Month: June 2022

Revelation at a Glance – Day 7

On By KateIn Devotionals, End Times, Rapture, Second Coming of Jesus Christ, TribulationLeave a comment

Rev 3:7-13  And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;  (8)  I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.  (9)  Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.  (10)  Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.  (11)  Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.  (12)  Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.  (13)  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

Good morning, reader! Pull up a chair, open your Bible and sit a while with your favorite morning beverage. We are about to read the letter to the Church at Philadelphia. This church is especially a blessing to read because it represents our current Church age! This is the age where believers have the blessed hope of being raptured before that great and horrifying day of the Lord.

Tit 2:13  Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

The horrifying seven-year Tribulation will be like none that has ever occurred on this earth. As mankind has grown more wicked, it will take more judgments and wrath from God in order to get their attention. The more one sins, the harder the heart is toward the things of God. It is going to be a period of great fear and destruction. This is the very topic that led me to the Saviour and I have rejoiced daily that I am going to be included in this blessed event, unless the Lord calls me Home before.

The Church of Philadelphia is not mentioned anywhere else in the Scriptures. It, too, was nearly destroyed by the great earthquake of 17AD and it never fully recovered. It was known for its principle crop of grapes. Ironically, the unbelievers worshipped Bacchus, the Roman god of wine.

Bacchus was the unrestrained Roman god of wine and revelry, religious ecstasy, and frenzied creativity. The Romans believed that Bacchus inspired his worshipers in their drunken state, freeing them to think and act in new ways.

mythopedia.com

This city was built by Philadelphus, King of Pergamum. It was eventually taken by Bajazet in 1390. It is now the town named Allahshar, and Islam is the only religion. How sad that Christianity faded!

Historically, the Church at Philadelphia covers the period from 1750 until the Rapture. this time frame is also occupied by the Church at Laodicea covering the time span between the 1900’s through the Tribulation. Do you wonder why two Churches run side by side? Apparently the Church in the 1900’s branched off into two and resulted in the evangelistic Church and the liberal, apostate church. The liberal “thinkers” became prominent during the 1900’s and this liberalism crept into the Church. But as usual, there was a holy remnant who shared the Gospel of Jesus Christ from 1750 until today. We see the continuation of John Wesley’s preaching as well as Jonathan Edwards, who was also prominent. There were four segments to the Great Awakening:

  1. Starting at the end of the last Church from 1730-1740, Jonathan Edwards and John Wesley were leading many to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
  2. From 1790-1840, America was spiritually awakened. It is said that 10,000 souls per week were won to the Lord in New York City alone! Oh that this would happen today! The awakening spread throughout New England and Baptists baptized over a million converts. The gospel’s effects were felt for 40 years after that!
  3. A Welsh revival occurred from 1855 to 1930 and entire towns were transformed. Bars closed down and lives were literally changed. It was said that the coal production industry went down because the donkeys wouldn’t move when the townsmen told them to move! Why? The donkeys were accustomed to being cursed at and the townsmen were no longer cursing! Now THAT is a changed life, amen? (2 Cor. 5:17 was truly accomplished)
  4. From 1960-1980, America saw an awakening with Billy Graham’s evangelistic tours. Hearts were stirred at this time. I’m not promoting his work as his doctrine was different than what I believe; however, one cannot deny the hearts that came to Christ because of his ministry. In fact, I was born again in 1980, not because of Billy Graham but because of a faithful servant who shared the Gospel with me. At that time, many were going door to door spreading the Gospel. Today, going door to door could get you arrested for not being “woke”!

The Church at Philadelphia is alive and well today. Because of its evangelism, souls have been saved and there are still a few good churches around the world. These are the churches who did not close down during the epidemic and Pastors refused to obey the government’s mandates for closure. These are the churches who preach the whole counsel of God and win souls and not churches who have a “life coach” that only speaks in generalities.

This is the second Church that Jesus didn’t reprimand (the Church at Smyrna being the other). This Church’s faithfulness will be rewarded with the Rapture and they won’t have to go through the Tribulation.

Rev 3:10  Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.

This is a wonderful promise which is taught throughout the New Testament and brings encouragement to all believers. The Apostle Paul did not want us to be ignorant in the area of the end times. The last series covering the Rapture goes into the details and Scriptures – if you haven’t read it, you can access it here. Despite the wickedness and fear displayed by the world today, born-again Christians all over are awaiting their Blessed Hope and appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ to meet us in the air! I, for one, am encouraged by the “signs” of His return! I’m not afraid of what will happen and how bad things are getting. The war between Russia and Ukraine doesn’t bother me in the least. The rising inflation and threats of economic collapse don’t frighten me at all. Why? Because the Lord has promised that this generation will not pass away before He comes for us. Israel (the fig tree) became a nation in May 1948 and the generation alive to see this is the final generation before the Tribulation.

Luk 21:29-33  And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees;  (30)  When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.  (31)  So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.  (32)  Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled.  (33)  Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.

Dear reader, are you going to be one of those who will experience the Rapture? If not, wouldn’t you want to be a part of it? It excites me that the Rapture might occur before I die! I will get to go up into the clouds to meet Jesus. As I’m going up, my earthly body will be changed to an eternal body! Jesus was able to be touched by His disciples and He also ate. Just as the body of Jesus after His resurrection was changed, so will ours! Praise the Lord God Almighty!

Friend, it is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved if you are not already. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!

Revelation at a Glance – Day 31

On By KateIn Devotionals, Revelation at a GlanceLeave a comment

Rev 13:11-18  And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.  (12)  And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.  (13)  And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,  (14)  And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.  (15)  And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.  (16)  And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:  (17)  And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.  (18)  Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.

I’m happy to see that you have come back 😀 This series has stirred my heart and rekindled the fire in my spirit for the end times! As you’ve read before, this is the very topic that led me to Jesus and I have always had a desire to learn anything about this topic. It is easy for me to write about this because this is my testimony. The Lord revealed Himself to me through the Scriptures that revolved around the Rapture and the end times. Whatever your testimony is, reach out to the lost and let that testimony prick their hearts through the Holy Spirit. Tell them your story because no one knows it better than you!

Today, we are introduced to the second beast (Revelation 13:11). We see here that this beast comes up out of the earth having two horns like a lamb but yet spoke as a dragon. This beast rises out of humanity and appears to be like a lamb indicating he will have the appearance of the one true Lamb, Jesus Christ. However, this lamb may look like the Messiah but will speak like a dragon. His words will be from the pits of Hell and he will promote the Antichrist – he will be the False Prophet.

The False Prophet will have an agenda like no other religious leader before! His sole purpose will be to convince the world that his religion (and that of the Antichrist) is what people need. Furthermore, his religion will be the only one allowed, a religious dictatorship if you will. If one doesn’t follow after this Tribulation religion, he will be martyred. Let’s take a look at what this False Prophet will be all about:

  1. His purpose: His purpose is to promote the Antichrist and to cause all of earth’s inhabitants to worship him. (Revelation 13:12) Furthermore, it says that it will be done in the sight of men. In no time in history has this ever been possible until now. With internet availability practically world-wide, these events can be seen by everyone. His whole purpose will be to draw attention away from God and righteous living to the Antichrist and his sinful ways. To top it off, the False Prophet will encourage people to believe that the Antichrist is actually the Messiah and Saviour of the world! He will promote this with ways you and I could think up.
  2. His power: He performs miracles and gives life to the beast after he is mortally wounded. This mimics Elijah, so this will fool the whole world, but especially the Jews. The Jews have been long awaiting their Messiah so when they start seeing miracles and signs, they will most certainly be deceived. The Apostle Paul said: 1Co 1:22  For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:. Of course, these will be counterfeit signs and wonders and they will deceive the entire world except for the Tribulation Saints. Remember, the devil is known as the angel of light so everything he will do will “mimic” God and people will believe that the Antichrist is God! (2Corinthians 7:14).
  3. His plan: He will make earth’s inhabitants take the mark of the Beast on their right hand or forehead so that they cannot buy or sell without that mark. Just as the Lord seals on the foreheads of the 144,000 and those who get saved during the Tribulation, so will the Antichrist try to imitate this by having a number given on the forehead or the right hand. Why do you think the devil imitates God? Just as he deceived Adam and Eve, he will deceive those on earth. So at some point during the Tribulation, the ability to imprint the Antichrist’s number or code will go worldwide. I find it interesting that the Antichrist’s mark might go on the right hand. Man has always strived to “work” for their salvation, but it is not so with God (Ephesians 2:8-9). It would be like the Antichrist to want mankind to take his mark so they can’t work, buy or sell without it. Sweden already provides bionic banking on a chip which contains ID’s, wallets and keys! I couldn’t believe that we were actually at that point – take a look at this video here. As you can see, this technology has already arrived! When I was first saved in 1980, I could not imagine how the Antichrist would accomplish this. But I can now totally see how he will be using some form of it during the Tribulation.
  4. His number: The Antichrist’s number is 666 but we cannot know for sure how that number will be used. Man was created on the sixth day, so it is known that the number six is the number for man. In the Antichrist’s case, it’s in triplicate which may be to signify Satan / Antichrist / False Prophet. For example, once the world is under a one-world government, I wonder if each person’s identifying numbers (like Social Security numbers) will begin with 666. How will that number be incorporated into tracking each person? We can see this ability has already entered as we read this article. Please take a few minutes to read the article and watch the video. It is mind boggling what has happened behind the scenes while the world is being distracted by pandemics, wars and rumors of wars! The Scriptures say that this is his number (666) so we can be sure that there will be some kind of number assigned to each human being which will track them. Christians won’t accept this mark and will either starve and/or be martyred for it. They will have to go underground and barter with other Christians in order to get what they need. But we don’t plan to be here for all of this, amen? The Scriptures encourage believers with these words:

1Th 5:4-11  But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.  (5)  Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.  (6)  Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.  (7)  For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.  (8)  But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.  (9)  For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,  (10)  Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.  (11)  Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

Friend, it is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved if you are not already. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!

Revelation at a Glance – Day 6

On By KateIn Devotionals, End Times, Rapture, Second Coming of Jesus Christ, Thoughts and Meditations, TribulationLeave a comment

Rev 3:1-6  And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.  (2)  Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.  (3)  Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.  (4)  Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.  (5)  He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.  (6)  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

It’s a beautiful day here – the sun is shining and warmer days are ahead! Winter’s cold days dissipate as Spring’s beauty unfolds. How I love Spring! It’s a beautiful analogy of the new life that is given to us at the moment of salvation, amen? This new life should produce a heart that desires to please God as well as to be a good ambassador for His kingdom!

I praise the Lord that He has given us His Word to learn what is about to happen to the entire planet and those who dwell on it. Friend, this is no laughing matter, nor is it one that is to be taken lightly. We are currently going over the letters dictated by Jesus to the Apostle John to the churches of the day located in Asia Minor. Each letter not only had specific instructions to a particular church, but also the letters were for a specific time in church history. Today’s churches can glean from the teachings they hold and about what the Lord Jesus warns us.

Today’s letter is to the Church in Sardis. The church age for this church is from 1517-1750 AD. This church was not mentioned anywhere else in the Scriptures. It was a wealthy city which worshiped Artemis, the goddess of fertility (one of their many gods). They were also known for the largest graveyard which was named the cemetery on a thousand hills. This city was destroyed by a major earthquake in 17AD and was not fully restored to its original state. Today, it is known as Sart with a population of approximately 5,300.

Many other doctrines were introduced and way too many to list here. It is this “church” that Jesus warns us about. The reader should do some studying on the many things that were introduced by the Roman Catholic Church and compare it with Scripture. I’m not trying to pick on Catholicism here. It is important for the reader to learn about church history according to early writers and historians; not just literature from the Catholic church, which I might add is skewed. You will be surprised to discover that many of the Catholic beliefs are not biblically sound. During this period, a Gregorian monk by the name of Martin Luther, posted his objections to the Roman Catholic Church’s doctrines in his famous 95 Theses on October 31, 1517. He posted this on the Castle Church doors in Wittenberg, Germany. This is when the Protestant Reformation (protestors) began. God’s holy remnant began to question Catholic doctrine and they compared these doctrines with Scripture. This is what everyone should do.

Psa 119:105  NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

The Protestant Reformation began toward the end of this Church age. It was known as the age of the “Great Awakening.” Men of God saw the heresies in the church and sought to remove themselves from it. Jonathan Edwards and John Wesley were prominent preachers in the early 1700’s. In fact, John Wesley started preaching in 1738; it is said that he covered over 250,000 miles on horseback! Hearts were on fire to hear God’s Word. The push to have a printed Bible began during this timeframe as well. The first printed Bible in English was printed in 1611 and known as the King James Bible. This edition of the Bible was commissioned in 1604 by King James I. Now we can see why this period was called the Great Awakening. The age went from a time of trusting the clergy (also known as the appropriately named Dark Ages) to reading for one’s self what the Bible had to say. The Bible was forbidden to be read by lay people up until this point. It was taught that only priests could interpret it. What joy it must have been for the average person to be able to read the Scriptures!

This church had a holy remnant left in its midst and they were commended by Jesus for this. Jesus also told them that He had something against them: they were alive in reputation, dead in actuality and incomplete in deeds.

They were not living according to His Word and how it directed them to live. However, to the holy remnant, He said they would be dressed in white and their names would be found in the Book of Life! We see a common theme in these letters – there was always a holy remnant who stuck to Christ’s teachings and separated themselves from the world. The rest were known for works for reputation’s sake only when in reality, they were dead inside. Their works were not a result of salvation but they were done in order to gain salvation. This is taught by many different religions today. Having been raised Catholic, I was taught this very thing.

So, therefore, these “practices (or dogma)” were added to their initial doctrine, bit by bit. In the year 1010, the rosary was added – “invented” by Peter the Hermit. (I was raised believing that the virgin Mary made an appearance and taught us to say the rosary.) In 1215, the practice of transubstantiation was added (the actual turning of the wine and bread to Christ’s blood and body). In 1229, the Bible was forbidden to laymen. We see the results in today’s Roman Catholic Church. More and more burdens were added to the salvation message and no longer was faith and mercy a part of it. It was now a religion of works:

Eph 2:8-9  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:  (9)  Not of works, lest any man should boast.

So what do we have to learn from this Church? Even though we are in the end times and things are occurring on a daily basis which reveal the devil is hard at work as his time is short, we must remember this:

  • Remember that we are alive in Christ – we must share this “life” with the dead, the lost: Col 2:13  And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; 1 Pet 3:18  For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
  • Remember those deeds as a believer in Christ – tell others about salvation through Christ alone; we must care for the poor, the fatherless and the widows. More importantly, the deeds are not to be done for our glory but for the glory of God alone! It is not our works that get us to Heaven but only Christ’s work is sufficient, amen?

As an afterthought, it’s interesting that the word “catholic” means universal. As we will see in later chapters, the one-world (universal) church will be located in a city on seven hills. Rome is the only city that fulfills this geographic location. I pray that if you are Catholic, you will not see these posts as negative comments or attacks on your church. Instead, I pray that your eyes are opened by the Holy Spirit of God before it’s eternally too late.

Friend, it is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved if you are not already. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!

Revelation at a Glance – Day 5

On By KateIn Thoughts and MeditationsLeave a comment

Rev 2:18-29  And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass;  (19)  I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first.  (20)  Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.  (21)  And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.  (22)  Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds.  (23)  And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.  (24)  But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden.  (25)  But that which ye have already hold fast till I come.  (26)  And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:  (27)  And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.  (28)  And I will give him the morning star.  (29)  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

Good morning, Reader! Have you enjoyed reading about the different churches and how we can learn from each one? These posts aren’t all inclusive in their history, nor are they meant to be. The goal is to give you an idea of what was going on during that timeframe.

Today’s letter to Thyatira is quite interesting! In the church age timeframe, it existed between 606-1517 AD. At this point, we see a church that is known for its idolatry. Although the “spirit” of the Roman Catholic Church began as early as the 300’s, the official “incorporation” of the Roman Catholic Church began in early 600 AD. Its basic structure is the same today, i.e. the Pope and hierarchy. With each year, more idolatrous doctrine was added to its arsenal of corruption. Later years also brought: the mass, Mary now called the Mother of God and worthy to be worshipped, the doctrine of purgatory, and Latin being the language of prayer and worship in the church (both imposed by Gregory the Great).

During this timeframe, Emperor Phocas appointed Boniface, then the Bishop of Rome, to be “pope” of all the churches in the Roman empire. The Catholic Church teaches that Peter was their first pope but the Scriptures are quite clear that Peter was the Apostle to the Jews and Paul to the Gentiles.

Gal 2:7-8  But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter;  (8)  (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:)

Jesus commends them for their love, faith, service and perseverance. However, they allowed some of the awful doctrines above to creep into their midst. Note that Jezebel is mentioned in verse 20. Jesus tells them here that she calls herself a prophetess, she teaches and seduces His servants to commit fornication with her, and she also taught eating things sacrificed to idols. First of all, committing fornication here refers to spiritual fornication, which was leaving their first love, the Lord Jesus, and worshipping someone else. Who could they be worshipping? It is not known if this woman was an actual person or if it is referring to the same doctrines that Jezebel held, one of which was:

Heb 10:10-12  By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.  (11)  And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:  (12)  But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;

Heb 10:14-18  For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.  (15)  Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before,  (16)  This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;  (17)  And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.  (18)  Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.

Heb 10:26  For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,

The sacrifice of the mass has one purpose and that is for the sacrificial offering. However, what do the verses above tell us? Jesus’ blood was shed once for all sin! Daily sacrifices by Catholic priests is not necessary. They are not worshipping the same Christ as we are. We serve a risen Saviour and they are all about death. Why? There’s money to be made in death (prayers for the dead, purgatory, indulgences, etc.) according to the Catholic Church’s doctrine.

You may be saying, well what about communion in my non-denominational church? It’s a whole different story when we celebrate communion in remembrance of the Lord as He taught us in the Last Supper. We think on what Jesus did for us and we do this in remembrance of Him and His work on the cross for our sin. We don’t believe, as the Catholics, that the juice is miraculously transformed into His blood and His body is miraculously transformed into His body! This is the doctrine of transubstantiation and Pope Innocent III made it dogma (Catholic doctrine) in the year 1215. Do you see how through the years, beliefs and man-made doctrines were incorporated into this church? This religion became one of works based salvation, not salvation by faith. These are the types of things that Thyatira was allowing into their church. A church should never be tolerant of sin and should be able to recognize it when it enters into their midst. We are blessed to have the Scriptures to turn to and practically every home has a Bible so we can study for ourselves! Unfortunately, the priests and hierarchy were the only ones allowed to reveal the Scriptures.

What do we have to learn from this church today? A lot! We must hold true to God’s Word over what a church hierarchy has to say. The Catholic Church is not the only one that added to these compromises. There are many other religions who have an “additional book” for members to read, which is in addition to God’s Word (and in most cases, supersedes the Bible). The Catholic Church claims that whatever the Pope says supersedes what the Bible states. This is blasphemous, to say they least!

Col 2:20-22  Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,  (21)  (Touch not; taste not; handle not;  (22)  Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?

A church’s authority should never be equal to the Scriptures nor should it be above Scriptures. NEVER! When a church remembers this, they will not be seduced by false doctrine. It is toward the end of this Church age that the Protestant Reformation began. What a blessing to all the churches and members to follow!

One interesting note is that this church was known for its idolatry. Jezebel is at the core of this idolatry. Jesus says that Jezebel was their prophetess. Interestingly enough, Mary is at the core of the Roman Catholic Church and has been for centuries. She has been elevated to a point where members pray to her (the rosary); they claim she has performed miracles; they call her Mother of God, etc. These practices began early in church history but are still going on today!

Friend, it is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved if you are not already. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!

Revelation at a Glance – Day 30

On By KateIn Devotionals, Revelation at a GlanceLeave a comment

Rev 13:1-10  And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.  (2)  And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.  (3)  And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.  (4)  And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?  (5)  And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.  (6)  And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.  (7)  And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.  (8)  And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.  (9)  If any man have an ear, let him hear.  (10)  He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

Welcome back! Our study is coming along and we are currently smack dab in the middle of the Tribulation period. You know, reader, my heart is conflicted: I’m excited to be with the Lord but I am also grieved. I grieve because I still have lost family and friends who think that I am a religious nut. I would rather be known as a religious nut than the person who did not give them the gospel of Jesus Christ! If you want to get an idea of what will happen once you die, this little booklet is a minute read and is right on point!

As we move on, this chapter introduces the diabolical duo. The first beast rises out of the sea and is known as the Antichrist, who is the devil incarnate. Just as Satan entered Judas to betray Jesus, Satan will enter the Antichrist and the Antichrist will do his bidding. He will be a global dictator and will work in concert with the second beast, who is the false prophet. The false prophet will be in charge of the one world religion and its religious leaders. They will team up to achieve Satan’s demonic agenda for the earth. Are you able to see that this one world religion is in its formative years? I surely can. By the time these two come on the scene, people will be ready – their hearts will be so entrapped in sin that makind will not want to hear about their sin or that they need to repent!

This Beast is none other than the man of sin and son of perdition referenced in 2Thessalonians 2:3. Zechariah prophesied of him in Zechariah 11:15-17 and says he is the idol shepherd. Daniel prophesied of him in Daniel 11:36-39. Wow … just wow! This timeframe is in the second half of the Tribulation because we see in Revelation 13:5 that the Beast “continues” for forty and two months. If you recall, the Antichrist comes into power with peace at the beginning of the Tribulation when he signs a peace treaty with Israel. In the middle of the Tribulation, he breaks that peace treaty. He continues to wage war and raises up two imposing figures. It isn’t till this second half of the Tribulation that they impose their power upon the earth. If you think Hitler was bad, history records that Stalin killed 30 million of his own people! The Antichrist will be even worse. He will have this type of evil power until the end of the Tribulation and King Jesus will put an end to that power.

Daniel prophesied (Daniel 11:36-39) that the Antichrist will speak blasphemies against God. This prophecy comes true in Revelation 13:6. Also, Daniel says (Daniel 11:37) the Antichrist will not “regard the God of his fathers” which leads us to believe he may be Jewish but won’t be following Judaism since he blasphemes “his tabernacle.” If he were a Gentile, he would have no need to blaspheme the tabernacle. The Antichrist’s reign will revolve around the following characteristics:

  1. Wickedness – Revelation 13:1 – the definition for blasphemy reveals to us just how wicked he is. Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary defines it as: vilification (especially against God): – blasphemy, evil speaking, railing.
  2. Wounding – Revelation 13:3 – The injury sustained will result in healing and all will worship him because of it. He will be raised from the dead or will be healed which reveals that the Antichrist will be able to do counterfeit miracles. Remember, Zechariah 11:15-17 calls him an “idol shepherd,” which is a good choice of words!
  3. Words of – Revelation 13:5-6 – He will speak great things. It reminds me of today’s preachers who don’t preach the Word of God but preach what people want to hear; words that will tickle their ears. (2Timothy 4:3) Just what is this tickling of the ears? Preaching sin does not tickle the ears, so it will be the total opposite! Today’s popular preachers are great orators and “life coaches,” but they do not preach from the Word of God; they love to speak of prosperity and the “love” gospel. Yes, God is love and He loves us so much that He sent Jesus to die for us. But God doesn’t stop there. Those who do not love His Son, Jesus, and are not born again will receive His judgment. These preachers do not talk about sin and God’s judgment for that sin. Be leary, reader, of whose teachings you sit under. The Antichrist will speak blasphemies and deceive earth’s inhabitants, so much so, they will be led to believe that he is God.
  4. Warfare – Revelation 13:7 – We see war against the saints in this verse. But notice a very important word here: he overcomes them. This is yet more proof that today’s Church is not going through the Tribulation because these saints are martyred. We are not to go through God’s wrath: 1Thessalonians 1:10, 1Thessalonians 5:9, Romans 5:9.
  5. Worship of – Revelation 13:4, Revelation 13:8 and Revelation 13:12 all speak of this first Beast, the Antichrist, receiving worship. Think about this for one moment: can you picture yourself bowing down and actually worshipping this being? It may seem farfetched but it won’t be during the Tribulation. Everyone will worship this Beast, except for the Tribulation saints. Their payment for denying to worship him will be death.

As you can see, the first Beast will be a furious and evil one. Don’t let the distractions of this world sidetrack you, reader. There is a judgment coming and you do not want to be a part of it. Settle this matter once and for all. Don’t delay as the Rapture can happen at any moment. (Matthew 24:36-42) It is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved if you are not already. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!

Revelation at a Glance – Day 4

On By KateIn Devotionals, Revelation at a GlanceLeave a comment

1 Th 4:13-18  But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.  (14)  For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.  (15)  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 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 of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:  (17)  Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.  (18)  Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

Good morning! Today’s verses excite me! It is this very topic that led me to the Lord! I definitely did not want to be here when the Tribulation began! That would mean that I missed the Rapture and would have to suffer through the most horrible and difficult time to come upon the whole earth. This frightened me in a way I had never been frightened before. So grab your favor beverage, make yourself comfortable and let’s discuss these things! 

Notice how verse 18 says to comfort one another with these words? Come on, Paul! How can one be comforted when there’s about to be seven years of horrible events coming to the earth? Why is Paul telling us to comfort one another? To what is this comfort referring to? The topic of these verses is the coming of the Lord. This is not referring to His coming to earth: Christ’s return to earth will be at the end of the Tribulation. This coming of the Lord refers to Christ meeting born-again believers in the air.

1 Th 4:17  Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

If we are to go through the Tribulation, as proponents of Mid-Trib and Post-Trib believe, what comfort is there in that? How can we comfort one another as Paul tells us to do in 1 Thessalonians 4:18? I certainly would not be comforted knowing that with each judgment in the scroll, seal, and bowl as written in the Book of Revelation were ahead of me. There’s no comfort or solace in that – there is only fear and apprehension! So we can only comfort ourselves because we know that we will be kept from those coming judgments! The snatching of the church and taking them to the clouds to meet Christ “in the air” is going to be an event like no other. If you’re a Bible reader, you’ll remember that Enoch and Elijah never died. They were taken up by God. So this is no new occurrence.

Gen 5:24  And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.

2 Ki 2:1  And it came to pass, when the LORD would take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.

Jesus spoke of this in:

Mat 24:36-42  But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.  (37)  But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.  (38)  For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,  (39)  And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.  (40)  Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.  (41)  Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.  (42)  Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.

Will you be one of those taken or one of those left? If you are born again, be encouraged Christian! This series will lift you up and make you excited about what is happening in the world right now. We are not called to receive God’s wrath and judgment on this earth. But if you are not born again and are searching, it is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!

Revelation at a Glance – Day 3

On By KateIn Devotionals, Revelation at a Glance, VariousLeave a comment

Good morning! The sun has yet to rise but Christ’s light shines brightly in my heart as I work on this Rapture study! It excites me and stirs my spirit! I hope it is a blessing to all who read it. God does not leave His children to despair during these times of what is happening in our Country today. The times are changing so rapidly and there’s fear in the hearts of mankind: fear of the unknown! What is this virus and where is it going to lead us? Are we going to remain hostages in our own homes? Are people going to be restricted from purchasing even the basic necessities of life if they are not vaccinated? Will citizens lose their freedoms in order to corral the virus? Americans, and the world for that matter, have no idea what is to come. But the born-again Christian isn’t looking to this world for his hope. We look to Christ! Why? Let’s look and see.

The Rapture is an event that will definitely happen. The timing of the Rapture is uncertain but the event itself is most surely going to happen. The Scriptures below tell us that it is as definite as Christ’s resurrection. Without Christ’s resurrection, one would have no hope!

1Th 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

It is the Word of the Lord! Jesus taught them about the Rapture and saw fit to include this topic in the Bible. Friend, Christ does not leave us hopeless! He left us with His Word to encourage us during these end times! If we are blessed enough to be alive at the time of the Rapture, we will not see death! How exciting is that!

1 Th 4:15  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 them which are asleep.

Friend, it is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!

Revelation at a Glance – Day 29

On By KateIn Devotionals, Revelation at a GlanceLeave a comment

Rev 12:1-17  And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:  (2)  And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.  (3)  And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.  (4)  And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.  (5)  And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.  (6)  And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.  (7)  And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,  (8)  And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.  (9)  And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.  (10)  And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.  (11)  And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.  (12)  Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.  (13)  And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.  (14)  And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.  (15)  And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.  (16)  And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.  (17)  And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Good morning, dear reader! I pray that this series is blessing you. I would love to hear from you to let me know what you are gaining from it. My prayer is that it stirs the Christian heart to tell others about these days before it’s too late for them. My prayer also is that those who do not know Christ as their Saviour would come to a saving knowledge of Him and to grow in His grace!

What we will see in these next three chapters is a pause between the trumpet judgments and the plague judgments. Chapter 12 explains God’s redemptive plan through a woman and a child. Chapter 13 covers the opposition to that plan by the dragon, the beast out of the sea, and the beast out of the earth. Chapter 14 is a proclamation of that plan by three angels and is a wonderful chapter for redemption!

Today, we will look at three main figures: a woman, a dragon and a male child. Let’s take a look at these verses and see what’s in store for those who will be going through the Tribulation. We’ll look at the woman first. The Roman Catholic Church believes this woman is Mary. However, there’s a problem with that. Revelation 12:1 says it’s not a literal woman but a “great wonder.” The next verse refers to a woman giving birth. Any time a woman is mentioned in Revelation, it refers to the Church; she is the Bride of Christ, not a woman giving birth. God gave birth to the Church, not the other way around. We must let Scripture define itself. This woman is symbolic and reveals that she is clothed with the sun, the moon under her feet and wears a crown of twelve stars. Does this sound a tad familiar to you? It did to me. (Genesis 37:3-11) In these verses we see that Joseph had a dream. The product of that dream was that the sun referenced Jacob, the moon referenced Rachel, and the stars referenced his eleven brothers. Altogether we see a wonderful representation of Israel. Israel is also referred to as a woman, as we see in Isaiah 54:6, Jeremiah 3:1, Ezekiel 16:30, Hosea 2:2.

Next we see the dragon in Revelation 12:3. He is depicted as a great red dragon. Who is this red dragon? As I said earlier, let the Scriptures define Scripture. We see in Revelation 12:9, that this red dragon is indeed Satan. I find the description “red” interesting; it is symbolic of sinfulness (Isaiah 1:18) which leads to death (Romans 6:23). This is and always has been Satan’s ambition. He hates God and all of His creation, but especially mankind (1Peter 5:8). Not only does he hate you, but he hates your family! So now we come upon who and where Satan’s power and hatred will be cast upon. This serpent has seven heads (world powers), ten horns and seven crowns (world kingdoms) (Revelation 12:3). Satan has been and is behind all the evil world powers and world kingdoms. Do you see how his tail swept one third of the stars? This may be referring to the angels who rebelled along with him as we will see in Revelation 12:7-17.

Did you know that there hasn’t been a world empire since the Roman empire? But that is about to come to an end. The “powers that be” are hard at work attempting to lead the world into a one world government. We see here that Satan will have authority over all the governments. He is bound and determined to win. His pride never ceases to amaze me, and not in a good way. Revelation 12:7-12 give us a good description of that evil devil, Satan:

  • Old serpent: This deceiver has been around a long time
  • The devil: Diabolos in the Greek – he is our accuser
  • Satan: He’s the adversary and enemy (1Peter 5:8 – he hunts for us)
  • He deceives the whole world (2Corinthians 4:4 – blinds people so they don’t get saved)
  • The accuser of our brethren (verse 10) – he’s relentless; he loves to accuse me to me so that I don’t “feel” forgiven. He hates you because you look like, and are related to, and loved by your Father in Heaven. He hates your life; he hates your children; he hates everything about you!

John wants us to get the full picture about him by going back to when he was actually thrown out of Heaven and cast to earth by Michael the Archangel and his angels! In fact, Ezekiel 28:12-19 describes Satan as well. (also Luke 10:18) From that point, there was no place found in Heaven for them and earth became their playground in the unseen realm. Satan and his minions influence people and bring evil into their hearts. (Ephesians 6:11-13)

Revelation, for the most part, is sequential. But this chapter us a background of events that happened even before Adam and Eve were created. As we discussed on Day 11, the Eastern way of thinking is circular, not sequential like Westerners. It’s difficult for Westerners to understand the Eastern mind and how they view events. So don’t be confused when we leave the sequence of the Trumpet Judgments and go back in time. Think of it as a term paper where you insert footnotes: you jump from the main text to the footnote and read what that footnote says, then you jump back to the main story, LOL! 😁

Now let’s look at the reference for the man child in Revelation 12:5. This is referencing Jesus Christ’s future birth on earth to redeem mankind with His death, burial and resurrection. Furthermore, we are able to see His millennial Kingdom! All will bow down to him. This child will:

  • Rule with a rod of iron (or scepter): Rulers possess this scepter (Psalm 2:8-9). This Messianic verse can also be found in Revelation 19:15.
  • Child will be caught up unto God and to his throne: Jesus’ Ascension, where He is currently and waiting to come again to rule in the Millennial Kingdom.

God’s redemptive plan was always for both the Jews and Gentiles. Abraham was called out of a Gentile nation, Iraq, to be the father of all nations. Jesus would come from Abraham’s lineage, which began as a Gentile, and became the birth of Israel. Jesus Christ was born from that same lineage, reader! Doesn’t that excite you? Jesus’ precious blood was shed for all, Jews and Gentiles alike! Praise Him!!! Satan has always stood in opposition to God’s redemptive plan. We see that in verse 4! He was waiting to devour this child as soon as He was born. He worked through Haman (in Esther 3), Herod the Great, Hitler, and radical Islam, to name a few. All of these attempted to eliminate the Jews so they could thwart God’s redemptive work. But Satan’s attempts can’t outweigh God’s power, amen?

When one looks at the whole picture, it’s easy to see the devil in the midst of it all. One can see his role and his influence over mankind. We are seeing it today; those who are not raptured, will most certainly see it more than ever before during the Tribulation. Please, dear reader, if you do not know beyond a shadow of a doubt that you will go to Heaven when you die, I beg you to please get saved now! 2Corinthians 6:2  (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.) Don’t delay! You do not know if you will ever be given another opportunity to be saved. It is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved if you are not already. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!

Revelation at a Glance – Day 2

On By KateIn Devotionals, Revelation at a Glance, Revelation at a Glance, VariousLeave a comment

Good morning, reader! I pray that you are receiving some encouragement with this series on the Rapture! This topic is what led me to the Lord in the first place. A miracle occurred when God sent my best friend to visit me on her vacation. She had no idea that I was interested in the future of this world. I read after famous ancient authors looking for answers. She brought along a recording of a Bible scholar who was renown for end time prophecy. Everything he said was backed up by Scripture. He spoke of the Rapture: I had never heard of such a thing in my religion. It was then that I found the One True God and the salvation He provides! So I pray that you, too, are searching and that this study will lead you to Christ, our Saviour! Now on with our study.

Two things will happen at the Rapture: the dead in Christ will be resurrected and the born-again Christians who are alive will be transformed and caught up in the air to be joined with Jesus Christ. The transformation of those Christians who are alive at the time of the Rapture is described in 1 Corinthians 15 (below) as the corruptible and mortal body being instantly changed to an incorruptible and immortal one (verses 52-53).

1Th 4:14-17  For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.  (15)  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 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 of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:  (17)  Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

1Co 15:51-54  Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,  (52)  In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.  (53)  For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.  (54)  So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

Isn’t this wonderful? Just as Noah and his family entered the ark and were protected against the flood that affected the entire earth, so shall born-again Christians be protected from the coming Tribulation. If you notice, 1 Thessalonians 4:17 says that we meet Jesus in the air and that we will forever be with Him! How exciting this is to the believer! What an encouragement it is to know that nothing will separate us from Him for all eternity! This is our hope, dear reader! The unbeliever has no hope! I recall that prior to my salvation, I too had no hope! I “hoped” that I would go to heaven but I was never certain.

1Th 4:13  But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

As we continue this study, you will come to see how it all fits together for those who are saved. We await a wonderful event! This event will usher in the most terrible time this earth has ever experienced.

If you’ve read through this post today and you have doubts whether or not you are saved, born again, please leave a comment simply asking me to reach out to you. The Rapture is the next event on the calendar for born-again believers. Don’t be caught unawares and be left behind to suffer through the Tribulation. You may think you have time but the Rapture can happen at any moment. Friend, it is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!

Revelation at a Glance – Day 1

On By KateIn Devotionals, Revelation at a Glance, Revelation at a Glance, VariousLeave a comment

Welcome to this new series on the Book of Revelation. It is by no means an in-depth study but it is a series which will give the reader a glimpse of what will happen during the Tribulation. I’m excited to be writing this one! My prayer is that once the Rapture has happened, there will be something out there in cyberspace that will warn those who are left behind so they can prepare. Some may come to salvation immediately after the Rapture; the Word of God doesn’t specify numbers according to His Word. What can the world expect after the Rapture? The Rapture is not an event that starts the Tribulation. As you learned in our previous devotional series, keep your eyes focused on Israel. Whenever a peace treaty is signed with Israel, that will mark the start of the Tribulation. I hate to tell you this, but those seven years won’t be good at all. In fact, it will be the most horrifying time in the history of this earth! So let’s proceed and receive a blessing as promised in:

Rev 1:3  Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

One mustn’t start reading Revelation with the attitude that it’s a difficult book to understand. We are promised a blessing here, amen? If we are promised a blessing, then it stands to reason that the Holy Spirit of God would give us understanding of its content. When one understands the reasons why it is worded the way it is and one begins to read it the way the Apostle John “observed and heard” it, it becomes a book filled with wonder, intrigue and horror. It’s written by the Author of all things – He is the beginning and the end.

Revelation is interpreted in different ways by different “schools of thought.” I believe that we should interpret this book literally and futuristically. Some believe that it is an allegorical book and full of symbolism. Yes, there are some symbolic things but not all of it is. Others believe that it is for historical purposes only. While some of this is true in Chapter 1 through 3, the rest from Chapter 4:1 moving forward, is very much futuristic. None of what is prophesied in Revelation has happened in history… EVER! Therefore, that view cannot be true.

But when we look at the Bible as a whole, we see that everything revolves around whom? Israel! The Old Testament begins with God creating a people for His own and prophecies are made about futuristic events revolving around Israel. Two-thirds of the Bible is prophetic and it is all about Israel. It’s not about America versus Russia nor China versus Taiwan.

Exo 6:2-4  And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the LORD:  (3)  And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.  (4)  And I have also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, wherein they were strangers.

As we begin chapter one, we see the Apostle John was on the island of Patmos at the time he wrote this. He was imprisoned there and doing hard labor. John was the last of the Apostles – all the others were martyred. This book is the Revelation of Jesus Christ, not of John. The word “revelation” in Greek is apokalupsis and it means “an unveiling or revealing.” It’s appropriate to begin this book with revealing to us just who Jesus (Yeshua) is. He had many names, as we see here in Chapter 1, which described Him and His character.

  1. The Faithful Witness (Rev 1:5)
  2. The First begotten of the dead (Rev 1:5)
  3. The Prince of the kings on earth (Rev 1:5)
  4. The Alpha and the Omega (Rev 1:8)
  5. The Beginning and the Ending (Rev 1:8)
  6. Which is, Which was, and Which is to come (Rev 1:8)
  7. The Almighty (Rev 1:8) (God in NT and Shaddai in Hebrew)
  8. The Son of man (Rev 1:13)
  9. The First and the Last (Rev 1:17)
  10. The Living One (Rev 1:18)

Therefore, we see that He is quite qualified to give the Apostle John all the information that is needed for those who read this wonderful Book, amen? We will read about things that were, that are and that will come in the next post. Are you ready? Let’s hunker down and pray that the Lord of all wisdom will open our eyes and work in our hearts.

Friend, it is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved if you are not already. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!