Rev. # 65~19:1- PRAISES FROM HEAVEN 7-31-10
At this point in our study of the Revelation of Jesus Christ, let us be aware that the 7- year Tribulation is coming to a close with the Lords return and the Battle of Armageddon.
The Old Testament saints have no part in the Church because they lived and died under an entirely different covenant--Law instead of Grace. Therefore, another judgment will obviously be required for them, not to mention those saved during the Tribulation Period after the Church is removed and then those of the Millennium itself.
The final bowls of Gods wrath are found in chapter 16: and gives us the 7 bowl judgments. with these” bowl judgments”, which are the worst of all the preceding judgments, and coming with the 7th an earth quake that will cause every city in the world to tumble into heaps.–
16: 17-18 And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done. 18And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great.
This chapter brings us to the end of the tribulation period. There are several events described in chapter 19: that we’ll try & talk about as we come to them Lord willing.
-- The Marriage of the Lamb--- the 2nd Advent of Christ--- Armageddon—and the judgment of the nations.
Christ’s returns back to earth here in this chapter, He conquers all of His enemies known as the battle of Armageddon** although we can not find that term any place in the Bible, then He will sit on His Throne of glory in Matt.25: as His Holy angels gathers all the people of the nations together, (notice) these made it through the tribulation} their referred to as the goats and the sheep, these people will be judged as whether or not they befriended the Jews in the tribulation or not, the sheep will go into the Millennial reign and they will populate the earth again, the goats, enemies of the Jews during that time will be cast into hell, {outer darkness} its called. We’ll get into that later. Lord willing.
Ø The 12 Apostles will judge the 12 Tribes of Israel.
Matt.19:28 And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel
Jerusalem will be His Headquarters.
Revelation 5:9-10— the church, which are the Elders.
Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth –world wide, the earth-
Only the Church is referred to here as (kings)-- only the Church is given the status of royalty. –The Church is referred to as (kings & priest} not priest only.
Tribulation martyrs serve the Lord in His earthly Temple.-- It’s a priestly role. They aren’t ever referred to as kings; the kings will be over a certain territory, maybe a mayor, a governor, whatever He see appropriate. –It will be according to our faithfulness now at this time. The True Church will rule and reign with Him, somewhere out in the world as He sees fit. –
The elect of the Church Age will serve in many different supervisory positions-- and probably be determined by the Lord at the Judgment Seat of Christ.
Let me point out that the Temple these Martyrs serve Him in will be in the earthly temple, there’s no temple in the N.J., the home of the Bride.
We’re told about the Millennial Temple in Ezekiel chapters 40-48. There will be night as well as day in the 1000 years reign.
But in the New Jerusalem there’s no need of the sun because He will be the light, neither is there a temple in the New Jerusalem, THE REASON BEING, a temple is to worship God, but God will be there in the N.J. we can go directly to Him at this time to worship Him as we’ll see Him physically.
In Rev. 21:22 we’re told that in the New Jerusalem there will be no temple there.
21:22-And I saw no temple therein:-- and then in 22:3-5 we read--
22: 3-5 And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; (N.J.) and his servants shall serve him:** 4And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. 5And there shall be no night there;--so there’s no temple or night in the N.J. because He is LIGHT.
Gods name will be in His servant’s foreheads, and let me say that the true JEHOVAH witnesses, the 144000 that we read about back in chapter 7 will have His name in their foreheads according to chapter 14:
Rev. 20:6 says that they will be priests of God and will reign with Him A THOUSAND YEARS.
Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
When we get to Rev.20:6 well talk more about who will make up the parts of the 1st resurrection, but let me say here that their all saved, but there are different groups of the redeemed that make up the 1st part.—referred to as the 1st resurrection.
Ø Therefore both the church and the tribulation Martyrs will assist the Lord in His eternal rule, each according to its assigned role.—the Church(kings) and the tribulation saints as their called (priest only.)
I have always said that what we do for Him now on this side of the rapture will have a great bearing on what He will allow us to do then, in His Kingdom.
And let me say that we don’t have to be some big important and well know Evangelist or Preacher in order for Him to use us, what He is looking for is faithfulness pertaining to the things of God, being a faithful church goer, reading your Bible and the like.
Have you ever wondered why maybe some preacher is such a blessing that he is? Well it might just be because some little old lady or gentleman prays for him regularly, some one that you never hear a word out of in church, but they know how to get a hold of God, maybe he or she is faithful to pray for that preacher, it could be God is honoring that request, without that faithful request in his or her pray that Preacher might not do as well as he does.
Ø Listen as I read verse 1.
1And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God:
The 1st time we read, “And after these things” was back in chapter 4: and this is when the rapture of the True Church took place, and the last time we read these words is here in verse 1 of 19:
A lot of things happen between chapter 4:1 and where we’re at today in chapter 19:1
At the very end of the tribulation are four events that sound the end of the tribulation; the pouring out of the 7th bowl of God’s wrath on the world in chapter 16: mentions all of them collectively. And then God’s wrath given to the destruction of commercial Babylon in chapter 18: and then the battle of Armageddon that we find here in this chapter 19:, let me remind us that the religious system was destroyed close to the mid way point of the 7 year tribulation by the 10 kings of the revived Roman Empire, because God had laid it on their hearts and minds to do so.
17: 16 –17 And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore,** and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. 17For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, ---
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** 1And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God:
This “much people in heaven” include the True Church which are the Elders along with the
The O.T. saints & the tribulation Martyred saints will be raised at the end of the 7- year tribulation; we know this because we read of it in two places.
Ø 1st the O.T. Saints
Daniel 12: 1-2 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people:**(Israel) and there shall be a time of trouble,** (trib.)such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered every one that shall be found written in the book.
2And many of them**(not all) that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life,**(1st resurrection) and some to shame and everlasting contempt**(2nd resurrection) 1007 years later, that is after the 7 year tribulation and the 1000 year Kingdom reign of Christ. (These will be at the white throne judgment of the lost)
**at that time thy people shall be delivered ** the Jews-
(1/3 of the Jews flee to the rock fortress & city of Petra there in Jordan at the mid way point of the tribulation, 2/3’s are killed according to –(Zechariah 13: 8-9 And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the LORD, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein. 9And I will bring the third part through the fire,** and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God)
Remember we’re talking about who these are here in verse 1 of chapter 19: that make up the ”great voice of much people in heaven that are praising God.—lets be sure and notice that their in HEAVEN as their praising God, their not on earth as yet.
It will be the True Church which are the Elders along with the O.T. saints that we just read of in Dan.12:1-2, as well as the tribulation Martyred saints, angels will be there although their not thanking God for salvation as Gods Angels have never sinned so they didn’t need to be saved.
The 4 living creatures will be there, we read about them in chapters 4: & 5: and the 144000 will be there. Quit a multitude.
There will be millions of people that will be saved in the tribulation, they never had heard the truth to do with Jesus and how to be saved before the rapture, its true they were left behind at the rapture of believers because they were not saved, but they will hear the preaching of the 144000 true JEHOVAH witnesses that we read about back in chapter 7: that will go all over the world at that time speaking in all languages, and multitudes will believe their message and be saved, their called “tribulation saints”, if their caught they’ll be beheaded by the police of the Antichrist {you could say} this is how the tribulation Martyrs come about.
Ø We read about these N.T. tribulation Martyrs and also the O.T. Martyrs in:
20: 4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: <<(O.T. SAINTS)-----(N.T. MARTYRS) >>and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; --and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
And let me say too; that some of the terrorist in our day and time will cut your head off for believing in Jesus Christ if they get the chance.
But this verse, -Rev.20:4.-reveals to us what manner of execution will be the way of death at that time, most likely the police of the Antichrist will have something similar to what was back in the old west days here when there were traveling hangmen.
They’d go from place to place at a scheduled time and carry out the death penalty by hanging.—it was their job--
These executioners will cut peoples heads off right on the spot in the tribulation according to Rev.20:4.—we remember how Sadamm Hussein would just have people carried out side and shot right on the spot.
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There will be believers AND UNBELIEVERS too (sheep & goats) that will actually live through the tribulation, they some how managed to survive, as Matt. 25: make clear.
