The Seventh Seal

Revelation chapter eight begins with the opening of the seventh seal.


¹ When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.
 ² And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them.
 ³ Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all God’s people, on the golden altar in front of the throne. ⁴The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of God’s people, went up before God from the angel’s hand. ⁵ Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it on the earth; and there came peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake.

The Trumpets

 ⁶ Then the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared to sound them. ⁷ The first angel sounded his trumpet, and there came hail and fire mixed with blood, and it was hurled down on the earth. A third of the earth was burned up, a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up.
 ⁸ The second angel sounded his trumpet, and something like a huge mountain, all ablaze, was thrown into the sea. A third of the sea turned into blood, ⁹ a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.
 ¹⁰ The third angel sounded his trumpet, and a great star, blazing like a torch, fell from the sky on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water— ¹¹ the name of the star is Wormwood.^[a] A third of the waters turned bitter, and many people died from the waters that had become bitter.
 ¹² The fourth angel sounded his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them turned dark. A third of the day was without light, and also a third of the night.
 ¹³ As I watched, I heard an eagle that was flying in midair call out in a loud voice: “Woe! Woe! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the trumpet blasts about to be sounded by the other three angels!”


When the seventh seal is opened, there is silence in heaven for half and hour. The breaking of the seventh seal ushers in the seven trumpet judgments. After the seal is broken, seven angels appear before the throne of God; They are given seven trumpets. Then an eighth angel appears with a golden censer (a vessel made for burning incense), he is given a lot of incense to burn before God's throne. The incense along with the prayers of God's people went up before God. The angel then fills his censer with fire and burning coals and throws it to the earth. The result is thunder and lightning and an earthquake. This all precedes the angels blowing their trumpets, perhaps to usher these judgments in. 


Now the first four angels sound their trumpets. 
The first trumpet is sounded...hail and fire mixed with blood is thrown down to the earth. A third of the earth was burned up, a third of the trees are burned up and all the grass is burned up. There are many ways that God can accomplish this, a nuclear accident, an asteroid hitting earth...we don't know how God will play out this judgment, but it will happen. This is God's judgment on the land.


The second trumpet is sounded...something like a blazing mountain is thrown into the sea. A third of the sea turns to blood, a third of the sea creatures are killed and a third of the ships are destroyed. This judgment can be caused by an enormous volcanic eruption, or a meteor crashing into the sea...once more, we don't know the mechanism God will use to carry out this judgment. This is God's judgment on the sea.


The third trumpet is sounded...A great burning star falls on the rivers and streams. This star is called Wormwood, because it poisons the waters. This contaminates a third of the world's fresh water. This is God's judgment on the fresh waters. 


The fourth trumpet is sounded...A third of the sun, moon and stars was darkened. This could be from atmospheric conditions blocking the light, or God could destroy them as easily as He created them. This is the judgment on the sky. 


Then an eagle flies by saying woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because the other three trumpets will soon sound. 

144,000 Sealed

In chapter seven, John's attention is once more on the heavens. This is happening between the breaking of the sixth and seventh seals.
 ¹ After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth to prevent any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea or on any tree. ² Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal of the living God. He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea: ³ “Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.” ⁴ Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel.

 ⁵ From the tribe of Judah 12,000 were sealed,
   from the tribe of Reuben 12,000,
   from the tribe of Gad 12,000,
 ⁶ from the tribe of Asher 12,000,
   from the tribe of Naphtali 12,000,
   from the tribe of Manasseh 12,000,
 ⁷ from the tribe of Simeon 12,000,
   from the tribe of Levi 12,000,
   from the tribe of Issachar 12,000,
 ⁸ from the tribe of Zebulun 12,000,
   from the tribe of Joseph 12,000,
   from the tribe of Benjamin 12,000.

The Great Multitude in White Robes

 ⁹ After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. ¹⁰ And they cried out in a loud voice:   “Salvation belongs to our God,
who sits on the throne,
and to the Lamb.”
 ¹¹ All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, ¹² saying:
   “Amen!
Praise and glory
and wisdom and thanks and honor
and power and strength
be to our God for ever and ever.
Amen!”
 ¹³ Then one of the elders asked me, “These in white robes—who are they, and where did they come from?”
 ¹⁴ I answered, “Sir, you know.”
   And he said, “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. ¹⁵ Therefore,
   “they are before the throne of God
   and serve him day and night in his temple;
and he who sits on the throne
   will shelter them with his presence.
¹⁶ ‘Never again will they hunger;
   never again will they thirst.
The sun will not beat down on them,’^[a]
   nor any scorching heat.
¹⁷ For the Lamb at the center of the throne
   will be their shepherd;
‘he will lead them to springs of living water.’^[b]
   ‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’^[c]”


John sees four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, much like compass points. They are holding back the four winds of the earth, which may represent devastation and calamity. 

³² This is what the LORD Almighty says:
   “Look! Disaster is spreading
   from nation to nation;
a mighty storm is rising
   from the ends of the earth.” Jeremiah 25:32
They are waiting until they receive permission to release the winds. While they wait, another angel from the east, that tells these angels not to release the wind until a seal is placed on the servants of God. This seal will protect God's people from the judgment to come. John hears that there are 144,000 believers to have the seal applied. This seal is the antithesis of the mark of the beast, which we will discuss in a later chapter. The 144,000 are said to be 12,000 from each of the tribes of Israel. Most Bible scholars agree that this is not from the literal tribes of Israel, since most of ten tribes were destroyed throughout history. Also, the list of tribes that are to be sealed is not the same as the literal tribes of Israel. Ephraim and Dan have been left out and replaced by Joseph and Levi. 

¹³ I am talking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I take pride in my ministry ¹⁴ in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them. ¹⁵ For if their rejection brought reconciliation to the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? ¹⁶If the part of the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy; if the root is holy, so are the branches.
 ¹⁷ If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root,¹⁸ do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. ¹⁹ You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” ²⁰ Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but tremble. ²¹ For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.
 ²² Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off. ²³ And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. ²⁴ After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree! Romans 11:13-24
John's attention is now drawn to the throne of God. He sees a huge crowd of people from every nationality and race. They are wearing white robes, which stands for purity, and are waving palm branches which are used as a symbol of rejoicing. They fell down in front of the throne, worshiping God. 
One of the elders asks John if he knows who they are and where did they come from. John tells the elder, sir you know. The elder then tells him that they have come out of the great tribulation. They have been purified because they believed in Jesus Christ, who with His death on the cross has made them worthy. They are before the throne, worshiping God, and they would never again suffer. They would not have to ever again experience what they went through on earth; hunger, thirst, heat or pain. Jesus will be their shepherd and give them living water, and they will never again experience death, mourning or pain.
 ⁸ he will swallow up death forever.
The Sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears
   from all faces;
he will remove his people’s disgrace
   from all the earth.
            The LORD has spoken. Isaiah 25:8

The Opening of the Seals

In Revelation chapter six, we see Jesus, the one that is worthy to open the scroll, begin to break the seals. Until this time, John had been in heaven, writing about what he was seeing there. Now as the seals are broken, John's attention turns toward the earth where the judgments of the broken seals are being carried out.

¹ I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, “Come!” ² I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.
 ³ When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!” ⁴ Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make people kill each other. To him was given a large sword.
 ⁵ When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come!” I looked, and there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand.⁶ Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, “Two pounds^[a] of wheat for a day’s wages,^[b]and six pounds^[c] of barley for a day’s wages,^[d] and do not damage the oil and the wine!”
 ⁷ When the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, “Come!” ⁸ I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth.
 ⁹ When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. ¹⁰ They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” ¹¹Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers and sisters,^[e] were killed just as they had been.
 ¹² I watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake. The sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red, ¹³ and the stars in the sky fell to earth, as figs drop from a fig tree when shaken by a strong wind. ¹⁴ The heavens receded like a scroll being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place.
 ¹⁵ Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and everyone else, both slave and free, hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. ¹⁶ They called to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us^[f] from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! ¹⁷ For the great day of their^[g] wrath has come, and who can withstand it?”


The first four seals release the most well known sign, commonly known as the four horsemen of the apocalypse. When Jesus breaks the first seal, one of the living creatures around the throne says "come" beckoning the first horseman, the white horse. The rider of this horse had a bow and was given a crown of conquest. Since this rider does not carry any arrows, he may symbolize a person that will conquer using peace; The white horse represents peace. It is commonly thought that this rider represents the Antichrist, who will come to power by promising peace. After he is in power, he will reveal his true agenda which is world conquest. 
After this rider has been released, Jesus breaks the second seal. The second living creature beckons the second horseman. The red horse is revealed, he symbolizes war. He had a large sword, and was given the power to take peace from the earth. This seems to follow the idea that the first horseman was bent on conquest. After the Antichrist comes to power, he will instigate war with those that try to stand against him.
The third seal releases the black horse, who represents famine. This rider has a pair of scales in his hand. The living creature calls out:  “Two pounds^[a] of wheat for a day’s wages,^[b]and six pounds^[c] of barley for a day’s wages,^[d] and do not damage the oil and the wine!”  This is to show the extent of the famine that will occur at this time. Basically a days wage for enough food for the day. The rider is also told not to damage the oil and wine. There will always be people that will get rich on others misfortune and have the money to have all the luxuries. 
The fourth seal will release the Pale horse named Death. It stands to reason that death would follow along behind the three preceding horses.  This rider had a companion named Hades followed behind him. They were given the power to kill one fourth of the earth by sword, famine, plague and wild beasts. They had only to follow the first three riders to fulfill their charge. 
Once the horsemen have been released, Jesus opens the fifth seal. John sees an altar in heaven, and under the altar all those that had been killed as martyrs for following Christ. They cry out, asking when will the inhabitants of the earth be judged for what they had done and when will their sacrifice be avenged. They are given the white robes of the martyr and told to wait for all the other martyrs that would be killed during the Tribulation period. God is just and merciful, He will not institute judgment until everyone is given a chance to turn to Him. 
When Jesus opens the sixth seal, there is a huge earthquake. This earthquake was so large that every mountain and island was moved. The sun turned black, the moon turned red and stars fell from the sky. 
³¹ The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes. Joel 2:31
The peoples of the earth are terrified when this judgment occurs. They blame God for what is happening instead of repenting.

The Scroll and the Lamb

In chapter five, the scroll of the first judgments is revealed.
¹ Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. ²And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” ³ But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. ⁴ I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. ⁵ Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”
 ⁶ Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits^[a] of God sent out into all the earth. ⁷ He went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. ⁸ And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people. ⁹And they sang a new song, saying:
   “You are worthy to take the scroll
   and to open its seals,
because you were slain,
   and with your blood you purchased for God
   persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.
¹⁰ You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,
   and they will reign^[b] on the earth.”
 ¹¹ Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. ¹² In a loud voice they were saying:
   “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,
   to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength
   and honor and glory and praise!”
 ¹³ Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying:
   “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
   be praise and honor and glory and power,
for ever and ever!”
 ¹⁴ The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.


John sees an God holding a scroll. The scroll had writing on the front and back, which seems to allude to the fact that there was a lot of details on the scroll. It was also sealed with seven seals, which means that it was shut by God Himself. An angel asks if there is anyone that is worthy to open this scroll. At first there is no answer, and John begins to cry because there was no one worthy to open the scroll. One of the elders tells him not to cry, that there is one being that is 
worthy.  Jesus is called the Lion of Judah and the Root of David. 
²⁹ Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. ³⁰ But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. ³¹ You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.³² He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, ³³and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” Luke 1: 29-33
 ⁸ “Judah,^[b] your brothers will praise you;
   your hand will be on the neck of your enemies;
   your father’s sons will bow down to you.
⁹ You are a lion’s cub, Judah;
   you return from the prey, my son.
Like a lion he crouches and lies down,
   like a lioness—who dares to rouse him?
¹⁰ The scepter will not depart from Judah,
   nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet,^[c]
until he to whom it belongs^[d] shall come
   and the obedience of the nations shall be his. Genesis 49:8-10
When John looks up he sees a lamb that was slain taking the scroll from God. This obviously refers to Jesus who was slain for the sins of the world. The seven horns symbolize the divine power that Jesus possesses. The seven eyes represent the Holy Spirit. God allowing Jesus to take the scroll is showing that He has transfered power and authority to Him who was worthy. After this the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures all fall down and worship the lamb. They begin to sing that Jesus was worthy to take and open the scroll because He had been slain and with His blood had bought the forgiveness of men from all the world. A multitude of angels begins to sing that the lamb is worthy because He was slain to receive power, wealth, wisdom, strength, honor, glory and praise. Then John hears all of creation singing this song of praise to Jesus. Then the four living creatures say "Amen" or may it be so.


This is all a prelude to Jesus opening the Scroll of Judgment. The one who is worthy to open the scroll has been found, all heaven rejoices. Next the judgments on the wicked left on earth will begin.

Throne in Heaven

^{Today I would like to discuss Revelation chapter 4. This chapter begins the next section of Revelation, and continues on until chapter 16. In the preceding chapters John had visions of the time of the church age, from Pentecost through the end of the church age culminating in the rapture of the church.  Now that the church has been removed from the earth the judgments of God against the earth can begin. This chapter begins with John being told to come up to heaven so he may see what will happen.}


Revelation 4


¹ After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” ² At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. ³ And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne. ⁴ Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. ⁵ From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. In front of the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits^[a] of God. ⁶ Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.
   In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. ⁷ The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. ⁸ Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying:
   “‘Holy, holy, holy
   is the Lord God Almighty,’^[b]
   who was, and is, and is to come.”
 ⁹ Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever,¹⁰ the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:
 ¹¹ “You are worthy, our Lord and God,
   to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
   and by your will they were created
   and have their being.”


When John looks around heaven the first thing he sees is a throne. He sees a being sitting on the throne that he can only describe as having the appearance of jewels with a rainbow surrounding the throne. Now the first time the rainbow is mentioned in the Bible, it is to remind us of God's promise to never destroy the earth again with a flood.
 ¹² And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: ¹³ I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. ¹⁴ Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, ¹⁵ I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. ¹⁶ Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.”Genesis 9:12-16 This rainbow around the throne may be a reminder that God has not forgotten His covenant with us. John was trying to describe something that was indescribable. Around this throne were twenty-four other thrones with twenty-four elders sitting on them. It is not clear who these elders are, some people think they may represent the twelve tribes of Israel and the twelve apostles.
 ⁵¹ At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split ⁵² and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. ⁵³ They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and^[e] went into the holy city and appeared to many people. Matthew 27:51-53
This may be another possible explanation of who is sitting on the thrones. We won't know until we can one day ask Jesus. 
After seeing these thrones, John once more focuses on God's throne, where there was thunder and lightning. He notices seven lamps in front of the throne that represent the seven spirits of God, as we noted earlier, this represents the Holy Spirit. Also in front of the throne is something like a sea of glass that is clear as crystal. John was not able to fully describe what he was seeing, the beauty was beyond describing. 
Now John sees four living creatures around the throne. They were completely covered with eyes and each creature had six wings. John describes them as one like a lion, and ox, a man and an eagle. The eyes may represent that they are watchful guardians of the throne. In Ezekiel's vision, he saw creatures that were similar to these beasts, they were God's cherubim. These creatures may be other cherubim who's job it is to guard the throne. 

⁵ and in the fire was what looked like four living creatures. In appearance their form was human, ⁶ but each of them had four faces and four wings. ⁷ Their legs were straight; their feet were like those of a calf and gleamed like burnished bronze. ⁸ Under their wings on their four sides they had human hands. All four of them had faces and wings, ⁹ and the wings of one touched the wings of another. Each one went straight ahead; they did not turn as they moved.
 ¹⁰ Their faces looked like this: Each of the four had the face of a human being, and on the right side each had the face of a lion, and on the left the face of an ox; each also had the face of an eagle. Ezekiel 1:5-10
This is also similar to the ark of the covenant where God's glory rested between the cherubim wings that were carved over the ark.
 ¹⁷ “Make an atonement cover of pure gold—two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half wide. ¹⁸ And make two cherubim out of hammered gold at the ends of the cover. ¹⁹Make one cherub on one end and the second cherub on the other; make the cherubim of one piece with the cover, at the two ends. ²⁰ The cherubim are to have their wings spread upward, overshadowing the cover with them. The cherubim are to face each other, looking toward the cover. ²¹ Place the cover on top of the ark and put in the ark the tablets of the covenant law that I will give you. ²² There, above the cover between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the covenant law, I will meet with you and give you all my commands for the Israelites. Exodus 25:17-22
The creatures worship God continually, and when they do the elders also fall down before God and offer Him their crowns and worship Him. 

Joyce Meyer Conference October 13-15 2011

I had a great weekend at the Joyce Meyer conference. You have to love Joyce, she pulls no punches and you usually get convicted! Each day we had worship with Phil Wickham. The music was great, and he really got the crowd revved up for Joyce!

At Your Name by Phil Wickham

The theme for this conference was to press past difficulties in your life to reach the blessing God has for you. In the Bible, wine is equated with power. As grapes need to be pressed to become wine, so we need to be pressed spiritually to get to our spiritual power.
During the first teaching of the conference, Joyce spoke about pressing past your feelings.
¹³ “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. ¹⁴ But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. Matthew 7:13-14
When we take the easy road, we are not getting the blessing that we would be getting than if we take the narrow, more difficult road. We all have feelings that we experience in life. Some people feel rejection, betrayal, abandonment, revenge seeking, self-pity, self centeredness, jealousy, depression, discouragement, disappointment, and many more. When we let these feeling control us, we are taking the easy road. When we let these feelings control us, we are too consumed by them to be available for Jesus to use us. When we put the feelings aside we are able to serve God. We are here for a purpose, God has a purpose for your life. If you hold on to the past hurts you will stay unhappy and miserable. If you put the hurts behind you and give yourself up to God to be used for His purpose, then you will receive blessings and you will have joy.
 ¹⁰ Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10


During the second teaching, Joyce spoke about pressing beyond guilt and shame.  Sometimes you may feel that God is chastising you. It is a good thing that God shows you what you are doing wrong. It is only because God loves you and wants you to be better. Similar to a parent chastising a child, they punish a child so that they will learn to do what is right. Instead of making excuses, you need to say yes God, you are right, I have no excuse. I'm sorry, forgive me and I rejoice that you care so much about me that you show me what I can change. God forgives our sins because He wants to have a relationship with you. You need to move past not liking who you are. God loves you, and created you in the womb to be who you are. You can not like what you do, but don't not like who you are. Your value should not be tied to something in your life. You are no surprise to God, nothing you do surprises Him or makes Him love you less. You won't make any progress if you are so wrapped up in who you are not, and what you have not done. We need to let go of guilt. Some people are addicted to feeling guilty. 
⁸ If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. ⁹ If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:8-9
We are sinners and need a savior. Jesus intercedes with God for us continually. Satan loves to tell you that everything is all your fault, and that you are not good enough. Satan is the accuser of the brethren. When Satan comes to accuse you, tell him: I am none of your business! I belong to another!
Don't be upset about how far you have to go, be excited about how far you have come! 

Joyce's third teaching was on pressing past the pain of feelings. Your soul says; I want, I think, I feel. Emotions are the believers #1 enemy. Our flesh wants to do things that make it happy, even though it is a bad thing. One example is overeating. If we left it up to how we feel, we would eat whatever we liked and become overweight and unhealthy. When we press beyond these feelings, we eat healthy and stay healthy.  So you can see that when we press beyond the wants of our flesh, we receive a benefit. If we make right choices when we are hurting, we will be victorious.  You have to make a choice to be helped. Life is not fair, but God is just. 
¹¹ No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. Hebrews 12:11
You have three choices:
1- Press past the pain now
2- Decide to do it later and stay miserable now
3- Keep the pain forever and stay miserable forever

⁷ Instead of your shame
   you will receive a double portion,
and instead of disgrace
   you will rejoice in your inheritance.
And so you will inherit a double portion in your land,
   and everlasting joy will be yours.
 ⁸ “For I, the LORD, love justice;
   I hate robbery and wrongdoing.
In my faithfulness I will reward my people
   and make an everlasting covenant with them.  Isaiah 61:7-8
God loves to take someone whose life is in fragments, and who has turned their life over to God; He likes to take them and transform then and bless them beyond measure.
You need to start living a life of expectancy. There is no greater testimony than a transformed life. You should learn to enjoy where you are now on the way to where you are going.


The final teaching for this series was to press past anger and unforgiveness.
When your spirit/soul/mind get full of anger you can't grow spiritually. No matter how we feel, we need to choose to do what is right. 
⁵⁹ While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” ⁶⁰ Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep. Acts 7:59
We need to pray for forgiveness for the people who hurt us. They are probably in pain and are lashing out at you. Being godly says more to your enemies than anger. 
²¹ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:21
God is faithful and will bless you if you do the right thing. Put your anger aside and bless your enemy. When you do good to others you are paying back Satan. Anger is in itself not a sin, it is what you do when you are angry that is the sin. When you choose to move beyond your anger, you get a release. It no longer has a hold on you.When you are angry, talk to God about it. 
If you repress your anger, it will come out in other ways; depression, overeating, bitterness, resentment. 
 ¹¹ “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. ¹²Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Matthew 5:11-12
If we want to be a witness to those that hurt you before God, we need to pray for them and ask God not to charge them with the sin. Instead ask God to bless them. This may lead to them turning to Christ. Our example is more powerful than our words. We need to forgive as God has forgiven us. 


The conference was very powerful, and really showed how holding on to our past hurts could be detrimental to our walk with Christ. When we press past these hurts, we are opened up to a world of blessing and God can really use us to be a blessing to other people. 
Each day Pastor Mike Shepherd did an altar call. Praise God, more than 1100 people turned their lives over to Christ! 

The Rapture: What Will Happen?

Before I continue on with Revelation chapter 4, I would like to talk about the Rapture. There are three schools of thought on when the Rapture will occur. The first is the pre-tribulation rapture, which I believe and will discuss. The second is the mid-tribulation rapture, in which some people believe that the Rapture will occur during the midpoint of the seven year tribulation period. The third view is the post-tribulation rapture, which they believe will occur at the end of the seven year tribulation period and before the Glorious Appearing of Christ. These two views are the minority view, I believe in a pre-tribulation rapture and I will be discussing Bible verses that support this view.


First, what is the Rapture? The Rapture is meant for the church age, the time from Pentecost until the present time. The Christians that have believed in Jesus and trusted Him for their salvation will be caught up to heaven and given their incorruptible bodies. Even the ones that have been in the grave, or have been cremated will be given their perfect bodies at this time. These Christians will be taken out of the world at this time in preparation of the Tribulation period that is to come. God will be sending down judgement on the world in a last effort to get the attention of non-believers. The ones left behind after the rapture are not lost, they still have a chance to turn to God and to trust Jesus for their salvation. They will have to endure the horrors of the Tribulation period, but even if they die during this time, they will be with Christ.


The word "rapture" does not occur in the Bible at all. The Latin word rapere was translated from the Greek word harpazo, which means "caught up", it became commonly known as the Rapture. Many people say that the church did not start preaching about the Rapture until Reverend Morgan Edwards in 1742.  Grant Jeffrey found a writing from 373 AD in which Ephraim the Syrian had been writing about the Rapture.


          "For all the saints and the elect of God are gathered prior to the Tribulation that is to come, and are
           taken to the Lord, lest they see the confusion that is to overwhelm the world because of our sin."


As you may have seen in the news, some people like Harold Camping this past year, try to predict the day that the Rapture will occur. No one knows the day that this will happen.


 ³⁶ “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son,^[f] but only the Father. ³⁷ As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. ³⁸ For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; ³⁹ and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. ⁴⁰ Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. ⁴¹Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.


   ⁴² “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. ⁴³ But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. ⁴⁴ So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. Matthew 24:36-44


Even Jesus did not know when the day would be, He said only God knows. If Jesus did not know, do you really think someone could "figure it out"?????  We are only told about the signs that Jesus would be returning for His church so that we may be ready.


According to these verses, the Rapture will come at an unexpected time. I believe that this proves that the Rapture will have to come before the Tribulation period. If it were to happen at any other time, like mid-tribulation or post-tribulation, then it would not be unexpected. We would be looking for it to happen at a specific point. The only way these verses can make sense is if the Rapture occurs before the Tribulation.


What will happen when the Rapture occurs? Many people know that the people that believed in Jesus for their salvation will be taken up to heaven. 



¹³ Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. ¹⁴ For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. ¹⁵According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. ¹⁶ For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷ After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. ¹⁸ Therefore encourage one another with these words.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18


⁵¹ Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— ⁵² in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. ⁵³ For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 1 Corinthians 15:51-53





There are many other verses in the Bible that prove that there will be a Rapture.


¹ “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God^[a]; believe also in me. ² My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? ³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. John 14:1-3



⁷Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. ⁸ He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 1:7-8


¹⁰ and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath. 1 Thessalonians 1:10


The coming wrath would be the Tribulation that will come upon the earth once the church is removed. 


⁹ For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians 5:9


¹³ while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ Titus 2:13


The Blessed Hope is another name for the Rapture. It is what we look forward to so that we do not have to suffer through the Tribulation period where God will unleash His wrath on the earth.


¹⁰ Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth. Revelation 3:10




This is another verse where we are told that we, the church, are to be saved from the Tribulation. That does not mean that Christians do not suffer tribulations and trials while we are on the earth. God never claims that we will be exempt from these things, but it is a promise that we will not have to suffer the final seven years of the Tribulation when God will pour out His wrath, like nothing you have ever seen or experienced. 


I felt that I needed to discuss the Rapture at this point, before I began on the next part of Revelation because the church is notable absent from chapters four through nineteen. 


Before I begin on chapter four, I would like to invite anyone that has not accepted Jesus free gift of salvation and wishes to do so to pray the following prayer:


Heavenly Father, in Jesus' name I confess that I have sinned and ask for forgiveness. I ask that Jesus come into my heart and become my  Lord and Savior. I believe Jesus died for my sins and was raised from the dead.
Thank You Father for saving me in Jesus' name. Amen.