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An Open Door in Heaven
Proceeding with our study of “last things,” or end time prophecy from the Book of Revelation, let’s go, first, to Revelation 22:6-11, where we see that the Lord Jesus confirms His opening words, reminding us that the events described by Jesus and the angel, to John, can take place at any time. There are no other Bible prophecies which must take place before the Book of Revelation can be fulfilled.
“6 Then he said to me, “These words are faithful and true.” And the Lord God of the holy prophets sent His angel to show His servants the things which must shortly take place. 7 “Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.” 8 Now I, John, saw and heard these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who showed me these things. 9 Then he said to me, “See that you do not do that. For I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.” 10 And he said to me, “Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand. 11 He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still.”
Again, we see the phrases, which must shortly take place, behold! I come quickly, and the time is at hand. These words, in the Greek, translate into the expression of imminence, meaning that the unveiled events can take place at any time. (Rev. 1:1, 3; 2:5, 16; 3:11; 11:14; 22:6, 7, 12, 20). The time is near and the time is at hand carry an urgent call to obedience. Jesus said in John 9:4, the night comes when no man can work.
Words such as these, which should engender an urgency toward obedience and the fear of the Lord in the reader’s heart, it’s important for us to realize that God is not trying to scare us. His loving Father’s heart cares for our well-being, physically and spiritually, and in exhorting and alerting us, He is being a good Father to us. It would be impossible for Him to be otherwise. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." Proverbs 1:7 It behooves every Christian and reader of God’s Word to be quick to obey, because He knows the beginning from the end, He knows exactly when every end time event will take place, and He wants us to be prepared for the coming of the Lord and to impress upon those who chose not to be ready to go in the twinkling of an eye with Jesus, the consequences of that unwise choice. Our God is an awesome God!
If you refer to the archive, you will see that the last message in our study of Revelation dealt with the Church Age in the letters to the seven churches of Asia. The Holy Spirit gave us a comparison of what Jesus said to the church in Philadelphia and to the church in Laodicea, the last two of the seven churches. The contrast of the state of these two churches is outstanding. Jesus had not one word of rebuke for the Philadelphia church, the church of brotherly love, and Jesus promised to keep her from “the hour of temptation which is about to come upon the whole earth.” Rev. 3:10 Philadelphia, the first century church, is believed to represent the bridal company which is the Bride of Christ.
Conversely, the church of Laodicea was strongly rebuked by the Lord in His letter to her because of her lukewarmness, self-sufficiency, and the shame of her nakedness before the Lord because she had removed the cloak of Jesus’ righteousness in her backslidings. There is a picture of the backslidden church in Song of Solomon 5:2-8. The bride rose up to open the door for her Beloved, only to find that He had come and gone, after she gave him several excuses for her lackadaisical attitude toward His knock at her heart’s door. Our relationship and fellowship with the Lord is no place to be lazy and indifferent. He is God, and He has his timetable. He deserves our undivided attention and adoration.
Speaking of open doors, let’s get back to the topic for today. The very next chapter, following the letters to the seven churches, seven being a number that signifies completion, and, in this instance, the completion the Church Age on the earth, we find that the Apostle John looked at the vision before him, and he saw “a door standing open in heaven.” After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet (or shofar) speaking with me, saying, “Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this. Immediately I was in the Spirit and behold, a throne set in heaven and One sat on the throne. And He Who sat there was like a jasper (probably a diamond) and a sardius stone (deep red stone) in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald.” Rev. 4:1-3
A jasper stone, or diamond, suggests purity and holiness, while the sardius stone, or carnelian, is a deep red stone, which depicts God's avenging wrath. Emerald is green, symbolizing mercy. (Spirit-filled Life Bible, Nelson Publishers).
The Voice which John heard, said to him, “Come up here.” John had this vision of the open door in heaven immediately after he was given the letters to the seven churches. Since the door in the vision was standing open in heaven, it is clear that the Lord was calling John, the Apostle, who is most definitely a member of the Bride of Christ, to “come up and join Me in heaven.” What an invitation!
No other invitation can be compared to this summoning of John, and the redeemed ones, to eternal fellowship with the Lord in heaven. A gilded letter, delivered by a knight on a white steed, and stamped with an earthly king’s royal seal may be exciting, but not nearly as exciting or significant as this invitation from the Lord to come and join Him before His throne, forever to be in His holy Presence, forever to worship and adore Him and to fellowship personally, face to face with Jesus. What a high calling, what great love the Father has for us, and how great is His name!
You may be thinking at this point that you want to go to heaven, “but not right now.” It is time for the Church to set our affections on things above, not on things on the earth. Colossians 3:1-4 Jesus expects His Bride to lay everything that has anything to do with this world on the altar, presenting ourselves as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to God, which is our reasonable worship. Romans 12:1 We are to keep our lamps, or spirits, full of the oil of the Holy Spirit, ready at any moment to go with Jesus when He descends from the heavens in the clouds, and says, “Come up here.” “The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord, searching all the inner depths of his heart.” Proverbs 20:27 “For you will light my lamp; the Lord my God will enlighten my darkness.” Psalm 18:28
No one knows the day or the hour, but He who will come will not tarry, the Word of God says. It is written in the Scriptures, in the New Testament alone, one in every twenty-five verses, that Jesus is coming back to claim His Bride. Those Christians who are living in the condition of the Laodicean church when He comes, will be left behind to face the great tribulation and the antichrist in all of his cruelty and wickedness.
The church is supposed to be looking for the Christ, not the antichrist. “Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” Matthew 24:44 “And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.” Luke 21:28 “Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them. And if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.” Luke 12:37-38
Jesus has no desire that his servants, friends, or Bride be left to be persecuted under the heel of the antichrist, or the wrath of God. Quite the opposite! He is hosting the marriage supper of the Lamb in heaven with a place set for each and every one who will come. “For God did not appoint us unto wrath, but to obtain “sozo,“ deliverance, salvation, wholeness, through our Lord Jesus Christ.“ 1 Thessalonians 5:9 Jesus has made every provision for us. Whosoeverwill may come! The will is involved in the destiny of man, including the church. The Lord gives His Word and Lover’s call to His people. Will you say “Yes, I will be ready, Lord?”
If you don’t know Jesus today by the washing away of your sins by His shed Blood on the Cross, He is calling you to “Come,” also. Give Him your heart and life, asking Him to forgive your sin. Turn from your sins and live the rest of your life for Him. He loves you so very much, and He has a place at His beautiful table for you, too. Receive Him as your Lord and Savior today.
“Even so, come, Lord Jesus!”
In His hand,
Betty Seiley
www.bettyseiley.multiply.com
If you feel the Holy Spirit is leading you to help us in proclaiming the gospel around the world, you can mail your offering to Redeemer Church, P.O. Box 952, Ball, LA 71405-0952 We do need your help, if the Lord speaks to you.
May the Lord bless you and keep you, may He cause His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. May He give you His complete peace.
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