Read with me …

“4 And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold. 5 And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. 6 And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind.”

More sights from Heaven!

There are two Greek nouns for “crown” as used in the New Testament.

The first is “Diadem” … indicating a Royal Crown! Majesty, Dignity!

(Used in Revelation 12:3, 13:1 and 19:12!)

Secondly, “Stephanos” … indicating something earned, a Victory Wreath!

(Used in Revelation 2:10, 3:11, 6:2, 12:1 and 14:14!)

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Christians, as priests?

1 Peter 2:9 … But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light …

Hebrews 4:16 … Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace (something only a priest could do), that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

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The “sea of glass,” which I compared to the laver in the Tabernacle and Temple …

Revelation 15:2 … And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.

A sea on which one can strand! This verse made me think of Jesus, while on earth, walking on the water!

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I closed the class with these statistics, gleaned from a Book on Bible Prophecy I’ve been reading …

MORE THAN 25% OF GOD’S WORD IS PROPHECY!

1,239 IN THE OLD TESTAMENT!

578 IN THE NEW TESTAMENT!

ENCOMPASSING A TOTAL OF 8,352 VERSES!

Amazing, thrilling!

Here’s the video class …

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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Our glorious Text …

“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. 2 And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. 3 And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.”

I believe this Passage depicts the Rapture of the Church!

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In the two chapters of Revelation we just completed, chapters 2 and 3, Jesus has written seven short “Epistles” to as many Churches.

Paul did too, seven Epistles to Churches in seven locations!

Count them … Rome, Corinth, Galatia, Ephesus, Philippi, Colosse, and Thessalonica!

There also exist in our New Testament seven general Epistles, to God’s people, to His Churches!

James, Peter (2 separate Letters), John (3 Letters) and Jude!

I thought these were very interesting facts!

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Doors in Revelation’s first 4 chapters …

Jesus promised the Philadelphians an OPEN DOOR!

Jesus stood outside the CLOSED DOOR at Laodicea!

The Church is invited to a CELESTIAL DOOR, as a means of leaving this sin-cursed earth!

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God the Father, sitting on the Throne …

1 Timothy 6:16 … Who (the Only Potentate) only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.

Colossians 1:15 … Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature …

1 Timothy 1:17 … Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

John 4:24 … God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

So, John sees COLORS indicating God!

Such as the Jasper Stone (a diamond, glistening clear light) and a Sardine Stone (red like Blood, Scarlet or Crimson), these colors emanating from the Throne! Perhaps even pulsating!

Reminds me of Isaiah 1:18 in some ways …

Isaiah 1:18 … Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool (white).

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And that unique rainbow?

Green! Like anEmerald!

The color of a lot of God’s creation! A color easy on the eyes, pleasant! Plus, the Bible color representing LIFE!

Is this glorious, heavenly rainbow all one color, green, because God foresaw the perversion attached to the “rainbow” in wicked America?

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The rainbows bespeaks …

1 Peter 5:10 … But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus …

Habakkuk 3:2 … O LORD, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid: O LORD, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy.    

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At the Rapture …

The true Church will be “caught out!”

But the religious-but-lost (lukewarm) Church will be “spued out!”

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A good “the Church is not going through the Tribulation” verse …

1 Thessalonians 5:9 … For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ.

Amen!

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Watch the class with us now …

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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Our Text …

“14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; 15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. 17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: 18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. 21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. 22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.”

Note that Jesus calls Himself the “Amen!”

That’s one of the Names by which Almighty God (Jehovah) is known in the Old Testament! Look …

Isaiah 65:16 … That he who blesseth himself in the earth shall bless himself in the God of truth (in Hebrew spelled AMEN); and he that sweareth in the earth shall swear by the God of truth (again, AMEN); because the former troubles are forgotten, and because they are hid from mine eyes.

Yes, Jesus is God!

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The wealth of the Church at Laodicea, a wealth in which they trusted, is a verifiable fact of history. It also may be modeled (as is much of Revelation) on something Isaiah said of ancient (and backslidden) Israel …

Hosea 12:8 … And Ephraim said, Yet I am become rich, I have found me out substance: in all my labours they shall find none iniquity in me that were sin.

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In verse 18 Jesus offers the Laodicean Church “counsel,” instead of some kind of fierce retribution!

Reminds me of Isaiah 9:6 …

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”

And what a wise Counsellor He is!

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Our Lord chastens those whom He loves …

Job 5:17 … Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty.

Proverbs 3:12 … For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.

He even reserves the right to chasten His Churches!

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After the word “Church” (actually “Churches,” plural) is used in our Text, in verse 22 … it is not used again in the Book of Revelation until 22:16, five verses from the end! So, here’s another reason I do not believe the Church will have to endure the seven-year Tribulation! (The Tribulation covers Revelation chapters 6 through 19!)

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Now, as I usually recommend, watch the whole Class if possible …

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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The Text …

7 And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth; 8 I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name. 9 Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. 10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. 11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. 12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name. 13 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

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Talking about the “door” of the synagogue that had no doubt closed to these fervent Christians at Philadelphia … in John chapter 9 the man born blind was also excommunicated from an apostate synagogue!

John 9:34-35 … They (the unbelieving Pharisees) answered and said unto him (the healed man), Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out. 35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God?

Here the poor man’s excommunication from religion brought him straight into the arms of Jesus, to real salvation!

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Paul the Apostle, like the Philadelphian Christians, had “little strength!” And here’s the way that great man adapted …

“And he (the Lord) said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness (little strength). Most gladly therefore will I (Paul) rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

1 Corinthians 12:9

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Jesus’ three interruptions, specific things He is doing (or will do) for these faithful saints at Philadelphia …

Verse 9 … Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.

Verse 10 … Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.

Verse 12 … Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.

Notice the “I will” Statements!

Be faithful to the Lord … HE WILL BLESS YOU!

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In teaching God’s Word, I often call the Seven Year Tribulation by the name Jeremiah used for it. Here’s that Reference …

Jeremiah 30:7 … Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.

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Can a Chrisitan lose (not his salvation) his rewards, her crowns for serving the Lord? Yes … and here is part of why I believe so …

Verse 11 … “loss of reward” …

2 John 8 … Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.

1 Corinthians 3:15 … If any man’s work shall be burned (at the Judgment Seat of Christ), he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

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It was interesting to learn that the precise term “New Jerusalem” is only found twice in the whole Bible! Both times in the Book of Revelation … at 3:12 and again at 21:2. But look at what Ezekiel calls that glorious City in the very last verse of his Prophecy …

“And the name of the city from that day shall be, The LORD is there.” Ezekiel 48:35

What a Name!

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Wow, watch the Class if you can …

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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The Return of Jesus is SURE! The time of that Return is UNSURE! Therefore, we must be ready!

Our Text …

“And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. 2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. 3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. 4 Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy. 5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. 6 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. “

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I thought this quote was interesting …

As the Lord “found” some even in Sodom who were “righteous” … so does He even at Sardis!

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Jesus had no complaints to the Church in Smyrna …

And Jesus had no commendations for the Church in Sardis!

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Walking with the Lord? (Verse 4)

Only two men that I can find are specifically said to do this! Enoch (Genesis 5:22) and Noah (Genesis 6:9)! What a promise Jesus made here to some at Sardis!

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Eight times (8) in Revelation chapters 2 and 3 the verb “repent” (or “repented”) appears. And this Counsel is for those who have believed in the Lord Jesus Christ!

Sinners must repent to be saved!

Believers must repent to stay in fellowship!

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The majority in Sardis have defiled their garments! (A word picture for living sinful lives.) A few have not defiled their robes!

But in Laodicea, the members of that Church were “naked,” Jesus says!

Revelation 3:17 … Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked …

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The dead Church … but a few of its people are promised by our Lord …

“I will not blot out his (or her) name out of the book of life.”

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We are going to talk more about that “Book of Life” in a subsequent Class, the Lord willing.

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Now, here’s the entire video Class …

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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