To Coincide with Upgrading Service for Priests and Priests To Be II
Peace and grace in the love of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Revelation 3:7-13 is about the church in Philadelphia.
Revelation 3:7
3:7 "And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, ‘These things says He who is holy, He who is true, "He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens":
Jesus appears as He who has the key of David for the church in Philadelphia to do three great things as follows.
ad. 1. Opening the door that cannot be shut by anyone.
Revelation 3:8
3:8 "I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name.
Matthew 27:50-52
27:50 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit.
27:51 Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split,
27:52 and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised;
Jesus is obedient and faithful on the cross to open the door of the graves or the gate of Hades.
Ephesians 4:8-12
4:8Therefore He says: "When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men."
4:9 (Now this, "He ascended" ––what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth?
4:10 He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)
4:11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,
4:12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,
Jesus opens the gate of the Hades means that He has descended to the lower part of the earth to do two things as follows.
The fact found in the ministry for building the body of Christ or fellowship starts from the marriage, shepherding, and inter-shepherding, until Israel is united with the Gentiles in the one perfect body of Christ. We become the heavenly bride who is ready to welcome Jesus’ second coming.
We must be careful because there are two kinds of fellowship as follows.
Acts 20:22-27
20:22 "And see, now I go bound in the spiritto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there,
20:23 "except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me.
20:24 "But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.
20:25 "And indeed, now I know that you all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, will see my face no more.
20:26 "Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men.
20:27 "For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God.
We become the captive of Spirit in the building of Christ’s body as follows.
God blesses us.
Peace and grace in the love of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Revelation 3:7-13 is about the church in Philadelphia.
Revelation 3:7
3:7 "And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, ‘These things says He who is holy, He who is true, "He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens":
Jesus appears as He who has the key of David for the church in Philadelphia to do three great things as follows.
- Opening the door that cannot be shut by anyone [Revelation 3:8].
- Giving victory over the synagogue of Satan [Revelation 3:9].
- Keeping us from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world [Revelation 3:10]
ad. 1. Opening the door that cannot be shut by anyone.
Revelation 3:8
3:8 "I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name.
Matthew 27:50-52
27:50 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit.
27:51 Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split,
27:52 and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised;
Jesus is obedient and faithful on the cross to open the door of the graves or the gate of Hades.
Ephesians 4:8-12
4:8Therefore He says: "When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men."
4:9 (Now this, "He ascended" ––what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth?
4:10 He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)
4:11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,
4:12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,
Jesus opens the gate of the Hades means that He has descended to the lower part of the earth to do two things as follows.
- Setting us free from the captivity of death.
- Giving us ministry or appointing us as priests and kings so that we can be used in the ministry for building the perfect body of Christ. We can become the heavenly bride who is ready to welcome Jesus’ second coming.
The fact found in the ministry for building the body of Christ or fellowship starts from the marriage, shepherding, and inter-shepherding, until Israel is united with the Gentiles in the one perfect body of Christ. We become the heavenly bride who is ready to welcome Jesus’ second coming.
We must be careful because there are two kinds of fellowship as follows.
- The true fellowship of the body of Christ.
John 15:1,5
15:1 "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.
15:5 "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. “
It is like a branch that dwells in the true Vine. It is based on the true teaching Word.
John 15:3
15:3 "You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.
The indication is our holiness and faithfulness until we can bear sweet fruits. We are preserved and pleaded by God until we have the fruit of perfection. - The wrong fellowship.
John 15:6
15:6 "If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gatherthem and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.
It is the fellowship of the dry branches without the true Vine. It is said as the conspiracy against the true person. The consequence is being burnt forever.
Acts 20:22-27
20:22 "And see, now I go bound in the spiritto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there,
20:23 "except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me.
20:24 "But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.
20:25 "And indeed, now I know that you all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, will see my face no more.
20:26 "Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men.
20:27 "For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God.
We become the captive of Spirit in the building of Christ’s body as follows.
- We do not have our own thought, will, and plan, but only do the will of Holy Spirit and obey God’s will although we must suffer in the flesh.
As a result, we are always successful; even we get the highest success, namely the opening of the door of heaven.
Matthew 7:21
7:21 "Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.
2 Samuel 6:1-7
6:1 Again David gathered all the choice men of Israel, thirty thousand.
6:2 And David arose and went with all the people who were with him from Baale Judah to bring up from there the ark of God, whose name is called by the Name, the LORD of Hosts, who dwells between the cherubim.
6:3 So they set the ark of God on a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill; and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drove the new cart.
6:4 And they brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill, accompanying the ark of God; and Ahio went before the ark.
6:5 Then David and all the house of Israel played music before the LORD on all kinds of instruments of fir wood, on harps, on stringed instruments, on tambourines, on sistrums, and on cymbals.
6:6 And when they came to Nachon’s threshing floor, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled.
6:7 Then the anger of the LORD was aroused against Uzzah, and God struck him there for his error; and he died there by the ark of God.
We must have the obedience to the will of God, especially in bearing the Ark of the Covenant or preaching the Bride Tidings.
Disobedience is the indication of the fleshly ministry as follows.- Choosing the things that are comfortable to the flesh. One does not willingly sacrifice.
- Imitating the ways of the world, such as performance, joke, and so on in preaching the Word.
- Being influenced by human’s logic, fleshly mind, and so on. Consequently, one falls or has the wrong direction until he is lost and destroyed forever.
6:12 Now it was told King David, saying, "The LORD has blessed the house of Obed–Edom and all that belongs to him, because of the ark of God." So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed–Edom to the City of David with gladness.
6:13 And so it was, when those bearing the ark of the LORDhad gone six paces, that he sacrificed oxen and fatted sheep.
6:14 Then David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was wearing a linen ephod.
6:15 So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting and with the sound of the trumpet.
6:16 Now as the ark of the LORD came into the City of David, Michal, Saul’s daughter, looked through a window and saw King David leaping and whirling before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart.
6:23 Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death.
David could realize and be firm to bear the Ark of the Covenant. He returned to the true consecration according to the will of God. The Ark of the Covenant was born on shoulders, but he still danced. It means that the flesh still had the authority. Consequently, there was no glory.
2 Samuel 6:17
6:17 So they brought the ark of the LORD, and set it in its place in the midst of the tabernacle that David had erected for it. Then David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD.
Acts 15:16-17
15:16 ‘After this I will return And will rebuild the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down; I will rebuild its ruins, And I will set it up;
15:17 So that the rest of mankind may seek the LORD, Even all the Gentiles who are called by My name, Says the LORD who does all these things.’
The marriage was barren. It means not reaching Revelation 12:1 or perfection.
Revelation 12:1-2
12:1 Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars.
12:2 Then being with child, she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth.
1 Kings 8:1-6,10-11
8:1 Now Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the chief fathers of the children of Israel, to King Solomon in Jerusalem, that they might bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD from the City of David, which is Zion.
8:2 Therefore all the men of Israel assembled with King Solomon at the feast in the month of Ethanim, which is the seventh month.
8:3 So all the elders of Israel came, and the priests took up the ark.
8:4 Then they brought up the ark of the LORD, the tabernacle of meeting, and all the holy furnishings that were in the tabernacle. The priests and the Levites brought them up.
8:5 Also King Solomon, and all the congregation of Israel who were assembled with him, were with him before the ark, sacrificing sheep and oxen that could not be counted or numbered for multitude.
8:6 Then the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the LORD to its place, into the inner sanctuary of the temple, to the Most Holy Place, under the wings of the cherubim.
8:10 And it came to pass, when the priests came out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the LORD,
8:11 so that the priests could not continue ministeringbecause of the cloud; for the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD.
Solomon stood means that the flesh does not have authority anymore, but Holy Spirit does. It also refers to the honor to Jesus as the Heavenly Bridegroom. All things are done regularly. As a result, the clouds of glory or shekinah glory came. The proof is not standing anymore. It means bowing down to worship God until the flesh does not speak anymore.
Revelation 11:19
11:19 Then the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of His covenant was seen in His temple. And there were lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake, and great hail.
Revelation 12:1
12:1 Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars.
We are perfect as the bride of heaven. - Ministering to God according to the ministry He has trusted to us until the end, namely we pass away or Jesus comes a second time.
Acts 20:24
20:24 "But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finishmy race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.
We serve and minister to God faithfully and responsibly. Our service and ministry to God are like a spiritual race. Therefore, we must fight until the end. Being unfaithful, even leaving the service and ministry to God, means falling on the way. Consequently, the name is blotted out like Judas Iscariot who was replaced by Matthias.
Acts 1:16-20
1:16 "Men and brethren, this Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus;
1:17 "for he was numbered with us and obtained a part in this ministry."
1:18 (Now this man purchased a field with the wages of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his entrails gushed out.
1:19 And it became known to all those dwelling in Jerusalem; so that field is called in their own language, Akel Dama, that is, Field of Blood.)
1:20 "For it is written in the book of Psalms: ‘Let his dwelling place be desolate, And let no one live in it’; and, ‘Let another take his office.’
If we faithfully serve and minister to God until the end, we will be counted and remembered by Him. Our life is made beautiful by Him in His time. He possesses our life and our name is written in the Book of Life. - Ministering in shepherding system.
Acts 20:28
20:28 "Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.
We must pay attention to these two things.- We must always be in the shepherding pen or the Holy Place through perseverance in doing three main services to God as follows.
- Golden Candlestick or perseverance in doing General Service. We have fellowship with Holy Spirit God in His gifts. The sheep are drinking.
- Table of Showbread or perseverance in doing Bible Study Service with Holy Communion. We have fellowship with the Son of God in the teaching Word and Christ’s sacrifice. The sheep are eating.
- Golden Altar of Incense. We have fellowship with Father God in His love. The sheep are breathing.
- Golden Candlestick or perseverance in doing General Service. We have fellowship with Holy Spirit God in His gifts. The sheep are drinking.
- The Shepherding Word is the Word of grace like manna that is poured out from heaven.
Acts 20:32
20:32 "So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.
The Shepherding Word is the Word that is revealed through a verse that explains other verses in the Bible. The main duty of a pastor is feeding the sheep. The main duty of a sheep is eating the Word.
The Word of grace sanctifies our life. It begins from our heart. It is sanctified from the love of money or the root of all kinds of evil.
Acts 20:29-31
20:29 "For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock.
20:30 "Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves.
20:31 "Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears..
The Word of grace also sanctifies us from uncleanness will, namely the one to hear other teachings. For example, Judas Iscariot attached to the scribes, not to Jesus.
Acts 20:35
20:35 "I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’"
If we become like a branch dwells in the vine and it is cleansed continually, we can feel more joyful to give than to receive. The flesh does not speak anymore until we can submit our whole life to God.
John 13:23
13:23 Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved.
John 21:20-22
21:20 Then Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also had leaned on His breast at the supper, and said, "Lord, who is the one who betrays You?"
21:21 Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, "But Lord, what about this man?"
21:22 Jesus said to him, "If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me."
Our life is in the embrace of God’s hands. He pays attention to, care for, and struggle for us. Our death and life are in His hand.
1 Corinthians 2:9
2:9 But as it is written: "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him."
He is able to provide all things we cannot think physically and spiritually until we are perfect to become His bride.
- We must always be in the shepherding pen or the Holy Place through perseverance in doing three main services to God as follows.
God blesses us.