Exegetical Studies in Revelation

After some weeks of hiatus, Jesse Boyd resumes his exegetical study of the Book of Revelation by referencing a statement made by Horace Greeley, a New York newspaper editor, more than 150 years ago:

“It is impossible to mentally or socially enslave a Bible-reading people.”

We are enslaved socially and mentally in America today precisely because we are not a Bible-reading people, precisely because we are not Bible-believing people. Now, as much as ever in church history, the Holy Scriptures are relevant, particularly the Book of Revelation with its unique promised blessing to those who read it, understand it, and keep it (1:3). We must study this book of prophecy; we must heed its red letters written directly to us living in these days. We must confess, believe, and hold fast to its promises. Then, we can never be enslaved.

Following a lengthy exhortation to this end and some review of 21:1-8, this message highlights 21:9, and the angel’s aside to John: “Come here a minute. Let me show you something!” This aside is contrasted with the aside of 17:1 where the grammatical construction is nearly identical. We cannot fully understand and appreciate the true Bride of Jesus Christ and our position therein (21:9) until we first see the WHORE, the fake church, for what she is and her future judgment (17:1).

This message was preached at New Testament Christian Fellowship in Claremont, NC on July 11, 2021. The focus is the sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars who are in line for the Lake of Fire (Revelation 21:8). In America today, we are compassed about by these on every side. The word righty translated “sorcery” in this verse is the same Greek word from which we get the English words “pharmacy,” and “pharmacist.” Simply put, most medical treatment in America today, so heavily reliant upon drugs and the hypochondria of a spiritually destitute people, is plain old SORCERY. The health & safety mantra is SORCERY. The Covid hysteria is SORCERY. America is a nation of hypochondriacs who dabble in sorcery for peace of mind. America is also a nation of IDOL WORSHIPPERS who fashion a god or a jesus in their own minds to serve their own lusts and pleasures. And then, there are the LIARS, all the liars. We are surrounded and vexed by them on every side. All these shall have their lot in the Lake of Fire.

A Christian who falls into these things can’t lose his soul, but he does stand to lose a lot: the joy of his salvation (Psalm 51:12), his testimony (I Corinthians 15:33-34, Revelation 2-5), his health (I Corinthians 11:30), heavenly rewards (I Corinthians 3:13-15), his Millennial inheritance (Luke 19:12-26), and perhaps even his earthly life (I Corinthians 11:30, I John 5:16-17). Who wants to lose these things and be ashamed before the LORD? Yes, the Christian can lose much by falling into these things, but he is still a Christian, a child of God. Thus, He is disciplined by a FATHER so that He will not be condemned with the world (I Corinthians 11:32).

This message was preached at New Testament Christian Fellowship in Claremont, NC on July 4, 2021. The focus is the abominable, murderous, and whoremongering classes of wicked people who are in line for the Lake of Fire (Revelation 21:8). In America today, we are compassed about by these on every side. And, the people of God should have no confederacy with them, neither should we fear their fear nor be afraid. Those who let the LORD alone be their fear and their dread will find Him a sanctuary in the midst of a wicked nation, while He is a snare and a stumblingblock to the abominable, murderers, and whoremongers (Isaiah 8:12-17). The only part Christians have with these wicked folks is to warn them, to be like God’s servants the prophets and proclaim: “Oh, do not this abominable thing I hate” (Jeremiah 44:4), in meekness instructing those who oppose themselves if, by chance, God will mercifully grant them repentance unto the acknowledging of the truth (II Timothy 2:25-26).

This message was preached at New Testament Christian Fellowship in Claremont, NC on June 27, 2021. The focus is the second of eight classes of wicked people who are in line for the Lake of Fire—the UNBELIEVING. God classifies the sin of unbelief with whoremongers, sorcerers, and murderers. It is the seed of cowardice and a host of other sins. Unbelief cultivates a defiled mind and conscience. Unbelief provokes the LORD, and it proceeds from a hardened heart. It is the essence of the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, the unpardonable sin; and its most rancid and rotten fruit is born of those who profess to know God and yet in their works they deny Him, living as if they don’t believe what they claim with their mouths (Titus 1:16). But, there is a fix. Cry out to Jesus Christ, as did the father with the demon-possessed son: “Lord, I believe; help thou my unbelief” (Mark 9:24).

This message was preached at New Testament Christian Fellowship in Claremont, NC on June 20, 2021. The focus is the terrible disjunctive conjunction (but) that introduces the last hellfire warning in Scripture and the first of eight classes of wicked people who are in line for the Lake of Fire. Cowardice is a little fire that kindles great evil, and the COWARDS are first in line for damnation. There is good news for the American Church, however, despite all the cowardice that manifested itself during the Covid hysteria. It is sometimes possible that repentant cowards who lost Round 1 later prove to be the staunchest defenders of the faith when the bell sounds for Round 2. Consider Peter and the disciples in Mark 14, and then look at them go with boldness in the Book of Acts! Cowards can be forgiven and redeemed unto great boldness for the Gospel. But, unrepentant cowards are first in line for hellfire and brimstone.

This message was preached at New Testament Christian Fellowship on June 13, 2021. Its focus is upon the second thing that John hears in Revelation 21, the voice of GOD ALL IN ALL from the throne, the exhortation of a very personal God who promises to make all things new and commands John to write down His Words, for they are TRUE and FAITHFUL. Some preachers think the Book of Revelation is apocalyptic, symbolic, allegorical, figurative, confusing, hard to understand, unimportant, and irrelevant for today, but God says these words are TRUE and FAITHFUL. If what the Lord says it true, then this Book can be understood and should be preached. This particular message concludes by looking at the personal invitation of God to come and drink from water of life FREELY (21:6b-7). The first word from God ever omitted or misquoted was “freely” (Genesis 2:15), and it has since been a great stumblingblock for many who reject the Word of the Lord and trust in their own righteousness.

This message was preached at New Testament Christian Fellowship on June 6, 2021. In John 21:3-8, the Apostle hears TWO THINGS. The first is a MEGAPHONE (i.e. great voice) from heaven with a declaration of WHAT WILL BE (I.e. what has never been) and WHAT WON’T BE (I.e. what has always been) in the new heaven and the new earth. In other words, the long-standing law of creation, as defined in Ecclesiastes 3:15, finally EXPIRES. God declared such things to the captives of Israel through Ezekiel the Prophet that they might be ashamed of their iniquities (Ezekiel 43:10). Should what we see and hear in Revelation 21 not also make us ashamed of our iniquities before the LORD here in America?

This message was preached at New Testament Christian Fellowship on May 30, 2021. In the first eight verses of Chapter 21, John sees TWO THINGS and hear TWO THINGS. After some concluding exhortation concerning biblical cosmology, this message moves to focus upon the second of two things John sees: the tabernacle of God coming down out of heaven to dwell with men, Abraham’s dream (Hebrews 11:10) and the reason why there is “no more sea” (21:1). The great heroes of the faith looked for this city and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. Do we confess the same? Do we live as if we are strangers and pilgrims?

This message was preached at New Testament Christian Fellowship on May 23, 2021. Following a 7-part introduction to Revelation 21 that coincided with the Advent Season, this message begins a verse-by-verse study of said chapter. In the first eight verses, John sees TWO THINGS and hear TWO THINGS. This message focuses upon the first thing John sees, “a new heaven and a new earth” where there is “no more sea.” This sea is not the Atlantic or the Pacific, it is the sea of glass from Revelation 4:6, the same sea that has begun to melt by 15:6, is opened in 19:1, and is now gone. This great sea is the waters above the firmament that hide God’s throne (Job 26:8-10) and are frozen (Job 38:29-30). The mention of this sea in Revelation 21:1 necessitates a brief survey of BIBLICAL COSMOLOGY as opposed to the evolution-based cosmology of NASA. The heaven is God’s Throne, and the earth is His footstool (Isaiah 66:1). We are not a random accident spinning on a random ball around a random star in a random corner of a random galaxy that randomly flies outward from a random big bang explosion. Rather, the earth is the LORD’s and the fulness thereof (Psalm 24); it is the epicenter of His creation, His plan, and His purpose in this age.

This message was preached at New Testament Christian Fellowship on January 17, 2021. It is the last of a 7-part miniseries delivered during the Advent Season to serve as a fitting introduction to the glorious portrait portrayed in Revelation 21. Accentuating principles from Proverbs 11 , this series highlights unsung heroes and details from the birth narrative of Jesus Christ while also detailing aspects of the believer’s future expectation and hope that ultimately culminates in a new heaven and a new earth.

Part 7 concludes deliberation of the “blessing of the upright” described in Proverbs 11:11, a blessing that makes a city to rejoice. Here, Mr. Boyd wraps up his examination of the Pre-Tribulational Rapture of the Church as seeded in the Old Testament (see Parts 5-6 of this long introduction to Revelation 21) by focusing upon Isaiah 18—the great present brought unto the LORD out “of a people scattered and peeled, and from a people terrible from their beginning hitherto.” America, a very influential Gentile nation in world history and key with regard to Israel in these latter days, is referenced in the Holy Scriptures. And, like all Gentile world powers, she will suddenly fall. But, take heart American Christian. Your country won’t fall without an ultimate harvest of American saints presented to the LORD at the Rapture of His Church. Still today, as has been the case for many years, the largest concentration of the Remnant Body of Jesus Christ resides in the United States. When God does act to destroy this wicked nation, it won’t be without a giant gift brought to Mount Zion of her people. Therefore, we can live free and please the Lord regardless of what the demonic rabble in Washington DC says or does. For “we, according to his promise, look for newheavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness” (II Peter 3:13).