ENDTIMES CHAT with GJ and DAN

When it was discovered in Revelation 5, that Jesus was the ONLY ONE who could open the scroll in heaven to reveal what was to come, Worship erupted.  

They reacted by singing, recognizing His salvation. The twenty-four elders have the harps and the golden bowls of incense; they also are the ones who sing the new song. This new song speaks of redemption, something the angels desire to understand but, in fact, do not experience (1 Peter 1:10-12).  

What is the “new song”? The Greek word used here for “new” does not mean new from the standpoint of time but new in quality, fresh, and unique. The Psalms often speak of singing a “new song” to the Lord (Psalm 33:3; Psalm 96:1; Psalm 98:1; Psalm 144:9; Psalm 149:1). Isaiah 42:10 also says, “Sing to the LORD a new song, / And His praise from the ends of the earth.” The 144,000 Jewish believers from the tribulation period sing a “new song” that no one else could learn (Revelation 14:3).  

The words of this “new song” are recorded for us, and we learn some wonderful things from this song to the Lamb: 1. It tells us why the Lamb is worthy of taking the scroll and opening its seals. 2. His worthiness is based on His death. 3. His blood was the price of our redemption. 4. The twenty-four elders represent every tribe and tongue and people and nation. 5. Our relationship to God as kings and priests has been made possible by His redemption and guarantees that we shall reign on the earth.  

PRAY. PREPARE. PROTECT. PROCLAIM. PERSIST. PERSEVERE. PRAY AGAIN. PASS IT ON. POWER UP. POSITION PROPERLY. PAY ATTENTION. PRAY WITHOUT CEASING.   Check out endtimes.chat

Today we welcome Leonard Lee of 4Gen Network, www.4-gen.net , to talk about the six movements of Revelation.  

You do NOT want to miss this broadcast. Not only will we break down the most recent news and chat about how it relates to the End times, but we will open up the Scriptures to discuss how we could be in the times that are filled with sign posts pointing to what could be the Tribulation.  

"Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains." Matthew 24:4-8.  

Tune in for more and Listen as Leonard Lee discusses the six movements of Revelation.  

PRAY. PREPARE. PROTECT. PROCLAIM. PERSIST. PERSEVERE. PRAY AGAIN. PASS IT ON. POWER UP. POSITION PROPERLY. PAY ATTENTION. PRAY WITHOUT CEASING.   

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THE LAMB His centrality - in the middle of the seven lampstands (churches)
His condition - as if it had been slain
His Characteristics - "Having seven horns and seven eyes”  

“Horns” are symbols of authority and power, sometimes representing individual rulers and at other times representing nations (Daniel 7). It is possible that the seven horns represent the fullness of the slain Lamb’s power and authority to rule and reign.  

The “seven eyes” of the Lamb of God are said to be “the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth.” These “seven Spirits” were mentioned in Revelation 3:1. They were compared with “seven stars,” which represent angels (Revelation 1:20). It seems that these “seven Spirits” are the seven angels who often appear in the book and carry out the wishes of Jesus Christ.   According to Zechariah 4:10, the “seven eyes” represent the Lord’s knowledge of what transpires on earth: “Who despises the day of small things?

Men will rejoice when they see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel.

(These seven are the eyes of the Lord which range throughout the earth.)”   Nothing happens on earth that is not known by the Lord. He sees it all and is controlling all events and circumstances. His sovereign will is being executed through the seven angels who stand before Him, ready to do what He wants. They are the instruments through whom His message to the seven churches was given, and they are the ones who blow the trumpets and pour out the plagues, announcing His judgments upon planet earth.  

John simply declares: “He came and took the scroll from the right hand of Him who sat on the throne”   (Revelation 5:7). In great symbolism, we are reminded that the kingdom of the Messiah is given to Him by the heavenly Father. The Son is to be honored and worshiped as the Father, and that comes with the Father’s approval and blessing.   The Song to the Lamb (Revelation 5:8-14)   John speaks of Jesus Christ in this book with many wonderful titles given to him by Jesus Himself. But the key title is the one John uses twenty-eight times: “Lamb.” Jesus is the Lamb of God!  

The Reaction to the Taking of the Scroll (Revelation 5:8-10)   Two things happened immediately-the four living creatures, and the twenty-four elders “fell down before the Lamb,” and “they sang a new song.” The first was an act of humility and submission; the second an act of praise and worship.  

They reacted with submission, recognizing His sovereignty. What a picture - bowing down in front of a lamb! This all happened when He took the scroll out of the right hand of the One Who sat on the throne, the heavenly Father. At that moment, the worship leaders of heaven knew what to do, and as we learned earlier, whenever the four living creatures respond in worship, the twenty-four elders do the same.  

The harps these elders played were a part of that worship response, reflecting the traditional instrument of worship from the Old Testament (Psalm 33:2-3; Psalm 98:5; Psalm 147:7). It is with some amusement that people speak of harps being played by heavenly beings. However, the Bible speaks of it as reality, not fantasy. Since the twenty-four elders represent the completed body of believers, we call “the church,” perhaps we shall all be harpists in heaven!  

We are told the elders also have “golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints” (cf. Revelation 8:3-4). The altar of incense in front of the second veil of the tabernacle and temple was the place where the priest symbolized his role in representing the people to God (Luke 1:8-10). The incense spoke of the people’s prayers rising to the nostrils and the attention of God (Psalm 141:2).  

It is possible that the prayers of the elders reveal that the church in heaven will be interceding for those who become believers in the tribulation period and for the nation of Israel. It is also possible that these prayers represent the long-standing prayer of God’s people, which our Lord instructed us in Matthew 6:10 to pray - “Your kingdom come.”   They reacted by singing, recognizing His salvation. The twenty-four elders have the harps and the golden bowls of incense; they also are the ones who sing the new song.

This new song speaks of redemption, something the angels desire to understand but, in fact, do not experience (1 Peter 1:10-12).  

PRAY. PREPARE. PROTECT. PROCLAIM. PERSIST. PERSEVERE. PRAY AGAIN. PASS IT ON. POWER UP. POSITION PROPERLY. PAY ATTENTION. PRAY WITHOUT CEASING.  

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The Introduction of the Worthy One (Revelation 5:5-7)  

One of the elders urges John not to cry because there is one worthy who can open the seven seals. The elders-these representatives of the completed body of believers in heaven, the church-know of Him. It is the church in heaven (Hebrews 12:23-24) who know full well that Jesus is the only “Mediator of the new covenant.”  

He is the Lion.  While in some cases, the lions are described as those which devour people (Daniel 6; 2 Timothy 4:17) and prey (Numbers 23:24), they are also seen as symbols of strength (Judges 14:18) and boldness (Proverbs 28:1). The Lord describes Himself as a lion who devours his prey (Hosea 5:14).  

The One to Whom the “scepter” belongs will come out of the line of Judah (the name means “praise”). The Messiah comes from Judah and is described as a lion, the animal we call “the king of the jungle.” Jesus Christ is the Messianic Lion who will rule and reign over all the earth.   The phrase “Root of David” reminds us that it is a special son of Judah from which the Messiah will come. The mother of Jesus came from the line of David through his son Nathan. Jesus fulfilled the promise that the Messiah would be “the fruit” of the body of David (Psalm 132:11).  

He is the Lamb. What a paradox-lion and lamb! The symbol of a lamb is powerful when applied to our Savior Jesus Christ. Obviously, the picture here is symbolic-in the midst of this throne room setting stood “a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes.” This is an unusual-looking lamb, to say the least. It refers to...  

1. His centrality (“in the midst of’).

2. His condition (“as if it had been slain”).

3. His characteristics (“having seven horns and seven eyes”).  

Nothing happens on earth that is not known by the Lord. He sees it all and is controlling all events and circumstances. His sovereign will is being executed through the seven angels who stand before Him, ready to do what He wants. They are the instruments through whom His message to the seven churches was given, and they are the ones who blow the trumpets and pour out the plagues, announcing His judgments upon planet earth.   John declares: “He came and took the scroll from the right hand of Him who sat on the throne” (Revelation 5:7).

In great symbolism, we are reminded that the kingdom of the Messiah is given to Him by the heavenly Father. The Son is to be honored and worshiped as the Father, and that comes with the Father’s approval and blessing.  

PRAY. PREPARE. PROTECT. PROCLAIM. PERSIST. PERSEVERE. PRAY AGAIN. PASS IT ON. POWER UP. POSITION PROPERLY. PAY ATTENTION. PRAY WITHOUT CEASING.  

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Worship God as a Habit of Life

The continual response of the four living creatures. Verse 8 says that “they do not rest day or night” in their praise and worship of the Lord. It is a continual response.

1. What these creatures say. “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!” These creatures worship and praise the Lord for three basic things: His holiness, His power, and His eternal nature and plan. Like the seraphim (angels) of Isaiah 6:3, they proclaim the holiness (separateness) of God. The repetition of the word “holy” might be for added emphasis, or it may suggest the triunity of God-He is one God and exists as three Persons. God is holy in two ways: He is separate from all that He created and is not to be identified with the physical and material universe; He is also separate from sin. The holiness of God emphasizes both His transcendence as well as His moral purity.

In referring to God as “Lord God Almighty,” these creatures speak of His mighty power, which shall be uniquely displayed on earth during the tribulation period. The worship of those in heaven seems to focus on the holiness and power of God, exalting His attributes and His actions.

These four living creatures praise God for His eternal nature and plan by calling Him “Who was and is and is to come!” He is the eternal God, living, and governing, in past, present, and future history. These same words are applied to Jesus Christ in Revelation 1:8, establishing His identity as God the Son.

2. Why do these creatures say what they do? One motive is certainly to recognize the greatness and worthiness of the One they are praising. Why should we praise the Lord? Because He alone is worthy of such worship and praise. These creatures give “glory and honor and thanks” to God the Father as a habit of life. What an example these heavenly beings are to all of us.

That suggests a second motive-to reveal to us what we should do. The twenty-four elders represent the completed church in heaven, and their actions help all of us to know how we should respond as believers. We are to worship the Lord and give Him honor, glory, and thanks as a habit of life. Whenever the four living creatures give worship to God, the twenty-four elders respond.

The immediate reaction of the elders. Taking their cue from the four living creatures who serve as the worship leaders of heaven, the twenty-four elders react immediately with worship and praise to God the Father on His throne.

The way they react. When they “fall down before Him,” they give recognition to His authority and position. It is a lesson to all believers; we need to submit to His authority as a daily principle in our lives. That’s why it is a good thing to kneel when we pray to indicate our submission to the Lord.

When they “worship Him,” they display reverence and love for Him and His attributes. In the New Testament, and particularly in the Revelation of John, the word worship denotes a prayer of adoration for God and His works. It is a royal acclamation of His worth. Do we love and adore Him for Who He is?

When they “cast their crowns before the throne,” they show a deep realization of His worthiness when compared with their accomplishments (for which we shall all be rewarded by the Lord). While we are motivated in the New Testament to be faithful to the Lord based on future reward, it is good for us to pause and realize that the worthiness of the Lord Himself causes our rewards to seem quite insignificant by comparison. The words they repeat. Their words speak of what He deserves ”glory and honor and power”-as well as why He deserves it - “for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created.”

God the Father is worthy of praise and worship because of two basic things we should always remember: It was His power that created all things, and it is His purpose (will) that brought everything into existence and gives meaning to it all. If we refuse to acknowledge the power and purpose of God in creation, then, as Paul so graphically portrays, we deserve His judgment (Romans 1:18-23). God the Father, the Creator of everything, desires and deserves our worship and praise. We should honor, glorify, and give Him thanks every day of our lives because He created all things and has a Divine purpose for it all.

PRAY. PREPARE. PROTECT. PROCLAIM. PERSIST. PERSEVERE. PRAY AGAIN. PASS IT ON. POWER UP. POSITION PROPERLY. PAY ATTENTION. PRAY WITHOUT CEASING

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