Looking for His glorious appearing! Titus 2:13

The Hill Country Shall be Thine - Joshua 17:18
Jun 15th, 2020
Morning MeditationF. B. Meyer
Categories: Meditation;Inspirational;Book Study

The hills were steep, irregular, covered with forest. "These shall be yours," said Joshua to the children of Joseph; "you are a great people, and have great power; cut down the forest, terrace the slopes, turn their bare declivities into cornfields and vineyards; fill these vast untenanted spaces with life and song."

There is always roam higher up. - When the valleys are full of Canaanites, whose iron chariots withstand your progress, get up into the hills, occupy the upper spaces. If you can no longer work for God, pray for those who can. If you cannot move earth by your speech, you may move Heaven. If the development of life on the lower slopes is impossible, through limitations of service, the necessity of maintaining others, and such-like restrictions, let it break out toward the unseen, the eternal, the divine.

Faith can fell forests. - Even if the tribes had realized what treasures lay above them, they would hardly have dared to suppose it possible to, rid the hills of their dense forest-growth. But as God indicated their task, He reminded them that they had power enough. The visions of things that seem impossible are presented to us, like these forest-covered steeps; not to mock us, but to incite us to spiritual exploits which would be impossible unless God had stored within us the great strength of His own indwelling. Difficulty is sent to reveal to us what God can do in answer to the faith that prays and works. Are you straitened in the valleys? Get away to the hills, live there; get honey out of the rock, and wealth out of the terraced slopes now hidden by forest.

Revelation 4:3-4 - Exploring Revelation
Jun 15th, 2020
Exploring RevelationArt Sadlier
Categories: Commentary;Prophecy;Book Study

Let us go back to verse 3, where we left off, "and there was a rainbow round about the throne,"

The storm of God,s judgment upon sin, as far as we are concerned, is now gone forever. (Romans 8:1) but the grief of our practice of sin will then be past forever. No more sinning, no more sorrow, no more cancer, no more tears, no more partings, no more persecution, no more gravesides. The storms of life will be over forever. No more loneliness, no more heartaches, what a wonderful day awaits when the trumpet sounds.

"And round about the throne were four and twenty seats:(thrones) and upon the seats (thrones) I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold." verse 4: Who are these favored ones occupying these thrones that are set around about the Throne of God?

We know they are redeemed men, Rev. 5:9 reveals that very clearly to us. They are not Israel. Rev. 5:9 also tells us that. It says they are "out of every kindred, and tongue, and people and nation." That is not referring to Israel. It says they are "redeemed -- by the blood," this is representative of the Church. They could not be Resurrected Israel, because Israel will not be resurrected until the end of the Tribulation Period. (See Daniel 12:11-13).

Two identifying marks prove that the elders represent the church.

FIRST - "Clothed with white raiment", that has to be the church, not Israel. Notice the promise to the church in Rev.3:5, "The same shall be clothed in white raiment," Israel was never made a promise like that! In Rev. 19:8, 14, we see the church (vs.7) coming out of heaven with Christ clothed in white raiment. the white raiment identifies the elders as the church of Christ.

SECOND - "They had on their heads crowns of gold." The Greek word translated, "crowns of gold", is the same word Paul uses in 11 Tim. 4:8. We see here the crowns promised by the Lord, to the church. We see the same promise of crowns in Rev. 3:11.

THIRD - The thrones around the throne of God are the fulfilment of a promise made to the church, not Israel. In 2 Tim. 2:12, we are promised, "if we suffer, we shall also reign with Him:" These promises were never made to Israel, her promises involve the earth and earthly blessings.

But, why 24 elders? What does the number 24 represent? The number 24 signals completeness. In 1 Chron. 24:7-19 David divided the priesthood into 24 courses, the idea was that each course could seent representatives to serve in the temple before the Lord. With one from each course, the whole priesthood would be represented. There were literally thousands of priests and when some from each couse were present the whole priesthood was represented.

We, as believers, are a kingdom of priests. (see 1 Peter 2:5, 9). As we view the church in heaven in chpter 4: after the rapture, the church is now for the first time complete, the last one has been saved and added to the body of Christ, the church.

The 24 elders represent the complete church, gathered around the throne of God in heaven after the rapture and before the tribulation period begins on earth.

The Word of God clearly teaches the pretribulation rapture of the church.

Believer, rejoice in the marvelous future you have waiting in heaven, maybe just a breath away.

Unbeliever, do not trade heaven for hell, come to Christ right now! Recognize your sinful lost state and trust Christ in repentance and faith. (Jn. 3:36).

Sometimes I wake in the dead of the night, in darkness with never a glimmer of light
I think for the moment -suppose this were death, Suppose I were lost, O shuddering breath, ever forever another chance down through the years, eons and eons of heartaches and tears, Eons and eons of pain and despair, No-one to love me, no-one to care, NEVER, FOREVER. Thy word is a lamp to my feet in the night, My Blessed Redeemer, My Way, Truth and the Light, I cling to Thy promise -- O soul at last, At home with our Lord, when earth,s long night is past, EVER, FOREVER!