The High Cost of Freedom

Freedom Through the Blood

Book of Exodus Chapter 12

Those ten plagues had crippled the economy of Egypt and had God stopped at this point those children of Israel would have remained as slaves of Egypt.

All those ten plagues had affected the Egyptian people much more than this rich king who was full of pride and arrogance.

There would be one more plague, but this one would be vastly different from the others.

The Passover deals with the "Judgment" of God, but also the Deliverance of God!

God began a principle in the Book of Genesis that will be followed throughout all the Bible.

Heb 9:22  And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. 

In the Book of Genesis we know that the sin of Adam and Eve brought the curse of destruction to this world we live in.

We are seeing the results of this curse increasingly today, in what many call climate change which is the reality of that curse upon this world.

Before Adam and Eve were banished from the Garden of Eden, God made clothes for them from the skins of animals.

This demonstrated the principle of forgiveness through the shedding of blood.

Later we saw that it was Abel's sacrifice that was accepted by the Almighty God.

Gen 4:4  And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering: 

This principle of "Freedom" through sacrifice is repeated throughout the Bible. 

We see it here in the Book of Exodus as the "freedom" of the children of Israel would require a Blood Sacrifice.

Before these children of Israel could be set free, they had to pave the way for a new beginning.

This thing of escape from the tyranny of the world would be documented on a new calendar which the Jews still use today.

What do we know now that we have accepted the work of the Lord Jesus Christ for our salvation? Sin has an extremely high cost!

*****Exo 12:1  And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, 

Exo 12:2  This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you. 

The Passover deals with the "Judgment" of God but also the "Deliverance" of God.

This "Judgment" will be upon all those who cannot accept the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ!

This "Judgment" will be upon all those who are evil oppressors, those who are ungodly, and those who are unrighteous in this world.

The "Deliverance" will take place to all who believe in and diligently follow the Word of God and the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ!

We should notice that the beginning of this new calendar for the children of Israel did not begin on the day of the Passover but fourteen days before the Passover.

We should understand this gap as a type of "grace".

My new calendar began when the day I was "Born Again" to a "New Life", and regenerated by the Holy Spirit coming to live within me.

Tit 3:5  Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

Notice I have no righteousness of myself, but now because the Holy Spirit lives within me I have the righteousness of Jesus Christ.

All the sins of my past are forgiven! My new life had its beginning when I realized I was a sinner and in need of a Savior.

For the children of Israel, their new life would begin from the month in which the Passover occurred not the day of the Passover.

The Passover was the most significant event in the history of Israel and is still celebrated today.

Those who practice true Judaism still observe the Passover today, but they have no place to offer their sacrifice.

The Passover marked the very night that God "delivered" the children of Israel from the tyranny of Egypt, which is a type of the world we live in today, where we see persecution increasing and the taskmasters still delivering their slave tactics.

This first new month was called Abib which corresponds to March and April on the Roman Calendar.

The word "Abib" means "a young head of grain", "an ear of corn".

The beginning of a new life for the nation of Israel was marked by a new calendar.

The life of Jesus Christ was also marked by a new calendar.

When the Lord Jesus arose to New Life and left that borrowed tomb belonging to Joseph of Arimathea, to a life to live eternally in a New Heaven it astounded the world so much that the world measures its seasons and its history from the date of the Birth of Jesus Christ.

This should be enough proof for all the world that the Lord Jesus Christ is a real Savior, a real "Deliverer"!

****Exo 12:3  Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house: 

Exo 12:4  And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb. 

We next see that Israel is now called a congregation, a Holy Community by the Lord God Himself.

A congregation is the people of God who gather to worship Him or to hear the Word of God!

We also see that each household, each family, was to celebrate the feast of the Passover. 

Each family or group of people were to secure one lamb on the tenth day of the month of Abib.

This lamb was to be singled out from the flock and appointed to death four days before it was to be sacrificed.

For four days they were to keep this Lamb separate and feed and care for this lamb.

When the Lord Jesus was beginning His ministry John the Baptist said:

Joh 1:29  The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

Joh 1:36  And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!

Notice also each person was to eat the Passover meal for them self.

This is the same way we take Jesus today, individually, then the family, and then all the congregation.

This describes the worship of the Church, the Body of Christ. 

We then share what we learned in the Congregation, take it home to our families and then as individuals we become Ambassadors for Christ.

This lamb was to be without blemish, or we would say perfect.

*****Exo 12:5  Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats: 

Any animal less than perfect offered for sin would be an abomination to the Lord.

An animal that had no reason for their life to end so abruptly, which represents pure innocence.

Each sinner represents one who is guilty of breaking all the laws of God.

Jas 2:10  For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

The acceptance of the yearling goat was allowed for those who were poor, who might have an animal more for its milk rather than its market value of wool for clothing.

A male animal would be considered superior to the female animal in this sacrifice for sin and therefore more appropriate for a sin offering!

Lev 1:10  And if his offering be of the flocks, namely, of the sheep, or of the goats, for a burnt sacrifice; he shall bring it a male without blemish. 

This Lamb was to be a type of the Lord Jesus Christ!

Lev 21:21  No man that hath a blemish of the seed of Aaron the priest shall come nigh to offer the offerings of the LORD made by fire: he hath a blemish; he shall not come nigh to offer the bread of his God. 

The Lord Jesus Christ would be both High Priest and King of Kings.

This lamb was to die in the fulness of its strength!

Before we move on let us see another important thing.

Verse three said "a lamb".

Verse four said "the lamb".

Verse five says "your lamb"

If you do not have a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, then He is not your lamb!

Act 4:12  Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

*****Exo 12:6  And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening. 

A few things we should note here is the things of this fourteenth day.

1) When we read the whole congregation, we should think there was some great gathering of the people.

We should understand this as the head of each household. 

In type we know the whole nation is seen as a nation of priests, just as each Christian is to be a priest to his own family.

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. 

It is the family that was begun first in the Book of Genesis with Adam and Eve being the first family and Adam being the first head of that family and the priest to his own family.

2) We should also understand that it was not just the chief priest and the elders and not just the scribes and the Pharisees who put Jesus to death, but also by the vote of the people.

Mar 15:9  But Pilate answered them, saying, Will ye that I release unto you the King of the Jews? 

Mar 15:10  For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him for envy. 

Mar 15:11  But the chief priests moved the people, that he should rather release Barabbas unto them. 

Mar 15:12  And Pilate answered and said again unto them, What will ye then that I shall do unto him whom ye call the King of the Jews? 

Mar 15:13  And they cried out again, Crucify him. 

Mar 15:14  Then Pilate said unto them, Why, what evil hath he done? And they cried out the more exceedingly, Crucify him. 

Mar 15:15  And so Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified. 

In fact, I also have to take my own responsibility for the death of Christ Jesus, because it was because of my sin and the sin of everyone that caused our Savior to be put to death.

3) On this fourteenth day the Lord Jesus died between the evenings.

Between the fourteenth and fifteenth day of the month of Abib (Nisan)

If we study the Scriptures, we will see that the Lord Jesus died at the exact time that the lambs at the Temple were being slain which would be at our three o'clock, or the nineth hour.

This would have been just before that soldier pierced the Lord with his spear because the Lord Jesus gave His life, no one took it from Him.

Joh 10:17  Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. 

Joh 10:18  No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father. 

Joh 19:30  When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

When we consider this and then add to it all the things that happened.

It was finished: No more would lambs need to be destroyed for the forgiveness of sin.

It was finished: The veil was rent we can go before the Lord at any time without the assistance of some priest.

It was finished: The earthquake declared the power of God.

It was finished: It was the end of His suffering for our sin.

It was finished: The Lord Jesus was forsaken by His Father and that was now over, and His fellowship was restored.

It was finished: Satan was forever defeated.

It was finished: It was finished, Jesus had made "atonement" for all our sins.

One man wrote: Though millions of sacrifices had been offered; yet nothing was done to purchase redemption before Christ’s incarnation… so nothing was done after His resurrection, to purchase redemption for men. Nor will there be anything more done to all eternity.

Like our lesson states "Freedom Through the Blood".

It is all about the blood of the Lamb!

*****Exo 12:7  And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it. 

In the twelfth chapter of Exodus we never see lamb in the plural because there was only one Lamb that could accomplish what God required!

As the blood is to life, it is also the essence of sacrifice! Essence meaning the nature of our being that distinguishes it from all others.

God did not make any of us alike! Until the sin of Adam and Eve, we all became sinners.

It was the blood applied on the outside of the house that kept those saved on the inside of the house!

Notice the blood was applied in the shape of the bloody cross of our Savior.

It was an act of "faith". If you believed God would save you behind the blood applied to your house, then you would be saved.

If you did not have this "faith" and did not apply the blood, then you would see the death of your first-born child and the first born of your animals.

Heb 11:28  Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them. 

The Lord Jesus Christ was our substitute:

Lev 17:11  For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul. 

So many things we see in this passage from the Book of Exodus.

Once the blood was applied it was safe to eat the Passover meal!

We must make sure that we are covered by the blood of Jesus Christ.

We must make sure our families are covered by the blood of Jesus Christ.

We must make sure our homes are covered by the blood of Jesus Christ.

We must make sure the place we gather to worship is covered by the blood of Jesus Christ.

When the Blood of Jesus is applied to our homes it becomes a public profession of faith!

Our "faith" is to be in the promises of God just as He promised the Children of Israel at this first Passover.

*****Exo 12:8  And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it. 

Exo 12:9  Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof. 

This lamb sacrificed for freedom was to be eaten.

It was to be roasted and not boiled and eaten by those inside the house.

A journey lay before these of God's people and this food would give them strength.

Jesus said:

Joh 6:53  Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. 

Joh 6:54  Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. 

Joh 6:55  For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. 

It was to be eaten with unleavened bread.

The Leven represented sin and there was no sin in the house that is washed in the Blood of Jesus.

Joh 6:48  I am that bread of life. 

Joh 6:49  Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. 

Joh 6:50  This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. 

Joh 6:51  I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

The "bitter herbs" would forever remind them of the bitter days of their slavery in Egypt,

This is a picture of our own slavery to sin.

Our hearts are always to be broken over sin.

Joh 8:34  Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. 

Joh 8:35  And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. 

Joh 8:36  If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. 

For the children of Israel this lamb was to be prepared in a peculiar way and this way was never to be deviated. These are God-given instructions!

God given instructions are never to be changed!

One of the many things we see in these things is that the Church is to be family-centered!

Few are today.

Most of the Churches of today try to please those sitting in the pews when God instructs them to preach the entire Word of God.

We must accept the Lord Jesus Christ exactly as He was prepared and offered by Jehovah God!

There is no other way to be saved, Jesus said so Himself!

Mat 26:28  For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. 

None of this food was to remain in the morning.

*****Exo 12:10  And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire. 

What we see is that the "death" of this sacrificial lamb has become the food for life!

That lamb was to be eaten the same night it was slain.

The rising sun was to see no part of the slain lamb.

No part of Christ is to be left out! We accept Him as He is, the truth of eternal salvation!

Rom 6:4  Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 

Rom 6:5  For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: 

Rom 6:6  Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. 

In like manner the atoning work of the Lord Jesus Christ is complete, it is not a progressive thing over the period of our lives!

Our salvation is not in the process of being accomplished, it has been accomplished.

It is accomplished immediately upon accepting the work of Christ for our salvation!

One man wrote, "For God's suffering Lamb the dark night of "Judgment" is no more, and He lives on High eternal sunshine of Divine favor and love".

And how shall we eat the Lamb of God?

*****Exo 12:11  And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD'S passover. 

We must clearly understand that today, not tomorrow, but today is the day of salvation!

2Co 6:2  (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.) 

Upon hearing the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ we are to immediately accept Him, repent and rush away from this world and begin our New "Born Again" life.

Our new life marching toward the Promised Land of the New Heaven!

We must wear the right clothes and not get entangled in this world again, this world has no benefits!

1Jn 2:16  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

We must wear the right shoes.

Eph 6:15  And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

We must lean on our Savior for we cannot travel alone. Just as Moses had the staff of God, the Lord Jesus Christ is our staff.

Psa 23:1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 

Psa 23:2  He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. 

Psa 23:3  He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 

Psa 23:4  Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

We are only pilgrims passing through this wicked land.

1Pe 2:11  Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; 

We are always to know that the Lord Jesus could return at any moment, and we must expect it!

We must understand that the Lord Jesus Christ is the substitute for our own  "Judgment"

*****Exo 12:12  For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD. 

Exo 12:13  And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.

As we have studied this Pharaoh understood when Moses laid down the staff, he carried it was in defiance of the false gods of Egypt and Pharaoh accepted that challenge and Pharaoh chose the wrong side.

Pharaoh finally accepts the defeat of his gods when he said, "Go then, serve Jehovah; and bless me also".

The children of Israel gave the glory to Jehovah at this time, but they were a rebellious bunch. 

They did not behave as if they owed any gratitude to Moses or Aaron.

Deu 32:16  They provoked him to jealousy with strange gods, with abominations provoked they him to anger. 

Deu 32:17  They sacrificed unto devils, not to God; to gods whom they knew not, to new gods that came newly up, whom your fathers feared not. 

Deu 32:18  Of the Rock that begat thee thou art unmindful, and hast forgotten God that formed thee.

The "Judgment" of God is harsh on those who reject Him!

God was speaking to the children of Israel through Moses and God said:

1) I will pass through the land of Egypt as a destroyer in "Judgment".

I will enter every house of the Egyptians and kill the first-born child of both man and beast.

2) God said: "I will do the same to your houses and if I do not see the blood on the door posts of your houses, I will do the same to you.

You will escape this plague if I see the blood.

3) God said again: Against all the gods of Egypt, I will execute "Judgment".

Animal worship was an important part of the religion of the Egyptians and some of these Jews never forgot this and it caused problems all the days of Israel till God dispersed them through all the nations of the earth.

The blood that was placed on the door post and over the door should remind us of a bloody cross.

This blood was not a token to the Children of Israel, but to God for them!

The Destroyer would Passover each home where the blood could be seen!

This method of deliverance involved the sacrifice of innocent life.

This is the only method for complete deliverance!

This method requires faith in the Almighty Covenant Keeping God!

Mar 14:22  And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body. 

Mar 14:23  And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it. 

Mar 14:24  And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many. 

Mar 14:25  Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God. 

The Lord Jesus Christ is that Lamb of God who was sacrificed for each and every sinner and will save each and every believer!

Amen. 

The Seven Sealed Scroll

The Lamb and the Scroll

Book of Revelation Chapter 5 Verses 1 through 14

As we continue in our study, let us review.

We have seen it is Jesus Christ who holds the candlesticks that represent all those seven Churches.

We have seen it is the Lord Jesus who holds the Pastors or, (whatever he is called by denominations), in His hand and they are responsible to Him for every message and for how they lead the church, and how they live their own lives.

We have seen the seven types of churches and somewhat how they also represent the seven Church Ages.

We are in the last of the Church Ages today!

We have seen that immediately after the last Church Age, that the Church has been called into Heaven, so most of the remaining Chapters in this great and final Book of the Bible happen after the Church has been called out of this world.

Chapter five introduces us to “the Lion of the Tribe of Juda”.

*****Rev 5:1 And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals.

We should understand that the "Rapture" of the Church will have taken place.

The "Bema Seat" judgment (the Judgment Seat of Christ) has taken place and rewards for the work each Christian has done after salvation, have been issued. The question of salvation had already been answered and the Bema Seat judgment was only about rewards.

Those rewards have been tossed at the feet of our Savior as each Christian felt unworthy of any reward, but only shame for not doing more when they had the opportunity. We will all feel this way when we look upon the Lamb of God!

Then there is this book.

We should be clear that John is continuing to tell us about the scene in the throne room of God.

It is some man who divided chapter 4 from chapter 5 and added the verse numbers, which are a blessing in most cases.

As God sits upon His throne, He thrust this book outward, to see if any of the saints now fill worthy to open the book He has in His right hand.

None were! None of us are worthy even to be in Heaven!

What do we know?

The right hand is the symbol of "wisdom".

Pro 9:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

The right hand is the symbol of "power".

Job 36:5 Behold, God is mighty, and despiseth not any: he is mighty in strength and wisdom.

The right hand is the symbol of Divine operation. Our Holy God is Supreme in all His decisions!

Psa 118:16 The right hand of the LORD is exalted: the right hand of the LORD doeth valiantly.

When Jehovah God thrust out His right hand that holds a book that He has written, then who does have the power and the knowledge to read this book.

The Bible is one of those amazing books that He has given to us and would have every Christian to have a copy of that book.

This book in His right hand is another book, a book in which we will find all the things that will happen after the Church is in Heaven and have missed out on the wrath of God.

We have heard a lot about executive orders, especially during the last two administrations and we could say maybe these things are executive orders from a Holy God who is not pleased with the actions of His own creation to rebel against Him.

Remember when the Church entered Heaven, the Antichrist was standing upon the earth with the answers to all the problems that were facing the earth in that day. A day maybe not so different as the day we have now as the world is facing a killer virus. Which by the way has many question marks!

The Angels knew that they were not worthy!

*****Rev 5:2 And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?

Rev 5:3 And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon.

John realized that this Angel that stepped forward had a voice that could be heard throughout all of Heaven and if need be throughout all God's creation.

This Angel could not have been Jesus Christ, Angels are created beings and the Lord Jesus Christ is the Creator.

Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Joh 1:2 The same was in the beginning with God.

Joh 1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

All the Angels in Heaven are mighty Angels. This Angel could be the Angel Gabriel who is known in the Scriptures as an Archangel who stands in the presence of God or some other Angel whose name we do not know.

Luk 1:19 And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings.

Some believe that Gabriel is the Trump of God, as do I!

What did this Strong Angel proclaim? It was a simple question but a question that only One person could answer.

" Who is worthy to open the Book that was projecting from the throne of God, which also had been sealed by our Heavenly Father"?

What did John realize?

There was no one in Heaven and no one upon this earth that is worthy to break the seals God had placed upon this book!

Sealing a document was equivalent to the signature of the Owner of that seal.

There were certainly one upon this earth worthy!

Rom 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

Rom 3:11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.

Not one of the "Redeemed" would claim to be worthy.

Rom 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Rom 3:24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

Our worthiness comes only by Jesus Christ!

No Angel would even attempt to reach for this Book without the express permission of our Heavenly Father!

It did not take long to search in Heaven because all the Saints were still at the foot of the throne on their faces before God.

It did not take long to search on earth because all the Saints of God were in Heaven and no one left behind were worthy.

All these things caused the Apostle John to weep because he knew he was certainly unworthy to open this Book nor was he worthy to look upon this Book.

John knew what was happening to the Church that was still physically upon this earth and he knew they needed to understand what was written in this Book.

John understood he was having a vision of the future of the Church.

With all the persecution of the Church, John was craving for answers that he felt he could only get from this book.

John knew his days were short and the Holy Scriptures for the Church was not yet complete.

Remember Daniel was not allowed to write about these things.

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.

This time of increased knowledge would be also the time of the last Church Age or what we know is the Laodicean Church Age, which we are in today.

*****Rev 5:4 And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.

Not one of God's Created beings was worthy enough to open the Book that was in God's right hand.

One look at the throne and John saw just how much superior Our Heavenly Father is to all creation.

There was no one anywhere worthy to reveal what God had written in that book that He was offering.

Our heavenly Father wanted the things in this book to be revealed!

John was to write down everything he saw.

We could say that none of the Word of God was written without tears.

We already know that without tears not much of the Word of God can even be understood!

If this book could not be opened, then it would prove God to be false!

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

You see, if this book that contained all the things that we now know was written in the Book of Revelation, (the revealing of the Lord Jesus Christ), that would happen after the Church was in Heaven, then God would have told John a lie.

John wept because of this!

Remember no one could approach God if they had sin, so no one on earth could be worthy. What did Jesus say?

Luk 21:36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, "that ye may be accounted worthy" to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

God has no secrets about His plan of salvation!

God will never hide the truth from us!

Are there things about God's creation that we know nothing about? Sure, but these things do not affect our relationship with our father in Heaven.

Those elders (the church) already knew the truth and as we all should do, one of those elders came to John with the truth.

You see the Book that God held was a book of destiny.

It is a book of God's wrath.

The book is in God's hands because it is He, who is in charge of human history and human future!

Our Heavenly Father has a plan and He will not be denied!

Many people do not like the Book of Revelation, but it will pay for all of us to study this great Book of the Bible and believe what the Word of God says!

This Book is the revealing of the Lord Jesus Christ and it is only He who sacrificed Himself to pay for our sins and who will also save the true Israel, and only He is worthy to open this Book in the hand of our Father in Heaven!

*****Rev 5:5 And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.

When John heard these things he knew he would then see his Savior.

What do we know?

We know that Jehovah God is holding a book in His right hand.

We know that a search has been conducted all over the earth for someone worthy to open this book.

We know that a search has been conducted all over Heaven for someone worthy to open this book.

We know it was the Lord Jesus Christ who was the speaker all through the first three Chapter of this Book we now have.

We know that Chapter 4 and much of Chapter 5 describe the Throne Room of God in Heaven.

We now know that it is the Lord Jesus Christ who will explain the remainder of the Book of Revelation.

How do we know this person is Jesus Christ?

1) He is the same One spoken by Jacob:

Gen 49:9 Judah is a lion's whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up?

Gen 49:10 The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.

This Shiloh is the Messiah.

This Shiloh is the "Lion of the tribe of Judah".

This Shiloh will be King of the Jews.

2) He is the same One spoken by Isaiah:

Isa 11:1 And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:

Isa 11:2 And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;

Isa 11:3 And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:

Isa 11:4 But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.

Isa 11:10 And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.

3) He is the same One spoken by Jeremiah:

Jer 23:5 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.

Jer 23:6 In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.

Jer 23:7 Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that they shall no more say, The LORD liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt;

Jer 23:8 But, The LORD liveth, which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all countries whither I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land.

To this day, the Jews who have the Book of Jeremiah, do not realize it is the Lord Jesus Christ who brought them back out of captivity to the rebirth of the nation of Israel, but they will soon.

Jesus has conquered everything that has been placed in His path, by being the humble Savior and Redeemer that He is, but this book that He takes out of the hands of His Father will show the world another side of our Lord, the side of "judgment"!

It is the Lord Jesus Christ who is worthy to take this book and open the seven seals of God because He is God!

So let us meet Him.

*****Rev 5:6 And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.

Notice He is in the midst of the throne.

Notice He is in the midst of the four beasts.

Notice this is the same exact same place as our Heavenly Father.

Rev 4:6 And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind.

The Lord Jesus Christ is the very center of everything in Heaven!

The Lord Jesus Christ is the center of everything in this world!

The Lord Jesus Christ is in the exact place to execute the offices of Prophet, Priest, and King!

He wore on His person, all the wounds which He received to take away my sin, and your sin, and all the sin of the world.

He had he appearance of a lamb that had been slain!

Because He had been sacrificed.

Because He had been buried.

Because He had raised from the dead.

He was the only One who was worthy to open up the book that had been in His Father's Right Hand!

Opening this book would bring great joy to His own people but it would bring great terror to His enemies!

He had seven horns and seven pairs of eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the Earth.

Zec 3:6 And the angel of the LORD protested unto Joshua, saying,

Zec 3:7 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; If thou wilt walk in my ways, and if thou wilt keep my charge, then thou shalt also judge my house, and shalt also keep my courts, and I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by.

Zec 3:8 Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they are men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH.

Zec 3:9 For behold the stone that I have laid before Joshua; upon one stone shall be seven eyes: behold, I will engrave the graving thereof, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.

Zec 3:10 In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, shall ye call every man his neighbour under the vine and under the fig tree.

Zec 4:8 Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

Zec 4:9 The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it; and thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto you.

Zec 4:10 For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro through the whole earth.

The Lord Jesus Christ was the perfect sacrifice for our sins, but He was also the only Sacrifice for our sin, making Him the only way to get into God's New Heaven!

God's Holy Spirit is the only Spirit that can run to and fro throughout the whole earth to provide regeneration to the believers and hold Satan to limited power as he to, goes to and fro through this earth.

Job 1:6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.

Job 1:7 And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.

2Th_2:7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.

Satan is that mystery of iniquity who remains hidden, but who is the cause of all lies and the cause of all sin in our world, but he is also under the control of the Holy Spirit and cannot do anything without the express permission of our Savior.

So the Lord Jesus who is the absolute Power of God, takes the Book.

*****Rev 5:7 And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne.

Rev 5:8 And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.

Jesus Christ the sovereign power of all Creation, bled and died that the entire world could be saved, but sadly there are people who just do not want to be saved because they have made themselves to be little gods who think they have some power, which they do not.

There are not really any true atheists!

A true atheist would not be concerned with those who have placed their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ!

There are only Christians and antichrists! These are the only two groups of people upon this planet!

Jesus Christ is the "Supreme Intelligence" in this entire universe or a better word is cosmos.

Col 2:2 That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;

Col 2:3 In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Because Jesus is sovereign, He only can take the Book in the right hand of God the Father, because He is the right hand of God the Father!

What happens when He takes the Book?

Heaven falls down on their faces in worship of Heavens Savior and Redeemer, the Almighty Living God!

The four beast whose only job is to worship God.

All those elders, the Church who are the redeemed and who know their Redeemer.

All Heaven and Earth broke loose in a song of praise.

Rev 1:1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:

Rev 1:2 Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.

You see once the Church is in Heaven, then will begin the wrath of God upon this earth of unbelievers.

All the prayers of the persecuted that have been saved in Heaven will be answered!

Every prayer contained in those vials are from God's children and are like a sweet-smelling aroma in His presence.

He does not forget, not a single one!

You know what? I cannot play a single musical instrument, but on that day, I will be a "harp player" and a good one and I definitely want to sing in Heavens Choir. Not because I can sing because I cannot. I just want to praise my Lord and my God.

Then, they all began to sing a new song in Heaven.

*****Rev 5:9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;

Rev 5:10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

First the song:

It would be a song that neither they nor any other had sung before.

It could be sung at this time because the redeeming work of the Lord is complete! (thou hast redeemed) We cannot sing this song until we get to God's "New Heaven". We know we are redeemed! We are redeemed! The Lord has just not delivered us unto His Father, which is what the "Rapture" is all about!

Presenting the Church (the Bride) to the Heavenly Father.

It would begin the unceasing worship of the redeemed for the Redeemer.

All the Old Testament prophesies of the Church are fulfilled.

All the New Testament teachings about the Church are fulfilled except the Book of Revelation!

Tit 2:11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,

Tit 2:12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

Tit 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

Tit 2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

Tit 2:15 These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.

It would be the first moment of a never-ending life!

Second the singers:

The four beasts. They are alive and they sang.

The twenty-four elders. They are alive and they sang.

The Angels. They are alive. They cannot sing the song of the Redeemed, but they can sing praises to the Lamb of God!

The Angels finally understood the work of the Master. These Angels now know more about God than they ever had before!

There is not one dead person in Heaven and there never will be!

They praise the Lamb of God because He is worthy.

They praise the Lamb of God because He was our sacrifice.

They praise the lamb of God because He has redeemed to God the Father.

They praise the Lamb of God because he used His Own Blood.

Heb 9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

Heb 9:12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

They praise the Lamb of God because He accepted any who called upon His name.

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

They praised the Lamb of God because of His amazing gifts. Remember the Bema Seat is now in the past, yet the Adopted Children of God are given great gifts and a great work.

The Lord had to die, but He could not stay dead!

After the seven years of tribulation, especially the three and a half years of the Great Tribulation, those on earth who the Lord has allowed to survive along with that remnant of the Jews will see some new rulers under the King of the Jews.

King Jesus will rule the world.

King Jesus will be King of the Jews.

King Jesus will appoint the Redeemed to be Kings and Priest as His helpers, over the nations that remain and just whatever He so chooses.

Mat 25:23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

Again worthy is the Lamb. Heaven has never been a lonely place!

Heaven will never be a crowded place!

*****Rev 5:11 And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;

Rev 5:12 Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.

We could take that number of Angels just as it is written and it be 100 million and millions and millions more or we can accept the meaning to be an innumerable amount of Angels just as the 24 elders mean a number of Saints that are not given as it will be perfect number.

These Angels surround all the Saints of God, the Beast, and the lamb of God in the midst. They have been our protectors since we accepted the Lord as our Savior and they will continue to be our protectors throughout eternity.

They now stand equally with all the throng of Heaven.

They are not distressed or broken.

They are not divided nor do they feel betrayed.

Just like the Church they are just there to worship their God, the Lamb of God, the Lord Jesus Christ!

They have been our unseen guardians only occasionally taking on the form of a human for a reason that only the Lord knows.

They have served just because of the love for their Creator.

Notice those beasts are singing. Remember they had only one job!

Rev 4:8 And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.

The whole time they were doing these things for a God who left Heaven in all His glory to come to this earth to die and then reclaim His life and return to Heaven.

They were now singing to the Lamb of God, who was standing in the midst of the throne of God. Still proof that God exist in three persons!

The Church has always known the Lord Jesus is the Almighty Living God.

And what where they all singing?

Worthy is the Lamb of God that had been slain to "redeem" His greatest creation!

Worthy is the Lamb of God who has the "power of God".

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

Worthy is the Lamb of God who possesses all the riches of Heaven.

Eph 3:8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;

Eph 3:9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:

Eph 3:10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,

Eph 3:11 According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:

Eph 3:12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.

Worthy is the Lamb of God who has all the wisdom and strength and honor!

Rom 11:33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!

Rom 11:34 For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?

Rom 11:35 Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?

Rom 11:36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

Worthy is the Lamb of God who possesses all the glory and blessings.

Php 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

Php 2:6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

Php 2:7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

Php 2:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Php 2:9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:

Php 2:10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;

Php 2:11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Oh, what a Savior.

*****Rev 5:13 And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.

Rev 5:14 And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.

All things were made by our Savior and for our Savior. All His creation knows Him, who He is and what He stands for!

It is only the puny humans who defy Him who in reality only have the power of grass in the field!

Isa 40:3 The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

Isa 40:4 Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain:

Isa 40:5 And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

Isa 40:6 The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field:

Isa 40:7 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the LORD bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass.

Isa 40:8 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.

All of Heaven is concerned about the opening to the seven seals.

The Church is in Heaven.

All the Angels are in Heaven at this moment.

The beasts are still around the throne of the Lord.

At this same time, Satan is placing his false trinity in place upon this earth and the seven-year tribulation period has begun along with death and destruction and the greatest deception known to mankind.

Amen

Let us Pray!

The Prayer Life of the Messiah

Jesus Prayed for His Disciples

Book of John Chapter 17:1-26

The Apostle Paul was writing to the Corinthian Church and he gave us this piece of Scripture by the Holy Spirit.

1Co_2:16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

It is a fact that we cannot know everything of the mind of the Lord but today in Chapter 17 of the Book of the Apostle John, we get to take a look into the deep thoughts of our Savior.

*****Joh 17:1 These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:

Joh 17:2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.

At this time these 11 disciples of Christ Jesus are with Him in transit to the Garden of Gethsemane. It would only be a few hours before Jesus would be taken into custody and this same day He would be murdered by Crucifixion, the Capitol death of the Roman Government.

Jesus clearly understood all these things, yet His thoughts were still upon the souls His Father had given to Him!

Jesus was praying directly unto God the Father, but He was within hearing range of His disciples.

Jesus knew that His time had come.

The time of the birth of Jesus had been set by His Father:

Gal 4:4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,

Gal 4:5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

Now the time of His death was set by His Father, and Jesus had known these things all along.

Most of us when we pray, we bow in humility, but Jesus lifted up His eyes. We must always remember when we approach the Throne of God, we must remember who is sitting upon that throne.

It is the Almighty Living God!

Psa 89:7 God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him.

Psa 89:8 O LORD God of hosts, who is a strong LORD like unto thee? or to thy faithfulness round about thee?

We must have a reverend fear of God but not a fear of "bondage" but the fear of "adoption". Romans 8:15

We must be clear in our minds that true prayer must be based upon "faith in" the promises of God.

We live and die by the promises of God.

Our hope lies in the promises of God and even God the Son respected the promises that God the Father had given to Him. Again our example!

We know that Jesus, the Messiah is the same one who walked with Adam and was Captain of the host that help Joshua, but until Jesus came as the Messiah, no one really knew Him.

It was nearly time for Jesus to return to Heaven as High Priest of the Church.

It is our High Priest that represents all believers to God the Father.

Jesus Christ is forever our Intercessor.

Heb 7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

Heb 7:26 For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;

Heb 7:27 Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.

It is Jesus Christ who now holds the power over all flesh.

Since Jesus did come, we now know more about the Triune God. God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.

*****Joh 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

Joh 17:4 I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.

How is eternal life obtained? By knowing the only true God and that by Jesus Christ!

Jesus had done His part. He had laid down the foundation of the Church. Jesus had made us all aware of God the Father. When Jesus got back to Heaven, He would dispatch the Holy Spirit to keep the Church moving in the right direction.

It would soon be time for God to do His part. God would have to glorify God the Son by raising Him from that death He had sent Him to do!

We will notice as we go through this prayer that Jesus uses the term Father 6 times. Not "My Father", not "Our Father" but "Father".

Everything Jesus did upon this earth was the most important thing that could have happened for us but the one thing that was the most important was the death of our Savior. Let that sink in for a moment!

Jesus was truly the Messiah, the immortal God but He was also man and His man side need to be encouraged and strengthened and He had to realize that only in His death would there be victory.

The whole purpose of God coming to this earth was to provide to mankind the only means of eternal life.

Jesus Christ was glorified by God giving Him the power and authority over all flesh.

Joh 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

Joh 5:25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.

True life can come from only one direction, it is the life of God instilled into each believer.

It is in God's energy.

It is in God's life force.

It is in God's being.

It is in God's essence.

It is in God's principle.

It is in God's power over all life!

It is impossible to live in eternal life upon this place called earth.

Eternal life comes by perfection and perfection comes only by the Lord Jesus Christ!

1Jn 5:11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.

1Jn 5:12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

1Jn 5:13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

Jesus Christ had glorified His Father by completing the work God the Father had given Him to do!

It is the same for each of us. We will have glorified God when we have finished the work the Lord has given us to do!

Glorified also means, we honor God, we exalt God, we give God the glory for the things we accomplish in His name.

1Pe_4:14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.

Verse 5

*****Joh 17:5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.

Joh 17:6 I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.

Joh 17:7 Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee.

Notice Jesus did not say, "Our Father" that would have put Him on the same level as we are.

Jesus did not say "My Father" because this could have led to a belief of separation, not One God but three.

Jesus simply says "Father" as Jesus had confirmed the Holy Trinity.

What do we already know?

2Co 8:9 For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.

Php 2:7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

Php 2:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

We know that Jesus had emptied Himself of His glory to take on flesh to do the work that God the Father had given Him to do.

Now Jesus is saying to restore that Glory to Him that He had had before the first day of creation.

God the Son was sent to restore the eternal life that Adam once had before sin entered into his life and Jesus would complete that work when He was nailed to that cross until He gave His life for us!

God the Son is distinct from God the Father, yet they are still One God, including God the Holy Spirit.

In His short time on this earth Jesus had shown the world the character and the nature of God.

Jesus also showed the world He was not about to beg people to believe, but only He had the truth and the world is full of lies.

Jesus taught us not to waste our time on those who were not receptive to His truth!

Mar 6:11 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment, than for that city.

It is God that calls those who are to be used.

It is the call of God that enables us to believe!

Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

But not everyone called of God will believe.

Mat_22:14 For many are called, but few are chosen.

We should understand this calling as the work of the Holy Spirit!

Joh 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

Joh 6:45 It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.

Joh 6:46 Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father.

Joh 6:47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.

Then the truth comes by 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.

Verse 8

*****Joh 17:8 For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me.

Joh 17:9 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.

We may sometimes question the faith of these 11 men but in this text, Jesus says they received His words by "Faith". Surely like us they did not understand many things but if Jesus says it then, it has to be the truth.

These 11 men had come out of the world to accept the Lord Jesus Christ.

These 11 men had truly become disciples, even though they were not perfect.

Let's consider that even when we were out in the world, we belonged to God because He is our Creator.

We are called and then chosen if we accept the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior and are therefore given to Jesus by our Creator.

One day in the near future, the Lord Jesus will present us back to our Creator our Father, as been made perfect and we can then spend eternity with our Heavenly Father.

Heb 3:14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;

The key to these things taking place is the fact that we have place our "faith" in the promises of God's Dear Son!

At this point Jesus prays for these 11 men.

Jesus did not pray for the world at this minute because the world needed these men to be the chosen Apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ.

We already know that God had a great love for the world. (Hence John 3:16).

Jesus prayed for these 11 men because he was responsible for their welfare.

It is these 11 men plus the Apostle Paul who would turn this world upside down to form the Church!

*****Joh 17:10 And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them.

Joh 17:11 And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.

Joh 17:12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.

Again Jesus places Himself on the same level as our Heavenly Father. Every character trait that is in our Heavenly Father is also in God the Son and the same can be said of the Holy Spirit.

Another important fact we see here is that God the Father and God the Son have the same concern over all believers beginning with these men.

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.

We must understand that the mission of the Church, preaching the "Gospel" was given to these 11 men.

These were the first Ambassadors of Christ on this world!

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

Mat 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

Mat 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

If we have not seen by now, we live in a very divisive world. It was very important that these 11 men to not get caught up in this divisiveness.

They were to be the start of the Church and they dearly needed one another!

The Lord Jesus Christ had provided the foundation of the Church.

When Jesus returned to Heaven the responsibility of the Church would be handed over to the Holy Spirit.

Jesus prayed to His Heavenly Father that the believers would be as close to God, as God and His Son!

The Church is to be "One" in the same nature as God by being "Born Again" in the family of God.

The Church is to become a partaker of the "Divine Nature" of God.

The Church is to become the family of God.

The Church is to become the rebuilt Temple of God that cannot be destroyed.

The Church is to become the preferred race of people.

Eph 4:17 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,

Eph 4:18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:

Eph 4:19 Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

Eph 4:20 But ye have not so learned Christ;

Eph 4:21 If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:

The Church is to have a single purpose, to spread the "Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ".

The Church is to have the "Joy of the Lord" in following in the ways of the Lord Jesus Christ!

*****Joh 17:13 And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.

Joh 17:14 I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

That "Joy" comes because Jesus was going home to be with His Father and we are to have this same "Joy" as we will one day be going home to be with the Father!

Many believe that once saved God will deliver us through the trials of this world but that is not true.

The promise of God says He will deliver us through our trials and tribulations.

It means we will live a victorious life! We might ask, why not?

God will always answer the prayers of His Son!

God has given all believers to Jesus Christ.

No doubt the closer the relationship we have with the Lord and our Father in Heaven, the better off we are!

The truth is God will not allow anything to come between us and His Son.

Joh 6:39 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.

Joh 6:40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

God does not forget the promises He makes!

Why is the Christian hated? We are those aliens that the world has been spending so much money trying find.

We are those peculiar people in a world of people who reject the truth.

Why does the Lord not take us out of this world when we are saved?

The Lord specifically asked Him not to, we have a work that needs to be accomplished.

*****Joh 17:15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.

Joh 17:16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

Joh 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

You see Satan, the evil one, can only tempt the Christian, God will certainly keep us from his evil clutches.

These 11 men needed a protection that could come from no other source, just as we do today.

Just because of the message that the disciples of the Lord would bring, they would be hated, and this has not changed today.

1) God has given all His disciples the Word of God. Satan's disciples do not want to hear what God has to say.

2) God is Holy, the followers of Satan are immoral and depraved.

3) God the Son demands total allegiance and a commitment to God the Father, through God the Holy Spirit.

Jesus came out of Heaven to lay claim to all those that God will call and who God has chosen if they would have "faith".

All those who would be "Born Again" and would seek to be in the nature of God and not the sin nature of Adam.

The disciples were needed to begin the Church, the body of Christ, the Church, the home of God's messengers.

To sanctify is to be set apart for God's use!

Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Jesus Christ did go to the Cross to pay our sin debt but that was only part of it.

Jesus knew that this must take place, so mankind could recover the purity and truth that God intended when Adam and Eve were made in innocence.

To be sanctified then could only take place by knowing the complete truth of God. The Written Word of God that we have today!

Psa 19:7 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.

Psa 19:8 The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.

Psa 19:9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.

Psa 19:10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.

Jesus then says all disciples of Jesus Christ are to be missionaries and ambassadors for Christ.

*****Joh 17:18 As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.

Joh 17:19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.

It is a great privilege to be a part of God' plan for salvation for all those who will believe!

All disciples have the same ministry of Jesus the ministry of reconciliation.

2Co_5:18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

2Co_5:19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

Heb_2:17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.

How did Jesus say He sanctified Himself?

Psa 40:7 Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me,

Psa 40:8 I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.

Psa 40:9 I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O LORD, thou knowest.

Psa 40:10 I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation.

Now then Jesus brings the Church into the picture.

*****Joh 17:20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;

Joh 17:21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.

Saving "Faith" can come only by the Word of God.

From the Word of God we learn of the "pardon".

We learn of "justification".

We learn of "adoption".

We learn of "sanctification".

All these through the Lord Jesus Christ!

Joh 20:31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

Notice it is very clear, the benefits of Jesus Christ come only to those who believe in the work He has done for our salvation!

Jesus has prayed for each and every one who has "Faith" in the Lord Jesus Christ!

Notice we must not only believe upon the words written about Him, but we must believe on Him, the Living Son of God!

Here we also see the mistake of the modern Church. There is no new message. God has not changed anything to suit this modern world. To be a "Born Again" child of God we must believe the message of these 11 men plus the Apostle Paul and this message will never change because their message was the message that the Lord Jesus Christ gave to them!

We can never be "ONE" with Christ if we do not accept His Message!

*****Joh 17:22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:

Joh 17:23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

A divided message is not a true message!

As believers we must be unified around the Word of God.

Just as a divided house cannot stand and a divided kingdom cannot stand then a divided Church cannot stand, and this is what we see today.

The church is more divided than it has ever been. A division that goes far beyond foolish denominations.

We must understand that it is not what we believe, it is what God has said!

The Word of God has been so twisted up deliberately by so many, that today many do not know the truth of the Word of God.

We can only give God the glory when we teach His truth!

God gave Jesus His message and sent Him to this earth with that message.

Jesus gave that same message to the Apostles.

The Apostle gave that same message to this world.

It’s time we listened to what God has to say without voicing our own opinion!

Col 1:25 Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;

Col 1:26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:

Col 1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

We can never have the glory of God if we reject the glory of His Word!

*****Joh 17:24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.

Joh 17:25 O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me.

Joh 17:26 And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.

We find this Scripture in the Book of Hebrews:

Heb 1:8 But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.

God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit all share the same throne in Heaven because they are "One God".

With this thought in mind, it is the last will of a dyeing man, Jesus in the Flesh, and Jesus the Son of God, that all His disciples be with Him in Heaven.

Now everyone who goes home to be with the Lord, including those 12 Apostles are already with the Lord in Heaven and we will join them all at our death or at the "Rapture" of the Church which is the tool that will make the Jews jealous enough to realize that they have been wrong all these years.

1Jn_3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

Jesus now prays to His righteous Father who always does things the right way and Jesus says it is only right that the family comes back home.

It is just as obvious today as in these last days of Jesus on this earth, that the world still does not know the One True God and it does not look like the world cares.

We know that we have a loving Father in Heaven who not only loved this world enough to have a plan of salvation that cannot fail, but in the end, will accept every believer into His family in a totally new home.

The world says we are crazy, but it is actually in reverse. It is the world that is foolish.

The world we live in now will one day reach a point when all mankind are deliberately evil and the Lord will return to do as he did at the time off Noah, yet this time by fire but this will never take place until he has brought His children home.

It is all our job to declare to this world the name of God which is "LOVE" if we just look at His actions toward us!

It is impossible to love a God that we cannot know!

It is Jesus Christ who expresses the Love of God and shares that love with us!

There is no god like unto Jehovah, the "I AM" of the Bible.

Amen

Let's Pray!