Peace and grace in the love of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We learn Revelation 3: 7-13about the sixth church, namely THE CHURCH IN PHILADELPHIA(It has been explained since General Service in Surabaya, March 8, 2015).
Tonight we learn verse 12-13 (It has been explained since Bible Study Service in Surabaya, June 1, 2015).
Revelation 3: 12-13
3:12. "He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. 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 out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.
3:13 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."'
THE PROMISE OF GODto the church in Philadelphia or all of us who overcome the temptations that happen all around the world is that we will be made a pillar in New Jerusalem or eternal heavenly kingdom and we shall never go out anymore.
We have learnt the process to become the pillar until we enter New Jerusalem. There are four people, namely Enoch, Moses, Elijah and the Lord Jesus, who have been taken up to heaven. The last one is the church of God that someday will be taken up to heaven.
Now we hear about the VIGILANCE or the warningbecause there is another pillar while God is promising us to be the pillar of New Jerusalem.
Genesis 19: 26
19: 26. But his wife looked back behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.
Lot's wife became a pillar of salt.
She refers to one who has been savedby going out of Sodom and Gomorrah, but not reached the perfection. She did not reach the mountain, but failed on the way and became a pillar of salt.
This is rewritten in the gospel according to Luke to become the warning for us in the last days.
Luke 17: 32
17: 32 "Remember Lot's wife.
Luke 17: 20-37 is about the second coming of Jesus or the last days when the world returs to the days of Noah and Lot, namely the sins concerning eating-drinking and marrying-being given in marriage. There is the warning about the pillar of salt.
Luke 17: 26, 29-30
17: 26 "And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man:
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 daywhen the Son of Man is revealed.
THE MEANING OF THE PILLAR OF SALT
Matthew 5: 13
5: 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.
Actually we are the salt of the world to become the pillar, not the one of salt.
The pillar of salt means the tasteless saltor one without the anointing of Holy Spirit as follows.
Consequently, Matthew 5: 13, 'It is then good for nothing but to be thrown outand trampled underfoot by men'means that one enters the persecution done by the antichrist for three years and six months.
Someone who is disappointed and hopeless even leaves God in facing the problems will not be able to endure in facing the antichrist.
There will be two kinds of possibility when the antichrist reigns over the world as follows.
Why did the wife of Lot become a pillar of salt?Because she looked back(Genesis 19: 26, 'his wife looked back behind him, and she became a pillar of salt').
The meanings of looking back are as follows.
Thus, the pillar means ones who are obedient, not stingy nor greedy, and honest. We get the new name to enter New Jerusalem and become the pillar forever.
God blesses you.
We learn Revelation 3: 7-13about the sixth church, namely THE CHURCH IN PHILADELPHIA(It has been explained since General Service in Surabaya, March 8, 2015).
Tonight we learn verse 12-13 (It has been explained since Bible Study Service in Surabaya, June 1, 2015).
Revelation 3: 12-13
3:12. "He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. 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 out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.
3:13 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."'
THE PROMISE OF GODto the church in Philadelphia or all of us who overcome the temptations that happen all around the world is that we will be made a pillar in New Jerusalem or eternal heavenly kingdom and we shall never go out anymore.
We have learnt the process to become the pillar until we enter New Jerusalem. There are four people, namely Enoch, Moses, Elijah and the Lord Jesus, who have been taken up to heaven. The last one is the church of God that someday will be taken up to heaven.
Now we hear about the VIGILANCE or the warningbecause there is another pillar while God is promising us to be the pillar of New Jerusalem.
Genesis 19: 26
19: 26. But his wife looked back behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.
Lot's wife became a pillar of salt.
She refers to one who has been savedby going out of Sodom and Gomorrah, but not reached the perfection. She did not reach the mountain, but failed on the way and became a pillar of salt.
This is rewritten in the gospel according to Luke to become the warning for us in the last days.
Luke 17: 32
17: 32 "Remember Lot's wife.
Luke 17: 20-37 is about the second coming of Jesus or the last days when the world returs to the days of Noah and Lot, namely the sins concerning eating-drinking and marrying-being given in marriage. There is the warning about the pillar of salt.
Luke 17: 26, 29-30
17: 26 "And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man:
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 daywhen the Son of Man is revealed.
THE MEANING OF THE PILLAR OF SALT
Matthew 5: 13
5: 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.
Actually we are the salt of the world to become the pillar, not the one of salt.
The pillar of salt means the tasteless saltor one without the anointing of Holy Spirit as follows.
- Tasteless heart, so one is hopeless and disappointed, even leaves God in facing problems in marriage such as quarrel and divorce as well as the ones in ministry and the difficulties in the world or economy.
- Tasteless saying. The tasteless heart will cause the tasteless saying, namely idle words, the saying that does not become blessings, but stumbling-block for others; even it weakens the faith of others. It means not receiving the true teaching Word, even one rejects it and receives the false one. For example, one lies, gossips, slanders, and so on.
- Tasteless deedsor the rotten ones, namely the deeds of the flesh or sin, including agreeing others who do such deeds.
Galatians 5: 19-21
5: 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness,
5:20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies,
5:21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
'of which I tell you beforehand' = Paul has reminded this matter repetitively.
'that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God'= one cannot become the pillar in the kingdom of heaven.
Consequently, Matthew 5: 13, 'It is then good for nothing but to be thrown outand trampled underfoot by men'means that one enters the persecution done by the antichrist for three years and six months.
Someone who is disappointed and hopeless even leaves God in facing the problems will not be able to endure in facing the antichrist.
There will be two kinds of possibility when the antichrist reigns over the world as follows.
- Only a few may endure the persecution until being beheaded, but they still worship God and do not want to worship the antichrist. They will be resurrected someday. One cannot be in this group if he becomes the tasteless salt.
- Many people cannot endure the persecution, so they worship the antichrist, receive the stamp, namely 666, and become the same as him. They are saved physically and able to sell or buy in the guarantee of the antichrist, but will be destroyed with the antichrist forever when Jesus comes a second time.
Why did the wife of Lot become a pillar of salt?Because she looked back(Genesis 19: 26, 'his wife looked back behind him, and she became a pillar of salt').
The meanings of looking back are as follows.
- The fleshly characteristic, namely disobedience.
In Genesis 19, God commanded Lot to run away without looking back.
Genesis 19: 17
19: 17 So it came to pass, when they had brought them outside, that he said, "Escape for your life! Do not look behindyou nor stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountains, lest you be destroyed."- Looking back means transgressing the command of God or disobedience to the true teaching Word or the right command.
- Looking back means doing the worng command or false teachings. For example, in John 21, the Lord commands Peter to be the fisher of men, not the fisherman anymore, but he returned to the fisherman and the other disciples followed him. Consequently, there is total failure and nakedness like Peter had.
Thus, we must BE OBEDIENTif we want to be the pillar, not the one of salt. We must obey the true teaching Word or the right command regardless of any risk we have to take until the flesh does not speak anymore.
The obedience must be as follows.- It begins from the obedience in the marriage.
- The wifemust obey the husband in everything like Sarah who obeyed Abraham and called him her Lord (1 Peter 3: 6).
As a result, God opened the door of her womb although she was barren and in menopause. It means that there are solutions from all problems, joy and sweetness that is as sweet as honeyin the household. - 1 Peter 3: 7
3: 7 Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.
The husbandmust love the wife as his own body and does not do bitterly toward her. As a result, the household becomes the house of prayer(home sweet home) that is so beautiful. There is the power of the Lord like the lion of Judah (It is written in 1 Timothy that the prayer of a man is a strong one.
This is the riddle of Samson, namely the honey and lion. If it could be answered, he would give thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothing.
It means that we wear the fine linen, clean and brightor the garments of glory and the marriage can reach the marriage supper of the Lamb of God or the perfect and spiritual one. - The childrenmust obey the parents for it is beautifulbefore God.
- The wifemust obey the husband in everything like Sarah who obeyed Abraham and called him her Lord (1 Peter 3: 6).
- The obedience to the government.
Titus 3: 1
3: 1. Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work,
We must obey the rules the government has set, such as about the indentity card, tax, the way we drive on the way, namely the driving-license, using the helmet, and so on. - The obedience in the shepherding, namely to the voice of the shepherd or Shepherding Word.
Hebrews 13: 17, 7
13: 17Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.
13: 7 Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct.
'Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you' = the shepherd.
As a result, we get the intercession prayer of a shepherdor there is covering or protection from God directly so that we are firm in the salvation to increase up to the perfection. - The obedience to God whom we cannot see= obedience to the true teaching Word. We become the pillar.
Matthew 7: 21, 24-25
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.
7:24 "Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock:
7:25 "and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.
'hears these sayings of Mine'= the Word spoken by Jesus = the true teaching Word.
'and does them'=obedience.
'it did not fallfor it was founded on the rock' = being the pillar.
- Being bound by Sodom and Gomorrah.
This is a soft bondthe sons or servants of God often do not realize. The further we follow or minister to the Lord, the stronger the bond of Sodom and Gomorrah isuntil someday one looks back for sure and becomes the pillar of salt that is destroyed.
There are two kinds of the bond of Sodom and Gomorrah that are rooted in the heart as follows.- Evil desires(the root of evil).
1 Timothy 6: 10
6: 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
It means the love of money that is the same as idolatry (the worship to the antichrist).
The facts found in the love of money are as follows.- Looking for money in illegal way that is not in line with the true teaching Word.
- Serving and ministering to the Lord only to look for physical things. The house of the Lord becomes a market to sell and buy.
- Leaving the service and ministry only to get physical things.
- Stinginess and greediness.
Stinginess means that one cannot give for the work of God and other people who need.
Greediness means robbing the right of others through not paying the debt or making corruption and the one of God, namely the tithes and offerings.
The house of the Lord has become a den of thieves.
The tithe is the way of God to set us free from the evil desires, namely the love of money and the bond of Sodom and Gomorrah.
Genesis 14: 18-23
14: 18 Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High.
14:19 And he blessed him and said: "Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth;
14:20 And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand." And he gave him a tithe of all.
14:21 Now the king of Sodom said to Abram, "Give me the persons, and take the goods for yourself."
14:22 But Abram said to the king of Sodom, "I have raised my hand to the LORD, God Most High, the Possessor of heaven and earth,
14:23 "that I will take nothing, from a thread to a sandal strap, and that I will not take anything that is yours, lest you should say, 'I have made Abram rich' --
'king of Salem' = Jesus as the High Priest.
Abram had received the blessings and victory and the king of Salem and Sodom came to him. The king of Sodom offered him the treasure, but he rejected it. - Unclean desires(the root of uncleanness) that aim at theses things.
- The sins concerning eating-drinking such as smoking, getting drunk, and drugs abuse.
- The sins concerning marrying-being given in marriage or sexuality sin with all its kinds, sexual deviation, namely homosexuality and lesbianism, as well as the wrong marriage.
The evil and unclean desires can be divided anymore.
Mark 7: 21-23
7: 21"For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,
7:22 "thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness.
7:23 "All these evil thingscome from within and defile a man."
'murders' = hatred.
Verse 23 = there are two groups of the many sins, namely evil and uncleanness.
The signsare arrogance and foolishness. The foolishness means that one cannot be rebuked and advised anymore. This is the sign of being bound forever. Getting angry after being rebuked means that someone enjoys living in sins and he has been bound.
The solution is with the sword, there is no other way.
Hebrews 4: 12-13
4: 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. Sebab firman Allah hidup dan kuat dan lebih tajam dari pada pedang bermata dua .
It pierces to the heart and mind or the source or dwelling place of sins to cut the roots of sin.
'And there is no creature hidden from His sight' = there is no hidden sin. All the roots of sins are revealed and cut.
We must EXPERIENCE THE SANCTIFICATIONdone by the true teaching Word sharper than any two-edged sword that sanctifies our heart and mind from all roots of evil and uncleanness in order to be the pillar.
Acts 20: 33, 35
20: 33 "I have coveted no one's silver or gold or apparel.
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.'"
Verse 33 = the evil and unclean desires have been sanctified.
Being sanctified by the Word sharper than any two-edged sword, one can be set free from the bond of Sodom and Gomorrah, namely he feels more joyful to give than to receiveand gives his whole life to God like a bride that gives her whole life to the heavenly Bridegroom. - Evil desires(the root of evil).
- THE EYES ARE SET TO SODOM AND GOMORRAH OR PHYSICAL AND FLESHLY THINGS.
Matthew 5: 8
5: 8 Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God.
We must ONLY LOOK AT JESUSas the High Priest sitting at the right hand of Father God so that we can be the pillar.
The way to turn from the sight to the world to the one to God is through the heart sanctification(Matthew 5: 8) done by the Word sharper than any two-edged sword.
The fact found in looking at Jesus the High Priest is worshiping God much moreor looking at the shining face of Jesus like the sun shining in its strength (Matthew 17).
Jericho means the valley or decrease to the valley of death. The valley of flowers or Jericho that is fragrant can only be fought by going up to the mountain or worship prayer.
Our heart is sanctified more and all things in our deeds and saying are too until we like worshiping God, not because of being forced.
Feeling forced in worshiping God now, someday one will be forced to worship the antichrist or else he will be beheaded.
It is better for us to receive the sword of the Word that sanctifies our heart and whole life than to receive the sword of the antichrist.
The sword of the Word sanctifies our heart up to our neck that refers to the worship. The sword is on our neck means we are sanctified until we can worship God.
Keep on worshiping God until you feel the sunshineas follows.- The lovingkindness of God. The sun faithfuly rises from morning until the sunset without being late or stopping.
- The mercy and goodness of God in our life. Both the bad and good receive the sunshine (Matthew 5). There is no life in the world without the sun.
- To face Sodom and Gomorrah.
Genesis 19: 23-24
19: 23 The sun had risen upon the earthwhen Lot entered Zoar.
19:24 Then the LORD rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah, from the LORD out of the heavens.- God's lovingkindness, mercy, and goodness protect us from disasters, sins up to the peak, false teachings, the judgment of God to come over the world, and the hell.
- God's lovingkindness, mercy, and goodness are able to preserve us miraculously in the midst of impossibilities of life in the world.
Sodom and Gomorrah would be the Dead Sea where there was no living thing but God was able to preserve Lot.
- God's lovingkindness, mercy, and goodness protect us from disasters, sins up to the peak, false teachings, the judgment of God to come over the world, and the hell.
- To give us beautiful and successful future lifein time of need although we are in limitation physically in our money and education certificate.
Genesis 39: 21, 23
39: 21But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and He gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.
39:23 The keeper of the prison did not look into anything that was under Joseph's authority, because the LORD was with him; and whatever he did, the LORD made it prosper.
We only need to wait for the time of God. - To lift us upfrom falls in sin. We are restored from failures and made successful.
Psalm 51: 1
51: 1. <<To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David when Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.>> Have mercy upon me, O God, According to Your lovingkindness; According to the multitude of Your tender mercies, Blot out my transgressions.
David had sinned with Bathsheba. He had been in the valley of death because he had committed adultery with the wife of other man and killed that man. Nevertheless, the sunshine can pass through the valley. David could be helped and forgiven by God. - To face the struggles.
Genesis 32: 24, 28-31
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 struggledwith 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.
'the breaking of day' also refers to the second coming of Jesus. It means that we struggle not only to get the light of God's lovingkindness, mercy, and goodness, but until Jesus comes a second time.
Esau had the revenge and wanted to kill Jacob. Therefore, Jacob struggled. It means as follows.- Struggle to face the fear, worry, sorrow, and so on. The results are as follows.
- Peace.
- We do not feel anything that our flesh feels anymore.
- We only love God.
- All things become easy and light and we have the relief.
- Struggle for the salvation and unity of marriage and children up to the perfect marriage.
- Struggle to face the impossible problems.
- Struggle to get a new name('Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel').
Jacob means a liar. Israel means a winner. We are changed from a liar to a winner, namely honesty(we say yes if yes and no if no). Being honest in the true teaching Word, we can be honest in all matters. On the contrary, one cannot be honest in all matters; even he becomes a hypocrite, when he cannot be obedient in godly matters.
- Struggle to face the fear, worry, sorrow, and so on. The results are as follows.
Thus, the pillar means ones who are obedient, not stingy nor greedy, and honest. We get the new name to enter New Jerusalem and become the pillar forever.
God blesses you.