Participants: Chris Holland
Series Code: IIWC
Program Code: IIWC201404
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00:11 >>Announcer: It has stood the test of time.
00:15 God's book, The Bible 00:18 Still relevant in today's complex world 00:24 It Is Written 00:26 Sharing messages of hope around the world! 00:40 24 Sussex Drive has been the official home of the Canadian 00:44 Prime Minister since 1951. Protected by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the prime 00:50 minister is able rest securely in his own home. However on November 5, 1995, someone 00:54 was able to penetrate the defenses of 24 Sussex. Andre Dallaire, who was an 01:05 evening convenience store clerk made his way to 24 Sussex. He 01:10 was able to wander onto the grounds and then made his way into the residence. He broke a 01:15 side door window and then entered the residence. He entered with one purpose, 01:20 to assassinate Prime Minister Jean Chretien. Dallaire suffered 01:27 from a mental illness and believed killing Chretien would make him a national 01:32 hero. Dallaire was unsuccessful in his attempt and was brought 01:38 to court for his actions. Dallaire forced his way as an unwelcome visitor into 01:45 the Prime Minister's residence. Do you know friends that the 01:51 King of the universe has a residence. It is His residence, 01:56 in which he has also prepared a place for you. However, you won't be able to sneak in or 02:03 break in. There is a requirement that every person who goes there 02:11 must fulfill. Today, we have come to the last of the beatitudes of Revelation. This 02:16 beatitude concludes with one of the most amazing promises of the entire Bible. For the 02:22 last six weeks we have been studying the blessings of the 02:25 book of Revelation. In our study, we have discovered that a blessing is something that 02:29 brings happiness or joy. Because of the symbolism found throughout the book 02:35 of Revelation, many are fearful or confused by the book. Yet, 02:41 also throughout Revelation God has placed seven blessings, 7 promises of happiness. The 02:47 book of Revelation is not a book that should scare us, but rather 02:51 it is a book that should bring us joy and happiness because of the promises of God. 02:56 Each on of these promises builds upon the other and now climaxing 03:04 with the seventh. Listen to the first six beatitudes in brief 03:43 review: Each one of these promises of happiness is bestowed on one who is faithful. 03:48 Faithful to Jesus until the very end. Now the seventh beatitude 03:55 is found in Revelation 22:14, it says, 04:17 Now some of you might be just a bit confused right now. I am 04:24 reading from the New King James Version of the Bible. If you are reading this verse in the 04:30 King James Version, you will see that it is the same as the New 04:34 King James Version. However, if you are reading from a newer Bible then the verse reads 04:40 as follows, 04:49 This is the English Standard Version, but almost all modern 04:53 versions say the exact same thing. 04:58 Before we understand this beatitude fully, it is important 05:02 for us to understand why there is a difference among the 05:05 translations. On a previous episode, we talked about the 05:09 authenticity and reliability of the Bible. That show is called the Book that Couldn't Be 05:14 Silenced. It is available through our website, www.itiswrittencanada.ca 05:19 or our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/iiwcanada While 05:28 that episode does not specifically answer the question of why the difference in this 05:33 text, we can know and understand that the Bible can be trusted 05:38 and this slight variation shouldn't be surprising. To explain why this is the case, 05:43 I'm going to give you the Cole's notes version of the history of 05:48 the Bible of today. The New Testament of the Bible was originally written in 05:52 Greek and those Greek writings help us to formulate the 05:56 versions we have today in English. In ancient literature the original writing is 06:02 referred to as the autograph. Previous to the invention of the 06:08 printing press almost 700 years ago, each of the autographs were 06:12 hand copied, those copies were copied, so on and so forth. 06:20 Those copies are what we would refer to as manuscripts. The complete Bible as we know it 06:27 today, comes from a lineage of thousands of manuscripts. In fact there are over 06:32 5000 Greek manuscripts of the books that make up the New Testament. Over time, 06:40 as other languages developed, they were also utilized in 06:44 making copies. This is particularly true of Latin. For the New Testament alone, there 06:50 are over 24,000 manuscripts of primarily Greek and Latin combined, which attest to 06:59 its reliability. As some of those copies were made, there 07:04 were at times variations. A different letter here or a different word there. However, 07:09 some of the best scholars have estimated that any substantial 07:14 variation only exists in less than 1/10 of 1 percent in all of the New Testament. What that 07:22 practically means is that of the approximately 140,000 words of 07:28 the New Testament, 140 of them have some type of variation. The 07:35 key is that none of those variations change any meaning of any text. In fact it led 07:43 Professor of Biblical Criticism and Exegesis at the University 07:47 of Manchester, Dr. F.F. Bruce to stress the following, 08:32 So why then the difference in this last beatitude of Revelation. First let's 08:37 look at the original text. Right now you see a graphic on the 08:42 screen that allows you to see the original language. As you can see, the difference in 08:48 the original language between "that keep his commandments," 08:53 and "wash their robes," is just a few letters in the ancient Greek language. But what 08:59 is more pertinent to our study is, do the differences change 09:05 the meaning of the text? I would humbly assert that the answer to 09:11 that question is no. It seems clear from the scriptures that those who wash their 09:18 robes will keep God's commandments and those who keep his commandments will 09:26 have washed their robes. As we continue studying this last 09:31 blessing found in the book of Revelation, I think that you will find that to be true too. 09:39 While the robe certainly was a covering worn in ancient times, 09:45 the robe is also used throughout scriptures as a symbol for ones spiritual condition. 09:49 We find this apparent need for covering right in the beginning 09:54 of the Bible with Adam and Eve in Genesis 2:25 we discover how things first began for 10:00 them, 10:16 So, in the beginning, they did not have a covering, they did 10:21 not have a robe, they were naked. When we think of the word naked today, we think of being 10:26 unclothed. While it's true that Adam and Eve were not clothed by 10:31 any man-made or artificial means, we see that most importantly they were not 10:37 ashamed, they were sinless and completely innocent. They had 10:41 nothing to hide. However, when Adam and Eve disobeyed God, this is when they tried to cover 10:48 themselves, Genesis 3:7 states, 11:05 Adam and Eve making themselves clothing from fig leaves, while 11:08 literal, also symbolize our effort to cover our own sin. Trying to cover our own 11:15 sins, like Adam and Eve trying to cover their bodies with fig 11:20 leaves, is not effective or practical. But God had a plan for them and later in 11:25 chapter 3 and in verse 21, the Bible says, 11:38 Here God instituted a principle of being covered by Him. While 11:43 Genesis 3 does not explicitly say that the sacrificial system 11:47 was instituted here, the reality is that the tunics of skin likely required the death of an 11:52 animal. And it is here that the imagery for the beatitude we are 11:58 studying today is found. We need to be covered, but we can not effectively cover our own 12:06 sins we need to be covered by the robe that Christ provides 12:13 for us. That robe is spoken of in a number of places in the Bible. Isaiah 61:10 tells us of 12:21 the robe we need, 12:31 Zechariah 3:4 which is a metaphorical judgment scene 12:41 speaks again of a garment, 12:54 Friends, when we rely on ourselves, we have filthy garments. And a filthy 12:58 garment prevents us from entering the city of Heaven. 13:04 What can we do? The beatitude tells us that we need to wash our robe. What do we learn 13:10 from the scriptures about what it means to wash ones robe? The 13:15 book of Revelation tells us clearly what the robes are washed in. In Revelation 13:20 7:14 an angel, speaking of the 144,000, says, 13:40 This sounds like a great irony! How are robes made white by 13:48 washing them in blood? What does it mean to be washed in the blood of Jesus? Friends, 1 John 13:57 1:7 says, 14:07 1 John 1:9 says, 14:16 My dear friends to wash our robes means to be forgiven of 14:22 our sins and to be cleansed from all unrighteousness. It means coming to the conclusion 14:26 that we cannot depend on ourselves, that we can't fix ourselves, That we can 14:32 only depend on Him. To be washed in the blood of Christ 14:38 ultimately means that we have made a decision to no longer live for ourselves, and that we 14:43 realize that there is someone to save us from our sin, someone to 14:47 save us from ourselves. 14:53 Friends, we are in desperate need of a Savior. Even when we 14:56 think that we are doing right, the Bible tells us in Isaiah 15:08 64:6, But there is hope! Isaiah 1:18 tells us what happens when 15:15 we are cleansed by the blood of the Lamb, 15:29 And with great assurance The Bible also promises in Romans 15:50 10:9, What does this look like practically speaking? As you 15:55 make a decision to give your life fully to Jesus Christ., Romans 6:3-7 tell us what that 16:03 life lwill look like, 16:52 We are no longer slaves to sin; we are no longer trapped by the 16:57 sin in our lives for sin and self have been done away with. We can walk in the newness 17:03 of life. What does that new life look like? 1 John 2:3-4 tell us, 17:35 This is where the meaning of the two texts come together. To wash 17:40 your robe means that you have been forgiven of your sins and are cleansed from all 17:45 unrighteousness and the only way that we know what sin is and 17:53 that it needs to be forgiven is because of the commandments. Paul points this out in Romans 18:00 7:7, 18:09 It is only as we "do his commandments" that we realize 18:14 our need to "wash our robes". Jesus Himself emphasized the importance of keeping the 18:19 commandments on several occasions. In Matthew 19:17, He 18:41 said, Our obedience demonstrates that we are in a committed relationship with Jesus. 18:47 But the keeping of the commandments cannot be done through some mere "To 18:52 Do" checklist. 1 John 5:3 emphasize, 19:10 The keeping of God's commandments demonstrate our love to Christ. But 19:15 keeping them is not a burden, it is not some great encumbering 19:19 challenge. But through faith and the power of the Holy Spirit, 19:25 we, as God's people are able to be obedient to Him. Those ten commandments found in 19:31 Exodus chapter 20. The first 3 commandments give guidance on 19:36 our relationship with God. The fourth commandment is a bridge 19:40 that helps us connect our relationship to God with our relationship to each 19:44 other. Then the last six commandments having to do with 19:49 our relationships with each other. What might happen friends, if each of us, through 19:55 a committed relationship with Jesus kept His commandments and 19:59 taught others to do the same. Wouldn't this world, wouldn't 20:04 this nation of Canada look vastly different! No more killing, no more crime, no 20:11 more hatred. This is what Jesus desires, that His people would 20:17 bring a taste of heaven here on this earth. This beatitude of Revelation can be read 20:24 either way, because the meaning is just the same, those who wash 20:30 their robes will keep God's commandments and those who keep his commandments will 20:35 have washed their robes. The fulfilled promise of this 20:42 blessing is that those who have committed their life to Jesus Christ and have the fruits of 20:45 obedience manifest in their life will experience the greatest joy 20:51 to ever be experienced. The Bible says that they will have access to the Tree of Life 20:55 and the Gates of Heaven. 21:02 Friends, the story of humanity is a story of paradise lost. As 21:07 a result of the sin of Adam and Eve, humanity was forbidden to 21:12 partake of the Tree of Life anymore, Genesis 3:24 tell us, 21:36 But now here in the last Beatitude of Revelation, Paradise is Restored. 21:43 Saved humanity can now partake of the tree of life. Those who 21:48 have washed their robes, those who have obeyed Jesus now can enter into the joy of 21:53 the master. What a wonderful day that will be! That day is coming 22:00 soon. And here is the beautiful thing. Jesus is doing and has 22:06 done everything He can to make sure you're there. Do you want to be there? He wants 22:11 to take you there! It's your home. He's prepared it just for 22:19 you. He died for you, so you can be cleansed and come home. Won't you today just make 22:26 a decision to come to Him all the way and be prepared to go 22:39 home? In letters of crimson, God wrote His love 22:48 On the hillside so long, long ago; 22:56 For you and for me Jesus died, And love's greatest story was 23:17 told. I love you, I love you 23:27 That's what Calvary said; 23:36 I love you, I love you, I love you, Written in Red 24:05 Down through the ages, God wrote His love 24:14 With the same hands that suffered and bled; 24:23 Giving all that He had to give, A message so easily read. 24:42 I love you, I love you, 24:51 That's what Calvary sai d; love you, I love you, 25:12 I love you... 25:17 Oh, precious is the flow, 25:25 that makes me white as snow; 25:36 No other fount I know, 25:44 nothing but the blood, 25:53 The blood of Jesus. 25:55 I love you, I love you 26:02 That's what Calvary said; 26:11 I love you, I love you, 26:22 I love you, Written...In Red 26:56 >>Chris: Friends, the seven Beatitudes of Revelation are 27:00 seven promises for those who wash their robes and give their 27:07 life to Jesus. Friends I'd like to offer to you today the seven part DVD series "The 27:13 Beatitudes of Revelation". I know it will encourage you and 27:18 it will encourage others. Here's the information you need to get 28:12 today's offer. Friends, the book of Revelation brings happiness 28:16 and joy. I hope today's program has brought you happiness and joy and encouragement. 28:20 Thank you so much for watching. I encourage you to watch again 28:25 next week. Until then, remember, it is written: "Man shall not live by bread alone, but 28:31 by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God." |
Revised 2014-12-17