Peace and grace in the love of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Revelation 6:9-11
6:9 When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held.
6:10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?"
6:11 Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed..
The opening of the fifth seal is the same as the fifth judgment of Holy Spirit, namely the revenge of God to the people in the world who have killed His innocent servants.
Dying because of God has happened from age to age as follows.
ad. 3. The last age.
Revelation 12:17
12:17 And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of Godand have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
The church has the commandments of God or the Table of Showbread and the testimony of Jesus Christ or the Golden Candlestick, but without the Golden Altar of Incense. It means that they do not want to worship God or the worship does not reach the measure that the flesh does not speak anymore. Such life will be killed by the Antichrist if he keeps the true worship.
Therefore, we must worship righteously until the flesh does not speak anymore.
We must be alert of these two things.
We learn about who the Antichrist is.
2 John 1:7-8
1:7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.
1:8 Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward.
2 Timothy 2:8
2:8 Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead according to my gospel,
Matthew 22:42,44
22:42 saying, "What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He?" They said to Him, "The Son of David."
22:44 'The LORD said to my Lord, "Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool"'?
Jesus is a man who was born as the Son of David. Then, He died, was risen, and ascended to heaven in glory.
Why did Jesus have to come as a Man?
There are three meanings of Jesus as a Man as follows.
Consequently, he lost the ministry or the beautiful tunic and his life became not beautiful. He fell. His entrails gushed out. It means rottenness and there is no beauty; even losing the salvation.
2 John 1:7-8
1:7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.
1:8 Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward.
The Antichrist refers to one who does not confess that Jesus Christ has come as a man. It is the same as rejecting the sacrifice of Christ.
Let us be careful, so we will not lose the glory like Hophni and Phinehas, who did not repent. Do not lose the firstborn right like Esau, whose heart was bad until belittling spiritual matters. Do not lose the ministry like Judas Iscariot because of keeping the sin of lying, stealing, and betraying.
Therefore, we must serve and minister to God with repentance, peace, and renewal of life. We are renewed to be honest, faithful, and believing in God. We will be able to give if we believe that we live by God, not money. Giving to God starts from returning the tithes and offerings.
Being honest, faithful, and believing is the same as lifting up our hands to God or placing Him as the Head. He is the Savior, the High Priest, and the heavenly Bridegroom. God will stretch out His hands to all of us. Jesus as the Head has died on Golgotha or the Place of Skull to be responsible for all of us. Whatever condition we have tonight, God is able to help us. The examples are as follows.
God blesses you.
Revelation 6:9-11
6:9 When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held.
6:10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?"
6:11 Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed..
The opening of the fifth seal is the same as the fifth judgment of Holy Spirit, namely the revenge of God to the people in the world who have killed His innocent servants.
Dying because of God has happened from age to age as follows.
- The age of Father God or the beginning one which is counted from Adam to Abraham. The representative is Abel, who was killed by Cain.
Abel was killed because of keeping the true service and ministry to God. - The age of the Son of God or the middle one which is counted from Abraham to the first coming of Jesus. The representative is Zechariah, who was killed by King Joash.
Zechariah was killed because of keeping the true teaching Word. - The last age or the age of Holy Spirit God which is counted from Jesus' first coming to the second one. The representative is the church that will be killed by the Antichrist who reigns over the world for three and a half years.
ad. 3. The last age.
Revelation 12:17
12:17 And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of Godand have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
The church has the commandments of God or the Table of Showbread and the testimony of Jesus Christ or the Golden Candlestick, but without the Golden Altar of Incense. It means that they do not want to worship God or the worship does not reach the measure that the flesh does not speak anymore. Such life will be killed by the Antichrist if he keeps the true worship.
Therefore, we must worship righteously until the flesh does not speak anymore.
We must be alert of these two things.
- Do not be persecuted and killed by the Antichrist.
- Do not be the same as the Antichrist.
We learn about who the Antichrist is.
2 John 1:7-8
1:7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.
1:8 Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward.
2 Timothy 2:8
2:8 Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead according to my gospel,
Matthew 22:42,44
22:42 saying, "What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He?" They said to Him, "The Son of David."
22:44 'The LORD said to my Lord, "Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool"'?
Jesus is a man who was born as the Son of David. Then, He died, was risen, and ascended to heaven in glory.
Why did Jesus have to come as a Man?
There are three meanings of Jesus as a Man as follows.
- Jesus as the Savior or Redeemer.
Matthew 1:21
1:21 "And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins."
Jesus was born as a sinless Man who had to die on the cross to redeem the sins of men and save them. All men have sinned, so they cannot save themselves. Moreover, they cannot save other people. Therefore Jesus must come as a sinless Man.
We must confess that Jesus has come as a Man or Savior, so we will not be the same as or killed by the Antichrist.
The fact found in it is repenting or stopping sinning to return to God. We die to sin and do not repeat the sins.
2 Peter 3:9
3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
Jesus has not come a second time and we are still given long age so that we can repent, or else we become the same as or get the persecution of the Antichrist.
The example of God's servants who do not repent is Hophni and Phinehas.
1 Samuel 2:12-13,16-17,22-25
2:12 Now the sons of Eli were corrupt; they did not know the LORD.
2:13 And the priests' custom with the people was that when any man offered a sacrifice, the priest's servant would come with a three-pronged fleshhook in his hand while the meat was boiling.
2:16 And if the man said to him, "They should really burn the fat first; then you may take as much as your heart desires," he would then answer him, "No, but you must give it now; and if not, I will take it by force."
2:17 Therefore the sin of the young men was very great before the LORD, for men abhorred the offering of the LORD.
2:22 Now Eli was very old; and he heard everything his sons did to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who assembled at the door of the tabernacle of meeting.
2:23 So he said to them, "Why do you do such things? For I hear of your evil dealings from all the people.
2:24 "No, my sons! For it is not a good report that I hear. You make the LORD'S people transgress.
2:25 "If one man sins against another, God will judge him. But if a man sins against the LORD, who will intercede for him?" Nevertheless they did not heed the voice of their father, because the LORD desired to kill them.
Be careful! The falls happen in the church between God's servants now.
Hophni and Phinehas refer to God's servants who do not repent as follows.- Keeping the sins of uncleanness through the mind, deeds, and wrong marriage.
- Ministering to God not according to the true consecration or the true teaching Word. The fat should have been burnt first. For example, one wants to minister to God before being baptized of water. He cannot obey the rule, but ministers to God according to his own will. He does not want to and cannot be advised. Finally, he does not want to and cannot repent.
- The mistake of parents who honor the children more than God until they cannot rebuke the children seriously like Eli.
4:21 Then she named the child Ichabod, saying, "The glory has departed from Israel!" because the ark of God had been captured and because of her father-in-law and her husband.
4:22 And she said, "The glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been captured."
Consequently, Ichabod happened, namely losing the glory of God or entering the atmosphere of curses, heavy burdens, weariness, labor, tears, and bitterness; even everlasting perdition. - Keeping the sins of uncleanness through the mind, deeds, and wrong marriage.
- Jesus as the High Priest.
Hebrews 2:17
2:17 Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priestin things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.
Hebrews 4:15
4:15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.
Jesus has been born as a man, so He can feel what we feel.
Jesus dies on the cross and has risen and ascended to heaven to be the High Priest who sits at the right side of the throne of Father God to do the ministry of reconciliation for us all until now.
We must confess Jesus as the High Priest so that we do not become the same as and are not killed by the Antichrist.
The fact found in it is that we must experience the ministry of reconciliation done by the High Priest. It means that we must make peace or have the peaceful heart.
Matthew 5:23-25
5:23 "Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you,
5:24 "leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
5:25 "Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison.
If there is something in our heart, let us do the reconciliation first and throw away our sins. Do not throw away the ministry like Judas Iscariot!
Sinning is the same as resisting against God. Making peace is the same as confessing sins to God and others. After being forgiven, we do not sin anymore. When we are righteous, we must forgive the sins of others. As a result, the blood of Jesus
forgives all of our sins and we have peace in our heart.
Mark 9:49-50
9:49 "For everyone will be seasoned with fire, and every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt.
9:50 "Salt is good, but if the salt loses its flavor, how will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace with one another."
The peaceful heart will be anointed by Holy Spirit to become salty salt.
The functions of the salty salt are as follows.- To prevent rottenness, so we can be set free from the viruses and bacteria of sin. We can live in righteousness and holiness.
The virus of sin can enter through the sight, ears through gossips, and so on. The rottenness will happen if there is no salt.
We will enjoy consuming the Word no matter how hard it is, if we have the anointing of Holy Spirit. On the contrary, one will not enjoy consuming the Word, but gossips, if there is no anointing of Holy Spirit. - To give delicious taste. It means that we are blessed and become blessings for others.
The salty salt will be sent to many places. Such life is active in serving and ministering to God bringing the peaceful heart.
The thing we need the most in our house is the salt. Let us bring the peaceful heart, beginning from inside our household.
Hebrews 12:15-17
12:15 looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled;
12:16 lest there be any fornicator or profane personlike Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright.
12:17 For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears.
Esau had a bitter heart because of fornication or profanes, namely he often sacrificed spiritual things or the service and ministry to God only to get the physical ones. Consequently, he sold his birthright to Jacob who always faithfully dwelt in the tent or served and ministered to God.
Genesis 27:41
27:41 So Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father blessed him, and Esau said in his heart, "The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then I will kill my brother Jacob."
Esau had jealousy, revenge, and hatred without a cause until he wept forever, lived in curses, and perished. - To prevent rottenness, so we can be set free from the viruses and bacteria of sin. We can live in righteousness and holiness.
- Jesus as the Heavenly Bridegroom.
This is the peak of our recognition to Him.
Ephesians 5:31-32
5:31 "For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh."
5:32 This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
Jesus was born as a fleshly Man to be able to unite with us, the fleshly men. We become one with Him in a glorious flesh. Spirit cannot be one with flesh. Therefore, Jesus was born as a fleshly Man.
We must confess Jesus as the heavenly Bridegroom so that we are not killed by or we do not become the same as the Antichrist.
Ephesians 5:25-27
5:25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,
5:26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word,
5:27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.
Jesus as the heavenly Bridegroom washes us, namely sanctifying and renewing us until we are perfect.
Confessing Jesus as the heavenly Bridegroom means that we are willingly sanctified and renewed until being as perfect as He is. We are renewed little by little until we are perfect and blameless.
The Antichrist refers to the servants of God who do not want to be sanctified and renewed, but keep the men of flesh and blood with all of the characteristics.
There is still an opportunity until tonight that we can be renewed as long as we confess that we have so many weaknesses. The Word and the Holy Communion give the opportunity to us tonight.
Matthew 26:23-25
26:23 He answered and said, "He who dipped his hand with Me in the dish will betray Me.
26:24 "The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born."
26:25 Then Judas, who was betraying Him, answered and said, "Rabbi, is it I?" He said to him, "You have said it."
Judas Iscariot did not want to be renewed, but kept the lie.
John 12:4-6
12:4 Then one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, who would betray Him, said,
12:5 "Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?"
12:6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it.
He was also a thief. It refers to the stinginess or not giving and greediness or stealing the possession of God and others.
It happened because his life relied on money, not on the Lord. He did not believe in the Lord. He worshiped the money or the Antichrist.
He was also a traitor. It refers to unfaithfulness.
Acts 1:17-20
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.'
Consequently, he lost the ministry or the beautiful tunic and his life became not beautiful. He fell. His entrails gushed out. It means rottenness and there is no beauty; even losing the salvation.
2 John 1:7-8
1:7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.
1:8 Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward.
The Antichrist refers to one who does not confess that Jesus Christ has come as a man. It is the same as rejecting the sacrifice of Christ.
Let us be careful, so we will not lose the glory like Hophni and Phinehas, who did not repent. Do not lose the firstborn right like Esau, whose heart was bad until belittling spiritual matters. Do not lose the ministry like Judas Iscariot because of keeping the sin of lying, stealing, and betraying.
Therefore, we must serve and minister to God with repentance, peace, and renewal of life. We are renewed to be honest, faithful, and believing in God. We will be able to give if we believe that we live by God, not money. Giving to God starts from returning the tithes and offerings.
Being honest, faithful, and believing is the same as lifting up our hands to God or placing Him as the Head. He is the Savior, the High Priest, and the heavenly Bridegroom. God will stretch out His hands to all of us. Jesus as the Head has died on Golgotha or the Place of Skull to be responsible for all of us. Whatever condition we have tonight, God is able to help us. The examples are as follows.
- King Hezekiah faced impossible sickness.
Isaiah 38:1-3
38:1 In those days Hezekiah was sick and near death. And Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, went to him and said to him, "Thus says the LORD: 'Set your house in order, for you shall die and not live.'"
38:2 Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed to the LORD,
38:3 and said, "Remember now, O LORD, I pray, how I have walked before You in truth and with a loyal heart, and have done what is good in Your sight." And Hezekiah wept bitterly.
He became like a baby who can only be honest, faithful, and believing in facing the impossible sickness. The impossible sickness refers to impossible problem. God will stretch out His hands to solve all impossible problems. - A woman of Canaan faced the problem of marriage and children.
Mark 7:28-30
7:28 And she answered and said to Him, "Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs under the table eat from the children's crumbs."
7:29 Then He said to her, "For this saying go your way; the demon has gone out of your daughter."
7:30 And when she had come to her house, she found the demon gone out, and her daughter lying on the bed.
She came to the Lord with being honest, faithful, and believing. As a result, God restored her marriage and children to be joyful and one. One who is weary and heavy-laden will be joyful, peaceful, easy, and light. The marriage is in unity until entering the marriage supper of the Lamb. - Youth.
1 Peter 5:5-6
5:5 Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble."
5:6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,
Maybe you have been drowned in sins. Repent, make peace, and be honest, faithful, and believing in God! As a result, the failure is changed into success and beauty until we are changed to be as perfect as Jesus is when He comes a second time.
God blesses you.