What Does Revelation 14:1-13 mean?

 12 ᴍɪɴ. ʀᴇᴀᴅ

A good friend asked:

"𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘥𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘧 𝘙𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 14:6 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺. 𝘔𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘴𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 144,000 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘥𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘛𝘳𝘪𝘣𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯'𝘵 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘴𝘶𝘨𝘨𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵."

I'm cautious to stop short of ruling-out the possibility that some parts of Revelation could have some meaning unique to the future. 

But in the mean-time whether there is or isn't, we can always treat Revelation simply as being illustrative of 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹, 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗴𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗹-𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵𝘀. When we stick to treating Revelation within that parameter, nothing not even time, will contradict us!

Whereas if we approach Revelation always trying to make it about current events, time could end-up proving us wrong (and many already have been). 

After all, Jesus did say to John that the contents of the Book of Revelation weren't only about the things hereafter but also about the things which are [already, at the time of writing]:

"𝘞𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘯, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘈𝘙𝘌, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘚𝘏𝘈𝘓𝘓 𝘉𝘌 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳" (𝘙𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 1:19). 

So, Revelation isn't only all about the future—it was also about realities already present at the time of writing!

And it isn't all presented like a timeline of future events in strict chronological sequence. There's some overlapping and repeating of themes. So it's more circular. Some of the visions included symbols of things not only still-future at the time of writing, but also things already present, and even things already-past at the time of writing, all in one vision! 

And of course, it was largely symbolic:

"𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘙𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘑𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘴 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘨𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘪𝘮, 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘸 𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘴; 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘚𝘐𝘎𝘕𝘐𝘍𝘐𝘌𝘋 𝘪𝘵 𝘣𝘺 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘭 𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘑𝘰𝘩𝘯" (𝘙𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 1:1).

'Signified' meant it included signs—symbols. It wasn't all meant to be taken concretely, physically. 

John's original hearers may have of course instinctively taken the signs and symbols to mean what similar signs and symbols meant in earlier Scriptures. 

Very often throughout Revelation when it was helpful, John himself included an explanation. So there was little need for conjecture about it.

It's no different with this passage. Verse 12 I think may have been intended to sum-up for the hearers, both 𝘸𝘩𝘰 the passage was about, and also 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 it was about: 

"𝘏𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘴, 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘎𝘰𝘥, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘰𝘧 𝘑𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘴".

If that was indeed meant as a summary or explanation, then the passage was about the saints; and it was intended simply as an encouragement to endure patiently.

But who and what does a lot of popular modern End Time teaching try to make this passage about? 

As I said, I'm careful to stop short of ruling-out the possibility that it could also have another meaning for the future. But in the meantime, whether it does or doesn't, we can always apply it as just being about saints, and just as a call to endure, as verse 12 said.

So let's take a glance at the passage, without conjecturing for now about whatever else it might mean for the future if anything, but just in light of timeless gospel truths—about the saints, and about the importance of patient endurance—which we already know for sure from the rest of the New Testament:     

 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝟏𝟒:𝟏-𝟏𝟑

𝟏 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐈 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐝, 𝐚𝐧𝐝, 𝐥𝐨, 𝐚 𝐋𝐚𝐦𝐛 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭 𝐒𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐚𝐧 𝐡𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐝, 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐅𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫'𝐬 𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐬.

Who is this about, and what does the passage mean?

Could verse 12 have been intended as the answer:

"𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘎𝘰𝘥’𝘴 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘺 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 [saints] 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘭𝘺, 𝘰𝘣𝘦𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘪𝘯 𝘑𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘴" (𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘦 12, 𝘕𝘓𝘛). 

No matter whether it might also have another specific meaning for a select group in future or not, we can always apply it in principle, simply as being about the saints, and simply as a call to endure.  

The Old Testament called God's holy people 'saints'; then in the New Testament Paul radically applied the same term 'saints' to all believers in Jesus, including gentiles, without them needing to become Jewish proselytes. 

So we can apply this vision to John's early hearers, saints both Jewish and gentile—and in principle, it can also be applied to you and me today, and to believers of all time. 

This was likely the same 144,000 whom John 'heard' mention of back in chapter seven. They had the seal of God—their Father's Name—written on their foreheads. 

Remember, Revelation contained signs and symbols. So it didn't necessarily mean therefore that they had something physical marked on them. It likely had the same meaning it had back in Ezekiel 9 when all the godly were seen in a vision being marked-out on their foreheads, ahead of the destruction of the temple and city. 

And what does the rest of the New Testament say about being 'sealed'?

Paul said believers had been sealed by the Holy Spirit:

"𝘐𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘮 𝘺𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥, 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘩, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘢𝘭𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯: 𝘪𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘮 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘥, 𝘠𝘌 𝘞𝘌𝘙𝘌 𝘚𝘌𝘈𝘓𝘌𝘋 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘺 𝘚𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘦,

𝘞𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘪𝘯𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘶𝘳𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘨𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘺" (𝘌𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘴 1:13,14).

Who were sealed? Ye were—believers, including gentiles. 

With what were they sealed? The Holy Spirit.

What did it mean? It meant that it was the Jesus-believers, irrespective of ethnicity, and without needing to become Jewish proselytes, who were marked-out as the community who would ultimately possess the promised and purchased inheritance; and the fact they had the Holy Spirit, was both a foretaste and an assurance of that. 

John saw them with the Lamb, on mount Sion. That mightn't just be about a select group being raptured to heaven in future, if it means that at all. Because Paul said, writing to first century believers:

"𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘠𝘌 𝘈𝘙𝘌 𝘊𝘖𝘔𝘌 [already] 𝘜𝘕𝘛𝘖 𝘔𝘖𝘜𝘕𝘛 𝘚𝘐𝘖𝘕, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘎𝘰𝘥, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘑𝘦𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘮, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘯 𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘶𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘭𝘴,

𝘛𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘩𝘶𝘳𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘯, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘯, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘑𝘶𝘥𝘨𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘭𝘭, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵,

𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘑𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘰𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘤𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘵, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘬𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘵𝘩 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘈𝘣𝘦𝘭" (𝘏𝘦𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘸𝘴 12:22-29).

Who is in a sense already come to mount Sion? 'Ye' are—believers.

And not only Jewish believers, Paul taught, but all believers, including gentiles:

"...𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘺𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵, 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘖𝘔𝘔𝘖𝘕𝘞𝘌𝘈𝘓𝘛𝘏 𝘖𝘍 𝘐𝘚𝘙𝘈𝘌𝘓, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘦, 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘯𝘰 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥:

𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘪𝘯 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘑𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘴 𝘺𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘳 𝘰𝘧𝘧 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘔𝘈𝘋𝘌 𝘕𝘐𝘎𝘏 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵.

𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘦, 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘏𝘈𝘛𝘏 𝘔𝘈𝘋𝘌 𝘉𝘖𝘛𝘏 𝘖𝘕𝘌, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘪𝘥𝘥𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘶𝘴;

𝘏𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘺, 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘸 𝘰𝘧 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘴; 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘔𝘈𝘒𝘌 𝘐𝘕 𝘏𝘐𝘔𝘚𝘌𝘓𝘍 𝘖𝘍 𝘛𝘞𝘈𝘐𝘕 𝘖𝘕𝘌 𝘕𝘌𝘞 𝘔𝘈𝘕, 𝘴𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘦;

𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘉𝘖𝘛𝘏 𝘜𝘕𝘛𝘖 𝘎𝘖𝘋 𝘐𝘕 𝘖𝘕𝘌 𝘉𝘖𝘋𝘠 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴, 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘣𝘺:

𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘧𝘢𝘳 𝘰𝘧𝘧, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩.

𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘞𝘌 𝘉𝘖𝘛𝘏 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘣𝘺 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘚𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘵 𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘍𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳.

𝘕𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘰 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘍𝘌𝘓𝘓𝘖𝘞𝘊𝘐𝘛𝘐𝘡𝘌𝘕𝘚 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘎𝘰𝘥;

𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘵 𝘶𝘱𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘵𝘴, 𝘑𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘴 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘩𝘪𝘮𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘦𝘧 𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘯𝘦" (𝘌𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘴 2:12-20).

The gospel was indeed to Jews first, and also to Greeks. The gift of the Holy Spirit was given first at Jerusalem, to about 120 people. Then by the time John first saw the vision in chapter seven, the number had burgeoned out to a symbolic 144,000. God had indeed been faithful to His promise to Israel.  

The original 120 on the day of Pentecost had now multiplied by 12 and by a hundred. 12,000 from each tribe. A picture of completeness. Of perfection. Of new nationhood and new governance. A picture of God's faithfulness to covenant. 

John 'heard' 144,000–12,000 from each tribe—but then we he turned to look, he 'saw' not only Jews but a great multitude from every tongue and nations. And it was a still-growing number—the fulness of the Gentiles were still coming in, being grafted in; meanwhile also unbelieving Jews who were broken off because of unbelief were also turning from unbelief and being grafted-in again—both, at the same time, which exactly fulfilled the scenario foreseen by the prophets, as Paul explained in Romans 9-11. And therefore there was to be no place in the congregation at Rome for either Jewish-proselytising nor gentile anti-Semitism, but true unity.

No promise had failed nor been postponed. All was faithfully brought to pass, exactly as foretold. And the promise was made sure to all the seed, not only to Abraham's physical descendants, but also to those who walk in the footsteps of his faith. Ye are all children of God and of Abraham, through faith in Jesus.

John sees his hearers as being already on mount Sion, with the Lamb—despite the sufferings they were about to undergo. Paul spoke about the same hope, as a source of encouragement:

“𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘸𝘰 𝘪𝘮𝘮𝘶𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴, 𝘪𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘪𝘦, 𝘸𝘦 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘢 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘶𝘨𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘢𝘺 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘶𝘱𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘶𝘴” (𝘏𝘦𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘸𝘴 6:18).

We are "seeing Him who is invisible". 

𝟐 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐈 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐚 𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧, 𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫: 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐩𝐬:

𝟑 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐬𝐮𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬: 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐧𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐝, 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐡.

"𝘖𝘧 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘩 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘥..." Paul said (𝘌𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘴 3:15).

One family, whether temporarily in heaven already, or still on earth, named of the same Father God. We have His Name on our foreheads, so to speak. 

John's readers were participating in their hearts by faith, in the celebration of the fulfilment of Psalm 68:

"𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘨𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥: 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘵.

𝘒𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘥𝘪𝘥 𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘦 𝘢𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘦: 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘭.

𝘛𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘺𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘵𝘴, 𝘺𝘦𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘺𝘦 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘥𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘴𝘪𝘭𝘷𝘦𝘳, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘨𝘰𝘭𝘥.

𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘭𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘺 𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘪𝘵, 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘪𝘯 𝘚𝘢𝘭𝘮𝘰𝘯.

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘎𝘰𝘥 [Sion] 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘉𝘢𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘯; 𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘪𝘨𝘩 𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘉𝘢𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘯.

𝘞𝘩𝘺 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘱 𝘺𝘦, 𝘺𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘨𝘩 𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘴? 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘪𝘯; 𝘺𝘦𝘢, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘖𝘙𝘋 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘥𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘪𝘯 𝘪𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳" (verses 11-16).

The city of seven mountains would not ultimately prevail above God’s holy hill Sion, nor its Lamb and saints.

𝟒 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧; 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐯𝐢𝐫𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐬. 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐚𝐦𝐛 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐞𝐭𝐡. 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐞𝐧, 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐟𝐫𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐆𝐨𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐚𝐦𝐛.

It didn't necessarily mean a select group exclusively of Jews who will be raptured to heaven in future, if at all—for it explained: "These are they which follow [present tense] the Lamb whithersoever he goeth".

As John's original readers listened to the public reading—if an individual hearer was one who was following the Lamb wherever He went, even if into suffering—then he or she was part of that auspicious company. 

 𝟓 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐧𝐨 𝐠𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐞: 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐟𝐚𝐮𝐥𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐆𝐨𝐝.

𝟔 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐈 𝐬𝐚𝐰 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐥 𝐟𝐥𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐝𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧, 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐠𝐨𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐥 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐡, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐝, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞,

Despite the rising political idolatry and persecution against Christians, the everlasting gospel could not be made to cease to be proclaimed: the Great Commission would continue to have God's backup, until all the world has heard the gospel. The dragon (the devil, influencing the human political arm) would not be able to snuff it out!

𝟕 𝐒𝐚𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐝 𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞, 𝐅𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐆𝐨𝐝, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐠𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐢𝐦; 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐣𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞: 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐡, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐚, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬.

The good news that God's long-promised new-creation project had now been launched by the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, was not at all undermined by the antics of temporary human governments gone awry—the One true God of the very heaven, earth, sea and fountains of waters, Who had already intrinsically dealt with it all by the cross, will have His Day of sorting everything out and rollout the achievement.

𝟖 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐥, 𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐁𝐚𝐛𝐲𝐥𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧, 𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧, 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.

So, rather than the gospel-commission ceasing, instead it will be 'Babylon' itself that would ultimately fall. 

Peter, writing in the first century AD, mentioned 'Babylon' (even though the physical city named Babylon had already ceased to exist long before, in fulfilment of prophecy):

"𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘶𝘳𝘤𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘵 𝘉𝘢𝘣𝘺𝘭𝘰𝘯, 𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘴𝘢𝘭𝘶𝘵𝘦𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶; 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘰 𝘥𝘰𝘵𝘩 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘶𝘴 𝘮𝘺 𝘴𝘰𝘯" (𝘐 𝘗𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘳 5:13). 

Perhaps 'Babylon' had come to be sort of a  nickname for an idolatrous political system which fought against God's true people, whichever city its capital was in.

Chapter 17 gave some hints for John's hearers to identify 'Babylon'.  Verse 18 mentioned "that great city which reigneth [present tense] over the kings of the earth". It said the "many waters" were many nations and language-groups. Verse 9 mentioned "seven mountains". Rome was extending its rule over many nations. Ceasar-worship was on the rise. And the city has long been known as the city of seven mountains. John's original hearers may have therefore immediately deduced, 'Rome'.) 

𝟗 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦, 𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐝 𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞, 𝐈𝐟 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝, 𝐨𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝,

𝟏𝟎 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐟 𝐆𝐨𝐝, 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐦𝐢𝐱𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐮𝐩 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧; 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐥𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐚𝐦𝐛:

𝟏𝟏 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐦𝐨𝐤𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐚𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐭𝐡 𝐮𝐩 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫: 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐧𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐧𝐨𝐫 𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭, 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐨𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞.

Like the mark of God on the foreheads of the godly, receiving the beast's mark mightn't have meant anything physical or functional necessarily. It could just have meant that a person went along with Ceasar-worship for example, either with mental assent or by actions. 

In the imposing tyrannical idolatrous trend, non-compliant Christians were going to be discriminated against in the markets, and on many levels. So some might be tempted to compromise, or to return to a Christless Judaism.  

𝟏𝟐 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐬: 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐆𝐨𝐝, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐟 𝐉𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐬.

But all who endured patiently, and kept the faith of Jesus, would receive the ultimate inheritance, at the resurrection of the just.

And so verse 13 is a high-point of the passage:

𝟏𝟑 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐈 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐚 𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐞, 𝐖𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞, 𝐁𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐝𝐢𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡: 𝐘𝐞𝐚, 𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐭, 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬; 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬 𝐝𝐨 𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦.

John's hearers couldn't lose, come what may, in the meantime!  

And it's the same for you and for me, and for believers throughout all ages:

"𝘉𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘍𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘓𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘑𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘴 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘣𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘣𝘦𝘨𝘰𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘶𝘴 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘢 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘑𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘴 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘥, 

𝘛𝘰 𝘢𝘯 𝘪𝘯𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘶𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘧𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘥, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘧𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘵𝘩 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘺, 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 

𝘞𝘩𝘰 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘬𝘦𝘱𝘵 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘢𝘭𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦. 

𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘪𝘯 𝘺𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘫𝘰𝘪𝘤𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘰𝘯, 𝘪𝘧 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘦, 𝘺𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴: 

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘩, 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘨𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘵𝘩, 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘪𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘦, 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘨𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘧 𝘑𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘴 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵: 

𝘞𝘩𝘰𝘮 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘯, 𝘺𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦; 𝘪𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘮, 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘺𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘯𝘰𝘵, 𝘺𝘦𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘺𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘫𝘰𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘫𝘰𝘺 𝘶𝘯𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘬𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘨𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘺: 

𝘙𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘩, 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘭𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘴" (𝘐 𝘗𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘳 1:3-9).

"𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘴𝘢𝘸 𝘢 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘩" (𝘙𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 21:1).

A Word of Knowledge about a Word of Knowledge

Years ago I was sitting near the back row, during the Sunday morning service of our church in Ipswich, Queensland.

Rev. Stuart Gramenz had been invited to teach on "How to Move in the Gifts of the Spirit".

While he was talking about the gift of the 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘭𝘦𝘥𝘨𝘦, unexpectedly I began to 'see' the number "3".

Remember how at the end of Sesame Street on TV it would say, "This program was brought to you by the letter 'L' and by the number '3' " or whatever? That's how it looked: the number '3' seemed to be appearing in front of me. And the words, "back pain" also came to me.

I silently said to myself, "I think I've got a word of knowledge".

Then right at that very moment, while Stuart was preaching, he said, "Someone here's got a word of knowledge—who's that person?".

I just about jumped up out of my seat, "I think it's me! I'm getting the number '3' and 'back pain' ".

"I noticed you put your hand on your lower back," the preacher said. I was hardly conscious I'd done so.

Then he said to the congregation, "Anyone with lower back pain..."

And three people put their hands up.

Stuart had been teaching also that all believers can do the works that Jesus did, not only ministers. So he told the three of them to come straight to where I was at the back, and said I would pray for them—in front of hundreds of people.

Before I laid hands on the third person, he mentioned to me that he was born with an unformed disc in his spine.

"Which disc was it?" I asked.

"Number 3, from the bottom," he answered.

Then Stuart carried on preaching.

It had all been the perfect, unplanned illustration of exactly what he was teaching about: how to move in the gifts of the Holy Spirit; the gift of the word of knowledge, and healing; and that all believers, not only ministers, can do the works that Jesus did.

Actually he got a word of knowledge that someone had a word of knowledge! right while he was teaching about words of knowledge. The Holy Spirit was working with him, confirming his word with signs following.

I was still in my early 20s then. Some years afterwards, I was visiting the country town of Kalbar, Qld, and one of the three men recognised me, and reminded me of the incident. He told me he'd had that back pain for years, and that it had been real good ever since.

Then he asked me whether I remembered the gentleman who'd had the unformed disc in his spine. He was a friend of his, he told me, and that occasion had been his first time ever in his life to go to a church. It left a real impression on him, he said.

That's how JESUS likes to welcome a newcomer to church, and to show him His love.

And as Stuart taught—the only qualification required to do the works of Jesus is that one is a believer on Jesus. That's you, and me—we're believers on Jesus! You can do the works that Jesus did.

𝐉𝐎𝐇𝐍 𝟏𝟒:𝟏𝟐

𝟏𝟐 𝐕𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐥𝐲, 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐥𝐲, 𝐈 𝐬𝐚𝐲 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐇𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐧 𝐦𝐞, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐝𝐨 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐨 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨; 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐨; 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐈 𝐠𝐨 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐲 𝐅𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫.

𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐊 𝟏𝟔:𝟏𝟕,𝟐𝟎

𝟏𝟕 ...𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞...

𝟐𝟎 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠. 𝐀𝐦𝐞𝐧.

𝐈 𝐂𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐀𝐍𝐒 𝟏𝟐:𝟕,𝟖

𝟕 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐥.

𝟖 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐛𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐝𝐨𝐦; 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐃 𝐎𝐅 𝐊𝐍𝐎𝐖𝐋𝐄𝐃𝐆𝐄 𝐛𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐭;

A Christmas Greeting

 Picture this:

Ezekiel saw a vision.

He saw waters issuing out from under the threshold of the House. He observed that the waters came down at the side of the altar, and by a gate.

In the vision, a person measured about half a kilometre or so downstream—Ezekiel was taken through the waters—and the water was ankle-deep.

Measuring about another half a kilometre downstream, it was to the knees.

Then, about waist-deep.

Until finally it was a river he couldn't pass over, because the waters were risen—waters to swim in—a river that couldn't be passed over!

Ezekiel would have felt caught up in the whole experience as if in realtime, I reckon!

Then, in the vision he was brought to the brink of the river again (maybe to dry-off a bit!)—and there he said he saw very many trees on either side.

And he was promised:

"These waters issue out toward the east country, and go down into the desert, and go into the sea: which being brought forth into the sea, the waters SHALL BE HEALED."

He was also told that:

"...EVERY THING that liveth, which moveth, WHITHERSOEVER the rivers shall come, SHALL LIVE: and there shall be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters shall come thither: for THEY SHALL BE HEALED; and EVERYTHING SHALL LIVE whither the river cometh."

So much so that fishermen would be eagerly spreading nets on the refreshed waters spanning from Engedi all the way to Eneglaim—because the fish would be according to their kinds, and exceeding many.

Ezekiel also noted however, that the miry places and the marshes thereof would not be healed: they would be given to salt.

And by the riverbank, on both sides, would grow all trees for food, whose leaf would never fade, and neither would the fruit be all used-up: because it would keep producing new fruit according to its months—all because of the waters that issued out of the sanctuary—and the fruit would be for food, and the leaf FOR MEDICINE.

What an exciting, wonderful picture!

It's reminiscent of the original paradise—where the Lord God had planted a garden, Eastward, in Eden; where He placed the man whom He'd formed; where He similarly caused trees to grow for food, and placed the tree of life; from where a river flowed which compassed the whole land, where there was gold and gemstones; from where the man and his wife were exiled for their sins—as if Ezekiel’s vision meant that his people, Israelis, could be RESTORED to something like that again.

Have you ever had a dream so good, when you woke up you yearned if only it could be true?

That's how Ezekiel would have felt after seeing this vision, I reckon.

At that very moment Ezekiel was in exile, with his people Israel for Israel’s own sins—just like the first man and his wife had been exiled from the original paradise for their sins.

Go forward some 600 hundred years or so after this prophecy, and Israel's return from exile still seemed incomplete—they were looking and waiting, yearning.

Then on the last day of a great Jewish feast—as if it was nearly too late—JESUS stood and cried, saying:

"If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and DRINK.

He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow RIVERS OF LIVING WATER" (John 7:37-39).

Jesus was talking about "...the SPIRIT, which they that believe on him should receive..." (though at that precise time, John explained, the Holy Ghost was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified).

Years later John himself saw a vision, like Ezekiel, when he was exiled on Patmos island for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus—a vision of the glorified, reigning Lord JESUS the Messiah.

And he saw a city—Jerusalem, yes—but not the earthly Jerusalem: it was a new Jerusalem whose origin was heavenly—the bride, the Lamb's wife.

In the vision, a person measured the 'city' for John—just as a person had done some measuring for Ezekiel in his vision.

John noted that there was no temple in the city, as there had been in Ezekiel's vision where Ezekiel saw the waters issuing out from under the threshold—it's not about that anymore: because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.

John also saw open gates—just as Ezekiel had seen a gate and the waters issuing by it.

"And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb," John said.

In the middle of the street of the city, and on either side of the river, there was:

"...the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the HEALING of the nations" (Revelation 22:1,2)—just like the trees in Ezekiel's vision, and in the original paradise.

And just like in Ezekiel's vision the waters caused EVERYTHING to live WHITHERSOEVER it flowed, so Revelation says:

"And the Spirit and the bride say, 'Come'. And let him that heareth say, 'Come'. And let him that is athirst come. And WHOSOEVER will, let him take the water of life freely" (22:17).

Everything, whithersoever (in Ezekiel) - to whosoever (in Revelation)—shall live!

John's Revelation shows us ever-so beautifully that the hope of mankind—Israel's hope—Ezekiel's vision—the purpose of God—Abraham’s promises—Old Testament prophecies—was brought to its glorious fulfilment and reality in JESUS, the crucified and risen Lamb.

"BLESSED are they that do His commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city," (verses 14&15 say), "For without are..." all those who do wrong—just as in Ezekiel's vision the miry places and marshes would not be healed.

In Ezekiel, the healing-waters made place for happy fishermen between Engedi and Eneglaim—but in Revelation the leaves of the trees are for the healing of the NATIONS.

Throughout John's gospel, and in John's Revelation, we find much of the same imagery as in Ezekiel—temple, city, gate, rivers, life, even marks on foreheads, etc—only it's shown to be gospel-shaped and JESUS-centred—and it's categorically stated that it's not about a stone-temple, nor limited to one ethnicity or one land, but about ‘all’ who receive Him, those who believe on His name—these are the children of God who shall “inherit the earth”.

Israel's plight in exile was really a picture of the plight facing all of humanity in Adam, including Israelis—and Israel's hoped-for redemption was really a picture of the redemption which, in the heavenly FATHER's heart, even before Israel was born, was always going to be about the Seed, Jesus, the Holy One of Israel, and in Him all families of the earth.

This good news had to be announced to Israel first, to sure-up the promises and covenant—and then in all the world.

It was always ultimately really going to be all about JESUS—and the bride, the Lamb's wife—for everyone.

The river of life flows, bringing healing and life, for all nations.

And it all started in a manger in Bethlehem.

"For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord" (Luke 2:11).

JESUS.

Unto you. And me. Everyone.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Pleasing Others

 Years ago I was in the seaside neighbourhood of Mangagoy, Bislig, ministering in a couple of churches. 

One Sunday my hosts arranged for me to go to another church to minister. In that particular church I found myself doing something I didn't normally do. 

Most of the time wherever I ministered to people and prayed for them, I'd just speak words or lay hands on them—but in this particular church, I asked for a bottle of anointing oil. 

Everyone I prayed for, I anointed them with oil. I didn't pray for a single person without also anointing them with oil—no matter what it was we were praying for! 

That was unusual for me—elsewhere I'd anointed people with oil on occasion, of course—but I'd never done so quite like this before, nor since. 

Later I was telling someone about it—and she remarked that that particular church had a reputation for being almost fanatical about anointing with oil: apparently they anointed members with oil for almost anything and everything. It was pretty-much a feature of their church.

I didn't know that, but I realised then that the Lord had made me fit right in with them.

More recently in the city of Ipswich, Queensland, one Sunday I had plans to go to an afternoon/evening meeting, but I had nothing scheduled in the morning. And while getting dressed for the day, I distinctly felt led to put on a white shirt. 

So I put on a plain white button-up business shirt, neatly ironed. Then I went out for a drive. 

As I turned a corner, I passed an old wooden church. Lots of cars were parked outside on the lawn. So I decided spontaneously to go in.

When I entered the foyer, I noticed everyone had taken their shoes off, so I did the same. 

Then I opened the door to the main sanctuary—the service had already started, and I saw that everyone was kneeling down. So I quietly found a place, and did the same.

It was a traditional Samoan church. As the only non-islander in the place, I'm sure I must have looked quite conspicuous.

However, everyone—and I mean everyone, from young to old—was wearing white—pure white, from head to foot almost.

Once again, I realised the Lord had made me fit in as best I could.

Some years before that, one Sunday afternoon while getting ready to go to the evening service at my home church, I felt prompted by the Lord to wear a formal pair of trousers.

"You're going to be asked to pray for people tonight," I felt the Lord explain.

Being at the Gold Coast, a lot of us often went to church dressed quite casually. And I wasn't part of the usual prayer-team in our church, so I didn't usually go out and pray for people on the prayer-lines.

Our late-pastor however, having come from Ireland, liked to dress well for church: he nearly always wore a suit and tie. 

Sure enough that night at church, our pastor spontaneously asked me to come forward and pray for people. I was ready, in more ways than one! 

I remember also when my brother and I were both young, we played brass in our church worship-band—I often asked the Lord what to wear.

And inevitably my brother would emerge from his room having put on the same colour and style. We matched, on the stage. 

It must have looked like we'd planned it, but we hadn't. Evidently the Lord had though.

Why?

One reason may be: just because He (God) is nice! Pure aesthetics—just for fun, even. God doesn't only do things that seriously matter. He is an artist, after all!

Another reason may be: to give us confidence—in the circumstances we’re going in to. 

But there's another lesson I want to draw out of it too—something else in it that I love about the Lord God:

𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘰 𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴—so, we ought to be too.  

There ought to be a certain softness about us. An amicability. A willingness to play along.

It's totally okay for us to do that—even in matters we know aren't strictly necessary to do. 

If something's important to someone else, God can work alongside that. Therefore so can we, and we can do so happily!

If someone even just likes things a certain way—God works with that too: and therefore so can we. 

We can have this nature about us.

Paul said to behave compliantly to every ordinance of man: for the Lord’s sake—not because we're not free, but because we are free.  

Since we're free 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘰, we're free 𝘵𝘰. 

The grace and freedom we’ve received, don’t need to become the reason for a new strictness and bondage.  

The true grace of God makes us delight in going along with other people’s things, for their sakes: just because we can. Even when we know they’re things they don't really have to do. 

Paul wrote to Titus for example to exhort any church-members who were servants to behave compliantly within that social institution, even though really they were free—so that we may "adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things" (see Titus 2:8-10).

It may be that in turn, a master, as a result of seeing such Messiah-likeness in his servant, would believe, and give to his servant the free-status which they both already had in Jesus. Scripture, and history, show that that very outcome happened, and is happening.  

That demeanour helped remove avoidable barriers towards others in society accepting the church and its message. Ultimately that demeanour is, and will be, victorious.

Paul conducted his own life and ministry with that same delightful attitude: 

"𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗜 𝗯𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗺𝗲𝗻, 𝘆𝗲𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗜 𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗺𝘆𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗹𝗹, 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝗺𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲.

𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗝𝗲𝘄𝘀 𝗜 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗝𝗲𝘄, 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝗺𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗝𝗲𝘄𝘀; 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝘄, 𝗮𝘀 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝘄, 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝗺𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝘄;

𝗧𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗹𝗮𝘄, 𝗮𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗹𝗮𝘄, (𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗹𝗮𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗚𝗼𝗱, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁,) 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝗺𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗹𝗮𝘄.

𝗧𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗲𝗮𝗸 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗜 𝗮𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗮𝗸, 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝗺𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗲𝗮𝗸: 𝗜 𝗮𝗺 𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗺𝗲𝗻, 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝗺𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗯𝘆 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝘀𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲.

𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗜 𝗱𝗼 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗹'𝘀 𝘀𝗮𝗸𝗲, 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝗺𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗯𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘆𝗼𝘂" (I Corinthians 9:18-23). 

For example, when Paul wanted Timothy to go out with him on his missionary journeys, he took and circumcised him because of the Jews which were in those quarters: for they knew all that his father was a Greek (see Acts 16:3). 

Paul circumcised Timothy even though he knew that circumcision itself availed for nothing. He knew believers were freed, yet he was willing to be culturally compliant, in order to remove any avoidable barriers in the way of Jews being able to feel comfortable with his ministry-team and with his message.

Similarly, Paul knew that all food was allowable, yet he said he'd rather not eat certain foods as long as he lived, if eating it was going to upset a brother who felt some food wasn’t allowed.

Same with the sabbaths—Paul said that although we are confident that all days are alike to the Lord, we can be broad-hearted enough to allow that another brother who observes special days does so with a desire to do what he thinks honours the Lord, just as we.

Paul didn't want the people in the church, who knew they were free, to kind of impose that freedom—like a new rule—making an issue out of it—on other church-members who still felt obligated. 

Since we’re free 𝘯𝘰𝘵 to, we’re free 𝘵𝘰 - for others’ sakes.

We don’t have to be so hard-nosed about some things.

That's what "endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace," meant.

It means, when you come across others who feel obligated in ways you know we're really free from, it’s noble to go along with it for their sakes—rather than make it a cause to divide and separate.   

True freedom doesn't make us hardlined to others—it makes us delight in being accomodating of others—of their conscience, and of their likes and dislikes. Even in matters where they're obviously not as assured in grace and freedom as we are.

We are the ones who get to do the bending—and loving it! 

"𝗙𝗼𝗿, 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗻, 𝘆𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗶𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘁𝘆; 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗹𝗶𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘁𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻 𝗼𝗰𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗹𝗲𝘀𝗵, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗯𝘆 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿" (Galatians 5:13). 

This isn’t about condoning old pagan sinful behaviours. It’s about things which really don’t matter either way. Making room for others gladly—that's true grace, faith, freedom, servanthood, honour and love. 

God is joyful. He delights to flow with a person’s heart and inner counsels. He’s all that! We can delight in others just the same. 

This attitude which Paul lived by, and which he desired the congregation at Rome to adopt towards one another, wasn’t at all contradictory to Paul saying elsewhere (to the Galatians) that "...if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing". 

There was something different going on in Galatia. 

It can be all too easy to take words in one Bible-passage just as they might seem to us, un-studiously failing to grasp what was really going on in the passage. Then we would mistake what the words were intended to mean. 

And it would be just as easy to then impose what we assumed it meant onto others in other circumstances different to the circumstances which the Bible verse addresses.

People can become petulant and insistent about the stance they then take, feeling sure that they have a Bible verse as their basis, and that they have the Lord's honour to defend. 

But in so doing they can unfortunately find themselves opposing things in circumstances which God doesn’t; resisting certain things which God Himself is quite happy to go along with. They can then make it a cause to separate—ironically, all in the name of unity and grace.

(Whether the issue was statements made in the Bible about circumcising versus not to be circumcised; food laws; or the sabbath; or whether it's questions about verses mentioning women keeping silence in church versus women prophesying; tithing versus giving; the proper way to address a congregation with tongues and prophecy versus incidences of many speaking to God at once in tongues; verses about divorce and remarriage; questions of proper church structure and government; passages mentioning predestination and will; verses mentioning baptismal-regeneration versus credo-baptism; various verses about the name or formula for baptism; soul-sleep versus going to heaven when you die, prior to resurrection; and Bible-statements linking the coming of the Lord with first-century events versus His still-future second-coming, etc.)   

It’s possible to miss the heart of God towards people, and feel hostile towards things happening in meetings, all because we’ve taken a standalone statement in one passage of the Bible, in a grammatically correct way perhaps, yet not grasped what was really going on, and therefore missed its intended meaning, and then misapply it to other circumstances—and then we resist things which God might actually be okay with, all the while thinking we have a Scriptural basis for it, and that we have the Lord’s honour to defend.

But when a few of the disciples were like that once, Jesus told them they'd actually missed His purpose and heart altogether.

Fine, if what’s going on somewhere today is what was going on in Galatia: then we could say today what Paul said to the Galatians, if we say what he meant—but if what’s going on is more like what was going on at Rome, then our advice, and our stance, is to be totally different—more like what Paul asked of the congregation at Rome, given what was happening there.

There was an issue in Galatia, to do with people insisting on keeping the law, which Paul made a firm stand against, and he wouldn’t give place in subjection to certain people over that issue, no not for an hour. 

Yet there were other issues elsewhere, which also involved people feeling they still needed to do certain things, like people did who were under the law, where Paul instead urged stronger believers to bend and and to be the ones making allowances for others’ weakness and to not make a hard stance against it.

And there are other sentences by Paul and others, on other themes, in other passages, where we can similarly fail to grasp Paul and others, and end-up taking a hardline where Paul or others wouldn’t have.

It takes just a little patience to work-out what’s really going on in some passages, and to grasp what the advice given therefore really meant, and how it can or wasn’t meant to be applied. 

There is a ‘wisdom’ that's fleshly, even of a wrong spirit, as James said:

"𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘀𝗱𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝘂𝗿𝗲, 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲, 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱, 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗰𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗳𝗿𝘂𝗶𝘁𝘀, 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗵𝘆𝗽𝗼𝗰𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘆" (see James 3:15-17).

The fruit of the Spirit is love, gentleness, meekness...

How wonderful that the Holy Spirit is working in each of us to express God’s heart joyfully, compliantly, submissively, quietly, accommodatingly, patiently, with gentleness, and meekness, being easy to get on with, loving, inoffensive to God or men, willing to play along with children, colourful, easy-going, easy to talk to, and fun to be around even to people who don’t as yet know the freedom we know yet, pleasing all men—doing all things for the Lord’s sake, and for theirs.

The Lord's heart:

"𝗗𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝘆𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗼 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗢𝗥𝗗: 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁" (Psalm 37:4).

"𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗼𝗿𝗱...𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗳𝗶𝗹 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗹" (Psalm 20:1,4).

"...𝘁𝗵𝘆 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝘁𝗵 𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗺𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁" (Psalm 18:35).

“𝗛𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗰𝗿𝘆, 𝗻𝗼𝗿 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝘁 𝘂𝗽, 𝗻𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗲𝘁.

𝗔 𝗯𝗿𝘂𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗺𝗼𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗹𝗮𝘅 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗵…” (Isaiah 42:2,3).

"𝗟𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗳𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘁𝗵 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗻, 𝘀𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗳𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗵𝗶𝗺.

𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗵𝗲 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗲𝘁𝗵 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲; 𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝘂𝘀𝘁" (Psalm 103:13,14).

How to Be Filled with the Spirit

by John Edwards

HOW TO BE FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT

and speak in tongues:

1. KNOW it is God's will to fill you with His Holy Spirit

2. ASK the Father in Jesus' Name to fill you with the Spirit;

and ask Him to give you utterance to speak in tongues

3. BELIEVE you receive it -

and since you believe you receive it, go ahead and speak a new tongue, trusting the Holy Spirit to give you utterance

4. And you shall HAVE it!

"And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance" (Acts 2:4).

How to See the Holy Spirit Move in Meetings

 by John Edwards

One of the keys to seeing the Holy Spirit move in a meeting, is something practical not spiritual:

Simply give the Holy Spirit time, in the meeting.

On purpose.

Just stop doing something else at that time in the meeting - and really give Him the time.

Some leaders have learned not to let a sermon get in the way of the Holy Spirit moving - and that's been a blessing, when that’s been appropriate.

But there's still one more thing which many meeting-leaders seem to be having a harder time letting go of - and it can stop the touch of the Holy Spirit from going next-level in a meeting, just as much as anything else can:

And that, perhaps surprisingly, is music. Music and singing.

We rely on music a lot. And music does help, especially at the start of a meeting - it can help open us up to the Spirit.

Or, constant music is good if a get-together is just about soaking individually. That sure is good too!

But what often happens whenever churches have an "Upper Room Meeting", or an "Encounter Night" or whatever we may call it, is that instead of being a meeting where there’s a sermon as usual, it pretty-much ends-up just being a night of extended music and worship.

Extended worship can be great, of course - but Acts chapter two was not primarily a music event!

So, music can help, at the start of something - but once the Spirit starts moving, then music can get in the way, if we keep playing it. When we could instead become aware of what God has begun to do, and let it become the thing.

It's a bit like trying to sing and drink a glass of water at the same time.

Because the thing about music - and anything else that comes from the stage, from the front - is it tends to dominate a meeting.

Everyone has been taught from childhood days at school always to defer to the front. So even if people in the congregation are starting to feel touched by the Spirit, if anyone's talking or singing or a band is playing from the stage the people will nearly always politely defer to that. And if they know the tune, they'll probably try to obediently sing along.

That can short-circuit whatever else the Holy Spirit may have begun to do in the meeting. The music can stop the congregation hearing people getting touched. So instead of opening-up their own hearts to get similarly touched, music and singing once again becomes the thing.

But in order to see the individual 'touch' of the Spirit become a 'move' of the Spirit, and go congregation-wide and then go next-level, it helps to allow the touch of the Spirit to be the dominant sight and sound in the meeting. That often requires stopping the music for a while. Completely.

I'm not talking about silence. There may be rare moments when silence is appropriate. But no-one benefits much from awkward silence! If nothing's happening, rather have some music, or even a sermon!

No, this is about, when some individuals have begun to be touched, and you can see it and hear it, and you want to see it go congregation-wide and next-level - then back off the music for a while, so everyone can hear and see the touch of God, so they can be encouraged to open up their own hearts to receive too - then it'll soon spread like Dominos and the whole congregation will be swimming in it. It's a joyful and wonderful sight and sound!

And then if you let it take its course - resisting the urge to interrupt it from the stage, or to ‘help’ it with a background song - you might experience a second and third wave sweep through the congregation.

For example, what might start-out with a few individuals getting filled with joy, might spread to the whole congregation; then it might turn to congregation-wide tears and repentance and petition or intercession; then back to laughter again; then people seeing visions - and then people speaking with tongues, interpreting or prophesying. Spontaneously.

Everyone seeing, hearing, receiving, participating and expressing the Spirit. As one person.

Then maybe a couple of unexpected individuals might be used in a special way.

Everyone edified in spirit and mind.

Without unnecessary instruction or background input from the mic.

You're not as likely to see that, while music is still playing and dominating.

Really let the Holy Spirit hold the floor, have the room. Without trying to help it with a song, background music, or giving of instruction.

Let the Holy Spirit Himself instead be like the musician or the conductor who directs or plays the congregation’s hearts as a whole, for a while - then afterward the congregation and musicians will want to praise God together, for what He has done - to Jesus Christ's glory!

Stop the music for a while, then once you've let the Spirit have His way - and everyone's filled and satisfied and have expressed all that the Holy Spirit has done in them - now's the time to strike up the band again!

Now the congregation will really feel like dancing and celebrating!

At this point music is truly a 'ministry of helps', not a hindrance.

Not every meeting has to be exactly like this though. Just like not every night out of a lover and a beloved is scripted or the same. And we’re all different. And that’s okay.

Are You Thirsty?

by John Edwards 

"...Jesus stood and cried, saying, 'If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.

He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.'

(But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)"

- John 7:37-39

Each of us are at some phase in that picture:

Are you thirsty?→believe on JESUS: come to Him, and drink→you shall receive the Holy Spirit→then rivers of living water shall flow out of your belly, as the Scripture has said.

It happened to me.

I was brought up in church - nevertheless there came a point where I felt thirsty to receive eternal life myself.

All of us have been thirsty for eternal life - only some people are so distracted by the things of this present world they haven't realised how thirsty they are.

If you realise you want eternal life more than anything, come to JESUS, and drink.

I came to Jesus at a little after 7:35pm on Sunday 16th December 1979 - He gave me new birth, and I received eternal life. I knew it.

I received peace and forgiveness of sins - I felt assured of eternal life.

It was a free gift. It was wonderful!

The first thing I said to myself was, "I should have done this ages ago!"

Then a few months later, I received the Spirit in a special way.

It was at a Saturday night meeting at Fortitude Valley, in Brisbane.

I felt the Holy Spirit, and God's love, pouring or shining down on me from above, and I began to speak with tongues.

I said to myself, "I think I'm really getting this!"

Straightaway I felt empowered to tell others about JESUS.

The change in me - from the boy who used to sit at the back in church, bored, with my arms folded - to rivers of living water flowing out from me!

A crowd at my State High School listened. Many of my fellow-students started believing in Jesus.

We laid hands on them, and they received the Spirit and spoke with tongues too.

We rode our bikes to school early, and prayed together before class; and started a lunchtime Bible-Study group; then a lunchtime Christian outreach meeting.

All who became believers spent their lunch hours witnessing every day.

We boldly spoke on Assembly.

Young people started coming to church, and got baptised.

One day when I was answering a question from a fellow student, he said to me, "How do you know all this?"

I realised, it was just flowing out from within me!

One teacher said to me, "This is just a flash in the pan".

But all these years later, it's still JESUS living in me, and I still live to see just one more person receive from Jesus the way I did.

It can happen to you.