Bible Study Service in Malang, March 28, 2017 (Tuesday Morning)

Peace and grace in the love of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Revelation 5:4-5
5:4 So I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll, or to look at it.
5:5 But one of the elders said to me, "Do not weep. Behold,
the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals."

John the apostle wept much. It means fighting and longing for receiving the revelation of God's Word.
We must also weep or fight to get the revelation of God's Word or the true teaching Word because where there is the revelation of God's Word there will be the opening of the ways or doors in the world. All problems are solved by God. The weeping to get the revelation of God's Word will also be able to comfort or make us joyful although we are in the midst of sufferings. Such weeping is able to save and perfect us as well as open the door of heavenly kingdom so that we have the eternal life.

Who is able to open the scroll or the revelation of God's Word?
  1.   [Revelation 5:5] Jesus as the Root of the tribe of Judah.
  2. Jesus as the Lamb of God who has been slain.
    Revelation 5:6,9
    5:6 And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth.
    5:9 And they sang a new song, saying: "You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,

Thus, there are two appearances of Jesus, who is able to open the revelation of God's Word, so there are two great mysteriesin the Bible as follows.
  1. The mystery of the service to God or salvation.
    1 Timothy 3:16
    3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory.

    It is related to the appearance of Jesus as the Lamb of God who has been slain, namely His coming to the world as a sinless person who must die on the cross to save the sinners.

    John 1:29

    1:29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

    John the Baptist also saw Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

    Matthew 15:24

    15:24 But He answered and said, "I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."

    Actually, Jesus comes to the world to save the house of Israel or the chosen people of God only.

    Romans 11:25-26

    11:25 For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.
    11:26 And so
    all Israelwill be saved, as it is written: "The Deliverer will come out of Zion, And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob;

    Nevertheless, because a part of Israel has hardened the heart, the opportunity and God's mercy are opened for the Gentiles, so they can be saved by Jesus, the Lamb of God who has been slain.
    All Israel that will be saved refers to the whole world or the spiritual Israel that consists of the native of Israel and the Gentiles.

    The salvation is related to the service to God.
    Hebrews 9:14

    9:14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

    Actually, the Gentiles could not have been saved. They could not have served to God. Nevertheless, Jesus as the Lamb of God has been slain, so the Gentiles can be saved. They can serve and minister to God. Therefore, let us appreciate the salvation, the service, and ministry to God which cost the blood of Jesus. Not willingly serving and ministering to God is the same as trampling the blood of Jesus or perdition.

    Philippians 2:12-16

    2:12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvationwith fear and trembling;
    2:13 for it is God who works in you both to
    willand to do for His good pleasure.
    2:14 Do all things without complaining and disputing,
    2:15 that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,
    2:16 holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.


    The salvation is the same as the capital which is given by Jesus through the cross. It will be used up if it is not worked. Therefore, one who has been saved must work out the salvation up to the perfection through the service and ministry to God. After being saved, one will lose the salvation if he does not willingly serve and minister to God.

    We can work out our salvation through serving and ministering to God, so we can be the shining stars.
    The process to become the shining stars is as follows.

    • [Philippians 2:12] Serving and ministering to God with fear and trembling or faithfully and responsibly to God.
    • [verse 13] Serving and ministering to God willingly. We willingly sacrifice for God without any intention to get advantage or physical things. For example, Abraham willingly sacrificed his son, Isaac; Hannah willingly sacrificed Samuel, her only child.
      Nevertheless, God never deceives us. What we have sacrificed for the service and ministry to Him will never vanish away.

    • [verse 14] Serving and ministering to God without complaining and disputing. We serve and minister to God with peaceful heart, without bitterness, envy, revenge, and so on. We also always give thanks to God in everything, so we can keep strong in following the Lord until the end, namely we die or Jesus comes a second time.

    • [verse 16] Holding fast the word of life or the true teaching Word which has been the experience of our life. We can obey the Word and not be driven to and fro by the other teachings, gossips, and so on.

    As a result, we can be the shining star which is held by the right hand of God.

    Revelation 1:16

    1:16 He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength.

    Psalm 16:11

    16:11 You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

    The Lord preserves our physical life in the midst of difficulties in the world. He also preserves us spiritually in the midst of the darkness in the world. We can feel the peace and joy of the heavenly kingdom. All things become easy and light until we get the eternal life.

  2. The mystery of marriage.
    Ephesians 5:31-32
    5:31 "For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh."
    5:32 This is
    a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

    It is related to the appearance of Jesus as the Root of David from the tribe of Judah.

    Mark 13:26-28

    13:26 "Then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.
    13:27 "And then He will send His angels, and gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest part of earth to the farthest part of heaven.
    13:28 "Now learn this parable from the fig tree:
    When its branch has already become tender, and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near.

    The mystery of marriage or bride is related to the second coming of Jesus in the glory as the King of all kings or the Heavenly Bridegroom as well as the fig tree that put forth leaves.

    [Ephesians 5:31] The mystery of the physical marriage, namely a man leaves his father and mother to be joined to his wife.
    [Ephesians 5:32] The mystery of the spiritual marriage, namely Jesus leaves Father God in the heavenly kingdom to go to the world a second time in the glory as the King of all kings or the Heavenly Bridegroom to be joined to the perfect Church or God's Bride on the glorious clouds. It is called as the marriage supper of the Lambor the spiritual marriage.

    Revelation 19:9

    19:9 Then he said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!'"And he said to me, "These are the true sayings of God."

    The requirement to enter the spiritual marriage is being gentle to put forth leaves or experiencing the renewal of life or the spiritual miracle.
    Thus, the mystery in marriage is being gentle. Do not keep the hardness of heart. Men or branches become hardest in the time of suffering as well as blessing. The hard men rely on the self-truth which is not in line with the Word, namely covering the sin by blaming others. They also rely on their own power, namely the riches, intelligence, position, and so on, so they do not rely on or prioritize God anymore. They prioritize their self-interest or egoism and self-will of their flesh. Consequently, they become men in blood and flesh who are arrogant, so they cannot inherit the kingdom of heaven.

    1 Corinthians 15:50-52

    15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption.
    15:51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed--
    15:52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.


    Jesus gives the example that He, who has the heavenly kingdom, willingly humbles Himself to help us so that we can be gentle and humble like a baby who is powerless, but only crying to God. We are embraced by the hand of God's great grace. God pays attention to and care for our life.

    Isaiah 46:4

    46:4 Even to your old age, I am He, And even to gray hairs I will carry you! I have made, and I will bear; Even I will carry, and will deliver you.

    The results are as follows.

    • The Lord is responsible for our life and death. He preserves our life, helps us, and solves all problems.
    • The hand of God's grace bears all weariness and heavy burden, so our life is easy, light, successful, and beautiful.
    • The hand of God saves and perfects us. We are changed to be as perfect as He is. We are ready to welcome His second coming on the glorious clouds until we can sit with Him on the throne of the heavenly kingdom.
God blesses you.