Entering Revelation Through "The Door" of Risen Christ

Well, good afternoon, everybody, and those that will be listening in and are listening in right now, and will be listening in in the future. I want to explain that today, as I mentioned in our announcement period before in San Diego, that this will actually be recorded for our prophecy classes that we've been holding for about half a year now. We're up to class number 13, going to this 14. I gave this a week ago at another congregation, off the cuff, as it were, for certain circumstances, and then I was talking to one of our fellow instructors, Darius McNeely, and he said that would be a wonderful presentation.

I'm not sure about the presenter, but he said the information would be worth a wonderful presentation, and to have as one of our classes. Well, our class schedule is shrinking down, so I'm going to be offering this first and foremost to our members that are here, and those that are listening today, but also this will be going into our prophecy class files, because we have about four or five more slots to get to before the Feast of Tabernacle, actually before the Feast of Trumpets, and then we want to settle down.

So let me mention that the music that in this service has led to this so beautifully and so orchestrated. It's always interesting to see the touch of God, and we'll be talking about the touch of God a little bit later in some of the scriptures that we're going to be reading. Allow me to set the stage for this presentation, which does deal with prophecy by sharing a story. There was a Muslim who had a very good Christian friend, and they were talking, and the Muslims said to the Christian friend, we Muslims have one thing that you Christians do not have.

And actually, he said it quite sadly. He says that when we go to Medina, and for those that know Medina, that's the second holy city of Islam after Mecca, when we go to Medina, we find a coffin, and we know that Muhammad lived because his body is in it.

But when you Christians go to Jerusalem, you go to visit simply an empty tomb. The Christian normally replied, kindly replied, thank you. And what you say is absolutely true. And that is what makes the eternal difference. The reason we find an empty tomb is because we serve a risen Christ. That's a story that has stuck with me for years and years, and on occasion I will share it. I think about it. And that is the beauty of Scripture. And that is the beauty of some of the prophecy classes that we have been teaching over the last half year.

And why you and I are here today is because we literally do believe, even with the message that we just heard on death, which comes to each and every one of us, and if you think you're going to get 121, Jill just told us 120, that's it. They're out, okay? But what is beyond that? Why are we here, and what do we believe? The thing that struck me by reading this story is there is no lack of space.

In between what the friend said to the Christian, and he immediately came back because he was living it. He believed it. It wasn't something that he had to go out and search for and somehow bring back home. What does the Apostle Peter say in 1 Peter 3, 15? Always be ready to speak of the hope that lies therein with meekness and with reverence and with respect. And that's what we found here. And it is to that that I would like to build around today, speaking about the risen Christ in prophecy.

And especially as we get to a certain book that we'll be talking about in a moment. I'd like to have you join me just to set up a few scriptures on the way, first of all, before we get to title. Join me, if you would, in Matthew 16. And this is the famous encounter of Jesus talking with his disciples. Allow me to set the stage and take you to the northeast sector of the Sea of Galilee, otherwise known as the Decapolis, the city of the ten Greek-speaking cities. And it is there in the background, up and off the lake, that there are cliffs, cliffs that are full of crevices and grottos.

I'm trying to give you the PowerPoint because I am the PowerPoint. So I'm kind of stretch your imagination. And so behind that are cliffs and grottos and edges. And in all of those are pagan nooks, different crypts, different this, different that, different idols. So often we think that Jesus, when he did this, is, you know, here's the disciples right in front of him, and he's talking to the small group. This is, remember when Paul is in Athens and he's speaking otherwise known to you by Esmer's Hill?

And he's talking about that God does not dwell in temples or this or that, and there's the one guy. What's right behind him in the hill right back? What's the back? What's the curtain backdrop? It's the Acropolis. It's the Parthenon on top of the Acropolis, which in that time was still in good shape. God never wastes a setting. He never wastes a miracle. And this is what Jesus is doing. And then there's this discussion begins where it says in verse, verse 13, when Jesus came into the region of Caesarea of Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Who do men say that I am the Son of Man, M?

So they said, Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah and other Jeremiah, or one of the prophets. And he said to them, But who do you say that I am? You. No plural. Not looking over at your shoulder. Oh, it must be somebody.

No. No. Who do you say that I am? Because it really comes down just like that gentleman that I just shared the story in the conversation. It's what's in not only in on your lips, but what's in your mind. And your mind is connected to your heart, which motivates and runs your total psyche. And he says, Who do you say that I am?

Simon Peter answered and said, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said to him, Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father, who is in heaven. This was a God thing happening. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church and the gates of Hades, the gates of the grave, the grave where all of us eventually wind up. The gates of the grave shall not prevail against it. What's going on here? We notice that he says that I, let's understand who the I is. It's not about a man. Men do help.

Men do serve the risen Christ. But he is taking personal responsibility, he says, and I will build my, that's capital M, so that's always a God thing, my church. And it says, it's not a church, even though it looks like it's on the defense and shrinking back and shrinking back. It says, the gates of hell, the gates of the grave, the gates of death will not prevail. I am going to triumph over that. Jesus put it out there. He's definitely connected with the Ecclesia, those that are separated, those that are called to him, those that are the disciples of Jesus Christ. Now, now what happens? I'm just going to share John 14.16. You can jot that down. John 14.16-18. This is one of the most fantastic expressions in all of Scripture. Jesus, on that last night of his life of human existence, on the night of betrayal, he's sharing and giving the load of info out to the disciples to tell them what's going to happen when he's not here, even though they, even on that night, after three and a half years of being with him, they still don't get it at this point. He said, and he gave a promise, and I want you to tuck this promise into your heart and hold it dear, because that's what we're going to be coming to in just a couple of minutes. He said, I will come to you. And that's a promise that you don't only have to take to the bank, thinking of the sermon act, but you can take every minute of your life and you can take to the grave, because something's going to happen with that grave because something happened to another grave long ago and far away. There's an expression that I've often used over the years. Other speakers have too. Those of you that know Stephen Covey, a very motivating person, and he wrote the book, Seven Habits of Highly Effectual People. And one of those, allow me to share with you simply this, and you will know it. It goes back and forth. Begin with the end in mind. Where is this going? And that rhymes perfectly with what is said in Scripture, to have a vision. Those that have no vision will perish. Being on this pilgrimage towards the kingdom of God can wear you out if you don't have that vision and you don't realize who said, I will come to you and you have that expectancy that He will meet you at your time, at your need, when you need it the most. But I'm going to share a thought with you. Begin with the end in mind. So you're looking, where is this headed? But sometimes we get so far over our skis looking, this is kind of a converse of it, that we look at where it's heading that we don't start at the beginning.

Have you ever done that where you started a movie? Then you have to go back and watch it, and then you watch it, and sometimes just watch a movie the second time? Oh, that's where that thread began. Oh, that's where it started over here. Oh, now I see where it is going. Well, that's exactly what we're talking about when it comes to the book of Revelation.

Otherwise, no one in Greek. Revelation is a Latin word, revealing, and it comes from the Greek word initially, which was apocalypse, which means an unveiling. And you see that in a sense with the book of Revelation, because it is unveiling. It takes one church at a time, talking about the churches of Revelation 2 and 3.

It takes the seven seals one at a time. It takes the seven trumpets one at a time. And you have to remember, this was on a scroll that was being read, so you're slowly unscrolling. You're slowly unveiling to get to where that's going. But so often, I think, rather than what we do sometimes, is we plunge into Revelation 4, we plunge into Revelation 6.

A little scary, humanly speaking. Parachute time, let me out of here. Beam me up, Scotty. I'm done with earth. God, I'm ready. And you read Revelation 13 about the persecution on the church. You hear about the two witnesses, and they're preaching the streets of Jerusalem, and they are martyred in those streets of Jerusalem. You say, okay, I know this all has to happen. But the question I have for you, when you start reading the middle of Revelation 12 or 13, I'm going to tell you something that has worked for me for years. And I'm saying this to you as an audience, I'm saying this to our listeners today, and to our prophecy class. Always start at the beginning of Revelation. At the very beginning. It is a jewel. It is where you want to start. It is where you want to warm up before you hit all the next 20 chapters. Do you want to go through the book of Revelation all by yourself? That's a long journey and a tough ride. Or do you want to have a partner going along with you? Now, let me tell you about that partner for a moment. And that is to recognize, when the book of Revelation is written, and it's written probably, you know, I'm not that old, I was not the fly on the wall. That is probably written... Oh, one second. David? You can hear me alright? Okay, good. Okay. The book of Revelation was written about 85 to 90 AD. Okay, thank you very much. What's happening at 85 to 90 AD? Let's understand that Jesus was circa his ministry 2728 to 31 AD, if you've thought the three and a half years. He dies in 31 AD. We know that the church begins to develop, to grow, and begin to spread out. We know that Paul, Barnabas, Silas, the others will come along and move that church, stretch that church through their devotion to the Gentiles. That it's no longer just simply going to be a Jewish church, but it's going to be a church for all, because Christ did die for all. And then we recognize the epistles are developing from about 48 AD to 50 AD, and they'll stretch to about 65 AD. These are the writings of Paul. These are the writings of Peter. These are the initial writings of John. These are the initial writings of James and Jude, the half-brothers of Jesus. But now we're at 85 AD, and there has been no major written word that we know of that we look at today as canon gospel or canon New Testament. And now we're entering into just the beginning of the third generation of Christ followers called Jesus followers, sometimes just called people of the way. Joel, what you mentioned today, I am the way, I am the truth, and I am the life. They were often called the people that were in the way. Oh, you are the way people, okay.

Now we have a problem. There's only one left, one of the original disciples, one of the original apostles. They have all died 20 years beforehand. Peter, Paul, the others. They're no longer around. There is only one man that lives, that has literally handled and seen and heard and been in that upper room with Jesus Christ, walked the paths with Christ. Seen the miracles, seen what he has written about in the gospels, what others have written about the transfiguration, which Bob talked about a couple of weeks ago. And now he's on the Isle of Patmos. He's away from us. And he's old. What are we doing here? Is it going to be all over? Is this really worth our life to be a part of this?

And that's what we have, the first chapter of the book of Revelation. It is incredible, and I'm going to share it with you for a few minutes, because I would never want to go through the book of Revelation without Jesus being my pilot and having his presence.

You know, we can talk about the beast. We can talk about the false prophet. We can talk about this. We can talk about that. We can talk about all of this. We use, as we go through the book of Revelation, it's what we call apocalyptic in nature, the way that it is written. A lot of imagery, a lot of color. And when I say that, understanding apocalyptic, there is something of substance underneath that. I'm not dismissing that at all. This is talking about real events. But when you understand apocalyptic literature, it was written to people that needed hope. They were a remnant people. They'd be like the people going back at the time of the return to Jerusalem during the Persian Empire time. And it would be written to the church in that apocalyptic form. Never mistake that apocalyptic literature is just whiffy, misty, puffy, just to make you feel good. And you can take a note. It is loud. And you have to figure where the loudness is in it. And you have to base your life on it that it is God's revelation. So I'm going to give you the title of my message right now before we go any further. And it is simply this. And I am sorry, and I'm going to repent ahead of time. It's going to be a long title. Only 100 words, minus 92 words. And it's simply this. But this is what I want to convey to you. Entering the book of Revelation. Entering the book of Revelation through the door of Jesus Christ. Through the door. What he reveals in the first chapter is the framework of what is coming. And remember how Jesus said, I am the door. In the great seven I.M.s of the Gospel of John. And as Joel brought out, he is the way. He is the life. He is the truth. He is also the Good Shepherd. And we can go on and on. But he says, I am the door. Now you hold on to that, I am the door. Because I'm going to share that at the end of the message. And if I can forget, you can raise your hand and say, Mr. Weber, I forgot. Because we're going to end with that door of comment. He provides the opening. He provides the opening as he comes through that revelation, through that vision. So we're going to, if you would please turn over to Revelation 1. We're going to get right to it. It's going to be simple, it's going to be sweet. But I can tell you, you will never skip over Revelation 1 again. In your study of the book of Revelation. Remember it says on this rock, he's not talking about Peter. He is the rock. He is the sure foundation. He is Messiah. He is the Son of God. He is that great prophet, told of old. But not just like any prophet. He is the Son of God.

He is man, he is God. He is totally unique. He is Jesus of Nazareth. He is the Lord Jesus Christ. Lord meaning King. Jesus meaning Salvation. Christ meaning anointed. You put that together, and you know what God has given us? He's given us a power package.

When that voice speaks to us and says, this is the way, walk you in it on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and Thursdays. Or when that voice comes to us and says, follow me on Fridays and Sundays and on days when you don't expect. But God has tapped into your heart and said, listen, let's go right to it. Are you ready? Everybody take a breath? Here we go. We're going to go through just about 18 verses. We'll try to get you out of here by 6 p.m. OK? OK, here we go. Notice what it says here. The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants, things which must shortly take place. And he sent and signified it by his angel to his servants, John, who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ and to all things that he saw. Then notice verse 3. Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy and keep those things which are written in us for the time is near. And we take a breath there. Now we're going to go back for a moment and let's break this down. It says, this is the revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants of the things which must shortly take place. I want to begin to show you something how to read carefully as we study any part of the Bible, any part of Jesus' words. And even in the book of Revelation, words have meaning. Bring the whole picture together. We often, probably in the top of your Bible, does anybody open the Bible? Somebody got the Bible? What's it say at the top? What's the title? Say. Help me. Okay, can I make a comment? The revelation of Jesus Christ? I'm going to tell you something. It is not only the revelation of God. Bob always looks at me like, where is he going? No. It is the revelation of God the Father through Jesus Christ. I'm going to show you that. How can you show me that? Right in these verses. Notice what it says. The revelation of Jesus Christ, whose God in this manner? That's God the Father.

The revelation of God, that's God the Father, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ. Now, why do I bring this out to a Church of God audience? Sometimes because of our background and our foundational beliefs about God the Father and Jesus Christ, we try to separate them at times. God the Father is going like this. One thing that you always want to find, either in the book of Revelation or look into the epistles, always look for the connection of God the Father and Jesus Christ. And I'm saying this for a purpose, because they are united. It's man down here below that sometimes mixes them up and puts one over into this corner. Now, over here, weighing eternity and wearing white, is God the Father. And over here, wearing, we'll say purple because he's the king of the wonderful world tomorrow, we have Jesus abet the Lamb. What we need to do when we study Scripture, Old Testament, New Testament, Gospel, Revelation, find the connection. Find the connection. Always look at the epistles, how they begin. They always acknowledge God the Father and Jesus Christ. When you are doing that, you are in safe territory. Now, notice what it says, and it says that, and things which must shortly take place. Now, what do you mean, shortly? This was written 2,000 years ago, and some of the things we're going to be writing is that, how does God consider short? What is short about 2,000 years? Joel, that's more than 120 years, almost times 19, or whatever. What is short about that? I've often shared this story about how God looks at things and how we look at things. You've heard this story before, but some have not, and the class will have not, and that is simply this. There was a little boy that was talking to God. You will remember the story. There was a little boy, and he was talking to God, and he said, God, I have a question for you, and God said, yes, my son. And the little boy said, God, what is a thousand years like to you? And God thought about it for a moment, and he said, my son, it's like a second. And the genius boy said, oh, can I ask another question? He says, and what is a thousand dollars like to you? God thought about it, and God said, my son, a thousand dollars is but like a penny. Well, the boy's head started turning. He's thinking, he's like your buddy back in Omaha, Joel, making money. He says, can I just, he's putting one plus one that he thinks is going to make two. And he said, can I, God, can I, sorry, can I ask you just one more question? And he said, yes, my son. And he said, can I have one of your pennies? He said, yes, my son. But it'll take a second. See, God looks at time differently than we do. Looks at time differently. His way, as it says in the book of Isaiah 55, 7 through 8, it says, my thoughts are not your thoughts. My ways are not your ways. So you have to kind of get used to that as you sign up for the ride in the pilgrimage that's ahead. So this was not going to happen immediately, even though every generation of the disciples of Christ for the last two thousand years, a majority of them, a number of them have always, if they have not desired, felt that Jesus Christ was going to come in their time. This one included. This one included.

But you see, God not only created time, He's the master of timing, and He will know when to intervene. Now, notice what it says here, then, verse 3, blessed is He who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy. Prophecy comes from the Greek word prophetia. It can mean either fourth telling of what has been and or foretelling what shall be, and of this prophecy and keep those things which are written in it for the time is near. Now, you're reading this. You're thinking New Testament. You're thinking eighty five, ninety A.D. But this is seamless throughout the Scripture. What's going on here? Notice, let's break it down. You break it down. Bless it. Oh, there's a blessing. Is he or she who reads? Who reads?

That's important. To read the Word of God. As Karl Malden used to say, with the old Mastercard ads, don't leave home without it. Who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy. This is very Hobraic in a sense, very Jewish in a sense, this is going out both the Gentiles and the Jews.

In the Jewish mindset, to hear was to obey. There was to be no separation. When you heard the Word of God, you were to obey. It's called the Shema. The Shema. You find it in Deuteronomy 6. Remember, hear, O Israel, the Lord your God, the Lord your God is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all of your heart, with all of your mind, with all of your soul, and all of your strength. And you shall love your neighbor as well. The connection was, you find it again in the book of James. You might want to jot down James 1.22.

To hear was to obey. James is writing, God is not just simply one, a hearer of the Word, but a doer of the... Can I ask you a question? How many of you in this audience have heard that before? Can I see a show of hands, that one? What church are you going to? I've heard that since 1963. God does not love just simply a hearer but a doer.

A hearer. And so it is to be one and the same. For the time is near. The time is near. In all of Jesus' ministry, and in his words, Jesus never says, The time is here. He said, It is near. And notice then, this in verse 3 is the first of the Beatitudes. Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words. We normally think of the Beatitudes being in Matthew 5. Blessed are the meek. Blessed are the poor in spirit.

Blessed are the peacemakers, etc. etc. That is the first round of Beatitudes. There are seven Beatitudes that are given in the book of Revelation. And I will probably place a sermon that I gave on that in the prophecy class, going over those seven Beatitudes, which are rich. Now notice what it says. Oh, and again, I want to make one... I'll make that comment later. Now notice John says in verse 4, to the seven churches which are in Asia. The energy of the church is no longer in Jerusalem.

Jerusalem goes down in smoke and flames. The temple is destroyed in 69 to 70 AD under the Flavian household, that's Vastagtian and his son Titus. And so the energy is now moved towards Asia Minor. A lot of where Paul was, along with Silas, along with Barnabas. And now John is basically taking the reins. Because why? Because there's only one that is left that has seen him. And notice then what it says here in verse 4, Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne.

This is the rhythm of the epistles found in the New Testament. And grace is not just simply a New Testament item. Grace became personified because of Jesus Christ coming to this earth. Grace is found in the Old Testament. But for Noah, who found what? Grace. But we notice something here important.

Grace. What is grace? Grace's favor. It's favor. It's knowing that God has extended his blessing. He wants you, as we heard today from Joel, to be a part of his family, to be a part of the future. And even those poor kids that drowned like rats over in Texas this past week, and some of the adults, they may be washed away for now or unfortunately dead for now. But if they have not known the Lord Jesus Christ, God the Father is going to give them an opportunity in the future.

He is. That is our belief. God sent his Son that all humanity might at least have the opportunity to know the name of Jesus Christ and be able to yield themselves to them and surrender themselves to him. Grace to you. And notice peace. Grace and peace. You always see those two mantles of gifts open up every epistle. And it's right here in the book of Revelation. Revelation is not different than the Old Testament. It is seamless. It's not different than the epistles.

It's right here. It opens with grace and peace. But the peace that is being talked about here is not okay. Like I grew up in the 60s. You remember this. Make love. Not war. Peace. You know?

Everybody going like this, running around. The peace that is being talked about here is not just smooth sailing. What our young singer spoke to us today speaks about the peace of God. That there are going to be things that come to us that we're not going to understand for the moment. And yet the peace of God is going to develop in us. And the Jew says, Shalom, which is the Habraic Aloha. It's a greeting and it's a goodbye. Aloha, Shalom. And we know that in general that Shalom means peace.

What are they saying? What they're saying is it's not a hello and a hiding, a goodbye. Bye-bye. No. It's a blessing. The term Shalom actually means a blessing upon you that our God above will give you the wherewithal to face whatever is coming your way to be a tool in His service. Much different than our anglicized mind when it comes to peace. This is speaking of God the Father.

I'm going to show you something here from Him. Remember, it generates from God the Father through Jesus Christ, who we're going to be hearing from in a moment. But this is defining God the Father who simply is. Many years ago, and some of you will remember this in our former association, wrote a very famous book or infamous book in our minds. What they got between the covers was wrong, but the title was important. God is. But you know what? The title is right. It's just what they did in between the covers. Another way of defining God is simply this. God is always. Always.

And that's hard for our minds to wrap. What do you mean, always? How do you measure always? Well, this is telling us how to do it. He's always. This is speaking of God the Father. We say, well, how do you know that? Because then it says, and from Jesus Christ. So now we've moved to another person. This is speaking God the Father, but we're going to find the same as with Jesus Christ.

And from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To him who loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and has made us kings and priests to his God, and Father to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Now, let's understand something here. So we see we move now back and forth from God the Father.

Now we're with Jesus Christ. You've got to read carefully who it's being spoken about. What this is basically telling you and me is the omnipotent one supreme above all, of which Jesus Christ, not only on this earth but in heaven above, supplements himself to and surrenders himself to, not my will but your will be the Father, that it speaks to the Father. And the Father is what?

What did it just get out of this? He's always... He's uncreated. But now notice what it says here, And from Jesus Christ. Oh, so the one was about somebody, and from Jesus Christ. Now notice something very important. As we're about to launch into the book of Revelation, the next 20 chapters, it's reminding us of something as he speaks to John. And from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn, da da da da, to him who loved us, loved us, and washed us from our sins.

Who sins? Our sins. Not the person next to us, not the person behind us, not the person that is not born yet. It is all mankind that has come short of the glory. And notice what it says, and has washed us from our sins in his own blood. The language here in this apocalyptic literature is so meaningful and colorful. It's basically saying that when we're washed, for you that are baby boomers, can I talk to the baby boomers from the late 1950s, 1960s, remember the Burl Cream ad?

Suzanne, you did not have a butch. You know what I'm talking about. What did the Burl Cream ad say?

You forget. No, I didn't say forget. It said, buy me. No, anyway. The Burl Cream ad said this for the younger folks, baby boomers? Okay. Not Suzanne. The Burl Cream said this, a little dap. Oh, it's coming back. It's like the little, like Warren's Walk, you know, like, okay. What is it? A little dab. Working with the baby boomers. Okay. A little dab will do you. Here's the point I want to—in all seriousness. It's not a little dab. It's not for everybody else. Each and every one of us have been immersed in this sacrifice. Jesus did not have to do it. He desired to do it. He was about that will that was shown early on in Genesis. Let us make man in our own image after our own likeness. How did that work? Something another step had to take. Not just the physical episode, but the spiritual episode that there might be that relationship. Notice in what it says here in verse five, verse seven.

Now notice for eight, verse eight, Now this is speaking of the Word. This is speaking of Jesus Christ, who is in seamless unity with his Father, bringing this about. The Son is like the Father. He's uncreated. What does it mean to be uncreated? For some of you that have never heard this before, if you go to the book of Genesis—I think many of you will be familiar with this— it says, In the beginning God. For those on this side, in the beginning God. But in the Hebrew sense of the Word, in the Hebrew sense of the Word, it actually goes this way, God in the beginning. God precedes the beginning as we know it. In the beginning God. Interesting to look at that. This is the one who said that in John 1 it says, And the Word was from the beginning, and the Word was God, the Word was with God. And that's important.

The one thing that I'm trying to show you with this, when you get into the beginning, is simply this. When you read the book of Revelation, always start in the beginning. Do a warm-up lap in Revelation 1. And as you buckle up your spiritual seatbelt and get ready to learn and to grow in this, make sure that Jesus Christ, who is the door to the book of Revelation, who sets the framework of grace and of peace and of giving his life for you, that were washed in his blood, follows you as you try to explore some of the things here. Let's notice verse 9.

He's on a small island off the western coast of what we now know today as Turkey. Notice, for the Word of God, God the Father, and notice for the testimony of Jesus Christ. Can I make a comment? Seamless. Working together. Now, notice what it says here. I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice as of a trumpet. This is a vision. This is a vision.

Because of some of the things I'm going to bring out in a few minutes. Why was it a vision? God used visions throughout the Bible. This was another vision because, number one, when it's mentioning that later on, he's looking at Jesus Christ for—he's not looking at Jesus Christ for an honor as a human being.

We don't have the equipment. We just simply don't have the equipment to handle God one on one, front front. So we recognize that this is a vision, but that does not do away with the reality of what God is trying to bring to us, what he's bringing to that original audience, what he's bringing to us today. I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice as of a trumpet.

Now, you all here, and some of you that are online, know that one of my favorite words in Scripture is loud. And when I deal with the subject of prophecy, I want to be loud where God is loud and quiet where God is quiet. And I can kind of meander in between. But especially as I'm conveying the Word of God to you, I don't want to get over my skis. God gives us enough right now in our lifetimes to consider, and if and when that moment comes by his Spirit, he will give us the comprehension of what to do.

When it says a loud voice as of a trumpet, I love this, because this takes me right back to the story of Lazarus. Remember Lazarus? They're going through Bethany. They're going to the Sepulchre. And he says, Father, this is 30 days out from Jerusalem, and he's going to be crucified. And he himself is going to be resurrected. He says, Father, I know that you've heard me and always hear me.

And then it says, and with a loud voice. What did he say? He said, Lazarus, come forth. That must have been riveting to the whole audience, setting them up for what was about to happen.

And he's loud here. Something's about to happen. Saying, I am the Alpha and the Omega. There he goes again. The first and the last. And what you see right in the book and sent it to the seven churches which are in Asia, to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatara, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea. Very important. Man rattles off those names.

Well, yeah, but there's maybe dozens, scores, maybe hundreds of people in some of these churches. But that just tells me something that I want to share with you. God is into names. He not only knows the names of seven churches. Let's not limit him. It says that he goes through the universe and knows the names of the stars. Jesus says in the Gospels that he knows the names of those that follow him.

He knows our names. And then I turn to see the voice that spoke with me, and having turned I saw seven golden lampstands. So all of a sudden, this is the PowerPoint, he hears the voice behind him. Behold! And he turns. And what does he see? And in the midst of the seven lampstands, one like the Son of Man, closed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band.

His head and hair were white like wool, and white as snow, and his eyes like a flame of fire. His feet were like fine brass as a refined furnace, and his voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars, and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword. And his countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. And when I saw him—I'm going to hold that for a moment.

Let's go back a second. What's happening? We notice here that it says, and in the midst of the lampstands—the lampstands going back to the temple, going back to the tabernacle, which was—we all know basically what a Jewish menorah looks like, that the candlesticks—they had a grand one in the tabernacle and in the temple. And it says here, he says, and he is standing in the midst of the seven lampstands, and one like the Son of Man. I'm going to tell you something that maybe you've never noted.

The title, the Son of Man, was Jesus' favorite way of describing himself and introducing himself to others during his earthly ministry. It comes right out of Daniel 7.13 of a prophecy of Messiah. He was a son of man. He is not just simply a ghost. He's not just simply a Gnostic mystic. He's not just simply Dream Dust or something in somebody's imagination. He lived. He did die. And there is no coffin with a body in it in Jerusalem, because he is risen. Notice in further what it says here. And it speaks about the garment that is on. The garment looks like a robe that can be many types. As Scott Ashley, our good friend, always says, you can take a lot of different handles to one scripture.

Robes, in a sense, were worn by kings. Robes were worn by the high priest. Robes were also mentioned at times by the angels. I would suggest in the reading that I've done—I want to cover it all— that I think he's basically appearing at this point as a high priest. The high priest would wear the white robe. See, he's multi-dimensional. You can't squeeze the risen Christ into a box. I know we do that sometimes.

Almost there. Okay, got him.

I know none of you have ever done that when the life seems so tough.

Hey, baby, I'm just going to do my own thing now. Henceforth. You can't squeeze Jesus into a box. Number one, he's uncreated. How's that going to work?

And it says, the sound of many waters. I think in this sense, apocalyptically, it's speaking about volume, strength, girth, a voice.

To get the attention of John, of how Jesus is going to get the attention of the world when he returns, as it says in 1 Thessalonians 4, 13-18, the clouds will roll back, and there is going to be a voice. And it's going to be a voice that wakes up the dead. That's where the term comes from. To wake up the dead. It's also going to be a voice. It's a dual voice because it's not only waking up the dead, but now the judgment of God comes upon the earth as the beast armies round up, and they're going to— talk about crazy— they're going to try to fight the God of the universe. But we're looking at this right now, and it says this as we go forward. And this is the part that I want you to get as we're going to start concluding. Notice what it says. And when I saw him—who's him? Always identify, capital eight. And when I saw Jesus, it happened. Isn't that what Jesus said back at the end of the book of Gospel of John? You know, when Peter and him are going back and forth, do you love me? Do you love me? Do you love me? Do you love me? Do you love me not? Do you really love me, Peter? And then Peter says, okay, with that, you're going to be going someplace you don't want to go. You've been on the run a lot, Peter. Love you. But there's going to be a time when you're not going to be able to run. And basically, you're going to give your life for me. Well, Peter's a little concerned—you know, Peter could always be concerned about something. And he says, and what about that man? I know nobody's ever done that, probably from the time you were in kindergarten. You think you're the only one getting it. What about them? They were talking, too. They were passing notes, too, in high school. So with Peter Duke, being we all have a little bit of Peter in us, you know, what about that man? And he looks at John, and he says, what is it to you if I do differently with that man? For the time might come that he is going to see me in the future.

Maybe he will not die until he has seen me. But Peter, that's not your job. I have a job for you. And you are going to be incredible. And I'm going to be with you each step of the way, even to a spot to where they are going to, by legend, hang you upside down. Because you love me so much that you said, I do not deserve to die the way that my Lord did.

But here's John, 85-90 AD, and Jesus is revealing himself to him. And he fell at his feet. And notice what he said, don't be afraid. Now, why is this important as we go into the book of Revelation? Don't be afraid. Do you realize the term don't be afraid is used 350 times in the Scriptures? I wonder why. I wonder why. You don't have to be a rocket scientist. And we are going to be afraid sometimes. And our knees are going to be trembling, just like this, right? This is my PowerPoint. You're going to be like that. But even as your knees are trembling, your heart is in the trim. Your heart is firm. Allow me to share a thought with you here a second, as we begin to conclude. It's said that he's in the midst of the seven churches of that candelabra. The apocryphal sense of this, the apocalyptic sense is profound. I want to share something with you, and that is simply this. As you go out and meet your Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays, or whatever is coming in the way of your life, as we heard of the beautiful music today, and special music, God is with you. God is always with his people. When you go to the book, Genesis, in the very beginning, it is the God who was in the midst of the garden. He was in the midst of the man and the woman. Papa Adam, Mama Eve, he wanted relationship. He wanted to walk. He wanted to talk. When he saw Adam, he just wanted Adam to open up his eyes and see his Maker for the very first time. And to be able to have a union with him, it wasn't God that ditched man. Man ditched God. God was in the midst, when you think of when Israel would build the wilderness. And the first thing that they would do, they would put the tabernacle right in the middle of the camp. And all the camp was ordered, as you read through the book of the law, that they had a certain setting, how to be around, so that they could be on the move when they heard those silver trumpets or gold and whatever they were. And God was right in their midst. He was in the middle. He's not an edgy God. He was in the middle. When you think of the story of Michiel, Hananiah, and Azariah, and for the uninitiated, Meshach, Shadrach, and Abednego, which are Babylonian names, when it says Nebuchadnezzar is looking in and he goes, Oh, excuse me. I thought we threw three of them in there.

What's with the fourth?

That fourth was a God thing. That fourth was a Theophany. It was a God appearing. He was in the midst.

It says in John 1 and verse 14, John 1 is very theological, big, could fit many, many deities of old, in the beginning was and was and this and that. You drop down to John 1.14 and it says, And Jesus came and dwelt with us. dwelt He got earthy. He got fleshly.

He dwelt with us. He tabernacled with us.

He was one of us. And he dwelt and came into our world down here that God might touch man through Emmanuel, God with us, and also that God above His Father and our Heavenly Father might be touched by us through Jesus Christ who lived like we did and did. But now notice something like this. Don't be afraid. So when you're ready to go through Revelation, buckle up, seat belt on, don't be afraid. I am alive. Notice what it says. This is just one of those things that just almost screams out of Scripture. I am Him. I'm Him! John, I'm the one that you saw on the cross. I'm the one that you saw that came through the wall.

Remember when I visited you and your buddies in the upper loft? I'm still here. It's me. I am He who lives and was dead. And behold, I am alive forever. Amen. And I have the keys of the grave and of death Write these things which you have seen and the things which are and the things which will take place after this. The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in my right hand and the seven golden lampstands.

The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches. And the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven... Excuse me. Let's go back a second, my right hand.

The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in my right hand and the seven gold lampstands. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches. And the seven lampstands are the churches. John, if I know when I was with you and I said, I know the sparrow that falls from the tree, then how much more those? That's why. We're the apple of God's eye. We're made in His image.

We've surrendered our life to God the Father through Jesus Christ and believe in His life, His death, His resurrection, His ascension because no other people were resurrected. They didn't go up. Oh, there's only one that has gone to heaven. And the exaltation that He's now at the right hand of God. Well, listen. Next time you go through the book of Revelation, don't go further until you've spent five minutes of warm-up time in the book of Revelation 1.

Jesus is the door. Think about it. The Ark of Noah's Ark. With all the instructions that God gave, He never told Noah on that Ark to have a rudder, to have a sail, or to have an anchor. Is this any way to build a ship? I don't think so. But God did that for a purpose for us down to this day as we read the book of Revelation as we go into stormy seas. And as the challenges are going to come upon this earth because of the earth-stewing and the rejection of Creator God, there is going to be a day of judgment.

The day of the Lord. And that is the Tribulation, which is the time of Satan's wrath. So that's why you have to buckle up with Revelation 1 and recognize that you're not alone. Oh! I just remembered there's one more thing that He told Noah to build. Do you know what that is? He said, build a door on the side of the Ark. Can I ask this astute audience of Bible scholars a question?

How many doors was He told to build in the Ark? For people to... Bob, they can't hear you. Nice and loud. How many? One. Ah! Ah! One. You see how the Old Testament is revealed in the New Testament and the New Testament is concealed in the Old Testament? That's why we're dealing with one book.

God was telling us something. That Noah building that Ark was a type of Christ. And what does it say? That there is no name under heaven by which man might be saved. Other than the name of Jesus Christ. How many names is that? I mean, one. We can go to the Messiah? One. There's only one entrance into the throne room of God. When we say, Father, in Jesus' name, hear me. Amen. I hope that this has allowed you then to recognize how important it is as we study the book of Revelation.

Enter through the framework that has been given to us from above. John had to go through all of that, and then Jesus said, time to write. Get ready. And we read the rest of the story, and I've got a good story for you. We realize that when we read the end of the book, God wins. And if God wins, we win as well. Think of the door. Think of the Ark. Think of Noah. Think of our friend John. Think of our Lord Jesus Christ. And have a good read of the book of Revelation.