 00:21:04,223 But there's no indication John ever got up from where he was on the Isle of Patmos while the visions were given. 215 00:21:05,125 --> 00:21:08,298 Where was Nebuchadnezzar when he saw the vision? 216 00:21:10,242 --> 00:21:11,812 He was laying on his bed. 217 00:21:12,535 --> 00:21:14,877 Where was the vision taking place? 218 00:21:15,999 --> 00:21:17,110 Inside his head. 219 00:21:19,106 --> 00:21:20,017 Okay? 220 00:21:20,201 --> 00:21:22,507 Where's John's vision taking place? 221 00:21:24,364 --> 00:21:25,485 inside his head. 222 00:21:26,446 --> 00:21:30,661 And on occasion, John sees himself in the vision. 223 00:21:30,661 --> 00:21:32,392 Okay? 224 00:21:32,413 --> 00:21:41,962 So when you see John interacting in the vision, you should understand God's teaching us something through the actions of John. 225 00:21:42,664 --> 00:21:43,434 Now... 226 00:21:44,974 --> 00:21:49,685 Verse 17, he begins to tell what he saw. 227 00:21:49,685 --> 00:21:54,166 Now, he's already described the one who he saw, Christ. 228 00:21:54,167 --> 00:22:05,640 He saw him not as he existed and as he appeared back in the time when John knew him in the flesh, though there is some shared appearances we brought out at the end of the last class 229 00:22:05,640 --> 00:22:11,171 between Jesus' appearance at the transfiguration and Jesus' appearance here. 230 00:22:11,171 --> 00:22:14,236 Because when Jesus was transfigured, he became 231 00:22:14,236 --> 00:22:17,158 white in his appearance. 232 00:22:19,140 --> 00:22:28,508 the message, verse 18, I am he who lives and was dead and behold I am alive forevermore. 233 00:22:28,508 --> 00:22:29,569 Amen. 234 00:22:29,949 --> 00:22:33,752 I have the keys of Hades and death. 235 00:22:34,053 --> 00:22:42,980 Write the things which you have seen and the things which are and the things which will take place after this. 236 00:22:43,416 --> 00:22:49,501 the mystery of the seven stars which you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands. 237 00:22:49,501 --> 00:23:02,552 The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches." As Jesus begins to introduce this, number one, he establishes 238 00:23:02,552 --> 00:23:07,276 his authority and verifies his identity. 239 00:23:09,662 --> 00:23:16,596 This is not the member of the Godhead who had always sat on the throne in heaven. 240 00:23:17,217 --> 00:23:29,686 This is the member of the Godhead who lives, who was dead, and behold, he is alive forevermore. 241 00:23:29,686 --> 00:23:31,706 What member of the Godhead is that? 242 00:23:32,467 --> 00:23:33,868 Jesus Christ. 243 00:23:34,569 --> 00:23:38,291 He identifies in normal language, 244 00:23:38,301 --> 00:23:39,931 his existence. 245 00:23:40,372 --> 00:23:43,633 He identifies who he is. 246 00:23:44,314 --> 00:23:53,327 But also, one of the things you're going to be looking for in the book of Revelation is just about every good thing in the book of Revelation has an evil counterpart. 247 00:23:53,327 --> 00:23:55,398 Okay? 248 00:23:55,538 --> 00:24:03,041 This is a picture book where you've got one thing on one side and then you've got a contrast to it. 249 00:24:03,662 --> 00:24:06,653 So there's going to be a beast later on. 250 00:24:07,443 --> 00:24:14,046 that was alive and then it looks like it dies and then it looks like it resurrects. 251 00:24:14,046 --> 00:24:18,908 It looks like it was alive, it was dead, and it's alive again. 252 00:24:19,848 --> 00:24:28,852 You see the book has counterpart imagery and so as you see one thing you're going go, alright, wait a minute, I'm looking for that. 253 00:24:28,852 --> 00:24:31,573 I'm going to look for that to show up later on in the book. 254 00:24:31,573 --> 00:24:35,865 I want to see the evil counterpart because what you're seeing in the book 255 00:24:36,785 --> 00:24:45,581 is God saying over and over and over again, doesn't matter what the devil throws out at my people, I'm going to defeat it. 256 00:24:46,562 --> 00:24:53,367 It doesn't matter if it looks like the devil's in charge, I'm going to win. 257 00:24:53,768 --> 00:24:59,111 It doesn't matter if it looks like the devil has authority, he will be defeated. 258 00:25:00,032 --> 00:25:04,487 And so as you see those evil things come forth, 259 00:25:04,487 --> 00:25:09,628 you're seeing God say, already beat it, it's already done, it's already accomplished. 260 00:25:09,628 --> 00:25:10,871 oh 261 00:25:13,553 --> 00:25:18,169 Notice as well, he says, I have the keys of Hades and death. 262 00:25:18,169 --> 00:25:19,931 What does the term Hades mean? 263 00:25:23,155 --> 00:25:23,717 the grave. 264 00:25:23,717 --> 00:25:27,346 ah And so you have. 265 00:25:29,073 --> 00:25:37,967 The one who is speaking to John saying, I have the keys, the Hades, the grave, and death. 266 00:25:37,967 --> 00:25:41,789 Now, some translations say hell, okay? 267 00:25:41,789 --> 00:25:54,815 Bear in mind, it's a little hard in some translations to understand the context as well as you should if they use the same word in English to interpret two different words in the 268 00:25:54,815 --> 00:25:55,545 Greek. 269 00:25:56,519 --> 00:25:59,441 And that's what some translations, especially the King James, does. 270 00:25:59,441 --> 00:26:02,243 It translates the term Hades as hell. 271 00:26:02,243 --> 00:26:05,405 It also translates the word Tartarus as hell. 272 00:26:05,405 --> 00:26:08,708 It also translates the word Gehenna as hell. 273 00:26:08,708 --> 00:26:10,589 Those are three different words. 274 00:26:10,749 --> 00:26:14,171 They carry with them three different Old Testament pictures. 275 00:26:15,133 --> 00:26:24,679 And yet if they're all interpreted as the same word in English, you're gonna have to do a lot more work to understand which one is being discussed and why. 276 00:26:25,070 --> 00:26:33,024 in this context, the New King James and other translations do you a favor when they give you the original word. 277 00:26:33,805 --> 00:26:35,806 And they didn't interpret it at all. 278 00:26:35,886 --> 00:26:43,069 They just actually took the term from the Greek and they replaced it with English letters and said, figure it out. 279 00:26:44,270 --> 00:26:46,772 That's what they do with the word baptism, by the way. 280 00:26:46,772 --> 00:26:53,135 The uh translators said there's a bunch of disagreement on what this word means. 281 00:26:53,403 --> 00:26:56,783 And there's a bunch of different religious ideas about what baptism is. 282 00:26:56,783 --> 00:26:58,703 So we're not even going to interpret it for you. 283 00:26:58,703 --> 00:26:59,803 We're not going to translate it. 284 00:26:59,803 --> 00:27:05,823 We're just going to give you the word and transliterate the letters from Greek to English. 285 00:27:06,083 --> 00:27:08,343 Same thing they do with Hades. 286 00:27:08,763 --> 00:27:11,443 So what is Jesus saying? 287 00:27:11,783 --> 00:27:20,603 Well, I would suggest to you that there are plain spoken passages that tell you how to interpret statements like this. 288 00:27:20,603 --> 00:27:22,383 Turn to Matthew chapter 28. 289 00:27:29,869 --> 00:27:48,604 One of the things you must do in a highly figurative context is you must be certain you never interpret that context to contradict plain spoken ordinary language taught by the 290 00:27:48,604 --> 00:27:49,864 rest of Scripture. 291 00:27:50,565 --> 00:27:59,515 Because if you actually interpret this highly figurative language to be something that is in antithesis to that which is 292 00:27:59,515 --> 00:28:04,137 plainly stated in Scripture, I can guarantee you, you've come to the wrong conclusion. 293 00:28:04,960 --> 00:28:13,387 Because Scripture doesn't, uh I lost the word I'm looking for, ah it doesn't go against itself. 294 00:28:13,387 --> 00:28:16,689 It doesn't tell you one thing and then tell you the exact opposite. 295 00:28:16,769 --> 00:28:26,678 And so as a result of that, if you have interpreted a meaning to mean something that plain-spoken Scripture doesn't mean, you got it wrong. 296 00:28:26,678 --> 00:28:28,473 Peter, by the way, will point that out 297 00:28:28,473 --> 00:28:37,858 when he writes about Paul's writings and how some had read Paul's writings, some of which even Peter says were hard to understand, and he said they twisted them to their own 298 00:28:37,858 --> 00:28:38,479 destruction. 299 00:28:38,479 --> 00:28:38,869 Why? 300 00:28:38,869 --> 00:28:45,032 Because they didn't interpret the hard things in view of the things they already knew to be true. 301 00:28:45,072 --> 00:28:45,733 Alright? 302 00:28:45,733 --> 00:28:57,559 So, uh Matthew chapter 28 verse 18, Jesus came and spoke to them, the disciples, saying, authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. 303 00:28:58,777 --> 00:29:07,895 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I command 304 00:29:07,895 --> 00:29:17,763 you, and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." What does Jesus establish about His existence after His resurrection? 305 00:29:20,015 --> 00:29:26,192 He's alive, he'll be alive forevermore, and he has all authority. 306 00:29:26,314 --> 00:29:28,469 Okay, turn to Hebrews chapter one. 307 00:29:49,227 --> 00:29:59,953 In Hebrews chapter 1, we read God, at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He 308 00:29:59,953 --> 00:30:08,717 has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds, who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by 309 00:30:08,717 --> 00:30:18,202 the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become so much better than the angels. 310 00:30:18,202 --> 00:30:27,790 as he has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they." The Hebrew writer in plain ordinary language says, Jesus Christ was the creator. 311 00:30:28,491 --> 00:30:30,492 By Him all things were made. 312 00:30:30,973 --> 00:30:40,582 He's the one who allows things to continue to exist by the word of His power, and He is the one by whom God has spoken to us. 313 00:30:40,582 --> 00:30:42,624 But notice chapter 2. 314 00:30:42,624 --> 00:30:45,534 He says, therefore, verse 1, 315 00:30:45,534 --> 00:30:49,596 We must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. 316 00:30:49,596 --> 00:30:58,029 For if the word spoken through angels proves steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a 317 00:30:58,029 --> 00:31:03,782 salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him? 318 00:31:03,782 --> 00:31:11,345 God also bearing witness, both with signs and wonders, with various miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will. 319 00:31:11,345 --> 00:31:14,418 For He has not put the world to come, 320 00:31:14,418 --> 00:31:17,220 of which we speak in subjection to angels. 321 00:31:17,280 --> 00:31:21,683 But one testified in a certain place saying, What is man that you are mindful of him? 322 00:31:21,683 --> 00:31:24,025 Or the son of man that you take care of him? 323 00:31:24,025 --> 00:31:31,910 You have made him a little lower than the angels, you have crowned him with glory and honor, and set him over the works of your hands, you have put all things in subjection 324 00:31:31,910 --> 00:31:33,131 under his feet. 325 00:31:33,131 --> 00:31:42,137 For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him, but now we do not yet see all things put under him. 326 00:31:42,157 --> 00:31:43,594 But we see Jesus. 327 00:31:43,594 --> 00:31:52,639 who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor, that he by the grace of God might taste death for every one. 328 00:31:52,699 --> 00:32:01,154 For it was fitting for him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory to make the captain of their salvation perfect through 329 00:32:01,154 --> 00:32:02,025 sufferings. 330 00:32:02,025 --> 00:32:07,808 For both he who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one. 331 00:32:07,808 --> 00:32:10,986 For which reason he is not ashamed to call them brethren. 332 00:32:10,986 --> 00:32:14,337 saying, will declare your name to my brethren in the midst of the assembly. 333 00:32:14,337 --> 00:32:15,728 I will sing praise to you. 334 00:32:15,728 --> 00:32:18,448 And again I will put my trust in him. 335 00:32:18,448 --> 00:32:21,709 And again here I am and the children whom God has given me. 336 00:32:21,709 --> 00:32:35,594 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, he himself likewise shared in the same, that he through death might destroy him who had the power of death, that is 337 00:32:35,594 --> 00:32:36,734 the devil." 338 00:32:37,020 --> 00:32:43,398 and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. 339 00:32:45,162 --> 00:32:56,008 What does the Hebrew writer say in plain spoken language that Christ now has authority over death? 340 00:32:56,669 --> 00:32:57,409 Why? 341 00:32:57,409 --> 00:32:58,950 Because He defeated it. 342 00:33:00,478 --> 00:33:04,627 Why then do we no longer have to fear death? 343 00:33:05,771 --> 00:33:10,932 Because Jesus holds the keys to the grave. 344 00:33:12,730 --> 00:33:13,831 and death. 345 00:33:15,073 --> 00:33:24,942 So if you understand the picture and then you come over here to Hebrews chapter 2 and you go, I know exactly what the Hebrew writer says about Christ's over death. 346 00:33:25,503 --> 00:33:27,045 Now you see the picture. 347 00:33:27,045 --> 00:33:31,389 Now later on there's going to be somebody who comes up and they've got the keys. 348 00:33:33,137 --> 00:34:02,657 But but Jesus already tells you, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, 349 00:34:02,897 --> 00:34:09,823 that this book is written to Christians who are about to go through suffering. 350 00:34:10,044 --> 00:34:13,867 They're about to go through persecution. 351 00:34:13,948 --> 00:34:28,421 They're about to be put under the thumb of a government that is going to attack them viciously and consistently for decades as a governmental policy. 352 00:34:30,883 --> 00:34:39,756 and John's writing to them before it ever starts and says, not assume that the government is in control. 353 00:34:40,497 --> 00:34:51,541 Do not assume that just because you're being persecuted and you're being killed for the testimony of God that we didn't already know it was coming. 354 00:34:52,602 --> 00:35:00,591 And by the way, when it looks like Satan is one, when it looks like the devil is in charge, when it looks like the government that is 355 00:35:00,591 --> 00:35:06,789 killing you is prospering, they're just that much closer to being defeated. 356 00:35:08,837 --> 00:35:21,163 So, Jesus says, write the things which you see and the things which are and the things which will take place after this. 357 00:35:21,704 --> 00:35:32,530 Now, in verse two and verse one, sorry, verse one and verse three, we've already been told the things that he's going to talk about, the things that are going to take place are 358 00:35:32,530 --> 00:35:35,831 shortly to come to pass. 359 00:35:36,012 --> 00:35:38,403 They're at hand. 360 00:35:39,505 --> 00:35:46,325 So when Jesus says, I want you to write the things that are going to come to pass, the context of time has already been set. 361 00:35:46,585 --> 00:35:53,325 In the plain spoken language portion of the text, God said, it's about to happen. 362 00:35:53,585 --> 00:35:54,785 All right? 363 00:35:55,625 --> 00:35:58,385 But then we see the mystery of the seven stars. 364 00:35:58,485 --> 00:36:07,745 When you see the word mystery in the book of Revelation, you are not to assume this is something that cannot be known. 365 00:36:08,209 --> 00:36:11,696 because that's actually the exact opposite of the meaning of the original language. 366 00:36:11,858 --> 00:36:18,453 The word mystery in the original language meant that which is revealed. 367 00:36:20,450 --> 00:36:29,096 So John is saying, as Jesus interprets the vision, he says, here's what you're supposed to understand. 368 00:36:29,557 --> 00:36:35,921 When you see the stars and you see the candlesticks, here's the meaning of it. 369 00:36:35,921 --> 00:36:38,143 Here's the revelation of it. 370 00:36:38,143 --> 00:36:41,685 Here's the revealing of the mystery. 371 00:36:42,163 --> 00:36:44,034 All the time in Paul's writings. 372 00:36:44,034 --> 00:36:51,175 Paul will use the term mystery over and over and over again, especially when he's dealing with the contrast of the Old Testament with the New Testament. 373 00:36:51,276 --> 00:36:55,893 And when Paul does that, he is not trying to tell you there's a bunch of things that we don't know. 374 00:36:55,893 --> 00:36:58,117 Matter of fact, he's telling you the exact opposite. 375 00:36:58,518 --> 00:37:03,999 These are all the things that in the Old Testament they didn't know and now we do. 376 00:37:05,000 --> 00:37:10,451 These are all the things that the prophets spoke about that they didn't understand and now they've been revealed. 377 00:37:11,147 --> 00:37:24,002 The term mystery should be a clue to you in the text that we know exactly what it means, but it was previously hidden. 378 00:37:24,643 --> 00:37:29,985 So when you see the word mystery, you go, wait a minute, the meaning of this is right here in the text somewhere. 379 00:37:30,426 --> 00:37:33,267 Not, well, never gonna know what that means. 380 00:37:34,527 --> 00:37:38,579 Chapter two, as we go through the book, 381 00:37:39,051 --> 00:37:43,265 we're going to spend the least amount of time in chapters 2 and 3. 382 00:37:43,265 --> 00:37:44,335 There's a couple of reasons. 383 00:37:44,335 --> 00:37:47,968 Number one, they're the most talked about part of the book. 384 00:37:48,249 --> 00:37:58,997 They've been hashed and rehashed many times and generally people know what they mean and they're not highly figurative, but there are some keys in there that we need. 385 00:37:58,997 --> 00:38:04,481 So we're going to make sure and pay attention to them, but we're not going to spend a great deal of time on them. 386 00:38:04,822 --> 00:38:06,761 Chapter 2 verse 1, 387 00:38:09,077 --> 00:38:16,067 These things says he who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven gold lampstands. 388 00:38:16,129 --> 00:38:19,393 Who's writing to the church? 389 00:38:22,925 --> 00:38:26,425 Who's the one who was holding the stars and in the midst of the lampstands? 390 00:38:26,425 --> 00:38:27,325 Jesus. 391 00:38:27,865 --> 00:38:31,405 So the message is from Jesus. 392 00:38:31,405 --> 00:38:38,665 He already identified who he was and now he uses the picture to describe who he is. 393 00:38:38,984 --> 00:38:44,965 He uses the picture he's already explained to tell you I'm the one who's writing. 394 00:38:45,225 --> 00:38:48,565 So Jesus is writing to the church at Ephesus. 395 00:38:48,565 --> 00:38:49,997 I know your work. 396 00:38:49,997 --> 00:38:54,617 your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear with those who are evil. 397 00:38:54,637 --> 00:39:01,677 And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not and have found them liars." All right, here's a quick question. 398 00:39:01,677 --> 00:39:05,897 Are we in normal language or highly figurative language? 399 00:39:06,837 --> 00:39:08,117 Normal language. 400 00:39:08,797 --> 00:39:13,597 These are describing things that they actually did. 401 00:39:14,577 --> 00:39:17,697 You see, we can understand when language changes. 402 00:39:19,275 --> 00:39:26,511 We can't understand when the book goes from being visionary to normal. 403 00:39:27,432 --> 00:39:35,579 But he goes on, I know your works, your labor, your patience that you cannot bear with those who are evil and you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not and 404 00:39:35,579 --> 00:39:36,900 have found them liars. 405 00:39:36,900 --> 00:39:43,145 And you have persevered and have patience and have labored for my name's sake and have not become weary. 406 00:39:43,406 --> 00:39:47,249 Nevertheless, I have this against you that you have left your first love. 407 00:39:47,719 --> 00:39:51,414 Remember, therefore, from where you have fallen. 408 00:39:51,997 --> 00:40:01,592 Repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place unless you repent. 409 00:40:03,196 --> 00:40:08,805 Now what does Jesus use the vision to communicate? 410 00:40:16,488 --> 00:40:17,628 Judgment. 411 00:40:17,968 --> 00:40:18,528 Alright? 412 00:40:18,528 --> 00:40:31,648 Go back to verse 20, the mystery of the seven stars which you saw in my right hand, the seven golden lampstands, seven stars are the angels of the seven churches and the seven 413 00:40:31,648 --> 00:40:34,784 lampstands which you saw are what? 414 00:40:36,284 --> 00:40:37,388 Seven churches. 415 00:40:37,388 --> 00:40:43,044 Jesus is warning the Ephesian brethren, I'll take your church away. 416 00:40:44,584 --> 00:40:49,903 Now did that mean that there were no longer going to be a group of people meeting in the city of Ephesus? 417 00:40:52,070 --> 00:41:04,577 Does that mean it is possible, if we are to interpret this correctly, that Jesus Christ can have a church which He once was in fellowship with and now is entirely out of 418 00:41:04,577 --> 00:41:06,407 fellowship with that church? 419 00:41:07,168 --> 00:41:08,428 Absolutely. 420 00:41:08,989 --> 00:41:11,050 Otherwise, where's the threat? 421 00:41:11,230 --> 00:41:12,671 Where's the judgment? 422 00:41:13,412 --> 00:41:22,152 Jesus is telling the church at Ephesus, if you as a church do not repent, I will have no 423 00:41:22,152 --> 00:41:23,353 Fellowship with you. 424 00:41:23,353 --> 00:41:25,476 I will remove your lamp stand. 425 00:41:26,519 --> 00:41:27,420 Yes. 426 00:41:35,212 --> 00:41:46,671 You certainly could, ah because if an entire church can be taken out of fellowship with God and with Christ, how could you claim that once you are saved, you have no possibility 427 00:41:46,671 --> 00:41:48,282 of losing your salvation? 428 00:41:48,863 --> 00:41:56,538 Jesus informs an entire church that they can lose their salvation, and He'll take them out collectively. 429 00:41:58,096 --> 00:42:07,321 And by the way, you can lose your salvation having stood firmly for doctrine that is right. 430 00:42:08,562 --> 00:42:15,366 How does he describe that they could lose their salvation while firmly standing for correct doctrine? 431 00:42:16,527 --> 00:42:19,298 They lost their love for God. 432 00:42:21,444 --> 00:42:25,029 It became all about what they were doing. 433 00:42:25,391 --> 00:42:28,134 It became all about what they were teaching. 434 00:42:28,797 --> 00:42:36,078 But they had left off the single and first and greatest commandment. 435 00:42:38,066 --> 00:42:48,717 And when you take all of the practices of religion and you separate them from thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy strength, and 436 00:42:48,717 --> 00:43:01,730 all thy mind, all you've done is placed a set of responsibilities and actions on people and you have given them no actual spiritual connection to God. 437 00:43:03,660 --> 00:43:14,543 It is possible to teach that which is right and practice that which is wrong by divorcing your heart from the love of God. 438 00:43:15,564 --> 00:43:24,807 And here John says, you've been so focused on these important things. 439 00:43:26,637 --> 00:43:29,908 that you have forgotten the basics. 440 00:43:30,689 --> 00:43:33,270 You have forgotten the fundamentals. 441 00:43:33,811 --> 00:43:48,199 You have focused on all of these things which you are being applauded for, and yet you have forgotten to go back and do the first works. 442 00:43:49,179 --> 00:43:56,093 There are times that we need to be reminded of the things that are fundamental. 443 00:43:56,611 --> 00:43:58,173 Turn over to 2nd Peter. 444 00:44:08,599 --> 00:44:19,308 I know just recently when the ladies had their ladies retreat, they went through the Christian graces that are found here in verses 5 through verse 9. 445 00:44:19,308 --> 00:44:31,127 But you'll notice in verse 12, Peter writes, for this reason, I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things, though you know and are established in the present 446 00:44:31,127 --> 00:44:32,018 truth. 447 00:44:32,379 --> 00:44:37,983 Yes, I think it is right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you 448 00:44:37,983 --> 00:44:43,285 knowing that shortly I must put off my tent just as our Lord Jesus Christ showed me. 449 00:44:43,285 --> 00:44:54,068 Moreover, I will be careful to ensure that you always have a reminder of these things after my decease." Peter, as he's writing to them, says, I'm going to write to you about 450 00:44:54,068 --> 00:44:55,448 the basics. 451 00:44:56,328 --> 00:45:04,581 And not only am I going to write to you about them because you need to be reminded of them, I'm going to make sure there's someone around after I die who's going to continue to 452 00:45:04,581 --> 00:45:05,971 remind you of them. 453 00:45:08,503 --> 00:45:21,950 because Peter will tell them, verse 9 of the same chapter, he who lacks these things is short-sighted even to blindness and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. 454 00:45:22,310 --> 00:45:32,555 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things, you will never stumble. 455 00:45:35,287 --> 00:45:46,894 We need to be careful to remind ourselves that it is important for us to focus on the basics of Christianity. 456 00:45:47,254 --> 00:45:56,019 It is important for us to never neglect the fundamentals of loving God and obeying His commandments. 457 00:45:56,880 --> 00:46:01,685 Because, yes, there are going to be challenges that are going to be difficult and 458 00:46:01,685 --> 00:46:11,341 hard to deal with and some of those things are going to be hard to understand and we're going to have to spend time, effort, and energy in order to understand them in order to 459 00:46:11,341 --> 00:46:13,222 make sure we're sounding the faith. 460 00:46:13,222 --> 00:46:22,939 But we must not sacrifice the fundamentals for the things that are way beyond that level in our Christian lives. 461 00:46:22,939 --> 00:46:29,233 All right, we'll pick up in chapter two with the next letter to the next church next Sunday.