LHC Midday Word

Saturday, 25 June 2022

The REVELATION of Jesus Christ - Chapter Twenty

1 And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. 2 He seized the dragon, that ancient snake, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. 3 He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations any more until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time.

4 I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshipped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5 (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.

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7 When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth – Gog and Magog – and to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore. 9 They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God’s people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them. 10 And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulphur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

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11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. 14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15 Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.

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Word by Word Meditations

by Fred Ursell

Revelation 20: “books” (v.12)

What are these “books” (v.12)? John describes what he sees in his vision: “I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened … The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books” (v.12).

Note:

[A] the place is the “great white throne” (v.11) of God’s judgement;

[B] the people to be judged are all “the dead, great and small” (v.12);

[C] copious actions are “recorded in the books” (v.12) to judge them by;

[D] so if anyone’s name was not … in “the book of life” (vv.12 & 15), they were “thrown into the lake of fire” (v.15). Lost forever! Unless … !

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READINGS

The REVELATION of Jesus christ

Chapter Twenty

Read by Sir David Suchet

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OVERVIEW

The REVELATION of Jesus Christ

- Overview -

The Bible Project

Chapter 1 to 11

Chapter 12 to 22

How to Read the Bible

Apocalyptic Literature

Revelation “The Bible in 5”

Tim Mackie (The Bible Project)

https://youtu.be/Oj7WcXVzHpI

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STUDY - LINKS

The REVELATION of Jesus Christ

David Pawson

-Part 1-

https://youtu.be/xZP8kbY-Cec

-Part 2 -

https://youtu.be/xn_E5VoeH1w

Part 3

https://youtu.be/OWcgyuQc9Wc

Part 4

https://youtu.be/_A_4PaSsHXE

Part 5

https://youtu.be/91rKSt2B8sc

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Friday, 24 June 2022

The REVELATION of Jesus Christ - Chapter Nineteen

1 After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting:

‘Hallelujah!

Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,

for true and just are his judgments.

He has condemned the great prostitute

who corrupted the earth by her adulteries.

He has avenged on her the blood of his servants.’

And again they shouted:

‘Hallelujah!

The smoke from her goes up

for ever and ever.’

4 The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshipped God, who was seated on the throne. And they cried:

‘Amen, Hallelujah!’

5 Then a voice came from the throne, saying:

‘Praise our God,

all you his servants,

you who fear him,

both great and small!’

6 Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting:

‘Hallelujah!

For our Lord God Almighty reigns.

Let us rejoice and be glad

and give him glory!

For the wedding of the Lamb has come,

and his bride has made herself ready.

Fine linen, bright and clean,

was given her to wear.’

(Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God’s holy people.)

9 Then the angel said to me, ‘Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!’ And he added, ‘These are the true words of God.’

10 At this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, ‘Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers and sisters who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For it is the Spirit of prophecy who bears testimony to Jesus.’

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11 I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. 12 His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. 13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. 14 The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. ‘He will rule them with an iron sceptre.’ He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:

king of kings and lord of lords.

17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in mid-air, ‘Come, gather together for the great supper of God, 18 so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and the mighty, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, great and small.’

19 Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to wage war against the rider on the horse and his army. 20 But the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed the signs on its behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshipped its image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulphur. 21 The rest were killed with the sword coming out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.

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Word by Word Meditations

by Fred Ursell

Revelation 19: “worship” (v.10)

If you think the 2nd Commandment only applied to heathen idols, think again. These words comprehensively ban having, honouring or worshipping “anything” (Exodus 20 vv.4-6).

Did you know “greed … is idolatry” (Colossians 3 v.5)? Or that the adoration of a lifeless object, even if a work of art and of high monetary value, is ignorant folly? Or that John’s vision of an angel made him prostrate himself in awe, disposed “to worship him” (v.10)?

However he was sharply reproved, restrained and warned as well, “do not do it! I am a fellow servant … worship God!”

Read Jesus’ comments (John 4 vv.23-24).

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Exodus 20 vv.4-6 You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.

John 4 vv.23-24 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshippers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshippers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.’”

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READINGS

The REVELATION of Jesus christ

Chapter Nineteen

Read by Sir David Suchet

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OVERVIEW

The REVELATION of Jesus Christ

- Overview -

The Bible Project

Chapter 1 to 11

Chapter 12 to 22

How to Read the Bible

Apocalyptic Literature

Revelation “The Bible in 5”

Tim Mackie (The Bible Project)

https://youtu.be/Oj7WcXVzHpI

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STUDY - LINKS

The REVELATION of Jesus Christ

David Pawson

-Part 1-

https://youtu.be/xZP8kbY-Cec

-Part 2 -

https://youtu.be/xn_E5VoeH1w

Part 3

https://youtu.be/OWcgyuQc9Wc

Part 4

https://youtu.be/_A_4PaSsHXE

Part 5

https://youtu.be/91rKSt2B8sc

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SONG

Revelation 19:1

The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir

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Thursday, 23 June 2022

The REVELATION of Jesus Christ - Chapter Eighteen

1 After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven. He had great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his splendour. 2 With a mighty voice he shouted:

‘“Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great!”

She has become a dwelling for demons

and a haunt for every impure spirit,

a haunt for every unclean bird,

a haunt for every unclean and detestable animal.

For all the nations have drunk

the maddening wine of her adulteries.

The kings of the earth committed adultery with her,

and the merchants of the earth grew rich

from her excessive luxuries.’

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4 Then I heard another voice from heaven say:

‘“Come out of her, my people,”

so that you will not share in her sins,

so that you will not receive any of her plagues;

for her sins are piled up to heaven,

and God has remembered her crimes.

Give back to her as she has given;

pay her back double for what she has done.

Pour her a double portion from her own cup.

Give her as much torment and grief

as the glory and luxury she gave herself.

In her heart she boasts,

“I sit enthroned as queen.

I am not a widow;

I will never mourn.”

Therefore in one day her plagues will overtake her:

death, mourning and famine.

She will be consumed by fire,

for mighty is the Lord God who judges her.

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9 ‘When the kings of the earth who committed adultery with her and shared her luxury see the smoke of her burning, they will weep and mourn over her. 10 Terrified at her torment, they will stand far off and cry:

‘“Woe! Woe to you, great city,

you mighty city of Babylon!

In one hour your doom has come!”

11 ‘The merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her because no one buys their cargoes any more – 12 cargoes of gold, silver, precious stones and pearls; fine linen, purple, silk and scarlet cloth; every sort of citron wood, and articles of every kind made of ivory, costly wood, bronze, iron and marble; 13 cargoes of cinnamon and spice, of incense, myrrh and frankincense, of wine and olive oil, of fine flour and wheat; cattle and sheep; horses and carriages; and human beings sold as slaves.

14 ‘They will say, “The fruit you longed for is gone from you. All your luxury and splendour have vanished, never to be recovered.” 15 The merchants who sold these things and gained their wealth from her will stand far off, terrified at her torment. They will weep and mourn 16 and cry out:

‘“Woe! Woe to you, great city,

dressed in fine linen, purple and scarlet,

and glittering with gold,

precious stones and pearls!

In one hour such great wealth

has been brought to ruin!”

‘Every sea captain, and all who travel by ship, the sailors, and all who earn their living from the sea, will stand far off. 18 When they see the smoke of her burning, they will exclaim, “Was there ever a city like this great city?” 19 They will throw dust on their heads, and with weeping and mourning cry out:

‘“Woe! Woe to you, great city,

where all who had ships on the sea

became rich through her wealth!

In one hour she has been brought to ruin!”

‘Rejoice over her, you heavens!

Rejoice, you people of God!

Rejoice, apostles and prophets!

For God has judged her

with the judgment she imposed on you.’

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21 Then a mighty angel picked up a boulder the size of a large millstone and threw it into the sea, and said:

‘With such violence

the great city of Babylon will be thrown down,

never to be found again.

The music of harpists and musicians,

pipers and trumpeters,

will never be heard in you again.

No worker of any trade

will ever be found in you again.

The sound of a millstone

will never be heard in you again.

The light of a lamp

will never shine in you again.

The voice of bridegroom and bride

will never be heard in you again.

Your merchants were the world’s important people.

By your magic spell all the nations were led astray.

In her was found the blood of prophets

and of God’s holy people,

of all who have been slaughtered on the earth.’

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Word by Word Meditations

by Fred Ursell

Revelation 18: “boulder” (v.21)

This whole chapter is occupied with a single topic – the dramatic future demise of “Babylon the Great” (v.2). A “city of power” (v.10), but not the old Babylon of history; rather a figurative future Babylon of prophecy. John sees how “a mighty angel picked up a boulder … and threw it into the sea” declaring, “”with such violence … Babylon will be thrown down, never to be found again” (v.21).

Empires rise and fall. The old Roman empire did. Nazi Germany did. No political or religious mega-force endures. Not USSR, USA or China. Like a huge “boulder” they all vanish into the depths of oblivion. See?

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READINGS

The REVELATION of Jesus christ

Chapter Eighteen

Read by Sir David Suchet