Peace and grace in the love of our Lord Jesus Christ. Good evening, let us hear the Word of God. Let the peace, grace, and joy of God be in the midst of us abundantly.
Revelation 1: 13-16 = the appearance of Jesus Himself in four real manifestations(It has been explained since Bible Study Service in Surabaya, February 3, 2014):
Tonight, we still discuss the fourth part, namely JESUS APPEARS IN HIS GLORY AS THE HEAVENLY BRIDEGROOM
Revelation 1: 16
1: 16. He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two–edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength.
The signs are as follows.
We have discussed about the third sign from yesterday, namely His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength.
His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength means that His countenance was like the sun shining to light the light of glory.
It has been showed by Jesus on a high mountain with Peter, John and James. It refers to worship prayer.
Thus, we can see the countenance of Jesus that is like the sun shining in its strength or His face that lights the light of glory in the right worship prayer, so we can experience the life renewalfrom fleshy men to spiritual ones as Jesus is. It begins from the renewal of five senses.
The renewal of five sensesrelates to the building of Tabernacle, the temple, the perfect body of Christ, or the Bride of God.
Exodus 25: 1-7
25:1 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying:
25:2 "Speak to the children of Israel, that they bring Me an offering. From everyone who gives it willingly with his heart you shall take My offering.
25:3 "And this is the offering which you shall take from them: gold, silver, and bronze;
25:4 "blue, purple, and scarlet thread, fine linen, and goats' hair;
25:5 "ram skinsdyed red, badger skins, and acacia wood;
25:6 "oil for the light, and spices for the anointing oil and for the sweet incense;
25:7 "onyx stones, and stonesto be set in the ephod and in the breastplate.
The materials to build the Tabernacle can be divided into five groups that refer to the five sensesas follows.
In Mark 13, we learn about the temple will be destroyed.
The renewal of five senses means the building or restoration to the temple which is almost thrown down.
If the five senses are not renewed, it is the same as the destroyed temple. On the contrary, the temple is built or restored if the five senses are renewedas follows.
If the five senses have been renewed, the building of the Tabernacle or the house of God has been finished and the cloud of God glory will fill our life.
Exodus 40: 33-34
40:33 And he raised up the court all around the tabernacle and the altar, and hung up the screen of the court gate. So Moses finished the work.
40:34 Then the cloud covered the tabernacle of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.
There are three activities of the cloud of glory as follows.
Let us experience the stretching out of God’s hands. We are silent and quietwhen we are in the death experience. We are faithful and righteouswhen we are in the resurrection experience. As a result, God stretches his hands to preserve and help us. We are obedientwhen we are in the glory experienceuntil our flesh does not speak anymore and God exalts us in His time.
God blesses you.
Revelation 1: 13-16 = the appearance of Jesus Himself in four real manifestations(It has been explained since Bible Study Service in Surabaya, February 3, 2014):
- Revelation 1: 13= Jesus appears in His glory as The High Priest, being clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band (It has been explained since Bible Study Service in Surabaya, February 3, 2014).
- Revelation 1: 14= Jesus appears in His glory as The King of all kings, whose head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire (It has been explained since General Service in Surabaya, February 23, 2014).
- Revelation 1: 15= Jesus appears in His glory as TheJust Judge,whose feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters (It has been explained since Bible Study Service in Surabaya, March 17, 2014).
- Revelation 1: 16= Jesus appears in His glory as TheHeavenly Bridegroom, the peak. We will never be separated from Him, but we are with Him forever. (It has been explained since General Service in Surabaya, March 30, 2014).
Tonight, we still discuss the fourth part, namely JESUS APPEARS IN HIS GLORY AS THE HEAVENLY BRIDEGROOM
Revelation 1: 16
1: 16. He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two–edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength.
The signs are as follows.
- He had in His right hand seven stars (It has been explained since General Service in Surabaya, March 30, 2014),
- Out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword (It has been explained since General Service in Surabaya, April 6, 2014),
- His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength (It has been explained since Good Friday Service in Surabaya, April 20, 2014)
We have discussed about the third sign from yesterday, namely His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength.
His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength means that His countenance was like the sun shining to light the light of glory.
It has been showed by Jesus on a high mountain with Peter, John and James. It refers to worship prayer.
Thus, we can see the countenance of Jesus that is like the sun shining in its strength or His face that lights the light of glory in the right worship prayer, so we can experience the life renewalfrom fleshy men to spiritual ones as Jesus is. It begins from the renewal of five senses.
The renewal of five sensesrelates to the building of Tabernacle, the temple, the perfect body of Christ, or the Bride of God.
Exodus 25: 1-7
25:1 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying:
25:2 "Speak to the children of Israel, that they bring Me an offering. From everyone who gives it willingly with his heart you shall take My offering.
25:3 "And this is the offering which you shall take from them: gold, silver, and bronze;
25:4 "blue, purple, and scarlet thread, fine linen, and goats' hair;
25:5 "ram skinsdyed red, badger skins, and acacia wood;
25:6 "oil for the light, and spices for the anointing oil and for the sweet incense;
25:7 "onyx stones, and stonesto be set in the ephod and in the breastplate.
The materials to build the Tabernacle can be divided into five groups that refer to the five sensesas follows.
- Metal(gold, silver, and bronze) for the frame of Tabernacle.
It refers to a firm standing or confession of faith by our mouth.
Romans 10: 9-10
10:9 that if you confess with your mouththe Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
10:10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is madeunto salvation. - Plants (spices) that can be learnt in Exodus 30, including the ones for anointing oiland incense. The spices produce fragrant, referring to the nose to smell.
- Animals (rams skins, goats’ hairs, and so on) refer to skin.
- Jewels (stones).
Proverbs 25: 12
25:12 Like an earring of gold and an ornament of fine gold Is a wise rebuker to an obedient ear.
The jewels are often used on the ears. It refers to the obedientears. - Shellsthat are pressed to produce pigments we can see. It means the eyes.
In Mark 13, we learn about the temple will be destroyed.
The renewal of five senses means the building or restoration to the temple which is almost thrown down.
If the five senses are not renewed, it is the same as the destroyed temple. On the contrary, the temple is built or restored if the five senses are renewedas follows.
- Mark 13: 1-2 =>The renewal of EYE.
13:1 Then as He went out of the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, "Teacher, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here!"
13:2 And Jesus answered and said to him, "Do you seethese great buildings? Not one stone shall be left upon another, that shall not be thrown down."
'what buildings are here'= The eyes often seethe great strong building. It causes the falling down.
If our eyes are only set upon the physical thingsor the fleshy ones such as big church building, much money, the multitude of human, and so on, the spirituality or faith will fall down. Let us have the renewal of eyes until WE CAN SET OUR EYES ON THE PROPHETIC WORD.
2 Peter 1: 19
1:19 And so we have the prophetic wordconfirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning starrises in your hearts;
'the prophetic word' is the Word preaching all things that have not happened yet but will happen for sure, especially about Jesus’ second comingin the glory as The King of all kings and Heavenly Bridegroom to sanctify us until we are as perfect as He is.
'the morning star' refers to the bright morning star, namely Jesus as The Heavenly Bridegroom.
The prophetic Word is also called the teaching Word sharper than any two-edged sword, the Bride Tidings, or the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ (2 Corinthians 4: 3-4).
If our eyes heed the prophetic Word, the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ or the Bride Tidings will shine in our dark heart to light to outside through our righteous good saying and deeds. Therefore, the light of glory will be brighter day by day to show us as follows.- As lampin the household.
- As lightbefore all people (Matthew 5).
- As the light of the worldor the bright morning star. We as as glorious as Jesus, The Heavenly Bridegroom. We become His bridewho is ready to welcome His second coming.
- As lampin the household.
- Mark 13: 7 =>The renewal of EARS.
13:7 "But when you hearof warsand rumors of wars, do not be troubled; for such things must happen, but the end is not yet.
The fleshy ears like to hear of wars or gossips and news causing the quarrel or war between siblings, in church and inter-church until there is no peace.
The renewed earslike TO HEAR AND OBEY THE TRUE TEACHING WORD.
Adam and Eve were disobedient by eating the forbidden fruit.
Disobedience to the true teaching turnsthe atmosphere of paradise into curse or sorrow and tears, even perdition.
On the contrary, obedience to the true teaching will turn the atmosphere of curse into the one of paradiseor the door of paradise is openedlike Jesus who was obedient to the point of death although He seemed to be accursed. If the door of paradise is opened, the doors in the world will also be opened by the obedience.
Luke 2: 20
2:20 Then the shepherdsreturned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.
We can be correctly and well shepherdedif our ears can hearand obey the true teaching Word and our eyes can seeit.
As a result, we can have the protection. There is no distress, but peace and we are protected from Sodom and Gomorrah (the world in the last days).
2 Peter 2: 7-8
2:7 and delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressedby the filthy conduct of the wicked
2:8 (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soulfrom day to day by seeing and hearingtheir lawless deeds) ––
In the world, our eyes and ears suffer because of seeing and hearing the atmosphere of Sodom and Gomorrah. We have to choose. If we are not shepherded, we will hear the terrible unclean news causing our soul to be tormented.
On the contrary, we can get these resultsafter we are correctly and well shepherded.- Our soul experiences the peace and silence of heavenwhile the world is like Sodom and Gomorrah with evil, chaos, and uncleanness. The world is being shaken, but the heaven will never be shaken.
- We experience the protection from the atmosphere of the world in the last daysthat is like Sodom and Gomorrah, namely the sins concerning eating-drinking and marrying-being given in marriage. It means that we are protected from the condemnation of God over the world.
- Our soul experiences the peace and silence of heavenwhile the world is like Sodom and Gomorrah with evil, chaos, and uncleanness. The world is being shaken, but the heaven will never be shaken.
- MOUTH.
Mark 13: 11
13:11 "But when they arrest you and deliver you up, do not worry beforehand, or premeditate what you will speak. But whatever is given you in that hour, speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.
The fleshy mouth will lie many more, especially in distress, give many arguments, and so on.
On the contrary, the renewed mouth will speak THE RIGHTEOUS AND GOOD WORDS(there is no more lie).
Ephesians 4: 25, 29
4:25 Therefore, putting away lying, "Let each one of you speak truthwith his neighbor," for we are members of one another.
4:29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.
The renewed mouth is anointed by Holy Spirit as follows.- Speaking the righteous wordswithout any lie. It means honestyor saying “yes” if yes and “no” if no.
The honesty is especially about the true teaching or God Himself, beginning from the Gate up to the Ark of Covenant must be right precisely. - verse 29= the saying that edifiesother’s spirituality, not discouraging but bringing the grace of God.
The mouth is the rudder of our life that brings it to heaven or hell forever. - Speaking the righteous wordswithout any lie. It means honestyor saying “yes” if yes and “no” if no.
- Mark 13: 18-20
13:18 "And praythat your flight may not be in winter.
13:19 "For in those days there will be tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the creation which God created until this time, nor ever shall be.
13:20 "And unless the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake, whom He chose, He shortened the days.
'pray' refers to NOSE(smelling the smoke of incense).
The fleshy nosesmells odors or gossips, the aroma of death, or hell, namely the spiritual death and the second one.
If our nose is renewed, we LIKE TO WORSHIP GODor smell the smoke of incense in the right worship saying “alleluia” or the worship to Jesus, The King of all kings and Heavenly Bridegroom.
Revelation 19: 6-7
19:6 And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, "Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns!
19:7 "Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lambhas come, and His wife has made herself ready."
The right worship starts from our own life to our family, shepherding, and inter-shepherding, up to the one perfect body of Christ, namely the Israelites and Gentiles from the four directions of the wind say one word, namely “alleluia”, both the dead and the alive. We will also worship God saying 'alleluia' on the throne of heaven.
Let us nowadays like to worship God, not because of being forced.
Being forcedin our worship to God means our nose is sicked or corrupted. Consequently, someday we will be forced to worship the antichrist. Therefore, we have to like worshiping God willingly and joyfully.
The right worship prayer is as follows.- The process of tearing the flesh in order to produce the fragranceor become blessings for others.
- The process to tear the flesh in order to receive the love of God that is as the shining sun, especially to face the spiritual winter.
Matthew 24: 12
24:12 "And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.
If we are in the spiritual winter or without the love, the rebellion will increase. One is rebellious against God through disobedience, unfaithfulness, and sinning. Husbands, wives, and children are also rebellious in the house, even in all things up to the peak, namely the rebellion of the antichrist.
There will be two possibilities in the days of the antichrist as follows.- Not being willing to worship the antichrist, one becomes his targetwith the great persecution until the beheading in order to be resurrected by God to become His Bride.
- Being the same as the antichristor worshiping him, one becomes the persecutor of the sons or servants of God who are left in the days of the antichrist. He will be destroyed when Jesus comes a second time.
- Not being willing to worship the antichrist, one becomes his targetwith the great persecution until the beheading in order to be resurrected by God to become His Bride.
- The process of tearing the flesh in order to produce the fragranceor become blessings for others.
- Mark 13: 21-23=>THE RENEWAL OF SKIN
13:21 "Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or, ‘Look, He is there!’ do not believe it.
13:22 "For false christs and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.
13:23 "But take heed; see, I have told you all things beforehand.
'believe' = feelings.
'the elect'= the people who hear the Bride Tidings.
'But take heed!' has the relationship with the feelings.
The skin must be renewedor anointed by Holy Spirit in order to ANTICIPATE OR FACE THE DECEIVER.
1 John 2: 26-27
2:26 These things I have written to you concerning those who try to deceive you.
2:27 But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.
The meaning of 'you do not need that anyone teach you' is we know about the deceiver and we cannot be deceived because we have the anointing of Holy Spirit.
If our skin is anointed by Holy Spirit, we have sensitive and firm feelingsto reject the false teachings and hold fast to the true one.
The beginning of being deceivedis considering that all teachings are same. In such condition, the anointing or fortress is thrown down and the false teachings will come in our life.
If the five senses have been renewed, the building of the Tabernacle or the house of God has been finished and the cloud of God glory will fill our life.
Exodus 40: 33-34
40:33 And he raised up the court all around the tabernacle and the altar, and hung up the screen of the court gate. So Moses finished the work.
40:34 Then the cloud covered the tabernacle of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.
There are three activities of the cloud of glory as follows.
- Exodus 40: 37
40:37But if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not journey till the day that it was taken up.
The first activity is 'the cloud was not taken up' = death experience.
It is the suffering as the part of the cloud of glory. There will be no glory without the death.
Thus, we must give thanks in the death experience. Do not murmur. We only need to wait for the glory.
Isaiah 30: 14-15
30:14 And He shall break it like the breaking of the potter’s vessel, Which is broken in pieces; He shall not spare. So there shall not be found among its fragments A shard to take fire from the hearth, Or to take water from the cistern."
30:15 For thus says the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel: "In returning and restyou shall be saved; In quietness and confidence shall be your strength." But you would not,
'the breaking of the potter’s vessel' is the condition of the people in the death experience, namely being powerless, broken, useless, unable to do anything, and false in all matters because we have been right but blamed still by others.
The right attitude in the death experience is silenceand quietness.- Silencemeans we correct ourselvesthrough the sharpness of the sword of the Word we hear many more.
We have to be silent much more when we face total failure.
Then, we have to repent when we find sin in our life. We confess our sin to God and others. After being forgiven, we do not repeat it. The repentanceis the shortest way to get the help of God. - Quietnessmeans we control ourselves, so that we do not hope in others and become disappointed or hopeless, but we only hope in God through our praying.
1 Peter 4: 7
4:7 But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers.
- Silencemeans we correct ourselvesthrough the sharpness of the sword of the Word we hear many more.
- Exodus 40: 36
40:36 Whenever the cloud was taken upfrom above the tabernacle, the children of Israel would go onward in all their journeys.
The second activity is 'the cloud was taken up' or resurrection experience.
The facts found in it are as follows.- Romans 4: 25
4:25 who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.
Righteous life.
Not living in righteousness means that there is no resurrection experience. - Colossians 3: 1
3:1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.
Prioritizing or faithfully doing the service and ministry to God.
11:5 Righteousness shall be the belt of His loins, And faithfulness the belt of His waist.
Serving and ministering to God in FAITHFULNESS AND RIGHTEOUSNESS, we are wearing the belt and God is responsible to our life.
Luke 17: 7-8
17:7 "And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and sit down to eat’?
17:8 "But will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare something for my supper, and gird yourself and serve me till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you will eat and drink’?
Wearing the belt means giving food and drink to Jesusto sanctify His heart. In such condition, the cloud has been taken up or there is resurrection experience. Afterwards, we can eat and drink. It means that our food and drink or daily needs up to our descendantsare God’s concern. He never fools us. He will give us heavenly satisfaction and joyso that we will never look for the worldly one or fall and be ensnared by the sins up to the peak. - Romans 4: 25
- Exodus 40: 35
40:35 And Moses was not able to enter the tabernacle of meeting, because the cloud rested above it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.
The third activity is 'the cloud rested above it' or there is the cloud of glory or the glory experience.
'Moses was not able to enter the tabernacle of meeting'means that the flesh does not speak anymore.
Thus, the glory experience is the life renewalfrom fleshy men to spiritual ones as Jesus who is obedient to the point of death. As for us, we must be obedient until our flesh does not speak anymore or we fully surrender to God.
1 Peter 5: 5-6
5:5 Likewise you younger people, submityourselves 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,
As a result, the cloud of glory or God’s hand is stretched out to exalt us right in His timeas follows.- Lifting us up from failure to success, beauty, and joy in His time.
- Using us for preaching or testifying the light of the gospel of Christ, Bride Tidings, or the revival of Holy Spirit at the latter rain for building the perfect body of Christ.
1 Thessalonians 4: 16-17
4:16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
4:17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up togetherwith them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.
There will be two great things that happen when Jesus comes a second time with the sound of the trumpet for the last time as follows.- The dead in the Lord or in the renewal of the five senses will be resurrected in the body of glory.
- We who are alive will be renewed in the twinkling of an eye in the body of glory.
- Lifting us up from failure to success, beauty, and joy in His time.
Let us experience the stretching out of God’s hands. We are silent and quietwhen we are in the death experience. We are faithful and righteouswhen we are in the resurrection experience. As a result, God stretches his hands to preserve and help us. We are obedientwhen we are in the glory experienceuntil our flesh does not speak anymore and God exalts us in His time.
God blesses you.