Peace and grace in the love of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Revelation 12:3
12:3. And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads.
This is the clear appearance of Satan which is completed by the six activities as follows:
ad. 3. Fighting.
Revelation 12:7
12:7. And warbroke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought,
Satan and his angels make war in heaven.
Heaven is a peaceful place forever.
So, Satan wants to make heaven and earth not peaceful, so men live without peace, but there are tiredness, difficulty, and tears up to weeping and gnashing of teeth forever in hell.
There are three stages in warfare as follows:
ad. 1. The pre-war stage
There is peaceful atmosphere before the war happens.
1 Thessalonians 5:1-3
5:1. But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you.
5:2. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night.
5:3. For when they say, "Peaceand safety!" then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape.
Be careful! The moment of peace is the process towards war. Therefore, we must always watch in the peaceful atmosphere.
Where can we always watch in the peaceful atmosphere?
ad. b.
In the Old Testament, Aaron the High Priest once a year entered the Most Holy Place and brought the blood of the offering and incense to make atonement for the Israelites so that shekinah gloryhappened.
In the New Testament, Jesus the High Priest enters the Most Holy Place or the throne of Heaven by bringing His own blood and praying intercession to make atonement for all of sinful men in this world, so that shekinah gloryhappens.
The process of the ministry of reconciliation by the High Priest until shekinah gloryhappens are as follows:
God blesses us.
Revelation 12:3
12:3. And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads.
This is the clear appearance of Satan which is completed by the six activities as follows:
- [Revelation 12:4a] His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to earth (it is explained from Bible Study Service in Malang, November 24, 2020to Prayer Service in Malang, December 3, 2020).
- [Revelation 12:4b] His mouth devours her Child (it is explained from Sunday Service in Malang, December 06, 2020to Sunday Service in Malang, January 03, 2021).
- [Revelation 12:7] Fighting (it is explained in Bible Study Service in Malang, January 05,2021).
- [Revelation 12:13] To hunt or persecute quickly.
- [Revelation 12:15] To cause her to be carried away by the flood.
- [Revelation 12:17] To make war or persecute the rest of her offspring.
ad. 3. Fighting.
Revelation 12:7
12:7. And warbroke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought,
Satan and his angels make war in heaven.
Heaven is a peaceful place forever.
So, Satan wants to make heaven and earth not peaceful, so men live without peace, but there are tiredness, difficulty, and tears up to weeping and gnashing of teeth forever in hell.
There are three stages in warfare as follows:
- The pre-war stage (it is explained in Bible Study Service in Malang, January 05,2021).
- The stage of war.
- The post-war stage. It is clear that victory is hoped like Revelation 12:10-12 whose title is 'the Song of Victory'.
ad. 1. The pre-war stage
There is peaceful atmosphere before the war happens.
1 Thessalonians 5:1-3
5:1. But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you.
5:2. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night.
5:3. For when they say, "Peaceand safety!" then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape.
Be careful! The moment of peace is the process towards war. Therefore, we must always watch in the peaceful atmosphere.
Where can we always watch in the peaceful atmosphere?
- In the shepherding that is good and correct (it is explained in Bible Study Service in Malang, January 05,2021).
- In the ministry of reconciliation of the High Priest.
ad. b.
In the Old Testament, Aaron the High Priest once a year entered the Most Holy Place and brought the blood of the offering and incense to make atonement for the Israelites so that shekinah gloryhappened.
In the New Testament, Jesus the High Priest enters the Most Holy Place or the throne of Heaven by bringing His own blood and praying intercession to make atonement for all of sinful men in this world, so that shekinah gloryhappens.
The process of the ministry of reconciliation by the High Priest until shekinah gloryhappens are as follows:
- Jesus comes to the world as the only innocent fleshly man, but He had to die on the cross to defeat the death. He took away all sins, the curse, and the punishment of sins upon the sinful men. But He rose and ascended to the throne of Heaven to become the High Priest who was merciful and faithful to make propitiation for the sins of the people.
Hebrews 2:14-18
2:14. Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,
2:15. and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
2:16. For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham.
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.
2:18. For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.
The ministry of reconciliation of Jesus is to make propitiation for all nations. It is the same as setting us free from the fear of death in order to give peace to us. When there is the fear of death, there will be no peace.
When Adam and Eve sinned, they were afraid even though they were in Paradise.
Why have only humans been reconciled? Humans can and must be reconciled because they have blood and flesh. When Jesus was crucified, He knew that the fleshy men were weak, so He had compassion on humans.
The angels cannot be reconciled because they do not have blood and flesh, but only spirit. The angel is a spirit that is obedient and strong. They should not fall. But when they become arrogant like Satan, they can fall and cannot be helped.
Therefore, as long as we live in this world, we must make peace. It means that the sword of the Word encourages us to confess and forgive each other as follows:- We confess sin to God and others. If we are forgiven, we do not sin anymore.
- We forgive others' sin and forget it.
Be careful! In fear, we will lose in the war. But when the heart is at peace, we are ready to go to war.
Hebrews 9:11-14
9:11. But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation.
9:12. Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.
9:13. For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh,
9:14. how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
Jesus as the High Priest frees us from sins, but He also raises us to become priests and kings who serve God according to the ministry that God gives to us.
Revelation 1:5-6
1:5. and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth.To Him who loved us and washed us from our sinsin His own blood,
1:6. and has made us kings and prieststo His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
This is called the instruments of righteousness.
We live in righteousness and become the instruments of righteousness. It means that all sins are completely resolved.
Hebrews 2:18
2:18. For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.
Hebrews 4:16
4:16. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
When sins are resolved, the High Priest will solve all our problems in His time. - We confess sin to God and others. If we are forgiven, we do not sin anymore.
- Jesus went up on the mountain of Golgotha (the sign of blood) and prayed (incense). It means that Jesus in the ministry of reconciliation frees us from the fear of the wind and waves in the sea of the world.
Matthew 14:22-32
14:22. Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away.
14:23. And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there.
14:24. But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.
14:25. Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea.
14:26. And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, "It is a ghost!" And they cried out for fear.
14:27. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid."
14:28. And Peter answered Him and said, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water."
14:29. So He said, "Come." And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.
14:30. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, "Lord, save me!"
14:31. And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?"
14:32. And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.
'they cried out for fear' = the disciples were afraid because of the storm. It means that there is no peace.
'when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid' = After becoming the priest and king, Peter was still afraid of the waves of the sea.
The wind and the waves on the sea of the world refer to the world with all its influences, namely business, impossibilities, difficulties, joys, troubles, hatred, threats, and false teachings. It makes us not at peace, but afraid, worried, and indecisive about the persona of Jesus (the true teaching Word) and His power, so that we turn to other teachings.
The fear in the world often makes us choose the wrong one, especially about the teaching.
After we become the kings and the priests, do not be arrogant because the winds and the waves may come unexpectedly! Keep the peaceful heart!
The winds and the waves make us afraid, worried, and indecisive. So, we become the kings and the priests who do not prioritize God or the kingdom of Heaven. These are unfaithful and unrighteous servants of God.
When there is fear, we become unfaithful and unrighteous, and then we begin to sink.
It means as follows:- We began to decline physically and spiritually. We lose something in the world until losing everything.
- We fall in sins up to the peak, namely unfaithfulness and unrighteousness that lead us to Babylon..
- To die spiritually, or not be willing to serve God in ministry until one does not worship God.
- To perish forever.
God allows us to begin to sink, so that we can return to Him. We stretch our hands to Him, or prioritize Him more than anything, and He will stretch His hands to raise us in His time.
The meanings are as follows:- Being restored physically and spiritually, moreover we are enhanced. The thing that was lost can be found again.
- The one who has fallen can return to live in righteousness and holiness.
- From being died spiritually to being faithful and righteous in the in the service and ministry to God.
- The physical life is preserved.
Luke 17:8
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'?
When God preserves us, we will experience satisfaction. There is no fear about the winds and the waves, but we are at peace. We are ready to war.
- We began to decline physically and spiritually. We lose something in the world until losing everything.
- Jesus as the High Priest frees us from the fear about the glory of the Lord.
Luke 9:28-29,32-34
9:28. Now it came to pass, about eight days after these sayings, that He took Peter, John, and James and went up on the mountain to pray.
9:29. As He prayed, the appearance of His face was altered, and His robe became white and glistening.
9:32. But Peter and those with him were heavy with sleep; and when they were fully awake, they saw His gloryand the two men who stood with Him.
9:33. Then it happened, as they were parting from Him, that Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah"--not knowing what he said.
9:34. While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were fearfulas they entered the cloud.
'His glory'= the shekinah glory.
When we are afraid of His glory, we will be left behind at the time the Lord returns.
Being afraid of His glory is the same as being heavy with sleep in prayer ('Peter and those with him were heavy with sleep').
It is the same as the hardness of heart.
It means being afraid of something until being against God like the dragon that fought the Heaven.
In facing the hardness of heart, we have to worship God a lot. So, there will be a renewal of life from the fleshly man to the spiritual one like Jesus (shekinah glory), namely being obedient until the flesh does not speak anymore. It is the same as stretching hands to God, and He will stretch His merciful hands to us.
The example is Joseph.
Genesis 37:13
37:13. And Israel said to Joseph, "Are not your brothers feeding the flock in Shechem? Come, I will send you to them." So he said to him, "Here I am."
Joseph was obedient up to the point that he was hated, persecuted, even sold by his brothers, and it ended up in prison. But, there is shekinah glory behind the sprinkling of blood.
Genesis 39:21,23
39:21. But 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.
Let us wait for His time! The Lord will make all things become successful and beautiful in His time.
We are trusted by Jesus to be used in the building of the perfect body of Christ, starting with testimony. We glorify God and we will also be glorified by Him. When Jesus comes, we will be perfected to be worthy to welcome His second coming. We inherit the kingdom of Heaven forever.
God blesses us.