Bible Study With Jairus

#Bible Study With #Jairus #Deuteronomy 32 Verse 2 The Law is like Rain

#Bible Study With #Jairus #Deuteronomy 32 Verse 2 The Law is like Rain

 

May my teaching drop as the rain,
    my speech distill as the dew,
like gentle rain upon the tender grass,
    and like showers upon the herb.

 

To help you understand this verse, I want you to close your eyes and imagine the four pictures that Moses points in this verse. He likens his words to rain, dews, raindrops, and showers to water the plants and provide for human life on earth.

 

First, please imagine you are watching rain drizzling against a windowpane, falling from the sky, and gently dropping to the ground. Second, please imagine drops of dew on the grass when you walk out of your house in the morning. Thirdly please imagine raindrops on a bush or plant. You can see the drops that still linger on the tip of a blade of grass or on the leaves of a water lily. Fourth, please imagine gentle showers falling on your garden so you don’t need to water them.

 

In this verse, Moses painted a picture of the law as a nourishing dew or a gentle, life-giving shower. He did not liken his words to storms, floods, typhoons, or tsunamis.  But in the later portion of this chapter, Moses warned the Israelites about the chastisement that would come upon them if they didn’t heed his gentle words. If they rejected the gentle rainfall of his word, they would experience the flood of condemnation. The law brings life, but if you disobey the law, it becomes a curse and a source of condemnation.

 

The Law first teaches and admonishes before correcting and disciplining. A good parent will speak gently at first, but will later discipline the child if they don’t obey. In the same way, the law protects and teaches us when we are spiritually immature (Galatians 3:24). Paul made it clear the law is good, but the person who cannot follow the law is the problem. Is the mother wrong to discipline her child? Most of the time, it is the children who are in the wrong.

 

Ultimately, Moses reminded the Israelites that God would one day have compassion on His people. After their time of discipline was over, God would again have compassion on them. No punishment or chastisement or anything else can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus (see Romans 8:38-39).  Moses did not mention Jesus’s name in this passage, but he alludes to the coming Savior. The Apostle John said, “For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (John 1:17 ESV).

#Bible Study With #Jairus #Deuteronomy 32 Verse 1 Heaven and Earth are awaiting the coming of Jesus Christ

#Bible Study With #Jairus #Deuteronomy 32 Verse 1 Heaven and Earth are awaiting the coming of Jesus Christ

 

“Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak,   and let the earth hear the words of my mouth.”

 

We often say, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” In Deuteronomy 32, God gives the people of Israel a poem filled with pictorial language. Understanding pictorial language will help us grasp the prophetic and poetic language of the Bible. Since many of God’s truths are from the spiritual realm, a picture or metaphor can help us understand them. For example, the imagery of the heavens and earth listening to Moses’ words gives us a powerful picture that helps us understand God’s hidden plan.

 

Deuteronomy 32 is a poem God gave through Moses to remind the Israelites of three important truths:

• God’s faithfulness to them
• The consequences if they rebelled against God
• God’s promise to restore them after their future punishment was complete.

 

Why is God punishing the Israelites, the nation he calls his “firstborn son”? First, the Bible tells us that God the father disciplines his sons and daughters, just like earthly fathers discipline their children out of love (Hebrews 12:6-7).

 

But why did Moses command the heaven and earth to listen to his warnings to the Israelites?  Because this poem was not just for the Israelites. God had a hidden plan to redeem all of creation. One day, His son would come to earth as an Israelite. He would accomplish redemption through His death on the cross and resurrection. In this way, he would “bring many sons to glory” (Hebrews 2:10). God’s plan is clearly revealed by the Apostle Paul in Romans 8. All of creation is eagerly waiting for God’s sons to receive freedom and glory so the creation can also be set free from corruption (Romans 8:18-25).

 

But the Israelites didn’t know God’s hidden plan to redeem all of creation. As spiritual infants, they were prone to worship idols, like a sheep who is prone to wander from its shepherd. The Israelites needed to be disciplined so they would remain holy, set apart to God until the promised Messiah would be born through the tribe of Israel. This plan was about the Jew—but it was not only about the Jew. It was about bringing many sons to glory through Jesus Christ so that all creation could be freed from bondage. That is why Moses called heaven and earth to hear this poem addressed to the Israelites. The whole creation was longing for the birth of Jesus Christ to redeem them! Is it too much to say Moses was pointing to Jesus Christ in this chapter? Not at all! Jesus made it clear to the disciples on the road to Emmaus that all the writings of Moses, the Psalms and the Prophets point to His death and resurrection!

Bible Study With Jairus Revelation 20 (part 3) Overcoming the Second Death

Bible Study With Jairus Revelation 20 (part 3)  Overcoming the Second Death

 

In Revelation, 20, we see that only a small group of believers has the privilege of reigning with the Lord for a thousand years. Among believers, there are those who overcome and those who do not. The believers who overcome share in the first resurrection and are rewarded by reigning with the Lord for a thousand years in the millennial kingdom. After they overcome, the second death has no power over them (20:6).

 

We are all children of God, but not every child can overcome and become a king. Though all people are created equal by God, yet we are born into unequal circumstances because we grow up in different countries and families. For instance, I was born into a poor farming family in China, and my daughter was born into a middle-class family in America. Both of us are equal in God’s eyes, because we were made in His image. However, our starting points in life are not the same. She started her life journey much farther ahead than I did. Similarly, according to the truth of the Bible, there is no hierarchy among believers, yet there are differences in the degree of life to which they can attain. I believe that those who started out behind have a more difficult time overcoming spiritually.

 

What will happen to believers who do not overcome? Will they have another opportunity to overcome in the future? The Bible does not explicitly answer this question. Personally, I believe they will have this opportunity. However, one thing is certain: those who do not share in the first resurrection may still be subject to the second death.

 

Sister Lai Wangxiulan has written several books and testimonies about her visions. She shares that God told her that disobedient Christians are held in certain valleys, where they study the Bible and are urged to repent. If they repent, they will proceed to Paradise; if not, they will be sent to the Lake of Fire. If this revelation is true, then both sinning Christians and those who have not accepted the Lord may have the opportunity to learn about God and repent. If they choose to repent, they can avoid the second death. This second death is eternal death in “the lake of fire” (20:14).

 

In Matthew 25, Jesus discusses the judgment of the sheep and goats. The Lord said that the people who treated believers kindly (sheep) would enter the kingdom prepared for them by the Father from the foundation of the world. Meanwhile, the people who treated God’s children poorly (goats) would be cast into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels (Matthew 25:33-41). We are uncertain whether this judgment of the nations takes place during the millennial kingdom or at the Great White Throne. My personal understanding is that it occurs at the Great White Throne judgment. If this judgment took place during the millennial kingdom, then it would be impossible to have a rebellion at the end of the thousand years. Therefore, it must take place at the Great White Throne judgment.

 

So, how can a person avoid the second death? I believe there are three possible ways to avoid eternal punishment.

• Being an overcoming Christian in this life.
• Being a Christian who does not overcome in this life, but continuing to repent and overcome in the afterlife. This is possible because the Bible mentions the place of weeping and gnashing of teeth, which seems to be different from the Lake of Fire (Matthew 25:30).
• Treating God’s children kindly and being included in the “nations” who are judged by God in Matthew 25. These people will enter God’s eternal kingdom and be free from the harm of the second death.

 

Christians Who Overcome Today Will Reign with the Lord in the Millennial Kingdom

 

Who are the 144,000 mentioned in Revelation 14:1? Are they merely Jews who have been chosen and sealed with the seal of the living God (Revelation 7:4)? My understanding is that the 144,000 sealed from the twelve tribes are those whom God has chosen to be saved and to be spared from certain disasters. This term may also refer to those who overcome.

 

In Revelation 14, God specifically states that the 144,000 are “redeemed from mankind as firstfruits for God and the Lamb” (Revelation 14:4). If they are the firstfruits, then they may represent the first group of overcomers. If there are firstfruits, then there are also later fruits, which suggests that other believers may have an opportunity to overcome later on.

 

It is also possible that this term refers to the saints who appear in glory with the Lord Jesus at His return. They will reign with Christ for a thousand years and will not be harmed by the second death.  The Book of Jude says, "It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, 'Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones, to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him'" (Jude 1:14-15). This reveals that those who come with the Lord will execute judgment with Him upon sinners. This aligns with the scene described in Revelation regarding the coming of the millennial kingdom.

 

Revelation 20:4 says, "Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed.  Also, I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who 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 for a thousand years." Note that several groups of people are mentioned here. The first group consists of those to whom the authority to judge was given. This group is not explicitly described as martyrs, so it may include believers who have overcome throughout the ages. The structure of the verse, in which the first and second parts of the verse begin with the words, "I saw," indicates that John is seeing different groups of people. These individuals, as overcomers, will receive the future reward of reigning with the Lord in the millennial kingdom for a thousand years and will not be harmed by the second death.

 

To those of us who are still facing the daily pressures and temptations of present life, these promises may sound like fairy tales. They may seem like a distant and unrealistic dream. However, if God opens our spiritual eyes, we will realize how glorious these promises truly are. Moreover, this passage reminds us that our current life is our only opportunity—or at least our best opportunity—to overcome. The suffering and trials we experience in this life are excellent opportunities for us to achieve victory. Suffering is often grace in disguise. If we can embrace the hardships and trials of this life, break free from the corruption caused by worldly desires, and partake more and more in the divine nature, we will be filled with the life of Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:4). In doing so, we will escape the second death, become the firstfruits of God’s redemption, and potentially have the opportunity to reign with the Lord for a thousand years in the future. May God open the eyes of each and every one of us.

 

Christians Who Do Not Overcome on Earth May Have the Opportunity to Repent in the Afterlife, But They Will Endure Much Suffering

 

Will some people have the opportunity to repent in the afterlife? Will Christians continue to grow, mature, and learn? Will there be an intermediary period after death in which people’s final fate is still undecided? These have always been controversial questions. This controversy is illustrated in the multiple interpretations of the parable of the ten virgins. In this parable, five virgins run out of oil and are excluded from the wedding feast. Some denominations teach that these five virgins were never saved, while others believe they were Christians who lacked spiritual oil. In other words, they were saved but not overcomers. In this view, Christians can still repent after death. In the afterlife, immature Christians are disciplined in darkness until they repent.

 

I believe that both the Catholic and Protestant traditions have embraced extreme positions on this issue. On the one hand, the Catholic Church teaches the doctrine of purgatory, which led to the sale of indulgences. On the other hand, Protestantism rejects the existence of Purgatory and denies the possibility of post-death discipline for believers. Both extremes have led to erroneous teachings. The teachings of the Catholic church led believers to purchase indulgences to get their loved ones out of Purgatory. Protestants were concerned that corrupt clergy were charging excessive amounts for indulgences, so they overcorrected by denying Purgatory altogether. However, this led Protestants to believe that they will automatically go to heaven through faith in Christ. As a result, they sometimes see no need for spiritual growth, learning, and repentance in this life. Both extremes can lead to unhelpful distortions of the truth.

 

I believe that after believers enter eternity, they will have the opportunity to continue learning and repenting. If there is sin that was not dealt with while alive, it will not be simply erased upon entering eternity. Instead, they must continue to repent and be filled with Christ’s life.

 

The blood of Christ has cleansed us from sin once and for all; this is an indisputable fact. However, we need to continually apply the blood of Jesus Christ and His salvation to our experiences. The former frees us from the second death, which is the Lake of Fire; the latter helps us grow in holiness. When we believe in Jesus and accept His cleansing blood as payment for our sins, we are saved. We become God’s children, and no one can snatch us out of God’s hand. Even when we occasionally give in to sin and transgressions, we do not lose our salvation or need to be saved again. The common teaching that we can lose our salvation has instilled fear in many believers throughout history, but I believe this view is incorrect.

 

However, if a believer willfully sins after receiving the knowledge of salvation, I believe this is a totally different situation. We cannot bind God by our understanding of His word. He is alive, and His word is alive. We cannot decide who goes to hell and who does not based on our own human interpretation of God’s word. Instead, the living God will decide each person’s eternal destiny based on His own just character. Hebrews 6:4-6 says, “It is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt” (6:6). And in verse 8, it says, "but if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, and its end is to be burned." From these scriptures, we see that God will punish people who have tasted His words yet refuse to repent from their deliberate sin and rebellion. When these people allow thorns and thistles to grow in their lives, they will be burned. We cannot take salvation lightly or ignore God's sanctification.

 

I believe that some people who do not overcome in this life will receive discipline and come to repentance in the afterlife. However, this will not be an easy process. The Bible says these people must pass through much suffering. Suffering and discipline will be the means of repentance that frees them from the harm of the second death.

 

It is delusional to believe that we can indulge in the pleasures of sin in this life and yet escape all suffering in the life to come. The Bible says that our works will be tested by fire, and “if anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire" (1 Corinthians 3:15). People who live an irresponsible life on earth will experience suffering in the life to come.

 

Consistently Show Kindness to God's Children: Care for Even the Least of His Followers

 

Although God desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:4), the reality is that not everyone has the opportunity to hear the gospel and be saved. Unfortunately, some people will never hear the gospel. But as Paul stated, their conscience acts as their guide. Paul said, “To those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life” (Romans 2:7). The Israelites, living under the law, will be judged according to the law (Romans 2:12). However, the situation is different for Gentiles who do not know the law (let alone the gospel). Paul says, “When Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them” (Romans 2:14-15). From this passage, as well as the passage about the sheep and goats in Matthew 25, it seems that some people may be granted eternal life because they follow the guidance of their conscience in how they live. However, if people do evil (which not only includes mistreating Christians, but also harming God's creation), they may not enter God's Kingdom. Paul says, "Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God" (1 Corinthians 6:9-10). These are clearly people who do not follow their conscience or the law of the spirit. They cannot inherit the Kingdom of God—unless they believe in Christ and repent. Revelation 21:8 more explicitly states, "But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death." Revelation 21:27 also mentions, "But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life." These are the people outside the city mentioned in Revelation 22:15: "Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood." This is likely referring to the Lake of Fire. In the Old Testament, the last chapter of Isaiah also describes a similar scenario regarding the end times. Isaiah 66:22-24 says, "For as the new heavens and the new earth that I make shall remain before me, says the Lord, so shall your offspring and your name remain. From new moon to new moon, and from Sabbath to Sabbath, all flesh shall come to worship before me, declares the Lord. And they shall go out and look on the dead bodies of the men who have rebelled against me. For their worm shall not die, their fire shall not be quenched, and they shall be an abhorrence to all flesh." Not only will the Lake of Fire still exist in the new heavens and the new earth, but believers will periodically go out to view the dead bodies of those who have rebelled against God and who are suffering in the Lake of Fire. I do not know what my feelings will be at that time, but this passage says that all flesh will abhor them. We may end up loving what God loves and hating what God hates.

 

It is evident that those who follow their conscience and treat others kindly will ultimately receive God's reward and escape the second death. On the other hand, those who live in sin without repentance will face the consequences of the second death. The Bible does not give a definitive answer about whether people will have a chance to repent after death. Personally, I have had some prophetic dreams in which my unsaved relatives were given an opportunity to hear the Gospel and study the Scriptures in the afterlife. I believe it’s possible that God did not immediately cast them into the Lake of Fire. Even if such a possibility exists, I believe it is reserved for those who did not have a chance to hear the Gospel and repent in this life. However, no one should allow this possibility to create apathy in this life. We should not ignore the importance of repentance in this life by assuming there will be another chance to repent in the afterlife. Instead, we should embrace the possibility that God’s grace for our loved ones may extend beyond this life.

 

Conclusion

 

The second death is the ultimate and final type of death, characterized by eternal suffering in the Lake of Fire. In His justice and love, God gives different people opportunities to receive eternal life. Those who hear the Gospel and accept it will not only be saved but will also have the opportunity to overcome and be victorious. After their victory, they will not only escape the second death but may also have the chance to reign with Christ in the millennial kingdom for a thousand years. Because of God's justice, people who have not heard the Gospel may still have a chance to hear it in the afterlife. God will judge them according to their conscience. I believe that people who treat God's elect and His creation with kindness will be allowed to enter the eternal kingdom.

 

Everyone has the opportunity for salvation, and everyone has the chance for victory. Our salvation is freely given, as long as we accept the cleansing of Jesus Christ’s blood by faith. However, victory requires spiritual growth and the willingness to pay a cost. If we are willing to pay that cost, our reward will far exceed anything we can imagine. I hope that all people will seize the opportunity in this life not only to believe in the Lord but also to overcome. For those who are less fortunate, including relatives who have passed away without hearing the Gospel, do not lose hope. God's justice will not allow a good soul to enter hell. Not only have I personally seen in prophetic dreams that deceased relatives can continue to hear the Gospel and read the Bible in the afterlife, but the same idea is confirmed by the testimonies of many prophets. There are also many scriptures which suggest that individuals will be judged by their conscience, indicating that these individuals may still have a chance. However, we do not teach or encourage people to reject the Gospel in this life or to indulge in sin based on the assumption that there will be another chance. We can never be sure that we will have another chance—especially for those who hear the Gospel in this life and still reject it. So we should take every opportunity we have to trust in Christ and apply His resurrection power to our lives.

God's End Time Plan/End Time Prophecy Part 1 - Jesus told me he will be back when the New Jerusalem is built up.

God's End Time Plan/End Time Prophecy Part 1 - Jesus told me he will be back when the New Jerusalem is built up.

 

Why do I think the Lord's return is not imminent? In this first reflection, I will share my understanding of God's end times plans. I believe God has a heart for worldwide revival, but it will take longer than we thought. We are living the last days, but we don't know when Jesus will return. Is it possible that it is still several hundred years away?

 

In 2004, two years after trusting Christ as Savior, I had an encounter with Jesus in a revival meeting. The leaders of the revival meeting were encouraging believers to dedicate their lives to God, but I was not willing. I did not believe Jesus’ second coming was true. But finally, I knelt down to pray, “Jesus, if you reveal yourself to me and help me understand your second coming, I will dedicate my life to you.” That very night, I had a dream. In the dream, two people were fighting for access to my heart. I believe it was the Lord fighting against Satan. One of them was stronger and he took my heart. I physically felt the pain of this person grabbing my heart. The next day, I no longer struggled to dedicate myself to the Lord. Instead, I did it willingly. During the meeting, I suddenly saw the heavens open. I saw Jesus and heard him saying, “When the body of Christ, the New Jerusalem, is built up, I will come back.”

 

So many people are talking about the Lord’s imminent return, but my argument is that it is not as imminent as some think. The Lord is longing for the maturity of the Body of Christ so that he can marry a mature bride. But we are far from maturity. It is not we who are waiting for the Lord’s return, but it is the Lord who is waiting for our maturity.

 

Bible Study with Jairus Revelation 21 (part 5) The Gemstones of the New Jerusalem Symbolize our Horizontal Fellowship with the Saints, While Israel's Pearls Symbolize our Vertical Fellowship with God

Bible Study with Jairus Revelation 21 (part 5)

The Gemstones of the New Jerusalem Symbolize our Horizontal Fellowship with the Saints, While Israel's Pearls Symbolize our Vertical Fellowship with God

 

What is the New Jerusalem made of? The walls are made of jasper, the city is made of pure gold, and the twelve gates are made of twelve pearls. Furthermore, the foundations of the city’s walls are adorned with twelve kinds of gemstones (Revelation 21:18-21). Jasper, gold, gemstones, and pearls are the four building materials used in the construction of the New Jerusalem. Since jasper is a type of gemstone, there are essentially three materials: gold, gemstones, and pearls.

 

Gold symbolizes the nature of God. In the Old Testament, gold was used in the construction of the temple and in the making of the Ark of the Covenant. These examples show that gold represents God’s uncreated nature. The streets of the New Jerusalem are also made of pure gold. I believe that gold represents God’s heavenly purity, which is contrasted with human earthiness. We were created from the dust of the ground, and clay cannot transform into gold. Even though Peter said that our faith, which is tested by fire, will become more precious than gold (1 Peter 1:7), we will always be created beings. We can never become as majestic, pure, and powerful as God is. Even when our lives are refined in fire to separate the gold from the rock, we cannot rival God’s holiness. God is pure and holy, like gold. Part of the New Jerusalem is made out of gold, which means that God Himself is an integral part of the city. The throne of God and the Lamb is at the center of the New Jerusalem. The presence of gold in the New Jerusalem reminds us that God is our tabernacle.

 

The walls and gates of the New Jerusalem are made of various gemstones and pearls. Pearls symbolize our vertical fellowship with God, which is made possible through the wounds of Christ. Like an oyster that secretes a pearly liquid when it is wounded by the piece of sand inside its shell, we are transformed by the suffering of Christ. The pearls represent the twelve tribes of Israel, which reminds us of our vertical fellowship with God and the transformation we undergo after experiencing His salvation.

 

The gemstones represent the apostles who provide the foundation for our growth in Christ. As we build each other up in the Lord (1 Thessalonians 5:11), we are built together as living stones that form a part of Christ’s temple (1 Peter 2:5). Christ is the cornerstone that connects both Jews and Gentiles in one holy temple. In the same way, the cross of Christ unites believers with each other and reconciles God and man (Ephesians 2:14-17).

 

While we have never seen clay turn into gold, we have seen clay transformed into gemstones under high pressure, and we have seen sand turn into pearls after the oyster is wounded. When we personally experience God’s life-saving grace and salvation, we are transformed into individual pearls. And when we are built together with other believers in Christ, we become different kinds of gemstones. Since each believer has undergone a different kind of suffering and transformation, we manifest as different kinds of gemstones. This is why the foundation of the city wall has so many different colors on display.

 

The New Jerusalem, as God’s dwelling place, is made up of both human and divine building materials. It contains gold, which represents God’s uncreated nature. It also contains gemstones and pearls, which represent the created, yet transformed, human nature. The New Jerusalem is the mutual dwelling place of God and man. It represents Immanuel, God with us.

 

The Literal and Symbolic Meaning of Eternal Dwellings

 

The descriptions of the New Jerusalem can be confusing at first glance. Is the New Jerusalem a literal city with literal houses? Or is it a completely metaphorical place that represents our bodies, our relationships, or other types of spiritual realities? I believe it is both.

 

The New Jerusalem is both material and physical, literal and metaphorical. Both aspects are equally real and valid. Today, the spiritual world is invisible to us. As a result, it seems less real. People often think that the visible, material world is the real one, and the unseen spiritual world is false. This is because their spiritual eyes have not been opened. The Bible tells us that the visible world is not the true reality; it is just a shadow. The invisible spiritual world is the true reality (2 Corinthians 4:18).

 

Let’s look at an example of how the New Jerusalem is both literal and metaphorical. In 2 Corinthians 4, Paul tells us that we will one day lay aside our earthly tents and receive a house from God. This house is not made by human hands, but is eternal in the heavens (2 Corinthians 5:1). In this passage, Paul is clearly talking about laying aside our physical bodies and receiving spiritual resurrected bodies. Paul says, “For indeed in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened, not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life” (2 Corinthians 5:2-4). Paul is saying that we long to be free from the limitations of the flesh and to put on the dwelling from heaven, which likely includes a spiritual body. In this passage, the word “house” means “resurrection body.”

 

However, God will also give us literal houses, or dwelling places, in heaven. Jesus mentions that His Father’s house has many rooms, and he is preparing a place for us (John 14:2). I believe that this is also true. In addition to having individual resurrected bodies and garments, we will also have houses to live in, and a city in which to reside—the New Jerusalem. This New Jerusalem is our eternal dwelling which descends from God out of heaven. It is our house not made by human hands, eternal in the heavens. In the past, I was taught to doubt the existence of material houses in heaven. However, in a vision, God showed me the house of a saint in heaven. Now, I believe that when people go to heaven, they will have material houses. However, the material things in heaven surpass our current understanding of material things. For example, after the Lord’s resurrection, He could not only pass through walls but also eat fish, demonstrating that His resurrected body transcends our comprehension.

 

Furthermore, the idea of clothing is also used in several ways. Revelation 21:2 says, “I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.” Since we know that the church is the bride of Christ, the Lamb’s wife, we can conclude that the New Jerusalem represents believers. The New Jerusalem is our collective dwelling place, and it is also adorned with spiritual clothing. Here on earth, we may think we are clothed, but we are actually naked and exposed before God. The Bible tells us, “And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account” (Hebrews 4:13). In heaven, we will put on heavenly clothing and be fully prepared as Christ’s bride. In this passage, the idea of clothing is used metaphorically to describe the beauty of the city and the adornment of Christ’s bride. However, the idea of clothing is also used in a literal way as God describes the clothing of individual believers (Revelation 7:9).

 

The New Jerusalem is not only a spiritual building but also a material one. Revelation 21 clearly reveals that the city and streets of the New Jerusalem are made of pure gold. The walls are made of jasper, the gates are made of pearls, and the foundation of the city walls is made of various precious stones. These beautiful materials should not be seen merely as metaphors but as real, tangible materials. However, these tangible materials may also be alive in a sense that we do not currently understand. Therefore, the construction of the New Jerusalem may be an organic unity of both physical and spiritual building materials.

 

The Pearly Gates Symbolize Our Vertical, Personal Experience of God’s Salvation

 

According to Revelation 21:12, the twelve gates of the city are inscribed with the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. I believe that the twelve gates not only represent Israel, but by extension, Jesus Christ. Jesus told the Samaritan woman, “Salvation is of the Jews” (John 4:22). Salvation came through Jesus Christ, a descendent of Israel. The Israelite Torah points forward to the coming of Christ, and Christ is the fulfillment of the law and prophets (Romans 10:4). As a result, the twelve pearly gates certainly symbolize Christ. Salvation is only found in Christ, but God chose to bring his salvation through the twelve tribes of Israel.

 

Salvation comes from the Israelites. Salvation was made possible through the incarnation of Jesus Christ, who became an Israelite. Without the Israelites, there would be no Jesus, and without Jesus, there would be no salvation. Therefore, the twelve gates, representing the twelve tribes of Israel, symbolize the collective human connection with God in a vertical sense.

 

Let me share another metaphor that helps me understand the relationship between Israel and our salvation to Christ. The Israelites are like the physical cables that bring internet signals into your home. The signal is then decoded in a modem and router. They turn the signal into a wireless connection. Finally, the signal is received by hardware on the phone or computer that interprets the signal. Without any of these elements, it would be impossible to connect to the internet.

 

In a similar way, Israel is like the cable that brings the signal into the home. Christ is like the router and modem that translates the Israelite heritage into a form that all of us can accept. But we need personal faith (like the hardware and software on a device) to receive the signal Christ brings. Through the connection of faith, we can connect with Christ, and through Christ, we connect with God.

 

Without the Israelites, it would be impossible to connect with Christ and God, just like it would be impossible to connect to the internet without a physical cable. This is what Paul is referring to when he talks about the blessing of Abraham: “So that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith” (Galatians 3:14). Today, as Gentiles, we receive the blessing of Abraham through faith in Jesus Christ and through the Holy Spirit.

 

In the construction of the New Jerusalem, God continues to remind us that the history and heritage of Israel were necessary for our salvation. They are the gate, or portal, into the presence of God. The twelve pearly gates of the New Jerusalem, symbolizing the twelve tribes of Israel, are the way we enter God's holy city.

 

The Pearly Gates and Gemstones Symbolize Transformation

 

The twelve gates are twelve pearls (21:21). Pearls are formed when a piece of sand becomes stuck inside an oyster shell. The oyster is wounded by the sand and begins to secrete a substance called mother-of-pearl that coats the sand and transforms it into a pearl. Similarly, when the Lord Jesus was wounded on the cross, he secreted life-giving fluids that not only provided forgiveness for our sins but also opened the way for transformation. Through his death, we can be transformed into something brand-new, like pearls.

 

The Bible reminds us that Jesus was literally pierced for our salvation. Quoting an Old Testament passage, the Apostle John says, “They will look on him whom they have pierced” (John 19:37, cf. Zechariah 12:10, 13:6). Christ was pierced by His own countrymen, and one day those who pierced Him will look upon Him with sadness and grief. But there will be some who will look on Him with faith, just as the Israelites looked upon the bronze serpent lifted by Moses to receive salvation (John 3:14).

 

The Israelites were not the only ones responsible for piercing Jesus. Every person is responsible for nailing Christ to the cross. Our sins caused His wounds. However, His precious blood flowed forth from His wounded body, cleansing us from our sins and transforming us into pearls. Pearls represent the transformation of sinners into saints.

 

The twelve tribes of the Old Testament will eventually be transformed into individual pearls. We, as individual sinners, will be transformed into pearls after undergoing personal salvation and spiritual renewal. Even though there is a collective sense to this renewal, it is also a very personal story between God and the individual. No one else can write our story for us. Each of us must come to God personally through Christ, our mediator.

 

Similarly, gemstones are also the result of transformation. Under specific conditions, certain types of minerals can be transformed into gemstones. For example, clay can be transformed into garnet through intense heat and pressure. Similarly, we humans, who are made of dust (1 Corinthians 15:47-57), can be transformed into gemstones through intense pressure and fiery trials. The difficulties, sufferings and trials we face will ultimately change us into gemstones for the new Jerusalem, God's building.

 

Gemstones Also Symbolize Our Fellowship with Other Saints in Christ

 

Not only are we transformed on a personal level, but we are also built together collectively as living stones in God’s holy temple (1 Peter 2:4-5). We need to join with other believers to become the large gemstones that will form the foundation of the city walls. We are built upon the Lord Jesus, who is the cornerstone (Psalm 118:22), the foundation stone (Isaiah 28:16), and the top stone (Zechariah 4:7-9). He connects Gentiles and Jews—all believers—and builds them into a dwelling place of the Holy Spirit. In addition to experiencing personal salvation, we must also allow God to build us together into the New Jerusalem.

 

God's will for us is not merely for individuals to be saved, but for us to be built together to become a holy city that displays His wisdom, greatness, and glory to the universe. The New Jerusalem is God's ultimate expression of these qualities. God’s life not only saves us, but it also transforms us into various types of gemstones. These gemstones include jasper, sapphire, chalcedony emerald, onyx, carnelian, chrysolite, beryl, topaz, chrysoprase, jacinth and amethyst—twelve types of gemstones in total. As we experience God’s many-colored grace (1 Peter 4:10), we join with other believers to become a beautiful spectrum of gemstones in the walls of the New Jerusalem.

 

Fellowship with God and with Saints is the Most Important Aspect of Eternity

 

What will we do for all of eternity? Aside from enjoying the various blessings that God has prepared for us, we will spend a great deal of time drawing closer to God and having more fellowship with Him. Jesus said, “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). How can we be perfect as the Father is perfect? It will require an eternity of continuously drawing near to the Lord, being filled with God's holy nature, and being perfectly transformed into His image.

 

In addition to fellowship with God, we will also spend time in fellowship with the saints. We will continue building one another up for all of eternity! Even here on earth, we are richly blessed when we gather with other believers for fellowship and mutual encouragement. As we learn from each other’s stories and testimonies, experience each other’s love, and build each other up, we gain a richer experience of God’s many-colored work in their individual lives, which is a very beautiful thing. The fellowship we experience here on earth will be even richer when we reach the New Jerusalem.

 

Conclusion: We Must Strive to Experience Salvation and Edification

 

Today, every Christian must strive to experience God's salvation and edification. The word edification comes from a Latin word that means “to build.” We must not only seek to experience personal salvation (a vertical relationship with God), but we must also seek to be built together with other believers (horizontal relationships with other believers). In this way, we will be built together into the New Jerusalem. Only when we continuously experience vertical fellowship with God and horizontal edification with the saints can we “be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:16-19). This is the ultimate goal of the New Jerusalem—being filled with all the fullness of God.

Bible Study With Jairus - Revelation 21 Part 6 What Preparations Do We Need to Make to Enter the New Jerusalem?

Bible Study With Jairus Revelation 21 (part 6)

What Preparations Do We Need to Make to Enter the New Jerusalem?

 

What preparations do we need to make to enter the New Jerusalem? First, we must be filled with the life of Christ internally, and second, we must manifest the righteous deeds of Christ externally.

 

In Revelation 21, the New Jerusalem descends from heaven. This is only possible because the bride is prepared for her Heavenly Husband. The Bible clearly states that the New Jerusalem is the bride of the Lamb (Revelation 21:9). The Bible also says that the bride must be spotless (Ephesians 5:27). To prepare for her Bridegroom, the bride is clothed in fine linen, which represents the righteous deeds of the saints (Revelation 19:8). When this happens, the New Jerusalem (the bride) can descend from heaven.

 

The New Jerusalem does not need the light of the sun or the moon, for it is illuminated by the glory of God, and the Lamb is its lamp (Revelation 21:23). God’s life dwells within the city, and his light radiates outward, just like our inward purity manifests in outward righteousness. When we are saved by faith, we become the external manifestation of God's righteousness. Jesus Christ redeems our hearts at the moment of salvation, forgiving our sins because of His righteousness. As He continues to sanctify us, we begin to manifest His righteousness outwardly. What is true on the inside becomes visible on the outside. Not only are we justified positionally, but we are also filled with God’s righteousness dispositionally. Like the New Jerusalem, we manifest God’s glory outwardly. The New Jerusalem is absolutely not just a city descending from heaven; it is also a picture of the mature bride of Christ, whose righteousness is visible externally and not only internally. If it is true that the New Jerusalem cannot descend from heaven until the body of Christ becomes mature, we must seize every opportunity to mature spiritually to hasten the coming of the New Jerusalem.

 

Our Outer Lives Must Match Our Inner Lives: Justification by Faith and Clothed in Fine Linen

 

We often say, “You can’t judge a book by its cover.” This saying reminds us that what is inside the book is more important than the cover. Similarly, we often say that we should avoid judging people by external appearance—height, weight, clothing, etc. We are told that these external differences are not essential to the inner life. Instead, what matters is character and inner qualities.

 

However, I believe we do need to pay attention to appearance and image. When buying a book, customers will judge a book by its cover. And as humans, our external appearance has a big impact on the way we are perceived. As the Chinese saying goes, “Clothes make the man, and saddles make the horse.” This means that an individual’s clothing does have an impact. A well-groomed appearance not only improves a person’s outward image and presentation, but it also reflects the person’s internal character. A person with a sloppy appearance is probably irresponsible on the inside, while a person who takes good care of their physical appearance is probably well-mannered and diligent on the inside, too.

 

Similarly, the bride of Christ will be clothed in pure white linen. This linen is not only her literal clothing, but it also represents the righteous deeds of the saints. The white linen is the outward manifestation of God's righteousness in the lives of the saints. In addition, the old heaven and old earth can be compared to a dirty garment that is taken off and cast aside (Hebrews 1:12). Following this train of thought, the new heaven and new earth are like a beautiful, new garment for the bride of Christ. Peter says that righteousness will dwell in the new heaven and new earth (2 Peter 3:13). This righteousness is seen in the bride of Christ, the New Jerusalem. The New Jerusalem is an elegant bride, beautifully dressed for her husband. She is filled with the righteousness of God and Christ on the inside and outwardly expresses His righteousness for all to see.

 

When we are invited to a formal event like a wedding, we should not wear casual jeans and flip flops. If we do, we will feel extremely awkward and wish we could disappear into the ground. In the same way, we cannot enter the marriage feast of Christ without a formal wedding garment. Even if we force our way in, we will be cast out for being dressed inappropriately. This is clearly explained in Jesus' parable in Matthew 22:11-13.

 

Just like a person’s external image and presentation reflects their internal qualities, the bride of Christ needs to have an external righteousness that matches her internal justification. External defilement is a manifestation of internal impurity, as Jesus stated in Matthew 15:11-20. Those whose spiritual garments are defiled cannot be part of the New Jerusalem.

 

If God has chosen us to be part of the New Jerusalem, our personal immaturity as Christians will delay the maturity of the body of Christ, thereby delaying the descent of the New Jerusalem from heaven. If the bride of Christ (synonymous with the Church, the body of Christ, and the New Jerusalem) is not filled with God’s light within and God’s righteousness without, then the New Heaven and New Earth will not descend from heaven, and this age will not come to an end. Every saved Christian is a part of the bride of Christ. We each need to manifest God’s righteousness in our lives so that we are prepared to meet our heavenly Bridegroom.

 

After Salvation, Victory Is Still Needed to Be Fully Prepared to Enter the New Jerusalem

 

When will the New Jerusalem be fully prepared for her heavenly husband? Is it when the number of Christians reaches a certain number of completion? Let’s look at some passages that seem to point in this direction.

 

• Paul said that when the number of Gentiles is complete, God's salvation will come to all of Israel and they will be saved (Romans 11:25-26).
• When speaking to the souls of the martyrs under the altar, God says that judgment will not come until the number of martyrs is completed (Revelation 6:11).
• The Lord Jesus told us that the gospel of the kingdom must be preached to the whole world before the end will come (Matthew 24:14).

 

Clearly, completed numbers are important to God. However, these completed numbers do not necessarily mean that everyone gets to be in the New Jerusalem, just like not every football player gets to be a part of professional football teams. However, a large number of Christians is required in order to produce a smaller number of highly-qualified Christian overcomers, just like a large number of football fans is required to produce a smaller number of excellent players. In the United States, a large base of football fans creates widespread interest in the sport. As a result, many students practice, train, and compete, and champions are produced. The wide base of football fans produces a great number of candidates for the team, but only a few excellent players are chosen. In the same way, I believe that the total number of Christians must reach a certain number in order to create enough high-quality overcomers to form the foundational group for the New Jerusalem. When this number is reached, there will be enough overcomers to create the New Jerusalem.

 

I believe that the believers who enter the New Jerusalem are the firstfruits, those who reached maturity and victory most quickly. Perhaps there will be other believers who will dwell in darkness, in a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 22:13). Revelation 21:24 clearly makes a distinction between people who live in the city and those who visit: “By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it.” This indicates that some people, including the kings of the earth, do not dwell in the New Jerusalem. However, they will walk by its light and “bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations” (21:26). Since these kings are allowed to enter the city, they must be considered good, because “nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false” (21:27).

 

This absolutely does not mean there is a class distinction among God's chosen people—not at all. Every person has an equal opportunity to enter the New Jerusalem, but not every Christian takes hold of these opportunities or achieves victory in their spiritual life. In the letters to the seven churches, Jesus pointed out the trials each church would face, and described the rewards they would receive if they overcame the challenges. The churches each faced unique trials and were promised unique rewards. However, there was a common theme in all these promises: those who overcame would become part of the New Jerusalem.

 

One reason for the degeneration of the churches in Europe and America is the overemphasis on evangelism and neglect of discipleship. This leads to an increase in the number of Christians, but a lack of adequate teaching and maturity. Many Western churches do not emphasize the importance of suffering, overcoming trials, and the discipline of the Holy Spirit. These teachings are not well-received in the Western world, but they are indispensable to spiritual growth. In order to experience deep revival, build up the church, and prepare for the New Jerusalem, the church must reach spiritual maturity through the discipline of the Holy Spirit and suffering.

 

The New Jerusalem, Abraham, and the Great Cloud of Witnesses Are Waiting for Our Maturity to Enter the City

 

In Revelation 21, we learn that the New Jerusalem not only includes New Testament believers represented by the apostles whose names are written on the foundation, but also Old Testament saints represented by the names of the twelve tribes written on the gates of the New Jerusalem. The New Jerusalem is a city made up of saints from both the Old and New Testaments. They are witnesses of faith and vessels of God's glory, displaying God's glory, authority, and power in the world and throughout the universe.

 

However, these believers are waiting for today’s believers to mature so that they can all become part of the city at the same time. In Hebrews 11, God says that Old Testament saints are like runners in a relay race, continuously setting an example of faith for those who follow them. These Old Testament overcomers “all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth” (Hebrews 11:13). The passage mentions that Abraham chose to live in tents “because he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God” (Hebrews 11:10). Apart from this verse, the Bible does not tell us anything about Abraham’s vision of this future city. However, I believe this city is the New Jerusalem.

 

The New Jerusalem includes saints of all ages, including the overcomers of both the Old and New Testament. Since this city includes the overcomers of all ages, they cannot receive what they hope for without the addition of the overcomers of today. “And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect” (Hebrews 11:39-40). What is the “better thing” that God has prepared for us? It must be the New Jerusalem. When today’s believers mature to the point that they can become a part of the New Jerusalem, then all those who have died in faith throughout history will also become part of this city.

 

Conclusion: We Urgently Need the Growth of Life and the Manifestation of Righteous Deeds

 

In the letter to the church in Laodicea, God makes the following promise to the overcomers: “The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name” (Revelation 3:12). This is the Lord’s promise to individual overcomers. When a person experiences this type of victory, the name of the New Jerusalem is written on him or her and they become a part of the manifestation of the New Jerusalem.

 

By the time we reach Revelation 21, the church as a whole has overcome, or at least a group of overcomers has emerged. The bride is now prepared to meet her husband, Jesus. The preparation of these overcomers brings about the descent of the New Jerusalem. As each believer is filled with the life of Jesus Christ and God on the inside, they will manifest the righteousness of God on the outside. Only then will they become victorious overcomers who manifest God’s purpose in Christ for the universe.

 

Bible Study with Jairus Revelation 21 (part 4) The New Jerusalem: An Ever-Expanding Dwelling Place of God

Bible Study with Jairus Revelation 21 (part 4)

The New Jerusalem: An Ever-Expanding Dwelling Place of God

 

Throughout the Bible, God dwells with His people in a tabernacle or temple that mirrors a heavenly reality. In the Old Testament, God asked Moses to build the tabernacle according to the pattern God showed him on the mountain (Hebrews 8:5). Similarly, when David gave his son Solomon instructions for building the temple, he told him, “Every part of this plan was given to me in writing from the hand of the LORD.” (1 Chronicles 28:19, NLT). The word “tabernacle” is also found in some translations of the book of John, describing how Jesus Christ became human and lived among us, full of grace and truth (John 1:14). The concept of God dwelling with man finds its ultimate fulfillment in the New Jerusalem, a place where God and humanity dwell with one another.

 

The entire New Jerusalem is essentially an expanded version of the Old Testament tabernacle and temple. Its glory surpasses even the grandeur of Solomon’s temple. The Apostle John, when describing the New Jerusalem, said, “And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb” (Revelation 21:22). Just like the priests could enter the tabernacle and approach God’s presence, we can now approach the Father through Jesus Christ, the Lamb.

 

In the Old Testament, only Moses and the high priest could enter the Most Holy Place, and only the High Priest could enter the Holy Place. The priesthood was limited to the descendants of Aaron, and God’s intimate presence was reserved for the select few. However, most Israelites could enter the outer court. I believe the same concept applies to the New Jerusalem. The New Jerusalem is the ultimate Holy of Holies, where God dwells with humanity. Therefore, I believe that the New Jerusalem is made up of overcomers, mature believers who have attained a level of intimacy with God that matches the Most Holy Place.

 

However, other believers may not have reached this level of spiritual growth, and they will remain in the Holy Place or the Outer Court. These believers have a lower level of maturity. I believe that if these individuals continue to learn and grow, they can still become a part of the New Jerusalem. Those in the Outer Court and the Holy Place will still have the opportunity to attain a higher level of spiritual maturity so they can enter the Most Holy Place.

 

For this reason, I believe that the size of the New Jerusalem (described in Revelation 21) is not fixed. Instead, it will continually expand in size as new believers join the city as living stones. When the angel measured the city, its length, width, and height were each twelve thousand stadia, and the width of its walls was one hundred forty-four cubits. These dimensions are not only literal, but also represent spiritual dimensions.

 

When we read and interpret this description of the New Jerusalem, we are often limited by our natural and physical understanding. However, if we can relate the New Jerusalem to the idea of God’s dwelling place (the tabernacle and the temple), it will help us gain a deeper understanding of it. The tabernacle built by Moses in the Old Testament was smaller than the temple built by Solomon, and the temple was smaller than the New Jerusalem. The dimensions of God’s dwelling place were constantly expanding. In the same way, I believe the New Jerusalem will expand as more and more believers join it.

 

The New Jerusalem is the bride of Christ and the wife of the Lamb; wouldn't its dimensions continue to grow throughout eternity? Would God deprive those who lack maturity—who are not yet spiritually mature enough to enter the Most Holy Place—from continuing to mature so they can enter the Most Holy Place? I personally believe this does not align with God's nature. God longs for our continual spiritual maturity. We need an eternity to be conformed to the image of Christ and be perfected like our Heavenly Father. Therefore, I believe that the dimensions of the New Jerusalem may not be fixed. Perhaps God continues to measure the New Jerusalem repeatedly. Each time he measures it, He will find that the dimensions of the New Jerusalem have changed as more and more mature believers have been added to the city.

 

The New Jerusalem is the Tabernacle Where God Dwells with Humanity

 

Both the tabernacle and the temple contained the Most Holy Place, the Holy Place, and the Outer Court. These three areas symbolize the different levels of intimacy between man and God. In the Outer Court, members of the Israelite community could come and offer sacrifices on the bronze altar with the help of the priests. In the New Testament, the bronze altar reminds us of the precious blood of Christ that removes our sins. However, many Christians who have been cleansed by the precious blood of Jesus have not yet experienced deep sanctification of the soul or renewal of the mind (Romans 12:1). In the same way, many Old Testament Israelites could not enter the Holy Place, despite offering their sacrifices in the outer court.

 

Only the descendants of Aaron were allowed to serve as priests and enter the Holy Place. The descendants of Kohath were initially allowed to carry and tend to the furnishings of the tabernacle in the Holy Place, but they could not serve as priests. The Kohathites were jealous of the other Levites who had the privilege of priesthood. Because of their greed and envy, the Kohathites faced severe punishment. Why did God forbid them from entering the Holy Place? Because they were not holy enough. God did occasionally make exceptions to the rules for those who were holy enough. For example, even though Ephraimites were not allowed to serve as priests, Samuel (a descendant of Ephraim) was able to approach God as a priest because of his Nazarite vow. In the New Testament, all Christians are allowed to be part of God’s royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:9). I believe that if the Kohathites had lived a life of holiness and contentment, God may have allowed them to serve as priests as well.

 

Let us briefly review the furnishings in the Holy Place:

• The table of the bread of the Presence, symbolizing God's provision of sustenance and the supply of His Word
• The golden lampstand, symbolizing the illumination of the Holy Spirit
• The golden altar of incense, symbolizing the prayers of the saints. Note: In the book of Hebrews, the golden altar of incense is considered part of the Most Holy Place (Hebrews 9:4).
• The veil that once separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place was torn on the cross, opening the way between the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place. This represents the body of Christ being torn so we could enter God’s presence.

Within the Most Holy Place, there was:

• The ark of the covenant (with the two tablets of the covenant)
• The golden urn holding the manna
• Aaron’s staff that budded (Hebrews 9:4).

These elements symbolize deeper fellowship and relationship with God. We will not elaborate on these symbols here any further, but you can refer to my other articles on the Old Testament for more details.

 

Since the Bible clearly states that both Moses' tabernacle and Solomon's temple were built according to the heavenly pattern, and both the tabernacle and the temple include the Most Holy Place, Holy Place, and Outer Court, it logically follows that the heavenly tabernacle must also have these divisions. Revelation 21:22-23 makes it clear that the New Jerusalem represents the Most Holy Place because there is no temple in the city; God and the Lamb are its temple. Moreover, the city does not need the sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. These words remind us of the Most Holy Place. In the tabernacle, the Most Holy Place had no natural light. It was illuminated by the light of the golden lampstand from the Holy Place. In heaven, the Lamb is the lamp of the city. This can remind us of the lamplight entering the Most Holy Place from the Holy Place. It can also remind us of how the golden altar of incense could be included either in the Holy Place or Most Holy Place.

 

The Holy Place represents our soul, and the Most Holy Place represents our spirit. When our soul is fully immersed in God's Spirit, it becomes like the Most Holy Place. However, our bodies still need to be glorified. The New Jerusalem reminds us of the glorified body, since it represents the body of Christ and the bride of the Lamb  and displays God's glory throughout the universe. I believe the New Jerusalem may be the dwelling place of God and of people whose souls, spirits, and bodies are completely sanctified.

 

However, there are still walls separating the New Jerusalem from the outer realms. Outside the city are the nations that will walk by the light of the city, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it (Revelation 21:24). From this verse, it appears that the nations live outside the city, and only the kings can enter. The verse does not mention that all the people of the nations can enter the city. While verse 26 mentions, "they will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations," there is no explicit indication that all the people of the nations can enter. Nevertheless, this realm in which the nations are illuminated by God’s glory and bring their offerings into the city may represent the Holy Place.

 

So, is there an Outer Court? Surely there must be. Verse 27 says, "Nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false." Isaiah 66:24 says that in the New Heavens and New Earth, worshipers will go out of the city to witness the corpses of those who have rebelled against God and are experiencing the torment of unquenchable fire and undying worms (Isaiah 66:24). This, of course, includes those in the Lake of Fire who cannot enter the city. But does the Outer Court also include those who are in darkness, weeping and gnashing their teeth (Matthew 8:12)? I believe it does. Many sinful Christians, even those allowed into God's kingdom after the Great White Throne Judgment, may not have entirely rid themselves of sin in their spiritual lives. Therefore, they may still need to learn the lessons of the Outer Court and experience repentance and cleansing through the blood of Jesus Christ. Revelation 22:2 says that the leaves of the Tree of Life are for the healing of the nations. These nations still need healing, and perhaps they represent those living in the Outer Court.

 

From our study of these scriptures, we see that the New Heaven and New Earth still seemingly have three parts: the Most Holy Place, the Holy Place, and the Outer Court. The New Jerusalem, which I believe represents the Most Holy Place, is only one part of the New Heaven and New Earth. Outside of the New Jerusalem are other realms that represent the Holy Place and the Outer Court.

 

God’s Measurements and Counting in the Bible Are Constantly Changing, Symbolizing the Spiritual Condition of People

Several times throughout the Bible, God counts His people or measures His temple. For example, when Jacob and his family first entered Egypt, God reported that there were 70 individuals who left Canaan. Later, when God commanded Moses to take another census during the Exodus, he counted 600,000 Israelite men. Including women and children, the number of Israelites may have been close to 3 million. After enduring four hundred years of suffering, the Israelites had increased in number and in spiritual stature, becoming a great army of God.

 

When God counts His people, it is a way to show His faithfulness in taking care of His people. However, when David conducted a census of the people, God punished him. Why? Because only God is allowed to count and measure our spiritual stature. David’s action was driven by pride and self-glory, and God saw it as a great evil.

 

In the Old Testament book of Ezekiel, God sent an angel to measure the temple. Ezekiel 40 mentions that the angel’s appearance was like bronze, and he held a linen cord and measuring rod to measure the temple of God. There are many details here that we cannot cover in full. However, it’s important to understand that these measurements were a symbolic way to assess the spiritual condition of the Israelites. Through the measurements, God exposed the Israelites’ idol worship. The purpose of this measurement was to help the Israelites see and be ashamed of their spiritual condition. It also provided them with a pattern for building the temple of God. God told Ezekiel, "Son of man, describe the temple to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities, and they shall measure the plan. And if they are ashamed of all that they have done, make known to them the design of the temple and its arrangement…." (Ezekiel 43:10-11).

 

Similarly, in Revelation, the Apostle John was instructed to measure the temple. He was given a measuring rod and asked to measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worshiped in the temple (Revelation 11:1). He was not allowed to measure the outer court, since it had been given to the Gentiles to be trampled. In Revelation 21, the angel speaking to John took a golden measuring rod and measured the city, its gates, and its walls. The Bible then provides the dimensions of the city and the walls.

 

I believe that by measuring the temple, God was evaluating the worshipers and the extent of their spiritual growth. Ephesians 2:21 says that in Jesus, “the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.” I believe that in this passage, the angel is measuring the growth of the spiritual temple. These dimensions symbolize the level of maturity of the spiritual temple and the spiritual stature of believers. In the next section, we will discuss in more detail why I believe that the dimensions of the New Jerusalem (the spiritual temple) are not fixed.

 

The Dimensions of the New Jerusalem May Not Be Fixed

 

Why do I say that the dimensions of the New Jerusalem may not be fixed? If the dimensions of the New Jerusalem (symbolizing the level of maturity of the body of Christ and the bride of Christ) were fixed, it would mean that God would no longer allow the New Jerusalem to grow and change. This would mean that no additional saints could enter or become part of the New Jerusalem.

 

I've shared the story of Ni Yongfa before, and I'll use it once again. When Hudson Taylor came to China to preach the gospel, a Chinese man named Ni Yongfa was very excited to learn about Christ and trust in Him for salvation. However, he later became very discouraged. He asked Hudson Taylor, "How long have you British known Jesus Christ?" Hudson Taylor replied, "For over 1,400 years." Ni Yongfa became angry and said, "My father spent his entire life searching many religions, including Buddhism and Taoism, hoping to find eternal life. But he never found it and died with regret. You’ve known about Jesus Christ for 1,400 years, and only now are coming to tell us?" I believe that people like Ni Yongfa’s father will continue to enter the New Jerusalem if they enter eternal life through God’s grace and then pursue God with all their strength. My guess is that people may still have a chance to receive the gospel after death. The Bible does not explicitly say this, but some prophetic revelations show that people can still learn about the Bible and receive the gospel after death. In my view, it's hard to imagine that God would discriminate against those saints who didn’t have the opportunity to trust in Christ during their lives on earth, whether they were born in Old Testament times or simply never heard the gospel during New Testament times.

 

When the New Jerusalem reaches a certain stage, God’s work for this stage will be complete. This completion will usher in the coming of eternity. However, this does not mean that the dimensions will never change in eternity, or that God will no longer measure the dimensions of the New Jerusalem. The size of the New Jerusalem (twelve thousand stadia) is approximately the distance from Los Angeles to Dallas, and this size does not even fill the whole Earth, let alone the entire Universe! God's ultimate goal is that His glory will fill the Earth, as the waters cover the sea (Habakkuk 2:14). Perhaps one day the entire Earth will become the New Jerusalem. Maybe the Earth will not simply be destroyed but renewed. One day, the old heavens and the old earth will be rolled up like a garment (Hebrews 1:12), but the New Heaven and the New Earth will be unfurled like a new garment.

 

The New Jerusalem, Living Stones, and the Mutual Indwelling of God and His People

 

We are God's tabernacle, and God is also our tabernacle. We are a royal priesthood, and we are also living stones being built up into a spiritual house (1 Peter 2:5). As living stones, we will become the precious stones in the walls of the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:11, 18-20). We will also be built into a spiritual house—the New Jerusalem—a dwelling place for God (Ephesians 2:22). God is our tabernacle (Revelation 21:22); our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19); and we are living stones in the New Jerusalem, the tabernacle of God. In the New Jerusalem, God and man will mutually indwell one another. We are God’s tabernacle, and He is our tabernacle. Through Jesus Christ, we can enter into intimate fellowship with God. As Ephesians 2:18 says, "For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father."

 

 

Bible Study With Jairus Revelation 21 (part 3) Sets of Three in the Book of Revelation: The Work of the Trinity, Three Types of Judgments and Rewards, and Three Times That God Says “It is Finished”

Bible Study With Jairus Revelation 21 (part 3)

Sets of Three in the Book of Revelation: The Work of the Trinity, Three Types of Judgments and Rewards, and Three Times That God Says “It is Finished”

 

In this devotional, we will look at several sets of three revealed in Revelation and the Bible as a whole. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit each have a threefold work: the Father created the world and planned redemption, Jesus Christ finished the work of redemption, and the Holy Spirit completed the work of preparing the bride. By the time we reach Revelation 21, the work of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit has been accomplished. As Christians, we must experience a threefold salvation of our spirit, soul, and body, and humanity will also face three different outcomes.

 

First, we will look at the Trinity’s three statements that “It is done.” Revelation 21:5-6 says, “And he who was seated on the throne said, ‘Behold, I am making all things new.’ And he said to me, ‘It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.’” Who is speaking here? My understanding is that it is God the Father. In fact, God says “It is finished” at three key points throughout the Bible.

• After completing the work of creation, God the Father said, “It is very good” (Genesis 1:31), and He rested (Genesis 2:2). The Father’s work of creation was finished.
• After Jesus completed the work of redemption on the cross, He also said, “It is finished,” and gave up His spirit (John 19:30). The Lord’s work of redemption was completed.
• In Revelation 21, God again says, “It is done.” The Holy Spirit is finished preparing the Church to be a spotless bride for Christ and God. God now renews everything and declares, “It is finished!”

At this point, the work of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit has been accomplished.

 

In addition, the book of Revelation describes three outcomes for three different types of people.

• Overcomers will receive the inheritance and rewards.
• Those who do not overcome will undergo continued discipline.
• Those who reject and disobey God will be thrown into the lake of fire.

 

These are the three final outcomes for humanity as revealed in Revelation 21. The one who overcomes will inherit all things (Revelation 21:7), including all the blessings of the New Jerusalem and the privilege of drinking from the river of the water of life (21:6).

 

Where there are overcomers, there must also be those who do not overcome. Although this passage does not specify what will happen to those who do not overcome, we can make some inferences. The Bible clearly states that only the overcomers will inherit all things, implying that those who do not overcome will not have this heritage. I believe some people are saved but do not overcome.

 

The third group consists of those who have not been saved at all. These people reject God, and they will be thrown into the lake of fire. “But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death” (21:8). May all people see God's threefold work and the threefold salvation we need, so that we may all enter eternity and be victorious.

 

The Words of Revelation 21:6 Might Have Been Spoken by the Father

 

The New Testament contains very few words spoken directly by God the Father. This has puzzled many Christians. Why does the Father speak so much in the Old Testament, yet He seems so sparing with His words in the New Testament? Hebrews 1 offers an explanation: “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son” (Hebrews 1:1-2). Much of what Jesus Christ said and did was based on what He saw the Father say and do (John 12:49). However, Revelation 21:5-7 says, “And he who was seated on the throne said, ‘Behold, I am making all things new.’ Also he said, ‘Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.’ And he said to me, ‘It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.’” My personal understanding is that these are the words of the Father. He speaks in praise for the completion of the work of the Holy Spirit and declares that the overcomers will become sons of God. Jesus Christ is the firstborn Son of God and our elder brother; we are all sons of God. Therefore, I believe these are the words of the Father, affirming that the work of redemption, deliverance, and maturity has been accomplished, and that we are now able to become His sons.

 

The Father concludes by saying, “Behold, I am making all things new!” He then says, “It is finished.” Revelation contains this same phrase at least twice, and this may be the final instance. “It is finished” signifies the completion of God's economy and His plan. Then God says, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment.”

 

The relationship between the Father and Son will help us understand the Father’s role in the New Testament. The Father is the planner and designer of everything. Hebrews mentions that God is not only the designer and builder of the heavenly city, but of all things (Hebrews 3:4, 11:10).

 

So what is the role of Jesus Christ? Just like an executive team carries out the will of the board of directors, the Lord Jesus carries out the will of the Father. When the Lord Jesus came to earth, He said, “I have come to do the will of my Father. Whatever I see the Father doing, I do likewise. I do not act according to my own will, nor do I speak on my own authority.” While many people do not accurately perceive the Father's will or hear his words, Jesus understood the Father’s will perfectly. In this verse, Jesus was essentially saying, "I have come to fulfill the Father’s will. Whatever the Father says, I say; whatever the Father does not say, I do not say."  This verse helps explain the scarcity of direct communication from the Father in the New Testament. While we seldom hear the Father speaking directly, this does not mean that He is not communicating. In fact, Jesus heard his voice clearly.

 

The Father also spoke to other disciples. For example, Peter heard the Father speaking and revealing Christ’s identity. In Matthew 16:13-20, Jesus asked His disciples, "Who do you say I am?” The disciples replied that many people thought he was Elijah, John the Baptist, or one of the prophets. However, Peter declared, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Jesus told Peter, “This was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by My Father in heaven” (Matthew 16:17 BSB). The Father revealed this important insight to Peter, and he can reveal his nature to us as well. Jesus said many times that no one knows the Father except the Son, and no one knows the Son except the Father. The Father reveals to us the Son’s true nature and leads people to believe in the Son.

 

The Father, who works behind the scenes to design His eternal plans, then holds meetings with the Son and discusses how to execute them. The Bible mentions several such meetings. In Isaiah, we see the members of the Trinity having a meeting and asking, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” And Isaiah responded, “Here I am. Send me” (Isaiah 6:8). In Genesis, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit met together and conferred about creation: “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness” (Genesis 1:26). The Father created His plan, the Trinity met together to discuss it, and Jesus executed the plan.

 

What kind of plan is this? In eternity past, God made a plan to extend the eternal fellowship of the Trinity to mankind. In John 17:21, Jesus desires that humans join him in the unity that he already shared with his father: “that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you” (NIV). God already had perfect fellowship within the Trinity, but he desired a larger family. He wanted humans to belong to him as his children and as his bride. This is God's great plan. It was hidden within creation but was not revealed for many years.

 

Most likely, God created angels before he created humans. There may have been quite a bit of time that elapsed between the creation of angels and mankind. However, when God created humans and revealed his plan to include mankind in the fellowship of the trinity, this must have made Satan jealous. Even though God created humans a little lower than angels, He allowed humans to share in God's life and enter into intimate fellowship with God. Though not equal to God, humans could approach God personally. This is something the angels, as ministering spirits, could never do. I believe Satan was shocked and jealous when he learned of God's plan, so he came up with a plan to ruin humankind. Satan turned his back on God and tried to ruin God’s plan by tempting Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. When humans sinned, they could no longer enjoy intimate fellowship with a holy God, and God's plan was temporarily ruined. However, God is sovereign, and He did not allow Satan to have the final word. He had a greater plan that included a plan to redeem mankind. God foresaw the fall of humanity, so He planned that the Son, Jesus Christ, would become flesh and remove our sins on the cross, bringing us back to God. This is the work that Jesus Christ completed. After Jesus Christ completed this work, He ascended to heaven, and the plan of redemption was finished.

 

When the Lord Jesus was crucified, He said, "It is finished," meaning that the work the Father entrusted to Him was complete. After the completion of the work the Father gave Him, He sat down on the throne, in the place of highest authority, and received the name which is above every name in heaven, on earth, and even under the earth. When Jesus ascended to His throne, the Father sent the Holy Spirit in the name of the Lord Jesus to prepare a bride for the King.

 

In the Old Testament, Abraham sent his servant to find a wife for Isaac. In the book of Esther, the eunuch anointed Esther with oil and prepared her to meet the king. In a similar way, the Holy Spirit anoints us with the words of the Lord Jesus. These words renew, regenerate, and transform us. The Holy Spirit applies the completed work of the Lord Jesus to our individual lives. Just as the eunuch anointed Esther with oil, we need to be filled with the oil of the Holy Spirit from the inside out. We need to be cleansed by the water of the Word so we can become a spotless virgin prepared to meet our Bridegroom. This is the work of the Holy Spirit today.

 

The famous South African pastor, Andrew Murray, said that the work of the Holy Spirit is to apply the completed work of the Lord Jesus on the cross to the life of every believer. He said that when we pray, the indwelling Christ prays to the Christ in heaven. The work of the Holy Spirit in the church today is to sanctify us, make us holy, and transform us so we can become part of the New Jerusalem.

 

The Holy Spirit Will Certainly Accomplish His Sanctifying Work in the Church

 

In this passage, the Father is praising the finished work of the Holy Spirit. He had already praised the work of the Son. When Jesus was baptized, the Father spoke, saying, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." The Father does not speak much in the New Testament, but at that moment, He approved of the entire life work of Jesus Christ. When the Lord Jesus Christ was crucified, He said, “It is finished.” Although the Bible does not explicitly record the Father saying "It is finished," it is implied by what happened after the crucifixion and resurrection. God the Father exalted Jesus to the highest place, seated Him at His right hand, and gave Him a name which is above every name. These actions demonstrate that God the Father approved of Christ’s work.

 

Now, the process of sanctifying the church is the work of the Holy Spirit. First, the Holy Spirit applies the word of the Lord Jesus to our hearts so we can be saved. Then, the Holy Spirit sanctifies and renews us, transforming us into part of the New Jerusalem. When the work of the Holy Spirit is complete, the Father says, “It is finished.” At that moment, God's plan has been accomplished through the cooperative work of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

 

At this moment in history, the Father’s work of creation has been completed. In addition, the Father has completed his work of planning and preparing for our redemption. Jesus completed the work of redemption on the cross, and after that, the Father sent the Holy Spirit in Jesus' name. The work of the Holy Spirit is to sanctify the church and make it a spotless bride. Today, the Holy Spirit is in the process of finishing this task.

 

However, in recent times, many people have seen the corruption and weakness of the church and have lost hope, believing that the church has no future. Rather than hoping for the church’s maturity, they simply hope that Jesus comes quickly, rescues the faithful few, and destroys the rest of the world. Many hold to this escapist theology. They believe the church cannot be sanctified, so they simply wait for Jesus to intervene at the end of time.

This is a completely erroneous understanding of the Bible’s teaching and reflects a lack of faith in the Holy Spirit. If this view were true, it would mean that the Father designed the plan of redemption, Jesus completed it on the cross, but now the Holy Spirit is failing in His role. However, the Bible says that the church will ultimately triumph. The Holy Spirit will certainly complete his work of sanctifying, consecrating, and filling us, making us part of the New Jerusalem.

 

We cannot destroy God’s plan, but we can delay it. The Holy Spirit’s work will not be complete until the church is victorious. If the church does not mature, it will continue to delay the completion of the Holy Spirit’s work. If believers continue to believe the erroneous escapist theology, it will have a significant impact on the church.

 

For example, believers who have an escapist theology focus only on praying a prayer of salvation and then waiting to go to heaven. They ignore the importance of cooperating with the Holy Spirit in the work of sanctification. This leads to spiritual immaturity and a lack of influence as the church fails to be salt and light in the world. The American church today is a case in point. Although 65% of the population claims to be Christians, the church has had very little impact on society at large. One would expect that if the majority of the population were Christians, these believers would have a positive impact on the media, entertainment, and educational platforms. But instead, we see increasing corruption in those areas. As a result, children in the U.S. are growing up without reverence for God. Has God’s word lost its power in American society and in the church? No. The state of American society does not mean that God’s word has lost its power, but that the church in America has stopped focusing on sanctification.

 

A simple example is divorce. We recognize that there are many reasons for divorce, and that God allows divorce in cases of adultery and domestic violence. However, many divorces happen because individuals are unwilling to accept the difficulty and spiritual growth involved in marriage. Furthermore, many divorces are due to adultery, which is a sin and a reflection of the lack of sanctification among believers. God’s word clearly states that what God has joined together, no man should separate (Matthew 19:6). However, many churches do not teach sanctification to believers. If the church continues to believe that these things don’t matter—that all that matters is praying the sinner’s prayer and going to heaven—it will continue to lose its influence in society.

 

I believe that this escapist mentality is a grave misunderstanding. In heaven, there will likely be continued discipline that will help us escape from the corruption that comes from lust so we can partake in God’s divine nature (2 Peter 1:4). The lack of teaching on such truths in the American church has led to a general tendency toward sin among believers.

 

Conclusion: We Must Continually Pursue Holiness to Overcome

 

The book of Hebrews says, "Without holiness, no one will see the Lord" (Hebrews 12:14). This shows that holiness is of great importance. Certainly, we experience a degree of holiness when we believe in Jesus for salvation. But we must also attain a greater level of holiness so we can become a part of the bride who is clothed in fine linen, bright and pure. If the bride is not prepared and does not wear fine linen, bright and pure, then Jesus Christ will not return and will not marry the bride.

 

The work of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit will be completed, and the Holy Spirit will finish the work of sanctification in His bride, the church. The work of the Holy Spirit is to bring individuals to repentance, cleanse us, sanctify our souls, and renew our minds. One day, He will also give life to our mortal bodies. On the collective side, the Holy Spirit will transform us from sinners into children of God, and ultimately into the bride of Christ. We will then become part of God’s holy temple, built together as living stones in the New Jerusalem.

 

The triune work of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit corresponds with the threefold salvation of the spirit, soul, and body. We not only need to be filled with God's righteousness on the inside (soul and spirit), but also manifest God's righteous deeds externally (body). These righteous deeds are symbolized by fine linen. When we reach maturity, we will become part of the New Jerusalem and live as Christ’s bride for all of eternity.

Bible Study With Jairus Revelation 20 (Part 4) The Order and Structure of God’s Judgment

Bible Study With Jairus Revelation 20 (Part 4) The Order and Structure of God’s Judgment

 

 

As we study the judgments in Revelation 20, we will focus on two key themes. First, we will learn about the structural patterns of God's judgment. Second, we will emphasize the importance of spiritual maturity in Christ’s body.

 

God judges the world in a certain order, which resembles chopping down a tree in reverse. God begins by judging Babylon the Great, which ensnares God's chosen people, much like branches and leaves. Next, God judges the beast and the false prophet, who ensnare the kings of the earth and their armies, akin to the trunk of a tree. Lastly, God judges Satan and the nations he incites to rebel, which can be seen as the root of the tree.

 

God also judges the world in a specific pattern. He always judges both evil spirits and wicked people at the same time. While dealing with Babylon the Great, the beast, the false prophet, and Satan, He simultaneously deals with the elect who were formerly ensnared by Babylon the Great. While wicked people and defiled objects are burned, evil spirits are simultaneously judged. The kings of the earth and their armies are slain by the sword that comes from the mouth of the one who sits on the white horse, and the armies of the rebellious nations are consumed by fire from heaven. Why do these two evil forces need to be exterminated at the same time? It is logical to conclude that if there were no people strengthening the forces of evil spirits by worshiping idols and offering sacrifices to them, the evil spirits would have no authority to deceive and enslave humanity. Therefore, in judging Babylon the Great, the beast, the false prophet, and Satan, God must also judge the "fuel" behind them, which is human worship. God and Satan are both competing for human worship. So, before God judges Satan, it is necessary to expose and do away with humanity's worship of Satan. This is one reason why God temporarily releases Satan—to expose and judge those whom Satan has deceived. Of course, this includes those who refuse to repent.

 

In Revelation 20, when Satan is released from the pit, he deceives Gog and Magog and tempts them to fight against Jesus. I’ve been taught that Gog and Magog refer to Russia. This teaching may come from Ezekiel 39:1, which says: "And you, son of man, prophesy against Gog and say, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I am against you, O Gog, prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal." The next verse mentions that they come from "the uttermost parts of the north." Some interpret this to mean that "Rosh" refers to Russia and "Meshech" to Moscow. However, I have not been able to verify this. Revelation 20:8 specifically mentions "the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog," which suggests that Gog and Magog might not only refer to Russia but also include other nations as well. Of course, we cannot be certain, because the Bible does not explicitly identify Gog and Magog. No matter what this term refers to, we know that God is judging the last remaining elements of Satan-worship that still exist in earthly kingdoms.

 

We see the same pattern in God’s simultaneous judgment of sinners, evil spirits, the beast, the false prophets, and Satan. Before God judges Babylon the Great, He first calls His elect out of the city. Then He judges the material objects and evil spirits that Babylon the Great used to bind people. Finally, he burns Babylon the Great. Similarly, before God judges the beast and the false prophet and throws them into the Lake of Fire, Christ slays the kings of the earth and their armies with the sword that comes out of His mouth. In the same way, before throwing Satan into the Lake of Fire where the beast and the false prophet are, God will destroy the rebellious nations surrounding the camp of the saints.

 

After God judges Satan, the Great White Throne judgment takes place. This judgment will determine the fate of many people. Sinners will be thrown into eternal torment in the Lake of Fire, which is the second death. God is righteous, and the wicked, especially those who cooperate with evil spirits, will first undergo judgment through the first death. Then, after God judges all kinds of evil spirits, He will condemn many sinners to the second death, which is eternal torment in the Lake of Fire.

 

Each stage of judgment will only arrive when a certain quota of overcomers is reached. When Christ’s bride is ready and the body of Christ is mature, God’s judgment will begin. This is because the maturity of the church and the individuals within the church is the tool through which God judges evil spirits and Satan.

 

God's Judgment of Satan and the Rebellious Nations Reveals That God's Cleansing of Us Is a Continual Refining Process

 

Before God's final judgment of Satan, He successively judges Babylon the Great, the beast, and the false prophet. Before the fall of Babylon, the beast was using Babylon for his purposes. Babylon the Great had ensnared many believers and was described as a prostitute. However, after the fall of Babylon, the beast uses the false prophet and the kings of the earth instead. He possesses them and uses them to engage in a great battle against Christ and His bride at Armageddon, only to be defeated.

 

The successive judgement of these individuals and spiritual forces can remind us of the way God progressively sanctifies us in our personal lives. God cleanses us through an ongoing refining process. Our salvation through faith in Christ is only the first step. Paul says, "For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life" (Romans 5:10). What does it mean to be "saved by His life"? It means not only that our spirits are reborn and our souls are spared from judgment in the Lake of Fire, but also that we will experience continual renewal and transformation of our minds (Romans 12:1). Ultimately, this leads to the redemption of our bodies, where we will receive glorified bodies.

 

Our salvation is a threefold salvation: spirit, soul, and body. When sin entered us, it first killed our spirit, then defiled our soul, and ultimately caused our body to become sick and eventually die. God’s salvation involves the reversal of this process. God regenerates our spirit, renews our soul, and ultimately heals our body. We as believers have been filled with the “Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead,” who “will also give life to [our] mortal bodies” (Romans 8:11); yet our bodies still become sick and ultimately die. Why is this? Because healing is a gradual process. While there are times when our physical illnesses are healed by God, our ultimate and final healing lies in receiving a resurrected body. Similarly, our spiritual growth and the transformation of our souls are also gradual processes. In particular, the impurities in our soul must be cleansed through a continual refining process. Just like gold is refined through repeated exposure to fire to cleanse away impurities, we must experience repeated tests and trials in order to produce a faith as precious as gold. When gold is exposed to intense heat, the dross rises to the top, is exposed, and is removed.

 

In the same way, trials help expose our sin and bring it to the surface so it can be dealt with. God continually refines us through trials to help us break free from the corruption that comes through lust, so we can partake more and more in God’s divine nature. Peter makes this point very clear in his epistles. How can we escape the corruption brought by lust? The first step is often to truly grasp the depth of our sin. Our sins must be exposed so we can see them clearly and break free from them.

 

In many ways, the same principle is true of the church as a whole and of humanity as a whole. We can view these final tests and trials—the judgment of Babylon the Great against those it ensnared, the defeat of kings and armies in the battle with the beast and the false prophet, and the burning of the rebellious nations in the final battle with Satan—as a refining process that deals with the uncleanness of humanity. Through various trials, these impurities are exposed and dealt with. The sins of those deceived by the evil spirits of Babylon the Great, the beast, the false prophet, and Satan are revealed and removed. Once these sins are dealt with, humanity becomes purer. At this point, those who oppose God are exposed and condemned, while those chosen by God and those who have chosen God are allowed to enter eternity. God is just. If someone suffers the second death in the Lake of Fire and complains that God is unjust, God will show them the opportunities He gave them in the past, as well as how they chose to reject and oppose Him during the trials. They will have no grounds for complaint. God is a just God. He selects every person worthy of eternal life to enter eternity, while those unworthy of eternal life make their own choice. From this perspective, it is necessary to give everyone the opportunity to make a choice, as well as the chance to go through trials to prove their choice.

 

How God Uses the Judgment of Babylon the Great to Bring About the Preparation of Christ’s Bride

 

Every act of God’s judgment exposes both the sins of evil spirits and humanity, and each exposure brings about God’s judgment and cleansing. When the work of evil spirits is revealed, they lose their control over people. Evil spirits thrive in darkness. They manipulate people in secret. But when the Spirit of God comes upon the people they controlled and drives out the demons through His power, that is when the kingdom of God comes upon us—just as Jesus said in Matthew 12:29.

 

Babylon the Great is like a vast and complex spiderweb. Satan and evil spirits weave this web of lies and deceit. The web includes systems of sin and wickedness. Sinners not only contribute to weaving this web through their sinful choices, but they are also ensnared in it. Even many of God’s chosen people have been trapped in it due to their sins. Therefore, before judging Babylon the Great, God specifically calls His chosen ones to come out of her. God then judges Babylon’s treasures—material objects that once dominated His people in many ways. By stripping away these enslaving elements, God frees His chosen ones from this web of captivity.

 

Let me share a modern-day example of being trapped in Satan’s web. In today’s world, many individuals who from Christian families have drifted away from God because of the hectic pace of working on Wall Street. In addition, many children are negatively influenced by the content produced in Wall Street. If God were to remove Wall Street, it would help free these individuals from the snares of Wall Street’s influence. This does not mean that Wall Street has no good aspects. Like the golden cup full of abominations (Revelation 17:4), it has some beautiful and shiny aspects. However, its net influence is negative.

 

God's judgment of Babylon is a judgment against the harlot, against the adulterous woman. Through this judgment, some of God's elect are delivered from the great harlot and become part of the Bride of Christ, the body of Christ. Through suffering, they reach maturity and ultimately become a bride prepared for her husband, as mentioned in Revelation 19. The Holy Spirit sanctifies us so we are prepared to meet our bridegroom, Jesus. Jesus sanctifies us and presents us to Himself a spotless virgin (Ephesians 5:25-27). This passage reminds me of Abraham's servant bringing Rebekah to Isaac to become his bride. It also reminds me of the process Esther went through to prepare to meet the king. The eunuchs gave her beauty treatments and then presented her to the king. In the same way, the Holy Spirit will prepare the church to meet her heavenly Bridegroom.

 

How God Judges the Beast and the Kings to Bring About the Millennial Kingdom

 

Once the Holy Spirit completes His work of preparing the bride, the marriage supper of the Lamb may begin. At this supper, Jesus Christ and His bride celebrate their union. This union must take place before the battle at Armageddon, where the Lord and His bride (the heavenly army) confront the beast, its kings, and their armies. This great battle occurs after the destruction of Babylon the Great, after God's elect have been rescued from the snare of Babylon the Great. At this time in history, the kings aligned with the beast and the false prophet are likely in opposition to God. The Lord uses the sword from His mouth to slay the kings and their armies, and the birds of heaven feast on their flesh.

There are two groups of believers in Babylon the Great. The first group consists of those who refused to compromise with the great prostitute and who were martyred for their faith. These believers are the overcomers. The second group consists of the believers who were deceived by Babylon the Great and then rescued by God's mercy from her snare. They may not necessarily be overcomers, but because they are elect, they might enter eternity with the overcomers.

 

Similarly, at this moment in history when humanity is tested by the beast and the false prophet, it exposes the heart of humankind and separates them into two different groups of people. The first group is those who refused to worship the beast and its image, and who did not accept the mark of the beast. These people are also overcomers. They will also be part of the first resurrection of the Millennial Kingdom, along with all the previous overcomers, and will reign with the Lord for a thousand years. All those who worship the beast and its image and accept the mark of the beast will share the same fate as the beast and the false prophet, being cast into the Lake of Fire. Thus, God once again separates those who are worthy to partake in the first resurrection and reign with Christ from those who are not. In other words, when humanity is tested by the beast and the false prophet, this trial refines one more final group of overcomers so they can receive their reward in the Millennial Kingdom. They will then reign with Christ for a thousand years, ushering in the coming of the Millennial Kingdom.

 

 

How God's Judgment of Satan and the Rebellious Nations Brings About the Arrival of Eternity

 

The Millennial Kingdom will not begin until Christ’s bride is prepared, Christ and His bride have won the victory over the beast and the false prophet, and the angel has bound Satan for a thousand years. This thousand-year period serves as further preparation for the arrival of eternity. Our destiny is to reign with Christ for all eternity. In comparison, this thousand-year reign with the Lord is a brief period of training. I believe those who reign with the Lord are the overcomers, and they will be the first to be resurrected and be free from the second death. Their mission is to continue leading more people to Christ and bringing them to maturity.

 

Trials help bring people to maturity, and they also expose which people truly believe in Christ and which do not. A person may appear godly on the outside but not truly believe in Him on the inside. However, trials help expose our true selves. Someone who seems devout on the outside may deny the Lord when trials come, just as Peter did. This is why trials are essential, even during the Millennium Kingdom.

 

I don't understand why some people will still turn against Christ during the Millennium Kingdom, after seeing the Lord reign on earth. But we also don't know why Satan and a third of God’s angels rebelled, despite knowing being with God face to face. This shows how cunning and deceitful Satan is. It shows that seeing the Lord is not necessarily the same thing as believing in Him. Even when Jesus came to earth in the flesh, many saw Him but still did not believe in Him.

 

To help us further understand how people can turn against Jesus’ leadership after a thousand years of peace, let us look at some examples from history. Both the United States and Israel experienced long periods of peace followed by a sudden descent into destruction. As long as our sin natures remain, we are at risk of falling into sin. In Deuteronomy, Moses warned the Israelites that after entering the Promised Land, they would gradually forget God. He said, “When you father children and children's children and have grown old in the land, if you act corruptly by making a carved image in the form of anything, and by doing what is evil in the sight of the Lord your God, so as to provoke him to anger” (Deuteronomy 4:25). Just as Moses prophesied, the Israelites, after settling in the land, grew weak and fell away from God. The same thing happened in the United States. At one point, America began walking down a path of decline. Many people abandoned God and began worshiping idols. These idols included money, entertainment, evil spirits, and so on. Therefore, God's discipline came upon the United States. However, countless Christians prayed for repentance, and I believe circumstances are changing and a revival is coming. Both the history of Israel and the history of America (a Christian nation) demonstrate that nations can deteriorate after long periods of prosperity. In the same way, during the Millennial Kingdom, many people will grow weak and falter after living in peace for so long.

 

After the thousand-year period is over, Satan must be temporarily released. The trials he brings will demonstrate which people are worthy of eternal life and which people are not. After this separation takes place, eternity will begin. The Bible does not tell us whether new overcomers will emerge during this time, but I certainly hope that there are. I believe that anyone who seeks God will receive His reward. However, one thing seems clear: the people who participate in the rebellion will be consumed by fire from heaven. The Bible does not say that these people are thrown into the Lake of Fire. After this judgment, the Great White Throne judgment will occur, and anyone whose name is not found in the Book of Life will be cast into the Lake of Fire.

 

Conclusion

 

The Bible contains many things that we cannot know for sure, such as the exact identity of Gog and Magog. Many speculate that they refer to Russia, but we cannot determine if this interpretation is correct. These names may simply refer to the nations who participate in the rebellion at the end of the millennial kingdom and receive God’s judgment. We will only know for sure who Gog and Magog are when God reveals their identity at the end of the millennial kingdom. However, their identity is ultimately not important or relevant to our spiritual growth.

 

When reading Revelation, many people focus on speculating about who is who, what will happen when, and other details. But this is a waste of time. When we read Revelation, we must focus on the roadmap that God gives to the church for how the church will grow and mature. We must learn how to build up the body of Christ and prepare the bride for her future Husband. Only then will she be ready for the marriage feast of Christ and His bride, the battle of Christ and His army against the beast and the false prophet, and God’s ultimate judgment against them in the Lake of Fire. The bride’s maturity and preparedness will ultimately usher in the millennial kingdom and the eternal state.

 

The body of Christ is not just an abstract concept; it is made up of individuals like you and me. Every member of the body is important. The degree to which you and I, as members of the body, mature in our spiritual lives will ultimately determine the degree to which the body of Christ matures. We must seize every opportunity to grow spiritually. This includes embracing trials, which are God’s tools to help us mature. If we are not spiritually mature, we can never progress to the next stage of God’s eternal plan. This is why speculations and fantasies are a waste of time compared to the ongoing work of sanctification and preparation for eternity.

Bible Study With Jairus - Revelation 20 Part 1 How Can Christians Overcome Satan's Temptations and Avoid Wandering in the Wilderness

Bible Study with Jairus Revelation 20 (part 1)

How Can Christians Overcome Satan's Temptations and Avoid Wandering in the Wilderness

 

Revelation 20:1-3 tells us that the ancient serpent who deceived the nations was bound by an angel and imprisoned for a thousand years. Before this, the church endured numerous trials before she entered the Millennial Kingdom. After the Millennial Kingdom, Satan will be temporarily released to continue testing people.

 

The Israelites' time in the wilderness was a period of testing. God’s people needed to overcome Satan’s temptations and learn the lessons God was teaching them so they could enter the Promised Land. Otherwise, they would continue aimlessly wandering in the wilderness. Similarly, God’s chosen people today (Christians) need to overcome Satan’s temptations and avoid wandering endlessly in the wilderness.

 

From studying Revelation 20, we can make the following observations about Satan’s tests and temptations.

• First, Satan’s testing will last a long time. Though many believe Jesus will come soon, this might be an unrealistic expectation. We need to be prepared to endure long-lasting hardships and trials.
• Second, many people give too much weight to their hardships, attributing too much power to Satan. They fear Satan as if he is omnipotent, while failing to recognize God’s ultimate power and sovereignty. Many people seem to fear Satan even more than they revere God. This is a grave error.
• Third, trials and tests are permitted by God. Satan's testing cannot exceed the limits allowed by God. God only allows us to be tested according to what we can bear (1 Corinthians 10:15) and according to His will.
• Fourth, trials help us grow. We must understand God's will, obey it, grow, and overcome each trial. This is the way to overcome Satan and avoid wandering in the wilderness.

 

Many Christians fail to learn the lessons God is trying to teach them through trials. As a result, their spiritual lives stagnate and they continue wandering in the wilderness. If individual Christians do not mature in their spiritual lives, then the church (the body of Christ) cannot reach the level of maturity God desires. Just as Israel could not enter the Promised Land until she reached a certain level of maturity and faith, the church will not enter the Millennial Kingdom and the eternal state until she learns the lessons God is trying to teach her through trials. Difficult circumstances, including Satan’s temptations, help bring us to spiritual maturity. When Christ’s body reaches maturity, her maturity will be manifested in the Millennial Kingdom.

 

Many Christians enjoy discussing end times and trying to determine when key events will take place. However, they neglect the lessons of spiritual maturity that God is trying to teach them through their circumstances and trials. Since the coming of the Kingdom is contingent on the maturity of Christ’s bride, the church, these believers are putting the cart before the horse. In other words, the return of Jesus and the coming of the Millennial Kingdom are not as near as many imagine because His bride is not yet prepared, and our spiritual lives have not yet reached the level of maturity God desires.

 

Satan's Temptations Will Last for a Long Time

 

At the end of the book of Revelation, God's method of dealing with evil is like chopping down a tree—starting with the branches, then the trunk, and finally the roots.

• Satan is the root of all the evil in the world. He is dealt with last. Satan, the ancient serpent who deceived humankind, will be locked in the bottomless pit for a thousand years (Revelation 20). After that, he will be temporarily released to deceive the nations. His final destination is the lake of fire and sulfur (Revelation 20:7-10). When God sends Satan to the Lake of Fire, God is metaphorically chopping at the root of the tree, completely removing the source of all sin, which is Satan.
• The beast and the false prophet are like the trunk of the tree. They are thrown alive into the Lake of Fire (Revelation 19:20). There, they join the beast and the false prophet who fought against Christ and His bride's army, as well as the kings of the earth and their armies. This happens after the bride has made herself ready (Revelation 19:7). This is like removing the trunk of the tree.
• Babylon the Great is like the branches and leaves of a flourishing tree. Babylon is the dwelling place of demons, the haunt of every unclean spirit, and the nest of every unclean and detestable bird (Revelation 18:2). Babylon the Great is a collective entity formed by demons, evil spirits, and sinners, and she deceived the nations (Revelation 18:3). God's judgment in the end times begins with chopping down the branches and leaves of this flourishing tree. Revelation 17 also describes the punishment of the great prostitute, and Revelation 16 records the seven bowl judgments. These judgments, along with the previous ones, prepare the way for the final judgment of Babylon the Great, the beast, the false prophet, and Satan.

 

I am narrating this process in reverse, hoping to give you a clear vision of where we stand today and where we are in God’s redemptive timetable. We have not yet experienced the scenarios described in Revelation 18-20. Satan has not been bound in the bottomless pit. The bride of Christ is not yet prepared, and she has not yet joined with Christ to defeat the beast, the false prophets, and the kings’ armies (Revelation 19). And Babylon the Great has not yet fallen (Revelation 18:2).

 

How do we know that Babylon the Great has not yet fallen? Because the judgment of Babylon in Revelation 17 happens after the seven bowl judgments recorded in Revelation 16. To evaluate whether Babylon has fallen yet, we must ask ourselves whether we have experienced the disasters of the seven bowls. The first bowl judgment is poured out on those who have the mark of the beast and worship its image. While there is much discussion about the possibility of the COVID-19 vaccine and microchips being the mark of the beast, there is no conclusion yet, and personally, I don’t believe that they are. Therefore, it is unlikely that we have experienced the scenario described in Revelation 16.

 

In Revelation 13-15, two beasts appear and wage war with the saints. The overcoming saints sing praise to God on the sea of glass (15:2). Have any of these events already taken place? Can we say with certainty that the beast has appeared in the world today? Even though the spirit of the antichrist is already at work on earth, no one can assert with confidence that the beast has appeared. So, we have not yet experienced the scenarios described in Revelation 13-15.

 

Going back even further on God’s redemptive timetable, Revelation 12 records the battle between the woman and the dragon and the birth of the male child. I believe the male child represents the victorious members of the body of Christ, who will rule the nations with a rod of iron (12:5). There are no clear signs to suggest that this event has already happened. Does the church today—whether in other countries or in Christian nations like the United States—have the ability to rule the nations? Far from it. So, we have not yet experienced the events of Revelation 12. Similarly, Revelation 11:15 declares, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ.” This has not happened yet, either.

 

The disasters mentioned in Revelation 6-10 (the seven seals and seven trumpets) are still far from fulfillment. Similarly, the events of Revelation 4-5, where heaven is opened and we see God at work on His throne, are still a mystery to many. As the body of Christ, we have not yet experienced heaven opened. We have not yet clearly seen God’s throne or His kingly reign.

 

Therefore, we can conclude that the church is still in the era described in the letters to the seven churches in Revelation 1-3. These letters not only describe the work of Satan in each congregation, but also the promises of victory that Jesus gives.

 

From this discussion, it becomes clear that we are nowhere near the return of Christ. The process of defeating Satan and his minions (including the beast, the false prophet, various evil spirits, demons, and sinners who make up Babylon the Great) is a long-term process that is nowhere near completion. Many people are discussing the imminent return of Jesus, but I believe this is an unrealistic expectation. Of course, I long for the return of Jesus, but according to this timetable, we are still many steps away from His return to reign.

 

When the Lord appeared to me in 2004, He clearly stated that once the body of Christ, the bride, and the New Jerusalem are completed, He will return. We are still far from the bride being ready, the body of Christ maturing, and the New Jerusalem being built. When we gain a clear understanding of the reality, we can focus our discussion on growing in maturity rather than on Christ’s imminent return. We can learn how we can participate with God in our spiritual growth, including the growth that comes through Satan’s trials and tests.

 

In Trials, We Must See That God is Far Greater Than Satan

 

In Revelation 20:1-3, an angel comes down from heaven, holding a great chain and the key to the bottomless pit. He binds the dragon (also called the ancient serpent, the devil, and Satan) for a thousand years and casts him into the abyss, shutting it and sealing it so that he can no longer deceive the nations until the thousand years are completed. Afterward, he must be released for a little while.

 

What can we learn from these verses? We can learn that Satan is not nearly as powerful as we often imagine. In this passage, we see that one angel by himself can bind and subdue Satan. Of course, the angel is doing these things by God's command and authority, but he is still doing them by himself. In the modern church, Satan is often portrayed as extremely powerful—sometimes to the extent that it seems he is greater than God. When a Christian is bound by a spirit of fear in their personal life, they may feel that Satan is greater than God. We may even begin to believe that Satan is all-powerful. As a result, many people fear Satan more than God. However, this passage teaches that Satan is finite and can be bound by a single angle.

 

Let’s look at a few more examples of Christians attributing too much power to Satan. When I was pursuing the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, I often heard the following objection: “Don't pursue the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. If you seek the Holy Spirit, what if you end up receiving an evil spirit instead?" Such thoughts are widespread in many evangelical churches. However, Luke 11 clearly teaches that if we ask our Heavenly Father, He will certainly give us the Holy Spirit, not an evil spirit (11:13).

 

Additionally, even though the Bible teaches us to speak out for righteousness, many Christians are afraid to speak out in the face of evil because they fear the reactions of evil people. Fearing evil people is essentially the same as fearing Satan, because Satan is behind their sinful actions. This fear of Satan is a mindset that permeates the world and even the church. In many instances, Christians fear Satan more than they fear God. They think Satan is powerful, dark, and hopeless, while their concept of God is weak and limited. In everyday life, they do not demonstrate a faith in God’s omnipotence. But their actions show a strong belief in Satan’s power. This passage provides a much-needed reminder that Satan is not all-powerful and can be subdued by a single angel.

 

Who is this angel that binds Satan? The Bible does not specify whether it is Gabriel or another archangel; it simply says that an angel is given authority by God to bind Satan, and Satan is bound for a thousand years. Even after being temporarily released, he is still under God’s sovereignty. When darkness seems to have dominion, God is still seated on His throne, controlling all things. We must remember God’s sovereignty and his ability to work all things together for the good of those who love God.

 

The entire book of Revelation is structured around God's provision, sovereignty, and His kingly plan, even during times of trial. After describing the trials that the seven churches will face, the book of Revelation describes the throne room of God (Revelation 4-5). John sees heaven opened, and he realizes that God is still at work on His throne, promising rewards to His victorious saints. Similarly, the next several chapters include many difficult seal judgments, but in between the sixth and seventh seal, God pauses the judgment to show John a vision of 144,000 conquering believers. They had come out of the great tribulation and were serving God before His throne (Revelation 7:15). These people are likely martyrs who were killed during the great tribulation. They were willing to pay the ultimate price for their faith, but now they are being richly rewarded: "They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes" (7:16-17). Before the sixth seal, there was much suffering, and after the seventh seal and the seven trumpets, there was even more suffering. But God does not forget to comfort the apostle John (and all suffering believers) through these visions of hope amidst suffering. There are also encouraging visions between the sixth and seventh trumpet judgments, just as between the sixth and seventh seal judgments. The messages of hope include the message of the seven thunders (10:3), the invitation to eat the little scroll (10:10), the command to measure the temple (11:1), and the story about the two witnesses (11:3-12). These visions encourage suffering believers to see God's sovereignty and His will in the midst of pain.

 

The principles revealed in Revelation are the same as the principles we experience in our lives today. God is in control of all things, and even in the midst of suffering, He continues to provide. God works all things together for His good purposes, even trials and trouble. However, the trials described in Revelation are much greater than the trials we face on a daily basis. If we cannot trust God’s purpose and provision in our everyday lives, how will we have strength to overcome these apocalyptic disasters described in Revelation? God will not suddenly give us supernatural strength that we have not already cultivated in our everyday lives. If we cannot obey God in the small trials of life, we should not imagine that we will somehow have the strength to resist the mark of the beast. This is fantasy and self-deception. We need to be victorious in the various small trials of life today so that we can face the greater trials that are coming in the future.

 

As we have mentioned before, Revelation 12 is the turning point of the book of Revelation. After the vision of the woman (12:3) and the birth of the male child (12:5), the battle becomes fiercer. Satan is cast down from heaven to earth (12:4, 9). In his fury, he intensifies his persecution of the woman and her remaining children (12:17). Afterward, the two beasts emerge, one after the other, and they escalate the persecution of those who refuse to receive the mark of the beast. However, amid this harsh persecution, the Holy Spirit graciously provides another vision in chapter 14, showing the 144,000 standing victorious on Mount Zion.

 

The next trial is the fall of Babylon the Great (14:8), God’s continued judgment of the world, and the world’s continued persecution of believers. During this time, many more believers are martyred. However, in chapter 15, God continues His pattern of encouraging and warning believers by giving a vision of the overcomers standing victorious on the sea of glass. This is followed by the seven bowl judgments (chapter 15), but in the midst of these severe judgments—between the sixth and seventh bowl judgment—the Lord again reminds believers to stay alert, because He is coming soon, like a thief (16:16). This leads into the judgment of Babylon the Great, the beast, the false prophet, and the ultimate judgment of Satan.

 

These trials and judgments become more and more severe as the book progresses. Yet in the midst of these harsh judgments, God continues to provide visions to encourage believers. Today, we face trials that are much less severe than the ones revealed in Revelation. If we cannot learn to experience God's provision and see His purpose in the smaller trials, it will be difficult for us to do so in the bigger ones. Let me give an example to illustrate. Since my daughter grew up in the United States, she is not accustomed to facing hardship. My wife and I often think about the greater hardships that we faced in China growing up. When our daughter complains about everyday situations, like cold water in the swimming pool, we tell her, “You need to learn to endure hardship. Your mother and I grew up in China under much more difficult situations. If you cannot tolerate small trials, how will you be able to tolerate the greater difficulties you will eventually face in life?” However, no matter how much we said, we found that she still could not endure hardship as we once could. Many children raised in the United States have not experienced very much hardship compared to children who grew up in third-world countries. As a result, their ability to handle setbacks and pressure is limited. Although their mindset is healthier, children from the United States have less survival ability than those who have experienced hardship.

 

Similarly, when God called Hudson Taylor to China to spread the gospel, he intentionally moved to a poor area in East London to undergo what he called “hardship training.” There, he survived on bread and water. Through these difficulties, he tried to prepare himself for what was ahead. However, even with this training, he was still not prepared for the hardship he would face when he arrived in China. Since the Chinese people were resistant to foreigners, no one would rent him a house. He had to live in an idol’s temple. He could not sleep at night because every time he closed his eyes, beggars would steal his luggage. Because Hudson Taylor had trained himself to endure hardship for many years, he was able to overcome the difficult circumstances he encountered in China. As a result, he had the resilience and fortitude he needed to spread the gospel to countless Chinese people.

 

These examples show that if we do not learn to endure hardship in small situations, we will not be prepared for bigger ones. If we as Christ’s body do not learn obedience through everyday difficulties, we will not be prepared for greater suffering (such as those described in Revelation. We must learn to understand God's will in hardship, while also learning what God wants to teach us through it.

 

God's Trials for Us Will Not Exceed What We Can Bear

 

In order to learn the lessons God wants to teach us through our suffering, we must understand the nature of suffering. First, we must understand that Satan does not attack us because of our past sins and failures. We all have sinned, and we all have weaknesses. But if we sinned before we came to know Christ, or if we sinned as a believer and then repented, we are cleansed and forgiven by Christ’s precious blood. If we still think that our past failures and sins are causing Satan’s attacks, this perspective is rooted in fear. Once we truly repent and God forgives us, Satan has no right to attack, because the blood of the Lord overcomes him. No one, including Satan, can bypass the cleansing of the Lord's blood in order to attack you.

 

If this is true, then why do we often experience various attacks from Satan in our lives? Because even though we know about the Lord's redemption and the power of His precious blood, we fail to apply them or repent, thus giving Satan a foothold to attack us through fear and other means. If we live in sin despite our faith in Christ and knowledge of the truth, we give Satan a foothold, which often leads to attacks.

 

We must recognize that it is impossible for Satan to attack us without God's permission. Satan is under God's control, and Satan is not greater than God. He can only attack us within the limits that God sets. As we see in the Book of Job, Satan must first ask for God's permission before he can attack a person. God sets limits on Satan’s attacks, as we see in Job 1:12. God said, "You may attack his family, but you may not harm him.” Later, God allowed Satan to attack Job's body as long as he did not take his life. Again, God established His authority over Satan. Since God is the one who determines whether Satan can attack us and to what extent, we must seek His will during times of suffering and spiritual attack. Every attack has a purpose in God's plan. If we are in sin, God may want to use suffering to deal with areas of uncleanness in our lives. Even if we are blameless like Job, he can use suffering to help us grow in our knowledge of God and experience Him more fully (Job 42:5). When we experience suffering and spiritual attacks, we must seek God’s will and ask Him how he wants to use this suffering to help us mature and make us holy. Unfortunately, many Christians fail to seek God’s guidance when facing hardships and spiritual attacks. Sadly, they miss the opportunity to receive help from God.

 

Two people can face the same type of suffering with very different outcomes. One person may allow God to use the difficult circumstance to make them more like Him. This person grows in maturity and makes spiritual progress. Meanwhile, another person may fail to understand God’s purpose in suffering. They are unwilling to seek God’s will and submit to Him, and they fail to deal with sin and uncleanness in their lives. As a result, they continue wandering in the spiritual wilderness. Like the Israelites of the Old Testament, they fail to enter the promised land of God's blessing.

 

We Must Allow God to Remove our Sins and Uncleanness Through Suffering

 

Nothing happens to us by chance; every event is a part of God’s good purpose. Watchman Nee from the Inner Life Movement, Mrs. Jessie Penn-Lewis from the British Inner Life movement, and Madame Jeanne Guyon from the Catholic church all teach that God works through suffering—even the attacks of Satan. When we encounter suffering, we need to seek God through prayer so we can enter His presence, understand His purpose, and obey His will. As we do, we can learn God’s intentions to work all things together for good, and we can grow in obedience and prayer. If we fail to do this, we will waste the opportunity to learn what God wants to teach us through our circumstances.

 

If we fail to learn the lessons God is teaching us, we will continue to go in circles, facing the same tests over and over for years or even decades—just like the Israelites, who went in circles in the wilderness for forty years. Ironically, we will continue to face tests whether we learn the lessons or not. But if we don’t learn the lessons God wants to teach us, we will continue to repeat the lessons at the same level rather than progressing to the next level. Let me use the example of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) test to illustrate this point. When grad students take the GRE for admission to grad school, all students answer the same number of questions. If the student answers the questions correctly, they are given increasingly harder questions to answer. If they continue answering the harder questions correctly, the test continues to increase in difficulty. Their final score may be in the top 5% or 10%. However, if the student answers incorrectly, the computer continues to give them questions on the same level. They do not advance, and they get a score in the 40-50% range. Like the Israelites wandering in the wilderness, they make no progress.

 

In the same way, the individuals who make up the body of Christ (referenced in Revelation 20) need to continue making progress and growing in maturity. When facing the same daily circumstances, some Christians continue on an upward trajectory, growing through the hardships God sends. They keep advancing in their spiritual journey. However, other Christians face the same struggles over and over without learning what God wants to teach them. They continue to struggle with relationships, conflicts, or circumstances without growing or maturing. After decades, they are still facing the same difficulties. Their personality has not changed for the better, and they are still wandering in the metaphorical wilderness.

 

Today, Satan disguises himself within our fleshly desires, difficult circumstances, or conflicts with our loved ones. He uses these circumstances to attack us. Why does God allow Satan to attack us through the people around us? Because He is testing us to see if we can conquer our bad habits, overcome our sins, and turn to Him in the midst of difficulties. If so, we can move to a deeper level of spiritual maturity.

 

So, while Revelation reveals the difficult circumstances that the entire body of Christ faces in end times, as well as the level of maturity the church as a whole reaches, some individual Christians will not share in this level of victory. Throughout history, there have always been victorious saints. I believe the 144,000, the firstfruits, are examples of overcomers. It is likely that these overcomers include not only victorious Christians across generations but also all the victorious saints from the Old Testament. For example, Hebrews 11 lists numerous examples of faithful saints from Adam onward. I believe they are part of these firstfruits as well.

 

Even though there have been many victorious individual believers throughout the ages, these overcomers did not receive what was promised because they were waiting for the remaining members of the body of Christ to mature (Hebrews 11:39). Verse 40 says, "Since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect." In the book of Revelation, God uses these various circumstances, especially these increasingly difficult trials, to bring more members of the body of Christ to maturity. This allows them to enter into the freedom and glory of God's children, which ultimately leads to the liberation of all creation from its bondage to corruption so it can join God’s children in freedom and glory (Romans 8:21).

 

Conclusion:

I believe that the entire body of Christ must reach maturity in order for the New Jerusalem to be fully complete. The number of chosen overcomers must reach 144,000, and the bride (the body of Christ) must become mature in order for the Lord Jesus to return. Even the martyrs, who cry out in Revelation 6:10 for God to judge those who dwell on the earth and avenge their blood, are told that they must wait until the number of their fellow servants and brothers who are to be martyred like they were is complete. Not only is there a specific number of people who must be martyred, but there is also a set number of people who must reach spiritual maturity.

 

Therefore, when we read Revelation, we should not focus solely on speculating about when Jesus will come back or identifying who the beast and false prophet are. Instead, we must read Revelation from the perspective of spiritual growth. We need to pray for all members of Christ’s body to recognize the necessity of progressing toward spiritual maturity. However, since every individual has free will and can decide how to live their lives, not everyone will choose the path of maturity. Those who submit to God and seek His will in the midst of life’s trials will mature more quickly and may even become part of the 144,000.

 

The first three verses of Revelation 20 are connected to the verse that follows. Revelation 20:4 says, “Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed.” I believe the word "those” does not refer to the Lord. Instead, the word refers to people who have attained spiritual maturity and as a result have been granted this authority. This group may include the twelve apostles, since the Lord promised them, “You who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” As we grow spiritually through the trials of life and the attacks of Satan, we are led to the thrones God has prepared for us. This does not mean we are exalting ourselves, but rather that when our spiritual lives reach that level, God bestows upon us the authority to judge. The ability to judge others is not about taking an aggressive or vocal stance, but about being filled with the life of God. It is God’s life within us that judges the world, judges people, judges evil spirits, and judges Satan. The more God’s life and His presence are expressed in us, and the more we are sanctified, set apart, and conformed to the glorious image of the Son of God, the more authority we receive to judge. This is a matter of spiritual maturity, not merely a matter of position. When we are saved in Christ, we receive the authority to judge the world, Satan, and evil spirits. Paul explicitly states this regarding our position in Christ: “Do you not know that we are to judge angels?” However, if our spiritual life has not matured to that level, we will be unsuccessful in exercising this authority, just like the seven sons of Sceva were when they attempted to cast out a demon in Acts 19. When they rebuked the demon, the demon did not obey them. Instead, it replied, “Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?” (Acts 19:15) If your level of spiritual maturity has not reached the necessary level, you will lack the authority to reign from the "throne of life" and judge others.

 

Therefore, as the end of the book of Revelation approaches, it emphasizes the collective maturity of Christ’s body. When we read the conclusion of Revelation, we must understand it in the context of the full maturity of Christ’s body. At this point, only one or two chapters remain before the entire old creation comes to an end. At that point, Christians will be revealed in glory with Christ, victorious. If Christ’s body has not yet matured to the extent that some believers can sit on thrones—or that the collective body of Christ can do so—how can we judge Satan and the old creation or bring God’s eternal purpose to completion? It would be impossible. Therefore, these events show that the body of Christ—Christ’s bride which is also a victorious army—has reached a certain level of spiritual growth. The maturity of the body of Christ and the maturity of individual believers is achieved through trials, attacks from Satan, and challenging circumstances. These difficulties enable us to grow and mature so we can overcome, gain the fullness and abundance of God's life, and eventually gain the authority to rule over the universe and Satan and to trample on serpents and scorpions. The final judgment in Revelation is intimately connected with the maturity of Christ’s body. When the body of Christ matures, believers can sit on thrones with Him. Without this maturity, which leads to reigning together with the Lord on the throne, the final judgment in Revelation would be impossible.