Servias Ministries Blog

There are two distinct, major future events: the rapture promotes life and the second coming which deals with FATHER’S Justice and wrath!

Paul wrote by The Holy Spirit in 1^st Thessalonians chapter 5:

9  For God has not destined us for wrath but to possess salvation through our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One.

10 He gave his Life for us so that we may share in resurrection life in union with Him—whether we’re awake or asleep.

11 Because of this, encourage the hearts of your fellow believers and support one another, just as you have already been doing.

Before we were formed in the womb, we have an appointed destiny by The GODHEAD.  However, each of us has the option to accept our individual appointments, or paths.

Paul distinguishes the two events in 2^nd Thessalonians chapter 1:

4  so that we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure,

5 which is manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the Kingdom of God, for which you also suffer;

6 since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you,

7 and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from Heaven with His mighty angels,

8 in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

9 These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the Presence of the Lord and from the Glory of His power,

10 when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed.

There can be no question that all men will fall into one of two categories: salvation or everlasting destruction.  We have been given the directive by Jesus Himself to minister to the lost and to the poor who will experience The Love of Christ through our actions.  Every person is without excuse for each have implanted the reality of GOD.

Paul made that abundantly clear when he wrote by The Holy Spirit in Romans chapter 1:

20 Opposition to Truth cannot be excused on the basis of ignorance, because from the creation of the world, the invisible qualities of God’s nature have been made visible, such as his eternal power and transcendence. He has made his wonderful attributes easily perceived, for seeing the visible makes us understand the invisible. So then, this leaves everyone without excuse.

Paul also encouraged us in 1^st Timothy chapter 6:

12  Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on Eternal Life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

13 I urge you in the sight of God Who gives Life to all things, and before Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate,

14 that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ’s appearing,

15 which He will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords,

There is “the appearing” and “the return to earth”.  The timing of “His appearing” is only known by FATHER.  “The return to earth” will be known once the great tribulation begins.

Jesus spoke in Mark chapter 13:

32  “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in Heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

33 Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is.

34 It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch.

35 Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming-in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning-

36 lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping.

37 And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!”

Each generation has been warned of His second coming and expected it to occur in their lifetime.  The devil and his minions don’t know the time so they are continuous attempting to prevent men from fulfilling their individual callings.  They use vessels of dishonor to carry out the resistance.  They have babies killed hoping to remove the mandates of FATHER to bring forth HIS Kingdom on earth.  They tried to remove both Moses and Jesus but were unsuccessful. 

We are not to be surprised by the perversion of today around the world.  Our focus must remain on the commission given to us by Jesus Himself.  I am fully committed and I trust you are too.

Paul summed it up as he wrote by The Holy Spirit in 2^nd Timothy chapter 4:

1  I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, Who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His Kingdom:

2 Preach the Word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.

3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers;

4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.

5 But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

There are two distinct, major future events: the rapture and the second coming!

Paul wrote by The Holy Spirit in 1^st Corinthians chapter 1:

7  so that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of ;our Lord Jesus Christ,

8 who will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

The Bride is eagerly waiting for the Bridegroom, whereas the world be terrified of what will soon happen once the Bride has been removed.  Paul referred to the two separate events when he wrote in the final chapter in 1^st Corinthians 16:

22 If anyone does not Love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed (doomed as an outcast). O Lord, come!

It is rather black and white, given Paul’s understanding and revelation of the two events.

Paul also wrote by The Holy Spirit in Philippians chapter 3:

20  For our citizenship is in Heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,

21 Who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His Glorious Body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.

Our Lord Jesus Christ gave Paul a glimpse of what is to take place in the future for His Bride.  He was given the revelation of Love and wrote about It to the Corinthians which should be comforting to all who embrace the harpazo of the Bride.  We must focus on purifying ourselves as we navigate through this sin-ridden world.

Paul provides a further contrast in Colossians chapter 3:

1  If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the Right Hand of God.

2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.

3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

4 When Christ Who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.

5 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.

6 Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience,

7 in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them.

The Bride is with Jesus before FATHER brings forth HIS wrath on the earth.  There is a clear separation between the harpazo and the great tribulation.

It is of paramount importance that you and I seek out the lost sheep as an act of Love.  The ninety-nine sheep are waiting for the Shepherd to find any sheep missing.

Paul also wrote in 1^st Thessalonians chapter 1:

9  For they themselves declare concerning us what manner of entry we had to you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the Living and True God,

10 and to wait for His Son from Heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.

Idol worship is all around us as people exalt those who provide entertainment, especially on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.  Athletes are paid millions to entertain the masses and now most casual restaurants have multiple TV’S spewing sports 24 hours per day.  Those TV’S are meant to distract customers from having true conversations and fellowship at the table.

Jesus is focused on lost souls, not lost football games.  Ouch!!!

Paul further writes in chapter 2:

17  But we, brethren, having been taken away from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavored more eagerly to see your face with great desire.

18 Therefore we wanted to come to you-even I, Paul, time and again-but Satan hindered us.

19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the Presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming?

20 For you are our glory and joy.

Our joy is to be with Jesus at His coming.  His Bride will be full of joy, but the sons of disobedience will be full of terror.

The mystery of the two events has been hidden in plain sight to most who have spent no time in studying the Revelation of Jesus Christ, the climactic Book at the end!  That included me in the earlier years.

There are two distinct, major future events: the rapture and the second coming!

Through serious study, we can differentiate the references into each category.

Jesus spoke in John chapter 14:

1  “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.

2 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.

4 And where I go you know, and the way you know.”

Jesus isn’t judging the nations but is preparing for His Bride prior to the rapture in this passage.

Paul provides a specific order when he wrote by The Holy Spirit in 1^st Corinthians chapter 15:

20  But the Truth is, Christ is risen from the dead, as the Firstfruit of a great resurrection harvest of those who have died.

21 For since death came through a man, Adam, it is fitting that the resurrection of the dead has also come through a man, Christ.

22 Even as all who are in Adam die, so also all who are in Christ will be made alive.

23 But each one in his proper order: Christ, the Firstfruits, then those who belong to Christ in His presence.

This verse speaks of the Bride being caught away into His Presence in Heaven for the seven-year wedding event.  At the end of the seven years:

24 Then the final stage of completion comes, when He will bring to an end every other rulership, authority, and power, and He will hand over His Kingdom to Father God.

25 Until then He is destined to reign as King until all hostility has been subdued and placed under His Feet.

26 And the last enemy to be subdued and eliminated is death itself.

Paul encapsulated three events in the above passage:  Christ is risen, the Bride is raptured or caught away to Heaven, AND FINALLY, Jesus returns to earth to subdue it.  Without this understanding, the various Scriptures would seem to conflict with each other and confuse the established order found in the Book of Revelation.

Paul went into detail in 1^st Thessalonians chapter 4:

13  But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope.

14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.

15 For this we say to you by the Word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep.

16 For the Lord Himself will descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the Trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.

17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.

18 Therefore comfort one another with these Words.

There is no mention of judgment or subduing the earth in the above passage.  Paul explains the harpazo, its order, and outcome.

Paul further wrote by The Holy Spirit in Romans chapter 8:

18  For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the Glory which shall be revealed in us.

19 For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the Sons of God.

20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope;

21 because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the Children of God.

22 For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.

23 Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.

24 For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees?

25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.

Would you be eagerly waiting to be judged?  I think not!  Creation is waiting for the end of bondage due to corruption.  This will occur when Christ returns to the earth in His second coming TO THE EARTH, not the catching away of the Bride.  Both events are mentioned here.

The true church eagerly awaits His return IN THE AIR to catch us away.  What are we to do in the meantime?  Purify ourselves, occupy, produce good fruit, and deploy whatever resources we have to carry out His Mandate.

How long will it take to be taken up… harpazo’d?

Paul recorded by The Holy Spirit in 1^st Corinthians chapter 15:

50  Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption.

51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed-

52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”

55 “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?”

56 The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law.

57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my Beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

What is the twinkling of an eye?  It is the time it takes for light to pass through the lens in your eye.  At the current measurable speed of light and the measurable distance in the thickness of an eye lens, the calculated time is 10^-43 seconds.  This is the smallest unit of time possible.  Quantum physicists have discovered this Truth in recent years so it is not surprising that FATHER would give us such a hint of the mystery hidden in times past.

From our perspective, it will be instantaneous, and mankind will be surprised at the disappearance of a notable segment of the global population.

The Beloved Disciple wrote by The Holy Spirit in 1^st John chapter 3:

2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.

3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

Jesus is not restricted to four dimensions.  When He is revealed, we shall be like Him and will no longer restricted to those four dimensions either.  Scientists discovered the reality of more dimensions decades ago.  As science progress, it only serves to acknowledge the Absolute Truth of Scripture.

Paul recorded by The Holy Spirit in 2^nd Corinthians chapter 5:

1 For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the Heavens.

2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation (G3613 oikētērion ) which is from Heaven,

Jude wrote by The Holy Spirit:

1:6 And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode (G3613), He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day;

This habitation is where the angels in Jude 6 fell from.  We will have no earthly restrictions once we are changed in the twinkling of an eye.  All who focus their hope on Jesus will always be purifying themselves, just as Jesus is pure.  It is vital that we protect our hearts from the worldly.

There are seven raptures in Scripture.

1. Enoch was caught up.

Moses wrote by THE SPIRIT in Genesis chapter 5:

23  So all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years.

24 And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.

Paul wrote by The Holy Spirit in Hebrews chapter 11:

5 By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, “and was not found, because God had taken him”; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God.

Enoch was not a Jew.

•  Elijah was caught up.

It is recorded by THE SPIRIT in 2^nd Kings chapter 2:

11 Then it happened, as they continued on and talked, that suddenly a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and separated the two of them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into Heaven.

•  Jesus was caught up.

Mark recorded what he saw in Mark chapter 16:

19 So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into Heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.

Luke recorded by The Holy Spirit in Acts chapter 1:

9  Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.

10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel,

11 who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into Heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into Heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into Heaven.”

John recorded by The Holy Spirit in Revelation chapter 12:

5 She bore a male Child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. And her Child was caught up to God and His Throne.

• Philip was caught up.

Luke again recorded by The Holy Spirit in Acts chapter 8:

39 Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing.

•  Paul was caught up.

He recorded by The Holy Spirit in 2^nd Corinthians chapter 12:

2  I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago-whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows-such a one was caught up to the third Heaven.

3 And I know such a man-whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows-

4 how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible Words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.

•  The Body of Christ is caught up.

Paul wrote by The Holy Spirit in 1^st Thessalonians chapter 4:

15  For this we say to you by the Word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep.

16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.

18 Therefore comfort one another with these Words.

Paul had no reluctance to affirm what will happen as he already had such an experience himself.

•  John was caught up.

The Beloved Disciple recorded by The Holy Spirit in Revelation chapter 4:

1 After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in Heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, “Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.”

FATHER often uses seven examples to assure us of HIS Divine Intent.  People want to believe in UFO’S and aliens yet they have difficulty in believing the reality of being caught up by THE CREATOR of the universe.  They are simply blinded to the Absolute Truth of FATHER’S Word!

Jesus comes back to the earth twice, once for His Bride (before the great tribulation) and separately for Israel (at the end of the seven year period).

Because of many teachings discounting Israel and redefining their irrevocable covenant applying to the church, most believers have not properly understood certain aspects of Scripture.

Why would Paul, an expert in The Mosaic Law, be selected to bring forth the mystery of the church and much of the revelation of the New Testament?  Israel consistently failed to walk in the Fear of THE LORD which caused them much suffering.  The Book of Judges demonstrated their deliverance multiple times only to revert back to unrighteousness.  However, FATHER’S Word is irrevocable and can be fully trusted.  It is absolute Truth!  Their experience should be considered as patterns for our instruction.

Jesus walked the earth as a Jew and fully understood the Law AND Its Intent.  Several of His parables defied Mosaic Law which indicated that there was a separate group of people who would become His Bride.

Jesus spoke in Matthew chapter 13:

10  And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?”

11 He answered and said to them, “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but to them it has not been given.

12 For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.

13 Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.

To whom had Jesus been preaching?  The Jews, including the scribes and Pharisees.  He healed on the Sabbath.  He forgave sins.  He and His disciples pluck heads of grain on the Sabbath.  He told the lame man to take up his bed on the Sabbath.

Jesus made it abundantly clear in Matthew chapter 12:

3  But Jesus said to them (the Pharisees), “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him:

4 how he entered the House of God and ate the showbread which was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests?

5 Or have you not read in the Law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath, and are blameless?

6 Yet I say to you that in this place there is One greater than the temple.

7 But if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless.

8 For the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”

Jesus spoke in Matthew chapter 13:

33 Another parable He spoke to them: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened.”

Leaven was seen as unlawful for the Jews to use to make bread.  This parable applied to the Gentiles who would have The Word preached to them throughout the earth so that they could receive salvation through their adoption by FATHER.

Matthew chapter 13:

44   “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

The field is the world and Jesus gave His Life for the entire world, not just the Jews.

45  “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls,

46 who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.”

A pearl is not kosher or clean in the eyes of the Jews yet Jesus sold all He had (i.e. His Life) and give It for such a treasure (the world).

47  “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered some of every kind,

48 which, when it was full, they drew to shore; and they sat down and gathered the good into vessels, but threw the bad away.

49 So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just,

50 and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”

The fish were not limited to Jews, but all men were separated into two groups: the just and the wicked.  FATHER’S justice will determine every person’s outcome.  We have the decision whether to submit to His Righteousness or pursue the world and its trappings.  We determine our outcome.

Finally, Jesus concluded with:

51 Jesus said to them, “Have you understood all these things?” They said to Him, “Yes, Lord.”

52 He responded, “Every scholar of the Scriptures, who is instructed in the ways of Heaven’s Kingdom realm, is like a wealthy home owner with his house filled with treasures both new (Gentiles) and old (Jews).”

Revelation chapter 4 begins “the hereafter” where the Bride is now with Our Lord Jesus Christ and will observe the seven-year tribulation from Above.

Paul wrote by The Holy Spirit in 1^st Thessalonians chapter 4:

16  For the Lord Himself will descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.

17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these Words.

And in 1^st Corinthians chapter 15:

51  Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed-

52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”

58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

Paul understood the harpazo event and urged us to continue in our labor AND retain The Fear of THE LORD in all we do and think.  He had been caught up to the third Heaven and saw both the Love and the judgment (the Holy fire) of Our Heavenly Father.

Isaiah recorded by The Holy Spirit in Isaiah chapter 26:

19  Your dead shall live; Together with my dead body they shall arise. Awake and sing, you who dwell in dust; For your dew is like the dew of herbs, And the earth shall cast out the dead.

20 Come, my people, enter your chambers, And shut your doors behind you; Hide yourself, as it were, for a little moment, Until the indignation is past.

21 For behold, the LORD comes out of His place To punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity; The earth will also disclose her blood, And will no more cover her slain.

And in Zephaniah chapter 2:

3 Seek the LORD, all you meek of the earth, Who have upheld His justice. Seek righteousness, seek humility. It may be that you will be hidden In the day of the LORD’s anger.

And in Psalm 27:

4 One thing I have desired of the LORD, That will I seek: That I may dwell in the House of the LORD All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the LORD, And to inquire in His Temple.

5 For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; In the secret place of His Tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock.

If we were not to be removed from the great tribulation, The Holy Spirit would not have moved upon Paul, Isaiah, Zephaniah, and David to record the above.

Jesus spoke in John chapter 14:

1  “Don’t worry or surrender to your fear. For you’ve believed in God, now trust and believe in Me also.

2 My Father’s House has many dwelling places. If it were otherwise, I would tell you plainly, because I go to prepare a place for you.

3 And when everything is ready, I will come back and take you to myself so that you will be where I am.

4 And you already know the way to the place where I’m going.”

Where is Jesus today?  In the Throne Room in the midst of Heaven.  Where are the dwelling places prepared for us?  In Heaven, not on the earth during the time of trouble!

It is written by THE SPIRIT in Jeremiah 16:

9  For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: “Behold, I will cause to cease from this place, before your eyes and in your days, the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the Bridegroom (Jesus Christ) and the voice of the bride (the true church).

10 “And it shall be, when you show this people all these words, and they say to you, ‘Why has the LORD pronounced all this great disaster against us? Or what is our iniquity? Or what is our sin that we have committed against the LORD our God?’

11 then you shall say to them, ‘Because your fathers have forsaken Me,’ says the LORD; ‘they have walked after other gods and have served them and worshiped them, and have forsaken Me and not kept My law.

12 And you have done worse than your fathers, for behold, each one follows the dictates of his own evil heart, so that no one listens to Me.

13 Therefore I will cast you out of this land into a land that you do not know, neither you nor your fathers; and there you shall serve other gods day and night, where I will not show you favor.’

We must keep in mind there are four groups to consider:  The true church (the Bride), the religious (Jesus never knew them), the unsaved (those who rejected Christ), and Israel who have denied Christ as their Messiah.

Revelation chapter 4 begins “the hereafter”.

The word revelation means: the unveiling, revealing, to fully expose.  I would suggest that this Book is to be classified as the ultimate Book of Love.  Why?  Jesus provides us with what is to come for His Bride as well as those who reject Him in some manner.  He wishes that none would perish.  No other book promises a special blessing to the reader.

The Beloved Disciple recorded by The Holy Spirit in Revelation chapter 1:

17  And when I saw Jesus, I fell at His Feet as dead. But He laid His Right Hand on me, saying to me,

“Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last.

18 I am He Who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.

19 Write the things which you have seen (past), and the things which are (present), and the things which will take place after this (meta tauta).

20 The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My Right Hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches.

Jesus gave us the outline of the Book of Revelation:

Chapter 1               the past

Chapters 2 & 3      the present

Chapters 4 – 22     the future

Further, He defines the lampstands as being the churches.  The purpose of a lampstand is to provide light, and its light comes from the oil contained which is The Holy Spirit.  No Presence of The Holy Spirt, no light!

Revelation Chapter 4:

1 After these things (meta tauta) I looked, and behold, a door standing open in Heaven. And the first Voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, “Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this (meta tauta).”

I am convinced that the harpazo has occurred as of verse 1.

John is now in the Throne Room and in the future (meta tauta) and describes what he saw and heard:

2  Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a Throne set in Heaven, and One sat on the Throne.

3 And He Who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the Throne, in appearance like an emerald.

4 Around the Throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white robes; and they had crowns of gold on their heads.

5 And from the Throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices. Seven lamps of fire were burning before the Throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.

John recorded what he saw thirty-five times.  The term “I looked” is recorded seventy times in this Book.  The phrase “I beheld” was recorded seven times, “I heard” was recorded twenty-three times.  This was not a vision, but a reality beyond the restriction of the time dimension.  Jesus said “I will show thee” and that is exactly what He did!

Isn’t noteworthy that The Beloved Disciple is the one selected to record this Book of Love which occurred beyond the time dimension!

Jesus spoke in Matthew chapter 13:

16  But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear;

17 for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

Jesus authored letters for John to write and send to the seven churches in Revelation chapters 2 and 3 for our personal application, encouragement, and warning.

Each church had a primary focus stated by Jesus Himself.

Ephesus                 Neglected Priorities

Smyrna                  Satanic Opposition

Pergamos               Worldly Compromise

Thyatira                 Flee Pagan Practices

Sardis                    Watchfulness, Diligence

Philadelphia           Loyal Ambassadorship

Laodicea                Repent & be committed

I have based my life on the reality that The Word of GOD is the absolute Truth in all areas.  FATHER means what HE says, and says what HE means!

To allegorize means interpret or represent symbolically.  I have heard and read countless positions attempting to totally interpret HIS Truths into allegories.  Once you add man’s interpretation to The Word, you will change the Divine Intent and effectively call GOD a liar.  You are then walking on thin ice.  Are there multiple levels of understanding and application of HIS Word?  Yes, but we must not reinterpret The Word to fit our own intent or motive.  This is why it is vital that each of us allow The Holy Spirit to be a witness of The Truth when preached.

Embracing Truth is the issue!

At the end of each Epistle to the seven churches, we are given a warning:

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches…”

Jesus spoke in Matthew chapter 13:

10  And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?”

11 He answered and said to them, “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but to them it has not been given.

12 For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.

13 Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.

14 And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says: ‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, And seeing you will see and not perceive;

15 For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.’

16 But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear;

17 for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

Contained within each parable is a Truth to be embraced.  If you accept and embrace the Truth, you will be given more Truth.  If you reject the Truth given, it will be taken away.

I have a great concern that many believers’ hearts have grown dull and have lost their first Love.  They no longer pray in THE SPIRIT and are accepting society’s redefining of Truth.  Idol Worship has exponentially grown through the entertainment media.  Meanwhile, the poor get poorer, and the rich get richer.

Matthew recorded by The Holy Spirit in chapter 13:

34  All these things Jesus spoke to the multitude in parables; and without a parable He did not speak to them,

35 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: “I will open My Mouth in parables; I will utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world.”

The subject of the parables in Matthew chapter 13 are not found in the Old Testament.  These Truths had been kept secret from the foundation of the world.  This is also true of the final book: The Revelation of Jesus Christ.  This final book is the culmination of FATHER’S Plan for mankind.  This is why we shall receive a special blessing when we read it.

Paul was given the privilege of revealing the mystery as he wrote by The Holy Spirit in Ephesians chapter 3:

1  For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles-

2 if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you,

3 how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already,

4 by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ),

5 which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His Holy apostles and prophets:

6 that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the Gospel,

7 of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His Power.

The mystery of our adoption was not given to the Jews, for their eyes and ears were shut.  You and I have become fellow heirs and partakers of His Promise in Christ.  It is imperative that you understand that there are two groups of inheritance: the twelve tribes of Israel and the true church.  FATHER has not forsaken Israel or changed HIS Mind concerning HIS covenant with Abraham.  Believers have mistakenly taken on Israel’s inheritance as their own.  Don’t worry, an adopted child has the same privileges and inheritance as a begotten child.