| Author |
Message |
Bruce H
| | Posted on Sunday, February 06, 2000 - 6:39 pm: |     |
Who are the Twenty four Elder's are they the
Church or the Kingdom of Heaven?
First text Revelation 4:4
Rev 4:4 4 Around the throne were twenty-four
thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four
elders sitting, clothed in white robes; and they
had crowns of gold on their heads.
Well let us look at some things about the Twenty
four Elders (TFE).
1. They each had a throne
2. Clothed in White robes
3. They had crowns of gold
4. They were sitting
1) They each had Thrones. "and on the thrones I
saw twenty-four elders"
Rev 3:21 21 "To him who overcomes I will grant to
sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and
sat down with My Father on His throne.
-------------------------------------------------
1 John 5:4-5 4 For whatever is born of God
overcomes the world. And this is the victory that
has overcome the world--our faith.
5 Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who
believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
-------------------------------------------------
So the Church will sit with Christ on His throne.
2) Clothed in White robes. "clothed in white
robes".
Rev 3:5 5 "He who overcomes shall be clothed in
white garments, and I will not blot out his name
from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name
before My Father and before His angels.
So the Church will be clothed in white garments.
3) They had crowns of gold "and they had crowns
of gold on their heads".
2Ti 4:8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown
of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous
Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me
only but also to all who have loved His appearing.
1Pe 5:4 and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you
will receive the crown of glory that does not fade
away.
Re 3:11 "Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast
what you have, that no one may take your crown.
Well the Church will have a crown, is it Gold?
4) They are sitting. "twenty-four elders
sitting".
Rev 3:21 21 "To him who overcomes I will grant to
sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and
sat down with My Father on His throne.
The Church is sitting with Christ.
Second text Revelation 4:10
Rev 4:10 10 the twenty-four elders fall down
before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him
who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns
before the throne, saying:
Third text Revelation 5:5
Rev 5:5 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."
Elders (presbuteros) in NT are highest officials
in the church; representative of the whole church
(Titus 1:5, Acts 15:6, 20:28, 1 Pet 2:5,9.)
The Church has elders or is elders.
Fourth text Revelation 5:8-10
Rev 5:8-10 8 Now when He had taken the scroll, the
four living creatures and the twenty-four elders
fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and
golden bowls full of incense, which are the
prayers of the saints.
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,
10 And have made us kings and priests to our God;
And we shall reign on the earth."
Look at the song that the TFE sing "And have
redeemed us to God by Your blood."
(some Bibles have the word "them" instead of "us".
but "us" is found in Codes Siniaticus; Basilianus
(Vatican); Latin Coptic, Memphitic --vs
"Them":Codex Alexandrinus.
So the TFE were redeemed by God's blood. Well so
is the Church.
The TFE also sing "And have redeemed us to God by
Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and
people and nation,"
so the TFE have been redeemed out of every tribe
and tongue and people and nation.
So the Church is redeemed out of all nations (Acts
15:14)
The TFE also sing "And have made us kings and
priests to our God; And we shall reign on the
earth."
So the Twenty Four Elders have been made kings and
priests.
The Church has also been made Kings and Priests
Revelation 1:5-6
Rev 1:5-6 5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful
witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the
ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who
loved us and washed us from our sins in His own
blood,
6 and has made us kings and priests to His God
and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever
and ever. Amen.
also Rev 3:21 and 1 Peter 2:5
1 Peter 2:5 you also, as living stones, are
being built up a spiritual house, a holy
priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices
acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
So we the Church are being built us as a Holy
Priesthood. and will reign with him
2Ti 2:12 If we endure, We shall also reign with
Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us.
Now what about the number 24
The number 24 is used only once in the Bible
besides the TFE and it is here
In 1 Chr 24:1-18 David separated the priests into
divisions or 24 divisions.
Well the Church is a priesthood, are we also in 24
divisions?
So is the Church the Twenty four Elders? What do
you think.
Bruce H
Kingdom of Heaven
b |
Bruce H
| | Posted on Friday, February 18, 2000 - 4:38 pm: | |
Part 1 Is the Mystery the kingdom of Heaven.
What is the Mystery or secret kept hidden
Matt 13:34,35 34 All these things Jesus spoke to
the multitude in parables; and without a parable
He did not speak to them,
35 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by
the prophet, saying: "I will open My mouth in
parables; I will utter things kept secret from the
foundation of the world."
1. Things kept secret from the foundation of the
world.
So from the creation of man until Christ all those
prophets or people did not know something.
Mark 4:11,12 11 And He said to them, "To you it
has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom
of God; but to those who are outside, all things
come in parables,
12 "so that `Seeing they may see and not
perceive, And hearing they may hear and not
understand; Lest they should turn, And their sins
be forgiven them.'"
2. To you (the Church) it has been given to know
the mystery of the kingdom of God.
3. To those outside (Gentiles and Jews) only
parables, no understanding.
Rom 11:25 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.
4. National blindness has happened to Israel until
the fullness of the Gentiles (Church) has come in.
So the mystery is that Blindness has happened to
National Israel (LUKE 19:41,42) and this continues
UNTIL the fullness of the Gentiles or the Church
has come together. So Israel will see again?
Rom 16:25-26 25 Now to Him who is able to
establish you according to my gospel and the
preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the
revelation of the mystery kept secret since the
world began
26 but now made manifest, and by the prophetic
Scriptures made known to all nations, according to
the commandment of the everlasting God, for
obedience to the faith--
5. Kept secret since the world began.
6. Made manifest by prophetic scriptures (by the
Spirit 1Cor 2:6-10)
1 Cor 2:6-10 6 However, we speak wisdom among
those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this
age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming
to nothing.
7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery,
the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the
ages for our glory,
8 which none of the rulers of this age knew; for
had they known, they would not have crucified the
Lord of glory.
9 But as it is written: "Eye has not seen, nor
ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man
The things which God has prepared for those who
love Him."
10 But God has revealed them to us through His
Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes,
the deep things of God.
7. Hidden wisdom which God ordained before the
ages.
8. God had revealed them to us through His
Spirit.
1 Cor 15:51,52 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery:
We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be
changed--
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.
9. We (The Church) shall not all sleep, but we
shall ALL be changed, in a moment.
Eph 1:9-14 9 having made known to us the mystery
of His will, according to His good pleasure which
He purposed in Himself,
10 that in the dispensation of the fullness of
the times He might gather together in one all
things in Christ, both which are in heaven and
which are on earth--in Him.
11 In Him also we have obtained an inheritance,
being predestined according to the purpose of Him
who works all things according to the counsel of
His will,
12 that we who first trusted in Christ should be
to the praise of His glory.
13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the
word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in
whom also, having believed, you were sealed with
the Holy Spirit of promise,
14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until
the redemption of the purchased possession, to the
praise of His glory.
10. He might gather together in one all things in
Christ (by being sealed with the Holy spirit of
promise).
Bruce H
B |
Bruce H
| | Posted on Friday, February 18, 2000 - 4:44 pm: | |
Part 2 Is the Mystery the Kingdom of Heaven.
Eph 3:3-9 3 how that by revelation He made known
to me the mystery (as I have briefly written
already,
4 by which, when you read, you may understand my
knowledge in the mystery of Christ),
5 which in other ages was not made known to the
sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the
Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets:
6 that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of
the same body, and partakers of His promise in
Christ through the gospel,
7 of which I became a minister according to the
gift of the grace of God given to me by the
effective working of His power.
8 To me, who am less than the least of all the
saints, this grace was given, that I should preach
among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of
Christ,
9 and to make all see what is the fellowship of
the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages
has been hidden in God who created all things
through Jesus Christ;
11. The sons of men did not know before now.
12. been revealed to His holy apostles and
prophets
13. Gentiles should be fellow heirs of the same
body (Church).
Which in other ages was not made known to the sons
of men. Remember Matt 11:11 among those born of
women there has not risen one greater then John
the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of
heaven is greater then he.
partakers of His PROMISE in Christ through the
gospel. Remember Luke 24:49 Behold, I send the
PROMISE of My Father upon you; but tarry in the
city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power
from on high. Remember Acts 1:4-6 wait for the
PROMISE of the Father which He said you have heard
from me; you shall be baptized with the Holy
Spirit not many days from now.
Col 1:26,27 26 the mystery which has been hidden
from ages and from generations, but now has been
revealed to His saints.
27 To them God willed to make known what are the
riches of the glory of this mystery among the
Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of
glory.
14. revealed to his saints.
15. Christ in you.
Col 2:2,3 2 that their hearts may be encouraged,
being knit together in love, and attaining to all
riches of the full assurance of understanding, to
the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the
Father and of Christ,
3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom
and knowledge.
1. Things kept secret from the foundation of the
world
2. To you (the Church) it has been given to know
the mystery of the kingdom of God.
3. To those outside (Gentiles and Jews) only
parables, no understanding.
4. National blindness (Start-Church)has happened
to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles
(Finish-Church) has come in.
5. Kept secret since the world began.
6. Made manifest by prophetic scriptures (by the
Spirit 1Cor 2:6-10).
7. Hidden wisdom which God ordained before the
ages.
8. God had revealed them to us through His
Spirit.
9. We (The Church) shall not all sleep, but we
shall ALL be changed.
10. He might gather together in one all things in
Christ (by being sealed with the Holy spirit of
promise).
11. The sons of men did not know before now.
12. been revealed to His holy apostles and
prophets
13. Gentiles should be fellow heirs of the same
body (Church).
14. revealed to his saints.
15. Christ in you.
Mystery is the Church and is:
A. Not made known to the sons of men before this
time.
B. Christ in you (Holy Spirit)
C. God through his spirit makes known his hidden
wisdom.
D. Started after Israel rejected her Messiah and
stops when the fullness of the Gentiles or church
comes in.
E. After the Church the eyes of Israel will be
opened.
Bruce H
B |
Jude the Obscure
| | Posted on Friday, February 18, 2000 - 4:53 pm: | |
Thanks, Bruce.
Your studies are always enlightening. Jesus Christ, "in whom ALL the fullness of the godhead dwells bodily," is the revelation and the apocalypse (unveiling of the finished work) of the mystery of all time and all eternity, made known in the last days, which began when Jesus cried out, "It is finished!" on the cross.
Blessings,
Jude |
BRUCE H
| | Posted on Thursday, February 24, 2000 - 7:25 pm: | |
PART 1
What is the Promise, does this have something to
do with the Kingdom of Heaven or God.
Lu 24:49 "Behold, I send the Promise of My Father
upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until
you are endued with power from on high."
Jesus is sending the promise of the Father (God),
what is that?
They have to wait until what?
Until you are endued this is yet future not past
tense..
Ac 1:4 And being assembled together with them, He
commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but
to wait for the Promise of the Father, "which," He
said, "you have heard from Me;
They were to wait for the promise of the Father
which they heard from him, what did they hear from
him?
Ac 2:33 "Therefore being exalted to the right hand
of God, and having received from the Father the
promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this
which you now see and hear.
So the promise of the Father (God) is the Holy
Spirit.
I thought they already had the Holy
Spirit?????????
Notice that it now speaks in past tense HAVING
RECEIVED this is after Pentecost.
They were to what until Pentecost, this is when
God poured out the Spirit upon them (Read Acts
2:1-39).
Why did they have to wait until then?
Ac 2:39 "For the promise is to you and to your
children, and to all who are afar off, as many as
the Lord our God will call."
So those who are called by God receive the promise
of the Holy Spirit.
Ac 13:23 "From this man's seed, according to the
promise, God raised up for Israel a
Savior--Jesus--
So Jesus was part of the Promise, could it be that
his death had something to do with the promise?
Ac 13:32 "And we declare to you glad tidings--that
promise which was made to the fathers.
So this is the promise (Holy Spirit) that was made
to the fathers so they did not have it yet but
they knew it would come, they had faith in that.
Ro 4:13 For the promise that he would be the heir
of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed
through the law, but through the righteousness of
faith.
Notice that it says, would be, this is yet future
not past tense, so Abraham knew it was by faith,
and yet it would not happen until the Messiah.
Ro 4:14 For if those who are of the law are heirs,
faith is made void and the promise made of no
effect,
Ro 4:16 Therefore it is of faith that it might be
according to grace, so that the promise might be
sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of
the law, but also to those who are of the faith of
Abraham, who is the father of us all
Ro 9:8 That is, those who are the children of the
flesh, these are not the children of God; but the
children of the promise are counted as the seed.
So there are two groups those children of the
flesh WHO ARE NOT HIS, and children of the promise
WHO ARE COUNTED AS SEED WHO ARE HIS.
Romans 8:9 9 But you are not in the flesh but in
the Spirit (promise), if indeed the Spirit of God
dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the
Spirit of Christ, he is not His.
If you do not have the Holy Spirit dwelling in you
you are not a child of God.
Ga 3:14 that the blessing of Abraham might come
upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might
receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
So the blessing of Abraham did not come until
Jesus Christ and it was after Jesus death, and he
turned to the Gentiles that the promised (Holy
Spirit) came.
BRUCE H
B |
BRUCE H
| | Posted on Thursday, February 24, 2000 - 7:32 pm: | |
PART 2
Ga 3:16 Now to Abraham and his Seed were the
promises made. He does not say, "And to seeds," as
of many, but as of one, "And to your Seed," who is
Christ.
So the promise was with Christ.
Ga 3:17 And this I say, that the law, which was
four hundred and thirty years later, cannot annul
the covenant that was confirmed before by God in
Christ, that it should make the promise of no
effect.
Ga 3:18 For if the inheritance is of the law, it
is no longer of promise; but God gave it to
Abraham by promise.
Ga 3:19 What purpose then does the law serve? It
was added because of transgressions, till the Seed
should come to whom the promise was made; and it
was appointed through angels by the hand of a
mediator.
It says to whom the promise was made that is the
seed (Jesus Christ), so what is the PROMISE OF
THE FATHER (Act 1:4)?
Ga 3:22 But the Scripture has confined all under
sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ
might be given to those who believe.
So the the promise (Holy Spirit) is by faith in
Jesus Christ and is GIVEN to those who believe.
Ga 3:29 And if you are Christ's, then you are
Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the
promise.
Are you Christ1s or not.
Eph 1:13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard
the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation;
in whom also, having believed, you were sealed
with the Holy Spirit of promise,
So after having believed we were sealed with the
Holy Spirit. Notice this is past tense, HAVING
BELIEVED and WERE SEALED.
So this is Salvation the Holy Spirit or Christ in
you.
Eph 3:6 that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs,
of the same body, and partakers of His promise in
Christ through the gospel,
Through the Gospel!!!!!!!!!!
So the Church or (Kingdom of Heaven) Gentiles
should be fellow heirs partakers of HIS PROMISE IN
CHRIST THROUGH THE GOSPEL.
So we receive the promise (Holy Spirit) through
Jesus.
Heirs- dictionary = 1. one who inherits or is
entitled to inherit property.
WOW is this the Kingdom of Jesus here on earth in
Jerusalem on the throne of David.
2Ti 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the
will of God, according to the promise of life
which is in Christ Jesus,
So the Holy Spirit of promise is LIFE, WHICH IS IN
JESUS.
Heb 4:1 Therefore, since a promise remains of
entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you
seem to have come short of it.
So the Promise of the Indwelling Holy Spirit can
also be said of ENTERING HIS REST.
Heb 4:2 For indeed the gospel was preached to us
as well as to them; but the word which they heard
did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in
those who heard it.
Heb 4:3 For indeed the gospel was preached to us
as well as to them; but the word which they heard
did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in
those who heard it.
Heb 4:4 For He has spoken in a certain place of
the seventh day in this way: "And God rested on
the seventh day from all His works";
Heb 4:5 and again in this place: "They shall not
enter My rest."
Have you Enter His rest or accepted the Promise.
Heb 9:15 And for this reason He is the Mediator of
the new covenant, by means of death, for the
redemption of the transgressions under the first
covenant, that those who are called may receive
the promise of the eternal inheritance.
So here it is, BY MEANS OF DEATH, SO IT IS BY HIS
DEATH, THAT THOSE WHO ARE CALLED RECEIVE THE
PROMISE (HOLY SPIRIT).
Those who are called (Acts 2:39).
The promise is the Holy Spirit and it is the
ETERNAL INHERITANCE. This is Salvation and
eternal life and it comes after his death not
before.
BRUCE H
BH |
BRUCE H
| | Posted on Thursday, February 24, 2000 - 7:37 pm: | |
PART 3 PROMISE
1Jo 2:24 24 Therefore let that abide in you which
you heard from the beginning. If what you heard
from the beginning abides in you, you also will
abide in the Son and in the Father.
1Jo 2:25 And this is the promise that He has
promised us--eternal life.
So the promise of the Holy Spirit Gives us eternal
life that is the Eternal life that the fathers of
Israel did not have but knew by faith they would
receive. For life comes by God resting in us or
dwelling in us.
Let us Look at the prayer of Jesus to the Father
in John 17, I believe that this is the Promise of
the Father to His Son.
John 17:1-
1 Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes
to heaven, and said: "Father, the hour has come.
Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify
You,
2 "as You have given Him authority over all
flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many
as You have given Him.
SO ETERNAL LIFE IS THE HOLY SPIRIT WHICH IS GIVEN
TO DWELL IN THOSE WHO WERE GIVEN BY THE FATHER.
3 "And this is eternal life, that they may know
You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You
have sent.
4 "I have glorified You on the earth. I have
finished the work which You have given Me to do.
5 "And now, O Father, glorify Me together with
Yourself, with the glory which I had with You
before the world was.
6 "I have manifested Your name to the men whom
You have given Me out of the world. They were
Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept
Your word.
7 "Now they have known that all things which You
have given Me are from You.
8 "For I have given to them the words which You
have given Me; and they have received them, and
have known surely that I came forth from You; and
they have believed that You sent Me.
9 "I pray for them. I do not pray for the world
but for those whom You have given Me, for they are
Yours.
SO HE DOES NOT PRAY FOR THE WORLD (ROM 8:9 AND
9:8) BUT FOR THOSE WHOM WERE GIVEN TO HIM (ROM
8:30).
10 "And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine,
and I am glorified in them.
11 "Now I am no longer in the world, but these
are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father,
keep through Your name those whom You have given
Me, that they may be one as We are.
HOW DOES HE KEEP THEM, BY HIS SPIRIT. SO THIS IS
THE PROMISE OF THE FATHER THAT HE WILL KEEP THOSE
AND HE WILL KEEP US WITH HIS SPIRIT.
12 "While I was with them in the world, I kept
them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have
kept; and none of them is lost except the son of
perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.
13 "But now I come to You, and these things I
speak in the world, that they may have My joy
fulfilled in themselves.
14 "I have given them Your word; and the world
has hated them because they are not of the world,
just as I am not of the world.
15 "I do not pray that You should take them out
of the world, but that You should keep them from
the evil one.
HERE IT IS AGAIN THE PROMISE OF THE FATHER, THAT
THE FATHER WILL KEEP US FROM THE EVIL ONE,(MATT
16:18).
16 "They are not of the world, just as I am not
of the world.
17 "Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is
truth.
18 "As You sent Me into the world, I also have
sent them into the world.
19 "And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that
they also may be sanctified by the truth.
20 "I do not pray for these alone, but also for
those who will believe in Me through their word;
THIS IS YOU AND ME.
21 "that they all may be one, as You, Father, are
in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in
Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.
22 "And the glory which You gave Me I have given
them, that they may be one just as We are one:
23 "I in them, and You in Me; that they may be
made perfect in one, and that the world may know
that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You
have loved Me.
SO THE PROMISE IS THE HOLY SPIRIT WHICH IS ETERNAL
LIFE, AND THUS WE ARE IN THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.
BRUCE H
B |
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