We’re glad you’re all here, and we just appreciate the fact that you all bring your Bible, because believe it or not, this is what people notice. Wherever I teach, everybody has their own Bible. And that means you’re using the textbook.

Okay, for those of you out in television now, we’re going to start in Revelation chapter 1 today. For those of you who are acquainted with my format, you know I skipped over the first 3 or 4 chapters for a purpose. As we were coming up through the Old Testament, and when we got to Daniel, then, of course, Daniel and Revelation just fit together like a hand in a glove.

I was so uncomfortable with the traditional view of the first three or four chapters that I just passed over it. I just didn’t feel that I was ready to agree to the traditional view of these chapters, and so rather than teach amiss, I just skipped over it. But, in these intervening years, I have now become comfortable with something that is not traditional and, of course, a lot of my teaching isn’t necessarily traditional.

But, I always have to come back to the Apostle Paul and what does Paul say about tradition? Just about in every case, we find it’s not much good.

So, traditionally, we know that these letters to the seven Jewish Churches are pushed into the Grace Age and seemingly trying to make them Body of Christ congregations, which they are not. Then they projected out skillfully how that each one of these letters was supposed to cover a particular period of church history leading from the time of Pentecost all the way up to the Tribulation.

But, when you study these letters and read them carefully as I had done even before I decided to skip over them, there is not one word of what we would call Church language in these letters. It’s just not in there.

John says not one word of anything that’s beyond what he had already expressed in the gospel of John, or in his little epistles. And, so, if I had my timeline on the board, and I was going to do it before we went on the air, but if I had had my timeline on the board and if you care to draw it yourself, just make one line straight across the top and that’s coming out of the Old Testament. Nothing has changed. The four gospels are just an extension of the Old Testament.

These were promises made to the fathers, and of course Israel rejected it. He comes back in the Book of Acts and still pleads with Israel to repent of the fact that they had crucified their promised Messiah, but Israel refuses to believe it. But they don’t know that God is going to stop the time clock. And, so far as all these writers, the four gospel writers, Luke, the Book of Acts, and then again when you jump into James, Peter, John, Jude, and John writing Revelation, they are all still on that top line of Old Testament prophecies, in which there is not one smidgeon of understanding of the Church Age in their writings.

So, for our vantage point, of course, we usually draw the second line, and then we show that God opened up His timeline, stopped the time clock on Israel and went into the Church Age where we have been now for 1900 and something years, and to which we go to the Apostle Paul and the Church letters, Romans through Philemon, for salvation and all Body of Christ doctrines. For example, Paul’s writings are the only place you can find in Scripture that tells us that for salvation we must believe in our heart that Jesus died for our sins, was buried, and rose again. (I Corinthians 15:1-4)

And, so, I’ve come to the conclusion, now, that all these Jewish writers were looking forward to the fulfillment of all the Old Testament prophecies, which included His first coming, and then His rejection and then Pentecost and then was to come the wrath and vexation - the seven years of Tribulation. Then was to come the Second Coming, the establishment of the Kingdom, and Israel would be the top dog of the nations.

Well, that was all back in the Old Testament prophesies. But, unbeknown to Old Testament prophecies, God stopped the time clock after the first advent even though Peter and James and John are still looking forward to everything unfolding, because they don’t know that He had done that. God, in His wisdom, has made the overtures to bring about the Apostle Paul and the Age of Grace, which means the time clock had to stop.

Now, I suppose the best place to show that is in Luke chapter 4. Here we go again - you know, I’ll never forget years ago, Monty used to sit on the front row when we were in the old studio, and I’d do this and I’d say, "Well we’re going to start in Revelation," and quietly he’d say, "You want to bet?" So, he knew me. So, before we start Revelation we’ll jump back a minute to Luke 4, because I always like to establish that we’re not using human thinking to do what we’re doing. Because the Lord Jesus in His earthly ministry gave us an indication that indeed that prophetic timeline was going to be stopped.

It was going to be interrupted and rather than go on into the Tribulation and the Second Coming and so forth, God was going to allow Paul to become the Apostle for the Church Age which has now been going on for over 1900 years, and Jesus makes it very clear, known as the Creator of everything, exactly what’s going to happen. He knew the prophetic timeline was going to stop. I use this as my backup to doing what we do, by opening up the timeline.

"And he (Jesus) came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath Day, and stood up for to read." Now, everywhere I go, I emphasize that when Jesus was here on earth in those three years of earthly ministry, everything He said and did was under the Law. The temple is operating full speed and He never told any Jew to stop temple worship. He never told any of His followers to stop keeping the Law. But, quite the opposite, He told them to keep the Commandments – to keep the Law. He healed the lepers and what did He tell them? Go show the priests according to the Law.

Now, you see, most of Christendom ignores that, and that’s why I say it’s almost an exercise in futility to spend all their time in the four gospels, preaching and teaching what Jesus said under the Law. And, once you realize it, it’s almost ridiculous, because we’re not under the Law. We’re under Grace. But, nevertheless, here is Jesus in full accord with the Law, He’s in the synagogue on the Sabbath Day, Saturday Sabbath, right?

"And there was delivered unto Him the prophet Isaiah. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written;" Now, what does that tell you? He knew exactly what portion He wanted to read to that synagogue congregation. So, He found it in the scroll. Now, it’s not a book like this, they were scrolls. So, He unrolls the scroll until He gets to Isaiah 61 starting with verse 1, and this is what it says:

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, (in other words a reference to His miracles,) to set at liberty them that are bruised." This is a reference of course to setting free the Old Testament believers who had been held captive in Hades until the atoning blood would be shed. All right, so all these things He’s referring to are all part and parcel of His first advent.

"To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. 20. And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21. And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears." In other words, everything He’d taken from that verse up to that point was now fulfilled with His first coming. Now, go back to Isaiah 61 and we’ll read at least part of what He referred to here in Luke chapter 4. You’ve got to see this with your own eyes to appreciate it. And we’ll take the time, I wasn’t going to, but we’ll take the time. We’ll just re-read it.

"The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives (see it’s almost word for word) and the opening of the prisons to those that are bound; 2. To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD,…" Now, that’s where He stopped. But, now, in Isaiah where is that in the context? The middle of the verse - He stopped in the middle of the verse and said this has been fulfilled. And those synagogue people knew what He had done. And they were aghast. But why did He stop where He stopped? He knew the rest wasn’t going to take place –His time clock was going to stop. Well, read on:

"…the day of vengeance of our God;…" Which is what? Tribulation. He couldn’t read on and then say this has been fulfilled. It hasn’t been fulfilled even yet today. It will be, but He stopped short. Then, after the Tribulation in this same prophecy, what would come next?

"…to comfort all that mourn;" And when will that happen? In the Kingdom. And so Jesus knew that His timeline of prophecy of the Old Testament prophecies to the Father would be interrupted at the end of His first advent, and we would not see the continuation of it till sometime in the future. But, you see, even His followers didn’t know how far into the future that would be, whether it would be five years or ten years or forty years, and so, consequently, those men all wrote with the understanding that everything would be fulfilled in their lifetime.

All those prophesies of Psalms chapter 2.

Now, by sake of comparison, we’ve done this a long time ago in our study in Acts, but that’s so long ago we’ll go back and look at how Peter handled the same kind of prophecy. Now, come with me back to Acts chapter 2 and we’ll see the difference between the Creator God’s knowledge of the future and the Apostle Peter. Peter had no concept of anything but the Old Testament prophetic program. Here in Acts chapter 2, Peter is doing the same thing as Jesus did. He’s quoting from an Old Testament prophecy. This is Peter speaking to this great crowd of Jews gathered for the feast of Pentecost.

"But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; (now he quotes Joel and we’ll go back and look at it in a moment) 17. And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: 18. And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: (well that had already happened and was happening, but then Peter goes right on and quotes from Joel) 19. And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, vapour of smoke: 20. The sun turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come: 21. And it shall come to pass, (which is now our reference to the Kingdom Age) that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved." Did any of that happen? Well, of course not. But, did Peter know it wouldn’t? No. Peter was under the impression that all of this was still coming. Now, go back and see how completely Peter follows Joel’s prophecy. Now, if you have trouble finding that, that’s right after Daniel and then Hosea and then Joel and it’s in chapter 2, starting at verse 28. And, now, you’ll see it’s word for word. Peter was quoting word for word.

"It shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions: 29. And also upon the servants and handmaids in those days I will pour out my spirit. (and then the prophecy goes right on) 30. I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, pillars of smoke. 31. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come. (which of course is the final 3 ½ years of the 7 years of Tribulation)

32. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be delivered, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call." All right, another one I like to use in that same vein, is just back up to Psalms chapter 2, which you’ve always heard me referred to as "The Outline of The Old Testament Program." It’s so clearly laid right out - Christ’s first advent, His rejection, the wrath and vexation, or what we call the Tribulation, and then the Kingdom; that glorious Kingdom on earth, which has been promised ever since you might say, Abraham, and especially from David on. And here again, we’ve just got to take every word.

"Why do the heathen (the non-Jewish world) rage, (that is in their anti-God understanding. They just can’t see God having anything to do with the rule of the planet) and the people (even Israel) imagine a vain thing?

2. The kings of the earth (that is of the Gentile world) set themselves, and the rulers (that is of Israel. The religious rulers) take counsel (what’s the next word?) together, (it wasn’t just the Jew, it wasn’t just the Romans, they worked in counsel as the prophet said they would) against the LORD, (that is against the Messiah, against Jesus of Nazareth, and in so many words said,) and against his anointed, saying,

3. Let us break their (the plurality of the God head.) bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. (We’re not going to let God rule in the affairs of men. Then look at the response of God in heaven. He’s going to laugh at their foolishness, their ignorance) 4. He that sitteth in heavens shall laugh, the LORD (God the Son) shall have them in derision. 5. Then (now this is after His rejection and crucifixion and ascension of course) then shall he speak unto them (that is the nation of Israel as well as the rest of the world, as we’re going to see as we get further into the Book of Revelation) in his wrath, (not in His love and mercy – wrath) and vex them in his sore displeasure. (But, what follows? The Kingdom)

6. Yet have I set my king (which is the King of Kings) upon my holy hill of Zion." Well, why does the Psalmist specify Zion? Because we know from all other promises, Christ is going to rule on David’s throne and where was David’s throne? Mt. Zion. So, it all fits. So, the Psalmist is prophesying not only His rejection, not only the horrors and wrath of the Tribulation, but it’s followed by the Kingdom when Christ will rule from Mt. Zion.

Well, all of that is sufficient now, then, to show, as we go into Revelation, come back with me, that we’re going to emphasize that this whole Book of Revelation is Jewish – there’s nothing Gentile in here except as the Gentiles come under the wrath and vexation as the overflow from dealing with Israel. Now, that’s always my answer when people say, "Isn’t America in prophecy?"

No, you can’t find America in prophecy, because America never had any consort with the nation of Israel in antiquity. The only Gentiles you’ll find listed in Scripture are the nations that had a direct contact with the nation of Israel back in Israel’s history. So, consequently, yes, you have all the Middle Eastern people: you have the Greeks and the Romans, but when it comes to the new world, they had nothing to do with the old ancient nation of Israel. So, consequently, America cannot be included in prophecy.

All right, so now then if you’ll come back with me to the Book of Revelation, we’ll spend the last few minutes introduction here. This is also like James and Peter and John and Jude, Revelation is just another Jewish book getting the nation of Israel prepared for the horrors of those tribulation years that were in front of them. The horrors of which will make the holocaust look like a Sunday School picnic. Israel is getting ready to face those kinds of trials and testings. And so John, who writes the Book of Revelation, is the same John who wrote the Gospel of John; he’s the one who wrote the little epistles that we’ve studied, and now it says in verse 1:

"The Revelation…" Or the word I like better is a revealing. Now, we know that all of this has been back in your Old Testament, but it’s been veiled. It’s just like a sculpture in the park that on the day of dedication they pull the canvas off, and that sculpture is finally revealed, and we call it an "unveiling."

Well, that’s what the book of Revelation is. Everything that’s in here has been alluded to back in the Old Testament especially Daniel – Daniel and Revelation, like I’ve already said, fit together like a hand and glove, but it isn’t till we get here that we have a complete unveiling of this Second Coming of Christ.

"The Revelation (or the revealing) of Jesus Christ, which God gave to him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly (or quickly, or swiftly, if you want to go back and look up the Greek a little bit,) come to pass;…" All right, now let’s see how Paul also agrees with that. Come back with me to Thessalonians, and Paul is not an Old Testament prophet by any stretch, but on the other hand, he will say things that are in full accord with it. So, join me now in I Thessalonians, chapter 5 verse 1. Now, in the preceding verses in chapter 4, and we might as well look at it first, we have Paul’s revealing the Rapture of the Church. - The out-calling of the Body of Christ which you and I are apart of. This is how the Church Age will end, and none of this is in prophecy - none of it! This has only been revealed to the Apostle of the Gentiles.

"I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, (who have died) that you sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 14. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again,…" Now, what’s that? Hey, that’s Paul’s Gospel of salvation, which he refers to over and over as My Gospel, that Gospel which I preached to the Gentiles. The Gospel of salvation I Corinthians 15:1-4, that we all must believe for salvation.

"…if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep (or have died) in Jesus, God will bring with him." In other words, when He descends from heaven, He will bring the soul and spirit of the departed believer with Him to be reunited with that resurrected body.

"For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent (or go ahead) of them which are asleep. 16. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump (singular) of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: (to be reunited with that soul and spirit that Christ has brought back from glory) 17. Then we which are alive and remain (hey, that’s us as believers) shall be caught up (Raptured in the Latin Vulgate – we shall be Raptured) together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we (believers) ever be with the Lord. 18. Wherefore comfort one another with these words."

Now, I think it’s interesting that Paul includes the first person. I think Paul actually thought he, too, would experience this until he realized that he would die the martyr’s death. So, he uses the first person pronoun. Now, drop into verse 1 of chapter 5. Now we’re talking about those that are left behind. They’ve missed the Rapture, because they have not believed Paul’s Gospel for their salvation.

"But of the times and seasons, brethren, you have no need that I write unto you. 2. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord (that’s the Tribulation) cometh as thief in the night. 3. For when they (the left behind part of humanity, whether it’s Jew or Gentile, black or white, makes no difference) shall say peace and safety; then (what?) sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape." All right, go briefly back to Revelation chapter 1 verse 1, now what does he say?

"The Revelation (or the revealing, or the unveiling) of Jesus Christ which God gave to him, to show unto his servants (now he’s writing to believing Jew, not Gentiles; to believing Jews who had been scattered out of Jerusalem) things which must shortly (or swiftly, or instantly start happening) and he sent and signified it by his angel to his servant John:" So, when we see this word servant here, we’re referring to Jewish believers. John himself is a Jewish believer, he’s writing in turn to these other Jewish believers as we’ve seen in the last little epistles of James, and Peter and John. So, bear that in mind as we move on into Revelations in the verses to come.

For those of you joining us on television, this is just an informal Bible Study. We have no denominational handle, and over and over I tell people I’m not under any kind of peer pressure. I’m not under any kind of pressure from sponsors, because no one sponsors us. We depend totally on the gifts of God’s people, and I think I can safely say that 90 percent of our contributions are under $100 dollars, so we don’t have any huge millionaires supporting us. And we like it that way. That way we’re not beholden to anyone and the Lord is our only overseer. So, join us as we search the Scriptures. Again, we do like to always thank you folks for your letters and for your financial help, but most of all we thank you for your prayers, because praying does make a difference, and so we appreciate that more than you’ll ever know.

Okay, we finished up our last program with just sort of an introduction to the Book of Revelation. Remember, now, that this is a book of prophecy, tied to the Old Testament prophecies; Daniel and Revelation just fit hand and glove and it’s all Jewish. It is written primarily to the Jewish people in preparation for the horrors of those final seven years, which again comes out of Daniel chapter 9. But that doesn’t mean we don’t study it, that doesn’t mean it is not profitable for us, of course it is. I think the major profitability of it tonight is that everything you see happening in the world tonight is getting ready for this final seven years.

Don’t blame the politicians, don’t blame any one group, it all has to come to pass, whether the Democrats do it or the Republicans do it or someone else does it or the European Community gets in it, it has to happen, so always remember that. I think our only responsibility as believers in this whole scenario is to do all we can to hold back the wickedness. I had a question in one of our seminars in Florida – what can we as Christians do to turn this thing around? You will not turn it around. We’re too close to the end for that, I’m sure, but we can do what we can to hold it back.

And so this whole Book of Revelation is for the Jewish believer who was facing the horrors of it, as were those little epistles. See, that’s what we emphasized when we taught Peter, James, and John, that they might be ready for the fires of testing that were just out in front of them. So, again, we’d like to go back to the timeline a moment. I put it on the board during the break and now the Old Testament prophecy starts way up here and all the promises and prophecies made to the fathers concerning even Christ’s first coming, His resurrection, His death, burial and, resurrection, His ascension back to glory, and then would come in the seven years of wrath and vexation that is spoken of in the Old Testament. Christ would return and bring in the Kingdom promised to Israel ever since Abraham and David. But as we showed in the last program, only the Lord Himself knew that this program would be interrupted with this Age of Grace we’re now in, but feel it’s quickly coming to a close.

In the last program we went back and showed how that in the Old Testament prophecies, His first advent and His ascension were as far as the time clock went, and this was all pushed out which becomes then our second timeline. The same Old Testament promises - the crucifixion, the ascension, but instead of the wrath and the seven years, we’ve now had 1900 and something years of the Church Age. It has to end with the Rapture of the Church, we have to be out of the way. Because, I don’t care how much Scripture they want to use, you cannot mix the Church with Israel. It is totally impossible.

As the Tribulation begins, Israel will go back under the Law, the Church is under Grace, the promises made to Israel are not given to the Church and so I can see no way for the Church going even into the first half because, after all, nowhere does the Old or New Testament say that only three and one half years are Tribulation. And, when we look at Revelation chapter 6 and you go through the Seal Judgments, by the time you get down to chapter 6, I’ll just show you what I’m talking about. When you get down past the fourth seal, which are all introductory events in the first three and one half years, look what happens. John writes:

"And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and death and beasts of the earth." So, by the middle of the Tribulation what percent of the world’s population is already gone? One-fourth – twenty-five percent. Well, if that isn’t Tribulation I’d like to know what is. And so the whole seven years are going to be part and parcel of the wrath and vexation of God, but the last three and one half, where the other three-fourths will go, will, of course, be far worse. But I can never buy this concept that the Tribulation is only three and one-half years long. Otherwise, how could they lose one-fourth of the people in the first half. So, I just don’t buy into that.

So, anyway, getting back to my timeline where we have the Church, nineteen hundred and something years, is just about over. I think right now as we speak, we’re right at the very closing day of it and the Rapture of the Church, and then maybe a little interval of time in between. We don’t know. And, then, the anti-Christ will make his appearance, usher in the seven year peace treaty, and it will give Israel the freedom and the opportunity to rebuild and re-establish temple worship. The anti-Christ will turn against them at the middle of the seven years, and bring in the horrors of the last three and one-half years. That will end, then, with the Second Coming of Christ, not with the Rapture, but the Second Coming and then He will yet bring in the 1000 year Kingdom here on the earth. Well, that’s all somewhere down the road.

Now, come back with me if you will to Revelation. We’re still going to continue as more or less a series of introductions to these Seven Jewish churches, but before we get to them, we want to cover the opening verses. Alright, verse 2, speaking of John in verse 1:

"Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all the things he saw." Well, goodness, let’s go back to John’s Gospel a moment and see what he’s talking about, because it’s the same John that’s writing under the inspiration of the same Holy Spirit, under the headship of the same Creator God. Now, look what John writes in his gospel, chapter 1, might as well start with verse 1.

"In the beginning (whenever it was, who cares, I don’t care if it was a million years or six thousand or whatever, it matters not) was the Word, (the capitalized Word) and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." And you know I always emphasize that words are used to what? Communicate! So, this is a reference to God the Son, the Communicator of the Godhead.

"The same was in the beginning with God. 3. All things were made by Him; (by the Word) and without Him was not anything made that was made. 4. In him was life; and the life was the light of men." Alright, now, you come down to verse 14 where there is no doubt whatsoever who he is talking about. He’s talking about Jesus of Nazareth, the Messiah, God the Son.

"And the Word was made flesh, (see how plain that is? That the Word who was in the beginning was the maker of everything,) and dwelt among us, (and look how John explains it. While Christ was among John and the other eleven,) (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." Alright, now, we’re going to cover that word "begotten" a little bit later in chapter 1 of Revelation so come back with me. Now, in verse 3, John by the inspiration of the Spirit writes:

"Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy,…" Now, I’ve got to stop again. To whom is "all prophecy" directed? The Jew. He is the object of all prophecy. There is no distinct prophecy concerning the Body of Christ. Now, we fit in the midst of prophetic utterances, but there are no prophecies concerning the Body of Christ.

Now, let me go back to Genesis 15 and give what I call, the first true prophecy in Scripture. I’m not ignoring Genesis 3:15, but that was not a statement given to the nation of Israel. That’s a generalized statement that Jesus is speaking to Satan, as to what would happen between Him and the wicked one. But, here, in Genesis 15, we have what I call the first true prophecy, and it is concerning Israel and what would take place in the future. That’s what prophecy is all about.

Now, whenever I speak of other religions of the world, this is the point I make, and I make it without apology. There is not another religious book on earth, not a one, whether it’s the Oriental religions, or whether it’s any other religion you could name, not one of them can tell future events, hundreds or thousands of years out in the future and see them fulfilled one hundred percent. Now, you see, even some of our famous soothsayers can supposedly make prophecies, but they’re only fifty percent correct. This Book is one hundred percent. Now, look at the first true prophecy. Genesis 15 and we’re going to drop in at verse 13:

"And he (God) said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed (or his offspring) shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;" Did it happen? Absolutely! To the exact day. Not three hundred and ninety-nine, but exactly four hundred. O,r if you want to take the full prophecy, it was four hundred and thirty.

"And also that nation, (Egypt) whom they shall serve, will I judge: (Did it happen? Well the plagues were God’s judgment. And, now, here God is foretelling this hundreds of years before it happened. But it happened.) and afterwards shall they (Abraham’s offspring, the children of Israel) come out with great substance." Did they? Of course they did! They spoiled the Egyptians. The Egyptians handed over all their wealth just to get them to go. So, indeed, it was fulfilled.

"And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age. (Well, Abraham died then about eighty years later, at the age of 175) 16. In the fourth generation they (the offspring of Abraham) shall come hither again; (Canaan) for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full." And, so, that’s prophecy. This is God telling an event concerning Israel that’s going to take place out in the future, whether it is four hundred years or two thousand years or thirty-five hundred years. It’s still a distinct prophecy.

Now, when I say thirty-five hundred years, that reminds me of a verse, I wasn’t going to use, but now that we’re here we’ll do it; Deuteronomy, chapter 30. This is prophecy and we’ve seen it fulfilled in our own day. But, it wasn’t a prophecy concerning the Church, it was a prophecy concerning the Jew. Deuteronomy 30 verses 1 and 2, and this is why the present day situation in the Middle East with Israel back in the land and back in Jerusalem, is a fulfillment of this. And, that’s why we know the Word of God is true. Prophecy fulfilled to the last jot and tittle.

"And it shall come to pass, (what is that? It’s a promise. And what’s the promise? A prophecy. And here’s the prophecy) when all these things are come upon thee, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before you, and thou shalt call them to mind (at some future time) among all the nations, where the LORD thy God hath driven thee." Did they get there? Sure they did! Jews ended up in every nation under heaven. I’m always referring to James Michner. I’ve done it more than once in our last week or two of travel. James Michner, who wrote the book "The Source" which was a fictional book concerning a Jewish family all the way up through history to the present time. But, in doing research for the book, James Michner determined that he found Jews in every nation under heaven, and that was in about 1980. Every nation under heaven had Jews. Well, it was prophesied! But what else was prophesied? The next verse:

"And shalt return unto the LORD thy God, and shalt obey his voice according to all that I commanded thee this day, thou and thy children, with all thine heart, and with all thy soul;" Well, they’re not there with all their heart and mind and soul, but they’re there. They’ve been brought back from every nation under heaven and they’re back in the land as a result of prophecy. Now back to Revelation, verse 3.

"Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, (the one that is about to come from the pen of the Jew, John, and it’s a Jewish prophecy) and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is (what?) at hand." So far as John was concerned, and I think Peter, James, and Jude, and all those Jewish believers, this seven year period of David’s prophecy was now right out in front of them. They had no idea, as I’ve said a hundred times in the last 6 months, of a Church Age. They had no idea of an Apostle Paul being commissioned to go to the Gentiles; to begin this Age of Grace we’re now in.

So, they’re on the top timeline. They’re looking for the Old Testament prophecies to be fulfilled one right after the other. For the time is at hand. They had every reason to believe that these prophecies were just going to continue to be fulfilled. Now, in light of that, the most obvious Jews for John to write to would be these believing Jews who had been scattered out of the Jerusalem church because of Saul of Tarsus’ persecution. Saul had brought in such intense persecution that they were scattered throughout that end of the world. Let me take you back to Acts chapter 8 because the only way I can establish this is with the Word itself. In the last verse of chapter 7 they have just put Stephen to death by stoning and Saul of Tarsus was holding the clothes of those who were throwing the rocks and now chapter 8 verse 1:

"And Saul (Saul of Tarsus. The one who becomes the Apostle Paul), was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was Jerusalem;…" Now, there again, that always takes a 15-minute study on the word "ecclesia". But I’ve done it often enough, I’m not going to do it again today. But the word "ecclesia" is simply a word that means a "called out assembly". And there were various called out assemblies in the Biblical language. Israel, coming out of Egypt under Moses, was called the church in the wilderness in our King James, or in our New Testament. That wasn’t a New Testament Church. But it was a called out assembly.

God called them to Himself and they were out of Egypt, but the New Testament called it a church in the wilderness. That’s not a church. Well, the same way with the church at Jerusalem. The Jerusalem church was comprised of Jews who had separated themselves from the mainstream of Judaism and were detested by their fellow Jews, and that’s why old Saul, the orthodox, is trying to stamp them out of Israel. Ethnic cleansing, they call it today, don’t they? And, so, he’s persecuting those Jewish believers unmercifully for having embraced Jesus of Nazareth as the Messiah. But it’s called a church, misleading indeed. It was an ecclesia – a called out assembly. Alright, so there was a great persecution against that called out assembly of believing Jews that believed that Jesus was the Christ out of the mainstream of orthodox Judaism, and because of that persecution they were what?

"…scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, (except who?) the apostles." Now, this, beloved, is eight years after Pentecost! The apostles aren’t out there in the Gentile world preaching the Gospel. They’re still in Jerusalem. And I want to hammer this home. They haven’t gone out into the world to preach the Gospel. They are staying in Jerusalem because they knew that if Christ should come, it would be to the Mount of Olives, it would be Jerusalem. So they’re not going to go. And there they sit.

Alright, now then, to show you they didn’t go to anyone other than Jews, come over to 11:19, still in Acts; another great verse that just blows away most of what Christendom thinks and believes. This is just plain English. So plain a kid can understand it, the theologians can’t. Isn’t it funny? Acts 11:19 and, again, this is probably about 8 years after Pentecost.

"Now they which were scattered abroad upon that persecution that arose about Stephen traveled as far as (now watch these places) Phenice, and Cyprus (out there in the Mediterranean, and up to) Antioch (in Syria, and as these Jews were scattered, they were) preaching the word (the only word they have yet is the Old Testament. There is no New Testament yet, and so they are preaching the Old Testament) to none but (what?) Jews only." Your Bible said it, mine says it, but Christendom rebels at that. They think it all started back there in Matthew. No, it didn’t. They’re still sticking to the Jewish program. The Twelve are staying in Jerusalem and the Jews being scattered because of the persecution are still not approaching anybody but Jew only.

Alright, once again back to Revelation, and we’re going to run out of time again, So let’s finish verse 3.

"So blessed is he that readeth,…" Because, after all, this is written to Jews. So, for those Jewish believers scattered throughout that end of the world they will be blessed if they can follow their road map. Now, you know they like to talk about the road map in the Middle East today. Hey, they’d better take this one. They’d better use this one, the Word of God is more accurate than anything the politicians can put together.

Alright, so blessed would be these Jews if they could read and understand what God is laying out in front of them, so that they might deal with the horrors of the pressures; the testing of fire that is facing them.

"Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, (this book of Revelation) and keep those things which are written therein: (that is in this prophecy) for the time is at hand." And, they had no reason to believe otherwise. Now, before we go any further, I’ll go back and hit our timeline once again. They (Peter, James, John, and Jude) are on the top timeline, and they are actually in this time frame right in here. Here they are. Christ has already ascended back to glory. He’s gone through the death, burial, and resurrection, the Tribulation is right out in front of them.

So, everything that is in place there, is now in place here, nearly 2000 years later. So both times are relevant, whether it’s just before the Tribulation up here, before the Church Age came, or here where we’re not quite at the end of the Church Age, and once again we’ll find Jews being readied for the horrors of the seven years to come. But, of course, remember before that happens the Church will have been Raptured out.

And, again, all you have to do is just look at the political scenario. We’re dealing with ancient Babylon in Iraq. Iran is ancient Meads/Persia. Syria is ancient Greece. The Roman Empire being revived is the European community, and it’s coming up daily. In fact, I was reading the other day, even the Jews are beginning to recognize that they’re going to have to really deal with Western Europe more than they do with America, because that’s where their markets are, that’s where the wealth is coming from, and so everything is right back 1900 and some years later as it was when these Jewish epistles were first written.

And, so, it applies to the past as well future, although not that far in the future. So, always remember these things; that as we read these little Jewish epistles, they were preparing Jews for that day and time for the coming Tribulation, but it was also preparing Jews today. The Jews today should be reading this, and realizing what is ahead of the nation, because God will not return Christ to set up the Kingdom until this is all fulfilled.

And, you know, the glory of it is – Things in here that were never understood until our time of technology are now exploding out in front of us. You know, we all used to say, when they see the two witnesses laying in the streets of Jerusalem, it’d be satellite television. But, you know, my daughter Laura had a better idea the other day, it’s these cell phones. These picture sending cell phones are going to be everywhere by the time those two witnesses are laying in the streets of Jerusalem at the end of the first 3½ years of the Tribulation.

Alright, let’s go back where we picked up in our last program, we’re now ready for Revelation chapter 1 verse 4, where John now makes it so plain that he’s writing to:

"John to the seven churches…" The seven churches – Jewish churches, remember. These are the result of scattered Jews as we showed in the last program. Jews have been scattered out of the Jewish Jerusalem Church, which had begun in Christ’s earthly ministry. Peter at Pentecost, and in those succeeding years when Saul brought in the intense persecution, and those Jews scattered and established, not so much churches as we understand, but synagogues.

In fact, again, I’d like to just constantly repeat and repeat and repeat. Back up a few pages to James’s little epistle. Now remember, these are all the same men that were confronting the Apostle Paul in Acts 15 and Galatians chapter 2. These same men – James, Peter, and John, and they’re listed in that order in Galatians chapter 2. But here, in James, I want you to see that it is so plain in chapter verse 2 verse 2, that he doesn’t call it a church.

"For if there come unto your (now the English translations have the word) assembly…" (But in the original, if you’ve got a marginal Bible it will show you – what is the original language?) "…if there should come into (what?) Synagogues…" Do you see that? These were Synagogues, and so never lose sight of the fact that just because the translators have taken the word "Ecclesia" and turned it into the word church, that doesn’t necessarily mean what we call church. It was a called out assembly. In this instance John is writing to seven distinct Jewish synagogue congregations, and they were in Asia.

Now that always takes an explanation, because from geography you and I have always learned, where’s Asia? India, China, and Mongolia, but the Asia of Scripture is Turkey.

The present land of Turkey is the Asia or the Asia Minor in our New Testament. Now we know from ancient history, then, that these seven synagogue congregations were in cities in Western Turkey, including the seaport of Ephesus. All right, so now he’s writing to these seven congregations, and he says:

"…Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; (a reference of Christ from His eternity past, to His earthly ministry, and who will be returning the second time, and we’ll be looking at that sometime in the future in these letters.) and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne;" Now, more than once you have that reference to the seven Spirits of God. Now those are attribute Spirits, so I’m going to take you back to Isaiah, chapter 11.

I think I can safely say anytime you see a reference to the seven Spirits of God, or the seven Spirits of Christ, this is the best Biblical explanation. Now, this is prophecy remember. Isaiah is a book almost totally comprised of prophecy

"And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, (who was the father of King David, so it’s all Jewish) and a Branch (capitalized. That’s another Old Testament term for the Messiah, the Christ) shall grow out of his roots: 2. "And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, (that’s one) the spirit of wisdom (that’s two) and understanding (that’s three) the spirit of counsel (four) and might, (five) the spirit of knowledge (six) and of the fear of the LORD;"(seven. And according to Proverbs, that is wisdom.)

So those are the seven attributes of the Spirit of Christ that comprise His whole makeup and personality. Now, back to Revelation and verse 5.

"And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth.…."

Now, I suppose that’s another term that has been totally, totally misunderstood across a good portion of Christendom "The only begotten Son of God."

Most people have got the idea that refers to Bethlehem when He was born a babe in the manger, the Son of God. But you see, that has nothing to do with it whatsoever.

And so come back with me to Acts chapter 13, and we’ll have to explain it Biblically, not what we think in the natural, but what does the Bible say about this term, "The only begotten Son of God."

Because when Christ was born at Bethlehem, it wasn’t the result of God the Father being His Sire. God the Son has been just as much pre-eternal as God the Father and God the Spirit. So the term "only begotten" has to mean something other than His being born at Bethlehem.

"God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm (Psalms 2) Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. (now the next verse is the clue) 34. And as concerning that (concerning what? His having been begotten) he (God) raised him (Christ) up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David."

So the term "the only begotten of God" refers to His resurrection.

No one had ever died and been resurrected before Christ. He was the first to have ever been resurrected. Now, don’t be mistaken, others have died and were called back to life, but they weren’t resurrected. They died again. See, the widow’s son was called back to life, but he died. Lazarus died, was called back to life. He wasn’t resurrected – he died again.

But when Christ died and rose from the dead, never again to face death or corruption, he then became the only begotten Son of God because no one else had ever died and been raised from the dead.

Now, let’s follow that up then with Romans chapter 1. I’ll just start with 1 to get the flow.

"Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, 2. (Which he had promised before by his prophets in the holy scriptures,) (now here it comes) 3. Concerning his Son Jesus the Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David (tie that back with Isaiah 11, out of the branch that came from Jesse, who was the father of David) according to the flesh; 4. And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by (what great event?) the resurrection from the dead:" That’s what sets Him head and shoulders above anything else in this world. It’s His resurrection power.

Now of course, everybody has been talking, talking, talking about the movie, "The Passion of Christ." Well, as I said in my newsletter, film or print or whatever else kind of communication you want to use, can only take us just so far in the realm of the human, which we saw, His physical suffering. But that was only just an infinitesimal part of the suffering that He went through in the realm of the spirit, as the eternal, pre-eternal, Son of God. And that’s what we have to understand. And it was culminated with, not the end of the movie, but with the power of His resurrection.

And I beg of you, just if nothing else, close your eyes and try to think on the basis of however much Scripture you know, what all did that power overcome at resurrection? Well, it overcame everything that was in opposition with the work of God. It opposed death, it opposed the satanic powers, it opposed all the false religions of this world. It opposed and defeated all the chains that keep mankind in bondage. And we’ll never understand it, not till we get to glory; the power that was exerted when He came out of the tomb. The resurrection set everything free.

And most of Christendom tonight almost neglects it. They talk of His death, but they forget about the most really important part was His resurrection. Because without the resurrection His death would have been nothing! But because of resurrection, His death becomes everything. And, oh, never forget that! And so He became the only begotten Son of God because He was the first to have ever been raised from the dead. Never forget that!! Back to Revelation chapter 5, again.

"And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten (or called to life) from the dead,…" Never to face death again! And Jesus Christ was the first to have experienced that. And that’s why for us who are believers in that, we also now have been imputed not only with all that was transacted at the cross, not only the forgiveness and the cleansing from sin, but we have now been given eternal life. And we’re a part and parcel of that eternal life – never again to die and miss eternal bliss. Now, finishing the verse. He’s not only the first begotten of the dead, he’s:

"…the prince of the kings of the earth,…" I won’t have you look it up, but what does Revelation 19 say concerning His Second Coming?

And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS." See, that’s still future, but that’s what’s coming. But He’s also the One who what?

"…loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood." Now, there again that’s more of a Jewish analogy than it is for us as members of the Body of Christ; but it’s still profitable. We, too, have been cleansed from sin, we’ve been forgiven, as Paul says in Roman. Now let’s go back and look at it, so you know what I’m talking about. Go back to Romans chapter 3. But it’s a little different approach to the whole thing than what the Jews understood. They understood a washing concept.

We morally understand that the blood of Christ was applied to our sin debt and because of it we are forgiven, we’re set free.

"Being justified freely (without having to give anything) by his grace through the redemption (or paying the price) that is in Christ Jesus:" Redemption always refers to paying the price to gain back that which was lost.

Now, I always remind my listeners, when did God lose the human race? When Adam fell!! He lost the human race. And how was He going to get it back? By paying the price. And what’s the price of redemption? The blood of Christ. And, so, when His blood was shed He paid the price of redemption, not just for the few, but for every human being who’s ever lived.

"Whom (Jesus Christ in verse 24) God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood,…" Now, it doesn’t say that we’re washed in it necessarily, but that it has fulfilled everything that needed to be done when we place our faith in the fact that shed blood of Christ has paid my sin debt without a cause, without my doing anything, except me believing it.

Now, let’s go back and pick up the analogy as it’s used again with Israel. Come back with me to John’s Gospel, chapter 13, and we have a little different analogy. Here we have Jesus about to wash the disciples’ feet. You all know the account. All right now, let’s just go all the way up to verse 2, let’s just take this verse by verse. We haven’t done this in the past, I think we can do it now.

"And supper…" That is the last supper. I may get in trouble saying this, but I don’t think it was the Passover Supper. This is the last supper that the Lord experienced with the Twelve, but it couldn’t have been the Passover Supper because the Passover Lamb wasn’t killed until after He had been crucified, the evening of the next day. But whatever, here we have what we call the last supper, Jesus and the Twelve.

"Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, (that is especially the Eleven – we’re not going to include Judas) he loved them to the end.

3. Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and he was come from God, and went to God; (speaking of Jesus of Nazareth now)

4. He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself.

5. After that he poureth water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, (with water) and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.

6. Then cometh to Simon Peter; and Peter said unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet?" Now, I know they were reclining, but just to make my point, let’s assume they were sitting on chairs like we are today. What do you suppose Peter did with his feet? Put ‘em back under and he says, "Lord you’re not going to wash my feet!" And what did the Lord say?

"Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter. 8. Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet…." Now, here’s where I get a kick out of Peter. I’m going to be anxious to meet him some day. Peter was a master at putting his foot in his mouth. Isn’t that right? I think someone said the only time he didn’t have his foot in his mouth was when he took it out and put in the other one. But here he’s got his foot in his mouth. You’re not going to wash my feet!! And what does Jesus say?

"…Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me." Now he puts his other foot in his mouth. And he says:

"Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord not my feet only, but also my hands and my head." In other words what’s he saying? Give me a bath. Now, look what Jesus answers in verse 10:

"Jesus saith to him, He that is washed (he that’s been to the bath house) needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all."

That’s the purpose of the bath, and so Peter you’ve been bathed. "You’re clean but not all of you are.". So he’s referring to Judas.

"For he knew who should betray him; therefore he said ye are not all clean." So the point is, these disciples, the Eleven, were washed. What did that mean? They had their eternal life. They were what today we would call "saved!" Now, what was the purpose of the foot washing? Well, in this old life, in this sin cursed earth, it’s a constant defilement by virtue of contact. There’s not a one of us in this room that can go through a 24-hour day without begin bombarded with temptations. And even if we only do it in the thought processes, it’s still sin and we need to be cleansed of it. But see, we don’t wash with water, we’re washed with the Word of God. We’re cleansed by saturating ourselves with the Word.

But back here he was giving them the example that by washing the feet it not only was showing signs of humility, but more than that the fact that when they walked from the bath house after a complete bath, by the time they got home, their feet were already filthy. So the whole analogy to the eleven, was that they had been washed at their salvation, but they still needed a cleansing because they’re still in this old world. In fact, I think I’ve got time.

Let me show you how Paul applies it. And it’s much the same; in fact, this says it all. We cannot walk through this sin cursed world without being defiled by the proximity of it all. Otherwise you’d have to go into a monastery and lock yourself up and then you’re no good. You’re not having any influence if you’re all locked up and isolated. But nevertheless, here are the warnings

"I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: (or immoral people). 10. Yet not altogether with the fornicators (or immoral) of this world, (because if you’re not going to rub elbows with the immoral of even the world,) or with the covetous, or the extortioners, or with idolaters; (the only way you could avoid rubbing elbows with those kind of people would be to what?) for then must ye need go out of the world." You would have to leave this world. God knows we are constantly rubbing elbows, we are constantly having concourse with the unbelieving world. And we can’t avoid that. And so as a result of that, yes, we need cleansing, but the cleansing is not the foot washing that Jesus practiced. Let’s look at what we’re to do in the book of Ephesians.

"That he (God) might sanctify and cleanse it (that is members of the Body of Christ. You and I as believers are not washed with the blood of Christ here, but with what?) the washing of water by word." And I remember, I know I gave the illustration in our last taping, if you use a strainer and strain gravy or some thick commodity, and you’re through with the strainer, how are you going to wash it? Well, there’s only one way you can wash it. You have to swish it back and forth until it’s clean. Well, that’s what the Word does. The Word swishing through us as we are just taking it in, it’s going to have a cleansing effect.

And how does David put it? "Where with all shall a young man cleanse his ways?" And what’s the answer?

"By heeding thereto the Word of God." That’s even way back in Psalms. So the concept is no different today. We are defiled by simply living in this sin cursed world. But how do we remain clean from it? The Word of God. And you wake up in the middle of the night, you should be thinking the Word of God. The first thing you get up in the morning, you should be thinking the Word of God. The last thing when you lay down to sleep at night, you should be thinking the Word of God. That’s why I’m always emphasizing to memorize Scripture, so that even when you don’t have the Book, you can quote to yourself.

For those of you out in television, again, we just want to welcome you to a Bible Study. We just keep it plain and simple. I don’t claim to have all the answers, but hopefully we can prove what we say with Scripture, because after all, what man thinks means nothing, whether it’s myself or someone else. But what does the Book say. But as we study, always remember to rightly divide the Word as Paul writes, and there will never be any confusion or arguments. Paul was sent to us Gentiles with the gospel of salvation, and so it is in his epistles that we go for our instructions in this Age of Grace.

Alright, now let’s get back to Revelation chapter 1, where we left off in the last lesson and we’ll begin with verse 6. Remember now, the author of Revelation, who is John, is writing to primarily Jewish believers in view of the coming Tribulation that is right out in front of them.

"And hath made us (Jews) kings and priests unto God his Father; to him be glory and dominion…" Many of you already know where I can go to prove the point that this is all Jewish. Go back to Exodus chapter 19. And you see Paul never uses that term (kings and priest). So, if Paul doesn’t use it, but all the Jewish writers do, then what does that show? That it is for the Jew! It’s for Israel! The more I study, the more convinced I am the Church and Israel can’t be mixed. They can call me what they will, but you cannot mix God’s dealing with Israel (His earthly people), with the Body of Christ (His heavenly people.) You’ve got that distinction all the way through, and they can’t be mixed.

Let’s turn to Exodus 19. Now, just to show you that this is a called out assembly drop in with me at verse 3. They’ve come out of Egypt, through the Red Sea and they’re gathered around Mt. Sinai:

"And Moses went up unto God, and the LORD called unto him out of the mountain (that is Mt. Sinai) and he says, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel;" Now, stop and think. Is there anything in there that involves a Gentile? Nothing! This is God dealing with Israel.

"Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, (that is drowned them in the Red Sea) and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you to myself. (Brought them through the Red Sea, out around Mt. Sinai) 5. Now therefore, if you will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye (the nation) shall be a peculiar (Now, remember, I’m always stressing that word means something of intrinsic value.) treasure unto me above all people: (and the reason he can say that – He’s sovereign) for all the earth is mine. 6. And ye (Israel) shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation." Now, do you see how that’s almost word for word what John just said in Revelation. Alright, but let’s go all the way up and see how Peter puts it in his epistle of I Peter. Peter uses this same identical language. In fact, you can keep your hand in Exodus 19 and just flip back and forth and see how identical these words are. Peter is writing under the same circumstances that, I feel, John is.

"But (Peter says) ye (and remember he’s writing to Jews, just like Exodus was) are a chosen generation, a royal (what?) priesthood, an holy nation, (the word "holy" simply means set apart for God’s purposes. They were a set apart people for God’s purposes) a peculiar people; (That’s exact language) that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:" That’s how Peter puts it. Now, come back to Revelation and John says almost exactly the same thing. That He has made us (Jews - The believing element of Israel); He has made us kings and priests unto God and His Father to be glory and dominion forever. Now, once again back to Revelation and verse 7.

"Behold, (John writes) he (the Messiah, the Son, the returning Christ) cometh with (what?) clouds: and every eye shall see him,…" Now, let’s just back up one page to Jude, verse 14:

"And Enoch also, (Jude writes, way back there in Genesis) the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, 15.To execute judgment (His Second Coming will be associated with the final destruction of the Gentile world) upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly…" Now, back to Revelation, again; verse 7:

"Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him." Now, that’s not going to happen at the Rapture. The world isn’t going to see the Rapture take place. It’s just going to be a sudden, silent disappearance. They’re not going to see Christ as He has come to the air. But here, He’s ready to come all the way to the planet earth, He’s going to stand on the Mt. of Olives and the prophecy is that every eye shall see Him.

"…and they also who pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him,…" For the piercing then, we have to really go back to Zechariah, chapter 12. Come back again to the Old Testament, and again I want you to realize that these are all Old Testament references which tie it all to the nation of Israel. The exact language, and how can anybody separate what God says to Israel in the Old Testament prophets and what He’s saying to Israel from the words of the apostle John. Zechariah chapter 12 verse 10 where God says through the prophet:

"And I will pour upon the house of David, (That’s not a Gentile term, that’s Israel) and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and supplication; and they (the house of Israel, or the house of David, the nation of Israel) shall look upon me whom they have pierced. And they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn." Well, now, there’s another beautiful illustration in the Old Testament of a family mourning over a great joyful reunion and you all know what it is don’t you? Joseph. All right, let’s come all the way back to Genesis and pick up Joseph being reunited with his brethren.

Go to chapter 45 of Genesis. And let’s just start at verse 1, and we’ll hit just a few of the pertinent verses. Now, remember what we’re talking about. That every eye will see Him at his returning at His Second Coming, primarily to deal and confirm and fulfill all the promises made to the Old Testament prophets, and there will be a great mourning, tears of joy, really, when they see and recognize their Messiah, and here is a picture of it.

"Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood by him; and he cried, Cause every man to go out from me. And there stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren. (The ones that had sold him into slavery) 2. And he wept aloud: and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard. 3. And Joseph said unto his brethren, I am Joseph; doth my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer him; for they were troubled at his presence." But now as you go through all this, Joseph puts them at ease.

"Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that you sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life." That was all part of the purposes of God. That Joseph would have to be in Egypt to gather the grain that would help everyone to survive during the seven years of famine.

"For these two years hath the famine been in the land; and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest. 7. And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance." So it wasn’t you that sent me here, but God. Now, come on down to verse 13.

"And ye shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that ye have seen and ye shall haste and bring down my father hither, 14. And he fell upon his brother Benjamin’s neck and (what?) wept;…" Well, not tears of remorse, but tears of what? Joy! Joy unspeakable! Now, verse 15. He didn’t limit it to Benjamin.

"Moreover he kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them: and after that his brethren talked with him." And so it was that great joyful reunion between Joseph and the estranged brethren. Well, so it will be when Christ returns to the Mt. of Olives and will finally be accepted by his covenant people, Israel.

All right, back to Revelation chapter 1 verse 8. Now, the Lord is speaking through the Apostle John and He says:

"I am Alpha and Omega, (the first letter in the alphabet and the last letter in the alphabet) the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty." Now, if you start making a study of this Book of Revelation, you will find that John uses the same terms of Deity that the Old Testament uses, but Paul does not. And there again is that graphic difference. This is all Jewish. Paul never refers to – for example - term the "Son of Man". Did you know that? But all the rest of the Scripture that’s Jewish will constantly refer to Christ, or God the Son, as the Son of Man. Paul never does. That’s just one.

But now, let’s go back to Isaiah 41 verse 4, and see how all of this ties together with the Old Testament. John the Jewish writer, writing to Jews. Isaiah the Jewish prophet writing to the Jews. And they say basically the same thing.

"Who hath wrought and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I the LORD, (and we’re going to look a minute to see who that is) the first, and with the last; I am he." Now, come all the way back – keep your hand in Isaiah, we’re coming back in a little bit – come all the way back to Exodus again, chapter 3. A portion that you’re all well acquainted with, I hope you are anyway – you should be. Here we’re going to look at the burning bush. And Moses is taken by it that it’s burning and yet it’s not being consumed. And so he comes to the burning bush and the Lord speaks out of the bush:

"And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground. 6. Moreover he said, (the burning bush) I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon (who?) God." So, who’s the burning bush? God." All right, move on down to verse 13. All the way through it’s a constant reference to the Lord and to God.

"And Moses said unto God, (there at the burning bush) Behold, when I come to the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? (What’s the name of this God you’re talking about? Moses says) what shall I say to them? 14. And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM; Thus shalt thou say to the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you." See how plain that is, and this is the Lord, this is God the Son speaking. We refer to him as Jehovah and Adonai and the Almighty, which is what I’m going to have you look at next. Come back to Isaiah chapter 9, and we’ll begin with verse 6. Now, these were all Old Testament terms concerning the Son. None of which, if I’m not mistaken, Paul uses. He does not use these same terms of Deity.

"For unto us (and I’m always emphasizing, who is the us? Israel. This isn’t talking to the world in general. This is talking to the nation of Israel) a child is born, unto us a son is given: (now we jump all the way up to the millennial reign) and the government shall be upon his shoulders: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, (The same term that John uses) The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. 7. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end upon the Throne of David,…" See how the Scriptures constantly emphasize, that when Christ returns to set up this Kingdom, He will rule from David’s Throne in Jerusalem on Mount Zion.

Now, to take a little further take on the I AM of Exodus 3, go up to John’s gospel, chapter 8, most of you know where I’m going. And for sake of time, we’ll just go all the way down to verse 51. Here’s Christ in His earthly ministry, Jesus is speaking, and he says:

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death. 52. Then said the Jews unto him, (see there it’s amongst His earthly ministry. No Gentiles here.) Now we know that thou hast a devil (demon). Abraham is dead, the prophets; (they’re dead) and thou sayest, If a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of death. 53. Art thou greater than our father Abraham, who is dead: and the prophets are dead: whom makest thou thyself?" 54. Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; whom ye say, that he is your God. 55. Yet ye have not known him; (that is their God) but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not, I should be a liar like you: (quite a statement wasn’t it?) but I know him, and keep his saying. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, (that is through the eyes of faith) and was glad. 57. Then said the Jews unto him, (now do you pick up the scoffing?) Thou are not yet fifty years old, and you have seen Abraham? (Can’t you just see the smirk on their face? Come on, what are you trying to do? You can’t fool us. Abraham lived 2000 years ago, and you’re telling us you’ve seen him? Now look at Jesus’ answer) 58. Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, (who?) I am." Do you see what He’s showing them? That He was the I AM of the Old Testament Deity. He was the Jehovah God of Abraham, He was the pre-eternal Creator. He was the God of everything, and He made no apology for making those claims.

Alright, now let’s come back again to Revelation again, and see how the Apostle John can just pick up all these things concerning this Christ who is now about to return as King of King and Lord of Lords, once the horrors of the wrath and vexation have unfolded.

"I John who also am your (what?) brother, (now spiritually of course. Racially? Yes. He’s just as much a Jew as the Jews to whom he’s writing.) and companion in (what?) tribulation,…" They were all under the same pressure. Now, you’ve got to remember, these Jews to whom these men are writing, Peter, James and John, were already under a lot of persecution, even before the Tribulation began. They were under pressure from the Orthodox Judiasers. They were under pressure from the pagan Romans, so they knew what persecution was. And so John could say, I can co-relate with you.

"…am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom (that is the kingdom promises that they’re all waiting for.) and patience of Jesus Christ, (I John) was in the isle that is called Patmos,…" a little island off the coast of Western Turkey, a little off the mainland.

"…for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ." Now, the speculation is that it was a means of house arrest, or persecution, but not all historians agree with that. It may have been a normal life for John on the island of Patmos. There isn’t anything to indicate that he was under intense persecution at this time, but he may have been. But whatever, he’s on the island of Patmos, "for the word of God, and the testimony of Jesus Christ." Now, verse 10. This verse has been so twisted out of shape it’s unbelievable.

"I was in the Spirit (that is under the control of the Spirit of God) on the Lord’s day,…" That’s not Sunday. That’s what most everybody thinks, that this was a Sunday and that he was writing this. No – What is the day of the Lord in Scripture? Tribulation!

So what is he saying? That miraculously the Spirit of God is transporting him into the Tribulation so he can write about it in the first person. He knew what he was writing. He was experiencing it in the realm of the Spirit, not writing on the Island of Patmos on Sunday afternoon. No, he was being transported into the Day of the Lord and that term the "Day of the Lord" throughout all the Old Testament, throughout the Jewish epistles is always a reference to the seven years of the Tribulation. Never forget that.

Alright, I haven’t got time enough to go on in to another verse, but here it’s as plain day that as John is in the Spirit, in this transformed Day of the Lord, so he can write about it with first hand experience, he experiences the voice behind him as a trumpet. And so we go on from there and we pick this up in our next program where this voice is again the voice of the Lord Jesus Himself.

I always like to remind folks that we’re just an informal, non-denominational Bible study. We don’t try to attack anyone; we’re just going to see what the Book says and that’s the way we teach it. And of course, my main prerogative is to get folks to study the Bible on their own. Don’t just sit back and say, well this is what Les Feldick says, or this is what so and so says, but learn to search the Scriptures, comparing Scripture with Scripture. In fact, that’s why I use as many references as I possibly can. It isn’t to show you how much I know, it’s to show that when we teach something, we can base it on more than one verse, usually. Once in awhile we have to bank on one verse, but the whole idea is to just compare Scripture with Scripture and with the Holy Spirit’s leading, determine that you can’t always go by what the majority says. In fact, I think I’ve said it years and years ago, when it comes to the things of the Spirit, the majority is usually wrong. So don’t just rest on the majority.

So, for those of you in television, and for you here in the studio, we’re going to jump right in where we left off in our last program, which is in chapter 1 of Revelation and for sake of exercising our memory, we’re going to read the last verse we ended with, verse 10. Remember, John the Revelator is writing it, and he’s on the island of Patmos, quite likely as an exile for his faith. But nevertheless, he has evidently so far not been under any undo persecution. But now, in verse 10, he speaks of how he brings this revelation about:

"I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day…" And remember. I emphasized in the last lesson, that does not mean the first day of the week. But rather, just put the other way around, "The day of the Lord." So that all of Scripture refers to as "The day of the Lord." And so, an unusual supernatural experience and John is literally just transported up into these coming seven years of Tribulation. Alright, now wherever he is, whether he’s up in the glory or whatever in this vision:

"…and heard behind me a great voice, as of (or like) a trumpet." Now, I think we’re all aware that when a trumpet lets go, there’s no "what did I hear?" It’s pretty obvious, and it’s something that even alarmed John, I think.

"Saying, I am Alpha and Omega…" And we know from other portions of Scriptures those are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, which refer to Christ’s eternity past and His eternity future. He is without end, He is without beginning, and that is beyond our human understanding.

"Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: (the Jesus, the Christ who is speaking says to John) and, What thou seest, (in these vision experiences that are coming) write in a book, (not books, write in a book) and send it (not them) unto the seven churches…" Now, I dare say if I could take a poll right here in the studio this afternoon, and if I were to ask you how many of you have always had the impression that these seven church letters were individually sent to the seven churches, I think I’d have 95% that would say that’s what we’ve always been taught.

But you see, that’s not what it says. God is instructing John to take this whole body of truth, these seven church letters, make a book of it and evidently a copy was sent to each one of the seven churches. And I think, as we come on through the chapter, you’ll see why that is so pertinent. It wasn’t that these few verses belong to Ephesus, and these few to Pergamus, and so forth, but that the whole body of truth involved in these seven letters were to be put in one book and a copy sent to every one of the seven churches. Now then, here they are:

Now, we pointed out in our last program that Asia in the New Testament especially, is Asia Minor, which is today’s land of Turkey. Now, even Galatia, to which the Galatians was addressed was central Turkey. And when Paul said, back in the Book of Acts, that he intended to go back into Asia, he was talking about the geographical area that we now call Turkey.

All right now, the same way here. These seven little cities are all in western Turkey. Now, I think most of you know from your Bible maps that Ephesus was on the very western coast of Turkey. It was a seaport. But then fanning out from Ephesus were these other six little cities, almost in a circle. Iif you look at a Bible map, they’re just a bunch of dots. Well, the reason I’m doing this is to make it plain that when we get down here a little further in verse 12, we’re going to see that this is a group of Jewish congregations, synagogues if you please, that Christ is now dealing with, having left the temple in Jerusalem many, many years before. With the temple in Jerusalem shortly to be destroyed, He is more or less moving his place of authority now from Jerusalem to these seven churches in Asia. And that’s what I’m trying to emphasize, that they were in a group. They’re almost in a circle. All right, now let’s read on and you’ll get what I’m talking about.

"…send it (this book) unto the seven church, which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea. 12. And I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks." Now, the term that we normally think of from the Old Testament and everything, is the lamp stands. And he saw seven golden lamp stands. Now the purpose of the lamp stand is to give light to the area. So what were these seven churches to be? Light to the surrounding community.

Now there again, I’ve got to stop. It’s unfortunate, I think, it’s terribly unfortunate, that our English translators used the word "churches" or "church" all the way through the New Testament. It would have been so much easier to understand if they had used "assembly" because the word "church" really is a Scottish word, which was "Kirk "and you’ve heard that. And from that old Scottish word "Kirk" the English translators came up with this word "church," and I think it’s unfortunate. They should rather be called assemblies, and here in this case they were called what? Do you remember? Synagogues.

Do you remember that from one of our previous lessons? Let me go back and show you. I’ve just got to do this over and over because whenever we travel people will comment on the fact that we make these things so plain that they never hear otherwise. And so come back with me to James chapter 2, so that you’ll know where I’m coming from.

"For if there come into your assembly…" But now if you have a marginal Bible and look in your margin, what was the word in the Greek? Synagogue!! I like it when other people agree with that. They were synagogues. Well, even today, what do the Messianic Jews call their place of worship? Synagogues! They don’t call them a church; they call them a synagogue.

All right now, it’s same way here. These were all Jewish congregations, having scattered out of the central church in Jerusalem, which was a Jewish church, or a Jewish assembly, there was maybe a Gentile or two, but I doubt it. And so from that scattered Jewish church in Jerusalem, we have these seven synagogues here in western Turkey. But now you want to remember these weren’t the only ones. There were various assemblies of Jews who had been scattered throughout that part of the world. In fact, we’ve done this over, but repetition, as we hear over and over, is the mother of learning. Coming back with me to Acts chapter 11, verse 19. And I’ve said it many, many times before, and I’ll probably say it many times more if the Lord continues to bless me with life; this is the one verse that probably did more to opening my understanding as I teach than any other verse in Scripture. This just bombarded my thinking.

I don’t know whether I shared it with the television audience last week or not, but one place we were down in Florida, there were several families with young kids and this one little girl, if I remember right, she said she was seven years old; she came up to me afterwards and she had all the references that I’d used that evening. Of course, now that was over a period of about 2 or 3 hours. She had two whole pages full of references and I said, "Do you mean to tell me I used all those tonight?" She said, "Every one of them." But this is why we do it – just to give you a chance to see what the Book says and not just what I’m saying.

"Now they who are scattered abroad (that is out of Jerusalem) upon the persecution that arose about Stephen traveled as far as Phenice, and (the island of) Cyprus, and (up to) Antioch (in Syria which is present day north of Lebanon, up toward the Euphrates River) and they were preaching the word to (who?) none but Jews only." All right, now where did these Jews come from? Back up now a couple more pages to Acts chapter 8, and we have just seen Stephen martyred in chapter 7. Remember, all this just sets the stage and then you can better understand what the Bible is talking and why it’s saying what it does.

"And Saul (who will later become the Apostle Paul) was consenting unto his (Stephen’s) death. And at that time (at the stoning of Stephen, seven years after Pentecost, remember. This isn’t all within just a matter of weeks. This is seven years after Pentecost) there was a great persecution against the church (assembly) which was at Jerusalem; (the Jewish assembly. The Jewish synagogue of believers that believed for salvation that Jesus was the Christ) and they were all (all of that Jerusalem congregation were) scattered throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria except (whom?) the apostles." See, and I always make note of that. Everybody thinks the Twelve have already been out fulfilling the Great Commission for seven years. No, they haven’t. They are still in Jerusalem waiting for the return of their Messiah. So anyway, we have to understand that as all these little Jewish writers back here, James and Peter and John, and now as John writes in Revelation come back there again, Chapter 1, that these were Jewish congregations, called synagogues. They were still hanging on to the whole concept for their salvation that Jesus of Nazareth was their Messiah, they are still under the Law. Don’t forget the temple is still operating. This is probably written in the late 50’s and there’s nothing in Scripture to indicate that the temple worship had stopped.

It was only that they had been scattered out of Jerusalem because of Saul’s persecution. So these little seven congregations, especially now since they’re grouped in almost a circle in western Turkey, become an area that the Lord can almost use as a final habitation for Himself. All right, Revelation chapter 1 then, again reading verse 12:

"And I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And being turned, I saw the seven golden candlesticks: (lamp stands) 13. And in the midst of the seven (not in the midst of any one of them. But as these seven assemblies comprise a circle of geography) was one like unto the Son of man." Now stop and think. Does the Apostle Paul ever refer to Christ as the Son of man? I’m not tricking you. No, not that I know of. He never refers to Christ as the Son of man. Paul refers to Him as the Son of God, He’s the Christ, but never as the Son of man. That of course was unique to the Book of Matthew which over and over refers to Jesus as the Son of man.

"…was one like unto the Son of man (it’s God the Son, it’s Jesus the Christ) clothed with a garment down to the foot, girt about the paps with a golden girdle (now watch this description of him) 14. His head and his hair were white like wool, (and another a translation sort of says, or like snow. It was perfectly white. It does say) as white as snow; and his eyes were as (doesn’t say they are. There’s a big difference you know) as flames of fire; 15. And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters."

Now, just in the light of that kind of language, does that speak of a God of love, mercy, and grace, or a God of judgment? Judgment!! All these terms speak of judgment. Brass - way back in the tabernacle what was the brazen altar? Well, it was the place of sacrifice where sin was judged. The brazen serpent, when it was raised on the pole so that Israel could look at it. What does it speak of? Judgment! So brass is always that which speaks of judgment. Well, the same way with the flames of fire. It spoke not of love and grace, but judgment, see? And then you come down to the feet, like they were burned in a furnace. Well, to being burned as a furnace doesn’t speak of love and grace. It speaks of what? Judgment! So what’s the picture? Now, remember, ever since we started the little letter of James, what do these Jewish believers anticipate right out in front of them? Tribulation. The seven years of God’s wrath and vexation is right in front of them. So the whole thrust here is to prepare these believers for a coming judgment.

But now I know the question is why should these believers come under that judgment? Has it ever been any different? You know what’s the matter with us in America – and I’m included? We’ve been spoiled. Do you realize that this is the only time in all of human history, that is since our forefathers came to these shores, and we in America especially, have enjoyed such religious freedom without any fear. That’s never happened before. All through human history the believers, whether it was Israel or whether it was later on in the Christian community, suffered constantly.

You know, I’m always stressing when Paul would come into these Gentile cities like Thessalonica and Corinth and these folks were won to salvation out of paganism into Christianity, what was the first thing they faced? I call it the buzz saw of persecution. I hope you all know what a buzz saw is – it’s what you cut wood with. Intense persecution. It’s always been that way. If you know anything about ancient history, the dark ages if I’m not mistaken, there’s one history book that maintains that during that 1000 years, from 500 A.D. to 1500 A.D., 50 million Christians, believers, lost their lives through persecution. So you see, for us to live in a time of such tranquility is not the normal, it’s unusual. So the same way in this time. These Jews were used to persecution, but now you see, they’re being faced with the coming wrath and vexation of God. Now again, for sake of repetition, come back with me to Psalms chapter 2, and this is where I get the language that I use. I don’t make it up as I go along; believe me. Psalms, Chapter 2, which I always call the outline of the Old Testament program; how the Old Testament prophets saw how it would all unfold. How that Christ would be rejected in the first three verses, at His first advent. Jews and Gentiles both reject Him. Then verse 4.

"He (God) that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh (at the foolishness of men) the LORD shall have them in derision. (confusion, Then the next thing on God’s program) 5. Then shall he speak unto them in his (what?) wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure."

In other words, He’s going to pour out His anger on the whole human race, which of course the nation of Israel will be the vortex in judgment as well in other revelations. But it’s going to be an outpouring of wrath and vexation, and then the next thing on the agenda is what? The Kingdom!

All right, so all of Scripture has that unfolding of God’s agenda for the human race. Now remember, as we’ve been pointing out for the last several weeks or months, there’s not a word about the Church Age in prophesy. Not one word. It’s all how God will deal with the nation of Israel in particular, the whole human race in general, and then after the rejection of their Messiah and His ascension, then was to come the wrath and the vexation, the judgment, the wrath of God, and that would set the stage of the coming of Christ the second time. That will be at the battle of Armageddon at the end of the Tribulation.

Now of course we’ve stressed, we know that God opened that timeline, stopped the wrath and vexation before it happened, and brought in the Church Age, but we’re not dealing with that here in Revelation, we’re dealing with the seven year period of the wrath and vexation programmed into the Old Testament prophecy. So now we can come on down to verse 16. Now, this Son of man who is revealing Himself to this transplanted area of God dealing with Israel, to these 7 little churches, synagogues, assemblies. It’s amazing what habit does. I’ve been trying for years to quit calling these churches, and I just can’t do it, because it’s a habit, but they were not churches as we think of the church. They were Jewish synagogues. They were Jewish called-out assemblies.

"And he had in his right hand seven stars: (one for each one of these seven assemblies) and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword:…"

Now to the casual reader, what does he immediately vision? Standing there with a dagger in his mouth. No, that’s not the picture at all. What is the sword? The Word of God. To look at that, come back with me to Hebrews chapter 4, because we do this for the benefit of new listeners who haven’t been with us over the years. You see, the Scripture always interprets itself. Always! And we’re finding listeners that are learning that.

"For the word of God is quick, (It’s alive. That’s what the word quick means here in our King James at least) and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit (which I always define as is intertwined as Siamese twins, but the Word of God can separate them. Alright, and the dividing of ) the joints and marrow,…"

Now again, don’t lose the subject. And the Word of God is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Have you ever had somebody tell you, "I never sinned?" Have you? I’ve had, "Oh, I never sin." You don’t ever think an evil thought? "Oh well, that’s not sin." Oh no? God sees them. That’s a sobering thought isn’t it; that God sees every thought. I don’t know if He wants to watch them all, but it’s within His realm of capability, and that’s what the Word of God is capable of doing. Back to Revelation again and verse 14.

"And His head and hairs were white like wool, as white as snow;…"

Now, let’s see how since this is all Jewish, it’s all connected with the Old Testament in one way or another. Now, come back with me to Daniel chapter 7 and we’ll see the same identical language, because God is dealing with the same people. Now again, Paul does not make this kind of a description of Christ because it isn’t necessary for us. But for Israel, it meant everything in the world to realize that their Scriptures tied together. Daniel chapter 7, verse 9. Here, of course, is the same vision where he sees the Gentile empires coming down the pipe of history, and he sees them as wild animals rather than the gold, silver, and so forth that Nebuchadnezzar saw.

"I beheld (or he saw in this vision) till the thrones (that is of these various empires) were cast down, and the Ancient of Days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: (do you see the comparison? Almost word for word) his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. 10. A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him (now this is a view of the throne room, remember) thousands, thousands, (that’s millions) ministered unto him and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him; (now here’s exactly what Revelation is talking about) and the (what?) judgment was set, and the books were opened." Now here we see then that God, in Daniel as well as in Revelation and in other places, is also going to be the God of Judgment.

Now today, we’re not under His judgment, we’re under His Grace. We’re under His mercy. We’re under His love. But His patience is going to run out one day, and when that runs out then is going to come judgment like the world has never seen. Now we know He judged the world at the flood and it was awesome. But it was nothing compared to what’s coming. What’s coming is going to be beyond human description, and I think that even a lot of my class people, when I read these verses concerning "The day of the Lord;" a lot of them don’t really want to believe it. It’s so beyond comprehension, but the Book declares it, so we’d better believe it!

All right, again, we always like to thank our television audience for your prayers. My, how we appreciate it that you tell us constantly either by letter or by phone or when we’re on our seminars, how that you pray for us everyday.

My, what a comfort that is to know we have so many believers praying for us. We also like to thank you for your financial help. We never beg for money, never have, and we never will, because I’m a firm believer in the system of giving that Paul teaches in II Corinthians chapter 9, "that believers give as the Lord lays it on the heart to give." And I do not feel that we should ever have to pressure anybody to give to this ministry. Because if the Lord wants you to give, He’ll let you know it.

All right, we’re going to go right back where we had to end in the last lesson, and we didn’t quite finish verse 16, before we move on into the next verse.

"And he had in his right hand seven stars: (one for each one of these synagogues) and out of his mouth went the sharp two-edged sword: (the Word of God) and his countenance (His appearance) was as the sun shineth in its strength."

In other words, at high noon. Now, there’s a beautiful example of that, of course, back in Matthew chapter 17 and you all know what it was. The Mount of Transfiguration, and again, I do these things just to exhilarate us. My, when we say we can’t wait to see Him face to face, it’s not going to be the lowly Jesus of Nazareth. It’s not going to be the Jesus of the earthly ministry.

It’s going to be the resurrected, glorified, exalted Son of God. And it’s beyond our human comprehension, but yet we know we’re going to see Him face to face. Even as Peter, James, and John did at the Mount of Transfiguration. All right, Matthew 17 starting at verse 1, and remember why I’m doing this. One day we’re going to experience this same thing.

"And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John, his brother, and he bringeth them unto a high mountain apart. 2. And (He) was transfigured (he was changed) before them: and his face did shine as the sun, (just like John sees it in Revelation) and his raiment was white as the light."

That is pure white light and that’s the way we’re going to see Him. And then, of course, the other comfort is we’re going to recognize our loved ones. Now, not as husband and wife, not as son and daughter and so forth, but we’re going to know who we are because I use this as a background, here we have the appearance now of Moses and Elijah talking with them. Did Peter, James, and John have to ask who they were? No! They knew who they were. Because Peter goes right on and says unto Jesus:

Matthew 17:4b "…Lord, it’s good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, one for Moses and one for Elijah."

How did he know they were Moses and Elijah? Well, they just knew. The same way when we get to glory and we behold Him as bright as the sun; we will know everybody else by name. We’ll know who they are and from whence they came. All right, now let’s move down into the next verse in Revelation chapter 1 verse 18:

"I am he (now this is the Lord Jesus again speaking to these seven synagogues of Jewish believers) that liveth and was dead; (so we know this is after the death, burial and resurrection) behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of hell and death."

Well, there’s more than one place to look, but first I want to go back to Isaiah chapter 41 and I want to see how Isaiah says the same thing. Now, again, I do this to show that the Old and the New all fit together, especially as it pertains to Israel.

"Who hath wrought and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I the LORD, (or I Jehovah, Lord, God the Son) the first, and with the last; I am he."

Now, on your way back to Revelation I’m going to have you stop, if you will, at I Corinthians 15. But now before you look at I Corinthians 15, maybe we’d better go back again and read our verse in Revelation so you’ll see why I’m going where I’m going; verse 18, again.

The Alpha and the Omega, the one who was, is, and always will be. Remember? Now, come back to I Corinthians 15, the great resurrection chapter. Alright, let’s just jump in at verse 3, the very heart of what Paul calls "my Gospel" or what we call the Gospel of the Grace of God, which is all dependent on His very death, burial, and resurrection for our salvation.

"For I delivered (Paul says unto you) first of all that which I also received, (that is when the Lord revealed all this to him, probably down in the desert) how that Christ died for our sins according to the scripture; 4. And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:"

Isn’t it wonderful! That’s all we must believe in our heart to have eternal life? Absolutely no works involved. Verse 5.

"And that, he was seen of Cephas (that is Peter) and then of the Twelve: (the whole batch together) 6. After that, (after he was seen of Peter and the Eleven) he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom (Paul says) the greater part remain unto this present,…"

In other words, they were still living, because you want to remember, we’ve only got about a 30-year interval here, so if these people were in their late 20’s or early 30’s they wouldn’t be all that old. They were certainly still alive at the time Paul writes to the Corinthians.

"…but some are fallen asleep. (or died.)

7. After that, (after he was seen of the Twelve and of the five-hundred) he was seen of James (and again Paul repeats that he was seen) then of all the apostles.

8. And last of all he was seen of me also, (which means that Paul saw the resurrected Christ face to face, but he didn’t see him in his days of rebellion. He saw him, now, after his conversion experience. And, again, probably out at the desert experience.) as of one born out of due time."

Now, since I’m here I might as well comment on that. What does Paul mean here? "as of one born out of due time" Well, you see he was a singular example of the whole nation. But he was born as a result of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection as a single individual, as Israel will be someday in the future. Now we know the remnant of Israel will be totally saved when they re-appear at His second coming. And so this is what Paul is referring to.

That he saw Him as one who was converted and became a believer hundreds of years before the nation as a whole which is still out in the future. Now, let’s jump to verse 12.

"Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you there is no resurrection of the dead?"

Remember the Sadducees didn’t believe in resurrection, and there were probably other groups that didn’t.

"But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen. 14. And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain."

Might as well throw the Book away and go home. But He did rise from the dead? Now, verse 15.

"Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: (and Paul says, if He didn’t then I’m a liar) whom he raised not up, if be that the dead rise not.

16. For if the dead rise not, (in other words if we die like a dog, and that’s the end of it), then Christ is not raised.

17. And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; (we’re spinning our wheels, we’re wasting our time) ye are yet in your sins."

18. And they also which are fallen asleep (those who have died in Christ) are perished. (there would be no hope)

19. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable." But we do have that blessed hope, because He did arise from the dead. Now look at verse 25.

"For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. (He will reign, as King)

26. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. (Death, it will finally be completely obsolete, it will be off the scene)

27. For he hath, put all things under his feet…."

He is Lord of all, He is the One who was alive, He is alive now, and will be for all eternity future. Alright, back to Revelation 1, the last part of verse 18:

"…. behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen: and have the keys of hell and of death."

That’s why one day He will be victorious over it and He will obliterate it, never again to be part and parcel of our experience or even His. He’s going to end it once and for all as we go into eternity. Verse 19, Now, the Lord of glory says to John: Revelation 1:19" Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter:"

Now, the reason why I didn’t teach it when we went into Revelation several years ago was that I was never comfortable with that approach. Now, I don’t go contrary to tradition just to be contrary.

In all my years of teaching, I can go clear back to when we first stepped out of a denominational umbrella and began to teach men and women from all these denominations and with all their questions. My, the Methodists would have a far different question than a Baptist ever dreamed of. The Lutherans would have different, the Catholics would have different, and from all of these summary questions I started searching the Scriptures. Then I suddenly realized, hey, I’m not comfortable with everything that I’ve always learned. I haven’t been told all there is to know. And, as I had to search the Scriptures to answer all these questions, then there would be areas that, I would have to say, "Now wait a minute, there’s something lacking."

Well, the first place I had problems with was the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. There was just something that I wasn’t putting together, and I couldn’t put my finger on it. And, most of you know by now, w