Participants: Ranko Stefanovic
Series Code: RCK
Program Code: RCK000004
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00:19 Welcome, again to our program "Revelation of the Coming King."
00:26 I am Ranko Stefanovic, Professor of New Testament 00:30 at the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary, 00:33 Andrews University. 00:35 And I am so thrilled and excited to be with you here. 00:40 I have here the best audience. 00:44 Actually, you motivate me really to speak 00:46 and to go much deeper into the word of God. 00:49 And I'd like also to express my gratitude to 3ABN 00:54 for making this program possible 00:57 and also all people who're involved here, 00:59 they are wonderful Christians. 01:01 Actually, when I will leave this place, 01:04 I'll be so much spiritually, enriched by coming to know them. 01:08 And one day, we'll be in God's kingdom 01:11 with no separation anymore. 01:13 We'll not have to record anything. 01:15 We'll have only one preacher and one teacher 01:18 and he will teach and preach to us through all eternity. 01:25 I just want to remind you of what we already covered. 01:29 So far, we're really with the introductory remarks 01:33 about the Book of Revelation. 01:35 There is much more to say but I believe it is enough. 01:39 First we try to understand 01:40 about two central themes of the Book of Revelation. 01:46 Then we went on trying to understand 01:47 how the Book of Revelation was written, 01:50 trying to understand how to interpret that symbolic, 01:54 very strange and bizarre language 01:56 of the Book of Revelation. 01:58 But yesterday, we tried to see, 02:01 why different Christians group are interpreting 02:04 the Book of Revelation in different way. 02:07 And you see, it's not a result 02:09 of what people try to understand about the text. 02:12 It's sometimes theological bias 02:15 that people have within ourselves. 02:17 But we've to love all the people 02:20 and we have to listen to each other 02:23 and trying to study the Book of Revelation as it is 02:26 and is what intended by God to be understood. 02:31 But today I'm very excited because I'd like to invite you 02:35 that we go into the very-very text of the Book of Revelation. 02:39 We understood that Book of Revelation 02:41 actually falls into three major divisions. 02:44 First three chapters-- three chapters, 02:47 then chapters 4 to 11 and the last 11 chapters, 02:53 just generally speaking. 02:54 Okay, we did not mentioned the prologue. 02:57 We did not mention the epilogue. 03:01 The first eight verses of the Book of Revelation, 03:04 they form the prologue, but we'll skip it now. 03:07 We stay not in the prologue. 03:09 We're now going to that first vision of Jesus Christ. 03:13 And the next two presentations will be actually dealing 03:18 that first major division of the Book of Revelation 03:21 as we're doing this. 03:23 We'll be dealing with the text of the Book of Revelation. 03:25 We need a special wisdom of the Holy Spirit 03:28 and His guidance and trying to understand 03:31 that deep meaning of the text. 03:32 So I'd like to invite you here and our viewers 03:36 if we can bow our heads 03:38 and ask God for His special assistance and help 03:41 in dealing with the text. 03:44 Our heavenly Father, 03:46 thank you so much for giving us 03:50 this Revelation of Jesus Christ. 03:54 Father, we know that we are dealing with the book 04:00 that's not always easy to understand. 04:04 But at this moment we're asking 04:06 Your special presence of the Holy Spirit in our midst. 04:09 We're asking that Holy Spirit can give us wisdom, 04:12 discernment and understanding 04:15 that we can understand this text. 04:18 Not in the way how different people try to understand. 04:22 But Father we want to be sure that we can understand the text 04:27 in the way that You intended to be. 04:29 Thank you for Your presence in our midst 04:31 and we pray all of this 04:33 in the precious name of our Savior Jesus Christ, amen. 04:38 Before we go into the text, I'd like to remind you, 04:43 who're here my audience and also our viewers is, 04:49 that we're not able to cover everything 04:51 from the Book of Revelation. 04:53 We just want to get a general picture. 04:56 But you've a great opportunity, once this program is over 05:00 and each segment is over that you can go 05:04 and study the Book of Revelation in the deeper way for yourself 05:09 and get explanation for many details 05:11 that we're not able to mention 05:13 and to address here during this presentation 05:16 and you'll need some tools 05:18 and believe me there're many good tools. 05:22 But I just want to mention to you one particular tool 05:27 which is actually the companion of our presentations here. 05:31 It's this commentary titled, "Revelation of Jesus Christ." 05:37 Actually, you can see the altar here. 05:40 It's a product of my research-- many years of the research, 05:45 but what you find here is not simply product of my research. 05:49 I depend on many other people 05:51 who contributed to different parts of the Book of Revelation. 05:55 And you can find in this commentary 05:57 what our church today believes and teaches 06:01 about the Book of Revelation. 06:03 I would like to encourage you 06:04 that you afford and provide for ourselves a copy of this. 06:09 And once the presentation is over, 06:11 I'll always mention the pages that you can go 06:15 and dig much deeper 06:16 into the text of the Book of Revelation. 06:18 So are you ready for this? 06:20 See the today's presentation-- 06:24 if you want to study more for your yourself. 06:27 It's actually found in my commentary from page 79. 06:31 But please I am not following 06:33 the order that is in the commentary. 06:34 You can do it later for yourself. 06:36 Page 79, and after that also page from 96 and on. 06:42 It's actually, the entire chapter. 06:44 Just keep in mind this is just a tool. 06:46 This is just a companion to help you 06:49 to dig deeper into the word of God. 06:53 Now, I'd like to ask you if you can open your Bibles. 06:57 And let's go back to Revelation Chapter 1. 07:00 We're dealing with the first vision of Jesus Christ. 07:05 Actually, it's John's personal encounter with Jesus Christ. 07:09 So we'll start reading from verse 9. 07:12 We've left the prologue okay. 07:15 It says, "I John, your brother and fellow partaker 07:20 in the tribulation and kingdom 07:23 and perseverance which are in Jesus. 07:26 I was on the island called Patmos 07:28 because of the word of God, and the testimony of Jesus. 07:33 I was in spirit on the Lord's Day. 07:36 And I heard behind me a loud voice 07:39 like the sound of a trumpet, saying, 07:42 write in a book what you see, 07:45 and send it to the seven churches 07:47 that were located in Ephesus and Smyrna and Pergamum 07:53 and to Thyatira and to Sardis 07:56 and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea." 07:59 Let's stop here at this moment 08:01 and after that we'll go on from the text. 08:05 See John begins. 08:07 Okay, his story by telling his readers 08:11 and we are one of those readers. 08:14 That actually, he was at certain point of his life-- 08:19 he was on island called Patmos. 08:25 Just a few words about Patmos. 08:28 Patmos was a rocky island, barren island. 08:33 About 10 miles in length 08:36 and about 6 miles wide at the widest point. 08:44 When we read the report of early Christians 08:47 who lived very close to the time of the Book of Revelation, 08:51 they're all unanimous and they all agree that Patmos 08:55 at that time of the writing of the Book of Revelation 08:59 was actually a prison island. 09:03 And I'll use just one word, one name 09:06 and then everything will explain, Alcatraz. 09:11 This is actually the way how they portray Patmos. 09:14 Today modern scholarship try to challenges this 09:18 and because of certain problem, okay? 09:21 I'll not now deal with those problems 09:23 because we know that the other islands around Patmos 09:27 and we have information from Greco-Roman sources 09:31 that they were prison islands. 09:34 But we do not have any information 09:36 from the time of the Book of Revelation about Patmos. 09:40 But it does not mean that Patmos could be prison island 09:43 for some short time and John was there. 09:47 Whatever your view is but one thing is clear 09:51 that John was there in tribulation and suffering. 09:56 He makes it very clear here. Okay. 10:00 We need to actually read the Christian sources, okay, 10:08 that were written--I don't know about 40-50-60 years 10:13 after the time of the Book of Revelation. 10:14 All those Christians are talking about the John 10:17 who was there in the real suffering, 10:19 never to be a Roman prisoner. 10:22 It means hard work. 10:27 If you cannot work, 10:28 Romans they found way to stimulate you to work 10:32 by beating you with a little food. 10:35 And can you imagine, you find yourself on the rocky island 10:40 about 100 degrees temperature there 10:45 and you don't have a shoes you've to work to be there. 10:50 Actually, John was there 10:51 and you know what the problem is. 10:54 When you find yourself on a Patmos. 11:00 When you deserve it, then you've to accept it as a fact. 11:03 But when you are there because of your faithfulness to God, 11:09 then that's the problem. 11:11 By the way, when you read the text, 11:13 the text is not telling us exactly why John was on Patmos. 11:18 You know, John is telling us he said, 11:21 "I was on Patmos in tribulation and perseverance 11:25 which were in Jesus 11:27 because of the word of God and the testimonial of Jesus." 11:30 When you say because of the word of God, 11:32 what does it mean? 11:35 And biblical scholars are divided. 11:37 Some people think they say 11:39 that John went to Patmos to preach the gospel 11:41 and he got into trouble. 11:43 Because Patmos was about 50 and plus miles 11:47 from Ephesus, okay? 11:50 So they said, John got into trouble there. 11:54 Actually I disagree with that because the early Christians, 11:58 they make very clear that John was arrested 12:02 while he was in Ephesus. 12:04 And he was sent there to Patmos 12:10 as a prisoner there. 12:12 So I accepted this as a fact. 12:14 I trust those Christians, friends, 12:16 we're not talking about one witness, 12:17 we're talking about a great crowd of witnesses. 12:20 They're all unanimous about what happened to John. 12:24 I would like to invite you if you can imagine 12:28 about John's situation there on Patmos. 12:32 He was there because of his faithfulness to God. 12:37 And dear viewers, I just want to tell you, 12:40 the great test of our faith is not when I serve God 12:45 and I'm blessed in everything. 12:48 It's when I'm faithful to God, eating what God ask me to eat 12:53 and I'll get their council. 12:57 I'm faithful to God supporting His work and I'm broke. 13:04 I'm so faithful to God and I've problem with my family. 13:08 This is the real test of our faith. 13:11 So John was there and he was in a real suffering. 13:15 But I'd like you to imagine something. 13:19 This verse that we just read is very, very lauded. 13:27 John was on Patmos. 13:29 You know, when you are on an island-- 13:32 I just want to illustrate, okay. 13:35 You look there what do you see? 13:38 Water, you see water, 13:41 you see water and what is behind, it's water. 13:46 I just want to tell you how God meets people where they are. 13:52 I'd like to invite our viewers once this program is over. 13:56 If you go little bit to the Book of Revelation and try to find 13:59 how many times the word of waters 14:02 or the sea is mentioned in the Book of Revelation. 14:07 When John wants to portray 14:08 the voice of Jesus speaking to him. 14:11 It looks to him like a sound of many waters. 14:15 And many historians, okay, 14:18 in the past history who traveled to Patmos, 14:20 they would come with the reports they said. 14:22 When you're there in Patmos, I didn't noticed it 14:24 because evidently I don't have 14:26 such a sense for music and melody. 14:28 They said there is no more melodic sound of waters 14:33 than there round Patmos. 14:35 There're so many islands, 14:38 there is a cluster of islands around Patmos. 14:42 And when the water goes through, 14:44 it produces a great melodic sound. 14:47 Of course, then when he hears the voice of God's people 14:51 before the throne of God, 14:52 it looks like a sound of many waters. 14:55 But you know, I was there on Patmos 14:57 when you see it's such a beautiful scenery. 14:59 No wonder when John sees that spread, 15:03 the space before the throne of God. 15:05 It looked to him like the Sea of Glass. 15:10 There're so many positive elements of the concept of water 15:14 seen in the Book of Revelation but then suddenly 15:16 when you read the Book of Revelation, 15:19 the concept moves from positive to negative. 15:24 Did you notice that in the Book of Revelation 15:28 that the water functions so many times as a negative thing? 15:32 It's out of the sea that the beast is coming 15:36 to persecute God's people. 15:38 They persecute Babylon that the apostate power 15:42 that will work and be present 15:44 at the time of the end sits on many waters. 15:48 Actually, for John that scenery lost its beauty 15:52 because for him the waters and the sea meant a separation. 15:59 The call of all trouble making him to suffer there on Patmos. 16:05 You don't know what is worse. 16:07 During the summertime or the wintertime 16:09 to be surrounded by those waters. 16:13 Now, I'd like to invite you to something 16:15 and this is the beautiful message 16:16 of the Book of Revelation. 16:18 When you go to the end of the book, 16:21 John suddenly in the last vision, 16:23 you know the last vision begins with chapter 20? 16:26 And John looks there and he said, 16:28 "Behold then new heaven." 16:32 Evidently, it's all atmosphere, okay, the sky, 16:35 new heaven and the new earth. 16:39 And what is the first thing 16:42 that John cannot see there on the new earth. 16:46 Please, so many times we're misled by Bible translations. 16:50 If you read, your translation it says, 16:52 and no there is no any scene. 16:55 And I know what Christians are debating. 16:56 Of course, on the new earth we'll not have those oceans. 17:00 In my view they're the result of the flood, okay? 17:04 But in Greek text it looks like this 17:07 and the sea-- it's the definite sea, 17:10 the definite article and the sea there is no there any longer. 17:15 So when John mentioned that sea 17:17 that there is no there any longer, 17:18 which sea did he have in mind. 17:20 You see that sea that was a cause of all his suffering 17:25 while he was there in Patmos. 17:27 That sea that meant for him a separation. 17:31 The sea out of which all kind of evil and bad things come out. 17:36 So now he is there on the new earth 17:39 and the first thing that he notices 17:42 that there is no there on the new earth. 17:44 What is that? The cause of his own suffering. 17:49 Friends, that's what the messages 17:51 of the Book of Revelation are all about. 17:54 I don't know dear viewers, 17:57 what kind of sea you are surrounded by? 18:03 Financial, health, 18:08 family or any other sea in this life. 18:12 The message of the Book of Revelation is that one day 18:17 when we get there on that new earth that God will create. 18:22 The first thing that we will notice that there no there. 18:26 There is no that sea that may be suffered during this life. 18:30 What a book? Amen. 18:31 What a savior is presented here in this book. 18:35 So John is there on Patmos, surrounded by the sea. 18:40 And when we read the verse 10, it says 18:45 "I was in the spirit on the Lords Day." 18:50 So there was one particular point of time 18:54 that John had his encountered with Jesus Christ. 18:59 What is the problem? 19:01 The problem is with the expression, 19:05 the Lord's there. 19:06 You see that expression is not found anywhere in the Bible. 19:11 This is the only place in the entire Bible 19:14 that the expression the Lord's Day is yours 19:16 and the scholars are debating just recently. 19:19 Actually, I wrote a scholarly article and presented 19:23 the most prestigious scholarly meeting here in United States. 19:27 Where I really showed what the text or the Bible shows 19:32 which day the Lord's Day is. 19:35 By the way there is only one day in the Bible 19:39 that is clearly called the Lord's. 19:45 If you go to the Fourth Commandment, 19:47 we see that the Sabbath belongs to God. 19:50 Then we go to the Book of Exodus Chapter 31, 19:52 it talks the Sabbath that actually, belongs to God. 19:57 Then in the Book of Isaiah 58:13 and 14, 20:03 "The Sabbath is called the Lord's Day." 20:06 Then we go to the New Testament. 20:09 Gospel of Mark Chapter 2, Jesus says 20:11 that" The Son of Man is the Lord of the Sabbath." 20:17 So when John used the expression the Lord's Day, 20:21 the Christians of the 1st Century 20:23 to whom the Book of Revelation was originally written. 20:26 Coming from the Old Testament, the Bible is in their hands. 20:30 There was only one way that they could understand 20:32 what that word "Day" was about. 20:35 However, there is in the Bible 20:37 another expression for the Lord's Day, 20:39 actually, it s called the "Day of the Lord." 20:42 In English it's the big deal. 20:43 But in Greek when you say the Lord's Day 20:46 or the Day of the Lord, it's actually, 20:48 just different way of saying. 20:51 And the Day of the Lord in the Old Testament 20:54 and in the New Testament refers to the time 20:57 when finally God will come in judgment. 21:01 Bring the history of this world to its end 21:05 and to establish His kingdom. 21:08 So there're many scholars they're debating that actually, 21:10 John meant that the Lord's Day is this the Day of the Lord 21:16 when God will come in judgment. 21:19 Actually, I'll ask to say just for you 21:22 that most likely both concepts are expressed here. 21:27 Why? Because we will come to this topic in the due time is. 21:33 In the Bible the Sabbath has the Eschatological 21:36 significance in the meaning. 21:38 You see, the Sabbath according to the Bible 21:41 reminded the people of Israel and us Christians, 21:45 what God did for us in the past. 21:47 God created the heaven and earth in six days. 21:49 On the seventh day God rested. 21:52 But the people of Israel 21:53 according to the Fourth Commandment 21:55 in Deuteronomy, Chapter 5, 21:56 reminded the people of Israel 21:58 that they were the slaves in the land of Egypt 22:00 and God took them out. 22:01 So the Sabbath also was a foretaste of that world to come. 22:07 The Jewish sources indicate that really the Jewish people 22:10 at the time of the Book of Revelation 22:11 they believed that actually, 22:13 Sabbath was the foretaste of that future world 22:17 and the kingdom of God that God will one day establish 22:21 with the coming of the Messiah. 22:23 So there is no problems. 22:24 I believe that the text is telling us clearly 22:28 when John met Jesus Christ 22:31 it was on the Seventh day Sabbath. 22:33 Does it make sense? 22:35 But at the same time that seventh day Sabbath 22:39 was also the sign with that Eschatological significance 22:44 because John was taken there to witness 22:47 the future events that will take place. 22:50 To witness those events that will take place 22:52 particularly at the time of the end. 22:54 When finally God will come in judgment 22:58 bring the history of this world to its end 23:00 and establish His kingdom. 23:03 So John was on the Sabbath day there on Patmos. 23:06 And then he heard the voice of Jesus Christ. 23:10 And friends, here is the beauty of this text. 23:16 I would like to use one sentence that's sealed in my mind. 23:23 And actually motivated me to study 23:25 the Book of Revelation in much deeper ways. 23:29 Because I concluded that the Patmos experience 23:34 always results in the revelation of the Jesus Christ. 23:41 You know, when we are in this life, 23:45 and when everything goes nice 24 hours. 23:50 We have good health, happy family, 23:55 the bank account is good. 23:59 Believe me so many times we even forget to give thanks for God. 24:04 But when we find ourselves on the Patmos of suffering, 24:10 when we are there hit by the greatest crisis of our life. 24:15 When we start asking questions, Lord where are you? 24:21 That there's opportunity for Jesus Christ 24:25 to come to reveal Himself to us. 24:28 So please do not forget, that the Patmos experience 24:33 always results, always results 24:38 in the revelation of Jesus Christ. 24:41 It's the opportunity that we can meet Jesus Christ. 24:45 Not Jesus Christ of my parents, 24:48 we'll see it just little bit later. 24:49 Not Jesus Christ of my friends, of my pastor, 24:53 of the church elder, Jesus Christ of somebody else. 24:57 This is the occasion that I can meet 25:00 Jesus Christ as my personal Savior. 25:04 You and I--the one who comes for me 25:07 because the Patmos experience. 25:11 Always results in the revelation of Jesus Christ. 25:18 So John was there in suffering. 25:20 I know we talk so much about his physical suffering. 25:23 Yeah, he was beaten, he was hungry, 25:27 But his sufferings was much greater than physical. 25:32 And John was there on Patmos. 25:37 A news came to him that the seven churches 25:44 in the Roman Province of Asia we call it today Asia Minor, 25:48 why today because today we have the continent of Asia. 25:53 But it was the Roman Province of Asia, 25:56 seven churches that John was in charge of them. 26:01 Actually, it came into great apostasy. 26:07 When John was there, 26:09 he was able to hold the situation under control. 26:13 But now he left, the churches were deprived of His leadership. 26:20 And suddenly some false teachers 26:21 we'll talk about that during our next presentation, 26:25 those churches they came into serious trouble. 26:30 Okay, their faith in God became challenged. 26:35 This always gives an occasion to false teachers 26:37 in the church to do their work. 26:40 John was not there, evidently some people they tried to say, 26:43 hey Brother John is not here, what he'll say to us. 26:46 Evidently, those people turned against John. Who is John? 26:49 If he's something good, he'll be here with us. 26:54 God would not allow him to suffer. 26:55 How it's very easy to blame people for suffering? 27:00 You remember, what the disciple said to Jesus, 27:03 "who sinned, this blind man or his parents." 27:07 Friends, the fact that we find ourselves on Patmos. 27:11 They're in suffering does not mean 27:13 that we're not faithful to God. 27:15 It's a simply an opportunity that God wants to meet us 27:19 on that personal base and it's always a great occasion 27:23 to have that personal encounter with Jesus Christ. 27:27 So John was in pain, both physical and mental. 27:32 He was in anguish. 27:34 And the Sabbath day came, you know, the Sabbath day, 27:38 is the time when we want to worship God. 27:41 But when you're in pain you've different experience. 27:46 When John was there overwhelmed by his situation, 27:50 he heard a voice, 27:52 John and then the instruction. 27:59 Write what you've seen. 28:03 And write in a book and send those to those churches. 28:06 You see Jesus wanted to come to visit John, 28:10 to help him in his situation 28:12 but at the same time to give him the message for those churches. 28:16 Friends, before I go further just a thought came to me, 28:21 have you ever thought? 28:23 That John had to go to Patmos. 28:25 So that today, we've revelation of Jesus Christ, 28:28 this beautiful book that we're studying. 28:30 He had to go to Patmos there to suffer. 28:32 Do you know that Daniel. 28:36 He had to be taken into the captivity as a slave, 28:39 to Babylon there. 28:41 So that today we have the Book of Daniel. 28:45 You see when so many times we ask the question, Lord why? 28:49 Evidently, God want something good to come out of that. 28:52 For my personal salvation and also that God 28:55 one day can use me as His personal witness. 28:58 So that I myself who came out of that situation 29:02 can carry that witness for God, 29:04 what He did for me to encourage others? 29:06 I know that's what God--this is exactly 29:09 what God did for my personal life. 29:12 And I know how God wants to use my personal experience 29:15 to use it to reach others for Christ 29:17 and to encourage them to come much closer to Jesus Christ. 29:20 So John hears his name. John, he recognized the voice. 29:25 Of course, during those three-and-half years, 29:27 how may times John heard his name? 29:31 He knew that was the voice of his beloved teacher, okay. 29:36 Now when you read verse 12, it says, 29:42 "And I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me. 29:49 And having turned I saw the seven golden lampstands, 29:54 and in the midst of the lampstands 29:55 I saw one like a son of man." 29:57 Verse 13, "Clothed in a robe reaching down to the feet 30:03 and girded with golden girdle." 30:06 His head and hair were white as white wool as snow 30:10 and his eyes as a flame of fire, 30:13 and his feet were like a burning bronze, 30:16 as refined in furnace, 30:17 and his voice was like the sound of many waters. 30:21 And he had in his right hand seven stars, 30:24 and out of his mouth proceeded a sharp two-edge sword, 30:28 and his face was as the sun shinning in its power. 30:32 And when I saw him, 30:34 I fell at his feet as a dead person. 30:38 And he placed his right hand on me saying, 30:40 "stop being afraid" this ishow it looks in Greek. 30:44 It's not "don't be afraid" because he was afraid already. 30:47 "Stop being afraid, I am the first and the last 30:51 and living one, and I was dead and behold, 30:54 I am alive forever and ever. 30:56 And I have the keys of death and of Hades. 30:59 Write therefore the things which you saw, 31:01 namely the things which are, and the things which are about 31:04 to take place after these things. 31:06 With regard to the mystery of the seven stars 31:09 that you saw in my right hand. 31:11 And the seven golden lamp stands. 31:13 The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches. 31:16 And the seven lampstands are the seven churches." 31:19 I apologize translation that I read now 31:23 it's my own translation from Greek. 31:25 I wanted you to get the dynamic of this text 31:28 and everything, everything what is here. 31:31 So John recognizes the voice. 31:33 He turns around to seek his beloved teacher. 31:36 When he looked at Him, he's stunned. 31:40 He expected to see the man of Galilee 31:43 walking on the dusty roads of Palestine 31:48 But what he sees here 31:49 in front of himself is the glorified Lord. 31:52 And he would like now to describing to us 31:58 but the words are lacking. 32:00 So we will notice what is the most common word here? 32:03 I intentionally use my translation 32:05 to express as in Greek-- what is the word like or as. 32:10 You cannot describe Him, okay? 32:13 You cannot, you cannot describe Him, describe Him. 32:16 He's using, okay, all those different expressions. 32:20 He's using the metaphoric language 32:23 in order to portray Christ. Amen. 32:25 Now please, there are few things here 32:27 that we have now to point out. 32:29 What is Jesus doing when John sees Him? 32:35 He's dressed in the priestly robe. 32:39 By the way it's not just priestly. 32:42 Josephus Flavius, 32:45 who lived around the time of Book of the Revelation 32:47 little bit earlier just-- 32:50 actually, he uses the same expression 32:53 the Greek word poderes, 32:55 long robe to portray the robe of the high priest 32:59 in the Jerusalem temple. Okay. 33:02 But it doesn't telling us 33:04 anything about high priestly ministry, 33:06 it's simply the priestly robe 33:07 in which Jesus says, but something else. 33:09 What is Jesus doing when John sees? 33:13 He says, He walks. 33:14 Actually, in chapter 2, verse 1, he says, 33:17 he walks among the seven candlesticks. 33:20 But in verse 12, he says, 33:24 that "The Son of Man was in the midst 33:27 of the seven candlesticks." Okay? 33:30 Now we've to go to the Bible and find interpretation 33:33 that the Bible provide for us, it's in verse 20. 33:37 He's telling us here 33:38 that these seven candlesticks or lampstands 33:44 symbolize what? The seven churches. 33:49 Okay, what is the message? 33:51 Why is Jesus present 33:54 and why is Jesus walking among those seven candlesticks. 33:58 By the way... 34:00 if you open the Book of Leviticus 26:11 and 12. 34:07 We read there so Leviticus 26:11 and 12. 34:11 That God said to the people of Israel 34:13 "Make a sanctuary for me, so that I can dwell among you." 34:20 But verse 12 said, 34:22 "And I will be walking among you. 34:26 And you will be my people 34:28 and I will be your God." Amen. 34:30 So the promise that God 34:32 long, long ago gave to the people of Israel 34:35 that He will be walking among them. 34:37 Now we see Jesus here that He's fulfilling 34:41 that promise in the symbolic walking 34:43 among the seven candlesticks. 34:45 But then it's here has much deeper meaning. 34:47 So the seven lampstands or the seven candlesticks 34:51 actually, they represent seven churches. 34:54 The Jewish work Mishnah, okay. 34:58 That is actually a codex of all legal rights 35:05 of the Jewish people from the 1st Century, okay. 35:09 That is codified and put in one book. 35:12 There is one special chapter 35:15 on the Jerusalem temple in the sanctuary, 35:17 how the priest were supposed to perform their duties. 35:20 We'll several times during these series refer to this chapter. 35:26 But they say, that the duties of the priest 35:30 that were allotted for the duty by casting a lot. 35:35 Okay, one of the duties of some of those priests was 35:39 everyday to go there to the holy place of the temple, 35:45 several times a day they had to go there. 35:47 Why because the lamps, 35:50 they had to be kept burning 24 hours a day. 35:55 So they had to be very careful 35:57 that those lamps are indeed burning. 36:01 So the priest would go there 36:03 and check each one of those lamps individually. 36:07 Some lamps were doing okay. 36:10 So the priest would clean the wick 36:13 and make it even to shine better, 36:17 but some of those lamps were almost dying. 36:20 So he will clean everything 36:23 add oil there so to making them to burn. 36:26 Actually, several times a day the priest would come there 36:29 to the holy place to check those lamps. 36:31 Let me now some-- to ask you something. 36:35 When you work in your kitchen, in your kitchen, 36:39 how many times you check certain things in the kitchen. 36:42 What happens after three, four months, 36:44 six months, one year? 36:46 Even if you're blind you can go there, 36:48 you know exactly what it is? You know, how it looks? 36:52 You don't even, you don't need even to look into that. 36:55 You know, how it functions. 36:57 If you get two, three things you know exactly 37:00 which of those three, four things does not function 37:02 and you try to take care of that. 37:03 Can you mention, when the priest was coming, 37:06 several times a day checking lamps, 37:07 he knew exactly everything about each one of those lamps. 37:13 Actually, this old century background 37:16 help us to understand this vision of Jesus is. 37:19 Jesus is there walking among those seven candlesticks. 37:24 So what is He doing? 37:25 Trimming the lamps, adding oil, 37:29 checking if they're burning properly. 37:33 What is the main message of that? We'll come to that. 37:38 When you read the messages to seven churches. 37:40 One of the very common words 37:42 regularly used with reference to every church is, I know you. 37:48 I know where you dwell. 37:52 I know your labor. Amen. 37:54 I know your trouble. 37:56 I know your perseverance. 37:57 Why? Because Jesus is present there with His churches. 38:01 He's present there with His people. 38:03 He cares about those lamps. 38:05 If the church is dying, 38:08 He adds more oil. He cleanses them. 38:10 He cleans those lamps, making them to provide 38:15 the proper burning there, etcetera. 38:18 This vision of Jesus Christ 38:20 is very important for what follows, 38:24 because we'd read in verse 19 that Jesus said to John. 38:27 John, I am now giving you the messages. 38:29 You're supposed to write them down on the scroll 38:33 and send there to those churches. 38:35 But as we explained yesterday 38:37 before Jesus gives to John those messages 38:40 which he is supposed to pass to the churches. 38:43 Jesus first wants to say something about Himself. 38:47 He wants to tell those churches, 38:49 I am the one who knows you very well. 38:51 I care about you. I know your situation. 38:57 And that's the reason why I'm here, 39:00 because I want to help you. 39:03 I remember when my children were little 39:07 and my son sometimes I had problem with him 39:09 in the same way as my father had problem with me 39:12 when I was his age. Amen. 39:15 You talk and he doesn't listen. 39:17 So many times you had to push him 39:18 in front of our self I say, Hey, you know, 39:21 how much I was happy when you were born. 39:23 I am so proud to have a son. 39:26 Is there anybody else in this world 39:28 that loves you so much? 39:30 I care about you. 39:31 And you don't listen to me, so better listen to me. 39:33 Don't try to trick me because I know you so well, 39:38 because you're my son. 39:40 Actually, this is what Jesus is doing here in this vision. 39:44 But I like now and the time that is left to us. 39:48 That we notice something that really changed my personal life. 39:55 We just read here 39:58 from verses 13 to verse 17. 40:04 How John portrays Jesus that he sees there in the vision. 40:10 And please when you take 40:11 that companion to my commentary there. 40:14 When you take it, you'll find explanation 40:16 of all those details. 40:17 We don't have time to go into all details. 40:19 Each one of that detail 40:21 has a great significance and meaning. 40:24 But we like to get that general picture is. 40:27 I hope that you still keep in your mind 40:29 the description of Jesus, okay? 40:32 When does John begin? 40:36 With the hair-- he goes then to Jesus' face. 40:41 Then He goes to His cloth. He goes to His breast. 40:46 Then He goes to His feet. 40:49 So when you're there in chapter 1, 40:52 John sees the complete Jesus, 40:54 from here and you will see He ends with His feet. 40:58 He provides the description of the entire Jesus. 41:01 Are you still with me? 41:02 Let's put it here in this way. 41:05 So Revelation 1, 41:11 this is artistic representation. 41:14 We have the complete Jesus 41:16 from here to here, that John sees. 41:19 Now, we saw that in verse 19 of chapter 1. 41:25 Jesus commissioned John, to write to those churches. 41:31 Jesus provides John with seven 41:33 distinctive messages for those churches. 41:37 And all those messages, 41:38 they're organized in the same way. 41:41 They all have the same format. 41:43 All the messages they begin with the statement. 41:46 The one--actually to the angel of the church in right. 41:51 The one and then Jesus 41:53 introduce Himself to the church. 41:55 Then the next session begins, I know. 41:59 And then after that, 42:01 Jesus gives the consult to the church what to do. 42:04 And the church concludes with the call to hear the spirit 42:09 and the promise to the over comer. 42:11 Sometimes the order is changed 42:13 with regard to these last two items. 42:15 I would like now, to invite you to go with me, 42:21 we'll put into the fifth-gear. 42:25 I'd like us to go quickly through those messages. 42:28 And I'd like to ask you to pay attention 42:31 about those introductions of Jesus to each individual church. 42:39 And then I'd like to ask you a question. 42:41 Are you ready with me? 42:43 Let's go through all those messages. 42:44 Let's see how Jesus comes to the church 42:46 in Ephesus and please, 42:48 pay attention to that, okay. 42:51 So its chapter 2 verse 1. 42:54 We're dealing with the church in Ephesus. 42:57 "To the church in Ephesus 42:59 Jesus comes as the one who holds the seven stars 43:03 in His right hand 43:04 and walks among the seven lampstands. 43:08 The church in Smyrna Chapter 2, verse 8, 43:11 Jesus comes to the church as the first and the last, 43:14 who was dead and has come to life. 43:18 The church in Pergamum, 43:19 for that church Jesus comes as the one 43:21 who has the sharp two-edged sword. 43:24 To the church in Thyatira, 43:25 Jesus comes as the Son of God 43:27 who has eyes like a flame of fire, 43:29 and His Feet are like burnished bronze. 43:32 To the church in Sardis, 43:33 Jesus comes as the one who has the seven spirits of God, 43:37 and the seven stars. 43:40 Then the church in Philadelphia. 43:43 To this church, Jesus comes as the Holy one, 43:46 the true one, who has the key of David, 43:48 who opens and no one will shut, 43:50 and who shuts no one will open. 43:53 And finally to the church in Laodicea, 43:55 Jesus comes as the one who is the Amen, 43:58 the faithful and the true witness, 44:01 and the ruler of God's creation." 44:05 Do you see that? 44:06 Before Jesus addresses 44:08 the situation of a particular church, 44:10 what does He do? 44:14 He first wants to introduce Himself 44:17 to that particular church. 44:20 But then you notice something, how Jesus does it. 44:26 Let me go here to this blackboard. 44:31 We have here in Revelation Chapter 1, 44:33 the complete Jesus. 44:35 Please, now you have to be with me. 44:37 This is the beauty of this message. 44:41 And now Jesus takes some 44:43 characteristic of Himself from Chapter 1 44:46 and He gives to the first church. 44:50 Then He takes some of these characteristics here 44:53 and gives Himself to the second church 44:56 then to the third church, then to the fourth church. 44:59 Some characteristics He gives to the fifth church. 45:02 Some characteristics to the sixth church 45:04 and some characteristics to the seventh church. 45:08 Did you notice it? Amen. 45:10 Please, there's something else. 45:12 When you put all these characteristics together, 45:16 what do you have? 45:18 You've the complete Jesus of Revelation Chapter 1. Amen. 45:24 And this is something 45:25 that puzzled the students of the Bible. 45:29 What is the meaning of that? And praise God. 45:33 In last several years, 45:36 we discovered many gems coming out of that vision. 45:40 Did you notice something? 45:45 That there is no single church 45:48 that receives the complete Jesus of chapter 1. 45:55 Second thing there're no two churches 46:02 that received the same characteristics of Jesus. 46:05 Jesus does not come to two churches in the same way. 46:09 Each church receives a particular, 46:13 specific aspect of Jesus from chapter 1. 46:17 Why? What is the meaning of that? 46:20 For simple reason is-- 46:24 because the way how Jesus introduces Himself to church 46:30 corresponds to the situation and the needs of the church. 46:35 So it means there're not two churches, 46:38 that are in the same problem and the same situation 46:42 and that's why Jesus comes 46:44 to each church in the unique way. 46:45 You see friends, God needs people 46:50 where they are. Amen. 46:52 Who is the Jesus of the Book of Revelation? 46:55 When Jesus comes to the church in Ephesus, 46:58 He comes to the church 47:00 as the Jesus of the church in Ephesus, 47:02 not as the Jesus of the church in Laodicea. 47:07 When Jesus comes to the church in Philadelphia, 47:12 He does not come to the church 47:14 as the Jesus of the church in Smyrna. 47:20 Because the church, 47:22 a particular church needs Jesus 47:25 within its own life situation and the needs. 47:30 Let me just take few moments to reflect on that. 47:34 Have you ever wondered why we've four gospels? 47:39 Why we have four gospels? 47:44 If you're a New Testament scholar 47:46 and you've to teach class from the gospel, 47:48 you will know how terrible headache is to teach? 47:52 There're differences. 47:54 Actually, Ellen White talks that each gospel writer, 47:57 wrote from his own perspective 47:59 and his own experience with Jesus Christ. 48:02 When I was a young scholar, 48:04 I said Lord, why did You give us one gospel? 48:06 We would have all the problems solved. 48:09 To that I say, thank you Lord 48:10 that we've four gospels. 48:11 Because the four gospels, 48:13 they're written to four different groups 48:18 and kinds of people. 48:22 When Mathew wrote his gospel, 48:23 he wrote to the Christians coming from the Pharisees-- 48:26 and Jewish background. 48:28 They put such emphasis on the law, friends, 48:29 so when you read that gospel, 48:31 it's about spiritual needs of those people. 48:33 In the same time Luke, wrote to the Gentiles, 48:36 outcast from the society, women. 48:39 So, he put the emphasis on the physical needs of people. 48:42 And Jesus can satisfy those physical needs. 48:45 John wrote to the second generation of Christians. 48:48 You know, always second generation. 48:51 They don't know about the experience 48:52 of the first generation. 48:54 They have that struggle while Mark wrote 48:57 to the persecuted Christians in Rome. Amen. 49:01 The most common word in the gospel of Mark 49:03 is immediately, everything is immediately. 49:05 When people are persecuted, 49:06 you don't know, they will live until tomorrow, 49:08 then everything must be immediately. 49:11 That's why we've four gospels. 49:13 The same is what we have here. 49:19 Jesus comes to each church in the unique way. 49:23 Friends, we live today as Christians. 49:29 I want to talk about other people, 49:30 I'm talking about myself. 49:32 I remember when I was young, 49:35 everything that I knew about Jesus Christ 49:37 was Jesus of my father, of my pastor, 49:41 who baptized me and church elder, 49:43 who tried to care about me. 49:46 But what I was lacking 49:48 is my personal encounter with Jesus Christ. Amen. 49:53 Are you still with me? 49:54 We know too much about Jesus Christ. 49:59 But not too many people know Jesus Christ personally. 50:06 In Revelation 1, He's telling us, 50:10 that the church in Ephesus did not need-- 50:13 may be that's a wrong expression. 50:16 Okay, but to the Jesus in Ephesus, 50:18 Jesus does not come as the Jesus of the church in Thyatira. 50:22 He's coming as the Jesus 50:24 whom the church in Ephesus and he that, 50:29 and it is that Jesus who could satisfy 50:32 the need of that particular church. 50:38 Actually, this vision of Jesus Christ 50:40 changed my perspective of Jesus Christ completely. 50:44 Actually, after understanding this vision, 50:46 I fell love in Jesus Christ. 50:48 I decided to find the things not about Jesus, 50:52 but to discover Jesus as my personal savior. 50:54 I just want to tell you, 50:56 everything changed in my personal life. 50:58 I started with my own children 51:00 trying to raise them in the Lord. 51:03 I used all methods 51:04 that we as parents are using in tricks, it did not work. 51:08 I don't time to talk about that, 51:09 but when I left my own children to discover 51:14 Jesus of the personal lives everything changed. 51:17 Today, when I talk to my daughter, 51:19 she tells me what pages of the Bible she read. 51:24 What pages of Ellen White, 51:25 she read ask me if sometimes for some explanation. 51:27 We're talking about the regular base. 51:29 Ever morning she gets up even 51:30 if she is tired to head one hour devotional with God, 51:33 because she discovered Jesus Christ for herself. 51:36 Every Friday evening I talk to my son and he said, 51:39 "Dad we just finished the beginning of the Sabbath. 51:42 We're listening here to those songs." 51:45 This was not case earlier 51:49 because my children they knew everything 51:51 about Jesus Christ of the parents. 51:53 When I led them to discover Jesus for themselves-- 51:56 when they found Jesus Christ, 51:58 that personal savior everything changed. 52:01 And I decided to use this method in the classroom. 52:04 When I am there in the classroom I tell my students, 52:08 the struggles that you're going through, 52:10 I went through when I was your age. 52:13 And I told them how I found Jesus Christ for myself. 52:16 And I challenged them 52:19 to have that personal encounter with Jesus Christ. 52:22 I never teach them, I tell them I'm not here to teach you. 52:25 I'm simply here to share with you 52:28 what Jesus Christ means to me. 52:30 And what I learn from the Bible about Him. 52:34 This is what I do in my preaching. 52:37 And my goal is to do also during these presentations. 52:41 The entire purpose is that we have our personal encounter 52:47 with Jesus Christ and I just want to tell you 52:50 what the difference it will make in our lives. Amen. 52:55 But there is something else in few minutes that are left to us. 53:02 Jesus meets people where they are. Amen. 53:05 But also He gives them the promises. 53:07 We've already mentioned 53:09 that each one of the seven messages 53:11 concludes with the promises 53:12 to over comers in those churches. 53:15 Please, allow me something to illustrate something. 53:19 I'll put it here, okay, on this board here. 53:24 The first church is the church in Ephesus. 53:28 We'll talk about that next time. 53:29 It was the fantastic church, loyal, faithful. 53:35 Steadfast and brave in perseverance, 53:39 faithful to God, didn't tolerate the false teachers. 53:43 Every pastor would like to be pastor of such a church. 53:47 But the church has one problem lacking that first love. 53:50 But its still very good church. 53:52 What about the second church. 53:54 Still very good church, 53:56 nothing negative except one problem is 53:59 that church lives in the constant fear. 54:01 Overhead fear can be a serious problem, okay. 54:05 The next church in Pergamum 54:07 actually it's already in serious troubles. 54:11 But it's still a good church but some troubles. 54:14 Then we come to the church in Thyatira, 54:16 the fourth church, the church is a divided church. 54:21 The people were very faithful. 54:24 But there is a serious apostasy in the church. 54:27 Then when we come to the church in Sardis 54:30 this church has just a name to be alive. 54:33 Living from past glory but this church that is dead. 54:38 When we come to the church Philadelphia brotherly love. 54:42 They just take a name and make glory of that. 54:45 But Jesus says to the church 54:46 that you've just a little strength. 54:49 The church is hardly surviving 54:51 and though it receives many promises from Jesus Christ. 54:54 And then we come to the church of Laodicea, 54:58 any comment, no. 55:00 Nothing good to be said about the church. 55:03 But then Jesus comes to the church 55:05 and this is the beauty of the gospel. 55:07 I hope that you can be now with me. 55:13 If you open please I've only two minutes left. 55:18 Just to see how Jesus comes to this church. 55:22 To the church in the Ephesus the best church. 55:25 Jesus comes and gives how many promises. 55:29 Only one promise is the tree of life. 55:32 Then comes to the next church, just little bit down. 55:35 The church is Smyrna, 55:37 the church receives two promises, 55:39 chapter 2 verses 2 to 11. 55:41 Two promise, crown of life 55:44 and escape from the second death. 55:45 Then you come to the third church, 55:47 Pergamum receives three promises, 55:50 the church Thyatira fourth church, 55:51 the four promises. 55:53 The church in Sardis receives five promises. 55:56 The church in Philadelphia receives, 55:58 sixth church receives the six promises. 56:01 And finally, the last church, the worse church. 56:05 The church in Laodicea, 56:06 any guess how many promises 56:08 does the church Laodicea receives? Only one. 56:13 "Everybody who overcomes will sit with me 56:16 on my throne as I overcame 56:19 and sat with my Father on His throne." 56:23 Did you notice something significant? 56:27 If rich man comes here to you and tells you 56:31 I can give million dollars to you, 56:34 buy you a great mansion 56:37 and give you these, these things. 56:38 What I can adopt you as my successor 56:41 to inherit all my things, what would you chose? 56:43 You see when you sit with Jesus on his thrown 56:46 then you've all these other promises. Amen. 56:51 Is that what Apostle Paul said? 56:54 Is that what apostle Paul said? 56:56 When sin increases 56:59 the grace abounds even more. 57:05 See this is the first vision of Jesus Christ. 57:09 What a great savior He's presented here? 57:12 He walks among us. He understands us. 57:16 He knows everything about us. 57:18 He cares about us 57:20 and He gives us those great promises. 57:24 Please, accept Him as your savior 57:27 because he meats people where they are. Amen. |
Revised 2014-12-17