Turn with me to the book of the
Revelation. Revelation chapter 1. Revelation chapter 1, beginning
in verse 1. Let's read through verse 4. The revelation of Jesus Christ,
which God gave unto Him to show unto His servants things which
must shortly come to pass, and He sent and signified it by his
angel unto his servant John, who bare record of the word of
God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things
that he saw. Blessed is he that readeth, and
they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things
which are written therein, for the time is at hand." to the seven churches which are
in Asia. Grace be unto you and peace from
Him which is, which was, which is to come, and from the seven
spirits which are before His throne." Now this book, this blessed book,
that Lord willing, we will study. together, has its contents fully
and completely opened and revealed to us in the first verse. It says, the revelation of Jesus
Christ. It is not the revelation of Saint
John the Divine or the revelations of Christ. It is the revelation
of Him. It is a book that I realize has,
I know for myself, probably for others, has been one of great
speculation, wonder. But it is a book that Almighty
God has sent, set forth. by His Holy Spirit. It is one
that has a promise to it. It says, verse 3, Blessed is
he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy,
and keep those things which are written therein. It is with that
promise from the mouth, the mind, will and purpose of Him who cannot
lie, that we have this great and blessed promise. We are assured from the words
of our Lord. In John 5.39 it says, speaking
of the Scriptures, they are they which testify of Me. So I know,
based on The outset, from the very beginning, there is absolutely
no doubt in my mind what this book, or who this book, let me
say it that way, is all about. It's about Him. In the revelation
of the Lord Jesus Christ, we behold who He is, what He has
done, what He is doing, what He shall do. And in Him all things
are yea and amen. They are done. Knowing, I understand
perfectly that there are things without doubt, prophecies that
have been fulfilled. I don't doubt that a bit. Things
yet to come. I don't doubt that a bit. Things
that we have yet to behold, to see, But we bow to His good pleasure
to reveal those things to us concerning His blessed Son. We are not going to try to sit
down and figure out exactly who, what, when, where, or this person,
or label this, and this is this guy, and this is this, this.
We are going to look into the Scriptures and pray that the
Spirit of God might reveal to us all things in light of the
Lord Jesus Christ. I'm not sitting here to speculate
on times. Someone, I have heard of different
ones that have sat down and tried to figure out exactly. They say,
this is when the Lord's going to do this. This is when He's
going to do that. This is what the Lord has revealed through
Matthew 24, 36, But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no,
not the angels in heaven, but my Father only." That ends it
right there. Who can tell, who can say something
that God Himself has not been pleased to set forth? Proverbs
25, 2 says, it is the glory of God to conceal a thing. That which He reveals is for
us, for our children. That which He reveals not belongs
to Him. It's His honor. But of that which
we are sure, this is the revelation of Jesus Christ. We're sure of
that. The uncovering, the unveiling. And when we say the revelation
of the Lord Jesus Christ, we mean that which the Scriptures
set forth concerning Him in Luke chapter 24. Luke 24, verse 27, the Scriptures speaking of the
Lord Jesus Christ to those on the road to Emmaus. It says,
"...beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded unto
them in all the Scriptures concerning Himself. Look at verse 44. He said unto them, These are
the words which I spake unto you while I was yet with you,
that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the law
of Moses and in the prophets and in the Psalms concerning
Me. Then opened He their understanding
that they might understand the Scriptures. Now let me tell you
This you already know, but let me tell you again. I'll tell
you what a believer wants to see. They want to see Him in
the Scriptures. They want to hear Him. They want
to behold Him. As Brother Scott just said, a
believer, the more they hear of Him, the more they want to
hear of Him. Setting forth. Here we behold
the merciful, omniscient, God who gave unto Him, brought forth,
committed, delivered up by the Lord Jesus Christ the disclosure
of His goodness and mercy that would otherwise have been hidden.
How would we know? How would we perceive? How would
we understand? This is the revelation of Jesus
Christ by God Himself, by the Lord Jesus Christ. The Word Himself,
the Author, the Subject of all that we know, He has revealed
unto us. And why did He do this? In His mercy and grace, the Scriptures
set forth in that first verse to show unto His servants things
which must shortly come to pass. God in His infinite grace was
pleased to not be silent toward a people that he has everlastingly
loved. All things were delivered unto
me of my Father, said the Lord Jesus Christ in Matthew 11, 27. All things that God has purposed,
all things that God has ordained and established in an everlasting
covenant, all things, he said, are delivered unto me He said,
and now we see the revelation of Jesus Christ, the God-man,
the Messiah, Emmanuel, God with us revealed. Matthew 11, 27,
the Scripture says, No man knoweth the Son, but the Father. Neither
knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever
the Son will reveal Him. Now let me tell you what that
means. No man, no one knows how. We know and believe, the Scripture
clearly sets forth, Father, Son, and Spirit. Now, you explain
to me. I know you can't. This is just
a statement. How can the Son of God, who is
Son, be Son? No one knows how. The Son of
God is Son, but the Father. Now, He's God. God the Father,
God the Son, God the Spirit. God. That's it, brother Scott.
God. How is He Son? No man knoweth
the Son, but the Father. And no man knows the Father. How the Father is Father, but
the Son? How is that? And he to whomsoever
the Son will reveal Him or enlighten his heart to believe that. You
say, I believe that. Don't understand it. I wouldn't
stand here, Dan, and try to give somebody the impression I understand.
I don't. But I believe that. Absolutely. This revelation was not sent
for any other purpose but to reveal. the Lord Jesus Christ. And it was signified, or it was
made known by His angel, the Scripture says, unto His servant
John, who was the angel. The Scripture doesn't tell us.
It reveals that it was sent to John by God's angel. The same John, I believe, who
wrote of the Lord Jesus Christ While he walked this earth, John,
a man blessed of God, John, he said, in the beginning was the
Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And he
tabernacled among us that which John wrote also, which was from
the beginning, which we've heard, which we've looked upon, our
hands have handled of the Word of life, Now Almighty God has
been pleased by His angel to send unto His servant, John,
this testimony concerning the Lord Jesus Christ, a witness
inspired by the Spirit of God. Blessed! Blessed! There is a
blessing that is given to and bestowed upon those, the Scripture
says, Blessing. Seven times in this revelation,
the Spirit of God reveals those who are truly blessed. I want
to take this first opening message of this blessed book and set
the foundation, Lord willing, of this study. I want you to
turn with me and look. First of all, we see right there,
verse 3 and verse 1, blessed is he that readeth. and they
that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are
written therein, for the time is at hand." Now turn with me. Revelation 14 and verse 13. Here is another blessing set
forth. Revelation 14, 13, I heard a
voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, or the dead which
die in the Lord from henceforth, yea, saith the Spirit, that they
may rest from their labors, and their works do follow them."
Turn over to Revelation 16.15. 16.15. 16.15. 16.15. 16.15. 16.15.
16.15. 16.15. 16.15. 16.15. 16.15. and they see his shame." That
is a blessing that a man would be found watching, waiting. Revelation 19 verse 9, He said unto me, Write, Blessed
are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb.
And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God. Now
that is a blessed man, blessed woman. are those that are called
by God's grace to the marriage. Chapter 20 and verse 6, Blessed and holy is he that hath
part in the first resurrection, on such the second death hath
no power. But they shall be priests of
God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years. Chapter 22, verse 7, Behold, I come quickly. Blessed is he that keepeth the
sayings of the prophecy of this book. In verse 14 of the 22nd
chapter, blessed are they that do His commandments, that they
may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through
the gates into the city. Special blessing that has been
given to those hear that third verse back in the first chapter
of those that read it and hear it. The reading of the Scripture
was done, performed by our blessed Lord in Luke 4 as He read from
the prophet Isaiah. And there is a blessing promised
to those that read it with a heart made sensitive by the Spirit
of God to long after Him, to hear Him, to hear Him. cometh
by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God." Hearing, that is
to say, hearing with a desire to hear, with an understanding. In Acts chapter 7, now let me
show you some men that didn't want to hear. Turn with me to
Acts 7 verse 51. Acts 7 verse 51. He said, Blessed
are those that read this Read it with a heart longing for the
revelation of Christ and that have a heart that longs to hear
from Him. Luke 7, verse 51. Stephen is speaking here. He
said, You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in hearts and ears, you do always
resist the Holy Ghost as your fathers did, so do ye. Which
of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? They have
slain them which showed before of the coming of the Just One,
of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers, who
have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have
not kept it. When they heard these things,
they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on Him with their
teeth. But He, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly
into heaven, and saw the glory of God in Jesus, standing on
the right hand of God, and said, Behold, I see the heavens open,
and the Son of Man standing on the right hand of God. Then they
cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran
upon Him with one accord, and cast Him out of the city, and
stoned Him. And the witnesses laid down their
coats at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul." They didn't
want to hear. They didn't want to hear. I'm
not going to hear what you've got to say. are those that read
this and have a heart and an ear to hear. Those that hear,
they do so by the grace of God. Proverbs 20 and 12, the hearing
ear and the seeing eye. The Lord hath made even both
of them. A man sees and a man hears. He
does so by the grace of God. And there's a blessing to those,
the Scripture says, that keep these things. Those things which
are written therein for the time is at hand. Now how? I thought this to myself as I
read that. How can it be said that a man
can keep those things which are written therein? How can they? In John, in the Gospel of John
chapter 17, John 17, I'll just read this to you if
you want to turn to it, but I'll read it. John 17, 6, the Lord
Jesus Christ in His high priestly prayer said this, John 17, 6,
I've manifested Thy name unto the men which Thou gavest Me
out of the world. Thine they were, and Thou gavest
them Me, and listen, they have kept Thy Word. Now let me ask you something.
Do you think that based on His words Based on that which He
has set forth, that they kept His Word. Do you think they have? They have. That wasn't a trick
question. Based on His Word, He said, I
manifested Your name unto the men that You gave Me out of the
world. Thine they were, You gave them to Me. They kept Your Word. Those that are said to keep the
Word of God, are those that are said to continue with Him. I
know that. But I do know this, those that
keep His sayings, those that endure to the end, those that
will not go away as some did, are those that are kept by the
power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed
in the last time. They've kept Your Word. How have
they kept Your Word? God's kept them. Psalm 119, 11 says this, Thy
Word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against Thee. Thy Word. Now, that's a blessed
thought. Thy Word. The communion of Almighty
God to my soul. Now, here's a miracle of God's
grace. Well, Scott, if we know anything,
It is by the grace of God. If we keep anything, it's by
the grace of God. Thy Word, Thy direct and distinct
message to my heart. I have hid in my heart. Thy Word have I hid in my heart. Here is my treasure, Your Word. This is my treasure. The Word
of God Himself, the Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Word. In the beginning
was the Word, and the Word was with God. The Word was God. Thy
Word have I hid. How? What is this heart? Thy Word have I hid in my heart.
1 Timothy 1.19 reveals this, describes our heart as being
of good conscience. Thy Word, that new heart. The Lord said, I'll give them
a new heart. I'll give you a new heart. I'll put a new heart in
you. I'll give it. I'll keep it. And I'll reside
Christ in you, the hope of glory. These things that are so high,
so indescribable. How wonderfully do we behold
the grace and compassion of the thrice holy God. who by the imputation
of the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ beholds us as we
are in Him faithful. Blessed are those, verse 3, of
those that read and hear and keep those things. There is not
a believer that will say to you, I have kept these things, I have
maintained these things by my own power or by my own will. He has kept me. But they are
kept. They are kept. In myself, that
is in my flesh, I know there dwells no good thing. But all
that the Lord God Himself has charged, imputed, the righteousness
of Brother Scott just said just a moment ago, as He is, so are
we in this world. That's the truth. Now flowing
throughout the book that we begin to study this morning is the
church's assurance of the Lord God's presence with her. That's
what we shall behold throughout this book, her triumph in Him
over Satan and the world. Not by her own ability. I'd hate
to know that I had to go through this world thinking that I was
going to have to do the best I could. Mitch, that's just not
going to get it. Through Him. The judgment of Almighty God
shall we behold toward those that oppose Him, oppose His church,
And finally, the glorious holy city, New Jerusalem, prepared
as a bride adorned for her husband. We shall behold the revelation
of Jesus Christ, the unveiling of Christ regarding all things
as we behold in all of the divisions the trumpets, the bowls of wrath,
the seals, we shall behold Him. Almighty God in Him. The book
of the Revelation is rooted in and in full harmony with all
the Scriptures. That's what Christ says. Now
to whom is this book written? The Scripture says in verse 4,
John, to whom the Lord entrusted or gave this John to the seven churches which
are in Asia. Grace be unto you and peace from
Him which is, which was, which is to come. And from the seven
spirits which are before the throne. John to the seven churches. Now these seven churches are
specifically named in verse 11. There's no doubt about it. There
were seven individual churches. No doubt they were churches that
existed at that time. I will not get into the depth. I'll just make this statement.
There were churches that were there at that time, and as far
as I know, they're not there anymore. The Lord doesn't have
to maintain His candlestick. But there were seven churches
that were there. Now seeing that this revelation
is written, and we are going to notice that the word or the
number seven is used over and over and over in this Scripture. That word seven is the number
of perfection, of completeness, this book being a book of symbolism,
I understand that there are some things that will be set forth
concerning the completeness and the perfection in Christ. So therefore, this book is written
to the seven churches. One writer said that no doubt
that there were other churches that were there in existence
at the time, but these seven churches, by that we understand
that this revelation is given to the entire and complete church. We may safely say that those
seven churches are spoken of. It doesn't mean seven periods
of time. I've heard that where someone
said, well, this was this church and Ephesus and Sardis and Church
of Thyatira and on and on and on. Now, here we are at Laodicea. I've heard that. I'm sure you
have too. If that's the case, then Sardis
and Ephesus is just history to me. These seven churches doesn't
mean seven periods of time, but that each church throughout the
span of time is described in the conditions set forth in each
of these churches. In these seven churches, every
bit of that is relevant today. Seven churches. and peace to
the seven churches which are in Asia. And as we get into it,
we behold what the Lord says to His church. All seven of these
churches is going to say something to us now, today, 2005, in Katy,
West Virginia. These seven churches. The Lord
speaks today. Grace and peace from Him which
is, which was, which is to come from the seven spirits which
are before His throne. This message is to the seven
churches. Grace and peace is given to the
elect from Him. That's what it says. Grace be
unto you and peace from Him. Him. Who is the Him? He is the I Am. Jehovah. Holy God, Father, Son, and Spirit
through the merit of the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace and peace
from Him. Philippians 4.19 says, My God
shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ
Jesus. My God. That's what Paul says. The eternal God. Whenever Moses
was sent into Egypt, he said, Who shall I say sent me? And
the Lord told him, He said, You tell him that I am. Eternal God. He who, according to this Scripture,
which is, which was, which is to come, the I am. You tell him
I am. My God, Paul says, in eternal
covenant, in all of His promises that are yea and amen shall supply
all your need." Let me tell you what your need is. Grace. Grace. That's what I need. I need grace. I need peace. I
need peace. My God shall supply all you.
I need His mercy. I need grace. And therein I have
peace before Him. because He is at peace with me
by Jesus Christ who reconciled us to God by His death. Much
more being reconciled shall we be saved by His life. Grace. I have heard some say that grace
is giving me what I did not deserve by nature. Grace. The grace of Almighty God. The
pardon of sin. Justification by His blood. Eternal
life through Jesus Christ our Lord preserved by the power of
God through faith unto salvation and sanctified by His Spirit,
grace and peace. Peace. John 14, 27, the Lord
speaking. He says, Peace. I leave with
you my peace I give unto you. Not as the world giveth, give
I unto you. Peace. Now when he said that,
what he said was, he said, peace I leave with you, peace I give
you. Peace left and peace given. Peace that is left, that is,
here is the peace I have. Number one, I have peace of being
reconciled to God. Romans 5.11 says, being justified
by faith. Peace with God. That is to say,
peace by the Lord Jesus Christ, our righteous surety and substitute. In Him, by Him, sins are blotted
out, Scripture says, and taken out of the way by His atonement. Peace with God. Christ, peace,
I leave you. He's wrought peace for us before
God. And peace, He said, I give you.
That is to say, a settled heart. Settled. Settled heart. The believer is calmed in his
heart, in his conscience because of the peace that is wrought
by Christ. And he is taught that by the
Spirit of God based on the sure promises of the Lord Jesus Christ
in His Word and by the merits of His sacrifice in His blood.
Peace I leave you and peace I give you. Peace before Almighty God. That's a wonderful thing. Teach
me that. Lord, settle me. Lord, grant
me peace so I can settle down and believe that. And when I
hear that and I look into Your Word, speak to my heart. Your Word, if I hear it in my
heart, I might not sin against it. Grace and peace. Predestinated gifts of the Father
and the Son and the Spirit The Eternal God. He who was and is
and is to come. The Father who chose us in Christ. Purposed peace. Christ the Son
who purchased by His blood all that the Father chose. Turn back
one page probably to the book of Jude. Just verse 1 and 2. And I'm going to close with this.
Well, I may make one other statement. Jude, the servant, of Jesus Christ
and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the
Father and preserved in Jesus Christ and called, mercy unto
you and peace and love be multiplied. And then the Scripture says in
that last part, back in Revelation 1, the last part of verse 4,
and grace and peace that is from the Holy Spirit, from the seven
spirits which are before His throne. Not that there are seven
persons, for God the Holy Spirit is, as the Scripture sets forth,
as one God. One person. God the Father, one
God. God the Son, one God. But it
means seven in perfection, seven in fullness. He bears witness
perfectly and fully of the Lord Jesus Christ to His church. That's what He's saying. And
so we see in those first four verses, this is the revelation
of Jesus Christ from God which God gave unto Him to show unto
His servants things which must shortly come to pass. And He
sent and signified it by His angel unto His servant John who
bare record of the Word of God and of the testimony of Jesus
Christ and of all things He saw, blessed is he that readeth and
they that hear the words of this prophecy and keep those things
which are written therein for the time of that hand, John,
to the seven churches which are in Asia, grace be unto you and
peace from him which was and which is to come, and from the
seven spirits which are before his throne." Lord willing, we'll
take from that point and continue in this blessed revelation of
our blessed Lord.