Peace and grace in the love of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Revelation 22:7-17 is about the seven warnings and rebukes or advice to the church on the last days to be as perfect as Jesus is.
- Revelation 22:7 is the warning that is related to the joy.
Do not be mistaken in looking for the joy! There is only one true or eternal joy, namely in hearing and obeying the Word.
All joys which are outside the Word are pseudo. There is suffering up to perdition in it.
- The warning that is related to the honor and worship.
Revelation22:8-9
22:8 Now I, John, saw and heard these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who showed me these things.
22:9 Then he said to me, "See that you do not do that. For I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God."
We must not worship the angels, prophets, holy people, and parents, or others. We can honor them only, not worship them.
Luke9:29-30,369:29 As He prayed, the appearance of His face was altered, and His robe became white and glistening.
9:30 And behold, two men talked with Him, who were Moses and Elijah,
9:36 When the voice had ceased, Jesus was found alone. But they kept quiet, and told no one in those days any of the things they had seen.Moses refers to the image of Father God. Jesus is the Son of God. Elijah refers to the image of Holy Spirit God.
It refers to the Trinity of God in Jesus Himself. Thus, the worship is only for the Trinity of God in Jesus Himself.
Colossians1:191:19 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell,
Colossians2:9-102:9 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily;
2:10 and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power. In Jesus dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily or the form of the perfect God.
If we can worship Jesus, we will be able to be as perfect as He is.
The perfection happens when our worship increases until fulfilling the measurement of God, namely the flesh does not speak anymore or the Veil is torn. As a result, the Ark of the Covenant can be seen.
The Ark of the Covenant consists of two parts as follows:
- The mercy seat of pure gold = the Trinity of God.
- The ark which is overlaid with gold until the wood cannot be seen anymore.
There are three things which are measured as follows:
- About judging.
Matthew7:1-5
7:1 "Judge not, that you be not judged.
7:2 "For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.
7:3 "And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?
7:4 "Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me remove the speck from your eye';and look, a plank is in your own eye?
7:5 "Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.
Luke6:37
6:37 "Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.
Judging means being able to see the sin of other people that is small like a speck, but not being able to see his own sin which is big like a plank; even he hides it. In such condition, he cannot confess the sin, but keeps it and becomes a hypocrite. He cannot reach the perfection.
Matthew3:10
3:10 "And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
One who judges is like a useless tree. It means not yielding fruit or yielding the bad one until being cut and burnt in fire.
Judging others, one must be judged and punished by the Righteous Judge and perish.
1 Corinthians11:28
11:28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.
The right attitude is not judging others, but examining or judging our own life by hearing the Word which is sharper than any two-edged sword and consuming the Holy Communion. We are encouraged to make reconciliation with God and other people.
2 Corinthians5:18-21
5:18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation,
5:19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
5:20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God.
5:21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
It is the same as coming at the feet of the cross of the Lord.
The process is through confessing sin to God and other people. Being forgiven, do not repeat the sin! We must also forgive and forget the sin of others. As a result, the blood of Jesus washes all sins. We are justified and we live in righteousness.
The results are as follows:
- We are used in the ministry of reconciliation, namely removing the speck of sin of other people, so they can be justified to live in righteousness and get salvation. We can testify to save the sinful men.
We are used in the ministry for the edification of Christ's body until Israelites and Gentiles are reconciled to be one new man or one perfect body of Christ. It starts from the ministry in the marriage, shepherding, inter-shepherding, and so on.
- The peaceful heart. God is with us. There is nothing impossible for Him. All things become easy and light.
If there is no peace in heart, God is not with us, so we face impossibilities until it is impossible to be perfect.
- About giving.
Luke6:38
6:38 "Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you."
Jeremiah51:13
51:13 O you who dwell by many waters, Abundant in treasures, Your end has come, The measure of your covetousness.
The stingy will be measured by God up to the limit, namely going out of the body of Christ. Not entering the body of Christ is the same as perishing.
1 Corinthians5:11
5:11 But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral(1), or covetous(2), or an idolater(3), or a reviler(4), or a drunkard(5), or an extortioner(6)--not even to eat with such a person.
We must give according to the measurement of God so that we do not become stingy. It does not rely on the riches or poverty, but the following things:
- The holy heartthat is sanctified from the evil desires, namely the will of money causing stinginess (one cannot give to God and others who are in need) and greediness (stealing the possession of God or tithes and offerings and the possession of other people) which are resisting against the cross.
We are sanctified until we can feel more blessed to give than to receive.
- We confess that all things we have come from God. In such condition, it is not difficult for us to give to God and other people.
1 Chronicles29:13-14
29:13 "Now therefore, our God, We thank You And praise Your glorious name.
29:14 But who am I, and who are my people, That we should be able to offer so willingly as this? For all things come from You, And of Your own we have given You.
- The heart that tends to give with willingness and sincerity.
1 Chronicles29:17-18
29:17 "I know also, my God, that You test the heart and have pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of my heart I have willingly offered all these things; and now with joy I have seen Your people, who are present here to offer willinglyto You.
29:18 "O LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, our fathers, keep this forever in the intent of the thoughts of the heart of Your people, and fix their heart toward You.
We can give to the ministry for the edification of Christ's body, namely our money, time, energy, and thought, up to our whole life.
2 Corinthians9:6-8
9:6 But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
9:7 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.
9:8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.
The requirements or measurements from God for us in the matter of giving are as follows:
- With holy heart, without the fleshly will and intention to get physical profit, or only for glorifying God.
- With the willing heart, not by compulsion.
- With cheerful heart, not with sorrow.
The results are as follows:
- [verse 8] God loves us and we love Him. We are close and united to Him until Satan cannot touch us.
- God gives His mercy abundantly to preserve our life. We do not lack of anything. We can give thanks and become blessings for others.
- Having an abundance for every good work.
Revelation19:8
19:8 And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.
We get the clothes of the bride and become the perfect heavenly bride.
- About the worship prayer or the Golden Altar of Incense.
Revelation11:1
11:1 Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod. And the angel stood, saying, "Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there.
The worship prayer is measured by God up to the peak, namely the flesh does not speak anymore or the Veil is torn.
Revelation11:19
11:19 Then the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of His covenant was seen in His temple. And there were lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake, and great hail.
As a result, the Ark of the Covenant can be seen or there is perfection like Jesus is.
Exodus25:10-11
25:10 " And they shall make an ark of acacia wood; two and a half cubits shall be its length, a cubit and a half its width, and a cubit and a half its height.
25:11 "And you shall overlay it with pure gold, inside and out you shall overlay it, and shall make on it a molding of gold all around.
The Ark of the Covenant was made of the black acacia wood. It refers to the sinful man. Nevertheless, it was overlaid with pure gold until the wood could not be seen anymore.
The worship is a process of overlaying the acacia wood with the pure gold or tearing the flesh until we receive the pure spiritual goldas follows:
- Pure or firm faith.
Job23:10-12
23:10 But He knows the way that I take; When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold.
23:11 My foot has held fast to His steps; I have kept His way and not turned aside.
23:12 I have not departed from the commandment of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth More than my necessary food.
Job got the total test. It refers to the attitude of worship to hasten the process of getting the spiritual gold.
What must we pay attention to when we are facing the test in all aspects of life?
- Every step of our life journey must be in line to the true teaching Word. Our deeds and saying must be righteous, holy, and good to become blessings for others.
- Rejoicing in the Lord and giving thanks to Him.
1 Peter1:6-7
1:6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials,
1:7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,
- Fully surrendering to God.
The Veil is torn, so we get the pure gold or firm faith to make us able to welcome the second coming of Jesus.
- The Spirit of Glory.
1 Peter4:12-14
4:12 Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you;
4:13 but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.
4:14 If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of gloryand of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified.
God allows the test or sprinkling of blood to happen so that the Spirit of Glory is poured on our life. The results are as follows:
- We can always give thanks.
- The Spirit of Glory sanctifies our inward and outward man.
Matthew5:27-28
5:27 "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not commit adultery.'
5:28 "But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
The holiness of Holy Spirit is able to sanctify our outward man from sins up to the peak and our inward man from the evil, unclean, and bitter desires, so we can be holy in our inward and outward man.
- The Spirit of Glory adorns or changes our life from the fleshly man to the spiritual one like Jesus is.
1 Peter4:14
4:14 If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified.
It starts from the heart that is changed to be strong and of good courage. We are not disappointed and hopeless and we do not leave God regardless of anything that happens. We keep faithful and fervent in spirit in the service and ministry to God.
1 Peter3:3-6
3:3 Do not let your adornment be merely outward--arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel--
3:4 rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.
3:5 For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands,
3:6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose daughters you are if you do good and are not afraid with any terror.
Being gentle means that we can receive the Word how hard or sharp it is and we can also receive others.
Being silent means that we can judge or do the introspection in our life. We can confess our sin.
Being submissive means that we are obedient until the flesh does not speak anymore.
The acacia wood has the latex. It refers to the deepest fleshly characteristics which are hidden. It means that one automatically commits sin and does not feel guilty, but rejoices.
The latex must be covered. It means that the fleshly characteristics or weakness must be sanctified by the Spirit of Glory.
1 Chronicles19:13
19:13 "Be of good courage, and let us be strongfor our people and for the cities of our God. And may the LORD do what is good in His sight."
The Spirit of Glory gives victory or solves all impossible problems. Our life is preserved. We have the beautiful successful future life until receiving eternal life.
God blesses you.