Revelation 6:9-11 KJV And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the
altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for
the testimony which they held: (10) And they cried with a loud voice,
saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge
our blood on them that dwell on the earth? (11) And white robes were
given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they
should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also
and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be
fulfilled.
Anyone familiar with the temple or tabernacle of the Old Testament age may recognize a pattern here in Revelation.
The fifth seal has souls praying.
Rev 6(10) And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? (11) And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled. It all starts at the altar, folks.
Then there was a laver of water to wash in, and a golden altar of incense.
The next time we read of these prayers of the saints, we are gone beyond the altar, and further into the tabernacle to the very threshold of the MOST HOLY PLACE.
Rev 8:1-6 KJV And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour. (2) And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets. (3) And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. (4) And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand. (5) And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake. (6) And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound. And that was the end of the seals and starting of the trumpets.
Rev 11:15 KJV And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever. And then we read: Rev 11:19 KJV And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail. Like a progression from the altar in the outer court, to the edge of the most holy place inside the Tabernacle, and finally seeing the most holy place opened up and the ark visible to all, we read of these progressions of seals and trumpets. It started with prayer. Prayer against God's enemies. We read next of a woman clothed with the sun appearing in heaven.
Rev 12:10-11 KJV And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. (11) And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. God wants His church to rise to glory and power and to tear down His enemies in this world from having their way.
In Revelation, the word TEMPLE is the Greek word NAHOS.
God was able to do so much each time a set of seven seals, or trumpets or vials occurred. Rev 6:8 KJV And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth. Seals involve a FOURTH PART judgment.
Rev 8:7-8 KJV The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up. (8) And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood; And the vials are total judgement. Rev 16:3 KJV And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea. In Rev 10 we read of 7 thunders but are not told what they are.
And after the ark is seen in the opened temple we read: Rev 15:2-8 KJV And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. (3) And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. (4) Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest. (5) And after that I looked, and, behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened: (6) And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles. (7) And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever. (8) And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled. David brought the ark back to Israel, and finally it was put into the most holy place where we read the same thing we read about the ark seen in Rev 11. 2Ch 5:7 KJV And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the LORD unto his place, to the oracle of the house, into the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubims: 2Ch 5:12-14 KJV Also the Levites which were the singers, all of them of Asaph, of Heman, of Jeduthun, with their sons and their brethren, being arrayed in white linen, having cymbals and psalteries and harps, stood at the east end of the altar, and with them an hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets:) (13) It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of musick, and praised the LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the LORD; (14) So that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of God. The temple is opened again, and there are people standing on the sea of glass before the throne... the throne depicts the ark of the covenant. Rev 4:6 KJV And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind. The closer we get to God, the closer we are to seeing all God's enemies defeated! When we get to people standing directly before the throne on the sea of glass, we read the vials were poured out and total devastation occurred against God's enemies. God is wanting us to defeat all the powers of darkness in our day here in our city.
Using Jesus as High Priest in the idea of a TEMPLE, we read: Heb 4:15-16 KJV For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. (16) Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. A high priest works in a temple and specifically the most holy place of the temple.
But it requires us to overcome! The saints who stood before the throne on the sea of glass just before the vials devastated the earth were specifically said to overcome. The saints who prayed down the dragon, overcame by the blood. Rev 15:2 KJV And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. They got victory over the beast, his image and his mark. Chapter 13 is where his mark and image was mentioned. There is something special to notice here. John is called up to look into heaven. Rev 4:1 KJV After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter. In Rev 5, a two sided book, written on both sides is in Heaven in the hand of God on the throne. Rev 5:1 KJV And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals. Someone is called to obtain it. Rev 5:2 KJV And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? Jesus gets it. Rev 5:6-7 KJV And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. (7) And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne. And Jesus is seen as a lamb here and then a mighty angel in Rev 10. Rev 10:1-2 KJV And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire: (2) And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth, This identical pattern is seen in the Old Testament with MOSES and the LAW OF GOD. Before God calls Moses up the mountain, we read: Exodus 19:5-6 KJV Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: (6) And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel. And then he goes up. Exodus 19:20 KJV And the LORD came down upon mount Sinai, on the top of the mount: and the LORD called Moses up to the top of the mount; and Moses went up. This is what Moses received from God. Deu 6:4-8 KJV Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: (5) And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. (6) And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: (7) And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. (8) And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. The law must be kept and put into their hearts -- and a sign of that would be having it on their hands and foreheads. Exodus 32:15 KJV And Moses turned, and went down from the mount, and the two tables of the testimony were in his hand: the tables were written on both their sides; on the one side and on the other were they written. And when he comes down, he find people worshiping the image of the beast. Exodus 32:4 KJV And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. We read Jesus camed down with the double sided book. Rev 10:2 KJV And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth, And then we read: Rev 13:14 KJV And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. And just like the law was to be in their hearts, like putting it on hand and forehead, we read: Rev 13:16 KJV And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: Then Moses calls out for people to COME OUT. Exodus 32:26 KJV Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the LORD'S side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him. The Levites stood with Moses, just like 144,000 are not with the ones who have the beasts name in thier foreheads, but God the Father's name!. Rev 14:1 KJV 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. Then we read... Exodus 32:27-28 KJV And he said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Put every man his sword by his side, and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbour. (28) And the children of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men. Rev 14:7-10 KJV 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. (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. (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: And the Liveites OVERCAME the tendency of the rest of the people to forsake God and go the way of the world.
Exodus 32:5 KJV And when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, To morrow is a feast to the LORD. You cannot do both.
We need to overcome as the Levites did, and get right to the throne of God. Rev 15:2 KJV And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. Where was the sea of glass? Rev 4:6 KJV And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind. All the way to the throne of God! From an altar of sacrifice all the way to the throne of God as OVERCOMERS! Rev 12:11 KJV And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. The blood of the lamb is at the altar!
The PRIESTS - Levites of God today are all believers... must come to this place of separation from the world to God in dedication. And we must seek God and be the means for God to destroy that which hinders His Spirit from blessings. |