How God Looks at Forgiveness Continued

 How God Looks at Forgiveness Continued.

I Pet. 5:10-14 "But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Jesus Christ, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen and settle you. To Him be glory and dominion forever and ever Amen.

Matthew 5:4-9 "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God."

Genesis 39:9 "There is no one greater in this house than I, nor has he kept anything from me but you. Because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?

Psalm 10:4 "The wicked in his proud countenance does not seek God. God is in none of his thoughts." Pride does not seek God. Pride is offensive. Pride is destructive.

Proverbs 13:10 "By pride comes nothing but strife, but with the well-advised is wisdom."

Proverbs 16:18 "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall."

1. God forgets

2. He transferred our transgressions.

3. God forgives

      1. I must decide to forgive

      2. I must go to God.

      3. I must get rid of my pride. 

God Bless You always, Sherry

How God Looks at Forgiveness

 How God looks at Forgiveness.

Hebrews 8:12 "For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and lawless deeds I will remember no more."

Psalm 103:12 "As far as the East is from the West, so far has He removed our transgressions from us."

2 Cor. 5:21 "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."

Psalm 32:1 "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven. Whose sin is covered."

John 4:9-11 "Then God said to Jonah, "is it right for you to be angry about the plant? and he said, it is right for me to be angry even to death! But the Lord said, you have had no pity on the plant for which you have not labored, nor made it grown, which came up in a night and perished in a night. And should I not pity Ninevah, that great city, in which are more than 120,000 persons who cannot discern their right hand and their left, and have much livestock?"

I Tim. 2:3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior."

Ephesians 2:8,9 "For by grace you have been saved through faith and not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works lest anyone should boast." Grace is when we know Jesus, Grace is God's strength, Grace restores the downtrodden.

Hebrews 13:9 "Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines, for it is good that the heart be established by grace, not with food which have not profited those who have been occupied with them."

John 6:44 "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent Me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day."

God Bless You always, Sherry for more posts like this go to: sherrysouthard.blogspot.com

Four More Reasons to Forgive

 Ephesians 4:32 "And be ye kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you."

I John 2:9-11 "He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes."

Matthew 18:21-22 "Then Peter came to him and said, Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times? Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven."

Luke 17, 3,4 "Take heed to yourselves if your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, I repent, you shall forgive him."

Matthew 22:39 "And the second is like it; you shall love your neighbor as yourself."

I Cor. 13:5 " Love does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil."

Acts 2:38 " Then Peter said to them, repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."

Galatians 5:16 "I say then, walk in the Spirit and you shall fulfill the lust of the flesh."

2 Cor. 2:5-11 "But if anyone has caused grief, he has not grieved me, but all of you to some extent- not to be too severe. This punishment which was inflicted by the majority is sufficient for such a man, so that, on the contrary, you ought rather to forgive and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one be swallowed up with too much sorrow. Therefore, I urge you to reaffirm you love to him. For to this end, I also wrote, that I might put you to the test, whether you are obedient in all things. Now whom you forgive anything. I also forgive. For if indeed if I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ, lest satan take advantage of us, for we are not ignorant of his devices."

5. We show we belong to Christ.

6. Devine forgiveness is unlimited and unending.

7. Forgiveness is tied to the second commandment.

8. Satan's poison is unforgiveness.

 

For more posts like this go to https:/sherrysouthard.blogspot.com

God Bless You always, Sherry

Four Reasons to Forgive

 I John 19:10 "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His Word is not in us."

Ephesians 5:1 "Therefore be imitators of God as dear children."

Romans 4:7,8 "Blessed are those, whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered, blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin."

Mt. 6:12-14 "And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one, for yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."

Luke 6:37-38 "Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you."

Matthew 25:23-26 "Then he who had received one talent, came and said, Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not gathered seed. And I was afraid and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours. But his Lord answered and said to him, you wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sewn and gathered where I had not scattered seed."

Romans 12:1 "I Beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."

John 4:24 "God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in Spirit and truth."

Colossians 3:13 "Bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another, even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.

1. We forgive because we have been forgiven.

2. Forgiveness of others is a prerequisite of God.

3. forgiveness of others is a prerequisite of true worship.

4. Forgiveness shows Christlikeness.

For more posts like this go to: https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com

God Bless You always, Sherry

God Saves

 Judges 6:1, "Then the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord. So, the Lord delivered them into the hand of Midian for seven years." consider that the Lord did not set the seven years as a set time for the Israelites, but it took seven years for the Israelites to call out to Jesus. He could have saved them in one day or one month, or even one year it they had just called out to Him. We humans tend to make matters worse for ourselves, thinking we can handle things on our own. 

Judges 6:6, "So Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites, and the children of Israel cried out to the Lord."

Philippians 1:6, "Being confident in this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ."

Romans 10:13, "For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved." This is an unconditional promise that no matter where you are or what you have done, God will save.

Psalm 510:15, "Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify God."

Psalm 34:17, "The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles." We are righteous because of Jesus.

Psalm 66:18,19."If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear. But certainly, God has heard me; He attended to the voice of my prayer." God is merciful, not because we are worthy of His mercy, but because He values us. Likewise, He desires us to be merciful to others who don't deserve it.

Psalm 18:6, "In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried to my God; He heard my voice from His temple, and my cry came before Him, even to His ears."

God's waiting for us to call on Him and let Him know we can't handle it anymore. We prolong our suffering by not going to Him. God allows things in our lives, so our desires turn to Him. He wants to save and doesn't throw people away.

So, my question is what is holding you back? Jesus desires a relationship with you. He is interested in your story. He was interested in the woman who touched His garment.

God Bless You always, Sherry

Revelation 22, Heaven is For God's People

 

Revelation 22- Heaven is For God’s People

The river of life courses through it. Clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of Go and of the lamb. The tree of life grows there. In the middle of the street, and on either side of the river was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits. Heaven is for God’s people. Those who have accepted Christ as Savior. The throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall sere Him. Those who reject or neglect faith in Jesus will never see Heaven. That’s unfortunate because Jesus died for the whole world. He is the only means of forgiveness and salvation, for He alone died on the cross for the sins of the world. And He alone was raised from the dead as a testimony of God’s forgiveness. One of the reasons Christians are so driven to share their faith with others is that they do not want anyone to miss God’s wonderful plan for eternal life in Heaven. Only those individuals’ who have accepted Christ’s sacrifice on their behalf, committing their past sins, their present life, and their eternal future to Jesus, will experience heaven. The time is near. We do not know when Christ will return to take His people with Him, but we do know that He will come. As we await His return, we must continue to share our faith with others, hoping to bring them with us to heaven. What a glorious future awaits us! We can excitedly say with John, “Amen, even so, come, Lord Jesus. Rev. 22:20”.

 

Other passages to read about eternal life are:

Job 19:25,26

Luke 10:20

John 3:16; 5:24; 11:23,24; 17:1-3

I Corinthians 15:12::12-57

I John 5:11-13

 

Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com.

J. Vernon McGee Commentary and Dr. David Jeremiah Study Bible

 

 

As you can see we are at the end of the Books of the Bible. Please go back and reread my blogs to further understand God’s word. Be sure to set your Bible passage next to the blog so that you will get a greater understanding of what God has said. It has been a pleasure to study God’s Word and can share it with my readers. May God Bless everyone who has shared in this journey. Sherry Southard.

 

Revelation 21, Eternal Life in Heaven

 

Revelation 21 – Eternal Life in Heaven

It is certain that we all want to live a life in a better world. The only way we can accomplish that is if we live in obedience to the instructions given in the Bible. We remember what the Bible described as the garden of Eden. It was a place of beauty, plenty and peace for both humans and animals. Heaven will be even better. It is indescribable and yet the imagination of all of us. All pain, sorrow, and death will pass away. Everything will be perfect, straight from the hand of God. He promises to “make all things new.” Believers will be given heavenly bodies and live with God in heaven forever. When Jesus lived on earth, He called heaven his Father's house. Heaven is a place where God lives, where his angels dwell, and where his people will spend eternity. John 14:1-3 says “In my Father's house are many mansions; If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself; That where I am, there you may be also.” We have the promise from Jesus that he will take us to his Father's house. Heaven will be a place of eternal joy. God will wipe away every tear from their eyes, there shall be no more death, nor sorrow nor crying. There shall be no more pain. It is filled with the glory of God. God is heaven's focal point. For the glory of God will shine in it and will be a light to all who live there.

1. There will be a total absence of sin.

2. The new Jerusalem will come down from God out of heaven.

3. There will be traffic between the new Jerusalem and the earth.

4. There will be no sun to give life, for God himself will supply it.

5. There is no night there because we will not need to rest.

6. There will no longer be sea on the earth. Fruit and vegetation will be our food.

7. The presence of Christ and God, together with the throne of God will be made visible for all the new creation.

 

Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com.

J. Vernon McGee Commentary and Nelson’s Quick Reference Commentary.

Dr. David Jeremiah, J. Vernon McGee Through the Bible

 

Revelation 20, 1,000 Years Millenium

 

Revelation 20 – 1,000 Years Millenium

While satan roams the earth there can be no Millennium which means 1000 years. It starts out with an Angel taking hold of satan and throws him into the bottomless pit. This is not the lake of fire. To recap: the first resurrection started with Christ’s resurrection, followed by the rapture of His church more than 1900 years later. At the end of the tribulation those that were martyred and those that did not take the mark of the beast and the Old Testament Saints will reign on earth with Christ for 1000 years. The church which is the bride of Christ will live in the new Jerusalem. These Saints will be able to travel back and forth from heaven to earth. There will be multitudes of people still in their earthly bodies and some will be born during the Millennium. These people haven't died but will mingle with the heavenly bodies of people that have died. During the 1000 years people will live under ideal conditions. There will be plenty of food, no diseases, the curse of sin will be removed from the earth. Christ will rule the world with a rod of iron. It will be His way or else. At the end of the thousand years satan will be let loose from the bottomless pit and those who get tired of being told what to do will turn against God and follow the great deceiver, satan. This will be man's final rebellion, the end of man's disobedience to God. Nothing but the final judgment remains.

Contrary to popular belief, satan is not in hell today. He is the one who is in control of the world, limited only by God. In the tribulation, he will have full reign for a while. As we saw he is not the first to be cast into hell the Anti-Christ and the false prophet preceded him by 1000 years. The second resurrection is where the lost is raised from the dead to be given a chance to state their case as to why they should go to heaven. No one will be saved by their works.

In this heavenly courtroom, Christ himself is the judge. Everyone, small and great, rich and poor, the notorious and the reputable will stand without excuse before their maker. The only thing that will matter is whether one's name is written in the book of life. That book has no misprints, admissions, or mistakes. No person can blame anyone else if their name is missing; and they can take no credit if their name is included. Each person can be sure that their name is written in the book by trusting Christ today. Our judgment will be as a child of God at the judgment seat of Christ to reward us. All the lost will be cast into the lake of fire, which is the second death. It is this eternal separation from God. When the lost dies today, they go to hell, they will be raised to face this judgment. When the saved dies today, they go to paradise and then to heaven with Christ on to the new Jerusalem.

 

Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com.Nelson’s Quick Reference Commentary.

Dr. David Jeremiah Study Bible, J. Vernon McGee Through the Bible

Revelation 19, The Coming of Christ

 

Revelation 19– The Coming of Christ

We start with a chorus of elders, the church, Angels and all of God's children including those elect that were left behind. They sing “Hallelujah” that appears four times in the 1st 6 verses. It is the first time it is used in the New Testament. It is reserved for the final victory. It is an expression of praise as the final phase of salvation is coming to pass. The earth will be released from the bondage of sin. In the meantime, it groans. How many of us groan? It's all right to groan with the earth now but be prepared for the hallelujahs to come when we won't groan anymore. Because the devil's church made martyrs of God's people, God is true and righteous in his judgments. This is a time when God takes vengeance on all who hurt His children. This is the time when all those He had called forth will become the bride of Christ. It is a time when Jesus prepares to take control of the world. All the body of believers from the Pentecost to the rapture will be presented to Christ as his bride for marriage. We will for once and all times really get to know Christ for the first time. All the righteous acts we did in the name of Jesus will be our wedding gown and will be our reward in heaven. We have no right to heaven and would not go there except for the righteousness of Christ and the fact that we belong to Him. This marriage of the lamb will take place in heaven, but the marriage supper will take place on earth. This will be a 1000-year honeymoon for both the Israelites and the gentiles who enter the Millennium. The Angels voice says “praise God” and says that “these are the true words of God.” Then John sees the heavens open, and Christ comes on a White Horse which is an animal of warfare. While Jesus lived on earth, he rode into Jerusalem on a donkey. This is the animal for kings and for peace. When He raptures His people up it will be in the twinkling of an eye. Now after the great tribulation He will exit heaven on a white horse to execute final judgment on satan, demons and his followers. He will come to judge and make war “with eyes a flame of fire. His clothing is sprinkled with blood because He is exercising the fierceness and wrath of God. He will rule the world with a rod of iron. Then an Angel announces the end of the Armageddon war and sends the flesh-eating birds to eat till they are full. While there are eating, the anti-Christ, the false prophet and all those who took the mark of the beast were gathered to fight against Christ. What a futile thing to do! At the word of Christ, he sends them all to hell. This is the sword that comes from his mouth. Hebrews 4:12. God created the earth with a spoken word and now His word destroys the wicked from the world.

 

Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com.

Nelson’s Quick Reference Commentary.

Dr. David Jeremiah Study Bible, J. Vernon McGee Thru the Bible

Revelation 18, The Fall of Babylon

 

Revelation 18 – The Fall of Babylon

The commercial Babylon is loved by the Kings and the political Babylon will be destroyed by the judgment of God. This will be accomplished at the second coming of Christ. John says “after these things” meaning, after the 7 seals, 7 trumpets, 7 persons and seven bowls of wrath comes another Angel who is superior to the other angels. He is a messenger of God with authority and his presence lightens the earth with glory. He announces that Babylon has fallen. It is the headquarters for demons and a place of rebellion through the years. They have combined business and government together and denied God's authority. Another voice spoke and it was the voice of the Son of God. He is calling his people out of the world before judgment comes. God has always told us to separate ourselves from the sinful world. 1 Cor. 11: 31-32 and 1John 1:9. Babylon has a long history of many sins, and God kept a record. It is one of the oldest cities in the history of mankind and except for Jerusalem it is the most mentioned city in the Bible. In the end, judgment will come upon the city like a flood. They will get what they dealt out. Sort of like the saying “what goes around comes around.” This godless city was characterized by luxury, arrogance, pride, sin and self-deception. In one day, God's judgment will hit the city with death, mourning and famine and end in fire. Once everyone sees the smoke coming from Babylon there will be a great wailing around the world. Remember by this time, Babylon has become the capital of the world. It will be so much worse than a government shutdown. Everything that was, will be gone in the fire. All the riches, clothes, food, autos, etc. will be gone. While the earth is mourning their loss, heaven is rejoicing. The Saints prayed for this and the prophets predicted it. The angel’s final act is to throw the burnt Babylon into the sea, it is no more. There will be no more music, crafts, marriages, etc. all because God's people were murdered here.

 

Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com.

J. Vernon McGee Commentary and Nelson’s Quick Reference Commentary.

Dr. David Jeremiah, J. Vernon McGee Through the Bible

 

Revelation 17, The Woman

 

Revelation 17 – The Woman

John is talking directly to one of the angels who had poured out one of the bowls. He takes John in spirit to see the judgment of the woman who sits upon many waters. This harlot is the false church, the ones who took the mark of the beast. They claimed to be rich in goods and in need of nothing. There are those who never trusted in Christ as their savior. The many waters are masses of peoples and nations. This church will control the world. This will be more dangerous than any political or other movement. It will have the world under the influence of the wild beast, which is the anti-Christ. Then the Angel carried John into the wilderness. This is both Babylon and Rome. The woman is a city, and the city is Rome, the religious capital of the world. The seven heads are 7 mountains which Rome sits. Full of names and blasphemies reveals how far religion has departed from Christ. Purple and scarlet were the main colors in the Roman Empire. The emperor's robes were purple and Roman Catholic Catholicism wore scarlet. Gilded with gold shows it is pretty in outward appearance and on the inside is a fake gospel and a failing system. On her head is her name, Mystery Babylon. It is a mystery to John because he did not know of this false church until the angel showed him. Babylon is known for false religion. Therefore, she is known as the mother of the harlots and of the abominations of the earth. Today sex and false religion are intermingled. Those who have not kept their bodies pure for marriage and stands before an altar before God to make their vows was and is an abomination to God. Drunken with wine speaks of Babylon who persecuted God's people. It was Babylon who put Shadrack, Meshach and Abednego into the fiery furnace. The Angel tells John of the wild beast and the past history of the Roman Empire which today has fallen apart and cannot be put together until the anti-Christ comes and succeeds but only for a short time. Then he and the Roman Empire will go to Hades upon the return of Christ. Among those are 7 kings who are named by John Vernon McGee in his commentary as Julius Caesar-assassinated Tiberius-poisoned or smothered. Caligula-assassinated. Claudius-poisoned. Nero committed suicide. These 5 kings along with the Antichrist who was the 6^th, came out of the abyss (Hades) with satan who is the 7th to come to earth to fight against Christ. These seven will destroy Babylon and the Roman Empire with fire so that God's word will be fulfilled. We as Christians should have thankfulness in our hearts that we will be spared this period and still have concern for those who will be faced with it.

 

Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com.

Nelson’s Quick Reference Commentary.

Dr. David Jeremiah Study Bible. J. Vernon McGee Through the Bible.

Revelation 15 & 16, The Bowl Judgments

 

Revelation 15 & 16 The Bowl Judgments

Satan, the Antichrist, the false prophet and all those who deny or reject Christ will get their come-uppance. Because of God's infinite grace and mercy God's children will be removed from this part of the tribulation. These judgments that are about to happen are the worse yet. Knowing what the unsaved people will be going through should make us want to be more zealous witnesses for Christ. This is God's final judgment that puts an end to the tribulation. The 144,000 and the saved Gentiles will be the ones with the harps singing the song of Moses. It can be found in exodus 15: 1-21. After this John looked up and saw 7 angels with seven bowls proceed from the temple of the Tabernacle which opened in heaven. Then John heard a voice come from the temple telling the seven angels to pour out their bowls of wrath. The voice was Christ who was in charge. The first angels bowl is the same as the 6th plague of Egypt and had the same type of boils. This sore appears on everyone who took the mark of the beast. This sore can be described as worse than cancer and is incurable. The second angels bowl is like the first plague in Egypt only it is not limited to one area or 1/3 of the land but is of the total seas. The third Angel bowl turns the drinking and all fresh water into blood. He declares that God is righteous in His judgments. God is righteous and holy in all that He does. Those who are being judged made martyrs of God's people and now God is making them drink the blood for the blood they spilled. Those that cried out from the altar in revelation 6: 9-11 are now getting their prayers answered. The 4th angels bowl poured out and scorched men with fire and still no one repented of their sins The 5th Angel bowl is like the 9th plague of Egypt only this heat is hotter, and the light will turn Into darkness. This will happen to the anti-Christ and his Kingdom. Joel 2:1-2. this will be so painful they will chew their tongues. The 6th angel bowl dried up the river Euphrates. This erases the border between the east and the West. Between the Hebrew nation and the Roman Empire. Then John sees unclean spirits come from satan, the anti-Christ, and the false prophet. They are there to attempt to abolish God from the earth. This is the Armageddon. We all know how that turns out. Christ does not come as a thief to His people but as a thief to the wicked. They're not clothed in righteousness. The 7th angels bowl produced a great voice announcing the end of the Armageddon war and the tribulation. It is finished with our great greatest earthquake ever that shakes the entire world. It splits Jerusalem into three parts and moves the islands. The hailstorms come larger than baseballs. As Christ did on the cross he does now. He announces it is done.

 

Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com.

Nelson’s Quick Reference Commentary. Dr. David Jeremiah Study Bible

Revelation, Jesus is King

 

Revelation 14 – Jesus is King.

The Lamb is Jesus Christ. He is going to have the final word. Babylon the great political, commercial and religious capital of the world will fall, and the followers of the beast will be judged. It Starts out with John seeing Jesus on Mount Zion which is at Jerusalem. 144,000 are the elect who went through the tribulation. Then John hears the 144,000 singing on earth and the Harpers are playing in heaven. They are in tune with each other. These 144,000 are not going to heaven. They will live on earth in New Jerusalem. The unsaved will no longer live on earth once the judgment is made. The 144,000 are virgins. Israel is described as the first fruits. The 144,000 will play a vital part in Israel when Jesus returns to set up his Kingdom. These do not fall for the lies of the beast. They're without blemish because they're clothed in the righteousness of Christ. Another Angel means it is a different Angel than the ones we studied so far. This Angel will be a messenger to the world. He will be bringing the eternal gospel, which is “fear God.” It is God's final call before His return. Another Angel comes and announces the fall of Babylon, it is an upcoming event. A third angel passes judgment on those that worship the beast and takes the mark on the forehead. In those days there will only be two choices. Either take the mark of the beast and face starvation and God's wrath of eternity in hell or choose to stand in faith and put all their trust in God for an eternal life in heaven. There will be no riding the fence here. Live for God or live without God. Only God and His angels will see what is going on down on earth, those who are in heaven already will not be able to see. The 144,000 and the untold number of Gentiles will have to be patient and wait out the tribulation. This is how they will endure to the end. Some of them will give up their lives for Christ. Those will have rest from their sorrows and their works will be remembered and rewarded. Then John sees a cloud with Jesus Christ sitting on it. Matthew 24:30. He is king and is wearing His crown. The sickle in his hand is judgment of the wicked. Then another Angel tells Jesus to send forth his sickle on earth. Matthew 13:40-43. We are the Sowers of His Word. Christ is the reaper of the harvest. He will weed out the bad from the good. Another Angel comes from the temple in heaven with the sickle and now Armageddon begins. All the wicked will have their blood spilled all over the earth. All of this happens outside of Jerusalem. The blood is 4 feet deep. That is the distance up to a horse's bridle. 1,600 furlongs is about 185 miles. During this time Christ will not lose even one of the 144,000 and the Gentiles. They will be saved.

 

Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com.

J. Vernon McGee Commentary and Nelson’s Quick Reference Commentary.

Dr. David Jeremiah Study Bible

Revelation 13, The Two Beasts

 

Revelation13 – The Two Beasts

The first beast is the Anti-Christ. The second beast is the false prophet. Both are against Christ, and both try to imitate Christ. In today's world there are many anti-Christs. They all deny the deity of Christ and is the enemy of Christ on earth. The first beast is political, and the 2nd is religious. Satan brings the first beast out of the sea, which means he brings him out of mankind. He is the person who heads up the old Roman Empire. This Rome has fallen apart, and he is the only one that can put it back together again. God has taken his hands off the earth for a while and is giving Satan free reign. Now Satan can never say “that God never gave him a chance.” The little horn here is the fulfillment of the little horn in Daniel 7. The 10 horns with 10 diadems are the 10 divisions of the Roman Empire. The little horn destroys the 3 of the 10 rulers. After he dominates the seven remaining rulers, he becomes a world dictator. All 7 rulers are guilty of blasphemy. The Anti-Christ being like the leopard is astute in the culture of the Greek empire. The foot like a bear is the wealth of the Medes. The wounded beast is the Roman Empire that fell apart. During the tribulation the Anti-Christ will fake a resurrection that all but the elect will believe. They didn't believe in Christ’s resurrection, but they will believe in this one. Everyone but the elect will be fooled into worshipping the Anti-Christ. He is going to be a smooth talker with charisma. He will talk himself into the good graces of a Christ rejecting world. He will make war with the elect and many believers, Jew and gentile alike will be martyred. God is telling the elect to listen with their ears and have faith. To fight against Satan will be futile, and the weapons of today will not do anyone any good.

The false prophet comes from Israel. He is the Messiah that the Israelites will accept. The false prophet poses as Christ and imitates Christ as the forgiver of sins. Only he does not take away their sins but multiplies sin in the world. He exalts the Anti-Christ as the one to worship. Both the Antichrist and the false prophet are miracle workers. The false prophet plays with fire until he is cast into the lake of fire. The elect are the only ones not deceived by this false prophet. He produces an image of the Antichrist that speaks. Those who do not worship this image will be killed. The people will receive the mark of the beast so that they can buy and sell. The number of the beast is 666. No one knows what this is or who it is. The important thing here is not to trust man but trust fully in the Lord Jesus.

 

Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com.

Nelson’s Quick Reference Commentary. Dr David Jeremiah and Vernon McGee

Revelation 12, Israel and Christ

 

Revelation 12, Israel and Christ

Who is the woman, the manchild and the dragon? Many have argued that the woman is the Virgin Mary. Because John said it was a great sign, we know it is not a literal woman but a symbol. This symbol is of the Israelites. Israel is where Christ was born. Romans 9:4-5 and Micah 5:2-3. Christ is the man child. The dragon is satan. He is red because he was a murderer from the beginning. Is called a dragon because he is the most dangerous being in all of God's creation. He is our enemy. The seven heads represent his intelligence. 10 horns suggest the final division of the Roman Empire ruled by satan. The crowns are on the thorns, not the heads so that means satan has delegated his authority to his followers. The third of the stars are satan and his followers who followed him to their own destruction. In Job we are reminded that satan still had access to heaven and occasionally met face to face with God. This was after he became a fallen Angel. We also know that satan cannot do anything to mankind without God's express permission. Now at the end of the tribulation satan and his angels have a great rebellion that leads to a war. Michael the Archangel fights against satan's army. Once defeated satan and his followers are cast down to earth. Once satan lands on earth, he goes after Israel to persecute them. This is the remnant 144,000 of the elect that lived through the suffering of the tribulation. All of those who think they're returning to Israel today for the Millennium is sadly mistaken. They are heading toward the great tribulation. The wing of an eagle is God's grace. He saved the Israelites from the Egyptians on the wings of an eagle, and he will deliver them in the same manner by His grace. 42 months into the wilderness is a time, and times and a time and a half. God will nourish the Israelites with food and water just as he did in times past. As violent as the spiritual and physical battles may be, the outcome of the war has already been decided. The victory was decided at the cross. Always in war, even the winning side suffers casualties. History is filled with examples of Christians who have laid down their lives or been martyred for Christ. These are believers who, in the very act of dying, have won the battle. They understand that believers who have a firm hold on the reality of eternal life will not hold to their physical life at all costs. We as Christians are to be called faithful and we are instructed to live the life of one who serves the Lord Jesus Christ. We are invited to place our lives at His disposal, available to be used anytime, anywhere, to encourage each other along the way and to pray always for our fellow soldiers in Christ.

 

Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com.

Nelson’s Quick Reference Commentary. David Jeremiah and J. Vernon McGee

Revelation 11, Continued

 

Revelation 11, Continued

Killing the two witnesses reveals how crude life will be during that time and how hated these two witnesses will be. They will be treated like dead animals. The death of these two men will serve as an occasion to celebrate and give gifts to each other. It will be like another Christmas that lasts for 3 ½ days. This is the Devil’s Christmas. While everyone is partying, the two witnesses will stand up and will be caught up into heaven. Then a great earthquake will occur and a tenth of the city of Jerusalem will fall and 7,000 people will die. The 7,000 men are followers of the anti-Christ. Then the 7^th angel will blow the 7^th trumpet. The Great voices in heaven are voicing the end of time and it will be a time of joy for all God’s people. The kingdom of earth that is under satan’s rule and will be replaced by the Kingdom of the Lord. All the church in heaven will celebrate and worship God and the coming of Christ. All the nations that follow satan will become angry because God’s wrath will testify against them. All those who say sin is good will find out how wrong they were. All of those who are raptured up before the tribulation period will already have their crowns. Now the elect who suffered through this time and stays faithful to the end will be rewarded as Christ’s kingdom begins. When we see the church again, it will be in the New Jerusalem. The ark of His covenant deals with a covenant-making and covenant-keeping God. He will keep His old covenant with Israel and will make a new covenant with them at this time.

 

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com.

Nelson’s Quick Reference Commentary.

Dr. David Jeremiah Study Bible. J. Vernon McGee Through the Bible

 

Revelation 11, The Two Witnesses

 

Revelation 11 – The Two Witnesses.                                              

The Gentiles will tread the roads of Jerusalem for 31/2 years and then no more after that. Luke 21:24. Every time you see the beginning of measurements, it means that God is about to deal with the Israelites. Here we are dealing with a measurement of time for the Gentiles, after which judgment will come upon them. The rod is also for comfort. The temple of God is limited to the Holy Place. This places us back on Old Testament ground. The temple of today is our body where the Holy Spirit dwells. John is told to rise and measure not only the Holy place and the altar where the prayers are, but also, them that worship inside. God does number the ones who worship Him. The altar of the burnt offering is outside the temple. Since this altar was a picture of the cross of Christ, the implication is that the Word of God is still available during the tribulation period. It is not to be measured. The two witnesses are two human beings that we can only speculate who they might be. According to Jewish law it was required to have two witnesses. Deut. 17:6 and Mt. 18:16. When we search the scriptures we might assume that one of these witnesses is Elijah because in Malachi 4:5 it says, “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.” So, if we assume that, then we might also assume the other witness is Moses because of the appearance of Elijah and Moses on the Mount of transfiguration. It is not so much as who they will be that’s important, rather it is the time that they will appear. These two men will testify until the Beast appears, then they will be martyred. They are lights before the power of darkness. They have miraculous powers to bring fire down from heaven. They are immortal and immune to all attacks until their mission is completed. We are all immortal until God is through with us, then He will remove us from this earth to live with Him in heaven. These two witnesses can control the rainfall on the earth and turn water into blood. They will be able to smite the earth with every plague as often as they wish. Once they finish their testimony the beast that came from the bottomless pit will make war against them and kill them. Their bodies will lie in the street of Jerusalem for 3 days.

 

To be continued….

 

Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com.

Nelson’s Quick Reference Commentary.

Dr. David Jeremiah Study Bible.

J. Vernon McGee Through the Bible.

Revelation 10, Strong Angel with Little Book

 

Revelation 10 – Strong Angel with Little Book

This is an Angel clothed with a cloud. This Angel announces that Christ is coming soon. This angel's headgear is a rainbow. This is to reiterate that God is not going to destroy the earth by flood again. His face was shining like the sun. When Moses came from the presence of God his face shone. This angel's face is shining because he has come from the presence of God. His feet were as pillars of fire. This was to signify that judgment is coming. The open book he has in his hands is the same book that was sealed with seven seals. God held this book and handed it off to Jesus because He was the only one that was worthy enough to open it. After He opened it, He handed it off to this Angel who will later give it to John to eat. It contains the judgments we have already studied. It is the angel's authority to claim both sea and the earth for Christ. You may have at one time owned land on this earth, but the ultimate owner is God himself. Now at the end of the tribulation period He is claiming it all back. The book was called “little” because the tribulation period will not last long. It lasts for seven years and Christ says it is for a brief time. The seven thunders are God saying Amen to the angels claim. Psalm 29:3; Job 37:5. John was about to write down what the 7 thunders said but he was instructed not to write it down but to seal it. To this day no one knows what the thunders spoke. This Angel is telling the elect in the tribulation that it won't last much longer. Now we know that they are still on earth Matthew 24:22 says “Don't worry, he that endures to the end will be saved. The 7th trumpet brings us to the end of this. It is at this time the mystery of God will be made clear. God's going to answer all our questions. All the ones we think we know the answers to and those we hadn't thought of. Then Jesus tells John to take the book from the Angel. John is now back to earth in his vision. He takes the book and is instructed to eat it which means to receive God's word with faith. The word of God to the believer is as honey. Psalm 119:103. The bitterness is in knowing that judgment is coming. Many people love to hear the word of God but when it comes to them having to be obedient to it, then they lose interest in it. After this, John was told to go out and prophecy, to warn people that judgment is coming.

 

Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com.

Dr. David Jeremiah Study Bible. Nelson’s Quick Reference Study Bible, J. Vernon McGee Through the Bible.

 

Revelation 9, The Fifth and Sixth Angel with Trumpet.

 

Revelation 9– The Fifth and Sixth Angel with Trumpet

The fifth trumpet, a single star fell from heaven. This star is an unusual person. He acts with intelligence and is given a key. The belief is that this is satan. (Isaiah 14:12). God gives satan a key to the bottomless pit. We all know that satan cannot do anything without God’s permission. Now God has given to satan permission to open the bottomless pit and when he does, smoke comes out like a volcano erupting and covers the whole earth. Out of the smoke will come locusts who are ordered not to harm anything except for those men who have rejected Christ. They do not have the seal of God in their forehead. These locusts were not to kill these men but to just torment. There will be so many people who reject Christ that they will be tormented so much that they will want to die. There will be people who might try suicide, but they won’t die. These locusts are not like the ones we saw in Exodus who plagued Egypt. These locusts were shaped like horses and will be equipped with armor. They will have faces as men wearing gold crowns. They will have women’s hair and teeth like a lion. Their tails were like scorpions. This will be five months of unspeakable agony for these people. Knowing that some of our children and friends love God yet are left behind will not suffer these things is a great relief to all of us. These locusts have a king whose name in Hebrews means destruction and in Greek means destroyer. This king is probably one of satan's main hench men. This first woe happens during the last half of the tribulation and it lasts five months. The next two woes happen after that and indicates it is just going to get worse. The 6th trumpet was commanded by Christ to release 4 angels that are bound in the Euphrates River. Evidently these angels are evil and were bound to be kept away from the others. Euphrates marks the division between the east and the West. It was near the garden of Eden where sin began. When the four angels are loosed 1/3 of the population will be removed. During the 4th seal, 1/4 of the population was removed. Now over half will be gone. There were 200 million horsemen of the demon world that starts the war. The people will be killed with fire, smoke and brimstone Mt. 24: 22. Even after 1/4 of the population is destroyed and plagues and other terrible events happen, there will still be people who worship idols, who murder, practices witchcraft, fornication and thievery. Fortunately for those who are sealed by God will not be touched by these events.

 

Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com.

Nelson’s Quick Reference Commentary.

Dr. David Jeremiah Study Bible.