Peace and grace in the love of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Revelation 1:1-3 is the title or preface.
Revelation 1:3
1:3 Blessed ishe who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time isnear.
The content of the book of Revelation is joy. There are seven kinds of joy in the book of Revelation as follows.
The Heavenly joy cannot be affected by anything in this world.
The number seven refers to perfection. Thus, these seven joys refer to the perfect joy , the eternal joy, the Heavenly joy.
The gate to get these seven joys is reading, hearing, and obeying the prophecy Word.
Luke 10:39
10:39 And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word.
Life who reads, hears, and obeys the prophecy Word is as Mary who sits at Jesus’ feet and hears His word.
Mary sits at Jesus’ feet for three times as follows.
God blesses us.
Revelation 1:1-3 is the title or preface.
Revelation 1:3
1:3 Blessed ishe who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time isnear.
The content of the book of Revelation is joy. There are seven kinds of joy in the book of Revelation as follows.
- Revelation 1:3 Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it.
- Revelation 14:13 Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.
- Revelation 16:15 Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments.
- Revelation 19:9 Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb.
- Revelation 20:6 Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection.
- Revelation 22:7 Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.
- Revelation 22:14 Blessed are those who wash their robe.
The Heavenly joy cannot be affected by anything in this world.
The number seven refers to perfection. Thus, these seven joys refer to the perfect joy , the eternal joy, the Heavenly joy.
The gate to get these seven joys is reading, hearing, and obeying the prophecy Word.
Luke 10:39
10:39 And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word.
Life who reads, hears, and obeys the prophecy Word is as Mary who sits at Jesus’ feet and hears His word.
Mary sits at Jesus’ feet for three times as follows.
- Mary sits at Jesus’ feet to hear and obey His word.
Luke 10:39,42
10:39 And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word.
10:42 But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”
It means as follows.- Being as a sheep that hears and obeys the voice of the Shepherd or the shepherding Word.
John 10:27
10:27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.
If we can hear and obey the voice of the Shepherd, we will be able to follow the step of the Great Shepherd to enter the sheepfold. In Tabernacle, it refers to the Holy Place, where there are three types of equipment. They refer to perseverance in three main services as follows.- Golden Candlestick refers to perseverance in General Service. The sheep is drinking by doing it.
- Table of Showbread refers to perseverance in Bible Study Service with Holy Communion. The sheep is eating by doing it.
- Golden Altar of Incense refers to perseverance in Prayer Service. The sheep is breathing by doing it.
If the sheep are within the sheepfold or persevere in three main services, it equals to sitting on the green grass. It is started with the husband or pastor must sit firmly on the grass. The heart and feet must not walk around. Thus, Jesus as the Great Shepherd will break the bread to care our life abundantly until we can give thank to Him.
If we are firm in the shepherding, we will be used to follow Jesus the Great Shepherd to bring abundance to other sheepfolds that are in need. - Golden Candlestick refers to perseverance in General Service. The sheep is drinking by doing it.
- Hearing and obeying the Word whose secret is revealed, through a verse explains other verses in the Bible.
John 15:3
15:3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.
Luke 10:42
10:42 But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”
The result is everything becomes good and sweet as a branch abides on the true vine.
The terms “will not be taken away” means everything becomes eternal, up to eternal life. - Being as a sheep that hears and obeys the voice of the Shepherd or the shepherding Word.
- Mary sits at Jesus’ feet to anoint His feet with very costly and fragrant oil of spikenard for the day of His burial.
John 12:3-7
12:3 Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.
12:4 But 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.
12:7 But Jesus said, “Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial.
Anointing is a ministry.
Jesus’ feet are part of the body of Christ.
Burial is the last time of man in this world.
Thus, Mary sits at Jesus’ feet to anoint them equals to the last ministry of building the body of Christ until it becomes perfect as the Bride of God who is ready to welcome His second coming on the glorious clouds.
Ephesians 4:11-12
4:11 And He Himself gave some to beapostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,
4:12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,
The requirement to be able to minister the building of the body of Christ is holiness. Therefore, we must be shepherded to the true teaching Word so we can be sanctified. If we are holy, God will equip us with the ministry and gifts of Holy Spirit to be used in the building of the body of Christ. If God spiritually equips us, He will also equip the physical one.
If we are unholy and intentionally preserve the sins in any forms, it equals to destroying the body of Christ.
If there is holiness, there will be unity starting from within marriage and shepherding. If there is something unholy, we will not be able to unite.
Mary anoints Jesus’ feet with very costly oil of spikenard (three hundred denarii is one year salary). It means we must sacrifice everything to enter the building of the body of Christ. It is started with sacrificing our feeling, thought, money, et cetera. Only one that must not be sacrificed, that is the true teaching Word, because it is Jesus Himself.
The results are as follows.- Being set free from the grip of antichrist.
- Being set free from Babylon or the bride of Satan, that is perfection in evil and uncleanness.
- Becoming a soothing aroma before God.
If we are used in the building of the body of Christ until sacrificing our fond things, we will become a soothing aroma before God.
Genesis 8:20-22
8:20 Then Noah built an altar to the Lord, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar.
8:21 And the Lord smelled a soothing aroma. Then the Lord said in His heart, “I will never again curse the ground for man’s sake, although the imagination of man’s heart isevil from his youth; nor will I again destroy every living thing as I have done.
8:22 “While the earth remains, Seedtime and harvest, Cold and heat, Winter and summer, And day and night Shall not cease.”
If God smells the soothing aroma, there will be no more curse. The ambience of curse is changed to the ambience of Paradise. There is no more judgment of God and there is no more famine. Everything will run well and nothing will block our physical and spiritual life.
- Being set free from the grip of antichrist.
- Mary falls down at Jesus’ feet.
John 11:32
11:32 Then, when Mary came where Jesus was, and saw Him, she fell down at His feet, saying to Him, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.”
John 11:5-6
11:5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.
11:6 So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was.
Jesus loves Mary, Martha, and Lazarus.
Mary, Martha, and Lazarus also love Jesus. They are well shepherded, obedient, and used by God until becoming a soothing aroma. But when there is problem, when they pray, God does not answer them until Lazarus has died from four days. It is called as the sprinkling of blood or flesh suffering because of His will. God lets this happen so we can fall down at His feet.
Falling down means worshiping Him with a contrite heart. We confess that we are only as clay. We are unworthy and have many mistakes. We confess that we are powerless and put our hope only to God.
1 Peter 4:12-14
4:12 Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you;
4:13 but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.
4:14 If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you,for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified.
There is the Spirit of glory behind the sprinkling of blood. The results are as follows.- The Spirit of glory is able to care our life physically and spiritually although we face impossibility, until we receive eternal life.
Romans 8:11
8:11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. - The Spirit of glory renews our life from flesh man to become spiritual one as Jesus. It is started with being strong and of good courage.
Titus 3:5
3:5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,
If we frequently fall down at Jesus feet, we will be strong and of good courage as Mary. The proofs are as follows.- In the shepherding. When Mary is blamed by Martha, she keeps being strong and good courage. She keeps silent. Mary does not defend herself and God pleads her.
- In the ministry. When Judas blames Mary, she keeps silent and God pleads her.
- Mary is not hopeless when facing Lazarus who has died for four days.
John 11:31-32
11:31 Then the Jews who were with her in the house, and comforting her, when they saw that Mary rose up quickly and went out, followed her, saying, “She is going to the tomb to weep there.”
11:32 Then, when Mary came where Jesus was, and saw Him, she fell down at His feet, saying to Him, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.”
Mary does not weep, meaning she is not desperate and disappointed. She does not grumble nor blame the others and God. Mary falls down at Jesus’ feet. She believes and fully surrenders herself to God. Thus, God will restore the broken one. When Jesus comes a second time, we will be renewed as glorious as Him, and enter the New Jerusalem forever.
- In the shepherding. When Mary is blamed by Martha, she keeps being strong and good courage. She keeps silent. Mary does not defend herself and God pleads her.
- The Spirit of glory is able to care our life physically and spiritually although we face impossibility, until we receive eternal life.
God blesses us.