Peace and grace in the love of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Revelation 11:15-19 is about the sound of the seventh trumpet or the last one.
Revelation 11:15-17
11:15.Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lordand of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!"
11:16 And the twenty-four elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God,
11:17 saying: "We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty, The One who is and who was and who is to come, Because You have taken Your great power and reigned.
The seventh trumpet shows Jesus, who will come a second time on the glorious clouds in the glory as the King of all kings and the Heavenly Bridegroom for establishing the heavenly kingdom in the world, namely the One-Thousand-Year Kingdom of Peace (the upcoming Paradise) and the heavenly kingdom or the eternal New Jerusalem.
God establishes the heavenly kingdom on earth through placing the citizens of the heavenly kingdom in the world (it has been explained in
General Service in Malang, July 12, 2020).
Who are they? They are the priests and kings.
Revelation 20:620:6. Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priestsof God and of Christ, and shall reignwith Him a thousand years.
Revelation 22:3,522:3. And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him.
22:5 There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reignforever and ever.
'
His servants shall serve Him' = the priests.
We must be the priests and kings in the One-Thousand-Year Kingdom of Peace up to the New Jerusalem.
Actually, ones who deserve to be the priests and kings are the native of Israel, namely the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
1 Peter 2:9-102:9. But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
2:10 who once were not a peoplebut are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.
'
were not a people' = the Gentiles.
According to the genealogy, the Gentiles cannot be the priests and kings. Fortunately, God opens the opportunity and mercy for the Gentiles to be the priests and kings through the mercy which costs the blood of Jesus.
Thus, the priests and kings come from the house of Israel and the Gentiles as the spiritual Israel or the church of God.
The duty of the priests and kings is testifying ('
may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light').
We must testify, not gossip. Not testifying, the priests and kings will be in the following conditions:
- Owing the blood of Jesus to ones who will be destroyed. Actually, they could have been saved by our testimony.
- Accusing like Satan, namely lying, gossiping, slandering, and blaspheming the righteous and the true teaching Word.
- Denying Jesus and perishing forever.
On the contrary, the priests and kings who testify will be the light and salt of the world. This is the position or status of the citizen of the heavenly kingdom.
Matthew 5:135:13. "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.
God only shows one position of the citizen of the heavenly kingdom in the world, namely the salt of the earth and the light of the world. It must be reached. Unfortunately, many people including the servants of God look for the position, honor, and glory in the world or even in the church in illegal ways. Nevertheless, they want to be the pastor by legalizing many ways; even they commit the sins and cannot become the salt of the earth. They may attain it, but all things become in vain and rotten, even they perish.
Therefore, we must take heed anytime, anywhere, and in any circumstances that our position as the citizen of the heavenly kingdom in the world is only as the salt of the earth. Being the salt of the earth, all other statutes in the world will be given to us by God.
Leviticus 2:132:13. 'And every offering of your grain offering you shall season with salt; you shall not allow the salt of the covenant of your God to be lacking from your grain offering. With all your offerings you shall offer salt.
Formerly, all offerings had to be offered with the salt of covenant. It means the power or anointing of Holy Spirit.
Luke 24:4924:49. "Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high."
'
power from on high' = Holy Spirit.
Acts 1:4-51:4. And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, "which," He said, "you have heard from Me;
1:5 "for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spiritnot many days from now."
Thus, the salt of the earth refers to a priest or God's servant who is anointed by Holy Spirit so that every activity in the service and ministry to God is anointed by Holy Spirit and well-pleasing to Him for satisfying His heart and making Him full. As a result, He will also satisfy and make us full too.
Thus, our business as a priest is becoming the salt of the earth. That is all. It is the same as firming the position or status as the citizen of the heavenly kingdom. We must reach it nowadays. The matter of our daily life or our food and drink will be His business. He will arrange all things. Having the position in the world, but not reaching the status as the salt of the earth, all things are in vain and destroyed.
All of us must be the priests and kings because the citizens of the heavenly kingdom are the priests and kings. We must be the salt of the earth or anointed by Holy Spirit. Do not make God grieved and ashamed!
The price of salt is cheap, but it is needed by the world.
It means that the servant of God who is anointed by Holy Spirit and does not pursue the position in the world in illegal ways will be exceedingly needed by the world. God will exalt us in His time until we are on the glorious clouds.
The functions of the salt of the earth are as follows:
- Giving delicious taste.
The meanings of testifying are as follows:
- Testifying about the life renewal or how God has sanctified and changed us through the true water baptism and teaching Word. Our testimony starts from the household.
- Testifying about the help of God in the midst of shakings and impossibilities in the world which we face until all of them are finished miraculously.
- Testifying for bringing the sinful people to believe Jesus and be saved through the Good News or the Gospel Word.
- Testifying for bringing the saved and blessed people for entering the edification of the perfect body of Christ or the heavenly Bride who is ready to welcome Jesus' second coming on the glorious clouds through the Bride Tidings or the teaching Word.
- Preventing rottenness.
It means as follows:
- Directly restraining the work of the Antichrist in the world.
2 Thessalonians 2:7-8
2:7. For the mystery of lawlessnessis already at work; only He who now restrainswill do so until He is taken out of the way.
2:8 And then the lawless onewill be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.
'lawlessness ' = rottenness.
'the lawless one' = the Antichrist.
The Antichrist will reign in the world when the church has been evacuated to the wilderness.
- Restraining the work of sins up to the peak in the world.
It means that the speed of the edification of Babylon is still restrained by the church.
- Restraining the false teachings of the false prophets.
- Restraining the judgment of God over the world.
The judgment of God will come in the world to destroy it when the church has been evacuated.
Being the salt of the earth, God will plead and exalt us although many people hinder us.
The consequences of being without the salt of the earth are as follows:
- Being tasteless or not having satisfaction and joy until one looks for the worldly satisfaction and becomes hopeless, disappointed, and stressed.
- Committing sins up to the peak and enjoying it. It means that one cannot be set free anymore.
- Getting the judgment of God from now on in the world through the three times seven judgments of the Trinity of God, the doomsday, and everlasting perdition in the hell.
When can we receive and keep the salt of the earth or the anointing of Holy Spirit? We get it in the sheepfold.
Leviticus 21:1221:12. 'nor shall he go out of the sanctuary, nor profane the sanctuary of his God; for the consecration of the anointing oil of his Godis upon him: I am the LORD.
The priests must always dwell in the Holy Place or persevere in committing the three main services to God in the sheepfold for receiving, keeping, and increasing the holiness and the anointing of Holy Spirit. Going outside the sheepfold, one will be tasteless and rotten sooner or later until he is judged by God.
Being outside the shepherding or the land of Goshen, we will be influenced by the world and judged like the people on the days of Noah and Lot. It will happen again on the last days.
Luke 17:28-3017:28."Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built;
17:29 "but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all.
17:30 "Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed.
Lot was the nephew of Abraham, but he was influenced by Sodom and Gomorrah, so he became the tasteless salt. His position as the citizen of the heavenly kingdom vanished away.
The condition without the anointing of Holy Spirit is as follows:
- 'they ate, they drank'= being controlled by the spirits of Babylon, namely committing sins up to the peak or the sins concerning eating-drinking such as smoking, getting drunk, and drugs abuse as well as the ones concerning marrying-being given in marriage such as the fornication between man and woman who are not a legal spouse, the wrong marriage, mix marriage, divorce-remarrying, and marrying-being given in marriage.
The consequence is losing the anointing of Holy Spirit and the status in the heavenly kingdom.
The anointing of Holy Spirit is able to help us to be free from the spirits of Babylon.
- 'they bought, they sold'= being ruled over by the Antichrist.
The facts found in it are as follows:
- All activities in the world which make the servants of God unable to work the talent. It means the unfaithfulness until one leaves the service and ministry to God. The salt becomes tasteless and there will be the rottenness.
- The lust of money which causes the stinginess and greediness.
Being stingy means that one cannot give to the work of God and others who are in need.
Being greedy means that one steals the possession of others, especially God's, namely the tithes and offerings.
Stinginess and greediness hinder the edification of the perfect body of Christ. It means building Babylon.
Being sanctified, we will feel more blessed to give than to receive and we are used in the edification of the perfect body of Christ.
- 'they planted, they built'= being controlled by the false teachings and active in the false field and building, namely edifying Babylon, the bride of Satan, or the false church.
Revelation 17:4-5
17:4. The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication.
17:5 And on her forehead a name was written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
The sign of the edification of Babylon is serving and ministering only by showing the physical prosperity and entertainment without the true teaching Word or sanctification, so the sins and fornication are kept.
This is the condition on the days of Lot which will happen again on the last days.
Praise the Lord! Lot appeared as the salt of the earth or lived in the anointing of Holy Spirit. This is needed.
2 Peter 2:7-82:7. and delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked
2:8 (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds) --
Lot only heard and saw the shepherding Word or the sound of the trumpet, not the things which tormented the soul, so he was not influenced by Sodom and Gomorrah. He did not commit the sins up to the peak like the people of Sodom and Gomorrah.
The Shepherding Word is important until we can be set free from the influence of Sodom. We do not commit sins up to the peak; even our soul is tormented when we see the deeds of Sodom and Gomorrah. It means that there is no will at all for seeing, talking about, thinking of, and doing them. Do not be entrapped nowadays! Be careful with the lust! Do not want to look at the bad things!
How is our position now? Let the Word and the Holy Communion become the correction for us whether we have been the salt of the earth like Lot or we become like Lot's wife, who looked back and became the tasteless salt.
Luke 17:3217:32. "Remember Lot's wife.
Matthew 5:135:13. "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfootby men.
'
trampled underfoot' = entering the persecution of the Antichrist and worshiping him for sure until being rotten and perishing forever.
Revelation 11:211:2. "But leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the Gentiles. And they will tread the holy city underfootfor forty-two months.
The meanings of looking back like Lot's wife are as follows:
- The remembrance or mind has not been sanctified yet because of remembering and being bound to Sodom and Gomorrah.
- Disobeying the Word. The command of God was clear enough "Do not look behind!" Nevertheless, she looked back because the feeling or heart was not sanctified.
The consequences are as follows:
- Choosing falsely. The true teaching is said "false" and the false one is said "true".
- Looking falsely. The Lord is said "ghost" and the ghost is said "Lord".
Be careful! Do not follow the heart and mind in all things! We must use the heart and mind of Jesus although we may be great and it is not in line to our flesh. Never choose and look falsely! Therefore, we must prioritize the sword of the Word nowadays.
Hebrews 4:12-134:12. For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
4:13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.
We must receive the work of the sword of the true teaching Word and the Holy Communion or the double sanctification until our heart and mind are sanctified, so there are no hidden things in our heart and mind. We can be obedient until the flesh does not speak anymore or the heart and mind of Jesus have been in our life.
Jesus is obedient until He becomes the High Priest, the Great Shepherd, or the Heavenly Bridegroom.
Likewise, if we are obedient, we only look at Jesus as the High Priest and the Great Shepherd.
Hiding something, one will be disobedient. Such thing must be sanctified.
Having the heart and mind of Jesus, we will not look falsely, but we only look at Jesus in His glory as the High Priest, the Great Shepherd, and the Heavenly Bridegroom, whose face is shining like the sun.
One who is anointed will only rely on Jesus, not others.
The results are as follows:
- We are not moved. It means being strong and of good courage.
Psalm 16:8
16:8. I have set the LORD always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.
It means not losing heart because we believe that Jesus is standing for helping us. Do not be moved! He has stood for readily work. He pays attention to, cares for, and struggles for us. Do not leave God!
Facing impossible problem, just be strong and of good courage! He has stood for helping us.
- We are faithful and fervent in spirit for following and ministering to God up to the perfection when Jesus comes a second time.
Philippians 3:12-13
3:12. Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.
3:13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead,
- God is able to preserve and protect us from Sodom and Gomorrah and the physical shakings in the world on the last days and the spiritual ones or sins up to the peak.
Genesis 19:23
19:23. The sun had risen upon the earth when Lot entered Zoar.
He protects and preserves us until we get the peace and the beautiful successful future life.
- God struggles for us.
Genesis 32:24,28-32
32:24. Then Jacob was left alone; and a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day.
32:28 And He said, "Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed."
32:29 Then Jacob asked, saying, "Tell me Your name, I pray." And He said, "Why is it that you ask about My name?" And He blessed him there.
32:30 And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: "For I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved."
32:31 Just as he crossed over Penuel the sun roseon him, and he limped on his hip.
32:32 Therefore to this day the children of Israel do not eat the muscle that shrank, which is on the hip socket, because He touched the socket of Jacob's hip in the muscle that shrank.
It means as follows:
- Facing Esau, we get the peace and all things become easy and light.
- The marriage and children are saved.
- The impossible problems are finished. The dead are made alive.
- Getting a new name. Jacob became Israel. It means that the liar becomes an honest man. We become the house of prayer. We are changed to be as perfect as He is when He comes a second time. We do not stumble in words, but only shout for joy saying "Alleluia". We look at Him face to face until we sit at the throne of God with Him forever.
Formerly, men were driven out of Egypt because of disobedience. Now, we return to Paradise through obedience. Let us look at God. Being disobedient is the same as looking at Satan or the serpent.
Being obedient, He is looking at us. He pays attention to, cares for, monitors, and struggles for us.
God blesses you.