The Seven Bowls Part 2

REVELATION 15 v 5-8

How seriously do we take the power of God and the need to glorify Him?

The scripture opens by referring back to Exodus where they had the Tabernacle a Hebrew word meaning the Tent of Meeting. In Exodus they put the Ark of the Covenant in the Tabernacle; the ark was a symbol of God's presence with the people. The angels that are the within the Tabernacle in Revelation are dressed in clean, shining white linen and a golden sash. This is very symbolic because the High Priests would where this attire, to show they were free from impurity, corruption and injustice. The Tabernacle is mainly described in Exodus 25.

The angels were working for God and they were dressed in such a way to show the purity of themselves and to glorify God as making them pure. Revelation 5 v 10 - "You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth." We have been made part of the priesthood of God and he wants to serve as priest for Him ministering to others. The key factor is that God has made us pure by the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. As a priest God's power and presence is visible in our lives because the Holy Spirit is living in us. Are you ready for God's power to work in you and then through you?

The smoke symbolises God's presence in the tabernacle. Which explains something, the churches which have smoke machines most have God's presence there because there is always smoke - JOKING! In the desert the Israelites followed a pillar of smoke which represented God's presence, Exodus 13 v 21-22 - "²¹ By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. ²² Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people." This gave the Israelites a clear visible sign of God and this helped them to stay focused on God for a while. Do we need a pillar of cloud to remind us to follow God? How strong is our faith to follow?

God's judgment is a reality and that is what is in the seven bowls the seven angels are holding. God is the true and just judge. God is pouring out judgement onto the world. God's promise is that He will save those who believe in Him.

The power of God is in His judgement but it is also in His healing.

Our lives should glorify God and show His power at work in us.

Does your life glorify God?

The Seven Bowls Part 1

REVELATION 15 v 1-4
What is our song of praise to God for His deliverance of us from death?

The plagues which were in these seven bowls were about to be poured out over the world they were a worldwide judgment taking out all evil and ending the world. The song that is quoted is one which Moses sand in Exodus 15 v 1-21, Moses was singing and praising God because God had delivered them from Egypt and the oppression the Israelites were under. 

Do we praise God for the little and big things?

We can be thankful for God's deliverance of us from death and given us eternal life.

This passage and the way Moses worshipped gives us deeper understanding of what worship is.

How will you praise God for His deliverance/saving of you?

(I am now going to take the rest of my time to worship and praise God for what He has done for me)

The Great Conflict - Part 6

REVELATION 14 v 14-20

Are we ready for the harvest?

The picture of God being a farmer is very symbolic, to the culture of the day and is still relevant in our culture today. A farmer would harvest the crop at the same time every year. When he harvests he cuts the wheat from the chaff. He collects all the good but leaves the bad. A farmer does not harvest when the crop is not ready or unripe. A farmer waits for the right time. God harvests at the perfect time but it isn't an every year harvest it is a once and only harvest.

John 5 v 24 - "Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life." This verse speaks of the harvest and of who will and won't be harvested. We have the opportunity to show other people how to become part of the harvest. The harvest is an image of separation between the faithful and unfaithful. 

Jesus talked about a harvest but not a one off harvest but a harvest where different get ripe at different times but this harvest can only happen if there are more workers. Matthew 9 v 35-38 - "³⁵ Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. ³⁶ When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. ³⁷ Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. ³⁸ Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”" Jesus went out sowing the seeds by spreading the good news of the Kingdom. We too can sow seeds in this way and we also have the opportunity to harvest the ripened fruit.  Jesus is calling all believes to sow the seeds and work to reap the harvest. But we don't always harvest what you sow. John 4 v 34-38 - " ³⁴ “My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. ³⁵ Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. ³⁶ Even now the one who reaps draws a wage and harvests a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. ³⁷ Thus the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true. ³⁸ I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labour.”" We work hard and sowing into a people’s lives but we may never see the fruit. If we sow faithfully and we just want someone to reap the harvest then God will grow the seeds. But if we chose to sow just we can reap we might never see a harvest.

Where will you sow?

Why will you sow?

Where are you reaping?

The more we sow the more people will be reaped with us in the final harvest.

The Great Conflict - Part 5

REVELATION 14 v 6-13

God's last appeal to all...

Some believe this is an a final appeal from God so no-one can say they have never heard God's truth but others believe that it is an announcement of God's judgement. When we read this scripture we already know God's truth so however you interpret it, it still compels me to tell more of the truth of God.

The picture of Babylon which is used here in the scriptures refers to the Roman Empire who was trying to kill off Christianity. They were a great evil. This context of the Roman's refers to our situation as Christians because we come up against a lot of opposition.

The world has different values to God and so this conflict. The world seeks after pleasure, money and power. But God's leadership is so much more important. A compromise is made if we want what the world offers rather than coming under God's authority and living by His principles. The unfortunate truth about the people who rebel and ignore God is that they will receive the mark of the beast. They will then drink of the cup of God's wrath, Isaiah 51 v 17 - "Awake, awake! Rise up, Jerusalem, you who have drunk from the hand of the LORD the cup of his wrath, you who have drained to its dregs the goblet that makes people stagger." This verse speaks of the coming judgment upon Babylon, in Revelation the same judgment is spoken of but not just for Babylon.

Do we know people who are waiting for the last appeal of God?

Do we know people who aren't waiting for anything from God?

The final judgement is real and is coming at some point in the future.

Who will you tell the truth of God to?