Rev. # 12~4:1-4~rapture Series

REV.4: 1-4 # 12 RAPTURE

Today we’ll continue our study of the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ.

We’re here in chapter 4, this is where the rapture takes place, the time that all believers have been longing for, even the whole creation its self is earnestly awaiting this glorious happening.

Romans 8:22-23

22For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. ***In other words, the whole creation is groaning & travailing much as a woman might do when she is having labor pains.

23And not only they, but ourselves also,--- in other words, we also have been waiting with pain inside us--.

-- but ourselves also which have the firstfruits of the Spirit- that is, we have the Holy Spirit as the first part of God’s promise.

--even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. ---We’re looking forward to having our new glorified body.

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Chapter 4 is where we begin to study the 3rd and final division of the book of the Revelation.

Ø Let me remind us that in every book of the Bible there is always a key verse, for instance in 1st John 1:4 the key verse says, “And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.”

And the key verse to the book of the Revelation is found in chapter 1:19.

1:19: Write the things which thou hast seen,** and the things which are,** and the things which shall be hereafter;**

“The things which thou hast seen”**—the vision of the glorified Christ in chapter 1.

“The things which are”**—the history of the Church on earth prewritten from Pentecost to the Rapture as seen in the letters to the seven churches in chapters 2 and 3.

“The things which shall be hereafter”—found in 4:--22. The future events to take place after the true Church have been taken out of the earth.

The seven letters back in chapters two and three sketched the prophetic history of the Church on earth.

We have seen that the local assemblies had in them many who were only professors of the faith but were not possessors of the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit only abides in born again believers.

Romans 8:9--- Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

As the Church Age ran its course, there was a growing apostasy and turning from the faith.

Remember today as you and I are reading and studying together, the Laodcean church is in full bloom, the apostate church, they’re mingled among the True professing church of Philadelphia.

We have a President that made the statement that America was no longer a Christian nation. That was President Barrack Hussan Obama.

With the passing of time Christendom has become increasingly corrupt doctrinally. The world has not gotten better, but worse.

And all the while God has kept busy with His program of calling out “a people for His name” (Acts 15:14).

One by one He has been adding to His true Church as many as would believe on Christ and receive Him.

Ø From 4:1 to the end of the book are all the events that follow the rapture of the Church. The church age is over.

The word “church” does not appear again in the book until the end, where Jesus says;

(22:16). I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches.---

And the reason is, the church is not on earth any more.

Ø So chapters 4&5 we have the rapture, and a scene that we will see just as soon as the rapture takes place. 4-5 go together.

Some people find it difficult to believe that Christendom will end in apostasy and defection, since many have always believed the delusion of Modernism, that the world will gradually become better and better until all men are converted and the age of peace is ushered in.

But the age will end not in a great revival, but in a great apostasy. We are not looking for a world revival, but for Jesus Christ return to receive His Church.

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4:1-4 1After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.

2And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.

3And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.

4And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.