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 forth 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.
It is the appearance of Jesus in the glory as The Heavenly Bridegroom with three signs as follows.
We still learn the second part, namely
Ad 2. Out of His mouth went a sharp two-edges sword
Out of God’s mouth refers to the spiritual food.
Matthew 4:4
4:4 But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by breadalone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’”
Satan only showed the physical food. Breadis made of wheat, which is graminaceous like the paddy, which is also graminaceous). The purpose of Satan is encouraging human to eat grass, so that their lives would be like dry grass and be burnt.
God doesn’t want human’s lives to be like that, so that He shows us the spiritual food. The spiritual food is the Word that outs of His mouth (“out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword”).
There are two kinds of spiritual foods as follows.
The Bride Tidings is also called the prophecy; because it has not happened yet, but it will surely happen.
Our responses toward the Word that is sharper than any two-edged sword (the Bride Tidings) are as follows.
The building/the fellowship of the body of Christ has to be based on the true Word, so that we are led to God as the Head.
The building of the body of Christ starts from:
All of these things have to be based on the true Wordso that we are led to God as the Head. The Head is the true Word.
A fellowship withoutthe true Word will lead to the wolves and birdsas the head. As it is now, if we get into marriage based on our own lusts, we get into the shepherding just to mingle with others without paying attention to the true Word, it will lead to the wolves and birds as the head. Wolves and birds = the spirit of evil and uncleanness (Babylon).
The proofs that Jesus is the Head are as follows.
Let our attitudetoward the sword that comes out of Jesus’ mouth is listening to and being obedient to the Word (not murmuring and rejecting the Word).
How hard/sharp the Word is, it is the guidance of God’s hands. The harder/sharper the Word is, the stronger God grips upon us, so that we won’t slip away.
If Jesus is the Head, He will never forget us but always binds us (the Head will never forget His body). It means: Jesus will always take care of us, remember us and fight for us.
If a mother in this world can forget her baby, Jesus as the Head will never forget us (because no head can forget his body = the head and the body cannot be separated).
The resultsif Jesus is our Head are as follows.
God blesses us.
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 fame of fire (It has been explained since Bible Study Service in Surabaya, February 23, 2014).
- Revelation 1: 15= Jesus appears in His glory as The Just 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 The Heavenly Bridegroom, the peak. We will never be separated from Him, but we are with Him forever. (It has been explained since Bible Study Service in Surabaya, March 30, 2014).
Tonight, we still discuss the forth 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.
It is the appearance of Jesus in the glory as The Heavenly Bridegroom with three signs as follows.
- He had in His right hand seven stars (It has been explained since Bible Study Service in Surabaya, March 30, 2014),
- Out of His mouth went a sharp two-edges sword (It has been explained since Bible Study Service in Surabaya, April 6, 2014),
- His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength.
We still learn the second part, namely
Ad 2. Out of His mouth went a sharp two-edges sword
Out of God’s mouth refers to the spiritual food.
Matthew 4:4
4:4 But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by breadalone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’”
Satan only showed the physical food. Breadis made of wheat, which is graminaceous like the paddy, which is also graminaceous). The purpose of Satan is encouraging human to eat grass, so that their lives would be like dry grass and be burnt.
God doesn’t want human’s lives to be like that, so that He shows us the spiritual food. The spiritual food is the Word that outs of His mouth (“out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword”).
There are two kinds of spiritual foods as follows.
- Milk/the Gospel Word/Gospel of Salvation = the good news (Ephesians 1:13), namely the gospel that preaches about Jesus’ first coming to the earth to die on the cross to callthe sinful human to be saved and blessed by God even to the descendants. It has already taken place 2000 years ago.
- Solid food/the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ (2 Corinthians 4:3-4)/the Teaching Word, which is sharper than any two-edged sword (Hebrews 4:12) = the Bride Tidings, namely the gospel that preaches Jesus’ second coming in the glory as the King of kings and the Bridegroom of Heaven to sanctify and to make us perfect (to choosethose who are saved to be perfect like Jesus).
The Bride Tidings is also called the prophecy; because it has not happened yet, but it will surely happen.
Our responses toward the Word that is sharper than any two-edged sword (the Bride Tidings) are as follows.
- John 6:60-62, 66
6:60 Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this,said, “This is a hard saying; who can understand it?”
6: 61 When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples complainedabout this, He said to them, “Does this offend you?
6:62 Whatthen if you should see the Son of Man ascend where He was before
6: 66 From that time many of His disciples went backand walked with Him no more.
“This is a hard saying” = the Word, which is sharper than any two-edged sword = the sword that comes out of Jesus’ mouth. Many of Jesus’ disciples couldn’t listen to this Word.
The first response: murmuring and rejectingthe Word, which is sharper than any two-edged sword (rejecting the sanctification). This is a negative response.
The reason for murmuring and rejecting the Word is maybe that the preaching is too long, the Word is too hard, the Word reveals sins (we are made like dogs and pigs) and so on. If we are not able to listen/accept the Word, we shall not be able to welcome Jesus’ second coming (John 6:62).
If we murmur and reject the Word, the consequencesare as follows.- We won’t be able to face Jesus’ second coming.
- We will walk away from the true Word, and we don’t follow Him anymore. If we are not following Him, we are following the false prophets and Satan (we like to listen to the humorous word, and so on).
- We are lost forever and ever = we perish orever and ever.
- We won’t be able to face Jesus’ second coming.
- Revelation 1:3
1:3 Blessed ishe who readsand those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keepthose things which are written in it; for the time isnear.
“The words of this prophecy” = the Word, which is sharper than any two-edged sword, the Word that tells about Jesus’ second coming, which has not happened yet but will surely happen (the word of prophecy).
The second response: reading, listening, and being obedient to the Word, which is sharper than any two-edged sword (doing the Word) = being obedient. This is a positive response.
1 Corinthians 14:3is about the prophetic Word or Bride Tidings.
If we read, listen to, and do the Word of prophecy, the resultsare as follows.- The Word, which is sharper than any two-edged sword encouragesus.
It means: it gives us an extra power, so that we can be patient:- Be patient in the suffering with God, so that we do not murmur, we are not disappointed, nor dismayed, even we can be happy in the midst of sufferings (we keep on giving thanks to God).
For example: we have to be patient on following God (on serving God), even though after we finish working we have to serve God and so on. - Be patient on waiting God’s time. God will help us right on His time!
Don’t look for our own way out of the track of the Word, because any path other than the Word is a dead-end and death.
In the trial, Satan would come to divert the solution until we walk away from the Word. That is the role of Satan; it comes down to us, whether we are strong enough to hold on or not!
For example: when we are out of money to pay for the tuition fee, Satan will come with some solution that goes against the Word (to take corruption money and so on).
- Be patient in the suffering with God, so that we do not murmur, we are not disappointed, nor dismayed, even we can be happy in the midst of sufferings (we keep on giving thanks to God).
- The Word, which is sharper than any two-edged sword, counselsus.
Psalms 73:24
73:24 You will guide me with Your counsel, And afterward receive me toglory.
Counsel from the Word, which is sharper than any two-edged sword, is the guidance of God’s hands.
The advantagesof the guidance of God’s hands are as follows.- To keep us living in righteousness and holinessaccording to the true Word.
Do not deviate any inch from the Word, like the railway of a train should not deviate! If it deviates even only for a little, it will not lead to the destination. In all aspect, it has to be in accordance with the Word (in work, marriage, school, and so on). - To open up doors on the world, so that there will be a way out of problems on Earth; even the door of Heaven is opened (“And afterward receive me toglory”).
May the youth notice this! When we are given advices, especially about the affairs (maybe the advices are hard), but the advices of the Word are never wrong and they will open up doors in the world, and the door of Heaven for us. We should not compromise on mistakes. It is the advice of the true Word.
- To keep us living in righteousness and holinessaccording to the true Word.
- The Word, which is sharper than any two-edged sword, buildsour spiritual lives, so that we can enter the building of the perfect body of Christ (the Bride of Heaven).
- The Word, which is sharper than any two-edged sword encouragesus.
The building/the fellowship of the body of Christ has to be based on the true Word, so that we are led to God as the Head.
The building of the body of Christ starts from:
- In the marriage, either as husband, wife, or children;
- In the shepherding;
- In the inter-shepherding.
All of these things have to be based on the true Wordso that we are led to God as the Head. The Head is the true Word.
A fellowship withoutthe true Word will lead to the wolves and birdsas the head. As it is now, if we get into marriage based on our own lusts, we get into the shepherding just to mingle with others without paying attention to the true Word, it will lead to the wolves and birds as the head. Wolves and birds = the spirit of evil and uncleanness (Babylon).
The proofs that Jesus is the Head are as follows.
- Ephesians 4:15-16
4:15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—
4:16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective workingby which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
If Jesus (the true Word) is the Head, there will be a serving body.
The first proof is there will be a true ministry.
It means:- Every human being has to serve according to the position from God.
For example:- In the marriage: the husband serves as a husband, the wife serves as a wife, and the child serves as a child.
- In the shepherding: the shepherd feeds the church, the musician serves as his position, and so on.
- In the marriage: the husband serves as a husband, the wife serves as a wife, and the child serves as a child.
- Every human being serves in love, so that anything we face, we will stay obedient.
A ministry with love starts from being obedientwhatever the risk that we face (in any situation or condition).
For example:- Either the husband earns or doesn’t earn money anymore (being sick or in any other condition), the wife and the children have to stay obedient.
- When facing anything on the shepherding, we have to stay obedient.
- Either the husband earns or doesn’t earn money anymore (being sick or in any other condition), the wife and the children have to stay obedient.
- Every human being has to serve according to the position from God.
- Ephesians 5:25-27
5:25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,
5:26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word,
5:27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.
= The husband as the head of the wife. Here, Jesus is the husband.
The second proof that Jesus is the Head is there is a double sanctification.- The sanctification by water= the water baptism.
- The sanctification by the Word= the true Word/the Word, which is sharper than any two edged sword.
What should be sanctified by the double sanctification? It is the sanctification of the leprosy until it is healed.
Leviticus 14:8-9
14:8 He who is to be cleansed shall wash his clothes, shave off all his hair, and wash himself in water, that he may be clean. After that he shall come into the camp, and shall stay outside his tent seven days.
14:9 But on the seventh day he shall shave all the hair off his head and his beard and his eyebrows—all his hair he shall shave off. He shall wash his clothes and wash his body in water, and he shall be clean.
Verse 8 = the leprous man has to be washed with the water once, to be clean, but he has to stay outside the tent, because he has to be washed once again.
Verse 9 = the leprous man has to be washed with the water for the second time, so that he is cleansed totally.
Leprosymeans:- Self-righteousness(“white yet leprous”), namely
- The righteousness outside the Bible (outside the true Word). Although 1000 people support us, if we are not in accordance with the Word, it is the self-righteousness.
- Covering the sins by blaming others. We do not confess our sins, but we blame others.
- Covering the sins by blaming God/the Word.
- Covering the sins by pretending to be good.
- The righteousness outside the Bible (outside the true Word). Although 1000 people support us, if we are not in accordance with the Word, it is the self-righteousness.
- Leprosy is spreading; even a little spot will spread to the whole body. Leprosy disturbs/destroys the body of Christ.
For example: in the marriage, if there is someone with the self-righteousness, the marriage can collapse. The same thing happens on the church: if there is someone with the self-righteousness, the church may collapse (by gossiping, and so on). - Uncleanness:
- The drunkenness: smoking, being drunk, and drugs abuse.
- The adultery: the sexual sin with all of its kinds, including the wrong marriage.
- The drunkenness: smoking, being drunk, and drugs abuse.
- Evil doings.
For example: in 2 Kings 5, when Elisha healed the leprous Naaman, he was not willing to accept the money from Naaman, but Gehazi asked the money from him (to buy a vineyard or anything else). In the end, Naaman’s leprosy got into Gehazi.
Evil doings= the lust of money that makes us stingy, greedy, and be a liar.
- The sanctification by water= the water baptism.
Let our attitudetoward the sword that comes out of Jesus’ mouth is listening to and being obedient to the Word (not murmuring and rejecting the Word).
How hard/sharp the Word is, it is the guidance of God’s hands. The harder/sharper the Word is, the stronger God grips upon us, so that we won’t slip away.
If Jesus is the Head, He will never forget us but always binds us (the Head will never forget His body). It means: Jesus will always take care of us, remember us and fight for us.
If a mother in this world can forget her baby, Jesus as the Head will never forget us (because no head can forget his body = the head and the body cannot be separated).
The resultsif Jesus is our Head are as follows.
- Isaiah 49:14-15
49:14 But Zion said, “The Lord has forsaken me, And my Lord has forgotten me.”
49:15 “Can a woman forget her nursing child, And not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, Yet I will not forget you.
Verse 14 = The Israelites had already in despair and were in misery.
Verse 15 = God’s answer.
Although we are in a very dreadful condition, if we receive God’s sword (we are consoled, advised, and built), there will be the righteous ministry and sanctification, and God will never forget us.
When there is a righteous ministry and sanctification (this is the characteristic of a body), there will be a head. The first result is God will remember and take care of uslike a powerless baby, so that God’s merciful hands will hold us. It means:- God’s merciful hands are able to nurture and protect usin the desert of the world, in which it is hard and impossible to live, up to the age of the antichrist, even to eternity.
Jesus died on the mount of skull = it means that Jesus as the Head took the responsibility even to death (be a skull). Because of this reason, do not doubt God! - God’s merciful hands are able to help usright on His time.
- God’s merciful hands are able to do anything, even to do those things that we cannot do or even think anymore.
- God’s merciful hands are able to wash usfrom the dirt = to sanctify us to perfection like Him and we will be His Bride who is ready to welcome His second coming in the clouds.
- God’s merciful hands are able to nurture and protect usin the desert of the world, in which it is hard and impossible to live, up to the age of the antichrist, even to eternity.
- Luke 3:42-43
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.”
The second result is God will remember us at His second coming.
God even remembers the thief, as long as he still remembers God, even more, we are as His servants, He will surely remember us.
“As long as we always remember God” = we accept God’s word, serve Him and accept sanctification.
God will always remember us to the time of His second coming, and we will be lifted up with Him in the clouds. We will be happy together with Him forever and ever.
God blesses us.