God’s final Word – Chapter 20, verses 1 through 6

God’s final Word – The coming earthly kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ

The following comes through the notes of Mark Ramsey.

The millennium in perspective
We are currently living in the church age. This is the time when God has temporarily set aside His dealings with Israel and has allowed non-Jews to become part of His kingdom Scripture tells us this setting aside is temporary and God will ultimately keep His promise to Israel.

I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, (Romans 11:25 NIV)

The Jews didn’t understand there would be two comings of the Messiah. He came as a suffering Savior, prophesied in Isaiah 53, to be a ransom for the sins of the world. The second time Jesus comes, He will come as King of kings and Lord of lords to establish a literal kingdom on earth. The Old Testament promises this future earthly kingdom for Israel in 2 Samuel 7:12-13, which is called the “Davidic covenant.”

When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. (2 Samuel 7:12‭-‬13 NIV)

God’s promise to David of an eternal kingdom. Psalms 89:30-37 makes the same promise.

“If his sons forsake my law and do not follow my statutes, if they violate my decrees and fail to keep my commands, I will punish their sin with the rod, their iniquity with flogging; but I will not take my love from him, nor will I ever betray my faithfulness. I will not violate my covenant or alter what my lips have uttered. Once for all, I have sworn by my holiness— and I will not lie to David— that his line will continue forever and his throne endure before me like the sun; it will be established forever like the moon, the faithful witness in the sky.” (Psalms 89:30‭-‬37 NIV)

The millennial debates
1. The Amillennial view — This is the view that there will be no literal kingdom on earth for a thousand years. This view takes the position that when Israel rejected Christ, they forfeited God’s promises, which were transferred to the church. Now, the millennium will be a spiritually fulfilled kingdom through the church. In this view there is no literal binding of Satan as they believe he is figuratively bound so that he cannot exercise full deception over the world. The problem with this view is that God made an unconditional promise to Israel. Also, does anyone believe that Satan is bound right now?
2. The Postmillennial view — This view teaches that Jesus will come back after the millennium. This is the idea that the world is going to get better and better until finally, Jesus will return because man has created this perfect world for Him to rule. The concept is that Christians will reclaim the earth and exercise dominion over it for God.
3. The Premillennial view — This view holds that Christ must return to earth before the millennium in order to usher in the millennium. Only in Christ and His personal return at the second coming can there be a thousand-year reign on earth under Jesus. This is my view, which believe is unquestionably biblically based.
The Removal of Satan — Revelation 20:1-3

And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time. (Revelation 20:1‭-‬3 NIV)

Revelation 20 follows chronologically from the events of Revelation 19 – the battle of Armageddon and the Antichrist and false prophet being consigned to the lake of fire, in these verses, Satan is bound in the abyss, a place of torment for certain groups of demons for a thousand years. He will have absolutely no influence on the people of the earth for a thousand years until he is released at the end “for a short time.”
The two resurrections — Revelation 20:4-6

I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years. (Revelation 20:4‭-‬6 NIV)

The first resurrection is the resurrection of saved people and they are raised to experience God’s blessings for eternity. The second resurrection is a resurrection of the unsaved, who are raised from the dead to experience God’s torment forever and ever.
1. The first resurrection — Who is in the first resurrection? The first resurrection is not a single event in time but refers to several group of believers who receive their resurrected bodies at the appointed time. 1 Cor 15:23 Here’s the order according to Scripture:
  1. Jesus Christ and a select few at His resurrection
    
    and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people. (Matthew 27:52‭-‬53 NIV)
  2. The “dead in Christ” and Christians who are “alive and remain at the rapture of the church.
    
    Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:13‭-‬18 NIV)
  3. Tribulation martyrs and Old Testament saints at the second coming of Christ.
    
    Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever. But you, Daniel, roll up and seal the words of the scroll until the time of the end. Many will go here and there to increase knowledge.” (Daniel 12:2‭-‬4 NIV)
    
    I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. (Revelation 20:4 NIV)
  4. Believers who die during the millennium at the end of the millennium. John did not tell us exactly when believers who die during the millennium receive their resurrected bodies but based on the pattern of other believers, it seems it will happen at the end of the millennium.
  When a Christian dies, we (our spirit (soul) is immediately ushered into the presence of God.
  
  So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. (2 Corinthians 5:9 NIV)
  
  But there will be a time when we receive our resurrected body-are creation of our physical body that is suited to live for eternity.
2. The second resurrection — The unbelievers who died before and during the tribulation remain in the grave. Their resurrection will occur after the millennium so that they can be judged. Luke says when an unbeliever dies that they immediately go to hades, which is a temporary waiting place of the unsaved dead.
  
  “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’ “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’ “He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’ “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’ “ ‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’ ” (Luke 16:19‭-‬31 NIV)
  
  At the end of the millennium, all the unsaved will be raised for judgment at the great white throne of God.
  
  Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:11‭-‬15 NIV)
  
  They will be cast into the lake of fire for eternity-this is the “second death.”
Death is not the end
When we die, we do not cease to exist. Death is not the end but a doorway through which we enter into eternity – an eternity of God’s blessings or God’s judgment. Are you absolutely certain that God will welcome you into His presence if you were to die today? The only people who are welcomed into heaven are forgiven people-those whose sins have been forgiven by Christ in this life. To receive forgiveness, you have to ask for it.

Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. (John 1:12‭-‬13 NIV)

God’s final Word – Chapter 19, verses 11 through 21

God’s final Word – The glorious return of Jesus Christ

The following comes through the notes of Mark Ramsey.

Is the Second Coming of Christ necessary?
JFK – January 1961 – discussion with Billy Graham. Do you believe in a bodily return of Jesus Christ to earth? Do you believe the second coming of Christ is necessary? Do we hear much about the return of Christ in our discussions or from the pulpits today?

The fact is certain: Jesus Christ is returning to the earth one day. The second coming of Christ is the culmination of redemptive history.

Four reasons the second coming of Christ is important and necessary:
1. It fulfills the promises in the Bible. There are 1,800 references to the second coming in the Old Testament. In the New Testament, there are over 300 references.
2. It is necessary to judge the unbelievers of their sin. If Christ doesn’t return, wickedness and sin will only increase and intensify.
3. It is necessary to depose Satan from his earthly dominion.
4. Christ must come again to establish His kingdom on earth.
Revelation 19:1-10 sets the stage for the return of Jesus Christ. Before the wedding feast can occur, Jesus and His bride must come back to the earth to begin His millennium kingdom. Before they get to the earth, all the enemies of the groom and the bride have to be extinguished. This is what we see happening in the second half of Revelation 19.

After 3 ¹/₂ years, the Antichrist began to persecute Israel and the believers on the earth. During that time, God’s judgments against the earth intensified and those over whom the Antichrist was reigning got tired of everything which was happening and the kings gathered to overthrow the Antichrist in the valley of Armageddon.

The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the East. Then I saw three impure spirits that looked like frogs; they came out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet. They are demonic spirits that perform signs, and they go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them for the battle on the great day of God Almighty. “Look, I come like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake and remains clothed, so as not to go naked and be shamefully exposed.” Then they gathered the kings together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon. (Revelation 16:12‭-‬16 NIV)

The world’s forces are fighting to overthrow the Antichrist when they look up in the sky and see the Conqueror, Jesus Christ. Suddenly, the divided human army unites to fight against Christ. This is where we read about the coming King.
The return of the Conqueror — Revelation 19:11-13

I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. (Revelation 19:11‭-‬13 NIV)

The last time we saw heaven opened was in Revelation 4:1 when it opened to let John in; this time it opens to let Jesus out, so to speak, because the time has now come in which all of Revelation has been pointing and the time of which Jesus spoke:

For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather. “Immediately after the distress of those days “ ‘the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’ “Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other. (Matthew 24:27‭-‬31 NIV)

Jesus is no longer portrayed as He was in humiliation. (Zechariah 9:9 – humble and mounted on a donkey) Now, He rides the traditional white horse ridden by victorious Roman generals. White also symbolizes the absolutely holy character of the Rider.

“Faithful and True.”

“To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. (Revelation 3:14 NIV)

He is faithful to His promises and He always speaks the truth.

“In righteousness He judges” – Jesus came the first time as Savior; He will return as Judge. When He came the first time, He was judged by wicked people; when He returns, he will judge the wicked people. “…wages war” – No longer the Suffering Servant but now the warrior King.

“His eyes are like blazing fire” – nothing escapes the notice of His penetrating vision.

“…(M)any crowns” – symbolic of His royal rank and regal authority. An exchange for the crown of thorns.

“The name no one knows except Himself” – Interestingly, Jesus extended a promise to believers that he will give them a new name “which no one knows except the one who receives it.” Revelation 2:17 (I believe this represents a deep, personal and inseparable relationship believers enjoy with Christ – a relationship as unbreakable as Christ’s relationship with the Father)

“(A) robe dipped in blood” – a picture of judgment; the blood of His enemies.

“I have trodden the winepress alone; from the nations no one was with me. I trampled them in my anger and trod them down in my wrath; their blood spattered my garments, and I stained all my clothing. It was for me the day of vengeance; the year for me to redeem had come. (Isaiah 63:3‭-‬4 NIV)

“His name is called the Word of God” – the Rider is unmistakably the Lord Jesus Christ.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1 NIV)

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:‬14 NIV)

He is the full expression and revelation of God.
The army of the Conqueror — Revelation 19:14

The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. (Revelation 19:14 NIV)

Four divisions make up the glorified troops – the raptured church, the Tribulation saints, the Old Testament saints, who are resurrected at the end of the Tribulation and the holy angels.

“At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered. Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. (Daniel 12:1‭-‬2 NIV)

The heavenly army is unarmed. Why? (Jesus alone will destroy His enemies. The saints did not come to fight but to reign with Jesus.)

I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years. (Revelation 20:4‭-‬6 NIV)

Or do you not know that the Lord’s people will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? (1 Corinthians 6:2 NIV)
The rule of the Conqueror — Revelation 19:15-16

Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: king of kings and Lord of Lords. (Revelation 19:15‭-‬16 NIV)

Here, we see the sword of judgment, showing the deadly power of Christ’s words. Once He spoke words of comfort, now He speaks words of death. The dead will include all those gathered for battle at Armageddon. The rest of the world’s unredeemed people will be judged and executed at the sheep and goat judgment that follows Christ’s return.

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” (Matthew 25:31‭-‬46 NIV)

During His 1,000 year reign, He will rule the nations with a rod of iron and swiftly judge all sin and instantly put down any rebellion. Returning to the judgment at the outset of Christ’s rule, John writes that He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God symbolizing God’s wrath. The unbelievers spurned God’s grace and now they receive His wrath.

The name written on the banner around His robe and on His thigh expresses His sovereign triumph over all foes and His absolute rule in the coming Kingdom – KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
The victory of the Conqueror — Revelation 19:17-21

And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in midair, “Come, gather together for the great supper of God, so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and the mighty, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, great and small.” Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to wage war against the rider on the horse and his army. But the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed the signs on its behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. The rest were killed with the sword coming out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh. (Revelation 19:17‭-‬21 NIV)

Revelation 19 describes two feasts. The first feast is the marriage supper of the Lamb, which is a time of rejoicing. The second feast is the “great supper of God,” which is a time of devastating judgment. Vultures and other birds of prey will eat the flesh of the 10 kings and the commanders as well as all the soldiers.

This is the first mention of the lake of fire in Revelation. It is the place of eternal torment for those who die apart from Christ. Right now, unbelievers go to a place of suffering, called hades. This is a temporary abode of the dead unbelievers, where they are held until their resurrection.

“There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’ “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’ “He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’ “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’ “ ‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’ ” (Luke 16:19‭-‬31 NIV)

As of now, no one is in the lake of fire. The first two occupants will be the Antichrist and the false prophet. Unbelievers who died will receive their resurrected bodies and be judged at the great white throne judgment and along with Satan, will be thrown into the lake of fire for eternity.
What about the here and now?

To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!” His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.” The Jews then responded to him, “What sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?” Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.” (John 2:16‭-‬19 NIV)

Jesus came the first time to be our Savior – to pardon us from our sins if we accept His forgiveness. But, if we leave this world without receiving that pardon from our sins, then we will face Jesus one day as our Judge. The second coming of Jesus Christ will be the worst day of your life if you have to face Him as your Judge. But, the second coming of Jesus will be the best day of your life if you receive His forgiveness now and look forward to the wonderful future that He has planned for you.

God’s final Word – Chapter 19, verses 1 through 10

God’s final Word – Giving thanks to God

The following comes through the notes of Mark Ramsey and the responses of the class.

Giving thanks to God
The Bible lists many reasons for giving thanks to God:
1. God is to be praised first for the attributes of His glorious being.
  
  Sing the praises of the Lord, you his faithful people; praise his holy name. (Psalms 30:4 NIV)
  
  Give thanks to the God of heaven. His love endures forever. (Psalms 136:26 NIV)
  
  Praise the Lord. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. (Psalms 106:1 NIV)
  
  In you, Lord my God, I put my trust. (Psalms 25:1 NIV)
  
  Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5 NIV)
2. God is to be praised for His mighty works.
  
  Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done wonderful things, things planned long ago. (Isaiah 25:1 NIV)
  
  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. (Psalms 139:14 NIV)
  
  that I may declare your praises in the gates of Daughter Zion, and there rejoice in your salvation. (Psalms 9:14 NIV)
3. God is praised for the gift of His Son.
  
  Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! (2 Corinthians 9:15 NIV)
  
  For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16 NIV)
  
  Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem. (Luke 2:38 NIV)
4. Praise God always and for everything.
  
  always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 5:20 NIV)
  
  give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:18 NIV)
5. Praise God for the destruction of the wicked.
  
  The righteous will be glad when they are avenged, when they dip their feet in the blood of the wicked. Then people will say, “Surely the righteous still are rewarded; surely there is a God who judges the earth.” (Psalms 58:10‭-‬11 NIV)
  
  Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it. Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; let all the trees of the forest sing for joy. Let all creation rejoice before the Lord, for he comes, he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in his faithfulness. (Psalms 96:11‭-‬13 NIV)
For what do you give praise to the Lord?

Numerous members of the class laid out scenarios for which they praised God for.

The praise seen in heaven throughout Revelation reaches a crescendo in this passage. The heavenly rejoicing is not over the damnation of those who reject God but because Jesus Christ will soon remove those obstinate sinners from the world and God will be properly honored, the Lord Jesus Christ will be enthroned and the earth will be restored to its lost glory.

This is the only place in the New Testament where “halleluiahs” appear. It simply means “Praise the Lord.”
The first hallelujah — Revelation 19:1-2

After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting: “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for true and just are his judgments. He has condemned the great prostitute who corrupted the earth by her adulteries. He has avenged on her the blood of his servants.” (Revelation 19:1‭-‬2 NIV)

“After these things” marks the beginning of a new vision which takes place after the destruction of Babylon. The text does not identity those whose composite voices make up the loud voice of the multitude, but they are probably angels. The redeemed saints are to join in the praise in Revelation 19:5-8. So, believe the uncounted millions of angels make up the majestic awe-inspiring choir singing halleluiah because the false church has fallen. The great harlot is the false church during the first half of the Tribulation which assists the Antichrist in his rise to power. Midway during the Tribulation, the Antichrist and the ten kings decide they no longer need the harlot and they will destroy her.
The second hallelujah — Revelation 19:3

And again they shouted: “Hallelujah! The smoke from her goes up for ever and ever.”
Revelation 19:3 NIV)

Babylon’s judgment provoked the first outburst of rejoicing; the aftermath of her destruction prompts the heavenly chorus for a second time. The economic aspect of Babylon is now destroyed.

“The smoke rises up forever and ever” indicates that the judgment is final, permanent and irreversible. There will be no more false religion or worldly philosophy.
The third and fourth hallelujahs — Revelation 19:4-8

The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God, who was seated on the throne. And they cried: “Amen, Hallelujah!” Then a voice came from the throne, saying: “Praise our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, both great and small!” Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: “Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. (Revelation 19:4‭-‬6 NIV)

The 24 elders are best seen as the representatives of the church and the four living creatures are the cherubim, a high-ranking order of angels, who cry out, “Amen, Halleluiah!” (so let it be-praise the Lord)

The voice from heaven is likely an angel, since he refers to God as “our God” and he calls another group to join the anthem of praise. These are most likely the redeemed believers in heaven as they are described as God’s bondservants: “The small and the great” embraces everyone who is redeemed.

The fourth hallelujah is proclaimed because the Lord, our God, the Almighty reigns. The evil world system has been completely destroyed and God’s kingdom has come into its fullness.
A song for the Lamb and His Bride — Revelation 19:7-10

Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.” (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God’s holy people.) Then the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” And he added, “These are the true words of God.” At this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers and sisters who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For it is the Spirit of prophecy who bears testimony to Jesus.” (Revelation 19:7‭-‬10 NIV)

In Revelation 19:7-8, God is being praised because a marriage has taken place. The phrase “has come” denotes an action that has already been completed. It’s the marriage of the Lamb, Jesus Christ.

Who is the bride? Ephesians 5:25-27 says the bride of Christ is you and me, the church of Jesus Christ, those who were saved during the unique period of history between Pentecost and the rapture of the church.

When and how will this wedding take place? To understand this fully, we need to review the phases of a Jewish wedding, on which the marriage of the Lamb is modeled:
1. A marriage contract was drawn on and a dowry was paid. The parents usually initiated the marriage contract when the future bride and groom were still children and the marriage became legal when the bride’s father paid her dowry. Here, the wedding contract was drawn up and the dowry paid when Christ shed His blood on the cross, giving His life for His bride. This was the new covenant, joining believers to Christ in a spiritual marriage.
2. The marriage ceremony took place in the groom’s home. When the couple reached a suitable age, the groom, along with his friends, would arrive at the bride’s house unannounced and escort her back to his house, where the official public marriage took place. Matthew 25:1-13. Christ will arrive in the clouds unannounced, to rapture the church, His bride (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17), fulfilling the second phase of the wedding.
3. The wedding feast was celebrated. The groom’s father hosted a multi-day party. Christ attended a wedding feast in Cana where He turned water into wine. John 2:1-11. At the end of the Tribulation, Christ will return with His bride, the church, to celebrate the great marriage feast at the beginning of the millennial kingdom and stretch throughout the millennial reign to be finally consummated in the new heavens and the new earth. In the new heavens and new earth, the bride concept will be expanded to include the redeemed of all ages as the New Jerusalem becomes the bridal city. In the Old Testament God is the Bridegroom of Israel.
Who are the honored guests? (Revelation 19:9) (this is the fourth of seven beatitudes in Revelation). These are believers who are not the bride of Christ but are friends of the bride and groom The Old Testament saints, the New Testament believers like John the Baptist, who died before the birth of the church at Pentecost, and the Tribulation martyrs who gave their lives for Christ. See The Revelation Record, p.389

The angel reassured John, “These are the true words of God” and John who was so overwhelmed that he fell prostrate at the feet of the angel, who rebuked him, reminding him that the angel was a fellow servant with John. God alone is to be worshipped — not the most glorious angel nor the most exalted saint. Only the one true God in three persons Father, Son and Holy Spirit — deserves our praise and worship. At the end of these astounding visions, the angel turns John attention back to the One to whom the book of Revelation ultimately points — He is the One to whom all prophecy has always pointed Jesus Christ, the “spirit of prophecy.”

Transgender idiocy pushed by Democrats to the injury of others

Locker room confrontation boots the girls out of the locker room and pulls school into ‘trans’ controversy

The American Family News lays out an instance where a response to a comment got the whole girls team kicked our of their own locker room.

On the all-girls volleyball team at Randolph Union High, an unnamed transgender female, who is 14, is allowed by law in the girls’ locker room. But his pushback began when a female volleyball player, Blake Allen, told TV news station WCAX the male student had made an “inappropriate” comment in front of female teammates while they were changing clothes. She also claimed the girls had been banned from their own locker room as punishment, a claim school officials later disputed.

That local TV news story, which was later called “transphobic” and scrubbed from the WCAX website, was nonetheless picked up by national media outlets and the story went viral. Within days, Randolph Union High was famous – or infamous depending on one’s views – because it was being dragged into the ongoing national debate over “trans rights” versus the rights of female athletes.

Steve McConkey, who leads 4 Winds Christian Athletics, tells AFN it appears the high school fears a lawsuit from the male transgender student so the girls are being banned from their own locker room.

“That’s unheard of,” he says.

In the same school district, the locker room controversy that dates back to September made more headlines this week. A middle school soccer coach is now suspended after calling the same transgender female “he” in a Facebook post in which the coach tangled with the mother of the transgender student.

That suspended coach, Travis Allen, is the father of Blake Allen, Fox News reported.

“The truth is your son watched my daughter and multiple other girls change in the locker room,” the father told the trans teen’s mother. “While he got a free show, they got violated.”

In a letter to the father, Superintendent Layne Millington called that conduct “unprofessional and unbecoming, and flies in the face of the Vermont Principal Association’s athletic regulations, Vermont State regulations, and the RUHS Middle-High School expectations.”

As the volleyball locker room story took off last month, it has followed a familiar pattern: the mother of the transgender student said her son is the victim, not the complaining girls on the volleyball team. The school district complained it has been deluged with harassing phone calls and threatening emails, which were shown during an Oct. 11 school board meeting in which 300-plus people attended.

‘Some girls weren’t dressed at all’

Another now-familiar claim is that most students and parents support the transgender volleyball player, meaning the complaining girls are in the minority. To push back on that claim, The Daily Signal interviewed several volleyball players, including Blake, who spoke publicly last week despite threats against them by school officials.

“A male was in our locker room when volleyball girls were trying to get changed,” Blake, recounting the incident, told Daily Signal reporter Mary Margaret Olohan. “And after I asked him to leave, he didn’t and later looked over at girls with their shirts off. And it made many people uncomfortable and feel violated.”

Blake also showed the Signal emails from school officials that accuse her of “harassing someone based on their gender.” She is now being investigated under the school district’s “Hazing, Harassment, and Bullying” policy.

(Read at American Family News for corroborating evidence from other players)

Can this be traced to two Democrats: Barack Obama and Joe Biden?

Can this forcing of girls to accept a boy in the locker room be traced to Barack Obama’s proclamation on transgender rights? Does it have its genesis in the Obama regime’s position on transgender students, Title IX, and bathrooms?

Does it have beginnings with the proclamations, executive orders, and legislative pushes by Joe Biden on transsexuals? Does it have anything to do with denying schools funding for lunches unless they teach transgender subjects? What happened to Democrats’ concern for starving children? Maybe they had none.

Or can this be traced to a Church that stands for nothing?

Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:9-11 NIV)

God comes to us as a God of relationship Who wants our cleansing and rightness with him. Obviously, some of the early Christians came from proclivities that Joe and Barack would want to protect today. However, those Christians came away from those ways and became part of a movement to God.

We should return to encouraging such movement again.

…

Trans high school volleyball player sends girl to hospital with head injury

The Daily Mail documents another insane issue forced on American schools by Democrats under the heading of equity for transsexuals.

Footage of a North Carolina girl’s high school volleyball match has emerged in which a player suffered a serious injury after a transgender girl lobbed a ball at her opponent, striking her in the head.

The physical injuries suffered by the female student-athlete at Hiwassee Dam High School were to her head and neck.

It’s estimated that the volleyball was thrown at 70mph – and was described as ‘abnormally’ fast by one bystander.

Neither player has been identified.

And the incident has since had far-reaching implications for how the game is played in the state after news spread how the offending shot had been played by a biological male.

The Hiwassee Dam female player is still suffering from long-term concussion symptoms, including problems with her vision and has not been cleared to play.

The Cherokee County school board has subsequently voted 5-1 to forfeit all matches for its schools’ women’s volleyball teams against Highlands School, who the unnamed transgender player plays for.

The board appeared to dance around the controversial subject of trans people playing sports for the teams whose sex they were not born into.

Indeed, the board did not refer to any players’ sexuality but instead cited concerns over safety.

‘The County will not participate in any volleyball games, varsity or junior varsity, against Highlands due to safety concerns,’ the minutes from the board’s meeting read.

The athletic director from Hiwassee Dam High School, David Payne, was present at the meeting commented that ‘a statement needs to be made that it [was] unfair and unsafe’ for teams to compete against Highlands.

He noted, however, that there were ‘mixed feelings’ from players and parents involved.

(Read more at the Daily Mail)

“Mixed feelings” would not be descriptive were it my girl

My bet is that if there are “mixed feelings,” they are sampling the feelings of the parents of the boy and the LGBTQ+ community.

While I am very happy that these two articles on transgender conflicts did not involve the rape of a girl by a boy wearing a skirt, this idiocy needs to end for the sake of the weak in our society. Encouraging dabbling in this shows no evidence of benefit (since the UCLA Williams Institute shows an increased risk of suicide among transgender adults).

…

God’s final Word – Chapter 18, verses 1 through 24

God’s final Word – The fall of commercial Babylon

The following comes through the notes of Mark Ramsey and the responses of the class.

God-rejecting rebels
Throughout history, the petty kingdom and empires built by proud, arrogant and God-rejecting rebels have come and gone. The spirit of humanism first expressed at Babel has permeated human history ever since. People still seek a utopia brought about by human’s efforts and scientific progress and have no use for God and replace Him as-self styled gods devoted to their own sovereignty. Is that humanism permeating our world today?

The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against his anointed, saying, “Let us break their chains and throw off their shackles.” The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them. (Psalms 2:2‭-‬4 NIV)

God’s destruction of commercial Babylon is the theme of chapter 18. With the destruction of the satanic empire — the last and greatest human empire, the stage is set for the triumphant return of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Judgement pronounced — Revelation 18:1-3

After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven. He had great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his splendor. With a mighty voice he shouted: “ ‘Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great!’ She has become a dwelling for demons and a haunt for every impure spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird, a haunt for every unclean and detestable animal. For all the nations have drunk the maddening wine of her adulteries. The kings of the earth committed adultery with her, and the merchants of the earth grew rich from her excessive luxuries.” (Revelation 18:1‭-‬3 NIV)

This solemn pronouncement of judgment gives two reasons for Babylon’s impending destruction: pervasive demonic activity and wretched sensuality. If this angel were to come today and see our country, do you believe he would pronounce such a judgment — “fallen, fallen!” Explain.

One class member suggested that the angel would proclaim “fallen, fallen” due to the ways America has fallen to transgender ideology, abortion push, lawslessness, and other agendas.

Another class member suggested that he felt that, although the church seems to be muted by the culture, there was the message of the Church. While the Holy Spirit remained, there would be hope.

When John saw another angel, the Greek translation from the word, ἄλλον (pronounced “allon”) indicates “another of the same kind” referring to the angel of 17:1.

“He came down with great authority” indicates that be left the presence of God with delegated authority to act on God’s behalf.

” … the earth was illuminated by his splendor” — the earth is plunged in darkness from the 5^th bowl judgment (16:10) and the brilliant light of a glorious heavenly being who has been in the presence at God has to be an awe-inspiring sight.

” … with a mighty voice, he shouted” — no one will be able to ignore him and his words are words of woe for the Antichrist and his followers.

“a haunt of every unclean and detestable bird” — symbolizes the city’s total destruction and like carrion birds, the demons will hover over the doomed city, waiting for to fall. The depiction of “unclean and detestable” reflects heaven’s view of the demons.

The unregenerate people of the world will lust for Babylon, passionately desiring to commit acts of spiritual immorality with her.

Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming on you. Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter. (James 5:1‭-‬5 NIV)
Judgement avoided — Revelation 18:4-5

Then I heard another voice from heaven say: “ ‘Come out of her, my people,’ so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not receive any of her plagues; for her sins are piled up to heaven, and God has remembered her crimes. (Revelation 18:4‭-‬5 NIV)

The use of ἄλλον (pronounced “allon” and meaning “another of the same kind”) suggests that the speaker is an angel like the one in verse 1. The call is far God’s people to disentangle themselves from the world system. It may also be an evangelistic call to God’s elect to come to faith in Jesus and come out of Satan’s kingdom. In either case, it is a call to abandon the system.

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:2 NIV)

Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.” Therefore, “Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.” (2 Corinthians 6:14‭-‬17 NIV)

You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. (James 4:4 NIV)

Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. (1 John 2:15 NIV)

Believers are to flee Babylon (the world system) so that they will not participate in her sins. The command throughout Scripture is for us as believers to be in the world without being of the world. God’s will is not for us to hunker down somewhere and wait for the end to come.

How many of us are inclined to do this? Why would we do this? Instead, we are to influence the world for Christ without adopting the world’s values or participating in its sins. What impact does Revelation 18:4-5 have on you, if any?

When the angels says the sins are piled up to heaven and God has remembered her crimes — this may be an allusion to Genesis 11, when the people of Babel built the tower to heaven, brick upon brick as a sign of their rebellion against God. That’s the way sin is, we put sin upon sin until we build a wall of separation between God and us.

Notice the distinction between believers and unbelievers. Believers are reflected in the following verse.

“I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more. (Isaiah 43:25 NIV)

But for the defiant, unrepentant unbelievers, there will be no forgiveness only judgment. Does this have any impact on you?
Judgement defined — Revelation 18:6-8

Give back to her as she has given; pay her back double for what she has done. Pour her a double portion from her own cup. Give her as much torment and grief as the glory and luxury she gave herself. In her heart she boasts, ‘I sit enthroned as queen. I am not a widow; I will never mourn.’ Therefore in one day her plagues will overtake her: death, mourning and famine. She will be consumed by fire, for mighty is the Lord God who judges her. (Revelation 18:6‭-‬8 NIV)

The angel is speaking to God and calling for vengeance, which parallels the prayers of the martyred saints recorded in Revelation 6:9-10. Babylon has been extended enough grace and heard enough warnings. It is time for vengeance. It is important to note that retaliation belongs to God alone.

Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. (Romans 12:17 NIV)

Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. (Romans 12:19 NIV)

The angel who asks for double punishment. Double has the sense of fullness or completeness. Double has been her iniquity; double must be her punishment.

If the stolen animal is found alive in their possession—whether ox or donkey or sheep—they must pay back double. “If anyone gives a neighbor silver or goods for safekeeping and they are stolen from the neighbor’s house, the thief, if caught, must pay back double. In all cases of illegal possession of an ox, a donkey, a sheep, a garment, or any other lost property about which somebody says, ‘This is mine,’ both parties are to bring their cases before the judges. The one whom the judges declare guilty must pay back double to the other. (Exodus 22:4‭, ‬7‭, ‬9 NIV)

The angel calls on God a third time to exact complete vengeance on Babylon — Revelation 18:7. Look at the three sins requiring judgement:
- She was proud, she glorified herself.
- She pursued self-gratification; she led sensuously.
- She was guilty of self-sufficiently presumptuously overestimating her power For these sins, Babylon will receive torture and grief. Do we experience these sins today within ourselves and/or “our leaders?”
“(I)n one day, her plagues will overcome her” Revelation 18:8 — the wicked city will be instantly destroyed — complete devastation.
Judgement lamented — Revelation 18:9-19

“When the kings of the earth who committed adultery with her and shared her luxury see the smoke of her burning, they will weep and mourn over her. Terrified at her torment, they will stand far off and cry: “ ‘Woe! Woe to you, great city, you mighty city of Babylon! In one hour your doom has come!’ “The merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her because no one buys their cargoes anymore— cargoes of gold, silver, precious stones and pearls; fine linen, purple, silk and scarlet cloth; every sort of citron wood, and articles of every kind made of ivory, costly wood, bronze, iron and marble; cargoes of cinnamon and spice, of incense, myrrh and frankincense, of wine and olive oil, of fine flour and wheat; cattle and sheep; horses and carriages; and human beings sold as slaves. “They will say, ‘The fruit you longed for is gone from you. All your luxury and splendor have vanished, never to be recovered.’ The merchants who sold these things and gained their wealth from her will stand far off, terrified at her torment. They will weep and mourn and cry out: “ ‘Woe! Woe to you, great city, dressed in fine linen, purple and scarlet, and glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls! In one hour such great wealth has been brought to ruin!’ “Every sea captain, and all who travel by ship, the sailors, and all who earn their living from the sea, will stand far off. When they see the smoke of her burning, they will exclaim, ‘Was there ever a city like this great city?’ They will throw dust on their heads, and with weeping and mourning cry out: “ ‘Woe! Woe to you, great city, where all who had ships on the sea became rich through her wealth! In one hour she has been brought to ruin!’ (Revelation 18:9‭-‬19 NIV)

Nothing an clearly reveals the hardness of sinners hearts as their lack of sorrow over their sins. The kings, the merchants and the seafarers relentlessly refuse to repent and mourn over their sins. Instead, they mourn over the loss of their political strength, commercial wealth, and the greatness of Babylon.

Revelation 18:12-13 is often translated as “slaves and human lives” (bodies and souls of men) which probably references a market for slaves and human trafficking. Today, it is estimated that close to 25 million people worldwide are bought and sold against their will.

Do you think our culture today is much different than this Tribulation culture? Explain.
Judgement — Revelation 18:20-24

“Rejoice over her, you heavens! Rejoice, you people of God! Rejoice, apostles and prophets! For God has judged her with the judgment she imposed on you.” Then a mighty angel picked up a boulder the size of a large millstone and threw it into the sea, and said: “With such violence the great city of Babylon will be thrown down, never to be found again. The music of harpists and musicians, pipers and trumpeters, will never be heard in you again. No worker of any trade will ever be found in you again. The sound of a millstone will never be heard in you again. The light of a lamp will never shine in you again. The voice of bridegroom and bride will never be heard in you again. Your merchants were the world’s important people. By your magic spell all the nations were led astray. In her was found the blood of prophets and of God’s holy people, of all who have been slaughtered on the earth.” (Revelation 18:20‭-‬24 NIV)

There is rejoicing in heaven while there is mourning on earth. The millstone thrown into the sea is symbolic of the stone disappearing into the sea as Babylon will disappear.

I think it is appropriate that we ask ourselves, at this juncture, this question: “What is it that we are worshipping? What have we built our life and hope and happiness and security around?” Remember these “Babylonians” and are the Babylonians of Genesis.

And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.” ’ “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.” (Luke 12:16‭-‬21 NIV)

Maybe the better question is the “Am I rich towards God or am I storing up treasures for myself?”

Democrats and their plans for anyone who doesn’t go in lock step with their agenda

Democrats de-platform those who stand against their LGBTQ+ agenda for children

With a hat tip to Truth2Freedom, who informed us of the de-platforming of Phil Johnson due to a tweet suggesting that the stationing of drag-queen crossing guards at elementary schools is state-sponsored grooming.

Specifically, he tweeted:

…gr**ming your kids, actually.
https://t.co/1vAmdvi2F1

By the way, the https://t.co/1vAmdvi2F1 leads to the following tweet by @LibsOfTikTok

These are the people teaching your kids https://t.co/5cgKsvA5q9
—
Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) October 13, 2022

Look at the Twitter/TikTok video and tell me it doesn’t scream “grooming”

The link goes to a LibsOfTikTok tweet that uses a video posted by an LGBTQ+ teacher who expects and delivers to third graders and other teachers:

Approved words (including “my pronouns” and, implicitly, “your pronouns”),
Topics (sex, transgenderism — neither of which should be discussed with third graders),
Discrimination by the teacher’s perceived groupings of students,
Signage that aligns with a particular political point of view (and likely projects not only a desire for others to align with the point of view, but to display their own signage), and
An expectation of segregation for the benefit of her group.

If you deny providing “your pronouns,” as an adult or a parent, you will likely be labeled as a hater by this purported educator. If you protest having sex or transgenderism dumped on third graders, you will likewise be labelled a hater.

…

Democrats want to jail parents who don’t affirm their LGBTQ+ children

We also learn through Townhall that Virginia Virginia Delegate Elizabeth Guzman (Democrat) has drawn up a law that would make it a felony to fail to affirm the sexual choice of one’s children.

Earlier on Friday, Matt reported on the disturbing news that a Virginia Democrat, Del. Elizabeth Guzman, plans to introduce a law where parents could face abuse charges if they do not affirm their child’s gender identity and sexual orientation. It not only is making news at the state level, but also at the federal level. Rep. Abigail Spanberger, a Democrat who represents Virginia’s 7th Congressional District, located in Northern Virginia, just recently campaigned with Del. Guzman.
Come join me with @SpanbergerVA07 and @timkaine at the Prince William County DMV early voting site to vote early at… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
—
Elizabeth Guzman (@guzman4virginia) October 11, 2022

(Read more at Townhall)

Now we are expected to give up our First Amendment Rights for the sake of the LGBTQ agenda

It amazes me how quickly the LGBTQ+ crowd went from just:

Wanting to come out of the closet,
Wanting equal rights, and
Wanting acceptance

Now the hue and cry comes as the LGBTQ+ crowd:

Wants to lock up those who disagree,
Wants to silence the voices of opposition, and
Will not hear counter arguments or participate in debates.

…

God’s final Word – Chapter 17, verses 1 through 18

God’s final Word – The destruction of the final world religion

The following comes through the notes of Mark Ramsey and the responses of the class.

Two timeless truths
Although the following verses do not encapsulate the only timeless truths of the Bible, they cover two timeless truths central to this lesson:
1. The uncertainty of life
  
  Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. (James 4:13‭-‬14 NIV)
  
  As Christians, we must resist the temptation to follow our natural bent. We must both wait on God and seek Him (knowing that it is, in fact, God that draws us to Him). With that in mind, our plans must acknowledge the control of God and our own lack of control.
2. The fragility of our world
  Reflect on the invisible virus and its subsets which brought the world to its knees (almost destroying our economic and health systems and causing strife within the nations).
  
  Does the uncertainty of life or the fragility of the world impact the way you live? Explain.
  
  One class member said that he is pulled in two ways. On one hand, he has faith in Christ and does not lean on the flesh for this faith. However, his unbelieving co-workers, his relatives that don’t believe, and those neighbors that don’t believe all expect us to wear masks, get the shots, and act fearfully regarding COVID. To those people, we need to comply enough to get their ear; however, not so much as to compromise our message.
  
  Another class member said that she likewise had faith in Christ; however, she had some expressed fear for her grandchildren as they navigated the maze of transgenderism (as promoted in secular schools) and COVID. Therefore, knowing her limitations, she feared for being able to effectively communicate the truth.
  
  One day the world will completely unravel, setting the stage for the rise of a world dictator we know is the Antichrist. That’s where we are in today’s study.
Babylon
Throughout history, Babylon has been an important center of false religion.

Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.” (Genesis 11:4 NIV)

So the Lord scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city. That is why it was called Babel—because there the Lord confused the language of the whole world. From there the Lord scattered them over the face of the whole earth. (Genesis 11:8‭-‬9 NIV)

However, Babylon became one of the world’s earliest empires with great religious pride becoming a symbol for godless, humanistic religion in general.
The great prostitute by many waters — Revelation 17:1 and 15

One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits by many waters. (Revelation 17:1 NIV)

The chronology halts in chapters 17 and 18 as the scene shifts from God’s judgments to the world empire of the Antichrist, the target of the judgments. John connects the judgment of the harlot with the seven last plagues (Revelation 16:1-21).

The harlot sits in a position of authority. The “waters” she oversees are the “peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues.

Then the angel said to me, “The waters you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations and languages. (Revelation 17:15 NIV)

The harlot will not only influence but will dominate the unredeemed. The harlot’s authority will be universal and the entire world will be committed to the false worship of the Babylonian system. Do you see a glimpse of that now? Explain. Does anyone hear the approaching hoofbeats?
Spiritual adultery — Revelation 17:2-3

With her the kings of the earth committed adultery, and the inhabitants of the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries.” Then the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness. There I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns. (Revelation 17:2‭-‬3 NIV)

This is symbolic of spiritual adultery with rulers around the world who are enamored with the Babylonian harlot and false religion. “Those who dwell on the earth or inhabitants of the earth” are technical terms for unbelievers. This imagery is derived from Jeremiah 51:7.

Babylon was a gold cup in the Lord’s hand; she made the whole earth drunk. The nations drank her wine; therefore they have now gone mad. (Jeremiah 51:7 NIV)

The scene of John’s vision changes when John is carried away to a wilderness. John sees a woman sitting on a scarlet beast, whose description identifies the beast as the Antichrist. That the woman is sitting on him signifies that he was supporting her. The initial unifying and controlling factor of the Antichrist’s kingdom will be religion. Do false religions seduce people today? Explain.

Scarlet is associated with sin and the Antichrist will blaspheme God by what he claims and what he says. The seven heads represent the seven past, present and future governments while the 10 horns represent the 10 kings, who will rule as subordinates to the Antichrist. Also, see Revelation 17:9-12
A harlot dressed in colors of royalty — Revelation 17:4-5

The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and was glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls. She held a golden cup in her hand, filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries. The name written on her forehead was a mystery: babylon the great the mother of prostitutes and of the abominations of the earth. (Revelation 17:4‭-‬5 NIV)

The woman is clothed with colors of royalty, prosperity, wealth and sinfulness who is both attractive and wealthy. Something to he admired by the world.

It was customary for prostitutes to identify themselves in the Roman world and the harlot is identified by the name written on her forehead Babylon is a symbol of worldly resistance to God which is described as “great” because of far reaching influence and it is the source of all false, idolatrous and blasphemous worship in the end time. Again, does this remind you of events of today?

Satan doesn’t care what you believe as long as you don’t believe in Jesus Christ of the Bible. The spirit Babylonianism is pluralism, inclusivism, or tolerance – the idea that there and many gods and many ways to heaven in the and times the religion concoction will be so inclusive that it will offend nobody and attract everyone. The will teach everything except the right thing. Do you see that happening today in our churches?
The harlot, drunk on the blood of the saints — Revelation 17:6

I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of God’s holy people, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus. When I saw her, I was greatly astonished. (Revelation 17:6 NIV)

The two descriptions refer to the same group and describe God’s people throughout history. The important point is that false region is a murderer. The vision is so appalling that John wondered greatly — expressing that he was confused, astonished, and frightened by such a ghastly vision of a magnificent figure of the woman with such deadly intent.
An angelic explanation — Revelation 17:7-14, 18

Then the angel said to me: “Why are you astonished? I will explain to you the mystery of the woman and of the beast she rides, which has the seven heads and ten horns. The beast, which you saw, once was, now is not, and yet will come up out of the Abyss and go to its destruction. The inhabitants of the earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the creation of the world will be astonished when they see the beast, because it once was, now is not, and yet will come. “This calls for a mind with wisdom. The seven heads are seven hills on which the woman sits. They are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; but when he does come, he must remain for only a little while. The beast who once was, and now is not, is an eighth king. He belongs to the seven and is going to his destruction. “The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but who for one hour will receive authority as kings along with the beast. They have one purpose and will give their power and authority to the beast. They will wage war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will triumph over them because he is Lord of Lords and King of kings—and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers.” (Revelation 17:7‭-‬14 NIV)

The woman you saw is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth.” (Revelation 17:18 NIV)

The angel is about to explain to John, in response to his wonder. John did not understand the connections between the two figures — the woman and the beast. Verse 18 identifies the woman as the great city — so, apparently a rebuilt city of Babylon will be closely identified with the Antichrist’s world empire, which will be the center of his kingdom. As Henry M. Morris states in The Revelation Record on page 348:

Babylon is very near the geographical center of all the earth’s land masses. It is within navigable distances to the Persian Gulf and is at the crossroads of the three great continents of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Thus, there is no more ideal location anywhere for a world trade center, a world banking center, a world educational center, or especially, a world capital!

In Revelation 17:8-14, John gives a lengthy description of the beast. Scripture portrays him as an
- Intellectual genius
  
  “While I was thinking about the horns, there before me was another horn, a little one, which came up among them; and three of the first horns were uprooted before it. This horn had eyes like the eyes of a human being and a mouth that spoke boastfully. (Daniel 7:8 NIV)
- Outstanding orator
  
  I also wanted to know about the ten horns on its head and about the other horn that came up, before which three of them fell—the horn that looked more imposing than the others and that had eyes and a mouth that spoke boastfully. (Daniel 7:20 NIV)
- A military leader
  
  “He gave me this explanation: ‘The fourth beast is a fourth kingdom that will appear on earth. It will be different from all the other kingdoms and will devour the whole earth, trampling it down and crushing it. (Daniel 7:23 NIV)
- Shrewd, calculating, manipulative politician
  
  He will cause deceit to prosper, and he will consider himself superior. When they feel secure, he will destroy many and take his stand against the Prince of princes. Yet he will be destroyed, but not by human power. (Daniel 8:25 NIV)
  
  and
- The ultimate religious charlatan
  
  He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God. (2 Thessalonians 2:4 NIV)
The “one who was, and is not, and is about to come again” refers to the Antichrist’s faked death and resurrection which the false prophet uses as a “miracle” to deceive the world into worshipping the Antichrist (Revelation 13:14). After the staged “resurrection,” the Antichrist will be indwelt by a powerful demon out of the abyss.

The seven mountains are identified as the seven kings — five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come. Five world empires have fallen by the time of this vision — Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, and Greece. The one that existed at the time was Rome. The other one that has not come is the Antichrist’s final world empire. As Henry M. Morris states in The Revelation Record on page 337:

Though none of these empires every actually ruled the whole globe, each was the greatest kingdom of its time. Particularly in reference to the land and the people of Israel, and these kingdoms’ opposition to the proclamation of God’s Word and the accomplishment of His purposes in the world.

These, of course, have not been the only kingdoms that have been at enmity with God and His purposes. And this category could also replace such kingdoms as Syria, Edom, Moab, Midian, and many others. But none of these were empires of great size and influence. On the other hand, there were other great and powerful empires in the ancient world: China, India, and the Incas, for example. But these had only peripheral contact with the Word of God and the chosen people. There were only six kingdoms that met both criteria up to the time of Christ and the apostles.

Furthermore, all six of these were not only legitimate heirs of political Babel, but also of religious Babel as well: Babylonia, Egypt, Assyria, Persia, Greece, and Rome were all strongholds of the world religion of evolutionary pantheism and idolatrous polytheism. Thus, they appropriately are represented as six heads on the great beast that supports the harlot.

How can the beast be an eighth king and also one of the seven? The Antichrist will be one of the kings before his supposed demise and resurrection and an eighth king afterwards during the second phase of his rule.

The ten horns are the ten kings who will be part of the Antichrist’s future empire who will rule for a brief period of time (one hour).

The agenda of the ten kings, like Satan and the Antichrist, will be to wage war against the Lamb at the battle of Armageddon, who will overcome them.

With Christ when He returns, will be the faithful, the believers!
The harlot destroyed — Revelation 17:16-17

The beast and the ten horns you saw will hate the prostitute. They will bring her to ruin and leave her naked; they will eat her flesh and burn her with fire. For God has put it into their hearts to accomplish his purpose by agreeing to hand over to the beast their royal authority, until God’s words are fulfilled. (Revelation 17:16‭-‬17 NIV)

Having used the false religious system to help him gain control of the world, the Antichrist will now discard it.

God’s final Word – Chapter 16, verses 1 through 21

God’s final Word – The Seven Plagues

The following comes through the notes of Mark Ramsey and the responses of the class.

Judgement of sinners
The Bible is a book of hope and also book of judgment. Because God loves righteousness and faith, He must hate sin and unbelief. He cannot love truth unless he hates lies. He cannot love goodness unless He hates wickedness. He cannot reward unless He punishes What is your position on these statements?

Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them. (John 3:36 NIV)

God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might (2 Thessalonians 1:6‭-‬9 NIV)

If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge his people.” It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. (Hebrews 10:26‭-‬31 NIV)

What do you think of these verses?

The world we live in right now is not the world that God originally created or intended. Mankind’s rebellion against God brought the disorder we see today and many of us believe this rebellion is bringing even more chaos today than ever before on many levels. But, the world will not be this way forever. One day, Jesus Christ is coming back to reclaim those who belong to Him and to recreate the world into one that is free of sin and sickness. However, God must first deal with the evil world of the Tribulation.

God’s future judgment will not come in one sadden, catastrophic event at the end of time to annihilate all of life. Instead, it will consist of many judgments throughout the Tribulation which grow progressively more severe. Why do you think this pattern of judgments are set up this way?
The execution of the judgements — Revelation 16:1

Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, “Go, pour out the seven bowls of God’s wrath on the earth.” (Revelation 16:1 NIV)

This loud voice is certainly that of God se no one ele is in the temple (15:8) The fact that God told all seven angels to pour out their bowls indicates that these judgments will take place in quick succession. These bowl judgments are over the whole earth.
1. The first bowl – Skin boils or ulcers — Revelation 16:2
  
  The first angel went and poured out his bowl on the land, and ugly, festering sores broke out on the people who had the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. (Revelation 16:‬2 NIV)
  
  These judgments are for unbelievers. Those who come to faith in Jesus during the Tribulation will be spared there judgments although many will be martyred because of their faith. One commentator suggests the sores may be directly related to the mark of the beast. The ulcers or boils will break out on the face or hand where the mark of the beast has been placed-loathsome, ugly, agonizing and incurable that bring pain and misery.
2. The second bowl – Destruction of sea life — Revelation 16:3
  
  The second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it turned into blood like that of a dead person, and every living thing in the sea died. (Revelation 16:3 NIV)
  
  With the second bowl judgement, the entire oceanic ecosystem will die. Every species in the sea will become extinct. The sea will become blood; the smell will be overwhelming and the oceans will buzz with flies feasting on bloated, rotting fish. As the oceans cover 70% of the earth’s surface, the effects of this judgment will be worldwide.
  
  In this toxic ocean nothing can survive, and soon all the billions of fishes and marine mammals and marine reptiles and the innumerable varieties of marine invertebrates will perish, thus still further poisoninng the oceans and contaminating the sea shores of the world. The oceans will have effectively completed their age-long function in earth’s physical economy, and will die. (Henry Morris, The Revelation Record, 298)
3. The third bowl – Pollution of the fresh water — Revelation 16:4-7
  
  The third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood. Then I heard the angel in charge of the waters say: “You are just in these judgments, O Holy One, you who are and who were; for they have shed the blood of your holy people and your prophets, and you have given them blood to drink as they deserve.” And I heard the altar respond: “Yes, Lord God Almighty, true and just are your judgments.” (Revelation 16:‬4‭-‬7 NIV)
  
  The earth’s entire fresh water supply will become undrinkable. Can you imagine what it will be like to have no fresh water?
  
  At this point, John heard voices from heaven. The first came from the “angel of the waters.” God has angels for everything and apparently this angel has responsibility over the earth’s waters.
  
  This angel attributes righteousness to God for giving evil humanity what they deserve (16:5 6). What they did to others will be done to them. This is the law of retribution, Why does God get to apply this principle and we can’t? Because God alone is holy and only He is able to design a punishment that fits the crime as He promised.
  
  I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh; they will be drunk on their own blood, as with wine. Then all mankind will know that I, the Lord, am your Savior, your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.” (Isaiah 49:26 NIV)
  
  The second voice John heard came from the tribulation martyrs who are under the altar of heaven (16:7) This voice echoes the sentiments of the angel.
4. The fourth bowl – Scorching sun — Revelation 16:8-9
  
  The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and the sun was allowed to scorch people with fire. They were seared by the intense heat and they cursed the name of God, who had control over these plagues, but they refused to repent and glorify him. (Revelation 16:8‭-‬9 NIV)
  
  The sun will become unimaginably fierce and will scorch unbelievers and they respond by blaspheming the name of God. Amazingly, they know that it is God Who has the power over these plagues, yet they love their sins so much and are so deceived by the Antichrist that they do not repent. Up until this point, only the Antichrist has been described as blaspheming (13:1;5-6). Here, the world adopts his evil character and neither grace not wrath will move their wicked hearts to repentance.
  
  The sun’s intense heat will melt the polar ice caps causing worldwide flooding with the noxious waters of the dead oceans.
5. The fifth bowl – Worldwide darkness — Revelation 16:10-11
  
  The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness. People gnawed their tongues in agony and cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, but they refused to repent of what they had done. (Revelation 16:10‭-‬11 NIV)
  
  These unbelievers refine to accept their sin as the cause of darkness. They gnawed their tongues in pain and blasphemed God. The first five plagues were God’s final offer and humanity’s final opportunity for repentance. There will be no more. Their hearts and minds are like the generation in the days of Noah.
  
  The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. (Genesis 6:5 NIV)
  
  The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, (Romans 1:18 NIV)
  
  They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen. (Romans 1:25 NIV)
6. The sixth bowl – the Euphrates river dried up — Revelation 16:12-16
  
  The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the East. Then I saw three impure spirits that looked like frogs; they came out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet. They are demonic spirits that perform signs, and they go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them for the battle on the great day of God Almighty. “Look, I come like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake and remains clothed, so as not to go naked and be shamefully exposed.” Then they gathered the kings together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon. (Revelation 16:12‭-‬16 NIV)
  
  Now, there is literal road to Armageddon. The demons “like frogs” gather the kings for the great battle against God at Armageddon. Their intent to destroy Israel and the Jews and “for the war of the great day of Ged, the Almighty” and God brings all the armies into one place to experience His judgement.
7. The seventh bowl – the final destruction — Revelation 16:17-21
  
  The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and out of the temple came a loud voice from the throne, saying, “It is done!” Then there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder and a severe earthquake. No earthquake like it has ever occurred since mankind has been on earth, so tremendous was the quake. The great city split into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapsed. God remembered Babylon the Great and gave her the cup filled with the wine of the fury of his wrath. Every island fled away and the mountains could not be found. From the sky huge hailstones, each weighing about a hundred pounds, fell on people. And they cursed God on account of the plague of hail, because the plague was so terrible. (Revelation 16:17‭-‬21 NIV)
  
  The contents are poured into the air dramatically affecting the earth’s atmosphere-like a nuclear holocaust this will be the vest calamity in the world’s history. “It is done” a similar to Jesus’ final words on the cross “It is finished.” God’s judgment of Christ on Calvary provided salvation for repentant sinners; the judgment of the seventh bowl brings complete doom to unrepentant sinners.
  
  The great earthquake will shake the whole globe renovating and reconfiguring the earth in preparation of the millennial kingdom. The great city split in three parts is Jerusalem. Zechariah 14:4-10 describes these changes in detail. The physical changes will prepare Jerusalem for the central role it will play in the millennial kingdom. The downfall of Babylon will be described at length in chapters 17 and 18.
  
  The gentle tolling topography of the world as originally created will be restored. No more will there be great inaccessible, uninhabitable mountain ranges or deserts or ice caps. The physical environment of the millennium will be, in large measure, a restoration of the antediluvian [pre-Flood] environment (Henry M. Morris, The Revelation Record, 321).
  
  Jerusalem may be the highest point on earth in which Jesus will reign.
  
  On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south. You will flee by my mountain valley, for it will extend to Azel. You will flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the Lord my God will come, and all the holy ones with him. On that day there will be neither sunlight nor cold, frosty darkness. It will be a unique day—a day known only to the Lord—with no distinction between day and night. When evening comes, there will be light. On that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half of it east to the Dead Sea and half of it west to the Mediterranean Sea, in summer and in winter. The Lord will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one Lord, and his name the only name. The whole land, from Geba to Rimmon, south of Jerusalem, will become like the Arabah. But Jerusalem will be raised up high from the Benjamin Gate to the site of the First Gate, to the Corner Gate, and from the Tower of Hananel to the royal winepresses, and will remain in its place. (Zechariah 14:4‭-‬10 NIV)
God’s judgement — Revelation 16:15
Revelation 16:15 provides the third beatitude of Revelation:

“Look, I come like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake and remains clothed, so as not to go naked and be shamefully exposed.” (Revelation 16:15 NIV)

After some probing, one class member offered the explanation that we are covered only by the atoning blood of Christ. Otherwise, we are naked before God.

When asked, one class member remembered that the first blessing promised in Revelation was pronounced on the readers of the book.

Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near. (Revelation 1:3 NIV)

We all confessed blessing from reading and hearing the study of these verses. Remember also that this blessing depends on reading this prophecy aloud (and, therefore, sharing the message). Therefore, this remains as one more call to fulfill the Great Commission.

Yet another class member remembered that the second blessing came to those who died faithful to Christ.

Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.” (Revelation 14:13 NIV)

Admittedly, this blessing seemed opposite of the thinking of even us Christians since it centered on the blessedness of the dead. However, considering that the dead are with Christ and observing things from the divine point of view, all agreed that this would be the most blessed point of view.

So, for the third time out of seven times in Revelation, God offers us blessing.

Just as with the offering that Christ gave when he announced “It is finished,” God has offered us blessing. However, sinful humanity has slapped away that offer of blessing to the point that God now announces “It is done.”

God had to punish someone for our sins and Jesus took our punishment. That’s why the hymn writer says:

When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh, may I then in Him be found;
In Him, my righteousness, alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne.

God’s final Word – Chapter 15, verses 1 through 8

God’s final Word – Blessed are the dead in Christ

The following comes through the notes of Mark Ramsey and the responses of the class.

God’s wrath
1. Sowing and reaping God’s wrath – People sin and suffer the logical consequences of that sin.
  
  As I have observed, those who plow evil and those who sow trouble reap it. (Job 4:8 NIV)
  
  Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. (Galatians 6:7‭-‬8 NIV)
2. Cataclysmic wrath – God sends a massive, destructive judgment. The flood (Genesis 6-8) of the entire world; smaller region-Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19)
3. Wrath of abandonment – God “gives them over” to demonstrate God’s judicial abandonment of sinners, removing restraint to the deadly consequences of their sinful behavior/choices.
  
  Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. (Romans 1:24‭, ‬26‭, ‬and 28 NIV)
4. Eternal wrath –
  God’s wrath that will be poured out in the future on the whole world resulting in the sentencing of all unrepentant sinners to hell forever.
  
  The great day of the Lord is near— near and coming quickly. The cry on the day of the Lord is bitter; the Mighty Warrior shouts his battle cry. That day will be a day of wrath— a day of distress and anguish, a day of trouble and ruin, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness— a day of trumpet and battle cry against the fortified cities and against the corner towers. “I will bring such distress on all people that they will grope about like those who are blind, because they have sinned against the Lord. Their blood will be poured out like dust and their entrails like dung. Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to save them on the day of the Lord’s wrath.” In the fire of his jealousy the whole earth will be consumed, for he will make a sudden end of all who live on the earth. (Zephaniah 1:14‭-‬18 NIV)
  
  and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath. (1 Thessalonians 1:10 NIV)
  
  For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Thessalonians 5:9 NIV)
  
  Paradox: God is busy working to save sinners from His own wrath. God’s nature encompasses not only righteousness and holiness but also grace and mercy.
  
  What impact do these categories of God’s wrath have on you, if any?
  
  You have probably heard people say, “I don’t believe in a God of anger. I believe in a God of love.” What is your response? (You are worshipping an imaginary god.)
  
  God is love – no question about it.
  
  Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. (1 John 4:8 NIV)
  
  The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9 NIV)
  
  God is also a God of wrath.
  
  The Lord is slow to anger but great in power; the Lord will not leave the guilty unpunished. His way is in the whirlwind and the storm, and clouds are the dust of his feet. (Nahum 1:3 NIV)
  
  Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. (Matthew 10:28 NIV)
  
  God’s holy nature demands that there is a payment for sin. You can either pay for your sin yourself for all eternity or you can allow Christ to have paid for your sin when he died on the cross for you. But God’s holy nature demands that His wrath be poured out on someone for sin; otherwise, He would not be holy, righteous and true to His nature.
The end nears — Revelation 15:1

I saw in heaven another great and marvelous sign: seven angels with the seven last plagues—last, because with them God’s wrath is completed. (Revelation 15:1 NIV)

This is the shortest chapter in Revelation and it reveals the end is fast approaching – God is about to get rid of evil and make things right. This is the third sign – the final set of angels executing God’s divine judgment.

These are the last judgments and the final expression of His wrath.

The judgments are called “plagues” which are translated as “wounds” which are swift, decisive, and destructive.

These last judgments immediately precede the second coming of Christ and when the final bowl is drained, “the wrath of God is finished” – the final victory of Jesus Christ.
An image of peace — Revelation 15:2

And I saw what looked like a sea of glass glowing with fire and, standing beside the sea, those who had been victorious over the beast and its image and over the number of its name. They held harps given them by God (Revelation 15:2 NIV)

John saw this sea of glass image in Revelation 4:6; Moses and Ezekiel did as well.

Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal. In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. (Revelation 4:6 NIV)

and saw the God of Israel. Under his feet was something like a pavement made of lapis lazuli, as bright blue as the sky. (Exodus 24:10 NIV)

Spread out above the heads of the living creatures was what looked something like a vault, sparkling like crystal, and awesome. (Ezekiel 1:22 NIV)

Here, however, the tranquil beauty of the sea is mixed with the fire of God’s judgment. The believers redeemed during the Tribulation are gathered around the throne. They triumph over the beast, his image and the number of his name because they refused to worship and bow down to him. They are holding harps indicating they are rejoicing and singing praise to God.
A song — Revelation 15:3-4

and sang the song of God’s servant Moses and of the Lamb: “Great and marvelous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are your ways, King of the nations. Who will not fear you, Lord, and bring glory to your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.” (Revelation 15:3‭-‬4 NIV)

The redeemed saints sing the song of Moses.

Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the Lord: “I will sing to the Lord, for he is highly exalted. Both horse and driver he has hurled into the sea. “The Lord is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him. The Lord is a warrior; the Lord is his name. Pharaoh’s chariots and his army he has hurled into the sea. The best of Pharaoh’s officers are drowned in the Red Sea. The deep waters have covered them; they sank to the depths like a stone. Your right hand, Lord, was majestic in power. Your right hand, Lord, shattered the enemy. “In the greatness of your majesty you threw down those who opposed you. You unleashed your burning anger; it consumed them like stubble. By the blast of your nostrils the waters piled up. The surging waters stood up like a wall; the deep waters congealed in the heart of the sea. (Exodus 15:1‭-‬8 NIV)

This is a song of victory and deliverance as well as song of judgment of God’s enemies. The song of the Lamb was first heard in Revelation 5:9-10; 12-13 as they sing of their eternal Redeemer.

And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.” In a loud voice they were saying: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying: “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!” (Revelation 5:9‭-‬10‭, ‬12‭-‬13 NIV)

John Phillips compares and contrasts the two songs:

The song of Moses was sung at the Red Sea, the song of the Lamb is sung at the crystal sea; the song of Moses was a song of triumph over Egypt, the song of the Lamb is a song of triumph over Babylon; the song of Moses told how God brought His people out, the song of the Lamb tells how God brings His people in; the song of Moses was the first song in Scripture, the song of the Lamg is the last. The song of Moses commemorated the execution of the foe, the expectation of the saints, and the exaltation of the Lord; the song of the Lamb deals with the same three themes. (Exploring Revelation, revised edition [Chicago: Moody, 1987; reprint], 187)
The presence of God — Revelation 15:5-8

After this I looked, and I saw in heaven the temple—that is, the tabernacle of the covenant law—and it was opened. Out of the temple came the seven angels with the seven plagues. They were dressed in clean, shining linen and wore golden sashes around their chests. Then one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls filled with the wrath of God, who lives for ever and ever. And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power, and no one could enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed. (Revelation 15:5‭-‬8 NIV)

The temple of the tabernacle of testimony refers to the Holy of Holies, the inner sanctuary where God’s presence dwells, emphasizing that God is the source of the plagues. The seven angels came out of the temple because the time has come for the final judgments to be poured out on the world.

The Greek word for “bowls” refers to shallow saucers handed to them by one of the four living creatures. The smoke symbolizes God’s glory and power as well as His wrath. The glory cloud will remain in the heavenly temple until the earth is cleansed and prepared for the King and His kingdom. This scene establishes the background for Revelation 16.

Once the wrath of God was poured ovo sus Christ because of what He did for sinners; in the future, wrath will be poured on sners because of what they did to Jesus Christ.
Condemned or redeemed
One day every person will be forced to face reality. We each will take our last breath on this earth. Time will be no more. We will each have a spiritual passport clutched in our hand. What will it read? For many, it will be stamped “CONDEMNED” but because of the grace of God through Jesus Christ, others will read “REDEEMED”. What will yours say? The message of this chapter is that you can say “no” to God’s grace so often that you have lost the opportunity for repentance and forgiveness and it’s too late to go to the throne of grace.

And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power, and no one could enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed. (Revelation 15:8 NIV)

If you do not have a relationship with Jesus Christ, now is the time. If you wait, it could be too late.

Liberal repression of the news

Few media outlets report on an attack against Republican volunteers

Two Republicans are attacked as they volunteer for Texas Governor Greg Abbott

Mediaite tells us how two volunteers for Texas Governor Greg Abbott were attacked in Humble (north of Houston).

Two volunteers for Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s re-election campaign were attacked by a man near Houston, local officials told Fox News.

While door-knocking in Humble, Texas, the two volunteers were chased and attacked by a man who ripped the side view mirrors off their car, Abbott’s campaign said in a statement. He was reportedly arrested and charged with criminal mischief.

According to the campaign:

Yesterday, two Texans for Greg Abbott volunteers were assaulted by a man in the Humble while they were knocking on doors. The man chased the volunteers through a neighborhood, tried to drag them out of their car, and punched both side view mirrors off of the vehicle. The volunteers called police, who responded to the scene. After identifying the suspect, and finding pieces of the vehicle in his trash can, Harris County authorities took the suspect into custody and charged him with criminal mischief.

“Political violence is never acceptable,” Mark Miner, the communications director for Abbott’s campaign, said in a statement. “With just over a month until Election Day, the passion to win should never bubble over into something more dangerous. There is no place for this in Texas.”

(Read more at Mediaite and see photos of the car used)

Although the left always whines the most about our being able to protect ourselves, it has been the violent left that has hurt and killed

It has been the Left’s “bail reform” that has let felons onto the streets.

It was a loony Bernie supporter that shot Steve Scalise. It was a Democrat who ran over and killed a Republican teen.

However, we don’t know this (since this is not the focus of the media).

…

A media giant hides the story of a Republican teen being killed by a Democrat who held political grudges

CBS hides the alleged political motive behind a hit-and-run of Republican

Breitbart lays out the facts when CBS tries to obscure those inconvenient facts.

CBS News, a far-left propaganda outlet that spreads lies and conspiracy theories, is deliberately deceiving its readers about the reported motive behind the hit-and-run murder of an 18-year-old North Dakota man.

In the immediate wake of His Fraudulency Joe Biden declaring 65 million Trump supporters threats to America, 41-year-old Shannon Brandt deliberately ran down teenager Cayler Ellingson over a “political argument,” according to police reports. Police add that on the 911 call, Brandt accused the teenager of being “part of a Republican extremist group and [Brandt claimed] that he was afraid they were ‘coming to get him.’”

According to Ellingson’s mother, her son called her that night and asked if she knew who Brandt was. She did. Ellingson’s mother says her son called back later and said “he” or “they” were chasing him. After that, she wasn’t able to reach her son.

What makes this story a story is the alleged political motive, is the police reporting that this young man was run down for no other sin than being a Republican.

Because CBS finds that information inconvenient to the false narrative that only Trump supporters are violent threats to democracy, CBS chose to deceive its readers by not revealing the reported motive, which, per the police, was stated by the alleged murderer.

“North Dakota driver charged with fatally striking teenager says he purposely hit the teen after a political argument,” reads the CBS headline. Oh, okay … Please tell me more, CBS News. But wouldn’t you know it, nowhere does the story mention that the alleged murderer believed his victim was a dangerous Republican and a threat to him.

(Read more at Breitbart)

If this were a felon being held down by a cop

If, instead of a White Republican teen run over and killed by a Democrat who got out on bail within a week, a Black felon had been killed by a cop — would there be riots? Seems to me there were.

Seems to me that I not only watched Democrats riot for two years over that, I also saw:

A presidential candidate and his running mate contribute to the bail of felon rioters
Promises from Democrats that the riots would continue until they won
Televised ads this past weekend showing a female relative of the Black felon who died (where she said so much more needed to be done)

Since we are sinners, more needs to be done. All of us have a self-centered nature and look out for ourselves. Therefore, there will always be a need to help others. However, why is it always liberals that seem to ignore half of the equation?

A liberal company and its subsidiary uses financial discrimination to suppress dissention against radical gay agenda

“Gays Against Groomers” organization banned from PayPal and Venmo

Florida Voice reported on the discrimination against “Gays Against Groomers” by PayPal and its subsidiary Venmo.

The organization Gays Against Groomers announced they are banned from making any transactions with large payment processors PayPal and Venmo.

Gays Against Groomers is a coalition of gay people created to stop the sexualization and abuse of young children. They were recently seen outside of a meeting with a digital billboard displaying anti-grooming messaging at a Miami-Dade County school board meeting.
BREAKING: We have just been BANNED from @Venmo and @PayPal (within minutes of each other) for “violating” their use… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
—
Gays Against Gr██mers (@againstgrmrs) September 20, 2022

The Miami-Dade School Board voted 8-1 against the H-11 action which would recognize October as ‘LGBTQ+ History Month.’ The proposal was rejected because parents believed it conflicted with the state’s Parental Rights in Education bill, which Gays Against Groomers also were not in favor of, saying it was parents’ right to decide whether to teach their children about gay and lesbian rights rather than teachers in public schools.

“We are an organization that consists entirely of gay people whose only mission is to safeguard children from abuse,” they say. “Woke homophobia is real.”

Moms for Liberty had a similar altercation with PayPal, having its funds frozen by the payment processing corporation. In August, DeSantis helped play a role in influencing the company to unfreeze their funds.

They said PayPal unfroze the money in the group’s account following Gov. Ron DeSantis’ announcement last week that Florida would crack down on “woke” banking.

(Read more at Florida Voice)

I would hope that those gays who stand against grooming would speak out; however, it doesn’t seem the social media giants approve

If anyone has a voice that differs from the social media giants (as I do), they should expect to be minimized, defunded, and otherwise brought down.

…

Liberals pushing false narratives again (remember the Russian collusion hoax)

A TikTok influencer tells how a Democrat group offered to pay him $400 to push a false narrative

The Federalist outlines a case where a TikTok influencer was approached with an offer to push a false narrative.

A left-wing nonprofit focused on “fighting disinformation” allegedly offered a TikTok influencer $400 to spread lies about Republican involvement in the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol riot.

Preston Moore, a lawyer with a large following on TikTok, told his followers in a video on his account that he was approached by the Good Information Foundation to make an “anti-Donald Trump propaganda post related to the January 6 investigation that is completely not true.”

After Preston said he was interested in collaborating, the foundation reportedly told him what to include in his post, including “images and scenes from the January 6th insurrection” and talking points like “the violence on January 6 was actually planned and paid for by Trump Republicans.” Specifically, the foundation told Preston he could say that the “Trump campaign paid literally millions of dollars to make January 6 happen” and that many Trump officials and Republican members of Congress were involved.

Other examples of “key messaging” Preston says the foundation highlighted for him to include was that “there is an ongoing threat of political violence or MAGA Republicans trying to overturn elections,” and that he should try to channel the anger of his followers to make them, as he summarized, “more likely to vote in the midterms.”

When Moore responded to the email by asking, “What is the basis for the claim that the Trump campaign itself paid millions of dollars to make the January 6 siege of the Capitol happen?” he says the foundation refused to answer his question.

“We know of only one person who blew the whistle, but God only knows how many people are taking them up on this,” Scott Walter, president of Capital Research Center, told The Federalist. “Just how many TikTokers are they doing this with? How many Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook accounts are they targeting? How much money have they allocated? Because $400 is total chump change for these guys.”

(Read more at The Federalist)

Based on this, how much information can you trust from TikTok?

Then again, if I got my news from the source of the Tide pod challenge, maybe trust isn’t the central issue. Maybe I’m not really looking for information, but entertainment.

…

Again, a social media giant limits the conversation by removing a group

TikTok bans CatholicVote after they flag videos on LGBTQ agenda for kids

CatholicVote shows the hypocrisy of TikTok in their removal of CatholicVote.

The Big Tech video platform banned CatholicVote “for ‘hateful behavior’ after it posted videos calling attention to sexualized LGBT-themed children’s books and drag shows intended for kids,” reported Caroline Downey at the National Review:

While the platform has flagged the organization’s content in the past, today it was formally locked out from its account, Joshua Mercer, communications director for CatholicVote.org, told National Review.

TikTok had previously restricted the CatholicVote account on two occasions.

In one video, CatholicVote intern Ethan Potter read passages of the “Pride”-themed book “Rick,” about a ten-year-old boy learning about sex and “gender identities” from an LGBTQ after-school program.

In the other case, CatholicVote posted a clip from a local news report about a drag event in Texas, where children were filmed interacting with an obscene performer. A woman who protested the event tells reporters in the video that she opposes drag events in general, but would not be getting involved if it weren’t for the children being exposed to it. “It’s kids now,” she says.

“It started with drag queen story hour, now it’s children’s books about sex and 10-year-olds throwing cash at grown men,” CatholicVote’s caption stated.

In both instances, TikTok claimed the posts were in “violation” of the platform’s “hateful behavior” policy. “We do not tolerate content that attacks or incites violence against an individual or a group of individuals on the basis of protected attributes,” read a notification sent to CatholicVote. “We do not allow content that includes hate speech, and we remove it from our platform. We also suspend or ban accounts that have multiple hate speech violations.”

(Read the full article at CatholicVote)

Here, TikTok seems to show its CCP credentials

By eliminating the voice of CatholicVote, TikTok shows its origins with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

…

Does this refer to the inclusion of conservative ideas or actual misinformation?

A report suggests that TikTok search results are riddled with misinformation

Detroit News mentions a report suggesting that TikTok searches result in multiple instances of misinformation.

TikTok may be the platform of choice for catchy videos, but anyone using it to learn about COVID-19, climate change or Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is likely to encounter misleading information, according to a research report published Wednesday.

Researchers at NewsGuard searched for content about prominent news topics on TikTok and say they found that nearly 1 in 5 of the videos automatically suggested by the platform contained misinformation.

Searches for information about “mRNA vaccine,” for instance, yielded five videos (out of the first 10) that contained misinformation, including baseless claims that the COVID-19 vaccine causes “permanent damage in children’s critical organs.”

Researchers looking for information about abortion, the 2020 election, the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, climate change or Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on TikTok found similarly misleading videos scattered among more accurate clips.

The amount of misinformation — and the ease with which it can be found — is especially troubling given TikTok’s popularity with young people, according to Steven Brill, founder of NewsGuard, a firm that monitors misinformation.

TikTok is the second most popular domain in the world, according to online performance and security company Cloudflare, exceeded only by Google.

Brill questioned whether ByteDance, the Chinese company that owns TikTok, is doing enough to stop misinformation or whether it deliberately allows misinformation to proliferate as a way to sow confusion in the U.S. and other Western democracies.

“It’s either incompetence or it’s something worse,” Brill told The Associated Press.

TikTok released a statement in response to NewsGuard’s report noting that its community guidelines prohibit harmful misinformation and that it works to promote authoritative content about important topics like COVID-19.

“We do not allow harmful misinformation, including medical misinformation, and we will remove it from the platform,” the company said.

(Read more at Detroit News)

Does this surprise anyone?

When the left (the source of the Russian collusion hoax, the golden showers hoax, and numerous other lies broadcast as fact for years) controls a media, they include lies. When the left (those who ignored the Hunter Biden laptop, Joe Biden’s Council on Foreign Relations “Well, son-of-a-bitch” admission on getting a prosecutor fired who was investigating his family, and many other oversights) controls the media, they sweep many things that would damn them under the rug.

…

God’s final Word – The coming earthly kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ

Share this:

Like this:

God’s final Word – The glorious return of Jesus Christ

Share this:

Like this:

God’s final Word – Giving thanks to God

Share this:

Like this:

Locker room confrontation boots the girls out of the locker room and pulls school into ‘trans’ controversy

Can this be traced to two Democrats: Barack Obama and Joe Biden?

Or can this be traced to a Church that stands for nothing?

Trans high school volleyball player sends girl to hospital with head injury

“Mixed feelings” would not be descriptive were it my girl

Share this:

Like this:

God’s final Word – The fall of commercial Babylon

Share this:

Like this:

Democrats de-platform those who stand against their LGBTQ+ agenda for children

Look at the Twitter/TikTok video and tell me it doesn’t scream “grooming”

Democrats want to jail parents who don’t affirm their LGBTQ+ children

Now we are expected to give up our First Amendment Rights for the sake of the LGBTQ agenda

Share this:

Like this:

God’s final Word – The destruction of the final world religion

Share this:

Like this:

God’s final Word – The Seven Plagues

Share this:

Like this:

God’s final Word – Blessed are the dead in Christ

Share this:

Like this:

Few media outlets report on an attack against Republican volunteers

Two Republicans are attacked as they volunteer for Texas Governor Greg Abbott

Although the left always whines the most about our being able to protect ourselves, it has been the violent left that has hurt and killed

A media giant hides the story of a Republican teen being killed by a Democrat who held political grudges

CBS hides the alleged political motive behind a hit-and-run of Republican

If this were a felon being held down by a cop

A liberal company and its subsidiary uses financial discrimination to suppress dissention against radical gay agenda

“Gays Against Groomers” organization banned from PayPal and Venmo

I would hope that those gays who stand against grooming would speak out; however, it doesn’t seem the social media giants approve

Liberals pushing false narratives again (remember the Russian collusion hoax)

A TikTok influencer tells how a Democrat group offered to pay him $400 to push a false narrative

Based on this, how much information can you trust from TikTok?

Again, a social media giant limits the conversation by removing a group

TikTok bans CatholicVote after they flag videos on LGBTQ agenda for kids

Here, TikTok seems to show its CCP credentials

Does this refer to the inclusion of conservative ideas or actual misinformation?

A report suggests that TikTok search results are riddled with misinformation

Does this surprise anyone?

Share this:

Like this: