Peace and grace in the love of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We are still discussing Revelation 2-3.
According to Tabernacle Teaching, it refers to the seven sprinklings of blood before the Ark of the Covenant.
It means the seven epistlesfor the seven churches of the Gentiles or the last sanctificationdone by Jesus for the seven churches of the Gentilesor the congregation in the last days to make them perfect or without blemish like Jesus. They become the perfect Bride of heaven who is ready to welcome Jesus' second coming on the glorious clouds to meet Him, the Heavenly Bridegroom, forever.
There are seven churches of the Gentilesthat experience the sprinkling of blood as follows.
THE CHURCH IN SMYRNA
Revelation 2: 11
2:11. "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death."'
The promise of God to the church in Smyrna: 'He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.' (it has been explained since General Service in Surabaya, November 2, 2014).
We have heard in General Service in Surabaya, November 2, 2014about three kinds of death as follows.
Who will not get the power of the second death?
Revelation 20: 6
20:6 Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.
'a thousand years'= one thousand years kingdom of peace or the future paradise.
'He who overcomes' means that he who will not get the power of the second death is the person who has part in the first resurrection,so he does not experience the second death in the hell, but becomes priests and kings in one thousand years kingdom of peace or the future paradiseup to New Jerusalem.
Romans 6: 5
6:5 For if we have been unitedtogether in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection,
The requirementof entering the first resurrection when Jesus comes a second time is the death and resurrection experiencetogether with Him or life renewal.
1 Corinthians 15: 51-52
15:51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed--
15:52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
'a mystery'= not all people know it, even Christians and servants of God do not know.
'We shall not all sleep' = there are some people who live and the others die.
'we shall be changed '= the death and resurrection experience, namely all of us will be changed.
There will be two great events when the first resurrection happens or Jesus comes a second time as follows.
Both the dead in Jesus and the alive until Jesus comes a second time will be one glorious perfect body of Christor God's bride to enter:
Thus, the Lord said 'Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power' to the church in Smyrna that experienced the death and resurrection together with Jesus while they were living because it was enough for them to suffer in the worldfor Jesus through being slandered, put in prison, and so on. They do not need to enter the second death.
Be careful!There are the rest of the dead, namely the ones who did not die in Jesus, so they will not be resurrected when Jesus comes a second time, but still in the tomb for a thousand years.
Revelation 20: 5
20:5 But the rest of the dead did not live againuntil the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
The rest of the dead means as follows.
When Jesus comes a second time or the first resurrection, the rest of the dead are not resurrected. They wait for one thousand years of peace to be resurrected in the second resurrection and enter the second deathor hell forever.
Let us be serious! There will be a great separation someday.
We must pray that we will not be separated from one another, but we can be united in the one body of Christ, starting from our household, shepherding, and inter-shepherding until the body of Christ is formed.
There are three groups that will enter the first resurrectionand may welcome Jesus' second coming as follows.
God blesses you.
We are still discussing Revelation 2-3.
According to Tabernacle Teaching, it refers to the seven sprinklings of blood before the Ark of the Covenant.
It means the seven epistlesfor the seven churches of the Gentiles or the last sanctificationdone by Jesus for the seven churches of the Gentilesor the congregation in the last days to make them perfect or without blemish like Jesus. They become the perfect Bride of heaven who is ready to welcome Jesus' second coming on the glorious clouds to meet Him, the Heavenly Bridegroom, forever.
There are seven churches of the Gentilesthat experience the sprinkling of blood as follows.
- The church in EPHESUS(Revelation 2: 1-7) (it has been explained in General Service in Surabaya, July 27, 2014up to General Service in Surabaya, September 7, 2014). The church in Ephesus must return to the first loveto return to Paradise.
- The church in SMYRNA(Revelation 2: 8-11) that had to suffer. God said to them not to be afraid in the suffering, but faithful until death (it has been explained in General Service in Surabaya, September 14, 2014).
THE CHURCH IN SMYRNA
Revelation 2: 11
2:11. "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death."'
The promise of God to the church in Smyrna: 'He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.' (it has been explained since General Service in Surabaya, November 2, 2014).
We have heard in General Service in Surabaya, November 2, 2014about three kinds of death as follows.
- Physical death or bodily one. It means passing away.
- Spiritual death or dryness. It means being separated from God because of sins.
- Second death.
If such person keeps on sinning or being dead spiritually and separated from God, he will enter the second death, namely the sea of fire and brimstone or the hell forever.
Who will not get the power of the second death?
Revelation 20: 6
20:6 Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.
'a thousand years'= one thousand years kingdom of peace or the future paradise.
'He who overcomes' means that he who will not get the power of the second death is the person who has part in the first resurrection,so he does not experience the second death in the hell, but becomes priests and kings in one thousand years kingdom of peace or the future paradiseup to New Jerusalem.
Romans 6: 5
6:5 For if we have been unitedtogether in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection,
The requirementof entering the first resurrection when Jesus comes a second time is the death and resurrection experiencetogether with Him or life renewal.
1 Corinthians 15: 51-52
15:51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed--
15:52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
'a mystery'= not all people know it, even Christians and servants of God do not know.
'We shall not all sleep' = there are some people who live and the others die.
'we shall be changed '= the death and resurrection experience, namely all of us will be changed.
There will be two great events when the first resurrection happens or Jesus comes a second time as follows.
- The people who have been dead in Jesus will be resurrected.
They are the people who experienced the death and resurrection together with Jesuswhile they were still alive. They also had the life renewaldone by the loud sound of trumpet or the power of the hard true teaching Word that is sharper than any two-edged sword. As a result, they will be resurrected in the body of glorylike Jesus although they were buried. - The people who are still aliveuntil Jesus comes a second time will be changedin the twinkling of an eye.
They experience the death and resurrection together with Jesus while they are alive. They also have the life renewaldone by the loud sound of trumpet or the power of the hard true teaching Word that is sharper than any two-edged sword. As a result, they will be resurrected in the body of glorylike Jesus.
Both the dead in Jesus and the alive until Jesus comes a second time will be one glorious perfect body of Christor God's bride to enter:
- The marriage supper of the Lamb on the glorious clouds (Revelation 19: 9) or the meeting in the air between Jesus, the Head or Husband with us, the body or wife as the Bride of God on the glorious clouds.
Revelation 19: 9
19:9. Then he said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!'"And he said to me, "These are the true sayings of God." - After that, they enter the one thousand years kingdom of peace or the future paradise. We become the priests and kings that reign together with Jesus in it.
- Finally, they enter New Jerusalem or eternal heavenly kingdom.
Thus, the Lord said 'Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power' to the church in Smyrna that experienced the death and resurrection together with Jesus while they were living because it was enough for them to suffer in the worldfor Jesus through being slandered, put in prison, and so on. They do not need to enter the second death.
Be careful!There are the rest of the dead, namely the ones who did not die in Jesus, so they will not be resurrected when Jesus comes a second time, but still in the tomb for a thousand years.
Revelation 20: 5
20:5 But the rest of the dead did not live againuntil the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
The rest of the dead means as follows.
- The people outside Jesusor the ones who do not believe in Jesus.
- The Christians(sons or servants of God) who are not serious or do neither experience the life renewalnor hear the loud sound of the trumpet that really hurts the flesh as the true teaching Word that is sharper than any two-edged sword.
The flesh cannot be put to death if there is no sword.
It is called as the Word sharper than any two-edged swordas follows.- The first sharpness is to cut or sanctify. It refers to the death experience.
For example, the hand which stole must be cut by the sword of the Word, but it must not be still in such condition because it means there is a blemish. Therefore, we need the second sharpness. - The second shatpness is to renew. It refers to the resurrection experience.
For example, the stealing hand must be cut, and then renewed to be the hand that works for God.
- The first sharpness is to cut or sanctify. It refers to the death experience.
- Christians(servants of God) who deny Jesusand worship the antichriston the days when the antichrist reigns over the world.
Thus, there are sons or servants of God who are left, so they are not evacuated to the wilderness by the two wings of a great eagle when the antichrist reigns over the world. There will be a test for them. If they keep on worshiping Jesus, they will be persecuted until beheaded, but they will enter the first resurrection.
On the contrary, if they worship the antichrist because of not enduring the persecution, their physical condition will be okay, but they will not be resurrected when Jesus comes a second time after they die. It means that they do not enter the first resurrection.
When Jesus comes a second time or the first resurrection, the rest of the dead are not resurrected. They wait for one thousand years of peace to be resurrected in the second resurrection and enter the second deathor hell forever.
Let us be serious! There will be a great separation someday.
We must pray that we will not be separated from one another, but we can be united in the one body of Christ, starting from our household, shepherding, and inter-shepherding until the body of Christ is formed.
There are three groups that will enter the first resurrectionand may welcome Jesus' second coming as follows.
- The first group, namely the sons or servants of God who experience the death and resurrection together with Jesus while they are alive.
It does not matter that he is alive or dead, but the important thing is his conduct while he is alive.
The facts found in it are as follows.- DEATH EXPERIENCE= 'to die to sin' = repenting.
1 Peter 2: 21-25
2:21 For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:
2:22 "Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth";
2:23 who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously;
2:24 who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having diedto sins, might livefor righteousness--by whose stripes you were healed.
2:25 For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
It means as follows.- Not sinning.
- 'Nor was deceit found in His mouth' = there is no lie.
- 'when He was reviled, did not revile in return' = not returning evil for evil, but good for evil.
RESURRECTION EXPERIENCE= 'livefor righteousness'= life in righteousness.
Thus, the death and resurrection experience together with Jesus is being dead to sin and living in righteousness. It begins from the right water baptism that determineswhether we are resurrected or renewed when Jesus comes a second time or left behind.
Romans 6: 2, 4
6:2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sinlive any longer in it?
6:4 Therefore we were buriedwith Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raisedfrom the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
The right water baptismis one who has repented or diedto sin must be buriedin water together with Jesus, and then he is raisedfrom water together with Jesus to get new life or heavenly one (the heavens were open), namely righteous life.
After we live in righteousness, the second death cannot touch us. We are blessed by God.
Proverbs 10: 2
10:2 Treasures of wickedness profit nothing, But righteousness delivers from death.
'Treasures of wickedness profit nothing' = our treasure cannot save us from the death. Therefore, do not measure the success of the service and ministry only from the physical treasure.
After we live in righteousness or get the deliverance from the death, we will be protected by Godso that we do not enter or suffer in the second death ('delivers from death').
Be careful!After repenting and living in righteousness, we may be shaken.
1 Peter 2: 25
2:25 For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherdand Overseer of your souls.
Therefore, we must enter the shepherding penwell and correctlyafter we repent and live in righteousness ('returned to the Shepherd') so that we are neither deceived by false teachings nor stumbled in sin and perdition.
Thus, the shepherding pen is the right place to affirm our repentance and righteous life as well as the salvation.
A pastor must be shepherded to be firm. How can a pastor be responsible for the sheep if he himself is not firm in the salvation?
A teacher, prophet, evangelist, apostle, and all of us must be firm also in the shepherding so that we can be firm in the salvation and do not experience the second death.
The results of being shepherded are as follows.
1 Peter 2: 25
2:25 For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.- We are preserved physically and abundantlyby the Great Shepeherd for our body need until we can give thanks always.
Our job or all things in the world are only tools, but only the Great Shepherd can preserve our life. - We are preserved spirituallyto have quietness or peace, so all things are easy and light.
We enter the shepherding pen or the narrow door. It indeed is not comfortable for our flesh, but our life is easy and light.
We are also sanctifiedin the shepherding up to perfection ('I shall not want').
- Prioritizing the service and ministry more than anything in the world. We keep faithful and fervent in spiritin doing our service and ministry to God.
Colossians 3: 1-3
3:1 If then you were raisedwith Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.
3:2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.
3:3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
'sitting at the right hand of God'= Jesus sits at the right hand of Father God to become the Great Shepherd and High Priest leading our service and ministry.
A pastor must be faithful and fervent in spirit in doing the service and ministry first because he is the leader in front of the sheep. If a pastor is not faithful and fervent in spirit, how are the sheep? - Experiencing the life renewaldone by the work of the true teaching Word that is sharper than any two-edged sword.
Ephesians 4: 21-25
4:21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus:
4:22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old manwhich grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts,
4:23 and be renewedin the spirit of your mind,
4:24 and that you put on the new manwhich was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
4:25 Therefore, putting away lying, "Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor," for we are members of one another.
'have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus'= the true teaching Word that is sharper than any two-edged sword.
'put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man'= putting to death the old man.
'which grows corrupt'= entering the second death.
'be renewed'= rising in new life.
The signs of the life renewal are as follows.- There is no more lieas follows.
- Saying righteous and good words that become blessings for others.
- Being honest. It starts from about the true teaching Word. We say 'yes' if yes, and 'no' if no.
Not being honest means being the same as the serpent.
After we are honest about God's matter, we can be honest in all things.
Peter, a great servant of God, can be dishonest about the true teachings or Jesus Himself until he denied Him.
- Not being angry without any sin(getting angry with emotion or hatred).
Ephesians 4: 26
4:26 "Be angry, and do not sin": do not let the sun go downon your wrath,
'the sun go down' = without any love.
The right attitudeis the anger with love to help others.
Peter also got angry with emotion or hatred in Gethsemane Garden when Jesus would be seized soon until he cut the ear of other person. It means giving disadvantage to others or dividing the body of Christ.
- There is no more lieas follows.
If God lets them be alive until Jesus comes a second time or the first resurrection, they will be changed in the body of glory.
Both they will be one body and may welcome Jesus' second coming without experiencing the second death like the church in Smyrna. The important thing is their condition when they are still alive, not the matter of being dead or alive. - DEATH EXPERIENCE= 'to die to sin' = repenting.
- The sons or servants of God who willingly died because of Jesus' name from the days of Abel until now, even in the days when the antichrist reigns over the world.
Revelation 6: 9-11
6:9 When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slainfor 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 numberof their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed.
= the people who died because of Jesus from the days of Abel until now (there are evangelists or servants of God who are murdered).
They still need to wait for the people who die because of Jesus in the days when the antichrist reigns over the world, namely the people who are left when Jesus comes a second time or not evacuated but keep on worshiping Jesus, so they are persecuted and beheaded.
Revelation 20: 4
20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheadedfor their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beastor his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
'had not worshiped the beast'= not worshiping the antichrist.
They will be resurrected when Jesus comes a second time to enter the one thousand kingdom of peace and the eternal Heavenly Kingdom.
Someday, only fewcan endure the persecution when the antichrist reigns over the world three years and six months. Such persecution will never happen again because it is very cruel and great.
The key is the sword!
If now we willingly experience the work of the sword of God's Wordthat hurts our flesh, we will not need to get the work of the sword of the antichrist. Being sanctified by the sword of God's Word, we are paying with the blood of Jesus. The blood of Jesus is paying for us when the sword of God's Word shows us our sin and we ask the forgiveness.
If the sword of the antichrist works, we will have to pay with our own blood because there is no Jesus' blood anymore. - Special way or group. The representative is the criminal crucified together with Jesus.
Luke 23: 39-43
23:39 Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, "If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us."
23:40 But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, "Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation?
23:41 "And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong."
23:42 Then he said to Jesus, "Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom."
23:43 And Jesus said to him, "Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise."
'Paradise'= one thousand years kingdom of peace.
The first criminalentered the second death because of blaspheming Jesus.
The second oneentered the paradise.
The crucified criminal is the cursed manas follows:- in fall or deterioration,
- in evil and uncleanness,
- in failure,
- without any hope,
- in suffering and tears,
- in fear,
- being ashamed.
The special wayhappens through the mercy of God.
Actually, it should not have happened. Jesus was crucififed because of our sins, so He could be resurrected. The two criminals were crucified because of their own sins and they deserved to get the judgement. Nevertheless, God still opened the last opportunity through the way of mercy.
Tonight, He still opens the way of mercy for us through the sacrifice of Christ regardless of any condition we are facing now. Maybe we are in failure, fall, sinking, destruction, shame, and no one willingly sees us. There is still the way of mercy for us. IT IS THE LAST WAY. Rejecting it, there will be no other way.
We can get the way of mercy through KEEPING OUR MOUTH. This is the only door. Our mouth determines whether we enter through the door of the marriage supper of the Lamb/paradise or the one of the second death.
We often cannot control our mouththrough judging others and God or the true teachings when we are in failure, pressure or distress, and dead-end or even in success.
Formerly, blood was put on the lintel and two doorposts of the houses of Israelites.
It meanswe return to the mercy of God or a drop of Jesus' blood or we put the blood of Jesus on the door of our heart and mouth. The results are as follows.- We can controlour mouth.
- Our mouth only gives thanks to Godwithout any murmur in everthing that happens. Although we must experience bad thing, we keep on giving thanks. We learn to Job who said that he gave thanks in good things he got and he gave thanks also in bad thing that happened to him.
- Our mouth can confess our sinsto God and others, not judge. After being forgiven, we do not repeat the sin.
- Our mouth only cries the name of Jesus or worships Him. Although we are sinking now, we must cry the name of Jesus.
When Jesus comes a second time, the dead will be resurrected in the body of glory and the people who are still alive until that time will be changed in the body of glory. All of us will enter the marriage supper of the Lamb, the one thousand years kingdom of peace and New Jerusalem to be with Him forever.
God blesses you.