A WAKE UP CALL FOR CHRISTIANS

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The following verse from Revelation should be a wake-up call for all Christians. John is given this revelation about the final 3 1/2 years before Jesus returns to Earth for the battle of Armageddon. The Antichrist is allowed by God to exercise authority over the Earth and to wage war against the Saints.

“If anyone has an ear, let him hear: If anyone is to be taken captive, to captivity he goes; if anyone is to be slain with the sword, with the sword must he be slain. Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints.” Revelation 13:9-10

Surely, for nonbelievers, these prophetic Scriptures prove the Bible is the inspired word of God. Who would follow a God who allows his enemy to slay His followers? Only born-again believers who have received the Holy Spirit can understand and obey this instruction to endure even unto death.

“And the beast (Antichrist) was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months. It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling, that is, those who dwell in heaven. Also, it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation, and all who dwell on the earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain.” Revelation 13:5-8d

THE GOOD NEWS: The following words are written to the church of Philadelphia, the sixth church, the church that is raptured by God at the end of the sixth year before He pours out His wrath upon an unrepentant world with the Trumpet and Bowl judgements.

“And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: ‘The words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens. “‘I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name… Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth. I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.” Revelation 3:10-11

This word given to the church of Philadelphia is so different from the word given to the church of Laodicea, the seventh church, which is left behind to face the Trumpet and Bowl judgements.

“And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation. “‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.” Revelation 3:14-17

The good news for these people left behind to face the wrath of God is they still have a chance to repent and be saved.

“I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.” Revelation 3:18-19

Each of the seven seals and each of the seven churches reveals what transpires on Earth during the final seven years before Jesus returns to Earth. It is at the sixth seal and the sixth year, when the celestial signs appear in the sky and we are told the great day of God’s wrath has come.

“Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?”

It is the sixth church, the church of Philadelphia that is raptured at the end of the sixth year.

It is immediately after the sixth seal that the four angels are told not to pour out God’s wrath upon the Earth until the 144,000 Jews, servants of God are sealed on their foreheads.
“Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, until we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.” And I heard the number of the sealed, 144,000, sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel:” Revelation 7:3-4

Next John sees all those who were raptured standing before the throne of God the Father and Jesus.

“After this, I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” Revelation 7:9-10

It is only after this scene, that the seventh seal is opened and the first of the seven trumpets is blown initiating the seven Trumpet judgements.

PARTIAL OBEDIENCE IS DISOBEDIENCE

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To finish strong for God’s glory you require patient endurance. You have received the Holy Spirit to enable you if you will only say “Not my will but your will be done today“. Moreover, there is no higher calling, no bigger privilege, no greater joy, and you will be kept from the coming wrath of God.

“Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth.“ Revelation 3:10

The following Scripture delivers a tough message but Jesus must be at the top of our pecking order.

“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.” Luke 14:26-27

“Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him.” 2 Timothy 2:3

We have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” Colossians 1:9-14

Each of the seven churches of Revelation 2 & 3 represents the church in each of the last seven years (Daniel’s 70 weeks prophecy) before Jesus returns first to rapture His church and then to return with the glorified Saints to conquer the Antichrist army at the battle of Armageddon.

The Scripture Revelation 3:7-13 is to the church of Philadelphia, the sixth church in the sixth year.

“Jesus says, I have set before you an open door, no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name. Because you have kept My command to persevere, I will also keep you from the hour of trial (Rapture) which shall come upon the whole earth (wrath of God).” (Revelation 3:7-13)

Just as the six churches represent the church in each of the last seven years, likewise the seven seals also represent what is happening on Earth in each of the last seven years. It is at the sixth seal, the sixth year, that we see the celestial signs that precede Jesus’ return to Earth to rapture the Saints and to begin to pour out His wrath upon the unrepentant.

“When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale. The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, calling to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?” ” Revelation 6:12-14.

It is at the trumpet blast at the opening of the seventh seal that the rapture takes place and the trumpet and bowl judgments are poured out on an unrepentant world for one year and ten days. Why one year and ten days. The year before a Jubilee year is always one year and ten days and the year following Jesus’ return will be a Jubilee year. It so happens that when God poured out His wrath the first time with Noah’s flood it also was for one year and ten days. Check it out.

If the rapture happens at the start of the seventh year it means that the seventh church. the church of Laodicea (Laodicea is a combination of two Greek words (LAO, meaning “God’s people”; and DIKE, meaning “justice or judgment”) Judgement of God’s people)

“I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.” Revelation 3:15-19

Do you belong to a church that says we are rich, have prospered, and are in need of nothing? Or are you in a church like the church of Philadelphia?

“‘I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name… Because you have kept My command to persevere, I will also keep you from the hour of trial (Rapture) which shall come upon the whole earth (wrath of God).” Revelation 3:8,10

THE CHURCHES AT THE END OF THE AGE

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Are the 7 Letters to the churches of Revelation simply instructions on Christian living or are they a prophecy of churches at the end of the age – a prophecy to the Church of Jesus Christ as it endures and overcomes the 70th Week of Daniel?

The prophecy of 70 Weeks (Shabuim) is the central Biblical proof text to show that a Hebrew man named Yeshua (Jesus) was the expected Messiah who confirmed, fulfilled the O.T. promises of a coming Redeemer. 

The 70th week is the final week of the 70 Weeks prophecy. God gives us a lot of information on this final week. He reveals that it is a time of great tribulation for Christians. God refines His church during this time and we are coming to realise now that as many as 50% of so-called Christians are in fact not born again and will fall away during this time of persecution.

“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” Matthew 24:9-14

Back to the seven churches: if it is a prophecy, what do each of the letters to the churches mean? Are these instructions on how to overcome the end times? Watch a complete in-depth analysis of what each letter means.

This study finds the correlation between the 7 Letters to the churches of Revelation and the 7 Seals of Revelation.

When you read the message to the Church of Philadelphia it is obvious that it is the church that is raptured as it is “kept from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world“

“And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: ‘The words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens.
“‘I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name… Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth. I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.” Revelation 3:10-11

Whereas the next church, the church of Laodicea is the church that is left behind and why.

“And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation. ‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.” Revelation 3:15-17