Peace and grace in the love of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Revelation 1:9-20 is the vision of John in Patmos Island.
Revelation 1:9
1:9 I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.
John, the apostle, suffered in the flesh not because of sinning, but the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. He was encouraged to enter the right fellowship with God and others.
Likewise, if our life, marriage, service, and ministry are signified by suffering in the flesh without any sin, we will also enter the right fellowship with God and other people. The fellowship with other is the right one in the body of Christ. It is based on the True Teaching Word. It must begin from the marriage. The right marriage is based on the True Teaching Word. Likewise, the fellowship in the shepherding, inter-shepherding, up to the perfect body of Christ are based on the True Teaching Word.
There are three important things in the right fellowship as follows.
ad. 3. Companion in patience of Jesus Christ or waiting for Jesus’ second coming.
Luke 12:35-40
12:35 "Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning;
12:36 "and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately.
12:37 "Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them.
12:38 "And if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.
12:39 "But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into.
12:40 "Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect."
Jesus’ second coming is the same as the coming of a thief none may know. Therefore, we must always be ready and watchful.
We must watch in the will of God or obey it, so that we can wait and welcome Jesus’ second coming on glorious clouds. Afterwards, we enter the future paradise or the kingdom of peace a thousand years, and the eternal heavenly kingdom.
Matthew 7:21-23
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.
7:22 "Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’
7:23 "And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!
On the contrary, one will practice lawlessness and be driven out of heaven and destroyed forever if he does not watch or obey according to God’s will although he ministers to God, sacrifices the offering, and so on.
There are three kinds of watching in the will of God as follows.
Hebrews 1:7
1:7 And of the angels He says: "Who makes His angels spirits And His ministers a flame of fire."
The servant of God as the flame of fire is the holy, faithful, fervent in spirit, and peaceful one.
Why do we have to be the flame of fire?
God blesses you.
Revelation 1:9-20 is the vision of John in Patmos Island.
Revelation 1:9
1:9 I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.
John, the apostle, suffered in the flesh not because of sinning, but the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. He was encouraged to enter the right fellowship with God and others.
Likewise, if our life, marriage, service, and ministry are signified by suffering in the flesh without any sin, we will also enter the right fellowship with God and other people. The fellowship with other is the right one in the body of Christ. It is based on the True Teaching Word. It must begin from the marriage. The right marriage is based on the True Teaching Word. Likewise, the fellowship in the shepherding, inter-shepherding, up to the perfect body of Christ are based on the True Teaching Word.
There are three important things in the right fellowship as follows.
- Companion in the tribulation or fellowship in the death or cross.
- Companion in kingdom or fellowship in the resurrection.
- Companion in patience of Jesus Christ or fellowship in the glory.
ad. 3. Companion in patience of Jesus Christ or waiting for Jesus’ second coming.
Luke 12:35-40
12:35 "Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning;
12:36 "and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately.
12:37 "Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them.
12:38 "And if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.
12:39 "But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into.
12:40 "Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect."
Jesus’ second coming is the same as the coming of a thief none may know. Therefore, we must always be ready and watchful.
We must watch in the will of God or obey it, so that we can wait and welcome Jesus’ second coming on glorious clouds. Afterwards, we enter the future paradise or the kingdom of peace a thousand years, and the eternal heavenly kingdom.
Matthew 7:21-23
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.
7:22 "Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’
7:23 "And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!
On the contrary, one will practice lawlessness and be driven out of heaven and destroyed forever if he does not watch or obey according to God’s will although he ministers to God, sacrifices the offering, and so on.
There are three kinds of watching in the will of God as follows.
- Our waist keeps on being girded.
Luke 12:35
12:35 "Let your waist be girdedand your lamps burning;
Ephesians 6:14
6:14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
All servants of God must gird the waist with the belt of righteousness.
John 17:17
17:17 "Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.
The truth is the Word of God. It also means something that can sanctify us.
Combining both, the truth is the Word that sanctifies our life or the Word of God that is sharper than any two-edged sword or the True Teaching Word. All servants of God must have it.
Jeremiah 23:29
23:29 "Is not My word like a fire?" says the LORD, "And like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?
The Teaching Word is a flame of fire.
Thus, girding our waist with the belt means that we watch in the True Teaching Word or the flame of the Word of God. It means that all servants of God must hold fast and obey the True Teaching Word, so that we experience the sanctification done by the flame of God’s Word.
Why must the servant of God gird the waist or experience the sanctification done by the flame of God’s Word?
Malachi 3:1-3
3:1"Behold, I send My messenger, And he will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, Will suddenly come to His temple, Even the Messenger of the covenant, In whom you delight. Behold, He is coming," Says the LORD of hosts.
3:2 "But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner’s fire And like launderer’s soap.
3:3 He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi, And purge them as gold and silver, That they may offer to the LORD An offering in righteousness.- Because it will make our ministry acceptable before God to satisfy or please His heart.
Luke 12:37
12:37 "Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them.
As a result, God will also gird His waist and serve us to give us satisfaction. Our food and drink are the concern of God. - To make God’s servants able to stand welcoming Jesus’ second coming on the glorious clouds.
Malachi 3:2-3
3:2 "But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner’s fire And like launderer’s soap.
3:3 He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi, And purge them as gold and silver, That they may offer to the LORD An offering in righteousness.
The sanctification done by the fire of the True Teaching Word results in the servants of God who are like silver and gold.
Proverbs 10:20
10:20 The tongue of the righteous is choice silver; The heart of the wicked is worth little.
The silver refers to the redemptionuntil the tongue can say honestly and correctly, ‘yes’ if ‘yes’ and ‘no’ if ‘no.’
The gold is godly characteristics, whose peak is obedience.
The obedient and honest has no leprosy or self-truth, but the truth of God.
Acts 3:5-6
3:5 So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them.
3:6 Then Peter said, "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk."
If we appear like the gold and silver, we will experience resurrection power in the name of Jesus to overcome the paralysis, so we can stand until Jesus comes a second time.
When the second coming of Jesus is drawing near, the paralysis happens more in the house of the Lord. It means unfaithfulness in doing the service and ministry to the Lord. It also happens in the marriage, so that one cannot welcome Jesus’ second coming. One who is paralyzed in the service to God will also be paralyzed in the marriage and finance, that he steals the possession of God, namely tithes and offering, and does not give alms to others who need.
Haggai 2:9
2:9‘The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,’ says the LORD of hosts.
The silver and gold are the possession of God that cannot be charged against by anyone.
- Because it will make our ministry acceptable before God to satisfy or please His heart.
- Our lamp keeps on burning.
Luke 12:35
12:35 "Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning;
The lamp keeps on burning means that it is always filled by the oil. It refers to one who is anointed and filled by Holy Spirit, even overflows in Him. It means that we have the fire of Holy Spirit.
Acts 2:3-4
2:3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them.
2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
One of the signs of being filled by Holy Spirit is we can speak with other tongue as the Spirit gave us utterance.
Romans 12:11
12:11 not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;
Thus, our lamp keeps on burning means that we watch in the fire of Holy Spirit. The sign is being faithful and fervent in spirit doing our service and ministry to God until Jesus comes a second time, so that we can pass through the darkness of the night on the last days, namely the darkness of sin up to the peak. On the contrary, if the lamp is quenched, we will be swallowed by the darkness of sin up to the peak.
Romans 1:26-27
1:26 For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature.
1:27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.
If one is not faithful and fervent in spirit doing the service and ministry to God, he will be burnt in his lust, fall and rise in sin, up to the peak. - Being in the atmosphere of spiritual wedding feast.
Luke 12:36
12:36 "and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately.
The spiritual wedding feast has at least two signs, namely the flame of the fire of God’s love and heavenly joy or peace.
We can get the atmosphere of spiritual marriage in worship prayer.
Thus, the atmosphere of spiritual wedding feast means watching in the flame of the fire of God’s love and heavenly joy or watching in worship prayer. Let us love to worship God. Do not feel forced in worshiping God.
- Watching in the flame of the fire of God’s Word and living in holiness.
- Watching in the flame of the fire of Holy Spirit as well as being faithful and fervent in spirit in doing the service and ministry to God.
- Watching in the flame of the fire of God’s love and loving to worship God, so that we feel the peace.
Hebrews 1:7
1:7 And of the angels He says: "Who makes His angels spirits And His ministers a flame of fire."
The servant of God as the flame of fire is the holy, faithful, fervent in spirit, and peaceful one.
Why do we have to be the flame of fire?
- Because it will make us endure in waiting for Jesus’ second coming that is as the flame of fire.
2 Thessalonians 1:7
1:7 and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, - To make us reach the throne of God in heaven.
Daniel 7:9
7:9 "I watched till thrones were put in place, And the Ancient of Days was seated; His garment was white as snow, And the hair of His head was like pure wool. His throne was a fiery flame, Its wheels a burning fire;
Now, we become the throne of God in the world. If one is not holy, faithful and fervent in spirit, and peaceful he will be the throne of Satan.
Revelation 4:3
4:3 And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald.
If we, the servants of God, can show His throne in the world, there will be the rainbow of God.
Genesis 9:13-17
9:13 "I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth.
9:14 "It shall be, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the rainbow shall be seen in the cloud;
9:15 "and I will remember My covenant which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh.
9:16 "The rainbow shall be in the cloud, and I will look on it to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth."
9:17 And God said to Noah, "This is the sign of the covenant which I have established between Me and all flesh that is on the earth."
Acts 2:17
2:17 ‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams.
The rainbow refers to the anointing of Holy Spirit in our life. There are three levels of the rainbow as follows.- The rainbow in the cloud.
Genesis 9:14-15
9:14 "It shall be, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the rainbow shall be seen in the cloud;
9:15 "and I will remember My covenant which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh.
It means that one who has the anointing of Holy Spirit will no longer have curse and condemnation. On the contrary, Holy Spirit condemns the deeds of the flesh, so that we can live in righteousness.
Romans 8:13
8:13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
Psalm 37:25-26
37:25 I have been young, and now am old; Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his descendants begging bread.
37:26 He is ever merciful, and lends; And his descendants are blessed.
Galatians 3:14
3:14 that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
The blessings of Abraham are poured out to the righteous, namely the blessings to the descendants and the eternal one. - The rainbow on the head.
Revelation 10:1
10:1 I saw still another mighty angel coming down from heaven, clothed with a cloud. And a rainbow was on his head, his face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire.
The head refers to the logic of human that is often deceived and doubted. The rainbow on the head means that our heart and mind must be anointed by Holy Spirit. Why?- Because in the time of engagement, namely the time of Jesus’ second coming that is drawing near, there are many people become the same as Eve who was deceived by the serpent to doubt about Jesus and the True Teaching Word.
2 Corinthians 11:2-3
11:2 For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
11:3 But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
The sign of being deceived is adding and taking away the True Teaching Word.
Genesis 2:16-17
2:16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden you may freelyeat;
2:17 "but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die."
Genesis 3:1-3
3:1 Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, "Has God indeed said, 'You shall not eat of every tree of the garden'?"
3:2 And the woman said to the serpent, "We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden;
3:3 "but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.'
One will doubt and begin to add and take away the True Teaching Word if he hears two different voices. On the contrary, we will be firmer if we hear the same voice.
Eve also taught and had authority over a man.
1 Timothy 2:11-14
2:11 Let a woman learn in silence with all submission.
2:12 And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence.
2:13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve.
2:14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression.
If a woman teaches and has authority over a man, the man cannot become the head, and the Lord Jesus cannot become the Head upon the marriage and Church. Consequently, the serpent becomes the head.
The woman must be in silence in order to place the man as her head, and Jesus as the Head of the marriage and Church. - So that we will not be tossed to and fro by the wind of temptation, but keep on believing and hoping in Him, whatever things happen in our life. It means that we place Jesus as the Head who is responsible for our death and life. Jesus has died on the Hill of Skull to determine our life, death, and future.
- Because in the time of engagement, namely the time of Jesus’ second coming that is drawing near, there are many people become the same as Eve who was deceived by the serpent to doubt about Jesus and the True Teaching Word.
- The rainbow around the throne or the rainbow of God’s glory.
Revelation 4:3
4:3 And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald.
Matthew 25:31
25:31 "When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory.
Ezekiel 1:28
1:28 Like the appearance of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the brightness all around it. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. So when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard a voice of One speaking.
When can we see the rainbow of God’s glory? We can see it when we are falling down at Jesus’ feet to worship with a broken heart and confess our failure. We also confess that we do not rely on other, but the rainbow.
For example, the family of Bethany that loved and was loved by the Lord faced the dead Lazarus. He had died for four days. It happened to make them see the rainbow of God’s glory.
John 11:32
11:32 Then, when Mary came where Jesus was, and saw Him, she fell down at His feet, saying to Him, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died."
Mary fell down at Jesus’ feet to confess her failure and mistake. She also confessed that she only relied on the rainbow of God’s glory.
As a result, there is spiritual miracle, namely life renewal from fleshy man to spiritual one as Jesus is.
John 11:39-40
11:39 Jesus said, "Take away the stone." Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, "Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days."
11:40 Jesus said to her, "Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?"
Our hard heart must be changed into the meek, honest, and believing heart. As a result, the physical miracle will also happen. The dead is resurrected; the rotten things are removed; the destroyed things become good; and the future life becomes beautiful.
It continues until Jesus comes a second time, that we are changed into the same glorious man as Jesus is. We can welcome His second coming on the glorious clouds and sit on the throne of God together with Him.
- The rainbow in the cloud.
God blesses you.