Yet nearly all, well over 95% according to the best scholars, ancient apocalyptic material is anonymous!

Written without the author identifying himself or herself.

Maybe in case the predictions, the prophecies contained there, are not fulfilled ... its originator would not be embarrassed!

But with the Book of Revelation, a Book I'd like us to discuss a few days, there exists no anonymity!

It's author is bold enough to name himself!

And that man is the Apostle John!

In spite of what most current scholars believe.

Five times in Revelation John shares his name!

Revelation 1:1 says: "The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John."

Then Revelation 1:4 echoes: "John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne."

Followed by Revelation 1:9. "I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ."

Then Revelation 21:2, an eyewitness testimony! "And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband."

Last, Revelation 22:8 testifies: "And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things."

We have an apocalypse in the New Testament all right. Twenty-two chapters of Holy Spirit inspired Text.

Not written anonymously either!

But by John the Disciple, John the Apostle, as directed by the Lord God Almighty.

Let's together study a few highlights from that precious Text of God's Word. Written by a man named John.

           --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 2:

When was the Book of Revelation written?

With its being placed "last" in the New Testament Book order, one supposes it was later than the Gospels and most of the Epistles too!

Such an assumption seems to be correct, based on the facts of history we now have available.

Most conservative, fundamental Bible teachers ascribe a date around 90-96 AD for the Book's composition.

Dr. Scofield says 96 AD, a precise and accurate appraisal.

In other words, John wrote his great Book near the end of the reign of a Roman Emperor knows as Domitian. The man ruled Rome from 81 through 96 AD, according to the history books.

This time slot seems to perfectly fulfill the "local color" of the Book of Revelation, its setting in the Greek-Roman world.

John can help us here. "I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ." Revelation 1:9

The Book was  clearly composed at a time when the Christians were being persecuted for their faith, even being martyred. That well fits into the Domitian theory.

In fact, John has been imprisoned and exiled for his love of Jesus! Banished to a small, rocky Aegean Island known as Patmos.

He's said to be facing "tribulation," the Greek noun "thlipsis," clearly meaning "pressure, opposition, affliction, persecution."

There are even a few ancient authors who say this very thing, that John was imprisoned near the end of the first century!

If we are correct, then surely here's proof that John the Disciple, John the Apostle, outlived all the original Twelve.

A historical Document, the Book of Revelation.

Historically accurate, too!

As is all the Bible.

Read Revelation today, or in the next few days. Or for many of you, read it again. It has an amazing blend of history ... and prophecy. Things in the past ... and things yet future!

And on top of all that, it is animated by the Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ! "For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." So says John in his Book, Revelation 19:10.

Wow!

Domitian the Roman Ruler, marginal.

Jesus the Son of God, essential!

            --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 3:

I learned something a couple of days ago, concerning the seven Churches of Asia Minor. From Revelation chapters 2 and 3. The truth is quite evident, of course, but I had missed it anyway!

These words appear seven times in those two chapters, really this whole "string" of words. "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches ...." Revelation 2:7,11,17 and 29. Then again in Revelation 3:6,13 and 22.

I always thought that the little "letters" John wrote to the individual Churches were designed to be read by that specific congregation alone!

That only the Ephesian Church would see "their" note! That would be Revelation 2:1-7. And that the Believers in Smyrna would only see theirs, Revelation 2:8-17. And so forth with all the remaining five Fellowships.

But that is not the case!

The Epistles of Revelation 2 and 3, in fact the whole Book, the entire "corpus" the teachers say, would have been sent to every Church! All seven of them, scattered rather evenly around that portion of the Roman Empire known as Asia Minor.

Each Church, every single Church ... really including Churches on earth yet today ... need to hear and heed each of these seven "sets" of instructions!

Wow!

Our Text again for today, "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches ...."

"Let him hear" is "akouo" in Greek, as an imperative, a command from God! It carries the idea of "obeying" what one hears too!

Obeying what?

The information and instructions given to merely one Church?

Say the Philadelphians, if I lived there?

No!

No!

No!

Obey what has been said to "the Churches!"

All the Churches!

"Ho ecclesia" in Greek, more precisely "tais ecclesiais." Meaning, the Churches, plural, no exceptions!

This gives us warrant to study all the seven Churches collectively, blending their encouragements and rebukes and titles in any fashion the Holy Spirit leads!

This truth has encouraged my heart this morning!

The Lord lets me preach in many Churches. And so very often, just like John had already tried to teach me in Revelation, what's true for one Congregation will be equally appropriate for another!

For certainly, we are all the Lord's Sheep!

Common problems.

Common solutions.

Thank the Lord!

              --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 4:

The Book of Revelation begins with a Vision of our Lord Jesus Christ, how lovely He appears there!

Next Jesus, through John the Apostle, shares a Message with each of seven different Church Congregations.

"I Jesus am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last. John, what thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea." Revelation 1:11

But we now know, by history and archaeology and common sense too, that there were more Churches than seven in Asia during the days of the Roman Empire. Many more Churches, some of which are clearly mentioned in our own New Testament, existed in those days.

Then why these seven?

And why is Ephesus first?

Or Sardis nearer the middle?

Fact is, we do not know for sure. The best answer to that question is settled in the great doctrine of the Inspiration of the Bible. The Holy Ghost has determined the Churches and their order of appearance.

But too, He may have so chosen them for the following reason. I have recently learned that these seven Church were located on the main perimeter highway that encircled the most populated part of Asia Minor!

These seven cites, blessed enough to contain a Church of the Living God, were on the circumference of the most affluent, most influential part of that Roman Province!

The courier who delivered the letters to the Churches merely had to get on the main highway, a true "perimeter" road, and travel in order to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.

Yes, the conditions and opportunities of each Church were contributing factors in the composition of what we now call Revelation 2 and 3. But also ... their geography too. Where they lived!

It's amazing, our very address may be significant in what we get to do for the Lord!

Revelation 1:4 says: "John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne."

Wow!

           --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 5:

Two things to notice today about the great New Testament Book of Revelation. Two of about ten thousand I guess! Psalm 119:96 sure has it right: God's Word is "exceeding broad!" And that Hebrew word "broad" means "wide, roomy, large," along with an additional hint of "liberty" according to the teachers.

Wow!

The first mention of Jesus in Revelation occurs in chapter one, of course. Verse one at that! Then our Lord is mentioned almost immediately again in verse five, "Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen." Word for word, Revelation 1:5-6

What I'd like you to see is that no sooner is Jesus noticed ... and John breaks into a little poem of praise! It's called a "doxology," a hymn giving "glory" to our dear Lord!

He loved us.

He washed us in His Blood.

He made us kings and priests.

Then here it comes, the praise: "To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen."

This pattern is repeated many times throughout the Book. Doxologies of praise to our great God and His Son Jesus Christ!

So much so that this can be said: Revelation is the most praise centered Book we have, New Testament wise.

Count the doxologies. And note how they build in intensity and fullness as the Book progresses!

Secondly, in Revelation 1:8 our Lord is called "Alpha and Omega." In fact He calls Himself that! "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty."

This Title, this Name, "Alpha and Omega," is Greek of course, representing the initial and final letters of that alphabet. But it's also the Hebrew equivalent of "Aleph and Tav." To the Jewish mind this expression not only included their first and last letters ... but also involved and encompassed everything in between! Jesus to them was All! He was "every other letter" too. All twenty-two of them in Hebrew!

An all inclusive Lord!

No wonder He always invites "whosoever will" to come!

Two thoughts. We believe these might be a source of blessing to some hungry Christian visiting here today!

Keep studying the Word, friends!

          --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 6:

Let me share with you today an interesting fact, one I saw only yesterday. It is at least informative, maybe even edifying.

Of the times God's Great name "Almighty" occurs in the New Testament, nine in the King James Version, eight of those are in the great Book of Revelation! Think of that!

Not Acts, with the Church's first years being described.

Not the Gospels, wherein are related all Jesus' mighty miracles!

Not even the Epistles, with all their doctrinal Truth!

But in the Book of Revelation, with God's great description of the end of the ages! The consummation of all things!

Yes, in Revelation 1:8 and 4:8 and 11:17. Then also in Revelation 15:3 and 16: 7 and 14. Plus Revelation 19:15 then again in 21:22. From first to last, God is Almighty!

The Greek word is "pantocrator," meaning "all" ("pas" in Greek) "strength or force" (in Greek "kratos").

All Power!

It is thought by the language experts that "kratos" just may be the root of our word "creator"

If so ... our great God is Creator and Finisher!

The Originator and the Consummator!

Wow!

And that little "nugget" is gleaned from the Book of Revelation and a handy little Bible concordance!

What a great God we serve!

Jesus was right when he said, "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth." Matthew 28:18

Praise His Name!

     --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 7:

John wrote the great New Testament Book of Revelation from a small island in the Aegean Sea, Patmos by name. "I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ." Revelation 1:9

Patmos is a little piece of land, small and rocky, only ten miles long and five miles wide! Not much to it! Our Text today just calls it an "isle," this little noun being the Greek word "nesos." It is derived from the Greek word for "ship," which is "naus." And further back it comes from the Greek verb "neo," meaning "to float."

It is believed that Patmos is a place some of the evil Roman Emperors sent prisoners, a penal colony! Sort of an ancient equivalent to Alcatraz!

John was incarcerated for his preaching of the Word of God! In that sense Revelation might be considered another of the New Testament's "Prison Epistles!"

Wow!

Today I'd like to suggest to you the importance of geography in the Christian's life! That is, the place we are serving the Lord!

Where we live for Jesus!

Location is that significant!

Jesus was born in Bethlehem!

Raised in Nazareth!

Crucified in Jerusalem!

Outside the city walls of Jerusalem, precisely!

And is coming back to the very mount of Olives from which He ascended!

Geography was ultimately crucial for Jesus!

Even Abraham's servant, the one who traveled afar to get a Bride for Isaac, noted the importance of being in the right place at the right time! Location in searching for souls! Eleazar wrote: "I, being in the way, the Lord led me." Genesis 24:27

Friends, where are you serving our Lord?

Are you in the right place, the location His Will dictates for you and your family?

The Holy Spirit allowed Paul to preach in Philippi.

But the Same Holy Spirit would not allow Paul to preach in Bithinia! Acts 16:7 tells the story.

Geography, important in many ways indeed!

              --- Dr. Mike Bagwell       

LESSON 8:

John the Revelator, in chapter one of his great Apocalypse, experienced a great Vision of Jesus, in all His Glory!

He saw the very "Son of man." John describes for us our Lord's clothing, hair, eyes and feet, even noticing what was in His right hand! Jesus was shining too, like the sun in its greatest intensity!

But then, what did John do?

His reaction is the subject of today's Lesson. "And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last. I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death." Revelation 1:17-18

John fell prostrate, before our great Lord!

That's a normal Biblical way of responding to Jesus and His Essence! Let me illustrate.

When Joshua saw Christ, He did the same thing as John. "And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his servant?" Joshua 5:14

So with Ezekiel. "And when I saw Him, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake." Ezekiel 1:28

Daniel too. "So he came near where I stood: and when he came, I was afraid, and fell upon my face: but he said unto me, Understand, O son of man: for at the time of the end shall be the vision." Daniel 8:17

In fact, twice with Daniel! "And when he had spoken such words unto me, I set my face toward the ground, and I became dumb." Daniel 10:15

The Disciples also, the inner circle of them, when they saw the Transfigured Jesus. "And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid." Matthew 17:6

Even when Saul was saved, that Bright Light, that miraculous Presence of Jesus! "And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks." Acts 26:14

I do not have them all listed here, but enough to prove one's first reaction to sighting the Lord Jesus Christ!

So when we first meet Him ... what a Day ... likely we too shall fall at His Feet and worship and adore and love Him.

What a Saviour!

      --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 9:

One can't help but notice the prevalence of "angels" in  the New Testament Book of Revelation. It seems that God uses countless numbers of them in bringing to pass His plans for the end of the ages!

If I have counted correctly, and I was careful, the noun "angel" or its plural "angels" or their possessive forms ... occur a total of 76 times in the Book, in Revelation's 22 chapters!

The word is spelled "aggelos" and means "messenger, envoy, one who is sent." Its root verb is "aggello," meaning "to bring tidings."

In other words, angels are God's errand runners! God's servants who often deliver messages or accomplish assigned tasks for Him.

In comparison to Revelation's 76 angelic references, the whole Book of Psalms, all 150 chapters, contain only 11 references to angels!

This surely accents the importance of the supernatural in the Bible's last Book, in God's consummation  of world events.

Angels everywhere!

In fact, without being too dramatic, I'd like to suggest that angels already play subordinate roles in the lives of those who are saved by the Grace of God.

Hebrews 1:14 says of the angels: "They are all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister to those who shall be the heirs of salvation."

Wow!

A little assignment for each of us: Read anew the whole Book of Revelation. And notice the frequency of angelic appearances. God uses them prodigally!

Thank God for the angels, as long as they are kept in their place of subserviency to our Lord Jesus Christ.

After all, again in Hebrews, we are told: "Some have entertained angels unawares." The whole verse, Hebrews 13:2 says: "Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares."

What a great God we serve!

       --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 10:

In the early chapters of the Book of Revelation, John the Apostle is allowed to view the beauties of Heaven. He is taken there miraculously and relates to us much of what he sees!

Among the many glorious views, John sees a Lamb! This little animal is a Picture of our Lord Jesus Christ! And He is declared to be, what an honor, "Worthy!"

Here are John's words: "And they (multitudes) sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; and hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth." Revelation 5:9-10

Beautifully John here has revealed to us three reasons why our Lord is the "Worthy Lamb of God!"

Let's notice them today.

First Jesus is Worthy ... because he was "slain." The verb "sphazo" means "butchered, put to death by violence." This is a fact of history.

Next Jesus "redeemed" a body of Believers to God! "Agorazo" means "to purchase in a marketplace!" Jesus paid the Price of His Own Blood to save us! This is the purpose of Calvary's vicarious Death.

Then Jesus "made" us kings and priests, those of us who have been saved by his Grace. The verb "poieo" means "to do" something, usually a beautiful act of some kind! A poetic gesture, a poem being the result. This is the result of salvation.

Wow!

Yes, we all agree.

Jesus is "WORTHY!"

And now we know why.

         --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 11:

While the more modern commentaries do not agree, I see in Revelation chapter seven God dealing with the Nation of Israel once again!

There God "seals" a number of individual whom He calls "servants," word for word "servants of our God."

Here they are enumerated: "And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel. Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nepthalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand." Revelation 7:4-8

These folks are selected by God to serve his Cause, during the "tribulation." Therefore, they were never members of the New Testament Church. The true Church, I believe, was "raptured" to Heaven back in Revelation 4:1. "After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter." John has just been "caught up" anyway! Surely he represents the "saints" during this Age of Grace, the "Body of Christ."

So, with the Church gone, God needs some people to represent Him on earth. Some saved and sealed ones!

And He gets them ... from the Nation of Israel!

Listen to me. When God's plan for the Gentiles is over, when the born-again children of the Lord are "taken away" into the air, to ever be with Jesus ... our All-Wise God turns back to Israel!

Paul in Romans 11 gives us the Plan: "Blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And then all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob." Romans 11:25-26

Yes, these 144,000 future witnesses are Jews!

Literally!

Just like the Bible promises, if we take God at His Word!

Let's hear it for Israel!

Amen!

Our Old Testament is Jewish, cover to cover!

Our Saviour is a Jew as well!

And God has a plan for His Old Testament Bride, for Israel, for sure!

Let's pray for those sweet people, the Jews.

"Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee." Intercede for them. God will "prosper" you if you do! That verb means "to be at peace," spelled as a root "shalom!"

What a God we serve!

      --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 12:

In Revelation chapter eight a major section of the Book opens, the seven "trumpet" judgments. Each is catastrophic to earth's inhabitants!

"And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets." Revelation 8:2, John being the speaker, the seer.

Today I'd just like for you to notice the way the Holy Spirit describes these angels, each of which will blow one of the seven trumpets of judgment. "The seven angels which stood before God."

Presumably they are standing there right now! No time limitation is given in the text. In fact the tense of "histemi," the Greek verb for " which stood," is expressed as a "perfect" in reference to its action.

That means once they started "standing" they continue to do so until this very moment, until the present.

Think of that!

Angels gathered around the Throne of God!

Likely multitudes of them!

But where did John get such an idea?

That angels compass God's Presence?

From Isaiah, we think.

John builds tons of his illustrations and observations and applications from Old Testament Scripture. The man is a Bible scholar!

Isaiah 63:9 says this, speaking of God's care for Israel through the ages. "In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old."

One of God's great means of protection for His people, clearly named here is "the angel of His Presence!"

Angels around God, no doubt adoring and worshipping Him. But also it seems waiting to obey His every command!

The Hebrew noun "presence" here is a cognate for their word "face." It's spelled "paniym," at the very Face of the Almighty!

Under His Shadow!

At His Hand!

Surely with all these attendants God lacks for nothing! His every desire will be fulfilled. Including the judgments of the future, God's wrath against ultimate, reprobate sin.

Are you saved?

If not, read and obey Romans 10:9-10. Trust the Lord to show you what those verses mean. Then obey them.

And if so, if you are born-again, thank God for the angels who serve and protect the Lord's little flock ... yet today.

"The angel of his presence saved them."

Amen!

               --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 13:

I have been studying the seven "trumpets" of Revelation chapters 8 and 9. In fact, the seventh trumpet is not sounded until chapter 11, near its end.

Already the earth has been shaken by the seven "sealed" judgments being unleashed. But seems to me the trumpet catastrophes are worse, more severe, than even the seals were. Things progress in devastating intensity as mankind continues to hate God and follow the anti-christ.

For example, trumpet number one involves what one might call a gigantic world-wide "storm!" Sort of a "perfect storm" from God's vantage point, since time has come for wrath to be poured upon a rebellious world.

"And the angel took the censer from the altar, and filled it with fire, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake. And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound. The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up." Revelation 8:5-7

See and hear the lightning and thunder! Observable and audible from every place on earth!

Feel the earthquake, one of many in the future for our planet.

Then from this meteorological miracle falls "hail" and "fire" mingled with "blood!" Lost mankind has slain many a saint of God, multitudes of martyrs, shedding their innocent blood! Revelation 6:9 mentions them in some detail. Now the Almighty is repaying earth's reprobates for that bloodshed!

Blood for blood!

Also note that these trumpets have originated from an "altar" in Heaven, the golden altar I would think. That's where those martyrs are last seen, praying for God to avenge their blood! "And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held. And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?" Revelation 6:9-10

Trumpets, in answer to prayer!

Now what happens on earth as a result of this "storm," this answer to prayer, this exhibition of the wrath of God? An environmental nightmare! "And the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up." Of course God owns the earth anyway! He can do what He pleases to it.

Today let's not think that sin can go forever unpunished! Or that God is always non-responsive to the blatant wickedness of an ever rebelling society!

Dark days are ahead for the "lost" of our universe.

Only the Church, the Bride of Christ, the composite of God's saved little children will be saved from this hour of trial to come!

Wow!

The Book of Revelation just gave us future headlines well in advance of their being printed in our newspapers!

What a Book!

What a God!

What a Plan!

What an honor to belong to him!

                --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 14:

The "trumpet" judgments of the future Tribulation period on earth are surely astounding, at least when considered literally.

For example, trumpets two and three. "And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood. And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed. And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters. And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter." Revelation 8:8-11

Notice that here the earth's water supply is "attacked," twice. This is unprecedented, again if we consider it to be an exact description of a future natural catastrophe. And I do! "A great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood."

The earth's seas, oceans, now thirty-three percent blood!

Then immediately thereafter: "There fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters. And the name of the star is called wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter."

This time all the rivers are involved! Plus streams and geysers, apparently every known source of water.

And if humanity's water is ruined, life as we know it cannot continue for long. What a development!

And of all things, it is God Who sanctions all this destruction! God Who is at last ready to punish and condemn the intolerably wicked conditions then prevalent on the planet!

God can destroy!

God can chasten!

Yet, this same God can save!

The two trumpet blasts we've seen this morning are opposite in nature to a couple of miracles enacted earlier in our Bibles!

From the book of Exodus: "So Moses brought Israel from the Red sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water. And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter: therefore the name of it was called Marah. And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink? And he cried unto the LORD; and the LORD shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet." Exodus 15:22-25, where a tree thrown into bitter waters made the situation sweet!

And from the lives of the Prophets: "And the men of the city said unto Elisha, Behold, I pray thee, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord seeth: but the water is naught, and the ground barren. And he said, Bring me a new cruse, and put salt therein. And they brought it to him. And he went forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast the salt in there, and said, Thus saith the LORD, I have healed these waters; there shall not be from thence any more death or barren land. So the waters were healed unto this day, according to the saying of Elisha which he spake." Second Kings 2:19-22, where salt added to the water supply made things healthy once again!

See?

God can destroy!

God can heal, restore!

Be sure you are the recipient of God's Mercy and Grace, not His Wrath and Judgment!

Luke 18:13 might apply here. "And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner."

God answered this man's prayer!

And he, the publican was "mercified" that day, Jesus said "justified!"

Amen!

      --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 15:

Key words mark certain portions of Scripture. And the Bible contains so many "types" of inspired literature, these words help identify and interpret the Message God is convening.

In Revelation 8:13 John writes: "And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, Woe, Woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound!"

There are here three, identical but still three, words that symbolize the message of the Bible's last Book. "Woe, Woe, Woe!"

The English interjection "woe" is translated from the Greek word "ouai." It means "how horrible things will be!" It means "alas!" It is a primary expression of "grief" in the ancient world.

Revelation subsequently describes the beginning of these terrible "woe" judgments, each devastating in nature.

Yes, they are key words, "Woe, Woe, Woe!

Now let me tell you another key word from the New Testament. This time from the pen of Paul the Apostle. In fact I just counted 101 times Paul uses the word!

It's "Grace!"

Now this powerful little word is "charis" in Greek, meaning "that which affords joy, pleasure, delight, sweetness, loveliness and good-will!" Big definition for just a small word! Other synonymous ideas, "mercy, God's very Presence," and then "unmerited favour!"

God's Goodness!

The New Testament Epistles accent God's amazing Grace!

The Book of Revelation, the Apocalypse, emphasizes Woe!

Everything depends on whether or not a man or woman is saved.

Are you a born-again child of God?

Jesus one day said: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life." John 5:24, my favorite salvation verse, or one of them anyway.

What a difference ... Woe or Grace!

              --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 16:

Today I would like to discuss with you once again the issue of "prayer." Prayer in the life of the Christian. And prayer as it particularly applies to the Book of Revelation, the New Testament's grand Finale!

Our text will be Revelation 9:13-14, the sixth trumpet judgment to fall upon this old sin-cursed earth. "And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God. Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates."

This is going to be an invasion!

Trumpet number five involved an invasion from Hell!

Now this one describes a two hundred million men army!

On the attack!

Unleashing untold devastation and suffering! "By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths." Revelation 9:18

And the impetus for this plague?

From the golden altar in Heaven! "And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God."

From the altar of prayer!

There a group of God's people, martyrs out of the great tribulation, have been begging God to judge iniquity!

To punish their murderers!

This pray band is best described by john, who actually saw them. He heard them too.

"And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held. And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?" Revelation 6:9-10

Praying!

And God grants their petitions!

In reality the sixth trumpet is a direct answer to the prayers of these slain saints! They prayed under Heaven's golden altar. The trumpet catastrophe began there as well!

God answers prayer!

But here's the issue. God was going to send those trumpet plagues anyway. Did those prayers really matter then?

Yes!

Even when we are praying God's certain Will, He still asks us to call on His Name. He loves to hear our words, feel our presence, enjoy our trust and faith!

Here's a prior example, from the Old Testament. Ezekiel 36:36-37 tells us: "Then the heathen that are left round about you shall know that I the LORD build the ruined places, and plant that that was desolate: I the LORD have spoken it, and I will do it. Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them; I will increase them with men like a flock."

God is planning to build some things.

And do some planting too.

He has said so. And He is determined to keep His Word! Nothing could change His Mind, sounds like.

Still, He longs for Israel's prayers to help Him enact His Promise! Watch these words, carefully. Let the Lord show you.  "I the LORD have spoken it, and I will do it. Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them."

God just said "Pray." Even when you know I am going to do something anyway!

Pray!

God must enjoy such!

Pray!

Even if involving something God has promised long ago, something that will come to pass! Again, "I, God, will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel."

Wow!

God loves it when we pray.

It cements His planned actions even more!

Jesus in the model prayer, "Thy Will be done in earth, as it is in heaven." Matthew 6:10

Some martyrs prayed.

God blew a trumpet.

Earth was changed forever!

         --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

Friends today, keep on praying!

LESSON 17:

Just a clause to consider today, taken from the closing verses of Revelation chapter nine. "And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk. Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts." Revelation 9:20-21, where twice men refused to repent of their evil deeds. Even in the face of God's judgment!

The Greek verb for "repent" is spelled "metanoeo" and literally means "to change one's mind!" But when blended with its Semitic roots, it inherits the idea of "a change of mind, leading to a change in behaviour!"

But what about this crowd who will not repent, no matter what?

Their obstinacy and rebellion seem concrete, as if they are given over to a reprobate mind!

But why is there so much lack of repentance in the Book of Revelation?

I think because the Holy Spirit has assumed a new type of ministry there. Probably reverting to His Old Testament modus operandi, or method of operation.

Back in Revelation 4:1, seems to me, the Church is "taken" to Heaven, "raptured" as the old timers used to say. What happened to John there literally is a symbol of what will happen to the Body of Christ when First Thessalonians 4:16-17 occurs. "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air."

After that point the powerful Holy Spirit withdraws, along with the Church, The Bride of Christ, and becomes less active ... or at least more like His Old Testament Self!

And as a result "repentance" is no longer as apparent, as plentiful, on this old earth!

Plus, this "no repentance" syndrome is going to recur in Revelation yet again, twice in fact.

The Holy Spirit is obviously not "restraining" men from sin as He once did! Not "convicting" them of unrighteousness as in earlier days either!

"And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory." Revelation 16:9

"And men blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds." Revelation 16:11

Wow!

Here's Paul talking about today's Truth, the point of our Lesson. "For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only He who now letteth will let, until He be taken out of the way." Second Thessalonians 2:7, where "He" is the Holy Spirit and "letteth" means "to hinder, to hold back!" And "taken out of the way" says literally, He "becomes out of the midst."

No wonder men no longer repent!

If you are reading these words prior to the Rapture, which is the case as I write at midnight Tuesday ... come to Jesus, if you've not already done so!

Be born-again!

Repent of your sins!

The Holy Spirit is most probably drawing you even now.

Don't wait too late.

At some point in the future repentance will become exceedingly rare.

Almost non-existent.

"But God now commandeth all men every where to repent. Because He hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by That Man whom He hath ordained; whereof He hath given assurance unto all men, in that He hath raised Him from the dead." Acts 17:30-31

God will not command you to do something He does not empower you to do!

Repent and be saved!

         --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 18:

Part of today's Revelation text might describe a section of that great Book that was never even written! That block of information would have been called, I think, the "seven thunders!"

Yet as John was about to write his description of each of these majestic roars ... the Lord told him not to do so!

Here's the exact account: "And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire. And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth, and cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices." Revelation 10:1-3

John heard them too!

Presumably like the seven seals and seven trumpets before them, and the seven vials that follow them. In fact the whole Book of Revelation is built around a series of sevens.

So we are preparing to hear John's account of seven more judgments to fall upon earth, tribulation intensified, these "seven thunders!"

But God intervened!

"And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not." Revelation 10:4

Apparently God decided that the proposed thunders were no longer needed to accomplish His earthly goals!

Just two verses later we are informed that "There should be time no longer." Revelation 10:5, God is about finished with His Program!

And the next verse, "The mystery of God is finished."

Wow!

Seven "thunders" we may never hear!

But immediately I am reminded of another Passage of Scripture. Psalm 29 with its seven thunders! That Chapter describes a huge thunderstorm approaching Jerusalem. And that monster thunders, via the code words "the voice of the Lord," exactly seven times!

The storm praises God its Creator poetically!

Here's a little sample, Psalm 29:2. "The voice of the LORD is upon the waters: the God of glory thundereth."

Amen!

Judgments we may never view.

Praises we may never hear.

That's how great our God is!

How massive and mighty.

How vast.

Let's love and worship Him today!

                  --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 19:

Today I plan to do something different. Normally on our Front Page we share a brief Bible Lesson. Lately, as you know, it's been a thought from the Book of Revelation.

There have been eighteen of them, so far, in this particular series. And the more Lessons I write ... the more Sermon Ideas, possible Texts, I'm seeing. Quite exciting!

So this Friday, instead of another Study Article, I am going to present you with a prayer request. Would a few of you help me ask the Lord to lead me to just the right Texts, from Revelation's nearly two dozen chapters, to preach!

Even in a five service Revival Meeting, an evangelist can only preach from that many chapters! Only five of twenty-two!

Pray that God will direct me to just the right paragraphs to share with His people in future days.

And that God will illumine my mind and heart to properly study and exegete these Scripture segments!

And let me say in advance, thanks for praying on my behalf.

Tomorrow, Lord willing, we will be back in Revelation. With another short Bible Study.

Amen.

      --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 20:

Once, when Jesus was on earth two thousand years ago, the Devil tempted Him relentlessly. About turning a piece of stone into bread, for example. Also about jumping off a high pinnacle in the Temple, and being safely as well as miraculously lowered to the ground by a body of angels. Without even dashing His foot against a stone!

But then Satan leveled His strongest bid, to no avail of course. Here's how the first Gospel records the occurrence: "Again, the devil taketh Him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth Him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; and saith unto Him, All these things will I give Thee, if Thou wilt fall down and worship me."  Matthew 4:8-9

The Evil One offered to Jesus "all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them!" If Jesus would "fall down and worship" the Devil!

Jesus refused of course, being the Son of God as He is, impeccably so. Matthew writes again, "Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him."

Amen!

Jesus, The Conqueror!

But now this morning, in our Lesson for today, John the Apostle from the little island of Patmos writes more on the subject at hand. He says the Day is coming, based on Revelation 11:15, that Jesus will be given all the kingdoms of the world!

But not by worshipping Satan!

Rather, because He obeyed His Father's Will! Because He died on the Cross to save us old sinners! Because He is the propitiation for our sins! Because He still offers a "whosoever will" salvation!

Now finally our Text: "And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever." Revelation 11:15

Did you get that?

"And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever."

The Father and The Son ... actually ruling the nations of the world!

Literally so!

Having seized them out of the hands of wickedness and filth and rebellion! Having defeated all enemies!

Psalm 2:7-8 will have been clearly fulfilled when this old world bows so submissively to Jesus! "The LORD (God the Father) hath said unto me (Jesus), Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession." A gift, from God the Father to his Son!

Wonderful!

Jesus, the last World Ruler!

Jesus, the only truly Righteous World Ruler!

And Jesus, the Eternal World Ruler!

And He inherited that Position, earned it, was given it ... not by bowing to the Devil! But by obeying His Father's every Wish!

Folks, it's going to happen in the future. Just like John wrote. "And there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever."

Rejoice in this fact today.

This ought to make us all the more "love" our Lord's next Appearing, as Paul hinted in Second Timothy 4:8. "Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing."

Yes!

"Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus." Revelation 22:20

          --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 21:

An incident is recorded in Revelation 10:9 that is symbolical, but nonetheless captivating. John the Apostle of our Lord Jesus, from the Aegean island called Patmos, writes: "And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey."

Eating a book!

In Greek the word is "biblion," more precisely a diminutive form of it. It means a "scroll, a writing, a document." Obviously, it's our very word "book!"

By diminutive form teachers mean a "smaller" size item of the same name. In other words, "a little book," just like our King James Version says.

This metaphor is so important, John's eating this book, that two different verbs are used to describe his ingesting the thing! "Katesthio" and "phago." One is just a little more thorough than the other, some scholars say.

But what is John to do with this now eaten book?

The next verse tells us. "And the angel said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings." Revelation 10:11

The "book" John ate becomes the "text" he preaches before many peoples and nations and tongues and kings!

Here's the sequence, a good thought for Sunday morning. With Pastors by the thousands going into their pulpits to proclaim the "text," the "little book" God has given them for their people.

Again, the sequence. First, eat the book, the little text God has given you to preach. It may be sweet or bitter ... but eat it. Consume it, taste it, savor it, enjoy it. Swallow it. Let it nourish you! And after you have so internalized the text ... the next step ... go preach it to others!

Feed them what has been so helpful to you!

Some texts are sweet, others bitter. But all Biblical texts are inspired and infallible, guaranteed by God Himself!

I know of a preacher who reads his text, which the time I heard him was the whole book of Ephesians, a hundred times before he ever preaches it once! That's chewing for sure.

Others memorize their texts before ever stepping into the pulpit, certainly comparable with eating it!

In fact, one word picture for "meditating" on the Word of God, as advised by both Psalm 1 and Joshua 1, is "eating, chewing, masticating" one's food, as do many of God's little created animals, the "clean" ones anyway.

Incidentally, the same basic experience happened to Ezekiel the Prophet one day. "Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, eat that thou findest; eat this roll, and go speak unto the house of Israel. So I opened my mouth, and he caused me to eat that roll. And he said unto me, Son of man, cause thy belly to eat, and fill thy bowels with this roll that I give thee. Then did I eat it; and it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness. And he said unto me, Son of man, go, get thee unto the house of Israel, and speak with my words unto them." Ezekiel 3:1-4

Eat and preach!

Devour one's Text ... then go share it with God's people!

To every Preacher who reads here today, this Lord's Day, follow the pattern! The God ordained pattern!

Fill yourself to the brim with your Text. Drink it. Taste it. Eat it. Delight in its every flavor. Then once you're full ... go and overflow onto the people whom God sends to hear you preach!

Truthfully, that may have been what Paul had in mind when he instructed the younger Timothy, "Preach the Word."

Amen.

Anyone hungry?

                 --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 22:

In Revelation chapter eleven the Lord sends two "witnesses" to preach during the coming world-wide tribulation period. "And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy ... clothed in sackcloth."

Apparently their sermons will be strongly disliked by their hearers! Constant attempts on their lives will be made. But God promises: "And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed." Revelation 11:5

These two men enact certain miracles, judgments, similar to those Moses and Elijah performed much earlier in Jewish history. "These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will."

After their Ministries have been fulfilled, "And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them."

Then look what happens, a testimony to the spiritual and moral condition prevalent on earth during those dark, forthcoming days. "And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves. And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth."

But God is not through yet! A resurrection is on the way! "And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them." Revelation 11:11

Then God calls them to Heaven, victoriously! "And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them."

They are "raptured" to Glory!

Now here's the point of today's Lesson. Many no longer believe in the "Rapture of the Church," as is likely pictured in Revelation 4:1, "After this I John looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter."

But many of the same people who deny the Rapture in Revelation 4:1 ... gladly allow a rapture in Revelation 12:12.

I believe that if God can take two people to Heaven literally and miraculously ... He can also take a whole Body of folks there, the very same way! Caught up alive into the Air!

Oh, the inconsistency of many of our beliefs!

Oh, how we strain at gnats and swallow camels!

Let me go on record today.

I accept the fact that God did take His two witness to heaven, literally, just like we've read this morning. And I also believe He is going to take His Church to Heaven that same way too. In fact, the Church is leaving here years before the two witnesses ever will!

It's still in the Bible folks, First Thessalonians 4:16-17. "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord."

Amen!

     --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 23:

This year, at Christmas, I plan to preach of course on the Birth of Jesus. That's His literal Virgin Birth!

But what Text?

Surprisingly, as we've journeyed through the Book of Revelation this month I found just the right Verses!

"And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars. And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered. And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born. And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne." Revelation 12:1-5

The "woman" is generally the Nation of Israel. But particularly she represents Mary, Jesus' Mother. Again I remind you, a Virgin who had a Baby!

The twelve stars over her head may picture the sons of Israel, the sons of Jacob and his wives. After all, those dear people, the Israelites, gave us our Saviour. As far as His humanity is concerned, anyway.

The moon under her feet at least shows that something or someone is subservient to the woman. Indebted to her? Sometimes Biblically the moon represents the Church, we think. And the Church sure does owe a lot to Israel, to Mary, to that great Jewish heritage.

Obviously this Woman is expecting a Baby! Mary and Jesus again, no doubt, continue to be typified here.

But suddenly an enemy! A "dragon," picturing the devil! A powerful one, with heads and horns, an organized kingdom with lots of power! And a persuasive devil too, having talked many other angels into following his diabolical scheme of rebellion against Almighty God! This is depicting the fall of satan, we believe, the cause of original sin!

But then look. and here's why we can preach this Text at Christmas!

The dragon wishes to destroy the Woman's Child!

This happened. Herod tried to kill Jesus when he was a baby! Folks hated and tried to end our Saviour's Life many a time while He was on earth, obeying the impulses of the dragon! Doing his handiwork.

But nonetheless, victoriously, the Baby was born!

Jesus came to earth!

And next, suddenly, our Passage has Him "caught up," back to Heaven, a reference to his Ascension apparently.

In a sentence, Jesus' Birth and implied sinless Life and vicarious Death and literal Resurrection ... and then patently His subsequent trip back home to be with the Father! From the Mount of Olives, forty days after the Resurrection.

And He is now waiting there, at the very Throne of God, to come back yet again! And rule the nations with a rod of iron!

Wow!

What a story, what an account, factual though symbolic.

My Christmas Sermon: "And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne." Though from an unusual place in the New Testament, the Apocalypse or Revelation.

Amen!

Any way it's read, the Gospel's description or John's from Patmos ... Jesus came. Jesus died. Jesus arose. Jesus ascended. Jesus saves!

Praise His good Name today.

       --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 24:

A Verse of Scripture in Revelation chapter twelve caught me eye yesterday. It's descriptive of the hatred the Devil has for all God's people, but particularly for the children of Israel.

Yet our Verse today goes even further. It answers the question as to "why" the Enemy so hates the Church as well as the Israelites. Because He ultimately hates Jesus! The Jesus Who is the Saviour of the Church! The Jesus Who is the greatest Son of Israel!

In Revelation 12:4 that Nation, pictured as a pregnant Lady, is about to give birth to our Lord. Watch what the Devil tries to to to That Little Baby, the Darling Son of God! "And the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born." The verb "to devour" translates "katesthio," literally meaning "to gobble down, to eat completely."

Interestingly, Jeremiah 51:34 has an ambassador of Satan doing just this to the Jews, the inhabitants of Judah. Here's that little Nation's self-confession: "Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon hath devoured me, he hath crushed me, he hath made me an empty vessel, he hath swallowed me up like a dragon, he hath filled his belly with my delicates, he hath cast me out."

Apparently this represents a group of typical demonic tactics. "Devour," is "akal" in Hebrew. It means "to feed on, to consume" in that sense. "Crushed" is "hamam," meaning "to break," but also "to confuse, trouble, vex, discomfort." Next "swallowed up" translates "bala," which suggests "engulfing, swallowing completely," but also "bringing to an end" something. And even "cast out" has the idea of "rinsing, washing, purging," spelled "duach" in Hebrew.

Furthermore, in the New Testament the devour/eat/swallow motif continues, the devil toward the saints. "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour." First Peter 5:8

Here "devour" is the Greek word "katapino," clearly meaning "to drink down," all of any substance! The Devil is thirsty ... for born-again Christians! Probably because the Child of God's greatest love is the Lord Jesus Christ, Satan's arch-enemy!

Yes, there's an adversary out there!

And he's hungry and thirsty!

And that hatred began a long time ago!

Now back to Revelation 12:4. "And the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born."

Did Satan successfully "devour" the Christ Child?

He tried.

From Herod's slaughter of those little baby boys, trying to kill our Lord in Bethlehem ... onward to dozens of other treacherous assassination attempts during Jesus' thirty-three plus years of pre-Calvary Life on earth, Jesus was a hunted Man!

But Satan failed!

Oh, Jesus did something on the Cross that I'd like to quickly mention! Psalm twenty-two first hints at this glorious fact and then John in His Gospel gives further detail.

David has Jesus on the Cross getting more and more thirsty. Drying out there, dehydrating no doubt. "I am poured out like water." Then "My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws." These are the exact words of Jesus, from Psalm 22 again.

Now John confirms Jesus' literal "thirst" on the Cross. "After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst." John 19:28 is then followed by two more verses that say Jesus was given and did drink "vinegar." That's "oxos" in Greek, from a word that means "acid," anything "sharp and bitter" to drink!

Here's what I'm thinking.

The devil tried to drink/eat Jesus at His Birth, His Virgin Birth.

But the devil failed.

Then the devil turned his hatred on Israel who gave us Jesus, still is hating them by the way!

Then the devil tries to devour the Church, the Bride of Jesus Christ!

But, truth be told, the devil is a defeated foe! Jesus drank him down two thousand years ago ... on the Cross of Calvary!

There as Satan tried to eat/drink Jesus' away, tried to keep him from being a successful Saviour ... Jesus instead, though losing bodily moisture and strength by the minute ... cried for something sharp and bitter to drink ... and then symbolically swallowed it! He drank the Devil dry! He devour Satan as far as the enemy's greatest power, greatest threat was concerned!

Glory to God!

Now Satan can really hurt no one if that person will trust Jesus and His shed Blood on the Cross!

The Cross where Satan was eaten/swallowed by Jesus!

Amen.

       --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 25:

His name is specifically mentioned in Revelation chapter 12. That's "Michael," an angel of God. Upon reading that great chapter, I began to wonder about this powerful being. What else does the Bible tell us about him?

I could only find a few times he is called by name. In all the Bible's sixty-six Books!

In Daniel 10:13 Michael is "one of the chief princes" of God and comes to help Daniel in some sort of demonic warfare. Michael was subsequently the decisive participant in the defeat of a field of satanic forces.

Then later in Daniel, 10:21 to be specific, this same angel is called Daniel's "prince!" The noun here is "sar," meaning "captain, governor, leader, ruler." So Michael was then dedicating himself to the service of Daniel, to that Prophet's ministry in some special way. Here's the King James Version's wording: "Michael your prince."

Then we learn more in Daniel 12:1 where Michael is designated "the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people," for the Jews! He's now particularly a protector of God's people, the Israelites!

Then by the time Jude writes his little Epistle the Holy Spirit allows him to tell us more about Michael. He is in Jude's ninth verse called "the archangel." It means "chief" angel! And he is still militant. "Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses ...." Strong enough, in the Lord, to fight Lucifer!

With this much information now we can made a safe assumption. Paul writes to one of the Churches about the Rapture, when Jesus comes to get us, in the clouds! "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." First Thessalonians 4:16-17, where the archangel, where Michael, is clearly involved in our safe transition to be with Jesus!

We've now met Michael Biblically five times.

One more event remains.

John from Patmos tells us. "And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels." Michael and his cohorts win that battle, too! Revelation 12:8-9, where the Devil is expelled from Heaven forevermore.

So who are these obedient angels of God?

The noun merely means "messengers." I sometimes call them "God's errand runners!"

And they have rank! See, "Michael and his angels!" Or the very term "archangel," chief of the angels!

To top it all, Michael's name means "One who is like God." It has a Hebrew origin and is just transliterated into Greek then into English. What an angel he must be!

Yet a word of caution.

None of these angels in any way usurps the Power and Might and Person of Almighty God or His Son Jesus.

Hebrews 1:6 has "all the angels of God" worshipping Jesus in fact!

But still, I though maybe today someone would like learning a little bit more about this beautiful creature, Michael the archangel.

What a ministry he has!

Helping Prophets.

Defending Israel.

Assisting in the Rapture.

Fighting the Devil.

But most of all, adoring and uplifting our triune God for all eternity.

Hallelujah!

       --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 26:

A few weeks ago, while reading a commentary on the New Testament Book of Revelation, I noticed something. Twice John the Apostle uses the expression a "new song" in His Apocalypse, in his twenty-two chapter Masterpiece.

In Revelation 5:8 four of Heaven's most glorious angels start singing. They are immediately joined by twenty-four godly saints, likely representative of both Old Testament and New Testament Believers.

What do they sing, sing to Jesus to be absolutely clear, to the Lamb of God? "They sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; and hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth."

Singing a "new song," with "new" being the Greek adjective "kainos," meaning "fresh, not worn out, unprecedented, unheard of!"

And why are they singing this to God's once-slain but now-alive Lamb, to Jesus? Because of His power to redeem! "For Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by Thy Blood."

Wow!

Please notice that this "new song" is here associated with redemption, with deliverance!

Well, John's other "new song" verse is Revelation 14:3. And there too, the theme is again "redemption!" Here it is: "And they (the one-hundred-forty-four thousand) sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth. These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb. Yes, Revelation 14:3-4, where the "new song" is again linked with redemption and deliverance!

So off I go, chasing every Bible mention of these great "new song" events. And actually I found seven more times!

And in each of these texts when the "new song" is heard ... not far behind or ahead of it you will spot the grand old Bible theme of redemption or deliverance!

Check these if you choose. Psalm 33:3 where the "new song" is sung to the God Who "delivered their souls from death!"

Psalm 40:3 also, where God brought us up out of a horrible pit and set our feet upon a rock!

Also Psalm 96:1 and 98:1, both share the "new song/deliverance" theme! In fact, both immediately mention "salvation!"

Psalm 144:9 matches the paradigm as well! "I (David) will sing a new song unto thee, O God: upon a psaltery and an instrument of ten strings will I sing praises unto thee. It is he that giveth salvation unto kings: who delivereth David his servant from the hurtful sword."

And add Psalm 149:1 plus Isaiah 42:10, mercy!

It's a pattern!

It's a Bible motif!

It's beautiful!

We will, or at least should, always be singing a fresh song to our Lord ... because He saved us! Redeemed us! Delivered us!

What a Book, the Bible!

What a Saviour, Jesus Christ God's Son!

What a song, what joy, what delight!

Being redeemed!

Anyone singing this morning?

         --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 27:

The twelfth chapter of Revelation is a never ending thesaurus of Truth, or so it appears. I may ask the Lord for permission to preach this chapter soon, perhaps even for a whole series of sermons.

The third verse of Revelation twelve spoke to my heart late last night, via the Holy Spirit's leading I think.

This is the chapter of the Book that introduces us to five of seven new "personages," according to the notes of Dr. C. I. Schofield. And here is the second of those seven: "And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads."

Bible teachers and preachers are pretty sure this is the Devil, this dragon. He is cloaked in symbolism obviously. A "dragon" because so destructive. In Greek, "drakon!" And "red" because of the bloodshed he will cause. The "heads" surely refer to the nations or governments he will usurp on his way to world dominion. "Horns" often Biblically suggest "brute strength, military might and power."

Again our text: "And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads."

But what about those "crowns?"

And therein lies today's Lesson, today's Truth I'd like to emphasize. In doing so we must study two little Greek nouns, both translated "crown" or "crowns" in the New Testament.

The Devil here is wearing seven "crowns," spelled "diadema" as John's hands wrote the word. And what's a diadem? It's a garland, a corona, a chaplet or wreath worn around the head of someone who has been given or bequeathed some position of honor. It's a conferred "crown" because of "who" one is, not because of "what one does!"

On the other hand, the second word available to John ... which the Holy Spirit did not allow him to use here ... is "stephanos." That's the "crown that is earned," deserved by winning some great battle or contest or event! It's the "crown of victory."

Wow, look at this!

The Devil has no crowns he has achieved in combat!

He has won none!

The Devil has no accolades because he has conquered either! In fact, Jesus conquered him! On the Cross of Calvary centuries ago!

No!

All the Devil's, all the Dragon's crowns are granted him because he once was an angel. A "cherub" of God. See Ezekiel 28:14 for the term in actual use. Because of "who is is," or "who he was" anyway. "Lucifer, son of the morning," Isaiah 14:12 calls him.

His crowns are gifts from the Ruler of the Universe!

But though he had those crowns bestowed Him by the Almighty eons ago ... Satan proved himself unworthy of such blessings. He rebelled against God. And some day, sooner rather than later, he and his crowns and heads and everything else ... will be eternally cast into the Lake of Fire and Brimstone, where he will be tormented for ever and ever!

No "stephanos" for the sinless Devil!

Just "diadema" which he has squandered, but apparently still loves to wear as a "show!"

The True Crown Wearer, both of the "diadema" and the "stephanos" crowns, is the Lord Jesus Christ, God the Son!

Amen.

       --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

The Bible is such a precise Book!

LESSON 28:

The Book of Revelation is full of judgment. For example, in chapter fourteen a city named Babylon, or at least a politico-religious system named Babylon, faces the wrath of God.

"And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication." Revelation 14:8, the specific verse we'll consider today.

Now I realize that many believe this is a reference to the actual city of Babylon, which today lies in ruins in a desolate part of Iraq. But that place, once the center of Nebuchadnezzar's kingdom, may have already fallen ... for good. Yet again, it might some day in the future be rebuilt, only to crumble again.

However, later in Revelation, chapters seventeen and eighteen to be precise, Babylon seems to represent typically or symbolically another great world power. Likely, I think, Rome. The Roman system of false religion and the what-might-be-called the Revived Roman Empire. If so, they will fall as well. Such cannot continue if Jesus is coming again!

But today, this Sunday in October of 2012, I am going to apply the verse, our text, to the United States of America. If not historically, at least pictorially!

Our Nation, America, is at least guilty of the charges leveled in verse eight. Again: "And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication." The United States certainly is great, by most world standards anyway. And she is constituted by many cities, all pretty much equally wicked.

And we sure have influenced the "nations" of earth! The Greek noun for "nations" is "ethnos," a word usually meaning "Gentiles!" The so-called united nations of the world! America has exported her culture everywhere, to the most remote corners of earth! Africa, Asia, Oceana, Europe too!

In fact, everywhere, even in the Muslim world according to the critics, American modernism has evangelized the masses! Music, food, dress, language, just to start the list.

The nations are "drunk" with Western culture.

God is angry at this people ... "Because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication."

The noun "fornication" in Greek is "porneia." It carries the idea of a person "selling" his or her body for sexual favors! The root verb "pernemi" means just that, "to sell."

America has exported sexual laxity throughout the world, the entire globe! Via our forms of entertainment, our literature, our national example, probably our citizens who travel the earth too.

The word "wrath" is "thumos," meaning "passion" as much as anger. Our enemies may be right about us to a degree. We just may have corrupted the lifestyle of humankind, globally so.

What's to happen to those with this spirit of Babylon?

She will some day, because of her unrepentant sins, "fall."

"And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication."

The verb "pipto" means "to descend from a higher place to a lower place." The verb is repeated, used twice in the very same form, for emphasis.

Nations or cities or communities spreading such filth ... will be cut down by Almighty God!

Oh how we should pray for revival in our Land.

Before we face the stark wrath of the Lord Himself.

      --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 29:

In Revelation chapter sixteen an angel pours out God's third "bowl" or "vial" of judgment upon the earth. However, with this plague God's reason for acting so precisely is given.

Let's read about this awesome coming event: "And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood. And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy. And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments." Revelation 16:4-7

It's the old Bible principle that a person generally will "reap" what he or she has "sown." Paul in Galatians 6:7 worded it this way: "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap."

Prophetically speaking, these wicked and rebellious inhabitants of planet earth will have hated God's children for years! The world government then in place will have slain many a saint of God! Bloodshed simply based on prejudice and bias!

So ... God makes those murderers pay for what they have done. I mean paying even here on earth before dying and suffering eternally!

Therefore God causes all the rivers of earth and all its fountains of water, clearly the sources of that precious commodity, to become blood!

Let the sinners drink blood!

Because they have shed so much "innocent" blood through the years!

Wow!

But is this right?

Can God do such a thing and remain sinless?

Yes!

Yes!

Yes!

Such a judgment, though severe, is an expression of God's Holiness, His Righteousness!

And out text today says so.

Both the administering angel and a voice from the altar, one of those slain martyrs, declare: "Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus."

Amen.

Dark days ahead.

For the lost masses of the world.

Oh dear reader here today, if you have never been saved, please do so now. Trust Jesus.

Don't be among the blood drinkers of the Tribulation.

       --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 30:

I can't seem to leave those "vial" judgments of Revelation chapter sixteen. Part of the seventh catastrophe there described reports these results: "And there was a mighty earthquake, and so great. And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found." Revelation 16:20

This comes on top of the sixth "seal" judgment which occurred earlier during the Tribulation. "And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake ... and every mountain and island were moved out of their places." Revelation 6:12-13

Earthquakes!

In Matthew 24:7 Jesus told us these giant things would occur. And He used the plural form too, "earthquakes."

But why?

And why in each case are we particularly told "every island" was impacted?

The earlier quake merely "moves" the islands. The verb here is "kineo," meaning "set in motion." I suspect aftershocks are here implied as well, total upheaval!

The last quake, the more powerful Revelation 16 event, finds the islands actually "fleeing away!" And in Greek "pheugo" means "to vanish." Or "to be chased far away."

Amazing!

And just what would these accounts mean to John?

John who was exiled on an "island?"

"Patmos" by name, located in the Aegean Sea.

Maybe John here took courage. The Roman Government might "banish" him to a small piece of water-surrounded land, an "isle," but the Almighty God John served was far more powerful!

God could move Patmos.

And every other island too!

Wow!

And those mountains too. Mountains that some day according to today's text will be "not found."

Why this destruction?

Because God is judging sin.

And those mountains, those "high places," if you remember ... were sanctuaries for idol worship time and time again in Biblical days.

Maybe God is tearing away their old places of worship, rearranging earth's geography in preparation for a new world Ruler, Jesus Christ God's Son!

In fact, if Ezekiel chapters forty through forty-eight are to be taken literally ... which most of us do ... the earth must be topographically refigured! The Millennial Temple the Prophet describes will not fit into the current landscape of the Nation of Israel!

Zechariah chapter fourteen has Jesus returning to earth some day, putting His Feet on the Mount of Olives ... causing another earthquake that will, no doubt, prepare the building site for God's future Place of Worship!

Islands!

Mountains!

Earthquakes!

All of which proves how great our God really is! How powerful! To be able to perform such mighty works ... each fitting into His great Plan for the earth!

Let's worship Him today.

       --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 31:

It happened back in Revelation chapter five, when Jesus the Darling Lamb of God was revealed! When He was declared "worthy" to open a seven-sealed book, revealing God's plan of action for the future. "And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever." Revelation 5:14

Now in today's text, after the wrath of the Lamb has fallen, after the world has been judged and religious Rome has been destroyed along with the apostate one-world government ... we see the same reaction from the same beautiful "beasts" and twenty-four "elders!"

"And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia." Revelation 19:4

Years of trauma separate Revelation 5:14 and Revelation 19:4 ... yet still at every move of our Lord, worship erupts in His Name!

I have come to the belief that Heaven must be an eternal place of unending praise and worship of Almighty God, of the Trinity.

Get ready, saved folks!

Hallelujahs and Amens had best even now begin rolling off our tongues. Better yet, springing from our hearts.

Directed toward our Lord Jesus Christ!

By the way, I wondered "Where did these angels and redeemed men get these words, this sequence of praise?"

Well, from the Old Testament of course. The source of the majority of Revelation's imagery and vocabulary.

For example, Psalm 106 ends this way, its 47th and 48th verses: "Save us, O Lord our God, and gather us from among the heathen, to give thanks unto thy holy name, and to triumph in thy praise. Blessed be the LORD God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting: and let all the people say, Amen. Praise ye the Lord."

Lord, if you save us ... we will praise Thee.

Then the very end, "Amen. Praise ye the Lord."

In English that's ... "Amen, Hallelujah!"

Wow!

     --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 32:

The Verse I'd like us to consider this morning is found in Revelation 19:9. "And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God."

The subject today: The Marriage Supper Of The Lamb!

In other words, Jesus is getting married!

To His Bride, the New Testament Church!

And they, indeed, will "live happily ever after!"

In fact, the last days will not only include the Marriage of Christ and His Church, but also another supper.

One for the fowls of the air!

After the defeat of the wicked at the Battle of Armageddon! "And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God. That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great. And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh." Revelation 19:17-21

Curses and death to those who are part of the Armageddon Supper.

But blessing upon blessing upon blessing to those who are part of the heavenly Marriage Supper!

Again our Text: "Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God."

What a Meal this will be!

Jesus told His Disciples at the Last Supper, when the old Passover Meal became the fresh, new Lord's Supper, that He would not eat or drink with us again ... until He does so in His Kingdom. At the Marriage Supper of the Lamb we presume!

What a bright future for the saints of God!

Rapture.

Judgment Seat, where we are rewarded and prepared for the Wedding.

Marriage.

Supper to follow.

Eternity then ahead, ruling and serving with Christ our Lord and Saviour.

Yet again, Revelation 19:9. "Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb."

If you're going, if you're invited ... praise His Name today!

But are you invited?

Yes!

"Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price." Isaiah 55:1

A Banquet with our Lord!

        --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

By the way, Isaiah the old Testament Prophet also "hints" at the Marriage Supper in a rather direct way. "And in this mountain shall the Lord of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined. And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it." Isaiah 25:6-8, we're going to eat in Heaven!

LESSON 33:

The nineteenth chapter of the Book of Revelation, among other things, describes the literal "Second Coming" of Jesus to earth. Verses 11 through sixteen have Him riding a "white horse."

Our Lord is returning to do three things, according to Verse fifteen. "And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God." Revelation 19:15

Fight with a sword.

Rule with an iron rod or scepter.

Tread a winepress until the juice flows freely, clearly a symbol of copious bloodshed.

Each of these accomplishments is based on Old Testament prophecy too, the sword and the rod and the wine vat.

The sword ... Isaiah 11:4 says of Jesus when He comes ... "With the breath of his Lips He shall slay the wicked." Also Isaiah 66:16 promises ... "By His sword the slain of the Lord shall be many."

The rod ... Psalm 2:8-9 say of God the Father talking to God the Son: "Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel." Again, the rod or scepter.

The winepress ... Isaiah again, this time 63:3. Jesus is talking prophetically ... "I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment." This "juice" is blood, many slain because of rebellion. A display of the holy Wrath of God.

Wow!

Revelation and the Old Testament ... again with the same Message! Perfectly parallel!

And both are about Jesus!

Folks, He is coming again.

       --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 34:

We live in an age in which the Grace of God has been supremely evident. In fact some Preachers and Teachers call our time, from Pentecost to the Rapture really, "the dispensation of the Grace of God."

We have seldom, if ever, seen the pure Wrath or Anger of God fall!

But in the Book of Revelation, particularly chapters six through nineteen, this Divine Action changes, dramatically.

Of the two Greek words for "anger," spelled "thumos" and "orge," they collectively occur thirteen times in that narrow apocalyptic window, Revelation chapters 6 through 19 as I just said.

These are the "Tribulation" paragraphs of Revelation. A time when God's Grace is less prominent than God's Wrath!

"Thumos" means the "white heat of God's Anger," passionate and fiery.

"Orge" means a "settled and long-lasting condition of righteous indignation."

God prodigiously displays both during the coming seven year "Time of Jacob's Trouble, Daniel's Seventieth Week, the great Tribulation."

Friend, if you are not saved ... trust Christ today!

His Grace is a functioning Reality as I write this Lesson! "The Grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men," so wrote Paul in Titus 2:11. Yes, today is the day of salvation!

And be sure, John was right. The day of the "Wrath of the Lamb" is coming too. Then it will be too late for anyone reading here this Saturday.

--- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 35:

Today's Text is found in Revelation chapter nineteen. Its last paragraph, in fact. "And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God. That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great. And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh." Revelation 19:17-21

A Preacher called last week and asked me to pray about using a specific Text next week in his Church, during the Revival Meeting there. In other words, to preach about Communion, the obedient meal we still reverently share as Christians, parallel to the early New Testament Church's Love Feasts.

I have asked the Lord to guide me, right now feeling led to First Corinthians 11:20-34, Paul's account of the Lord's Supper.

Jesus taught this ordinance to His Disciples His last night on earth prior to His Crucifixion. He asked them, hence has also asked us indirectly, to observe this Supper "often." Jesus believed it would be the best way to remember and honor His Death, until He comes again! "For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come."

Well, in our Text this morning John the Revelator has shown to us another Supper! One also slated to be eaten at the end of the age, in the future. It's a gory meal, however.

Dead men's bodies being consumed!

By vultures!

This is, I have no doubt, an ironic jab at the devil and his angels. The devil who always mocks, copies, mimics, apes the good thing of God!

God plans a Holy Lord's Supper, saints with Jesus, in the air, in the heavens some day!

So God also plans to give the devil a Supper! One in which holy things are missing, but grisly things abound!

Wow!

In which Meal will you be a participant, dear friend reading here today? If you're saved, it will be Holy Communion with Jesus! At the Marriage Supper of the Lamb! But if not, if you are still lost in your sins, it will be the other meal, that terrible war at the end of the campaign of Armageddon.

Be saved right now! "The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach. That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed." Romans 10:8-11

--- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 36:

Revelation 20:11-15 records one of the greatest judgments that will ever occur! Let's think about it. "And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire."

John was shown, as if it had already happened, this awesome event. Often this is called "The Great White Throne Judgment."

The One setting on the Throne is Jesus, we suspect. Based on John 5:22 where Jesus said: "For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son."

The elements here retreat, "pheugo" in Greek, meaning "to escape from danger!" This Judgment is an expression of the Wrath of God! And even nature knows so!

The "dead" here are the unsaved of earth, past tense sinc3e they've already lost their lives!

I believe the saints of God were "judged," were "rewarded" for their faithful service to the Saviour back at the "Judgment Seat of Christ." An event that occurred soon after the Rapture of the Church.

The White Throne affair concerns lost people.

This is not the Court where a sinner is determined to go to Hell or not. That hinges on whether a man or woman accepts of rejects Jesus as he or she lives on earth.

At this great White Throne Jesus examines some books, and as a result judges the lost "according to their works."

Some lost people's eternity in the Lake of Fire will involve more severe punishment, more torment than others.

Even a man in Hell right now, having suffered for years and years ... will be temporarily resurrected to face Jesus at this traumatic White Throne and be finally evaluated according to his wicked deeds, thus spending eternity in the Lake of Fire, not simply Hell, a victim of his own sin and rebellion.

And folks, just like John is watching this ... it's feasible that we Christians, now married to Jesus our Bridegroom, will be witnesses as well!

We may see the lost being condemned for all the ages.

We may hear their groans as they are "cast" in the Fire, the Greek verb here being "ballo," literally thrown into that terrible place!

"And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire."

What an incentive this should be for us to witness!

To be soul winners!

To do all we can to keep our lost loved ones and friends from facing God the Son at this terrible White Throne.

                --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 37:

Revelation 21:4 actually says this, promises it from the very mouth of Almighty God: "And there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away."

Wow!

Granted, these perfect conditions are guaranteed only in the future. At the inception of what John calls "a new Heaven and a new earth."

But still, simply now talking about the greatest blessing of them all, "There shall be no more death."

No gravesites!

No funeral homes!

No cessation of life!

"No more death."

But, as usual, what John has described here is in beautiful harmony with other Bible Passages. Isaiah 25:8 clearly says, "The Lord of Hosts will swallow up death in victory." The verb "swallow up" translates "bala" in Hebrew, meaning "to devour, to engulf, to eat up, to destroy!"

Well, Isaiah 25:8 is completely fulfilled in Revelation 21:4.

But Paul the Apostle gets involved here too. Listen to His great Sermon to the Corinthians, about the fact that Jesus, the crucified Jesus, is now alive! And that He is coming back again to earth, from His honored Position at the Right hand of God! "Then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory." First Corinthians 15:54, where "swallowed up" is the Greek verb "katapino," meaning "to drink down, to drink dry!"

So First Corinthians 15:54 will also be completely realized in Revelation 21:4.

"No more death."

No more death, because Jesus conquered Death.

One Preacher wrote about "The Death of Death in the Death of Jesus!"

The vicariously, literally dead Jesus ... came back to Life! Was raised from the grave! And is alive forevermore!

And those who believe in Him are sharers in that Life, in eternal life! Hence in Heaven there must be "no more death!"

Isaiah said it would come.

Paul promised it too.

Both via the power and insight of the Holy Spirit.

But John, from an island named Patmos in the Aegean Sea, was privileged to tell about it. About its actual arrival.

In the new heaven and earth ... "no more death."

Death came because of sin. Death is the wages of sin.

But because of Jesus' Blood, by means of His shed Blood ... sin is gone. To anyone who believes in Christ.

No sin ... no death!

Once more, in the future, "No more death."

Praise the Lord.

Thank You, Jesus!

       --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 38:

Let me share with you an interesting parallel from the Book of Revelation. It is so lovely that the Hand of God, the literary Omniscience of the Holy Spirit, is readily seen.

There are two representative women in the Book. Well, others appear too, but two main representative women.

One is an unrepentant harlot.

The other is a pure Bride.

Here's how we are introduced to each.

The ungodly woman, viewed from John's perspective now: "And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters." Revelation 17:1, with the following verses describing her in great detail.

Now the pure Lady: "And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife." Revelation 21:9, the Lamb's Wife being the congregant New Testament Church!

Did you notice something?

Two introductions of two women. Each of which is crucial to the end of the age in which we live. Each of which is necessary for the fulfillment of the Book of Revelation's story line.

And ... each is introduced by the same individual, using the very same words! "And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee ...."

An angel!

One of those who poured forth the last vials or bowls full of God's wrath upon this earth.

Surely this literary hint is purposeful.

In other words ... "John, you must understand the harlot, a picture of the false church that has risen during the final days of apostasy."

She's most prominent during the tribulation it appears.

And ... "John, you must understand the Bride. She's the Church, bright and beautiful and ready to spend all of eternity with her Husband, the Lord Jesus Christ!"

Folks, listen today.

Each of us is a part of one or the other Body represented by these two verses. If unsaved, part of that false belief system, depicted as the harlot.

But if born again, part of the Body of Christ ... who is soon to be the very Bride of Christ, holy and pure.

Are these two that important?

According to the way God introduced them to John, hence to us, they are vitally important.

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life." Jesus in John 5:24.

Amen.

       --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 39:

New Testament Greek is an exciting language. I enjoy watching as the Holy Spirit punctuates His Work, His Writing.

For example, in Revelation 21:10-14 He does not stop once to insert a period! The heavenly city New Jerusalem is being described. This no-period situation often emphasizes the fact that the author is so taken with his subject that he can't pause for a break!

Again, talking about a Holy City!

A place every child of God will see some day.

"And he an angel, carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal. And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel. On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb."

Wow!

A Place the Lord has "prepared."

Our great God has always loved fellowship and communion, Himself being Triune in Nature. So our eternal home is a "city," spelled "polis" in Greek.

It is patterned not after New York or Paris or London ... but Jerusalem, meaning "place of peace!"

No more war!

It's a bright city, too. The Greek stem for "light" is "phos," giving us words like photograph and phosphorus.

God's glory empowers the city, "doxa" here being the sum total of all God is, all His Essence!

Foundations aplenty, no more earth-shaking crises.

And gates, twelve!

Perfect access and digress.

What a place, far more beautiful than mere words can ever tell. "For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him." Isaiah 64:6

By the way, will you be there?

Are you saved?

If not, trust Christ today.

            --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 40:

A Verse in Revelation is absolutely thrilling, one of many such statements of course. The Lord informs us: "Jesus Christ ... hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen." Revelation 1:5-6

We who are saved!

"Kings and Priests!"

Royalty and Ministry!

Ruling with Jesus ... for a millennium.

And recipients of an eternal priesthood, too!

In fact, right now any one of us who is saved can go immediately into the Presence of God, at His very Throne! "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." Hebrews 4:16 where that word "boldly" is "parresia" in Greek, meaning "telling it all," unloading every burden and heartache and need!

Wow, we are truly priests unto Him!

Then I yesterday read a verse about Solomon's Temple, the most grand sanctuary in which Israel ever worshipped! "And the floor of the house he overlaid with gold, within and without." First Kings 6:30, where those Old Testament priests walked on "gold" floors as they served and loved the Lord!

Then, with joy in my heart, I came across Revelation 21:21. Talking about Heaven, the New Jerusalem, our future eternal home ... "And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass."

Look!

Heaven has a street, apparently quite long and omni-accessible, which is made of gold!

Here's what I'm thinking: Solomon's Priests walked on gold floors.

And Jesus has made us priests too.

Then we've just learned that some day in Glory, even better than those Old Testament servants of God, we shall also walk on floors of gold.

No, on a very street of gold!

Yes, priesthood is a reality for the child of God.

What a beautiful Book, the Bible. Filled with the Wisdom of God, both patently and latently.

Fellow priests, pray for Debbie and me today as we travel to an old-fashioned, Bible-believing Church and start a week of Revival. Or at least that's our desire, a true stirring of God in our midst.

             --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 41:

The literary technique is sometimes called "inclusio." It means that a body of writing is both begun and concluded with certain markers that are identical. These similarities "envelope" the whole section. They are "brackets" that enclose the text.

And the Book of Revelation, all twenty-two chapters, possesses this grand design, "inclusio." Think of it, 404 total verses, bracketed by a very similar introduction and conclusion!

Both "ends" of Revelation include:

The fact that Revelation is a Book of genuine Prophecy! That's its genre, "apocalyptic." Revelation 1:3 talks about "the words of this prophecy." And Revelation 22:18 uses the same terminology, "the words of this prophecy."

The Book is also to be read, aloud and publicly, in the Churches which receive it. Revelation 1:3 speaks of those who "hear the words of this prophecy and keep or obey the things written therein." Likewise Revelation 22:18 speaks of every man that "heareth the words of the prophecy of this book." In both cases the "hearing" is the result of someone clearly "reading" the Book to him or her in a gathered assembly of Believers.

The Book also, patently more than any other book of the Bible, promises a blessing to those who read it. What encouragement that would have been to the suffering saints John was writing. Both Revelation 1:3 and Revelation 22:14 use the Greek word "makairos," meaning "blessed" or more precisely "happy" or even "enjoying the smile of God!"

Again, both the Apocalypse's start and finish emphasize the glorious truth that our Lord is coming again! Revelation 1:8 speaks of Jesus Who was (historical fact), Who is (current truth when John wrote), and "Who is to come!" That's the Second Advent. And Revelation's next-to-last verse has Jesus promising, "Surely, I come quickly."

The Book also highlights, from its inception to its culmination, the marvelous Grace of God!  Look: "John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace ...." Revelation 1:4, where Grace at least means "God's unmerited favour." And Revelation 22:21 echoes "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all." Framed by Grace!

There are other ways for sure. But enough have been demonstrated to illustrate the similarities if not outright duplications of ideas and truths and words in John's great Masterpiece, both at its start and its end.

How beautiful our Book  is, fellow Christians!

The balanced, inspired, inerrant Word of God, "the Scripture of Truth" as Daniel 10:21 calls them.

And today we've seen another magnificent set of His authentic Fingerprints, the Authorial Holy Spirit Of God!

      --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 42:

Just a few quick little thoughts this Tuesday morning. All easily discernible in Revelation 22:3-4, today's apocalyptic Bible Text.

"And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him. And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads."

The "it" of the opening line is that glorious city John calls "New Jerusalem." She houses a Throne, "The Throne" really! The only Throne that matters by then. All other such thrones have melted away. Notice too that there is one Throne, and it is "occupied" by the Godhead, the Father and the Son, or as John words it "God and the Lamb." Again Jesus' deity is being illustrated, stated, proved.

By "no more curse" John utilizes "katanathema." A blended word meaning "a thing devoted to God for destruction!" The days of God's searing Judgment have ended. And we, "being in Christ Jesus," are under no condemnation!

Then something amazing, surprising. In that eternal setting God's "servants shall serve Him!" In Heaven, so to speak, and still serving Jesus? The noun "servants" translates "doulos," the common word for a "slave" in New Testament times. And "serve" is "latreuo," a startling verb meaning "to serve for hire!" Yes, "latris" means "a hired laborer!" But in the New Testament the word assumes an almost exclusively "religious" or "spiritual" sense, occurring 21 times. For eternity we shall be worshipping our great God, doing His bidding at His command, all because we love Him and want to do whatever He asks! A true labor of love! We will not be idle in Heaven forever. How boring that would be. We shall be servicing the things of God, working for Him in every way imaginable and likely some not yet imaginable!

But next is the best part of today's pericope. "And they shall see His Face." That's glorious. Moses wanted to see God's Face, but was denied. We shall see It, see Him, and be blessed! The verb means "to look at and behold" carefully, slowly, admiringly. To view our God and Saviour for all the ages! The longing of humanity since creation! In the days of the ancients criminals were banished from the presence of the King and forbidden to see his face. Not so with God's pure, Blood-washed throng!

Furthermore, John promises us elsewhere that when we see Him, "We shall be like Him." So our current treasure trove ends with these words: "His Name shall be in our foreheads." The antichrist placed his name, his mark, on the foreheads of his devotees. Now they are all doomed for eternity in a place of horrible torment. But Jesus' followers too will have a name in their foreheads, a word meaning "in the midst of their eyes." Perhaps just above eye level and between them, the Name of Jesus emblazoned forever. Such a sign implies ownership and protection as well as likeness!

Wow!

Two verses.

Numerous truths.

Let's ponder them today. In fact, most folks who read these lines can easily memorize our little verses and make them a part of your mental exercise this Tuesday. Chew on them, taste them, swallow them ... and gain strength and growth thereby!

"And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him. And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads."

Revelation 22:3-4, just a pair of Revelation's 404 verses, what a wonderful Book the Lord has given us to study.

       --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 43, CONCLUSION:

In Revelation's final chapters, twenty-one and twenty-two, John is given a tour of the grand City called New Jerusalem.

An Angel serves as his guide. And oh, what sights he sees! This is the future heavenly home for those who have trusted Jesus as Saviour.

Then, the Book having achieved its goal of "showing us things which must shortly come to pass," John lays down his pen.

Revelation 22:20-21, that short little text, includes a word of encouragement from Jesus then a very short prayer followed by a blessing to those who have read the Book!

"He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen." Again, Revelation 22:20-21

The exhortation?

Jesus the true Author of Revelation, the "Testifier" here, is now our Comforter. By the way, that verb "testifieth" translates "martureo," our English word "martyr." Jesus was slain for our redemption! Look, here's fundamental Bible doctrine at the very end of the New Testament! But now in this context the word "testifieth" better means to have been a "eye-witness" to the events John has depicted in the past nearly two dozen chapters. "He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly." The verb "saith" is "lego," meaning "to speak," but with an emphasis on forethought and deliberation and carefulness, "logically" in other words. But what's so encouraging here? What our Lord says! He is coming quickly! "Tachu" means "without delay." I'd say "right on time, according to God's schedule." Not one second early, nor one minute late!

The prayer?

John asks the Lord, "Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus." The "Amen" and "even so" express agreement and affirmation to our Lord. The request is obvious, "Come, Lord Jesus!" And get this, "erchomai" which means "come" in Greek, is here expressed in the imperative mood, a command! John is getting a little "sassy" here, in a reverent kind of way. "Jesus, I've seen all these lovely things, now please hurry and come on to get us," he likely was saying.

And finally, the blessing?

It's called a "benediction" in Latin, saying something good to a person or a group. It also expresses a wish, yet as our King James Text shows, without a verb. "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen." God's "Grace" is His lovely favor, his unmerited goodness extended to our lives. His "charisma" literally, His smile and sweetness! Note that it is extended to all the Believers, not just the best or the longest standing ones.

And the Book's last word is "Amen." It occurs ten times in Revelation, if I counted right. And it simply means "faithful, firm, stable," but is derived from a Hebrew word spelled the same way and meaning, what else, TRUTH!

An encouragement, a prayer, and a blessing!

What a way to end a Book of Scripture. And let me say to those of you who have taken this Biblical journey with us ... hope you enjoyed the trip!

Tomorrow, Lord willing, we shall begin another one!

        --- Dr. Mike Bagwell