The Notes are Good

14.4 Revelation – Satan Hates

Satan Hates

Man was made in the image of God. Gen 1:26 says, “Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness…”

Satan, and all evil and wickedness, hates God. It detests Him and rejects Him and all His ways. It loathes the light and the truth and hides from both.

When satan and the demonic and evil forces corrupt men and turn mankind to their ways, they do not then love these wicked and sinful men. They do not look upon them with love and brotherhood and admiration. They detest them because, no matter how evil and wicked they become, these men still have an appearance of the likeness of God within them.

Evil will use men, but it won’t have grace for men. It does not seek to fill them up and make them whole in fellowship – it only wants to cause hurt and harm.

When the Abyss is opened in Revelation 9, and the beasts of the deep emerge, they show no kinship with wicked men. But God and God alone puts limits on them; He restrains them and the amount of pain and the duration they are allowed. God doesn’t distort the reality of what they are, but even in this, He shows mercy and restraint.

Do not be deceived by the lies of evil. There is no party in hell. There is no moral code of conduct among the wicked that bonds them together. There is no brothership or kinship or family. There is no laughter among the sinners.

But, the lies we allow ourselves to believe can so totally shape our perception of reality that we believe the lie. Notice it in our passage today. Even under 5 months of physical and emotional agony like we can hardly imagine, the people did not seek life, they only sought death. They didn’t seek light, they only saw darkness.

Death and darkness, sin and wickedness, never provide answers or relief – only more rejection and pain. As hard as sin tries to shape mankind into the image of Satan, we are still rejected and hated by the demons of darkness.

My Answers:

9.
Beasts and torment, suffering, death of people – wrath was on humans not on the land, sky, sea, air or other creatures, power tails

10.
a.
the grass, plants, tree or any that had the seal of God on their foreheads

b.
Not allowed to kill but only to torture them for five months, and the agony they suffered was like that of the sting of a scorpion when it strikes. – Who would want that pain and agony. God does not wish it for them, but allow their king to do it to his people.

11.
demons, idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone or wood (all man-made). Idols that cannot see or hear or walk. Worship and prize what comes from man but discount or deny what comes from God.

14.3 Revelation – Sin permeates creation

Sin permeates creation

We tend to have a major separation in our minds between animate and inanimate objects that may be overstated.

In Exodus 4, when Cain killed Abel, “The Lord said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground. Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth.””

In Luke 19, as Jesus makes His triumphant entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday and the pharisees ask him to rebuke the crowds, He says, “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”

All of creation has a voice and our sin and the sin of our ancestors has permeated and distorted the resonance of that voice. What once was a beautiful melody is now noise.

We think of sin as ephemeral, while we know it has long lasting repercussions. We think of it as intangible at the same time we feel the weight and pain of it.

Sin has corrupted not only mankind, but all of God’s creation. The sounding of the first four trumpets touch this corruption. They yank it out and destroy it.

They also serve as a sign for God’s call to the assembly. He does not need trumpet blasts, they are not for Jesus, they are for us as a sign and a calling to repent. He does not need an eagle or vulture flying in the mid heavens calling out a warning of Woe, Woe, Woe, that is for us. He did not need to start with the soil and water and plants, he could have started with the ones causing the corruption instead of the corrupted, but, again, these are signs to repent.

To repent is to turn away from all that we would like to be right, but isn’t, and turn only to the truth. To acknowledge the truth is to acknowledge our sin, our weakness, our corruption. It is easier to blame something or someone else.

How is God calling you to repent? We all have sin and all need to repent.

My Answers:

6.
1st: came hail and fire mixed with blood hurled down on earth, 1/3 of earth, 1/3 trees, all grass burned up
2nd: like mt, all ablaze, thrown into sea, 1/3 of sea turned to blood, 1/3 living sea crtrs die 1/3 ships dstr
3rd: great star, blazing torch, fell on 1/3 of rivers/springs WORMWOOD 1/3 waters turned bitter, many die
4th: 1/3 sun, moon, stars turn dark. 1/3 of day without light 1/3 of the night

7.
To allow the people of earth to repent and turn back to God

8.
a.
Patient, Just, Righteous, Glorious, All-Powerful, Mighty, Creator, Willing to Forgive, Jealous

b.
An appreciation of God’s power and might and that He holds this back, although all we deserve is wrath.

14.2 Revelation – What if its not about us?

What if its not about us?

As I was reading the section in Revelation 8, it made me ask the question, what if it is not about us?

Jesus has taken the scroll, sealed with seven seals, and, because He is worthy, He has opened the seals. Because we are human, because we have been given dominion over the earth, we assume the document that He has unsealed must be about us. But, what if it is not? We are never told what words on on the page (although we know there is writing on both sides of the scroll).

What if this document is the deed to the New Heaven and New Earth? What if, instead of dominion going to mankind, it has been given to Jesus? What if He has the choice to start anew and simply leave the old in silence instead of going through the messy and painful work of redeeming and cleansing the old creation?

I can’t substantiate this, nor am I stating it as an argument contrary to some of the great biblical commentators, but it provides an interesting challenge to perspective.

If this is the case, however, then it is the aroma of prayers that rekindles us to the new order. It is because of prayer that the angel reignites the world with the fire of the altar of God, claiming it in not just water and blood but in fire and spirit for the ruler of all, Jesus.

It is not our day, it is the Day of the Lord. The fact that time and time again, our God chooses us is an amazing thought. The fact that prayers matter given the fastness of the cosmos, is unfathomable. The fact that a being as mighty and awesome as God would want to be in communion with such sinful and weak people, is truly a gift.

My Answers:

3.
a.
Silence in heaven for about half an hour

b.
Unlike anything ever before. Reverent and unprecedented silence in anticipation

c.
The angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar and hurled it on the earth; then came peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake.

4.
a.
Joel: The day of the Lord is coming, it is close at handEx: The time (after preparation) for the people of Israel to meet with God at the foot of the mt
Num: To call the community together and for having the camps set out
Joshua: Sounding of a long blast when walls of Jericho came down
1 Thes: The Lord himself will come down in heaven and the dead will rise up

b.
The day of the Lord has arrived. Christ is going to return

5.
Things do not continue exactly as they have been, there will be a point in time when it changes and the wrath held back is held back no longer

13.5 Revelation – A Call to Christ

A Call to Christ

One of our questions today was in regard to others that we know who are not part of the multitude singing praises to the Lamb. Like most, my first thoughts went to friends and family and co-workers who have not accepted Jesus. But there was something I read this week that helped me think on a bigger scale.

One of the missionaries that we follow and support is dedicated to working with the Muslim community. He originally was stationed in the middle east, but because of health issues is now ministering to them in California. In one of his recent newsletters he discussed the following:

ISIS and Radical Islam have done more to bring marginal Muslims to faith in Jesus than most of the works of Christians.

At times we see only the negative in a situation or the actions of evil men. This is definitely the situation with terrorism and terrorists. Yet, even this, God uses for His good. By dividing and marginalizing those who do not believe in His son, He is prompting many to look outside of the rut of the faith they were born in to and look for a God of love and peace. By fleeing the radicals, they become open to something different and new.

My Answers:

10.
a.
PRAISE, “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”

b.
no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language standing before the throne and before the Lamb. – Universal, multi-lingual

c.
Family, friends and co-workers – continue to witness to them

11.
Parable of the Wedding Banquet, Matt 22 – new robes provided by the bridegroom.

Sins are washed away – clothed in new – sacrifice of the blood poured over the priest for atonement has washed clean

12.
a.
Lamb:
Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world

Shepherd:
Jesus is the good shepherd who knows his sheep and his sheep know him – who protects them and seeks out even last one

LW:
Jesus is the living water given freely and abundantly to anyone who is thirsty

b.
With praise of His attributes

13.4 Revelation – Flood Gates

Flood Gates

There are dozens if not hundreds of specific examples in the bible when God withheld His righteous wrath. I know within my own life, the tally of moments that have been wasted on things other than serving Him is monumental. The number of sins against God are an unbearable weight. Multiply that by the multitudes of people and time and the amount of wrath that has been withheld is unfathomable.

Yet, God waits. God is patient and kind. God loves. God is the father of the story of the prodigal son. And, God is just.

When the flood gates of wrath are opened on the Day of the Lord, I don’t think we have any comprehension of how things will be. I’m grateful for the book of Revelation and for this study so I’m more equipped to recognize the signs and heed the warnings. I’m even more drawn to praise God.

My Answers:

8.
Number 16, where Aaron ran through the camp with incense and the Lord stopped the plague. God is willing to turn back His anger and hold His righteous wrath. He is patient and forgiving, but not unjust.

9.
I give thanks to Him for His patience and for forgiveness, not from what I have done but from what Jesus did.

13.3 Revelation – 144,000 Between the Eyes

144,000 Between the Eyes

In the reading of Revelation (or any other prophecy), we must resist the temptation to read too much in to the scriptures. We know what we know and don’t know what we don’t know.

It is also true that scripture brings light to scripture.

For example. We know the angel is sent to mark 144,000. We know 144,000 is 12x12x1000 and that there were twelve tribes (and 12 apostles). But what about 1000? We don’t know, but we do know in Deuteronomy 1:11, after wandering in the desert for 40 years, Moses gives final instructions to the Israelites for their entry into the Promised Land and calls forth this blessing onto them: “May the Lord, the God of your ancestors, increase you a thousand times and bless you as he has promised!”

Also, why are the 144,000 marked on their foreheads. We’ll visit the 144,000 again in Revelation 14, but it is an interesting thought to ponder. A business person or politician wears their name and affiliations on their chest and lapel (flag lapel pin). A soldier wears their stripes on their arm. An athlete wears a jersey with their team name on the front and number on the back. But the seal of God is placed on the forehead of these descendants of the 12 tribes.

But in Deuteronomy 6:6-8, the people of God are instructed, “These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.” This led to the practice of the Tefillin, the literal wearing of scrolls of scripture strapped to the forehead and wrist. (These verses will be interesting again in Revelation 14 when the 3rd angel in the mid-heavens warns against receiving the mark of the beast on a forehead or hand).

One of the questions this week discusses confidence in being sealed. One of the items that goes with this in BSF children’s program is the memorization of God’s word. In our lesson this year, these memory verses are also on our weekly lessons. They are fine to read and ponder, but wouldn’t it be better if we all memorized these verses? Wouldn’t it make sense to strengthen our minds to go along with the seal of the Spirit? Can you think of a better way of knowing the right words of peace, comfort, wisdom and joy in your life and witness to others, than for those words to be the actual words of the bible, imprinted in your memory?

My Answers:

5.
The seal of God – the Holy Spirit – another scripture: the story of Rahab, Joshua 2

6.
Judah, David, Jesus – It is in the leadership position, also that it is the tribe directly following the shekinah glory of God

7.
a.
I have the assurance of the scriptures and the peace of the Holy Spirit

b.
Longing for them to be sealed as well. A joy in being able to share with them the Good News and the Spirit of God

13.2 Revelation – Stopping the Wind

Stopping the Wind

Who can stop the wind?

Wind is an unseen but very real force. It is constantly moving with both benefits and harm. It helps cleanse the earth, move and dissipate smoke and polution. It drives the rain clouds. It also produces tornadoes, hurricanes, down-gusts and micro-bursts.

Whether you see the stopping of the wind as a form of wrath in itself (by removing the beneficial properties of the wind) or a delay of wrath (by holding back the destructive power), either way, the power and ability to perform such a task in outside of our comprehension.

We can deflect the wind. We can make shelters from the wind. But we can’t hold it back.

But God can. And Revelation 7 says that He will for His purpose. He will send angels to hold back the wind and then another angel to seal 144,000.

Righteous harm will befall the earth. It is inevitable and part of God’s plan of purification for the stain of sin on creation. But God is in control even of the inevitable. He can hold back even the wind for His purposes. We see it in the end times and we see it in our daily lives. All sin is against God and all of us sin. We pile up debts of sin with no way to repay even the smallest. God is not unjust. He does not leave sin unpunished or unreconciled, but He holds back His right or setting the accounts right, so that the ones He love can be drafted to His service.

My Answers:

3.
standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds

4.
a.
destruction, invasion, wrath, power, anger

b.
Patience – protection of the earth, land, sea, trees and people to be sealed

c.
every day I sin and deserve the wrath of God. All sin is against God.

12.5 Revelation – Refuge

Refuge

We all need a place a refuge from time to time. A place of safety. A place where, no matter what and who wants to attack us, we are protected. A place where we are safe even from the penalty of our own wrongs.

God introduced this concept to the Hebrews upon coming to the promised land. Again, as a foreshadowing of Jesus, the people of God where instructed to establish cities of refuge. If someone had done something wrong, or even just accused of doing something wrong, they could escape to the city of refuge and not face harm, attack, revenge or retribution. If they chose to not be under the protection of the city, to live within its walls, then they stood on their own.

This concept of a place of refuge is repeated throughout scripture. The word appears 96 times in the NIV. But let’s compare and contrast the difference between those who seek refuge in God and those who seek it in the world.

In regard to the unbelievers, Revelation 6: 15-17 says they “hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. They called to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of their^[g] wrath has come, and who can withstand it?””

When the heavens and the earth have been shaken. When every island and every mountain has been moved. When the sun is black and stars fall from the sky. Where would someone hide from that? What good is a cave in that situation?

In comparison, here are words of those who seek their protection in the Lord:

Sam 22:3 – My God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation. He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior— from violent people you save me

Ps 71:3 – Be my rock of refuge, to which I can always go; give the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.

Is 57:13b – But whoever takes refuge in me (The LORD) will inherit the land and possess my holy mountain.

So, while the rest of the world is crying out for the rocks and mountains to fall on them, the ones who seek refuge in the Lord will be standing tall and firm on the Rock of God and His Holy Mountain.

My Answers:

12.
a.
Ex. mt sinai covered in smoke, billowing like a furnace, mt trembled violently
Is. all stars in sky will be dissolved, heavens rolled up like a scroll, starry host will fallJe. formless earth, no light in heavens, quaking, swaying, barren land, no people
Jo. blood and fire and billows of smoke, dark sun, blood moon
Ze. mountain splits in two forming new valley

b.
It will be on the earth and in the heavens. It will come with great might and power. Nothing meek or humble in it.

13.
a.
Hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains calling the mountains to fall on them / refuge in Jesus Christ

b.
God begins the siege and He will, in victory end it, with peace (not a compromise or treaty, but complete domination)

14.
Jesus is our mighty fortress, our safeguard in the wrath, for in Him we are called to be on His side, and with the mighty hand of God we need not raise a sword

12.4 Revelation – On the Right Path

On the Right Path

I was in a meeting once with one of the top leaders of BSF. She was discussing the barrage of problems and barriers that came up, one after another, as BSF attempted to eliminate bible illiteracy in an oppressed part of the world. As soon as one problem was overcome, a dozen more popped up.

She concluded the discussion of the problems by saying, “so we know we are on the right track!”

If you are going along with the direction of the world, a direction of conformity to sin, why would the world stand in opposition to you? In fact, the world and evil are more likely to aid you, oil the skids, and help you along your way, at least to the point of no return. But if you are doing work for the Kingdom of God, the world stands in your path to block you.

This is the same work and same obstructions that Jesus undertook. Why would your path be easier than Christ’s?

But, too often, we don’t think like this. Instead of seeing resistance as something that God allows for us to build our spiritual muscles, we want to shriek out in fear and frustration to God for Him to just make it go away. That is why, over and over again, the bible instructs us to be strong and courageous and to not be afraid. God is spotting us. He is our personal trainer. He is allowing us the honor of being a part of His plan and, swimming up-stream, is going to be a lot harder than floating down river. But when we grow weary, He brings us into the boat and carries us forward. He is our strength.

Even if the opposition and persecution leads to our physical death, it still has not won. The martyrs have a voice in the very throne room of God. Their voices and yearnings are one of the seals of the great day of the Lord. Their cries and rewards in heaven are part of God’s delivery of wrath on the world.

My Answers:

9.
a.
the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained

b.
Remove lies and deceit from the world. Remove injustice and hatred, Remove greed and lust. Remove oppression.

10.
a.
Wait until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers and sisters, were killed just as they had been

b.
priestly robes, wedding garments, robes of salvation and purity

11.
a.
It is used by God to build us (as resistance does to muscles), it is not to be feared, it brings shame not to you but to those who perpetrate it. Christ suffered and it is a blessing to participate in His suffering (shows the spirit is on you because he is target)

b.
There is always more than hope, there is assurance that better times are to come with full restoration plus more

c.
God controls it. It is a sign that you are on the right path and the spirit is working in your life.

12.3 Revelation – Coming to Triumph

Coming to Triumph

When we get to the 3rd and 4th horses and riders of Revelation 6, it is clear that God is not launching a tactical strike, a measured response or a retaliatory airstrike. God is not coming to the battle with the intent of driving sin to the negotiating table. He has no plan to sign a treaty with sin.

It reminded me of the instructions that God gave the Israelites for their entry into the promised land. They were supposed to remove all the people and all their gods (Exodus 23).

But the tribes of Israel, under Joshua, thought they knew better and began forming treaties and negotiated agreements to share the land that God had given them. Instead of being able to live out a foreshadowing of the complete removal that God had planned for the entire world in the end times through the actions in the promised land, they instead only demonstrated man’s continued disobedience even in the very best of times.

But Revelation is different. In these final days, God is not only instructing, but He is acting. He is sending forth the armies, starting with 4 horsemen. And the end is not only certain but complete – God not only wins, but the enemy is totally eliminated to never fight again.

My Answers:

6.
a pair of scales, come, he brings famine and poverty on the world, an accounting

7.
Hell, Sheol, the underworld, the grave

8.
a.
4 horses, same colors, each with rider (Zec on chariot) – Explanation of who they are in Zed, 4 spirits of heaven They go out in a different order.
Consistency of the scriptures and the identification of these spirits of heaven

b.
wars and rumors of war, such things must happen Nation will rise up against nation