Life in Christ Jesus Podcast

Behold He Cometh with Clouds IV - Every Eye Shall See Him

Behold He Cometh with Clouds - Every Eye Shall See Him
In Zechariah 12 a prophecy of the coming of the Holy Spirit and the looking upon the LORD is given to Jerusalem.  In this sharing, we are looking into some depth of this seeing of the LORD through the Spirit of Grace declared by Zechariah.  Notice below what is said, the Spirit will be poured out on the house of Jacob and they will look upon me whom they pierced.
 
Zechariah 12:10 “And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplication; and they shall look unto me whom they have pierced; and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his first-born.”
 
On the day of Pentecost this very thing happened.  Gathered in Jerusalem in an upper room was 120 believers waiting for the promise of the Spirit.  Upon them the Spirit was poured, and the wonderful works of God began to be proclaimed.  When Peter preached the message on Pentecost to the multitude who was gathered to hear, what happened?  They were pricked at the heart, or began to mourn for Him that was pierced, and cried out what do they do to be saved.  Peter proclaimed, “Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and you shall be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
 
In the name of Jesus, all power now resided.  No one could come anymore to repent through the offerings of heifers and turtle doves.  Now in Jesus was all power and authority for the remission of sins.  In His name had all authority been placed.  No longer was salvation through the Law of Moses, or through the Priesthood of Aaron.  All power had been gathered up in our Lord Jesus Christ.  He is Lord of all.  From here Jerusalem and Israel now had to bow to Him, and Him only!  He was anointed King and Lord, and had raised from the dead, pouring out the gift of God to all who would receive!
 
Not only would Jerusalem and Israel mourn for the destruction that came upon them in 70 AD.  Every eye of the heart that saw him would mourn or be convicted of sin and see their salvation in only Jesus Christ.  The Holy Spirit came to convict the world of sin and to show us Jesus.  This seeing of Jesus causes the heart to turn from ourselves to him, and find salvation in no other name. 
 
 Jesus makes a profound statement in John 15 when He says, He is the true vine.
 
John 15:1-7  I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. 2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. 3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. 6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. 
 
The vine related to Old Covenant Israel.  They were known as God’s choices’ plant.  They were known as God’s vine.  God says to them through the prophet Isaiah, recorded in Chapter 5, “What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?”  What more could be done?   Jesus speaks to Jerusalem in Matthew 21 in the parable of the winepress and says the Kingdom will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits thereof.
 
Jesus himself is the answer to what more could be done.  He came to Jerusalem to save them and was their answer to the fruit of the vine.  Without Him they would be lost, which many were in that day because they would not receive Him.  He that abides in Him bears fruit.  Now you can no longer bear fruit unto God by being born a natural Jewish man or a natural Israelite.  You must abide in the true vine.  This is the nation that bears fruit unto God, those who are in Christ Jesus.  We who are planted into His death and brought forth in His life are the holy nation unto God.  This is also the word we must keep, the word that Jesus reveals. 
 
He is the true vine.  We cannot give this word away.  We must keep it.  His word is established in us by the revealing of Him by the Holy Spirit.  We are the City on a hill whose light (JESUS) cannot be hid.  We are the Temple of God, the House that God would build to fill with Himself.  We are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.  This is the Word we must keep.  The Word He reveals and shows us in Himself!  This is how we abide in Him, by keeping His Word!  Glory to God!!

The Image of God's Son

For us to become a Christian is not the final goal of the Lord.  To become a believer is the starting point, where we begin our journey to know Christ.  The end product is to be conformed to the image of God's dear Son.  The Apostle Paul makes this known in the Book of Romans.
Romans 8:29 &30 For whom he foreknew, he also foreordained to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren: 30 and whom he foreordained, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. 
Yes, God foreknew a people.  But the people he foreknew was a people in Christ.  This is what is meant by "Jacob have I loved and Esau have I hated."  Jacob represented the holy SEED of God.  The Holy SEED of God was revealed as the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.  We are chosen in Him to bring forth fruit unto God.  It is in Christ where God has his choosing not in the man of flesh, but in the Seed of Spirit who is Christ.  
And in this SEED, God is after the image of Himself.   Jesus was God manifest in the earth.  He was also said to be the express image of the Father.  This image was more than his physical characteristics.  In fact, Isaiah declared in Isaiah 53 there was no special beauty of Christ that we would desire.   When Peter declared Jesus to be the Christ, Jesus said "flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but my Father which is in heaven."  It was revealed unto Peter by the Spirit.  This was a foreshadow of what God was to do in us.
God reveals Christ in us to transform us to the image of His Son.  By the heart seeing Jesus we are changed into the same image He is.  What happens is a new nature is formed within.  This new nature that is within us is to be manifested without, or in the earth through our flesh.  This is what was meant by God being manifest in the flesh.  God's divine nature was seen in the earth in Jesus Christ.  It is the heart of the Father that all men come to Him, and this image be made known.
Blessings and enjoy Pastor Henry Stanley.
 

Behold He Cometh with Clouds III

Behold He Cometh with Clouds III
 
We have looked the last couple of weeks at Jesus coming in Clouds as the indwelling presence of the Lord.  In the Old Covenant God filled the Tabernacle and Temple made with hands in a Glory Cloud.  This association with Jesus coming in Clouds must be made in our hearts.  Here in Revelation Chapter 1, John sees one like the Son of Man walking in the seven golden candlesticks. It is revealed to John that these seven golden candlesticks are the churches of Asia.
 
Furthermore, John sees the Son of Man, having seven stars in His hand.  These seven stars are the seven angels or messengers of the churches.  We could by this passage of scripture say that Jesus fulfilled coming in the Glory of His Father with His angels, as He declared to His disciples, recorded in Matthew 16.  He appears in the Glory of the Father with hair white as wool, eyes of blazing fire, countenance as the sun, clothed with a garment to the foot, around His chest a golden girdle, and feet as burnished brass in a fire.  His appearance here in the seven golden candlesticks is not the same appearance as the man of Galilee that John had known Him by.  This is an entirely different view of our Lord Jesus, one like the Son of Man IN the seven golden candlesticks.
 
It also should not escape our attention the symbolic language that is used in John’s writing.  Why didn’t John simply say the Son of Man was in the churches and addressing seven angels?  John speaks the language of the Spirit.  Also, it should not escape our sight that John is seeing a view of the Temple.  The feet of Jesus were as brass.  The Temple had the brass altar and the brass laver in its entranceway and court.  The holy place housed the golden candlestick.  Jesus is walking in seven golden candlesticks.  We should make note of this in our hearts and seek to understand what is being said by the Spirit of God.
 
Throughout the Old Covenant symbolic language was used in God’s dealing with Israel.  Cloud comings were prevalent in God’s dealing with Israel, both as His presence and as Judgement.  On Mt. Sinai God came down in a cloud and gave the Law.  The judgement of the Law went forth in all of Israel.   When Jesus came born in a manger the inhabitants of Judah were still under this same law given by God in the Cloud at Mt. Sinai.
 
God had told them that if they keep the Law they would be blessed.  The blessings are outlined throughout the book of Deuteronomy.  However, He also told them that if they do not keep the Law they would be cursed.  Look closely at the Book of Revelation.  In Chapter 1 the book declares blessed is he that reads and understands this book.  Throughout the Book cursing’s and woes are determined upon a people. Here in the book of Revelation is set forth blessings and cursings.  Could these be the same curses God spoke of in the Old Covenant that would come upon Israel if they did not keep His Law?  Certainly, they could!
 
As the prophet Joel prophesied of the pending judgement coming upon the land of Israel, could the phrase, “Behold He Cometh with Clouds” fulfill this judgement?  In Joel’s writing and prophesy he prophesies of a day of clouds and a day of gloom.  History tells us that Jerusalem was burned and the Temple was destroyed in 70 AD.  Consider Joel’s and other of the prophets’ writings of the devastation that would befall Jerusalem. 
 
Joel 2:1-6  Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand; 2 A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations. 3. A fire devoureth before them; and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them. 4 The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so shall they run. 5 Like the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble, as a strong people set in battle array. 6 Before their face the people shall be much pained: all faces shall gather blackness. 
 
I admonish us to dig deeply into the Word.  Search out the depths of it.  On the surface is a blessing.  However, like the rich ore of the gold rush in California, the riches of the word lay buried underneath.  These riches are not seen by the casual reader, but one who digs deep, and searches for the riches that only God Himself can reveal from His Holy written word. 

Behold He Cometh with Clouds II

Behold He Cometh With Clouds II
Revelation Chapter 1:7&8 “Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. 8 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.” 
 
Last week I made a statement if you were Jewish and living in the Apostle John’s day, how would you perceive Jesus coming in the clouds?  Now taking this a step further, if you were the High Priest and Jesus told you He was coming in the glory of His Father what would you think?  This is very important to answer.  Would you automatically believe Jesus was talking about coming out of the literal sky in rain clouds or would you be aware of God coming in Clouds to fill the Tabernacle of Moses and the Temple of God according to the Scripture, or coming in Clouds to execute judgement upon His enemies?
 
To take this a step further would you consider Daniel’s writings that he, Daniel saw in the night visions one like a Son of Man come in the Clouds of to the Ancient of Days and given a Kingdom that all nations should serve Him, Daniel 7:13&14?  I believe if we become scripturally minded, we would have to consider this.  The LORD is the revealer of all mystery and He has all understanding and knowledge.  In Matthew 16 Jesus declares the Son of Man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels.
 
Matthew 16:27&28 “For the Son of Man will come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and then he will render to everyone according to his deeds.28Most certainly I tell you, there are some standing here who will in no way taste of death, until they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom."
 
Look closely at Revelation Chapter 1.  John hears a voice and turns to sees the Son of Man dressed in a garment down to His feet. 
 
Revelation 1:12-16 “And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; 13 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. 14 His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; 15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. 16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. 
 
Is this the picture of the Son of Man in the Glory of His Father here in Revelation Chapter 1?  As we have considered before by searching the scriptures, we see the Glory of God filling the Temple in a CLOUD.  In Ezekiel the prophet sees a cloud coming with fire.  In that cloud Ezekiel sees a Man on a throne with fire from his loins upward and his loins downward.  Ezekiel calls this sight the appearance of the likeness of the glory of Jehovah.  Ezekiel fell upon his face.  Is there any similarity with the encounter of Ezekiel to the encounter of John in Revelation Chapter 1?  Yes, it absolutely is!  John saw the appearance of the Son of Man and fell on His face as dead. 
 
Ezekeiel 1:26-28 “And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone; and upon the likeness of the throne was a likeness as the appearance of a man upon it above. 27 And I saw as it were glowing metal, as the appearance of fire within it round about, from the appearance of his loins and upward; and from the appearance of his loins and downward I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and there was brightness round about him. 28 As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of Jehovah. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake. 
 
Now when the Glory Cloud of the Old Testament filled the Temple could it have been this appearance that Ezekiel sees in that Cloud?  I absolutely believe it was. Multiple times the description of the Cloud was as of fire.  The Cloud appeared as fire on Mt. Sinai.  Moses, Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu see God in this Mountain with the seventy Elders and under His feet was a sapphire stone that was the appearance of Heaven, Exodus 24:9-11.   
 
Now could it be that John is seeing the Glory of the LORD filling His Temple? You are the Temple of God.  Jesus is walking in the seven golden candlesticks which are the seven churches of Asia.  This I believe was seven literal churches and Asia but represents the Church as a whole.  The Son of Man is in the Church in His Glory!
 
In Revelation 1 the LORD declare that HE IS and was and is to come in verse 8.  I believe we get lost in the is to come, and do not see that HE declared Himself to be present.  In fact, He shows Himself to have filled the church, seven golden candlesticks, and to have with Him seven angels or ministers of the church.  Here may be a picture of Jesus coming in the glory of His Father with His angels, and this picture is in the very church of the Lord Jesus!   
 

Revelation Chapter 1 - Behold He Cometh with Clouds

Revelation Chapter 1:7&8 “Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. 8 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.” 
 
If I had grown up through Judaism or under the law how would I look at the above verses related to Jesus coming in clouds?  Would I believe all the scriptures referencing cloud comings were speaking of Jesus coming out of literal clouds in the sky?  As we get into this study these are questions that we may want to ask ourselves.  Also, we should consider cloud comings in the Bible.  Were there cloud comings in the Old Testament?  What were they and what did they represent?
 
Looking at the scripture God came to Israel in the clouds throughout the Old Testament writings.  There are two main themes in these cloud comings of the Lord that I see.  His coming in clouds represents His Glory and Presence, and His Coming in Clouds represents His Judgement.  First, I see the cloud comings of the Lord representing His Glory, His Presence, and His Infilling.  In Exodus 16:10, the scripture reads, “And it came to pass, as Aaron spake unto the whole congregation of the children of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and, behold, the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud.” 
 
“Behold the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud.”  If we look closely at the scripture, this becomes a common occurrence as God deals with the nation of Israel.  God leads the nation of Israel out of Egypt by a pillar of a cloud and fire.  God covers Mount Sinai, in a cloud and a fire when Israel comes to the Mountain.  Moses goes into the cloud to receive the instructions for the Tabernacle, the Priesthood, the Law, and the Tablets of the Covenant.  All of this happened in the cloud that covered Mount Sinai.  Read closely Exodus 19 through Exodus 31.
 
Exodus 24:16-18  “And the glory of the LORD abode upon mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days: and the seventh day he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud. 17 And the sight of the glory of the LORD was like devouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel. 18 And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and gat him up into the mount: and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights.” 
 
Exodus 34:5  “And the LORD descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD.”
 
Somehow this vision of the cloud has gotten lost in much of our teaching in the church.  Many do not associate the cloud comings of Jesus with the cloud comings of the Old Testament.  In fact, many may not regard the Old Testament at all when they read the writings of the gospels.  When Jesus came, He came to Israel.  He was born of the tribe of Judah.  He is “the Lion of the tribe of Judah.”  He was born under the law.  So, the law was still in motion when Jesus came. 
 
The people of that time would have associated cloud comings with the writings of Moses and the prophets under the law.  When Jesus declares, in Mathew 16, “the
Son of Man shall come in the glory of his Father,” what does this mean?  Do we associate it all with the Old Testament?  If we do not associate it with the Old Testament then how doe we understand it? 
 
The prophet Ezekiel has an encounter with a Cloud Coming of the LORD.  This is one of the most vivid pictures of the Glory of the LORD we may see in our Bible.  If Jesus is the Son of God, and He is coming in the Glory of His Father.  May He be referencing the Glory of the LORD that is throughout the Old Testament scripture.  In the cloud coming in Ezekiel Chapter 1, a vision of a Son of Man with a body with the likeness of fire is seen.  There is a strong parallel from Ezekiel Chapter 1 to Revelation Chapter 1.
 
Ezekiel 1:26-28  “And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it. 27 And I saw as the colour of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of his loins even upward, and from the appearance of his loins even downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about. 28 As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake.”
 
In this cloud was the vision of the Glory of the LORD.  This cloud appeared throughout the Old Testament over and over and over again.  This cloud filled the Tabernacle of Moses.  This cloud filled the Temple of Solomon.  This cloud was known by the Israelites as the very Presence and Glory of the living God.  When Jesus said He was coming in the clouds, could He have been saying He would be coming in the very Presence and the Glory of God? 
 
In Matthew 26 Jesus tells the High Priest that the Son of Man would be at His Father’s right hand and coming in the clouds of heaven.  Then the Bible says this the High Priest rent his garment.  As the High Priest of the Temple of God, would he not have heard of the Glory of God covering the Temple and filling the Holy of Holies in the Glory Cloud of God?  Certainly, he would.  Then would it be possible that he perceived Jesus was saying He would come in this great Glory Cloud and Fill the Temple of Israel? 
 
I believe that is what Jesus did.  He came in the Glory Cloud of God, God’s presence and filled the Temple of the Living God.  You are the Temple of the Living God, as God said, He would walk in us and live in us and we would be His people.  This is part of the very vision the Apostle John is seeing in the Book of Revelation.  The Son of Man walking in the midst of the church, the seven candlesticks.  He is in you and I today who have received Him, ready to be revealed in His Coming to be glorified in the saints.
 

The Book of Revelation Introduction III - Now is the Time

As we study the Book of Revelation, I want to draw our attention to the importance of Church History and timelines.  When many teach of timelines, many position futuristic timelines.  What is alarming is that many believers do not know the History of the church or the timeline that was in the Apostle Johns day.  First from Daniel there was a 490 year timeline that had been determined upon JERUSALEM.  
I want to draw our attention to Jerusalem, because after the reign of Solomon the Kingdom of Israel split in two.  You had the Northern Kingdom of Israel and the Southern Kingdom of Judah.  I would suggest we study these Kingdom's out and come to some comprehension of their timeline.  I would also suggest that the Apostle John was living in the fulfillment of what God had declared through the prophets concerning Judah and Jerusalem.  Isaiah's visions according to Chapter 1 verse 1 were concerning Judah and Jerusalem.  Daniel's prophecy's were also the same,  concerning his people - the people of Judah. 
Jesus came and declared in Luke 21 these are the days of vengeance of our God, when you see Jerusalem compassed with armies.  This was fulfilled in the Jewish wars with Rome, and culminated in the destruction of the Temple in 70 A.D.  These timelines of the Kingdoms of Israel and Judah are of utmost importance.  We may think that this history is insignificant, but if we read our Bible we will see that God placed great emphasis in it by giving us the Books of Kings and Chronicles.  In fact most of your Old Testament is concerning the Covenant with Israel and the types, shadows, and symbolism that is reflected from that to our Lord Jesus Christ!
Now I want to draw our attention to a very significant timeline that was announced by the Lord Jesus Christ, recorded in John 4:23 & 24, "But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth: for such doth the Father seek to be his worshippers. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship in spirit and truth. is the time."  This engagement with the woman at the well starts with Jesus having to go to Samaria.  Samaria according to history was part of the Northern Kingdom or Israel.  The woman claimed to be a descendant of her father Jacob.  So she claimed to be an Israelite by that.  
When Jesus engaged her she declared our father's worshiped in this mountain.  According to history when the Kingdom's split false God's were set up in Israel.  King Jeroboam set up two golden calf's right after the split to keep Israel from going back to Jerusalem.  Jesus told the woman that Samaria worshiped they knew not what or false God's.  He declared that salvation was of the Jews and Jerusalem was the place of worship.  The Temple in Jerusalem was where God had His dwelling between the Cherubim in the Holy of Holy's.
The woman of Samaria was also a harlot.  She had five husbands and the man she was with was not her own.  God had called Samaria and Jerusalem harlot women through the prophet Ezekiel 23:1-4.  They were harlots by worshiping false God's.  They were to love Jehovah their God and only serve him.  Over and over if you read the stories of Israel and Judah you will see them drawn away after strange God's.  Now Jesus had come to both Kingdom's and presented living water.  His statement, "The hour cometh and now is," is a timeline ALL Christians need to come to.  This is the Time of Salvation we are now in. 
No longer would God be worshiped in the mountain of Jerusalem.  The time was over.  God would now be worshiped in Spirit and Truth.  God is a Spirit and seeks worship in and through spiritual comprehension.  No longer was a physical temple to be built to physically go to to offer sacrifices.  The sacrifice of ALL TIME had come, JESUS CHRIST Himself!  He was the door into Spirit and Truth, and the fullness we enter into.  As we look at the Book of Revelation we must see the transition that was on the land in John's day.  The Jewish Temple was getting ready to be removed, destroyed.  Jesus had fulfilled all spoken of by the law and the prophets and the New Temple was to be manifest in the earth, God dwelling in you and I in Christ Jesus!  You are the Temple of the Living God.  Glory to God!!!!

The Book of Revelation Introduction II

The Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ II
As we explore the Book of Revelation, I believe it is very important to look at the time period the Apostle John was in.  John and the Church were under persecution from the Jewish nation and the Roman Empire.  The Roman Empire had command over the earth that the Christians new.  In the Book of Luke 2, the Bible declares the whole world was taxed by Caesar Augustus. 
Luke 2:1-3 “ And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. 2 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) 3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.”
One translation says the entire world was enrolled.  This gives me a picture of our current social security system.  Joseph and Mary went to their home- town of Bethlehem to enroll for taxation.  Remember Jesus said in one place give unto Caesar the things that are Caesars, and unto God the things that are God’s.  Caesar had rule in the natural world of the Jews. 
Now a question, I want to ask was Rome in control of the entire Globe?  The Bible says all the world was taxed.  From the research I have done, it does not appear that Rome had rule over the entire Globe.  However, they had rule over the entire Jewish world, and the world the Jewish people had known.
 Also, worth considering in this time period was the nation of Israel together?  When we study our Bibles we will see that the nation of Israel split into two Kingdoms after Solomon’s reign.  Israel was divided into the Kingdom of Israel, and the Kingdom of Judah.  The Kingdom of Israel which formed worship in Samaria had been carried away by the Assyrians under King Hosea.  I do not believe it was ever known as the Kingdom of Israel again. 
 When Jesus met the woman at the well in Samaria as recorded in John 4, she would have been of the tribes of Israel.  She claimed she was a child of Jacob.  She declared Jacob was her father.  Jesus made a profound statement to her.  One that we all need to hear.  “Neither in this mountain (Samaria), nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father.”
 A time had come to worship not in the mountain of Samaria or in Jerusalem.  The Lion of the Tribe of Judah had come and declared the place of worship.  “Those that worship the Father shall worship in Spirit and truth.”  God is a Spirit and seeketh such to worship him.”  We that are in Christ are now in this place of worship – Spirit and truth! 
 This is a mighty shaking and transition that will take place through the Revelation of Jesus Christ.  You will no longer look for a temple made with hands but see the divine House built by the Lord Himself, to be inhabited by God in the Spirit, as the place of worship. This is the mountain we have come to. A great High Mountain, higher than all in the earth, in the Spirit of Truth.  Glory be to God in the Highest!!!

The Book of the Revelation - Introduction

The Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ
What is the Book of Revelation really about?  Many suggest it is a book of end time events that we are now living in, with impending catastrophes coming upon the earth.  Many who approach this book do so with that mind set already established.  So, they are looking in these scriptures for the impending doom that we must surely face.  The question, I want the Lord Jesus to answer is that the truth of the Book? 
 
Notice where, I want us to go for the answer, to the truth Himself!  “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of faith.”  I am afraid if we look anywhere else for understanding in the scripture we will be void.  He alone is understanding and the voice of reasoning.  Everything that I look at must be embodied in Him. 
 
The first verse of Revelation should kind of gives it away. “The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show unto his servants, even the things which must shortly come to pass: and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John;”  It is the Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ.  Now if we start from this understanding that the Book is Revealing Him, Jesus Christ, and the things that were to shortly come to pass in John’s day we can began to see what is at hand.
 
The Apostle Paul declared in Galatians 1 that he was separated from his mother’s womb and called by God’s grace to reveal Jesus Christ in him.  Within Paul’s writing he is declaring the mystery that was hid, but now made manifest to the saints, Christ in you the hope of glory.  He was declaring that the Jews and Gentiles were to be of one body, and to have access unto God through one Spirit.  This was through the Revelation of Jesus Christ in Paul.  Through Paul seeing Jesus Christ, and the work He had completed at Calvary this declaration was being made. 
 
The Apostle John turned to see the VOICE that spoke with Him and saw seven golden candlesticks.  In the midst of the candlesticks was one like the Son of Man with seven stars in His hand.  Here in Revelation 1 imagery and symbolism take off.  The candlesticks are seven churches, the stars are seven angels to the churches.  Jesus is in the midst of the church and the stars are in His hand.  The stars or ministers are declaring out of Jesus’ power.  There is an impending crisis at hand.
 
The crisis was both external and internal.  The crisis that had come was Jesus.  He had fulfilled the law of Moses and had set forth the New Covenant in the earth.  All the Old Covenant types, and shadows were coming to their end, and the reality of truth or the substance they had declared were at hand.  Jesus was anointed as Isiah said to declare the favor of God and to declare God’s vengeance. 
Isaiah 61:1  “The Spirit of the Lord Jehovah is upon me; because Jehovah hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; 2 to proclaim the year of Jehovah's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;” 
 
This book of Revelation is just that.  Revelations 1:3 “Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of the prophecy, and keep the things that are written therein: for the time is at hand.”  God’s favor is at hand to those who read and understand.  Christ in you is at hand.  The Kingdom of God has come.  But also at hand is a day of clouds and gloom.   God’s vengeance as declared by Isaiah is coming upon the land, the land of Israel.  The Old Covenant that had been fulfilled in Christ and done away was going to be taken off the land.  As Jesus declared, not one stone was going to be left on that Old Temple.  The new had come through Jesus Christ. 
 
When we encounter Jesus in the way of Revelation a crisis is at hand to us today.  It is both internal and external. It will affect the entire man.  Our old things will be taken away, and the new life of Him set forth.  He brings a shaking with Him, shaking away understanding, and bringing about truth and reality.  He is the crisis we all need to face.  Let us turn and see Him, Jesus the Christ in the midst of the church, and let us live out of an encounter with the Lord of Lords!  Glory to God!