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*REVELATIONS INTRO*

The book of Revelations has been a mystery book for a long time now (really about 2k years), now that we are close to the end time the Holy Spirit is releasing the books hidden meanings. If you think Revelations is a continuous- in chapter order- chain of events you will not begin to understand this book. This book is like a big puzzle; you have to dump the puzzle on the table and began to piece it together. Many of the chapters cover the same event and time line with different details. Often a chapter will start with the ending of a prophecy, but in the middle of that chapter John will jump back to the beginning of that prophecy and fill the reader in of the previous events that led up to what was already mentioned. Let’s look at a few examples. Ch7 & ch14 tells the same story with mostly the same time line, but each chapter gives some different details about that story. Let’s look at ch14: the first 5 verses tells the end of that story, then John jumps back in time in the next 15 verses to let us know what lead up to what he already mention in the first 5 verses. We see a lot of TV shows & movies do this; the movie will show the end of the story at the beginning then at the bottom of the screen it will read “*2 years earlier”, *then show us what lead up to that point, but John doesn't give the reader a heads up when he's jumping back or forward in time, or does he? It seems to be when John say “*and I saw”, or “and I beheld”* is when he jumps back in time or ahead in the story. Many other chapters are the same way; ch19 the first 10 verses shows the end result, and the next 11 shows what preceded. So there you have it, these are some good tips to following Revelations.

URGENT!(maybe)

The number 44 has been popping up very often. It could be change back at the store, the temperature, the minutes after the hour, the power-ball jackpot, one teams score at half time, the last 2 digits of a phone #, the lead referee jersey #. So what comes to mind is Joseph in Genesis said when God is showing us something twice he is establishing something that will shortly come to pass. Now 44 is 4 twice: so lets look at the 4th Seal found in Rev 6:8 *“And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.” *1 Pale is also translated green which is the color of Islam, 2 the fourth part of the earth is the west or America, 3 the heavenly beast that shows John represents the eagle, which also is the symbol of America. Oh, by the way the current president of the U.S. is the 44th president. Something to think about.

*PRE-TRIB vs POST TRIB*

The Bible teaches a post Tribulation Rapture. A couple of thoughts on where the PRE-TRIB idea came from. First; not knowing the tricky layout and time line of Revelations tripped up a lot of our older ministers because it wasn't time for the books understanding to be known. Second, some reason and say that God would not leave his people in the great tribulation. But on the contrary we see time and time again God *keeping* his people in the mist of tribulation: the 3 Hebrew boys in the fiery furnace, Daniel in the lion’s den, the disciples in the midst of a storm at sea, Peter walking on the water in a storm. God is able to keep us in the mist of fire, a storm, and/or from wild beast which is the anti-Christ. Now Jesus says 4 times in John 6 that *all* those that the Father gives Him He will rise up at the last day. Paul said in 1Cor. 15 we are gathered at the *last* trump, which Jesus said is sounded immediately *after* the tribulation which will be the last day: “*the sun will be darken and the moon will not give her light, and the stars of heaven will fall*”, this signifies the last day.

MARRIAGE TRUTH!

The Church today has taken a path that must be very displeasing in God's sight. “How dare you?!” comes to mind. The Church lives by standards and definitions that are born out of worldly wisdom, and a lot of the Word of God has totally been replaced. No wonder why America and its Churches lead the world in divorce. When asked most Christians don't know the biblical definition of marriage. Most think marriage is a license or legal certificate with state government. According to Jesus, marriage is a commitment between a man who has left his parents and a woman consummated by sex.

Matt 19:4 *And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, 5And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? 6Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. *First we see that marriage is heterosexual, and a man must leave his parents. Now to cleave is to join sexually; Paul teaches us this in 1 Cor. 6 saying when a man *joins* himself to a harlot he becomes one with her. So sex is the physical law of oneness whether in fornication or marriage. So what makes the sex marriage is commitment: God has joined us through the natural sex drive, but he tells us we can't put the joining(sex) asunder or we can't separate. The bible teaches us that God looks at the heart, He knows if commitment is present when sex takes place. Some people are *not* committed even though a marriage license/certificate is present, and some are committed when there is no license/certificate. In spite of popular opinion, a marriage license/certificate does *not*determine marriage with God; His Word does. Unfortunately most believers look to man’s legal system for marriage establishment making an idol out of it, that's right an idol: anytime something man made takes priority over God's Word is an idol. Most Christians don't claim to be married until they get a license/certificate even though they have been in a committed sexual relationship before. The Bible teaches that Isaac & Rebekah married in a tent, and David & Abigail married while hiding in the wilderness. Another point, in America a license/certificate is optional and cohabitation is legal among adults, therefore the scripture paraphrase “obey the laws of the land” does not constitute sin since no laws are being broken. So instead of condemning someone for “shacking up” remind them that they are married and need to stay together. Understand saints, we have to separate ourselves from worldly thinking and standards like Paul said, and transform our minds so we can be in the will of God.

DIVORCE

Once again we allowed what seems right and fair to take priority over God's word.

The proverb tells us what seems right leadsto death, in other words we got to know what’s right so we won’t die. To the pastors; ministers, and bible teachers; you must quit compromising this truth! Any truth for that matter, but the devastation is seen and felt, and a lot is lost especially for the children when this lie is taken as truth. Countless families are being destroyed as a result: in America, by far, most marriages are ended by women. Christian women divorce for fornication thinking it’s there God given right because there pastor said it was, which often leads to an adulterous marriage down the road. When a husband commits fornication its Jesus place to judge him, not the wife's. With specific details Jesus taught that only a man can put away (divorce) his wife for fornication, but so many ministries, especially on TV, teach Jesus said a spouse can put away a spouse for fornication. That is *not* what Jesus said! The Bible teaches that the husband is head of the wife, and the woman was made for the man, not the man for the woman, and that a woman should not usurp authority over a man. This is why Jesus said it the way he said it. *Don't* allow the world to teach us this is sexist, or a double standard! Its God's balance and order. Matthew is the only New Testament book that gives the divorce exception, Mark & Luke tells us to stay together period. Jesus also taught we must forgive if we want to be forgiven, so a husband can't divorce his wife even if she committed fornication if she repents and wants forgiveness. So our church leaders need to repent and tell the truth so that many of our families can be saved from this path of destruction. Give our brothers and sisters in Christ the opportunity to make the right choice by telling the truth even if it cost friendships and offerings, so we can be right with God.

WHO JESUS WAS AND STILL IS!

Jesus is everything to us. Often believers don't realize it's about what Jesus said and established: it's no longer about Moses, the 10 commandments, or the Old Testament law. God's last commandment to the world was to *hear* his beloved Son in whom He is well pleased. Jesus often re-established what Moses said like “ honor your father & mother, and don't commit adultery, but sometimes Jesus over ruled Moses like on divorce, also Jesus said “give” not tithe, and Jesus said He now gives us REST not the Sabbath. When Jesus left he commissioned his disciples and Paul to teach his ways and standards to the world: Paul taught that we are circumcised through faith in Jesus and no longer of the flesh, and there are no sinful foods under Christ just thank Him for it and eat, Amen. When we repent and accept Jesus He becomes our atonement for sin, and our righteousness before God. So when we need direction in this life we need to search the Bible for the answer with Jesus as the final authority and priority. Remember the only way to God is through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.