The Wrath of God

The Thunder Judgments

Book of Revelation Chapter 10

As we have gotten to this point in the Book of Revelation, the earth has been devastated with destruction. At least half of the world's population has been destroyed. Those that remain are so full of pride and arrogance, that they refuse to repent of their evil ways and in fact still challenge the Lord.

Rev 9:20 And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk:

Rev 9:21 Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.

These are the same actions that Satan has taken since his episode in the Garden of Eden, when he received the curse of God.

Satan knows he will eventually loose his battle with the Lord, but deep inside his being he still retains that one thought of victory and he has instilled that into his followers.

Satan would rather they all go to Hell than to give up and this is where they are on this day. Losers but still rebellious!

1Pe 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

You see Satan devours those that follow him, yet they are too blind to see what he is!

He is a murderer on the loose with all his weapons loaded!

The sixth trumpet has sounded, and it is time for the sounding of the seventh trumpet, but just as there was a break between the sixth and seventh seal, there is now a break between the sixth and seventh trumpet.

There will be a gradual transition for the sixth and seventh trumpet and we will see this transition in Chapters 10 and Chapter 11.

So let us get started.

*****Rev 10:1 And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire:

When John last saw the Lord, He was as the Lamb of God and now John sees what he describes as a mighty angel, in fact he says another mighty angel.

John had seen the throngs of angels in Heaven and no doubt some appeared to be of higher rank than others, so who is this mighty angel?

This could very well be an angel and a mighty angel, but it could also be the Lord from what we already know.

In the Old Testament the Son of God was called the Angel of the Lord.

Exo 3:2 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.

Then we find that this is the great I AM of the Bible.

Exo 3:14 And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.

When God appears upon the earth, He is the Son of God or Jesus the Messiah.

Seven times in the Book of Revelation we see an angel clothed with a cloud and each time it is our Savior.

The cloud is a symbol of the Lord’s "Majesty"!

Exo 16:10 And it came to pass, as Aaron spake unto the whole congregation of the children of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and, behold, the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud.

He had a rainbow upon His head which leads us to the throne room of God.

Rev 4:3 And 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.

His face was as the sun.

These words take us back to Revelation 1, which we know to be the Lord Jesus.

Rev 1:16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.

His feet as pillars of fire also to Revelation.

Rev 1:15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.

In Chapter 11 we see a curious Scripture.

Rev 11:3 And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.

They could only be witnesses if they proclaim the Word of God, the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ!

As we go through the next two verses there should be little doubt that this must be the Lord Jesus Christ.

He is not an angel, because He is the Creator and the Creator of all the angels!

*****Rev 10:2 And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth,

Rev 10:3 And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices.

If this is indeed the Lord Jesus Christ, then He has two books.

Notice His right foot is upon the Sea and His left foot is upon the earth. This is a visible sign of "ownership"!

Psa 24:1 The earth is the LORD'S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.

He is the Angel of the Lord.

He is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah.

He is the Mighty Angel.

He is set apart from all the angels in Heaven.

He is “the One” who speaks, and this world speaks to Him, and to Him only!

This time the "Seven Thunders" uttered their voice.

When the Lion of the Tribe of Judah roars "His" Created world responds!

We met these thunders in Chapter 8.

Rev 8:5 And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake. 

Here again, these seven Thunders are in full agreement to the destruction that is about to happen, but they speak in words that we cannot understand.

John heard what they said, and he was about to write those things down, but the Lord stopped him.

*****Rev 10:4 And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not.

What was John told to do by the Lord?

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

We do not know how much John heard from these seven Thunders, but we see he was told not to write these things down.

Are they secrets?

The Lord promised not to keep any secrets from the Church.

Luk_12:2 For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known.

Amo_3:7 Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.

We can only say that the words that John is not to reveal to us, these Seven Thunders will reveal themselves when that time comes.

These are things that cannot be understood at this time.

You know some things may just be too terrible for the Church to witness during the Great Tribulation.

Remember, if Jehovah had given Noah control of the door to the ark, Noah would have let those people who were drowning inside the ark because it was a terrible thing.

Some things will be much more terrible in the last days of the Great Tribulation and the Church does not need to see them!

*****Rev 10:5 And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven,

Rev 10:6 And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer:

We should clearly understand that this announcement is made toward the earth, as "time" has never existed in Heaven!

But this message also clearly states that "time has run out for the people of earth to repent"!

The One who made this decision is none other than the Creator and His decision is not to be questioned!

Our Lord Jesus Christ is announcing that He is taking possession of all His creation, all of this tiny spec of dirt in the middle of nowhere from a galactic view. This place He had first created as a Garden where mankind needed only to dress the Garden.

Gen 2:8 And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.

Gen 2:9 And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

It was sin that drove man out of the Garden!

It was sin that cause man to have to work to provide for his family.

Gen 3:17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;

Gen 3:18 Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;

Gen 3:19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

It was sin that destroyed the Garden.

It was sin that would have destroyed man then if not for "Grace".

It is sin that would have destroyed each of us without God’s “Grace” that comes by the Lord Jesus Christ!

Gen 6:5 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

Gen 6:6 And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.

Gen 6:7 And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.

Gen 6:8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.

It was because of sin that God sent His Son, again to show His "Grace".

Rom_3:25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

1Jn_2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

1Jn_4:10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

Even this was not enough because much of mankind will always rebel against our Holy God no matter what He has done, because they have another father!

Joh 8:43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.

Joh 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

Joh 8:45 And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.

Joh 8:46 Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?

Joh 8:47 He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.

This time, at the announcement of this Mighty Angel an age-old question will be answered!

2Pe 3:3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,

2Pe 3:4 And saying, "Where is the promise of his coming?" for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.

2Pe 3:5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:

2Pe 3:6 Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:

2Pe 3:7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. 

This time, there will be an answer from Heaven that is so terrible that our Holy Father decided His Church did not need to know about it.

The Seven Thunders exists, but we do not need to know about those judgments!

*****Rev 10:7 But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.

There will be no more delay in the coming of Jesus Christ to this earth!

There will be no more delay in removing Satan, who has convinced these who are left that it is he who owns the earth.

There has never been a war between God and the Devil!

There has never been a war between good and evil!

There has just been a time that God has allowed His created beings an opportunity to spend eternity with Him and even though God knew what we all would choose, He has given us this time to choose for ourselves as we watch all others choose for themselves.

This is time, that is the time, that is over, as this Mighty Angel proclaims to those upon the earth.

God has given us all these revelations throughout the Prophet Scriptures, and they have been ignored by so many.

Some say there is no God, but most have chosen in their own minds a god that they would serve.

When you choose to ignore the Living God, you have said that you are better than God!

There has never been but one acceptable choice in Heaven!

Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Joh 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

Joh 14:2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

Joh 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

Joh 14:4 And whither I go ye know, "and the way ye know".

Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Joh 14:7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

These that are left have been told the way and they chose to reject this truth and have chosen their own way.

*****Rev 10:8 And the voice which I heard from heaven spake unto me again, and said, Go and take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel which standeth upon the sea and upon the earth.

Rev 10:9 And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey. 

John was given his instructions.

Don’t get too caught up in where these voices are coming from and forget the Triune God, the Holy Trinity.

We must never forget we have always had just one duty given to us by the Lord!

Ecc 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

Ecc 12:14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

God's Plan has been flawless right up to the time that John receives this little book, and His plan will remain flawless right up till the time the Lord says that it is "done", near the end of this Book of Revelation.

All the Word of God is sweet, but when we read these judgments, we all wish it did not come to this.

When we are filled with the love of God the wonderful things we read about the Church, missing out on the wrath of God just make us aware of the benefits of giving our heart to the Lord Jesus Christ.

There are too many rewards for being Christian to ever complain that the Word of God is not sweet, because it is!

Col_3:24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.

We must cling to the Lord Jesus all our days to be sure we do not lose rewards that we could have gotten.

2Jn_1:8 Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.

We also know that the Jews, the Hebrew people, will one day give all their heart to the Lord and all those will join us in Heaven to complete the gathering of the Church.

Rom_11:26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:

We should be saddened that they go through the Tribulation years, but they will repent, and they have caused their own problems.

Jehovah has always been the solution to those problems, but the solution came in the form of the Lord Jesus Christ!

If there is any bitterness to the taste of the Word of God, it is for those who refuse to repent!

Many of those will be some of our family members and even some friends.

We should never feel good about anyone going to Hell!

We should never feel good about anyone standing before God at the White Throne of Judgment!

Rev 20:11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.

Rev 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

Rev 20:13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

Rev 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

Rev 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

We should never feel good about these people, because in many cases they may be emblems of our own failure to tell them about Jesus!

We cannot force feed anyone the Word of God, but we should at the least do everything we can to spread the "lifesaving" Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ!

We cannot even be good Christians, unless we take the Word of God and ingest it and digest it, until it becomes a part of our everyday lives!

2Ti 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

If we ever feel good about the death of any living soul, then we need to get on our knees and beg forgiveness!

It is a most terrible sin!

Our Heavenly Father hates the fact that there will be some who will always reject Him!

2Pe_3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

The most bitter words in the entire Word of God are these:

Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, "I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity".

Mat 7:24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

Mat 7:25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

Mat 7:26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:

Mat 7:27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

We should remember John had been sent to the Isle of Patmos to live out the remainder of his days.

John had already outlived all of the other Apostles.

In fact John had already lived longer than most all others in his day.

What did John learn from this encounter with this Mighty Angel, who I believe to be the Lord Jesus Christ, who is certainly no Angel but our Creator.

He learned his preaching days were not yet over!

*****Rev 10:10 And I took the little book out of the angel's hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter.

Rev 10:11 And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.

There are many thoughts about this little book.

Some believe that it could be the book Daniel was told to seal up:

Dan 12:4 But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.

Dan 12:5 Then I Daniel looked, and, behold, there stood other two, the one on this side of the bank of the river, and the other on that side of the bank of the river.

Dan 12:6 And one said to the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, How long shall it be to the end of these wonders?

Dan 12:7 And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.

Dan 12:8 And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things?

Dan 12:9 And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.

John would go on to write all these words of the Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ.

John would go on to preach the Word of God with even more emphasis upon the end times.

We must understand that we have this same responsibility!

We may think things are terrible right now, but it is not the end times and it is not the Tribulation years.

We may be in that time of sorrows, but it is not time to quit on the Lord no matter our situation!

The Word of God is a "two-edged" sword and both sides of the Word of God must be understood and then taught!

Heb 4:11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

Heb 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Heb 4:13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

Heb 4:14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.

This "rest" for the Church, is the next thing on God's time clock.

Then this same "rest" for the Children of Israel.

Then the "unrest" for all those who have rejected the Lord, and this is part of the message we are to share.

The main message still being that Jesus Saves!

Rom 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

Rom 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Rom 10:11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

Rom 10:12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.

Rom 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Let us all get busy about the work the Lord gave John to do and the work the Lord has given us to do.

That work has not changed!

Amen

The Messengers to the Church

Seven Stars and Seven Candlesticks

Book of Revelation Chapter 1 verses 12-20

We need to remember that up until this point all we know is the John was worshiping alone on the Isle of Patmos and the Holy Spirit just overwhelmed John and as he says:

Rev 1:10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,

If you are a Christian, you know what John is saying here. Most all of us got in the Spirit the day we prayed that sinner’s prayer and was gloriously saved.

Most of us have had a visit from the Holy Spirit on other occasions. Those that say they haven't, just are not paying attention. The Holy Spirit sometimes speaks in a real small voice

John was having Church. He and the Holy Spirit and the Lord Jesus Christ were gathered together. What did Jesus teach us?

Mat 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

We can worship when we are alone with the Lord and the Holy Spirit!

BUT Those who do not attend a true House of God do not know what they are missing.

It is sin not to attend the House of God on a regular basis!

Heb 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

In our day, we do see the "Day of the Lord" approaching so, we should be in the House of God more today than we have in the past

John and the Holy Spirit were having themselves a time when, in came the Lord Jesus Christ.

There was no doubt in John's mind that this was Christ, but he remained motionless for just a moment listening to the Lord.

It was now time for John to turn and see where this voice was coming from.

Remember John was alone on this Isle of Patmos at least he was alone as he worshiped the Lord.

The Isle of Patmos was a barren lonely place which was John's punishment.

*****Rev 1:12 And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks;

Rev 1:13 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.

John first saw seven golden candlesticks.

First John heard a voice.

Next John turned toward that voice.

Next John saw seven candlesticks.

Again we see the number seven and we will see this number many times in the Book of Revelation and it will have the same meaning each time.

It is a fact that the number seven is considered to be a holy number by many peoples.

To the Hebrew people, every seventh day has a meaning.

Every seventh year has a specific meaning and the multiples of seven have specific meanings.

They would mourn for the dead seven days.

They would also celebrate weddings for seven days.

These things began with the seven days of Creation Week.

Notice to evolutionist, the number seven has no meaning at all except, on the calendar that they do not agree with.

They do like multiples of years but its millions of years and billions of years, so just about anyone will say "well in that many years anything could happen" just to get away from one simple Creation Week when the Lord made everything we see and everything that we cannot see.

The candlestick of the Jewish Temple is called a "menorah".

How did Moses construct such a candlestick?

Exo 25:31 And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work shall the candlestick be made: his shaft, and his branches, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, shall be of the same.

Exo 25:32 And six branches shall come out of the sides of it; three branches of the candlestick out of the one side, and three branches of the candlestick out of the other side:

Exo 25:33 Three bowls made like unto almonds, with a knop and a flower in one branch; and three bowls made like almonds in the other branch, with a knop and a flower: so in the six branches that come out of the candlestick.

Exo 25:34 And in the candlestick shall be four bowls made like unto almonds, with their knops and their flowers.

Exo 25:35 And there shall be a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, according to the six branches that proceed out of the candlestick.

Exo 25:36 Their knops and their branches shall be of the same: all it shall be one beaten work of pure gold.

Exo 25:37 And thou shalt make the seven lamps thereof: and they shall light the lamps thereof, that they may give light over against it.

Exo 25:38 And the tongs thereof, and the snuffdishes thereof, shall be of pure gold.

Exo 25:39 Of a talent of pure gold shall he make it, with all these vessels.

Exo 25:40 And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was shewed thee in the mount.

When John says a candlestick then this is what he saw, and he saw seven of them.

They were either placed in a circle or in a straight line because in the midst of them was the Lord Jesus Christ and I believe they were placed in a circle.

We will see later that these candlesticks represent these seven Churches and seven Church Ages, and they all are to get their light from Him.

Eph 5:8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:

The Lord Jesus was in His human form, but oh how wonderful it was the sight of Him.

We could say John saw the Lord as He presents Himself in Heaven.

He had on a garment such as a robe that covered His body down to His feet and was most likely a white robe, but it could be that same scarlet robe He wears later.

Rev 19:13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.

Jesus was wearing the robe of a prophet because He proclaims the Word of Truth to us.

Jesus was wearing the robe of a priests, because He gives us access into the presence of our Heavenly Father.

Jesus was wearing the robe of a King, because He rules this earth that belongs to Him.

He had on a golden cloth used as a belt around His waist. Much like a priest but it also represents dignity and authority.

The Lord Jesus was dressed as if He were going on a journey!

We must understand that the message of the Book of Revelation is from Jesus Himself!

He was just marvelous to look upon.

Both Ezekiel and Daniel had similar views of the Lord!

What else did John see about the Lord?

*****Rev 1:14 His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;

The head and hair of Jesus were as white as snow which pictures our Lord Jesus as the "Ancient of Days".

The Prophet Daniel spoke often of the "Ancient of Days".

Dan_7:9 I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.

Dan_7:13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.

Dan_7:22 Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.

Hair on the head of the Lord was white as white wool, a perfect whiteness.

Wool is also an emblem of eternity! The Lord is eternal, who was, who is, and who is to come!

His eyes were as a flame of fire.

His eyes are a token of His omniscience, eyes that can pierce through all things clearly. Eyes that can penetrate even into the heart.

Heb 4:13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

Jer 23:23 Am I a God at hand, saith the LORD, and not a God afar off?

Jer 23:24 Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD.

Nothing can be hidden from our Savior!

And of what of His feet?

*****Rev 1:15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.

Brass signifies strength but also lasting! Jesus Christ has no weakness at all, and our God is eternal. There is no one and nothing that can overcome the power of God.

Brass that has been through the furnace reaches a "white heat". This answers that burnish look, that glowing look that can only be Jesus Christ.

The voice of the Lord. If you were near the Niagara Falls you could not hear anything but the roar of the waters as they flowed down the falls.

The voice of the Lord was the same to John. John could here no other sound as the Lord spoke with the authority that He has.

Remember when the Lord speaks all of nature is listening to His voice for His next command!

John knew he was in the presence of the Almighty God and once He spoke, he had John's full attention!

Psa 93:1 The LORD reigneth, he is clothed with majesty; the LORD is clothed with strength, wherewith he hath girded himself: the world also is stablished, that it cannot be moved.

Psa 93:2 Thy throne is established of old: thou art from everlasting.

Psa 93:3 The floods have lifted up, O LORD, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their waves.

Psa 93:4 The LORD on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, yea, than the mighty waves of the sea.

Psa 93:5 Thy testimonies are very sure: holiness becometh thine house, O LORD, for ever.

When the Lord speaks to you, you will have no doubt who is speaking! If you have doubts, then it is not the Lord speaking!

We should understand that the Lord Jesus Christ will be a sight to behold and the only One who deserves our worship forever more!

It is the Lord Jesus Christ who holds the true Church in His hand!

The next two chapters will deal with those seven churches, their problems and the Lord's solution to their problems!

When the Lord is speaking to the Church, He is expecting us all to pay attention.

We need to hear what the Lord is speaking to us, but we also need to hear what the Lord is speaking to all the church!

*****Rev 1:16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.

As we read ahead, we know that these seven candlesticks represent those seven churches and these seven stars represent seven angels who are messengers to those churches.

A true church is a church whose message comes from our Heavenly Father! Anyone, anyone, who has a message that opposes the written Word of God has a false message.

God intends for the true church to survive until He takes the true Church home! Remember this message is to the true Church.

Any gathering of people together that is not to promote the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is then not a true Church.

Those who follow a perverted or twisted up version of the true Scriptures are not a true Church.

Those who search for power that is not the power of the Holy Spirit are not a true Church.

The message of our Holy Father is as a two-edged sword!

Truth: Dan 12:3 And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.

Judgment: Rev 19:15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

God the Father has given us His message of salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ. There is only one message! There is only one true Messenger!

God the Father also gives us the message of righteous anger, to all those who oppose His message of truth!

A two-edged sword cuts on both sides!

The countenance of our Savior implies His abundance of favor toward His children.

Psa 21:5 His glory is great in thy salvation: honour and majesty hast thou laid upon him.

Psa 21:6 For thou hast made him most blessed for ever: thou hast made him exceeding glad with thy countenance.

To the Church:

Act 2:25 For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved:

Act 2:26 Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope:

Act 2:27 Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

Act 2:28 Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.

Act 2:29 Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.

Act 2:30 Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;

Act 2:31 He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.

Act 2:32 This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.

The countenance of our Holy Father is seen in His Son the Lord Jesus Christ, the Almighty Living God!

This is what John knew and this is what John saw!

*****Rev 1:17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:

Rev 1:18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

What are we going to do when we first meet the Lord Jesus Christ in all His glory at the Bema Seat, where Christ will judge His church for rewards or loss of rewards?

We will fall down on our faces as dead men and women at the feet of our Savior!

There is a great big difference in sinfulness and sinlessness!

Luk 5:8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.

Some may feel differently, but they will be the first ones to fall at the feet of Jesus!

Then if that same light is shining in our heart, the Lord will say "fear not"!

2Co 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

2Co 4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

Jesus Christ was the hope of His Church in the past, since He went back to Heaven and Jesus Christ is the Only Hope for His Church today.

His message is that of truth and love!

Our encouragement will always come from the Lord! Today and when we meet Him in the air!

When He reaches down with that right hand of power to touch us in love and says those words "fear not" we will then know for sure we are redeemed and it’s time to go home with Him!

That same hand that holds those stars also holds my soul!

Joh 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

Joh 10:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

Joh 10:29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.

Joh 10:30 I and my Father are one.

And those keys!

As the Church we need to understand that all power has been given to the Lord Jesus Christ and He holds the power over death, and He holds the power over who and who does not go to hell.

Mat 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

In reality we hold this power ourselves. Make that decision today to call on the Lord.

Rev 6:8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.

We know that only the Lord Jesus Christ can take away the life and that is at His choosing!

He may dispatch this to some other as this verse states. He gave the power to Death and Hell, which would be the Angel of Death and the Keeper of Hell who will both be tossed in the Lake of Fire also.

Rev 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

When this takes place, there will be no more death and Hell will no longer be a place, the Final Place for those sentenced to eternal death will be the Burning Lake of Fire.

You see the gates of Hell will never prevail over the Church!

Mat 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

If you place your life into the hands of the Lord, you are assured of safety throughout eternity!

And now the Apostle John is given his instructions.

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

Rev 1:20 The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.

John is to write down the things he sees in all his visions, whether they be in the past, whether they be in his present, or whether they be in his future and therefore in our future as it seems to be.

Some of these facts are that of Christ's Incarnation.

We know that the Lord Jesus Christ left Heaven's glory to come to this earth and grow as a man from a child born in Bethlehem as the prophesies foretold.

As the God-man He became the foundation of the Church and of all Christianity.

All other religions are just man-made rejections of the Lord Jesus Christ!

Faith in Jesus Christ is faith in God and there is no other God than He, Jehovah!

Jehovah Himself said man was created in His image and that of His Son!

Gen 1:26 And God said, "Let us" make man in "our" image, after "our" likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

Gen 9:6 Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: "for in the image of God made he man".

We may not totally understand exactly what being in the image of God means, but we do know we have this connection to our Almighty Creator, Elohim.

God created man and God continues to reveal Himself to man and He explains His relationship by giving us His Book of the Living, we call the Bible.

Pro 8:17 I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.

We are caught up the prophecy of the Messiah.

Pro 8:22 The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.

Pro 8:23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.

Pro 8:24 When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water.

Pro 8:25 Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth:

Pro 8:26 While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world.

Pro 8:27 When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth:

Pro 8:28 When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep:

Pro 8:29 When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth:

Pro 8:30 Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him;

Pro 8:31 Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men.

Pro 8:32 Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children: for blessed are they that keep my ways.

Pro 8:33 Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.

Pro 8:34 Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.

Pro 8:35 For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD.

Pro 8:36 But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.

How can we deny our Creator or His Son, the only means to reconnect with our Creator in His house!

The Lord takes the time to tell us that those seven candlesticks represent those seven churches in Asia and therefore all the types of the Church and all the Church Ages since the beginning of the first true Church in Jerusalem and then Antioch, where the first missionaries were sent out and deacons were elected.

Those seven stars are then the seven messengers to the church which in my mind means those pastors or preachers, even though I am sure God's Angels watch over not only that Church but also each and every Christian and certainly every true called man of God!

There are not really any mysteries in the Scriptures, if you study the Bible because the Bible itself is its own best commentary if you are filled with the Holy Spirit.

Amen

Let's Pray!

God Gave Isaiah A Vision

The Vision God Gave to Isaiah

Book of Isaiah Chapter 1

Everything we know about Isaiah, we will find in this book of prophecy that he says he wrote and of course under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

2Ti 3:16 "All scripture is given by inspiration of God", and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

2Ti 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

The Book of Isaiah is just as important as any book of the New Testament. Other than the Book of Psalms, the Book of Isaiah is the most quoted book in the New Testament.

Isaiah was called to be a prophet of God in the year that Uzziah died. This would have been about 754 BC. We may call it a coincidence but this would also have been the time that Rome was founded.

It seems that it was in "visions and dreams" that were greatest methods God used to make revelations to His Prophets.

Job 4:13 In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falleth on men,

Job 4:14 Fear came upon me, and trembling, which made all my bones to shake.

In the days of the Bible, a person’s name had a real meaning and with a name like "Isaiah", which means, (salvation is from the Lord) how could this man not be a Prophet, even his name was prophecy.

Isaiah's prophecies and sermons centered on the holiness of God and God's desire to save all mankind!

Like every other Prophet, Isaiah warned us all, of the coming wrath of God but Isaiah teaches us more about the comfort of God than the wrath of God.

God is certainly a loving God or none of us would exist today but God would not be God if He allowed non-believers to go unpunished! God must do just as He says or we could not believe any part of the Scriptures. God says He will punish all those who reject Him, in fact God says He will destroy them!

All in all, the message of Isaiah is "salvation can only come by the Lord". Isaiah wrote:

Isa 35:8 "And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness"; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.

Isa 35:9 No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; "but the redeemed shall walk there":
Isa 35:10 "And the ransomed of the LORD shall return", and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

And in Matthew:

Mat 20:28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life "a ransom" for many.

And in John:

Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Joh 14:7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

Only the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Son of Man, can rescue any of us from our eternal deadly situation!

And Isaiah again:

Isa 12:2 Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; "he also is become my salvation".

Isa 12:3 Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.
**Isa 12:4 And in that day shall ye say, Praise the LORD, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted.

Let's Begin:

*****Isa 1:1 The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

Isaiah was a great prophet of God but we already know that every prophet of God had the same importance in their message.

That word "vision" means that, Isaiah saw something that he understood as the truth and the truth of some future event. Isaiah had no doubt that his prophecies would come to be true, each and every one of them because he knew they came from God!

We should understand that this "vision" was a sign of God revealing Himself to all mankind.

2Pe 1:20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.

2Pe 1:21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: "but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost".

Isaiah could clearly see the future!

Isaiah had a father named Amoz but this was not the prophet Amos or anyone else named Amos.

In many cases these "prophets" of God were also called "seers" because they would predict the future.

SO, What did Isaiah see?

*****Isa 1:2 Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me.

Isa 1:3 The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider.
Isa 1:4 Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward.

The truth is, it seems that the only part of God's creation that refuses to hear when God speaks "are the humans"!

Our man-made privileges nor our man-made blessings can save us from being eternally separated from God, all man-made things will soon become a curse.

"God cannot give us what we refuse to receive"! A gift must be received to be of any value!

The Nation of Israel had been rebellous from the time of Moses.

Deu_9:24 Ye have been rebellious against the LORD from the day that I knew you.

In the days of Isaiah, these Jews worshipped the Sun and the Moon. They worshipped Baal upon the high places and the "groves". Some had cast their children into the arms of Moloch and then after these things, they would still turn to worship God in the Temple making untold burnt offerings and animal sacrifices.

When God should have rejected them, God still loved them and sent His Word by His prophets, to warn them and then to guide them into reality.

We could say that what the Book of Romans is to the Christian, what the Book of Isaiah is to the Jews.

God will always extend a Father to son or a Father to daughter relationship to mankind and there will never be any grandchildren in the family of God, they are all God's children!

Eph_4:6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

God had chosen the Israelites to be His special witnesses of the Word of God upon this earth, to proclaim the coming of the Lord and to make application of the Word of God to their lives. To be an example to the world.

Gen 12:1 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:

Gen 12:2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
Gen 12:3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

What is open rebellion? Rebellion is the open resistance to the Authority and the Government of God! We owe our allegiance to our Creator.

This is the very reason that the creation truth in the Book of Genesis remains under attack!

If we reject a Creator, then we are not rebelling against His truths.

The truth is, even an ox or a donkey realize they have a master and God says these Jews showed that they were not as wise as some dumb animals. We can still say this today about those of our own nation.

They had not only corrupted themselves but they had set out to corrupt their whole nation.

We can see that some things will never change! The wicked are never satisfied until they have caused everyone else to be as wicked as they are!

2Ti 3:13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

In truth, these people had forsaken the Almighty God, the Holy One of Israel!

Our God is "holy" and He expects us all to be holy! This is not some suggestion but a command!

1Pe 1:16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

And God asks how can we walk together unless we think the same way?

Amo 3:3 Can two walk together, except they be agreed?

We cannot walk with God and be walking in the ways of the world!

And God simply ask, "are you not tired of chastisement"? It seems some people just love misery to much to give it up!

*****Isa 1:5 Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.

Isa 1:6 From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment.

The truth is, many had been chastised so much that there was not a place on their flesh for any new marks.

Psa 38:3 There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger; neither is there any rest in my bones "because of my sin".

We may sometimes ask ourselves, why Lord, when we already know the answer!

Not everything that happens to us comes from our sin but we can be sure that un-repented sin will bring the chastisement of God. Until we realize these things, even chastisement will become a great burden to carry.

Psa 38:4 For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me.

Psa 38:5 My wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness.

The whole head will be sick and the whole heart will faint!

Jer 2:19 Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord GOD of hosts.

Remember God is dealing with a nation and not the individual when He says from the soul of your feet to the head.

Sin will destroy any people and any nation!

To treat a wound in the day of Isaiah, the wound was first pressed to remove any foreign obstacles, then bandaged and softened with oil. Our example comes from the "good Samaritan".

Luk 10:34 And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

The wounds of Israel had not been pressed or closed, had not been bound, and had not been mollified with ointment.

Israel was as an open sore to the world, because they were so foolish. Israel had begun to rot as an untreated sore and began to canker and whole limbs needed to be removed!

Sin is as the worst form of any Cancer!

Sin is noticeable in every nation. Let's just look at America, as Isaiah describes the Israel of his day.

*****Isa 1:7 Your country is desolate, your cities are burned with fire: your land, strangers devour it in your presence, and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers.

All we have to do is watch the news to see these same things occurring in our own nation today!

It is hard to imagine that these things are even promoted by certain ones in our own government.

Sin will ruin any nation!

We should understand Israel will always be very important to the Lord.

Exo 4:22 And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, "Israel is my son, even my firstborn":

All those in Israel that cling to Judaism are still God's children, only children who lack "Faith".

Deu 32:20 And he said, I will hide my face from them, I will see what their end shall be: for they are a very froward generation, "children in whom is no faith".

God still looks over Israel as a Father over His children.

Deu 32:6 Do ye thus requite the LORD, O foolish people and unwise? "is not he thy father that hath bought thee? hath he not made thee, and established thee"?

So, what does God tell the rest of the world?

Gen 12:3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

We could say that this blessing took place the day Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem.

The fact remains that God hates sin!

It is true that God will judge sin but God still looks upon the sinner as one who can be saved from His judgment!

God hates the fact that Satan has caused such faults in His children, that requires His condemnation!

We should clearly understand when a nation starts falling apart because of sin, "and it is not in the power of that nation to stop what is happening". The only thing that can stop such destruction is to return to the Lord!

2Ch 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

God will eventually pull His hand of protection away from His rebellious children!

*****Isa 1:8 And the daughter of Zion is left as a cottage in a vineyard, as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city.

Isa 1:9 Except the LORD of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah.
Isa 1:10 Hear the word of the LORD, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah.

In the New Testament "Zion" can refer to the Church. "Zion" can also refer the Holy City in the Book of the Revelation.

In this day of Isaiah, "Zion" referred to the capitol city of Israel, which was Jerusalem and will always be Jerusalem!

A cottage in a vineyard was no more than a temporary shed where the keeper or the watcher of the vineyard stayed day and night to protect the fruit until it was gathered.

At the end of the season the watcher would leave and this cottage and it would be taken down or the winter weather would cause it to fall.

God is saying that He would abandon Jerusalem and Jerusalem would become a very lonely place and subject to fall.

Similar, to this cottage, a lodge was a small temporary housing for the gardener and once the cucumbers were gathered the gardener would leave this lodge completely and this lodge would soon fall.

Again, God said He would abandon Jerusalem and Jerusalem would fall.

We know that God is "our Watcher" and God is "our Gardener" and when He abandons us because of sin, we will certainly fall!

And Isaiah said the truth is, if it were not for the few that remained faithful, Jerusalem would have been like Sodom and Gomorrah.

What do we know about Sodom and Gomorrah?

Gen 18:32 And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten's sake.

Had there been at least 10 righteous people in Sodom, that city would still be standing today, unless God had removed them!

We can be sure that there was a small remnant in Jerusalem, at least 10 or more, who still remained faithful to the Lord and because of this Jerusalem was not destroyed.

All these things should remind is of the "Rapture of the Church" when all those "faithful" to the Lord will be physically removed from this Earth and there will not be even one righteous person left and it is then that this world will be like Sodom and Gomorrah and God will treat this world the same as He had those cities that no longer exist! In it will even worse for the world in that day.

Then Isaiah says to the rulers of Israel, who ruled like the King of Sodom and to the people of Israel, who lived like the people of Gomorrah, listen to what the Lord is saying to all those who live this way and still seek God's favor.

We should also understand that when the prophet is speaking, then there is still time to repent!

When God speaks Himself, it will be His last warning and there will be no time to repent!

1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

It will just be too late to make meaningless sacrifices to God!

*****Isa 1:11 To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the LORD: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats.

Isa 1:12 When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts?

Isa 1:13 Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting.
Isa 1:14 Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them.
Isa 1:15 And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.

God will only allow the rebellion of this world for so long! Those who call on the Lord and at the same time reject His Word, are in for a terrible surprise!

People who refuse to obey the Word of God, then live as they please and do their own thing, will be in for a shock when the Lord returns in the clouds and the church is removed and only they remain.

It was not matter what we think, it only matters what God says!!!!!

When we rebel against the Lord, we are contributing to the immorality, the lawlessness, and the violence in our societies and this is a fact!

These Israelites began to believe that their bond with Jehovah God was maintained by sacrifice and rituals and they could not have been more wrong.

We know that with the sacrifice of animals in that day, could stay the hand of God until the next year. In fact, the idea of sacrifice as a food source to the gods comes from pagan worship and these people had already rejected the truths of God.

So, what did God say? God said, all these things are beginning to make me sick.

This should remind us of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Laodicean Church Age.

Rev 3:14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;

Rev 3:15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
Rev 3:16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

Jesus said this kind of worship made Him sick to His stomach!

We should understand that there is only one way to worship the Lord!

Joh 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, "when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth": for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

Joh 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him "must" worship him in spirit and in truth.

Some people have truth and no Spirit.

Some people have spirit but no truth.

God says we must have both!

God does not let us get by with a "maybe we will" type of worship!
God does not accept the rituals of man as even being worship!
God will only accept worship that is sincere!

We sometimes forget that when we go to worship the Lord, we are going before our Creator who is our God.

These people had combined immoral conduct with ritual worship, in their own man-made effort to please God and this will never work.

This is the way of the church today!

God will not accept the hypocrite!

How did God describe this worship?

Isa 66:3 He that killeth an ox is "as if he slew a man"; he that sacrificeth a lamb, "as if he cut off a dog's neck"; he that offereth an oblation, "as if he offered swine's blood"; he that burneth incense, "as if he blessed an idol". Yea, "they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations".

We cannot choose our own way to worship the Lord!

These people actually showed great zeal in doing these things, rather than zeal to obey God.

The sin of unbelief is the greatest sin of all and cannot be forgiven, but in reality the next greatest sin is when those who call on the Lord in ritualistic worship and then live immoral lives and think that this is pleasing to the Lord. This is worship that makes God sick!

If these things did not please God in the day of Isaiah, why would we think God is pleased with these things today?

God does not ever change His ways, His thoughts, His salvation plan, nor His judgment!

Num 23:19 God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?

The world had made God powerless but God's patience is one thing that has a point of ending!

Mal 2:17 Ye have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him? When ye say, Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delighteth in them; or, Where is the God of judgment?

When we worship, God says to raise "holy hands" but the hands that continue in sin can never be holy!

When we have unrepented sin in our hearts God will not hear our prayers!

When we make vain repetitions in our prayers, we are acting like heathen in the sight of God!

Mat 6:7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

We cannot just attend church regular.

We cannot just repeat some ritualistic prayer.
We cannot just offer up our personal sacrifices.
We must also worship in Spirit and in Truth!
We must repent of our evil and sinful life and to repent means "to turn away from such things and think in the ways of the Lord".

*****Isa 1:16 Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil;

Isa 1:17 Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.

There is only one way to wash, in order to please God!

Rev 7:14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

No more blood needs to be shed, the Lord Jesus shed His own blood and there is plenty to go around.

Rev 1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,

Rev 1:6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

There is a price that had to be paid for our redemption. All those animal sacrifices and all other sacrifices could only prove that we cannot wash and clean ourselves.

Once cleansed, then we mus cease to do evil or that cleansing was meaningless.

What is it to repent?

1) There must be a true sense of guilt and sinfulness.

2) There must be a realization of God's "mercy".
3) There must be a hatred of sin.
4) There must be a complete change in direction, we must then walk in the ways of the Lord!

Psa 51:1 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.

Psa 51:2 Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
Psa 51:3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.
Psa 51:4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.

God says let's talk about this, so we can be sure that God is willing to discuss salvation with anyone during this time of "Grace".

*****Isa 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

Isa 1:19 If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:
Isa 1:20 But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

God simply says, "let's bring this dispute to an end". Your way simply will not work!

Pro 16:25 There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

It is only by washing in the blood of Jesus that we can be washed as white as snow!

***We must first be willing! We must desire to be cleansed of our sin and this can take place only after we realize the truth of our sin!

Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

***We must then be obedient to the Word of God! We must submit to the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ!

Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Joh 14:7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

***If we are not willing and we refuse and rebel against the Lord, then we will certainly be rejected by the Lord!

Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Where do we find all the things the Lord has said to us? Today we call this the Bible and in my case the KJV Bible is the truth I need.

2Ti 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

2Ti 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

When we rebel against the Lord, we will find that life is really not that pleasant without being under the protecting hands of God!

*****Isa 1:21 How is the faithful city become an harlot! it was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers.

Isa 1:22 Thy silver is become dross, thy wine mixed with water:
Isa 1:23 Thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves: every one loveth gifts, and followeth after rewards: they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them.

When 10 of tribes of Israel had revolted to form the Northern Kingdom, Judah whose capitol was Jerusalem had remained "faithful". God had referred to Himself as the husband to this nation of Israel so in fact, even Jerusalem had become as a harlot who sold herself to many men and had become a treacherous wife.

Judah was no more righteous but was now unfaithful, becoming a place of murderers.

Dross is the scum, the impurities thrown out in the purification of precious metals and worthless. Judah had become the scum of the earth in the eyes of God.

Unrepentant sinners who claim to know God, are the scum of the earth!

Even Judah had become useless to God. We must remember it was the job of Israel to tell the world about Jehovah God and His plan of salvation.

They had taken the fresh new wine of the Word of God and blended it with the inventions of men and had lost the Spirit in which God had given it to them. Remember the Lord Jesus said this new wine, "this fresh squeezed grape juice", was in type His blood of the New Testament. Not some rotten or fermented juice

We cannot water down the Word of God and still call it the truth of God!

The government had rebelled and had even welcomed and encouraged false worship.

Anyone of with power to judge, could be bought with gifts.

They both sought rewards for the power they thought they had.

They were full of corruption at all levels!
They did not care for the orphans of society!
They did not care much for aged of society!
They did not care much for the truth of God at all!

All the causes of God had been rejected!

So, we do not have to imagine what God would do, He had already shown many times how He would react to rebellion!

That word "Therefore", means for these reasons.

*****Isa 1:24 "Therefore" saith the Lord, the LORD of hosts, the mighty One of Israel, Ah, I will ease me of mine adversaries, and avenge me of mine enemies:

Isa 1:25 And I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross, and take away all thy tin:
Isa 1:26 And I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counsellors as at the beginning: afterward thou shalt be called, The city of righteousness, the faithful city.

When we see the word "therefore" we need to look back at the previous Scripture.

Those that rebel against the Word of God then become the enemies of God.

Those that rebel against the truth of God then become the adversaries of God.

It is foolish to believe that God has changed His ways today! Those that reject the Word of God then become the enemies of God and this will never change!

That word "ease" in this Scripture means to "avenge"! Today we might say "appease", which means to reduce to a state of peace.

Deu 28:63 And it shall come to pass, that as the LORD rejoiced over you to do you good, and to multiply you; so the LORD will rejoice over you to destroy you, and to bring you to nought; and "ye shall be plucked from off the land whither thou goest to possess it".

Deu 28:64 And the LORD "shall scatter thee among all people, from the one end of the earth even unto the other"; and there thou shalt serve other gods, which neither thou nor thy fathers have known, even wood and stone.

This is a Scripture that no one in this world can deny! Many of Israel are still scattered all around this world even though many of them are hearing that call to go home since May 14, 1948.

Verse 24 has taken place but the remaining Scriptures in this chapter are still in our future and still in the future of Israel.

This vision given to Isaiah that happened at least 700 years before the first coming of Christ, and is still in effect!

God will certainly punish sin!

Jerusalem will indeed be restored and one day this city of Jerusalem will be the capitol city of this entire world!

We should be certain that when God punishes sin, God's aim is to restore that individual but there will still come a time when it is too late to repent and God also says He will not "clear the guilty". (Verse 28) The guilty will never get a free ride!

God is never vindictive in His purpose!

God's purpose here is to restore Jerusalem much like it was in the days of Solomon.

*****Isa 1:27 Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and her converts with righteousness.

Isa 1:28 And the destruction of the transgressors and of the sinners shall be together, and they that forsake the LORD shall be consumed.

Just as God says here, Jerusalem will not be redeemed until the Second Coming of Christ to bring "judgment" on all those who are left after the "Rapture" of the Church.

And dont be fooled by those that say the the word "Rapture" is not in the Word of God. That particular word may not be there but the action of the "Rapture" appears more than once.

1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall "be caught" up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

That phrase "caught up" is the Greek word "harpazo" which means "to take by force", to pluck, to seize. In Latin the word "rapture" describes this action that God will take to remove His people.

In verse 28 that word "consumed" means that the sinners and the transgressors and the destruction they have caused will cease to exist!

What will happen after the "Rapture" of the Church to those that are left behind who have rejected God's offer of salvation?

*****Isa 1:29 For they shall be ashamed of the oaks which ye have desired, and ye shall be confounded for the gardens that ye have chosen.

Isa 1:30 For ye shall be as an oak whose leaf fadeth, and as a garden that hath no water.
Isa 1:31 And the strong shall be as tow, and the maker of it as a spark, and they shall both burn together, and none shall quench them.

God gave these "visions" to His prophets to make a last appeal, a warning of the coming "Judgment" of God!

At this time, Israel had disowned their Father in Heaven.

They had refused to be the "Bride" to the righteous "Groom".

They had failed to fulfill the purpose that God had assigned to them.

God had given them exceptional privileges but they had chosen sin over those privileges and benefits.

Gardens that were once chosen for their beauty became an emblem of "nature worship". They had become a hedonistic society!

They worship sacred trees but those who remained close to the Lord were only seen as leaves that had fallen and faded in their eyes.

They had sacred wells but those that trusted in the Lord were seen only as dry wells.

After the Church is in Heaven they will fill ashamed of all these things but it will be to late!

Jer 8:3 And death shall be chosen rather than life by all the residue of them that remain of this evil family, which remain in all the places whither I have driven them, saith the LORD of hosts.

None of the gods that they have worshipped will be able to save them!

Rev 6:14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.

Rev 6:15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;
Rev 6:16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:
Rev 6:17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

And they will be consumed!

We can see that when Isaiah had this vision, he spent the rest of his days trying to convince Israel to return to the Lord.

This is now our job, to try to convince this lost and evil world, to return to the ways of the Lord, who is so full of "Grace" at this time but He will show His wrath one day not in the too distant future.

Questions?

Let's Pray!