Speaker 1: Five prophecies yet to be fulfilled. Number one, the rapture.
Speaker 1: When the Lord returns and descends from heaven, his appearance
Speaker 1: will be visible to the whole world, as well as
Speaker 1: the assent of his people to meet him in the air,
Speaker 1: an event known as the rapture. Some have mistakenly taught
Speaker 1: about a secret rapture. However, this event will be far
Speaker 1: from secret. Indeed, it will be one of the most
Speaker 1: public events in human history, as evidenced by the description
Speaker 1: of Jesus. And he will send his angels with the
Speaker 1: mighty blast of a trumpet, and they will gather his
Speaker 1: chosen ones from all over the world, from the farthest
Speaker 1: end of the earth to the heaven Matthew twenty four,
Speaker 1: verse thirty one. This is not a secret. First, Thessalonians,
Speaker 1: chapter four provides a comprehensive description of what will happen
Speaker 1: at that time. For since we believe that Jesus died
Speaker 1: and rose again, we also believe that when Jesus returns,
Speaker 1: God will bring back with him the believers who have died.
Speaker 1: We say this directly from the Lord. We who are
Speaker 1: still alive when the Lord returns, will not meet him
Speaker 1: before those who have died, for the Lord himself will
Speaker 1: descend from heaven with a shout of command, with the
Speaker 1: voice of the Archangel, and with the trumpet call of God.
Speaker 1: First the believers who have died will rise from their graves. Then,
Speaker 1: together with them, we who are still alive and remain
Speaker 1: on the earth, will be caught up in the clouds
Speaker 1: to meet the Lord in the air. And so we
Speaker 1: will be with the Lord forever First Thessalonians four, verses
Speaker 1: thirteen to seventeen. In the Greek language, there are two
Speaker 1: distinct words for air. One of the words is ether,
Speaker 1: which was later adapted into the English language as ether.
Speaker 1: The other word is air, which was used to refer
Speaker 1: to the lower air, which is adjacent to the Earth's surface.
Speaker 1: This is the term being referred to in the text above.
Speaker 1: When it comes time to meet Jesus, he will be
Speaker 1: in close proxies to the Earth. It is hard to
Speaker 1: imagine anyone not being aware of the momentous occasion when
Speaker 1: the Lord is shouting, the Archangel is speaking, and the
Speaker 1: trumpet of God is sounding. It will be a truly
Speaker 1: unforgettable experience. Some people say that the word rapture is
Speaker 1: not contained in the New Testament, Well, that claim is true,
Speaker 1: it largely depends on the translation used. Since the New
Speaker 1: Testament was not originally written in English, the interpretation of
Speaker 1: certain words and phrases can vary. For example, in First
Speaker 1: Thessalonians four, verse seventeen, the phrase caught up to meet
Speaker 1: the Lord in the air can be translated in different ways,
Speaker 1: leading to a difference in interpretation. And what about this
Speaker 1: word rapture? It is a fascinating and captivating word. In
Speaker 1: the Greek language, it is known as halpazzo. This word
Speaker 1: is used in several passages of the New Testament to
Speaker 1: describe the rapture. In John ten, the word is used
Speaker 1: three times to illustrate how a wolf snatches a sheep
Speaker 1: from the flock. This action is violent and abrupt. A
Speaker 1: hired hand will flee when he sees a wolf coming.
Speaker 1: He will abandon the sheep because they do not belong
Speaker 1: to him and he is not their shepherd, And so
Speaker 1: the wolf attacks them and scatters the flock John ten,
Speaker 1: verse twelve. In Matthew thirteen, verses four and nineteen, the
Speaker 1: phrase snatched away is used to describe the action of
Speaker 1: a bird that descends, grabs a seed, and flies away.
Speaker 1: In the New Testament, this phrase is used several times
Speaker 1: to describe people being taken from the earth. For example,
Speaker 1: after Philip baptized the Eunuch in Acts eight, he was
Speaker 1: snatched away. He was snatched away, Acts eight, verse thirty nine.
Speaker 1: When they came up out of the water, the spirit
Speaker 1: of the Lord snatched Philip away, and the Eunuch did
Speaker 1: not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing.
Speaker 1: Paul speaks of a friend of his mentioned twice in
Speaker 1: Second Corinthians twelve, who was caught up to the Third Heaven.
Speaker 1: Second Corinthians twelve, verses two to four. I know a
Speaker 1: man in Christ who, fourteen years ago was caught up
Speaker 1: to the Third Heaven. Whether it was in the body
Speaker 1: or out of the body, I do not know. God knows.
Speaker 1: And I know that this man, whether in the body
Speaker 1: or apart from the body, I do not know, but
Speaker 1: God knows, was caught up to Paradise and heard inexpressible things,
Speaker 1: things that no one is permitted to tell. In Revelation twelve,
Speaker 1: verse five, it says she gave birth to a son,
Speaker 1: a male child who will rule all the nations with
Speaker 1: an iron scepter, and her child was snatched up to
Speaker 1: God and to his throne first Thessalonians four, verse seventeen.
Speaker 1: After that, we who are still alive and are left
Speaker 1: will be caught up together with them in the clouds
Speaker 1: to meet the Lord in the air, and so we
Speaker 1: will be with the Lord forever. Four times in other
Speaker 1: pasts sages, the same word is used to forcibly take
Speaker 1: someone out of a crowd or a situation. Matthew eleven,
Speaker 1: verse twelve, John six, verse fifteen, Acts twenty three, verse ten,
Speaker 1: and Jude twenty three. Here is a list of characteristics
Speaker 1: that the rapture implies will happen without warning, will be
Speaker 1: sudden and powerful. There will be no time to prepare.
Speaker 1: If we are not ready, we will miss the rapture,
Speaker 1: which will happen suddenly. According to Matthew twenty four, at
Speaker 1: that moment, two men will be in the field, One
Speaker 1: will be taken for judgment and the other will be
Speaker 1: left behind. Two women will be grinding at the mill.
Speaker 1: One will be taken for judgment and the other will
Speaker 1: be left behind. As per Matthew twenty four, verses forty
Speaker 1: and forty one. The Gospel of Luke says that there
Speaker 1: will be two people in one bed, one will be
Speaker 1: taken and the other left. As per Luke seventeen, verse
Speaker 1: thirty four. Therefore there will be a dramatic and sudden
Speaker 1: separation of people, even those closest to each other, like
Speaker 1: the two women working at the mill, or the two
Speaker 1: men in the field, or even the two sharing the
Speaker 1: same bed. When the rapture happens, it will take one
Speaker 1: person and leave the other behind. It is crucial to
Speaker 1: decide whether we will be taken or left behind. Therefore,
Speaker 1: let us be alert, pay attention, be cautious, and active
Speaker 1: in faith, for we do not know on what day
Speaker 1: the Lord will come, whether near or far. But understand this,
Speaker 1: If the owner of the house had known at what
Speaker 1: time of night the thief was coming, he would have
Speaker 1: stayed awake and would not have let his house be
Speaker 1: broken into. Therefore, you who follow me must also be ready,
Speaker 1: because the son of Man will come at an hour
Speaker 1: when you do not expect him. As per Matthew twenty four,
Speaker 1: Verses forty two to forty four, if the Master had
Speaker 1: known what was about to happen, he would have stayed
Speaker 1: awake and vigilant. Jesus advised his disciples to always be ready,
Speaker 1: for we can never be sure when he will return.
Speaker 1: Jesus warned against presumption, noting that those who think they
Speaker 1: know the time of his return are mistaken. I emphasize
Speaker 1: this because millions of Christians have fallen for revelations that
Speaker 1: Jesus came on a specific day or hour, which is
Speaker 1: entirely contrary to his teaching. As previously mentioned, we find
Speaker 1: these words in Mark thirteen, verses thirty five to thirty seven. Therefore,
Speaker 1: let us always be alert, watching if the Master of
Speaker 1: the house is coming at night, at midnight, at the
Speaker 1: rooster's crowing, or in the morning. Let us stay alert,
Speaker 1: for he may come suddenly and unexpectedly and find us
Speaker 1: sleeping and unprepared. Each of the three main passages that
Speaker 1: teach about the rapture indicates that it is only for believers,
Speaker 1: including innocent children too young to believe. Those who do
Speaker 1: not believe in Jesus as their Lord and savior will
Speaker 1: not be caught up to the presence of the Lord.
Speaker 1: The rapture is recipt stricted only to believers. Only those
Speaker 1: who are followers of Christ will be taken to heaven
Speaker 1: when he returns. The rapture has the power to transform
Speaker 1: our lives. It is a source of personal comfort and hope.
Speaker 1: Paul wrote to the Thessalonians about this to alleviate their
Speaker 1: sorrow for their loved ones who had died. Death is
Speaker 1: not the end. The effects of death will be reversed
Speaker 1: by the resurrection of the believers who died. Everyone who
Speaker 1: has lost a loved one to the sting of death
Speaker 1: can find consolation in the knowledge that they will see
Speaker 1: them again. However, it is also a source of strength.
Speaker 1: On the night he was arrested, Jesus promised his disciples
Speaker 1: that he would return for them. Number two The revelation
Speaker 1: of the final Antichrist. How can we identify the Antichrist?
Speaker 1: According to the Bible, during the Tribulation, a man known
Speaker 1: as the Antichrist will arise with the aim of unifying
Speaker 1: the world under a single authority. This tyrant, akin to
Speaker 1: his father, the Devil, will initially appear as an angel
Speaker 1: of light, but will eventually reveal his true evil nature
Speaker 1: through his actions. Here are six answers to questions about
Speaker 1: this future sign of the apocalypse. Who is the Antichrist?
Speaker 1: The Antichrist is someone who opposes Christ. Anti can also
Speaker 1: mean instead of and both meanings apply to this forthcoming
Speaker 1: world leader. While openly opposing Christ, the Antichrist will do
Speaker 1: everything in his power to live up to his terrible nickname.
Speaker 1: As Satan leads the world's forces to the Battle of Armageddon,
Speaker 1: he will persecute, torture, and kill God's people. He will
Speaker 1: become the most tyrannical leader in history, surpassing even Caesar.
Speaker 1: Although the Bible mentions the Antichrist by name only four times,
Speaker 1: he has referred to many more times under various identities,
Speaker 1: such as the Beast, the little horn, and the man
Speaker 1: of lawlessness, the bringer of destruction second Thessalonians two, verse three,
Speaker 1: and the wicked One will be revealed, whom the Lord
Speaker 1: Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and
Speaker 1: destroy by the manifestation of his coming. When he appears,
Speaker 1: people will flock to him like flies to honey, and
Speaker 1: will do anything he asks. How will he unite the nations?
Speaker 1: The prophet Daniel describes the Antichrist as a fourth beast
Speaker 1: with the eyes of a man and a mouth uttering
Speaker 1: boastful words. He will speak against the most high in
Speaker 1: a pompous manner. This description comes from a vision that
Speaker 1: Daniel had during the night Daniel seven, verse twenty five.
Speaker 1: He will speak words against the most high, and wear
Speaker 1: out the saints of the most high, and think to
Speaker 1: change the times and the law, and they will be
Speaker 1: given into his hand for a time times and half
Speaker 1: a time. As Daniel predicts, the next world leader will
Speaker 1: be known for his eloquence, which will draw the world's
Speaker 1: attention and admiration. Daniel foresees that the speaker will speak
Speaker 1: in lofty terms and blaspheme against God. The apostle John
Speaker 1: agrees in Revelation, and the beast was given a mouth
Speaker 1: the power of speech, uttering great things and boastful and
Speaker 1: blasphemous words, and was given freedom and authority to act
Speaker 1: and do as he pleases for forty two months three
Speaker 1: and a half years Revelation thirteen, verse five. It was
Speaker 1: given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and it
Speaker 1: was given authority to act for forty two months. The
Speaker 1: Antichrist is described as a man whose appearance was greater
Speaker 1: than his fellows Daniel seven, verse twenty and the meaning
Speaker 1: of the ten horns kings that were on its head,
Speaker 1: and the other that came up before whom three fell.
Speaker 1: This horn had eyes and a mouth speaking great things
Speaker 1: and seemed greater than its fellows. He will be extremely
Speaker 1: irresistible to the masses due to his charismatic personality, speaking abilities,
Speaker 1: and notable good looks. The apostle John adds to Daniel's
Speaker 1: account of the Antichrist's blasphemous activities by stating that all
Speaker 1: living will be compelled to worship him. And it was
Speaker 1: granted to give breath to the image of the beast,
Speaker 1: so that the image of the beast could even speak,
Speaker 1: and cause all who did not worship the image of
Speaker 1: the beast to be killed Revelation thirteen, verse fifteen. And
Speaker 1: it was allowed to give breath to the image of
Speaker 1: the beast, so that the image of the beast could speak,
Speaker 1: and cause that any one who would not worship the
Speaker 1: image of the beast should be killed. The Antichrist is
Speaker 1: described as a beast in Revelation thirteen, verses one to eight,
Speaker 1: which is a fitting representation. In the last three and
Speaker 1: a half years of the tribulation, the Antichrist will embody
Speaker 1: Satan himself. According to Second Thessalonians two, verse nine, the
Speaker 1: coming of the lawless one is by the activity of
Speaker 1: Satan with all power and false signs and wonders. The
Speaker 1: Antichrist will move from being a regional leader to a
Speaker 1: global tyrant, cruelly ruling over the world and ultimately claiming
Speaker 1: to be a god Revelation thirteen. And the dragon gave
Speaker 1: him his power, his throne and great authority. I saw
Speaker 1: one of its heads as if it had been mortally wounded,
Speaker 1: But its fatal wound was healed. And all the earth
Speaker 1: marveled after the beast. And they worshiped the dragon because
Speaker 1: he gave his authority to the beast. And they worshiped
Speaker 1: the beast, saying, who is like the beast? Who can
Speaker 1: fight against it? How does the Antichrist gain political power?
Speaker 1: His rise to power will be subtle and unnoticed at
Speaker 1: the beginning, even by those closest to him. He will
Speaker 1: emerge from among the common people. And the dragon Satan
Speaker 1: stood on the sand of the sea. Then I saw
Speaker 1: a beast rising out of the sea, with ten horns
Speaker 1: and seven heads, and on its horns ten diadems, and
Speaker 1: on its heads blasphemous names. Revelation thirteen, verse one. And
Speaker 1: I saw a beast rising out of the sea with
Speaker 1: ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its
Speaker 1: horns and blasphemous names on its heads. The sea in
Speaker 1: biblical imagination represents the general mass of humanity, or more specifically,
Speaker 1: the gentile nations. The tribulation, as bad as it is,
Speaker 1: will always be under God's control. Satan is limited by
Speaker 1: a leash held by God. Who will worship the Antichrist?
Speaker 1: According to Revelation thirteen, verse eight, all who dwell on
Speaker 1: the earth will worship him. According to Daniel seven, verse
Speaker 1: twenty five, the Antichrist is a cult leader. He will
Speaker 1: utter boastful words against the most high, will try to
Speaker 1: change the times and the law. He will try to
Speaker 1: exalt himself to the level of God and speak from there.
Speaker 1: In the third event, Jesus meets the Antichrist at the
Speaker 1: Battle of Armageddon. What will happen to the Antichrist as
Speaker 1: he leads the Battle of Armageddon is that people will
Speaker 1: become increasingly dissatisfied with the leadership of this global dictator
Speaker 1: who broke all the promises made. Throughout the Battle of Armageddon,
Speaker 1: major parts of the world will begin to build their
Speaker 1: own military forces in an attempt to overthrow him. Significant
Speaker 1: segments of the world will start to assemble their own
Speaker 1: military forces and rebel against him. In the end, the
Speaker 1: king of the South will advance to attack him. The
Speaker 1: Antichrist and the King of the North will come against
Speaker 1: him with chariots and horsemen, and with many ships. He
Speaker 1: will enter countries, crush them, and pass through them Daniel eleven,
Speaker 1: verse forty. Some of the initial attempts at rebellion against
Speaker 1: the Antichrist will be crushed by him, But something happens
Speaker 1: that prevents him from achieving his goal of destroying Israel
Speaker 1: and Jerusalem. Rumours from the East and the North will
Speaker 1: alarm and disturb him, and he will set out with
Speaker 1: great fury to destroy and annihilate many Daniel eleven, verse four.
Speaker 1: Then the sixth Angel poured out his bowl on the
Speaker 1: great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, preparing
Speaker 1: the way for the kings from the east. Revelation sixteen,
Speaker 1: verse twelve. The Euphrates is one of the greatest rivers
Speaker 1: in the world, and with the disappearance of the Euphrates,
Speaker 1: the Antichrist will become susceptible to attacks from the rulers
Speaker 1: of the East. If the Euphrates disappears, its arrival will
Speaker 1: signal the Beginning of the Greatest Battle in human history.
Speaker 1: Number four. The Seal of God and the Mark of
Speaker 1: the Beast. What is the Seal of God in the
Speaker 1: Book of Revelation In the New Testament, the term sealed
Speaker 1: is derived from a Greek word meaning to mark with
Speaker 1: a private seal, it means to keep something hidden, to
Speaker 1: protect or preserve the sealed object. In ancient times, seals
Speaker 1: were commonly used in official contexts to ensure the authenticity
Speaker 1: of important documents. For example, a Roman official would attach
Speaker 1: a seal to a document intended to be reviewed only
Speaker 1: by his superior. Breaking the seal would indicate that the
Speaker 1: document had been tampered with or read by someone other
Speaker 1: than the intended recipient. The use of seals was an
Speaker 1: effective way to maintain the confidentiality and integrity of sensitive information.
Speaker 1: We see the Seal of God in the Book of Revelation,
Speaker 1: which is filled with visions and mysterious messages. It introduces
Speaker 1: us to the idea of God's seal in a very
Speaker 1: special and significant way. Revelation one, verses one and two
Speaker 1: tell us that this is the revelation of Jesus Christ,
Speaker 1: his revelation of divine mysteries, that God the Father gave
Speaker 1: him to show to his faithful servants the things that
Speaker 1: will soon take place in their entirety. He sent and
Speaker 1: communicated it through his Angel, divine Messenger, to his servant John,
Speaker 1: who testified and supported the word of God and the
Speaker 1: testimony of Jesus Christ, to every thing he saw in
Speaker 1: his visions. This part of the Bible begins to explain
Speaker 1: the important messages that follow, including the meaning of God's seal.
Speaker 1: The Seal of God is like a special sign from God.
Speaker 1: It shows that God is protecting certain people who belong
Speaker 1: to Him and are genuine followers of Him. This seal
Speaker 1: is mentioned during the wild and Frightening events in the
Speaker 1: Visions of Revelation. It's important to know that this seal
Speaker 1: is not a physical mark, but more like a spiritual insignia.
Speaker 1: It's a way of showing who is truly connected to
Speaker 1: God and under his protection. God's mark appears during the Tribulation,
Speaker 1: a future period of seven years in which God will
Speaker 1: finalize his judgment on the unbelieving world. Throughout the Word
Speaker 1: of God, the Tribulation is associated with the Day of
Speaker 1: the Lord, which refers to the period of time when
Speaker 1: God will directly intervene in the course of history to
Speaker 1: bring about the fulfillment of his plan. That day will
Speaker 1: be a day of wrath. It will be a day
Speaker 1: of agony and anguish. It will be a day of
Speaker 1: distress and devastation. It will be a day of darkness
Speaker 1: and gloom. It will be a day of clouds and darkness.
Speaker 1: It will be a day of trumpet and battle cry.
Speaker 1: The period of the Tribulation will be characterized by a
Speaker 1: variety of divine judgments, turmoil in the celestial sphere, natural calamities,
Speaker 1: and horrific plagues. The one hundred and forty four thousand
Speaker 1: Sealed Servants. The one hundred and forty four thousand Sealed
Speaker 1: Servants are a mix of mystery, symbols and promises about
Speaker 1: the end times. It talks about one hundred and forty
Speaker 1: four thousand of God's servants being specially chosen and marked
Speaker 1: for protection. These servants come from the twelve tribes of Israel.
Speaker 1: The act of sealing, as described in Revelation, signifies a
Speaker 1: divine mark of protection and ownership. In Revelation seven, verse four,
Speaker 1: it says, and I heard the number of those who
Speaker 1: were sealed one hundred and forty four thousand sealed from
Speaker 1: every tribe of the Sons of Israel. The sealing process
Speaker 1: is not just a literal marking, but symbolizes spiritual preservation
Speaker 1: during times of tribulation. Each of the twelve tribes of
Speaker 1: Israel contributes twelve thousand members, signifying completeness and perfection in
Speaker 1: God's selection. The number one hundred forty four thousand is
Speaker 1: rich in symbolism. In biblical numerology, twelve often represents divine
Speaker 1: authority and completeness. Multiplying twelve tribes by twelve thousand members
Speaker 1: from each tribe suggests an expanded completeness. Contrast with the
Speaker 1: mark of the Beast in the Book of Revelation, the
Speaker 1: Seal of God and the mark of the Beast are
Speaker 1: powerful marks that represent the eternal battle between good and
Speaker 1: evil and the stark contrast between God's divine authority and
Speaker 1: the earthly power of the world. These symbols have captured
Speaker 1: the imagination of generations of believers and non bavers, continuing
Speaker 1: to inspire reflection and contemplation to this day. The Seal
Speaker 1: of God, the seal of God mentioned in Revelation Chapter seven,
Speaker 1: Verses two to three, represents divine protection and ownership. It
Speaker 1: is given to God's faithful followers, marking them as His
Speaker 1: in a spiritual sense, unlike a physical mark. It symbolizes
Speaker 1: a deep personal commitment to God and his teachings. Possessing
Speaker 1: the Seal of God indicates spiritual protection during times of
Speaker 1: trial and judgment. It's a sign of being chosen by God,
Speaker 1: reflecting a life lived in accordance with divine principles. The
Speaker 1: mark of the Beast the mark of the beast, spoken
Speaker 1: of in Revelation thirteen, verses sixteen and seventeen, is a
Speaker 1: sign that shows loyalty to the Beast, an evil character
Speaker 1: against God. It means turning away from God and choosing
Speaker 1: to follow the power of people in the world, which
Speaker 1: is often not right or good. The mark of the
Speaker 1: Beast appears in Revelation and is referred to as such
Speaker 1: because it is brought into existence by a man known
Speaker 1: as the Beast. According to the biblical passages in Revelation sixteen,
Speaker 1: verse two and Chapter nineteen, verse twenty, the mark of
Speaker 1: the Beast is a symbol that distinguishes those who worship
Speaker 1: the beast. Revelation thirteen, verses sixteen and seventeen he causes all,
Speaker 1: both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave,
Speaker 1: to receive a mark on their right hand or on
Speaker 1: their forehead, and no one could buy or sell anything
Speaker 1: without that mark, which was either the name of the
Speaker 1: Beast or the number representing his name. He causes all
Speaker 1: to receive a mark, a mark that will be given
Speaker 1: to every one under the government of the Beast and
Speaker 1: his associate. This mark is necessary to participate in the economy,
Speaker 1: and those without it will not be able to buy
Speaker 1: or sell anything. Only those bearing a special number on
Speaker 1: a visible part of their body, hand or forehead will
Speaker 1: be allowed to trade, and the number will only be
Speaker 1: marked on those who engage in imperial idolatry. Revelation thirteen,
Speaker 1: verse eighteen. Here is wisdom. Let the one who has
Speaker 1: understanding calculate the number of the Beast, for it is
Speaker 1: the number of a man. His number is six hundred
Speaker 1: sixty six. Six hundred sixty six is the number that
Speaker 1: captures attention. It is made up of sixes, a number
Speaker 1: that always alludes to the human inability to achieve the seven,
Speaker 1: which represents complete perfection. It is used here as a
Speaker 1: clue to the identity of the last world dictator before
Speaker 1: Jesus reigns for a thousand years. The term mark has
Speaker 1: no special Biblical usage apart from its association with the beast.
Speaker 1: The Greek term charagma was most commonly used for imprints
Speaker 1: on documents or coins. Karagma is well attested to have
Speaker 1: been an imperial seal of the Roman Empire US used
Speaker 1: on official documents during the first and second centuries, in
Speaker 1: addition to its use in Revelation. The term charagma appears
Speaker 1: only once in the New Testament, specifically in Acts seventeen,
Speaker 1: verse twenty nine, where it refers to an artistic image.
Speaker 1: Accepting this mark is like turning your back on God.
Speaker 1: It shows your choosing to side with those against God.
Speaker 1: It's not just a mark you can see on your body.
Speaker 1: It truly means you're living your life against what God wants.
Speaker 1: The seal of God versus the mark of the beast.
Speaker 1: The seal of God and the mark of the Beast
Speaker 1: are two opposing marks. The seal of God represents divine
Speaker 1: authority and protection and is often associated with spiritual marks
Speaker 1: that denote faith and obedience to God. On the other hand,
Speaker 1: the mark of the beast signifies submission to the world's
Speaker 1: corrupt power, and is often interpreted as a physical or
Speaker 1: visible sign of compliance with evil forces. These symbols been
Speaker 1: used to signify the struggle between good and evil and
Speaker 1: the importance of choosing the right path in life. The
Speaker 1: New Heaven, the Celestial City, the New Jerusalem, also known
Speaker 1: as the Tent of God, Holy City, City of God,
Speaker 1: Celestial City, Quadrangular City, and Celestial Jerusalem, is a celestial
Speaker 1: paradise on Earth. The Bible mentions it in several passages,
Speaker 1: such as in Galatians four, verse twenty six and Hebrews eleven,
Speaker 1: Verses twelve and thirteen. However, it is described more extensively
Speaker 1: in Revelation twenty one. There is an end to the
Speaker 1: history recorded in Revelation twenty one. All ages have come
Speaker 1: and gone, The tribulation has passed. The Battle of Armageddon
Speaker 1: has been fought and won by our Lord Jesus Christ.
Speaker 1: Satan was chained for a thousand year reign of Christ
Speaker 1: on Earth. A new and glorious temple was established in Jerusalem.
Speaker 1: The final rebellion against God was crushed, and Satan received
Speaker 1: his just punishishment and eternity in the Lake of Fire.
Speaker 1: The Great White throne, judgment took place, and humanity was judged.
Speaker 1: The New Jerusalem is a city that is in heaven.
Speaker 1: Revelation twenty one, verses one and two. Then I saw
Speaker 1: a new heaven and a new Earth. For the first
Speaker 1: heaven and the first Earth had passed away, and the
Speaker 1: sea was no more. And I saw the Holy City,
Speaker 1: the New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,
Speaker 1: prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. We see
Speaker 1: in Revelation twenty one, verse two that this Holy City
Speaker 1: was prepared and came down from heaven from God. The
Speaker 1: phrase was prepared implies that the New Jerusalem has been
Speaker 1: completed by this time. John does not say he saw
Speaker 1: the New Jerusalem being created. He states he saw the
Speaker 1: New Jerusalem coming down from heaven. The idea of a
Speaker 1: new Earth with a new atmosphere and sky is a
Speaker 1: familiar theme in scripture. Many of the prophets, both Old
Speaker 1: and New Testament, spoke of this new heaven and new earth.
Speaker 1: Isaiah sixty five, verses seventeen and eighteen. For behold, I
Speaker 1: create new heavens and a new Earth, And the former
Speaker 1: things shall not be remembered or come into mind, but
Speaker 1: be glad and rejoice forever in what I create for behold,
Speaker 1: I create Jerusalem to be a joy and her people
Speaker 1: to be a gladness. The city is distinguished by its
Speaker 1: holiness and newness, making it unique compared to any other
Speaker 1: earthly city. The name Jerusalem gives continuity to the land,
Speaker 1: especially to the place of our redemption. Throughout history, humans
Speaker 1: have never experienced a community entirely free from sin. Adam
Speaker 1: and Eve knew only a limited community, and community in
Speaker 1: a broader context only came much after the fall. In
Speaker 1: the new Jerusalem, we have a completely unique community, one
Speaker 1: that is sinless, pure and righteous. It is a holy city.
Speaker 1: Problems arise when believers accept this type of community. Now
Speaker 1: the city cannot be attributed to human achievement, but rather
Speaker 1: is a gift from God. Revelation twenty one, verses three
Speaker 1: and four. And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, behold,
Speaker 1: the dwelling place of God is with man. He will
Speaker 1: dwell with them, and they will be his people, and
Speaker 1: God himself will be with them as their God. He
Speaker 1: will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death
Speaker 1: shall be no more. Neither shall there be mourning nor
Speaker 1: crying nor pain any more, for the former things have
Speaker 1: passed away. John hears a proclamation from heaven that the
Speaker 1: Tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell
Speaker 1: among them as God's chosen people. They will have a
Speaker 1: level of closeness with Him that they could never have
Speaker 1: imagined possible. God will be present with them. The tabernacle
Speaker 1: that Moses built was to represent the dwelling place of
Speaker 1: God here on earth. This tabernacle of God is the
Speaker 1: reality of his presence. He will establish residence among them,
Speaker 1: and they will serve as His people. Revelation twenty one,
Speaker 1: verses five to eight. And he who was seated on
Speaker 1: the throne said, behold, I am making all things new.
Speaker 1: And he said, write this down, for these words are
Speaker 1: trustworthy and true. And he said to me, it is done.
Speaker 1: I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and
Speaker 1: the end to the thirsty. I will give from the
Speaker 1: spring of the water of life without payment. The one
Speaker 1: who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be
Speaker 1: his God, and he will be my son. But as
Speaker 1: for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers,
Speaker 1: the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters and all liars. Their portion
Speaker 1: will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur,
Speaker 1: which is the second death. He who is seated on
Speaker 1: the throne, announces that he is making everything new, and
Speaker 1: he also says he is the Alpha and the Omega,
Speaker 1: the beginning and the end to the thirsty. He will
Speaker 1: give freely from the spring of the water of life.
Speaker 1: All who are victorious will inherit these things, and He
Speaker 1: will be their God, and they will be his children.
Speaker 1: But for the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, murderers, the
Speaker 1: sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their part will
Speaker 1: be in the lake of fire, which is the second death.
Speaker 1: We read that all things are made new. At this
Speaker 1: point in the plan of the Ages, the plan is complete.
Speaker 1: Everything is new. Our instinct is to romantically consider innocence
Speaker 1: as the perfect state of man, in which Adam would
Speaker 1: never have done what he did. But we fail to
Speaker 1: realize that the redeemed man is greater than the innocent man,
Speaker 1: that we gain more in Jesus than we ever lost
Speaker 1: in Adam. God's perfect state is one of redemption. In
Speaker 1: Revelation twenty one, verses fifty and sixteen. The angel who
Speaker 1: was speaking with me had in his hand a golden
Speaker 1: measuring rod to measure the city, its gates, and its wall.
Speaker 1: When he measured it, he found it was a square
Speaker 1: as wide as it is long. In fact, its length,
Speaker 1: width and height were each two thousand, two hundred kilometers.
Speaker 1: One of the reasons many people try to spiritualize and
Speaker 1: dismiss the city is because of its enormous size. It
Speaker 1: is a city that goes beyond what you can imagine. Now,
Speaker 1: if you calculate to give you an idea, each of
Speaker 1: the walls of the cube, they all range between two thousand,
Speaker 1: two hundred and two thousand, four hundred kilometers, and the
Speaker 1: square area of the ground floor is approximately four million,
Speaker 1: eight hundred sixty thousand square kilometers on the first level.
Speaker 1: Have you heard it said that London covers an area
Speaker 1: of one thousand, five hundred seventy two square kilometers. The
Speaker 1: quadrangular city has four million, eight hundred sixty third thousand
Speaker 1: square kilometers on the first floor. This city is twenty
Speaker 1: times larger than all of New Zealand. It's ten times
Speaker 1: larger than Germany, It's ten times larger than France, it's
Speaker 1: forty times larger than all of England. It's much larger
Speaker 1: than India. We read that it had a great and
Speaker 1: high wall. The wall was not needed for defense, as
Speaker 1: there were no more enemies, but the great and high
Speaker 1: wall gave the city definition and shows that some will
Speaker 1: be excluded from the city. Only the righteous can enter.
Speaker 1: Are there really streets of gold in heaven? Is it
Speaker 1: true that there are streets of gold in heaven? Look
Speaker 1: at verse eighteen and then verse twenty one of chapter
Speaker 1: twenty one. The structure of its wall was of jasper,
Speaker 1: and the city was pure gold, like clear glass, and
Speaker 1: the twelve gates were twelve pearls. Each of the gates
Speaker 1: was of a single pearl, and the street of the
Speaker 1: city was pure gold, like transparent glass. I can't imagine again.
Speaker 1: Can you imagine seeing the city as you approach. When
Speaker 1: the Bible says this city reflects light, it's not from
Speaker 1: any material combustion, it's not from any consumption of fuel.
Speaker 1: The light of the world comes from the lamb, and
Speaker 1: he will be the light of the city at that time.
Speaker 1: No wonder. Paul described our future this way in First
Speaker 1: Corinthians two, verse nine. But as it is written what
Speaker 1: no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart
Speaker 1: of man imagined. What God has prepared for those who
Speaker 1: love him. And in the city are the Tree of
Speaker 1: Life for the healing of the nations, and the River
Speaker 1: of Life. The New Jerusalem is the ultimate fulfillment of
Speaker 1: all God's promises. The New Jerusalem is God's goodness made
Speaker 1: fully manifest. The Tree of Life is first portrayed in
Speaker 1: chapter two, verse nine of the Book of Genesis as
Speaker 1: being in the midst of the garden of Eden, along
Speaker 1: with another divine tree called the Tree of the Knowledge
Speaker 1: of Good and evil. As a result of his disobedience,
Speaker 1: Adam l lost his eternal life. The Tree of Life
Speaker 1: in Eden must have had some role in sustaining the
Speaker 1: life of Adam and Eve. The Bible opens with a
Speaker 1: description of the Tree of Life, and now we see
Speaker 1: the Tree of Life again. Let us pray, Dear Lord.
Speaker 1: We thank you for your guidance and your protection as
Speaker 1: time moves forward. We pray for the understanding of these prophecies.
Speaker 1: We ask for forgiveness of our sins, both known and unknown.
Speaker 1: We pray that you guide us from now until eternity.
Speaker 1: In Jesus's name. We pray amen,