Right after the service today,
Ruthie needs to meet with the ladies concerning the meals for
the conference. Our conference, Lord willing,
25th, 26th, 27th of this month, Brother Tim James and Brother
Rupert Reibenbach will be here. We need to be remembering these
men. looking forward to what the Lord
has to say through these His servants. Turn with me to the
book of the Revelation, chapter 1. This morning, Lord willing, I'd
like to deal with verse 12 through the end of the chapter. John himself, the Scripture says in verse 10,
he said, I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day. That is to
say, under the influence of, taught by, and hearing by, the
Spirit of God Himself. The Scripture in 1 Corinthians,
let me just read this to you. 1 Corinthians chapter 12 verse
3 says, Wherefore I give you to understand that no man speaking
by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus a curse. and that no man
can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost." So for
John to say that he was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, that
is to say that he was instructed by, taught by, indwelt with the
Spirit of God, Christ Himself. by His Spirit. And he says that,
I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day and heard behind me a great
voice as of a trumpet. And this is what he heard the
voice say, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, what
thou seest, write in a book. and send it unto the seven churches
which are in Asia. And then he told John which churches
that he was to send this message to. John says, I heard a great
voice. That is to say, a mighty voice. And I don't doubt for one second
that John heard the voice with his ears. I don't doubt it. I
mean, with corporal ears. He heard the voice speaking to
him, but especially he heard the voice of the Master by faith. John 10.3 says, My sheep, the
Lord speaking, hear My voice. This is the only voice that God's
people hear from God. The Lord God Himself speaks only
by the Lord Jesus Christ. No man hears from God but by
Him, and God Himself hears no one but the Lord Jesus Christ. He said, I am the way, the truth,
the life. No man comes to the Father but
by Me." This voice of the great Shepherd, it revealed something
of His character. When John heard, he said, I am
the Alpha and the Omega. I am the Sovereign. I am the
First and the Last. It revealed in this voice that
he heard of His mercy to His people. What thou seest, write
in a book and send it unto the seven churches. And it revealed
His distinguishing love to His own. This is who I want you to
write this message to. You send it to these seven churches. Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira,
Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. This message of this book is
to the people of God. It's to His elect. And John said in verse 12, I
turned to see the voice that spake to me. Now, notice 1 John
heard. Faith cometh by hearing. Hearing by the Word of God. I was thinking early this morning
before I got up about this message that I would be preaching this
morning. I thought I'm going to be standing
in a pulpit in just a little while, the Lord willing. I made
some preparation, tried to study, tried to look and find out what
these words meant. What was the Lord saying? I understand
perfectly that a man can take a book, commentary, a dictionary
on biblical terms and look all this up and write out a set of
notes and be pretty well prepared. I don't doubt for one second
that there are not men standing in pulpits all over this country,
whether that is a church where the gospel is being preached
or whether it's a church where it's not being preached. Men
have made preparation. But there's one great difference. If the Spirit of God doesn't
take this Word and bless it to the heart of His people, they
don't hear. It's words. It's interesting,
I'm sure. But if the Lord doesn't take
it and speak, now some this morning, I don't doubt for a second, shall
hear. John said, I heard. I heard the
voice and I turned to see the voice. A turning. That word turning right there,
that is the insinuation, that is the word set forth that is
speaking of repentance. It is to turn. It is to change. It is to change your mind is
what it is. To have a mind that is changed
to see, behold, and believe. the glory of Almighty God on
how God justifies a sinner. John said, I turned to see, in
verse 12, the voice that spake with me, and being turned, I
saw seven golden candlesticks. Jeremiah 31, verse 18 says, I
was chastised as a bullock, unaccustomed to the yoke. Turn thou me, and
I shall be turned, for thou art the Lord my God." John says,
I turned to see, and God's people do. He says, and being turned. I like that. I turned, but He
turned me. I did turn, but it was the Lord. that moved me. Being turned,
I saw seven golden candlesticks, and in the midst of the seven
candlesticks, one likened to the Son of Man." Now, we'll see
in just a moment in verse 20 that the Lord Jesus is standing
in the midst of His church, in the midst of His people. Mysterious
wonder of all wonders." As I've said before, it is a very humbling
thought to realize that He, on the authority of His Word, is
in the midst of His people. Two or three are gathered together
in My name. I am in the midst of you. The
omniscient One who knows all, who sees all, And no one fools
him this morning. No one gets anything past him. He knows just exactly. He knows
what I thought and he knows what you thought. He knows exactly
what's going on. These golden candlesticks, I
saw one standing in the midst of seven candlesticks, seven
golden candlesticks. one likened unto the Son of Man,
golden, precious, costly candlesticks or lampstands, lightbearers that
hold forth the light of the Lord Jesus Christ in the gospel. This church, this place, it is
referred to in the Scripture as a candlestick. in the midst of a dark place. In Matthew chapter 5, Matthew
5.14, the Scripture speaks, the Lord speaking concerning this
light bearer. Matthew 5.14, the Scripture says,
Ye are the light of the world, a city that is hid on a hill,
cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle,
and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick, and it giveth
light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine
before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify
your Father which is in heaven." The setting forth of the gospel
of the Lord Jesus Christ is the setting forth of the light Himself,
He who is the light. This is the light that is born
forth in this dark world where Christ is set forth, the glory
of Him. In 2 Corinthians 5.20, Paul says,
Now then, we are the ambassadors for Christ as though God did
beseech you by us. We pray you in Christ's stead,
be you reconciled to God. This is the bearing forth of
the light of Christ Himself, the light of the world. And as
ambassadors, we set forth, not what we've come up with, if an
ambassador leaves from the United States and goes to a foreign
country with instruction, This is what you're to say. This is
what you're to deal with. This is how you're going to deal
with it. That ambassador does not go with his own mind or will
or purpose in view. He's not going over there to
give forth his opinion. Well, this way I think it ought
to be handled. He goes with explicit instructions on what is to be
said. This book sets forth the glory
of Almighty God in His sovereignty, in His mercy and grace and purpose
to glorify Himself, the glorifying of His precious Son in the calling
out of all that He has everlastingly loved, that He has everlastingly
chosen and dealt with in assurity in the Lord Jesus Christ. And
as an ambassador, God Himself has raised up men to proclaim
His message. Paul says, we are ambassadors.
And we preach to you. We pray you. We beseech you in
Christ's name. And we say unto you, be reconciled
unto God. Now, the Spirit of God will take
that message in time according to God's Word and He will call
out His people. They will hear. My sheep shall
hear My voice. John says, I turned and I saw
one, and he was standing in the midst of seven candlesticks. Where is he found? Where is God
Almighty going to be heard? I'll tell you exactly where He's
going to be heard. According to His Word, He is
going to be heard where He has raised up His voice, His Word,
His purpose, His Gospel. And John said, I turned in the
midst of the seven candlesticks, and there was one likened to
the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the foot. What
we are going to behold here in the next few verses is the revelation
of the great High Priest. John beholds here and sets forth,
this is what I saw. This is what was revealed to
me. John saw Him, beheld Him in our
full and finished salvation. Our great High Priest clothed,
he said first of all, with a garment down to the foot. We cannot but
realize and behold this being the fulfillment, the revelation
of what we've been studying in the book of Leviticus. Leviticus chapter 16 and verse
4, it speaks of Aaron, the high priest. a picture of Christ Himself. And on the Day of Atonement,
Aaron was to put on a linen garment. He was to wash his flesh. And
on the Day of Atonement, Aaron was going to go in. He was going
to take a sacrifice for a sin offering, a burnt offering, and
he was going to offer for Himself first before He made an offering
for the people. He had to make an offering for
Himself, an atonement for Himself and go into the Holy of Holies
as an offering for Himself first, setting forth that there even
had to be an atonement for the type before the type himself
could go in and make an atonement for the people. The glory, the
holiness of the Lord Jesus Christ is set forth in John saying,
I looked and I saw one likened to the Son of Man clothed with
a garment. The priest, the great high priest,
that robe that set forth the conquering the power also of
the righteous judge." Isaiah 59, 17, He put on the garments
of vengeance for clothing and was clad with zeal as a cloak. John said, I saw Him. That garment
that set forth His righteousness that is imputed to all that believe. Isaiah 61, 10, I will greatly
rejoice in the Lord My soul shall be joyful in my God, for He hath
clothed me with the garment of salvation. He hath covered me
with the robe of righteousness." Oh, the wonder of these words
that set forth that which He did for me. Nothing that I've
done for Him. The only thing I heard Brother
Kim James say originally with me was sin. Salvation is of the
Lord. If He has shown me mercy, I've
got hope. If He looks upon me in mercy
and compassion, I've got hope. John said, I saw Him. The High
Priest, the Mediator between God and men, the Man, Christ
Jesus whose robe reaches down, John says, to the foot, covering
His body, His bride, beautifying them in His glory and honor. Nothing about any word is insignificant. He said, I saw Him clothed down
to the foot. There was no part. This is all
symbolic. This is all setting forth in
type. the glory of our precious Lord,
having made an atonement for His people. That is, a covering,
expiating, putting away, propitiation. Here He set forth as the High
Priest who entered into the holiest with His own blood and righteousness
for His people. John said, I saw him. He had
a garment down to the foot and he was girded about the paps,
the chest, the breast with a golden girdle. Again, Aaron is the high
priest in Exodus 28. He was girded about with a girdle. And here we behold the righteousness,
the faithfulness of the Lord Jesus Christ, our great High
Priest, as God's righteous servant. Whenever Aaron would offer a
burnt offering, we hear the burnt offering, the peace offering,
the meat offering. the sin offering, the trespass
offering, that burnt offering that was offered. It was called
a sweet savor offering. It was that offering that set
forth the willingness of the Lord Jesus Christ to lay down
His life. And God Almighty was well pleased. That burnt offering, when He
would go in, we speak of He went in with a sin offering, Carl,
and a burnt offering. That sin offering that set forth
the Lord Jesus Himself made sin. That one where God Almighty in
the day of His crucifixion, the Scripture says, The Lord Jesus
cried out, My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me? You know why? Because He was made sin. The Scripture says He is of holiness. He will not look upon, forsook
Him. But there was a burnt offering
that was offered too. And that burnt offering set forth
the glory and willingness of Christ to lay down His life.
And God was well pleased. Indescribable is our great servant,
God's servant, the Lord Jesus Christ. Gird about. But this also sets forth. Turn
with me to Isaiah. I want you to look at this. Isaiah
22. Speaking of this, girdle. Isaiah 22, verse 20. Isaiah 22,
20. It shall come to pass in that
day I will call my servant Eliakim, the son of Hilkiah, and I will
clothe him with thy robe and strengthen him with thy girdle. Now here we behold the Lord Jesus
Christ Our great high priest girt about with that garment
down to the foot and girted about the paps across the chest, across
his heart of love for his people. The servant serving with love. He said, I have loved you with
an everlasting love. But here he is set forth as the
glorious He said, verse 21, I'll clothe him with thy robe and
strengthen him with thy girdle. I will commit thy government
into his hand. He shall be a father to the inhabitants
of Jerusalem, to the house of Judah, and the key of the house
of David will I lay upon his shoulder. So he shall open and
no man shall shut. He shall shut and none shall
open. It amazes me. Men speak of being
able to have the free will to be able to do whatever they want
to do. And you read in the Scripture, and Scripture says, I'll shut,
nobody opens. I open, no man shuts. John 1
speaks of the salvation of Almighty God to His people. Let's just
look at it again. John 1.13. which were born, not of blood,
nor the will of the flesh, nor the will of man, but of God.
Here is the mighty King gird about the paps with this girdle,
setting forth Him who is the Truth, the Master, the Lord. And the Scripture says back in
Revelation, John having looked at him, he said, I saw him, in
verse 14, his head and his hairs were white like wool, as white
as snow. Daniel 7, 9 says this, that the
ancient of days did sit, and the hair of his head was
like pure wool. What did the Father say to the
Son? He said it in My right hand. Why? Because it's finished. The
work of redemption done. Here we behold Him. John said,
I saw Him in His head and hair white like snow. This is the
eternal God, the everlasting Father. This is who He is. And His eyes were as a flame
of fire. These eyes of which Noah found
grace in are the eyes of His flaming love for His people. Song of Solomon chapter 5 verse
12. says, this is the bride speaking,
His eyes are as the eyes of doves by the rivers of water, washed
with milk and fitly set. His eyes that look upon His people
in love and affection, in mercy, in grace, these eyes whose omniscience
sees all and knows all. The eyes that the Scripture says
runs to and fro throughout the whole earth to show Himself strong
in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him. These eyes also that saw the
wickedness of man. that it was great in the earth
and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was
only evil continually. I think to myself, if he looks
not upon me in mercy, what hope does a man have? His feet, the Scripture says
in verse 15, likened to fine brass, as if they burned in a
furnace. Fine brass. Fine brass is white. That word fine brass is actually
interpreted brightness. His feet is fine brass. And Daniel chapter 10 and verse
6 says, His arms and His feet likened to the color of polished
brass. Here we behold the Lord in His
strength, in the glory of the redemption of His people. Feet
of fine brass, as Isaiah 63, verse 1 says, is glorious. He who is glorious in His apparel
traveling in the greatness of His strength. I that speak in
righteousness, mighty to save." John said, I saw Him. I saw Him
in His garment girded down all the way. I mean, a garment down
to the foot. I saw Him in His righteousness.
I saw Him in that girdle about His paps in love and strength
and the service of Him. I saw Him. the everlasting God,
His head and hair as white as wool. And I saw Him whose eyes
are omniscient, who looks and sees the imaginations of evil
in men, but looks in mercy upon His people. The One whose feet
were like unto fine brass, that is, the One that trod the winepress
of God's judgment and wrath alone, by Himself, These feet that walked
in perfect obedience to the law as the sheep's representative.
I saw His feet, strong and mighty. And His voice, the Scripture
says in the last part of 15, as the sound of many waters. A powerful, a distinct voice. I think about that Scripture
when the Lord He received a message from Martha and Mary. And this was the message, He
whom thou lovest is sick. And the Scripture says He waited.
Waited some time. Waited a couple of days. And
He came. And Martha and Mary, two different
times, came out to see Him. And both of them said to Him,
Had you been here, our brother wouldn't have died." He told
Martha, you know the story. He said, you know, your brother
will live. She says, oh, I know he'll rise again in the resurrection.
And he said, Martha, I am the resurrection and the life. He came to the tomb and he told
some that stood there, he said, roll the stone back Martha, of
course, is going to help him out like men foolishly think
they can. She said, He's been dead now four days. He's
going to begin to stink. And he groaned. They rolled the
stone back. And this was what he said. John said, this voice as the
sound of many waters, mighty and powerful. And this is what
he said, Lazarus, come forth. And he came forth. He said as
he walked by Matthew, follow me. And he followed. This is the voice of the bride
that she longs to hear. Song of Solomon 8.12, O thou
that dwellest in the gardens, the companions hearken to thy
voice. And then she says, cause me to
hear it. Cause me. Lord, speak to me. This morning, This is the desire
of the bride. Lord, speak to me. Do you know
why she says that? Because she's already heard it.
That's why she says it. It's the voice of authority. The voice is the gospel of free
grace preached where He sent it. That's the voice. speak of and hear that Scripture,
my sheep, hear my voice. This is mysterious. This is spiritual. This is amazing. But I'm telling
you that though a man stands here, and whether it's me or
Brother Scott or any other man that preaches freely the Gospel
of Christ, though you might hear with these ears, a voice of a
man. I'm telling you, based on the
Scripture that I just read, that we are ambassadors of Christ
and we beseech you in Christ's name, in Christ's authority. His voice is heard spiritually
in the preaching of His Word, His Gospel. That's how His voice
is heard. And it goes forth. And let me
tell you what's going to happen when His voice goes forth. Isaiah
55, verse 11 says this, So shall My Word be that goeth forth out
of My mouth. You say, well, I thought that
was Marvin's mouth. Or was it Scott's mouth? or this man's
mouth, I thought that was it. The Lord says, My word that goes
forth out of My mouth, it shall not return unto Me void, but
it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper
in the thing whereto I sent it. I'll tell you exactly what's
going to happen. God's sheep. are going to hear His voice and
they are going to follow. They shall come to Him. John
said, I heard His voice as the sound of many waters. And he had, verse 16, in his
right hand seven stars. He had in his right hand That
hand that sets forth, that term, let me say it like that, that
speaks of His power. He had in His right hand, Exodus
15, verse 6, Thy right hand, O Lord, is become glorious in
power. Thy right hand, O Lord, hath
dashed in pieces the enemy. His right hand. He had in His
right hand. That hand that does as He will,
Carl. That hand who is all-glorious. That hand that accomplishes. He had in His right hand seven
stars. That is according to verse 20
and 21, 22, setting forth the angels. to the churches, God-appointed
pastors who are compared to stars because they are preachers of
the light who have spoken unto you, according to Hebrews 13,
7, the Word of God. They are set forth as stars. And here is the dignity and safety
of faithful ministers held fast in the hand of the Lord Jesus
Christ in His right hand. John said, out of his mouth, on a sharp
two-edged sword, that is, The Word of God. Hebrews chapter
4 verse 12 speaks of the Word. It says, For the Word of God
is quick. That is, it's alive. It's powerful. Well, I think about even This
morning, I'm trying to just set my mind on exactly what the Word
of God says, though I don't understand it. I don't perceive the depth
of it. But I'm telling you that according
to Hebrews 4.12, the Word of God is life. I just read that He said, accomplish
the purpose for which it's sent." This Word is quick, it's powerful,
and it's sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the depth,
dividing asunder of the soul and the spirit, the joints and
the marrow, and is a discerner. The Word of God, the living Word
of God, it's a discerner of the thoughts and the intents of the
heart. I think how awesome the thought that this Word that set forth
the glory of Him who is the living Word, that that Word goes forth
in might and power, and I can see the result. of that which
the Word of God has actually done. And you see the miracle
of God's grace that there are some that He has called out and
taught and humbled and brought to Himself. And they admit, He
turned me He taught me. He drew me. John said that word, that sword
is a two-edged sword. Now this message right here,
remember, this message is to the seven churches. This is a
sharp, two-edged sword. And John said, I saw in that
two-edged sword. I saw the Word of God that slays
the Word Himself, the living Word. The sin of the bride and also
her self-righteousness. 2 Timothy 3.16 says, All Scripture
is given by inspiration of God and it is profitable for doctrine,
for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.
And this sharp two-edged sword is the Word itself that conquers
His enemies and defends His church. John said His countenance was
as the sun that shineth in His strength. John had seen this
before. In Matthew 17, I won't read it,
but it was the revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ to Peter,
James and John on the mountain of transfiguration. Here is the
Son of righteousness according to Malachi 4.2 that ariseth with
healing in His wings. John said His countenance, the
source, the sustenance, the strength of Him who is the light. And
John said, verse 17, when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. Those
first few verses we saw the revelation of the high priest. And right
here we see the respect toward the high priest. saw Him. Scripture reveals that
many saw the Lord when He walked on this earth. Mark 2.16 says, When the scribes
and Pharisees saw Him eat with publicans and sinners, they said
unto His disciples, How is it that He eateth and drinketh with
these publicans and sinners? No man ever had Him revealed
to them, though, that saw Him by the Spirit of God in power
and remained the same. No man. There is a respect that
is given to the mighty God, the Lord Jesus Christ. There's respect. And where you find not respect
toward Him, bowing to Him at admittance A man hadn't seen
Him. Isaiah chapter 6. Isaiah said,
In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw also the Lord sitting
upon a throne. I was reading this a moment ago
and I got to thinking. I said, How do you know? What
does a man see when he sees the Lord? Isaiah said, I saw the
Lord. I saw Him. Listen to these characteristics. How does a man by faith see the
Lord? I saw the Lord sitting on a throne. You know how a man sees Him? He sees Him as a sovereign. He
sees Him as God. Not somebody trying to be God
or somebody trying to get you to help him be God. He sees Him
as God. I saw Him on a throne high and
lifted up in His train. filled the temple. And above
it stood the seraphims. Each one had six wings. With
twain he covered his face. With twain he covered his feet.
And with twain he did fly. And one cried..." Now this seraphim,
these angels, these stars, I personally think it has reference to God's
preachers too. And I don't doubt it has reference
to the angels in heaven too. But I'll tell you this. whoever,
all created beings that have seen Him." Angels, that's what
one of the angels said. I don't remember the man's name,
but there was an angel who bowed to him. The angel said, No, no,
no, no, no. Don't bow to me. I'm like you are. I'm like you
are. You worship God. Here are these
seraphims. They had six queens. One of them
covered his face. He said, I'm not even worried
to look on him. Twain, he covered his feet. They
said, oh, don't look the way I walk. Twain, he did fly. And one cried unto the other.
And this is what they said, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts. The whole earth is filled with
His glory. And the post of the door moved
with the voice of Him that cried. And the house was filled with
smoke. Then said I, woe is me, for I
am undone because I am a man of unclean lips. And I dwell
in the midst of a people of unclean lips, for mine eyes have seen
the King, the Lord of hosts." John says, when I saw Him, I
fell at His feet as dead. And then the comfort of the high
priest. There was the respect that was
given. And the Scripture says in verse
17, He laid His right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not,
for I am the first and the last. Here is absolute mercy and grace,
one made to see his need of Christ, needs that Christ comfort him.
My sheep, helpless, needy, follow me. And He comforts them. revives them in heart, all that
He humbles before Him. He humbles them and comforts
them. I am He, verse 18, that liveth
and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of hell and
death. The realization of the living
God gives great comfort, peace, and security right now, not a
figment of my imagination, but that He who is alive sees and
knows. Here speaks the resurrected Lord,
whoever liveth to make intersection for His people. As the surety
of the sheep, the one that God has dealt with On our behalf
and us in Him, cast your care upon Him, you that believe, for
He cares for you. He has all power over death and
the grave. Psalm 68, 18 says, Thou hast
ascended on high, Thou hast led captivity captive, that which
held us captive, He has led that captive. He has conquered and
triumphed over all that held us. And then lastly, our commission
from the great High Priest. He told John, You write the things
which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things
which shall be hereafter." From a revealed Savior, the great
High Priest, we have a revealed message. John saw by faith the
Messiah, the Lamb Himself, the Lamb of God in His glory, the
resurrected High Priest, and was commissioned to write the
things that he saw and heard to the seven churches. This is
the message to God's people for their comfort, for their peace. Comfort ye, comfort ye, my people. When God's people hear of their
high priest, they're comforted knowing that he ever liveth to
make intercession for them. They're comforted. We set forth
the Lord Jesus Christ in this glorious Gospel. Paul said, I'm
not ashamed of it. I'm not ashamed of it. It's the
power of God unto salvation. This message is faithfully preached
by the stars, the angels within His hands. the gifts from Christ
to His church, the bride that He has everlastingly loved. That's
what the Lord told him. He said, the stars that you see
in my hand are the angels, the preachers, the gift. It's very humbling. And I think
I'm being sincere when I say this. I think I am. to realize
God would raise up a preacher, a man, a human being that will
admit in himself, I'm nothing, a frail creature, I'm dust, one
that is, humanly speaking, dying. but that Almighty God would call
out and give a man and teach a man His Word, and give that
man a heart to preach it, and that He would bless that Word
to the calling out of His people, and that He would have a candlestick
in the midst of a dark and dry land. I think when the high priest
would come into that holy place, not into the holy of holies,
but into that place where the showbread was, the golden incense,
the labor, the water labor, and there was a candlestick. I do
it over here because that's the way, when I looked at it, the
way it was laid out. It was the showbread, the incense,
the golden candlestick. And the priest would come in.
He'd trim. He'd trim those candlesticks,
those candles. He'd trim them back that they'd
burn brighter. And here, in the midst of his
candlestick, The Lord comes in and chastens and teaches with
His Word, the Word of reproof and correction. He teaches. And God's people never mind. They love the Word that corrects
them and teaches them and shows them what they are. And He is
here trimming His candlestick, teaching. By chastening, he said,
without chastisement, without correction in heart. And I'm
telling you, this is where God's people are corrected. They hear
it and they know it and they're chastening. John saw Him in the midst of
the candlesticks, stars that He held in His hand. This is
a great comfort. And my pride is abased because
I'll tell you what, I'm absolutely convinced that the only place
that He is, is the place where He's raised up this Gospel. That's
the only place. Is He in every place? No. No. Where is He? He's in the midst
of the seven candlesticks. That's where He's at. Where the
glory of Christ is set forth. And in the midst of those candlesticks,
revealed as the great high priest, trimming, teaching. And his people
loved for it to be so. And they received great peace
in that. Next time, Lord willing, we'll
begin to look at the message that he sent to the seven churches. We'll take them as we can. And
we'll find in these seven churches the message that is to the church
in all of the teachings to the seven churches. It's relevant
today. I want to know what he's got
to say, Neal.