Filling The Temple With Smoke

And after that I looked, and, behold, 

the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony 

in heaven was opened: and the seven angels 

came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, 

clothed in pure and white linen, and having 

their breasts girded with golden girdles. And one of 

the four beasts gave unto the seven angels 

seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, 

who liveth forever and ever. And the temple 

was filled with smoke from the glory of God, 

 and from His power; and no man was able to enter 

into the temple, till the seven plagues of the 

seven angels were fulfilled.

Revelation 15:5-8 

     This short chapter is full of so much symbolism and fact that we must not think that due to its shortness that we must not learn from it for God again speaks of His anger, His wrath, and the use of seven angels. Notice also that the four beasts were now used in the giving of the wrath of God to angels. 

     The seven angels come out of heaven to execute their mission. Remember: seven is a complete number and this does not mean here that there are only seven angels in number. We are reminded once again of the ancient temple of God and the tabernacle wherein was the mercy-seat, and the covering of the ark of testimony. Why is this the ark of the testimony? It is in this ark were artifacts were placed, those artifacts that represent God's dealings with Israel. Also in the temple was the most holy place where the high priest went once a year to make intercession for the sins of Israel, a place where God would commune with His people, not only by the high priest but for all the prayers prayed to Him by a person. Throughout the history of the Jews God would protect them, fight for them and would also implement His judgments, not only for their enemies but also for the Jews when they were sinning against Him. It is in those judgments that we see that God is Holy and that He keeps His promises and His judgments and keeps His covenant. God is always mindful of His people, and keeps mindful of those who oppose Him. 

     These seven angels were pure white linen and have their breast covered with golden girdles. These angels are committed to God and have chosen from the beginning of time for them to never forsake God as did other angels, they kept themselves pure and now God uses them to administer His judgments. The golden breastplates represent their holiness, gold being a metal that does not change and is valuable, pure gold is something that even men desire to have, it is excellent and pure. The breastplate covers their heart and reminds us that in their heart there is nothing else but love for God and a purity that we too should be seeking for in our lives. 

     Jesus Christ came to earth to die! That was His mission and He accomplished His mission. Man would not accept Jesus Christ as the Messiah and dishonoured Him and eventually killed Him upon the cross. Yes, this was the mission, but man always has a choice to make and in this case man made the wrong choice. Their choice was to accept Him and to follow after Him but they chose their self and their ideologies, their theologies over all that Jesus showed to them that He was all that had been prophesied about the Messiah. God now avenges His Son and by this also avenges all who have chosen to believe in Him, in His Son and have put on the breastplate of Gold, and to put on white linen. 

     Atheists, agnostics, all who will not believe on Jesus Christ as Savior will also be used by God to administer His judgments as show by the four beast who hand to the seven angels the vials of the wrath of God. They do not know that even they are led by God to the accomplishment of His promises and prophesies. Those, represented by the four beasts, have, although do not believe the wrath of God is for them, bring upon themselves their own destruction. God is now in a way as never before answering the prayers of the faithful, those who are also ministering for Him. The angels are communicators of a message and so are you as a faithful Authentic Christian to deliver the message of the Gospel and to do this until you are called to heaven, now, or when Jesus Christ comes again. We do not just live for our selves, for our desires, but to live for Jesus and this means to follow after all that He taught us, those commandments that apply throughout all eternity. We do not serve our own interests, but the interests of God. We choose to do this, or we choose not to do this: it is up to each person.

     As the smoke rose to heaven from the tabernacle representing all the prayers of the people of Israel, a sweet odor to God, the temple will be filled with the sweet odor of the smoke of the prayers, and praise of the temple, and the temple represents you for you are what Jesus Christ stated: "My church." Mathew writes the words of Jesus: And I say also unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" (Matthew 16:18). After Jesus points out to Peter that he is Peter even though his name means rock, it would be upon this rock, Himself that he would build His church and you as an Authentic Christian are that church John writes the words of Jesus: "Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth. While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide Himself from them" (John 12:35-36). 

     Now is the time to choose Jesus Christ as Savior while the light shines for a day is coming when the wrath of God will bring eternal darkness to all who do not believe. Do not believe out of fear, rather believe on the only True God who loves you enough to die for you. Only He is worthy of our worship and praise.

O come, let us worship and bow down:

     let us kneel before the LORD our maker.

For He is our God; and we are the people

    of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand. 

Today if ye will hear His voice.

                      Psalm 95:6-7

Today: lift your hands towards Him: He is coming

Richard L. Crumb

The Victorious

And I saw another sign in heaven, great marvellous, 

seven angels having the seven plagues; for in 

them is filled up the wrath of God: And I saw as

 it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them 

that had gotten the victory over the beast, 

and over his image, and over his mark, and over

 the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass,

 having the harps of God. And they sing the 

song of Moses the servant of God, and the song 

of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are 

Thy works, Lord God almighty; just and true are 

Thy ways, thou King of saints. Who shall not fear 

Thee, O Lord, and glorify Thy name: for Thou only 

art holy: for all nations shall come and worship 

before Thee; for Thy judgments are made manifest.

Revelation 15:1-4

 

     I begin now to address these verses so that we can understand that God while being patient is not willing to allow sin to continue so we must never forget that God's patience is not is approving sin. Another sign in heaven now appears, one that is marvelous, great and that sign includes seven angels who have the last plagues. These plagues are filled up with the wrath of God. The Greek translated "filled up" has a greater meaning as it means "was completed." God is done with sin and time is now coming to a close for all who either believe in Him or not. John saw "as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire" representing mankind who are often referred to in the Bible as men, people. Furthermore, this vision of the sea of glass reminds us of the great brazen altar with water that shone bright with its laver for feet to be washed so that the priest could enter into the most holy place. Fire a cleansing element of our world is such a clear metaphor of cleansing from sin, from this world so that those of the great sea were cleansed by fire and having victory over the beast. Fire represents purity and the cleansing is by the atoning blood of Jesus Christ who applies divine judgment. Notice this: those purified do not have the mark of the beast, nor do they conform to the image of the beast. Those victorious people do not have the number of the beast on them and they stand on the sea of glass with harps of God. Furthermore, these victorious people sing the song of Moses who was a servant of God. If you want to read the song of Mose go to Exodus 15:1-19 and you will see that Moses saw the power of God, the righteousness of God, that God destroys His enemies and that the Jehovah will reign forever. 

     It is God Almighty Who is Just in all His ways and Who is King of saints, it ti Him that we offer our trust, our lives and Who we fear, that is not only fear of His great and marvelous power, but the type of fear that means respect for only He is Holy. Not just Jews will come to God but from all nations people will come and worship Him. Revelation is making clear to us that God is manifesting His judgments upon this world. 

     God is given to all who will read His inspired written word that He will come to judge the world and to make sin, death, and all things abominable to Him to cease. Furthermore, all who believe on Him and the One Whom He sent to earth to pay for sin so that He can without any reparation finalize His promise to give to all believers eternal life in a world that sin does not exist. No one enters into God grace and offer of eternal life that does not accept Jesus as God Who came to save you, to pay your debt for you and to make intercession forever for you. It takes true repentance if you are to be an Authentic Christian and then to live according to all that God has demanded of His children. It may be tough at times but that is nothing when compared to eternal life. God promises to take us through all that comes against us and His promises are always kept so why do we fear a fear that has not basis? Our foundation for our life is living as Authentic Christians, not adding anything more to being a Christian, just living out in our lives what God has told to us to do. Yes, the plagues are coming, the final plagues are coming but what is that to us? Nothing more that God keeping His promised to cleanse this world. Keep your eyes on Him and nothing can deter you from being an Authentic Christian. It is up to each of us to choose to deny ourselves and follow God. Will you?

The LORD is my strength and song,

     and He is become my salvation:

He is my God, and I will prepare Him

    an habitation; my father's God,

and I will exalt Him.

                   Exodus 15:2

Praise God: He came for you

Richard L. Crumb

Rejoicing In The Pomises Of God

And I saw another sign in heaven, great marvellous, 

seven angels having the seven plagues; for in 

them is filled up the wrath of God: And I saw as

 it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them 

that had gotten the victory over the beast, 

and over his image, and over his mark, and over

 the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass,

 having the harps of God. And they sing the 

song of Moses the servant of God, and the song 

of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are 

Thy works, Lord God almighty; just and true are 

Thy ways, thou King of saints. Who shall not fear 

Thee, O Lord, and glorify Thy name: for Thou only 

art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before Thee; for Thy judgments are made manifest.

Revelation 15:1-4

     Well, once again a new year begins and as always it seems to produce the need to rethink, to renew, to make vows, or promises, to begin again and all this is not a bad thing for it causes a person to meditate upon what is important to them and to, at least, attempt to make positive changes. Actually, it is just another day in the course of our lives, Sunday was the first day of the New Year, but really it is the day after Saturday, and the day before Monday. Yet, we must not take this new year to be just another new year. We must take the time to renew ourselves as well, a new year for ourselves. Before I return to Revelation let us take a time to meditate upon this new year and how we can make it better that the last year. Isaiah writes: "For ye shall not go out with hast, nor go by flight: for the LORD will go before you: and the God of Israel will be your rearward" (Isaiah 52:12). It is at this time, the year end and the beginning of a new year that we should turn to God, with eagerness for all that God has for the future, and time that often brings anxiety to arise when we remember our yesterdays. Too often we allow our yesterdays to check our enjoyment of God's grace, those sins and blunders. Turn you eyes upon Jesus, upon our God knowing that He has allow us to remember our yesterdays so that we can turn the past into a ministry for the future. Our remembrance of the past teaches us to not allow us to have a shallow security in our present. 

      Think upon this: "for the LORD will go before you:" Here is the revelation of God that teaches us that God will be our protection, our garrison where we have failed. God will watch our steps and will guide us, that is, if we allow Him to do so, that those sins, blunders of the past will not trip us up again, and they will if we do not allow God to reach back into our memories of the past and "clean house," of our conscience. 

     We have security for today, for tomorrow, from our yesterdays: "For ye shall not go out with hast, nor go by flight:" This teaches us to not be hasty, to impetuous, and not to remember to not be impulsive, thoughtlessness, but to have patience, to have the power of knowing that our God will go before us. Yesterday is gone, it is not reparable and we may have, and most of will agree, that we have lost opportunities, opportunities that will never return. Do pout, do not shout, do not be dismayed, God can transform all this destructive anxiety into a constructive thoughtfulness for the future. 

     Let the past go to sleep, let go of it, do not dwell upon it, and place all this in the bosom of Jesus Christ, leave it in His hands, and then your part is to step out into the future with Him. God is willing to do His part: are you willing to do yours?

     We have a holy God who has promised us that He will by His wrath destroy all those who will not accept Him as Savior, but to those who are victorious will worship Him, rejoice in all that God has done for you, now, in the past, in the future. 

     I do hope your Christmas was a good one, and that this New Year will bring you to a greater joy in the Lord. 

So the spirit lifted me up, 

     and took me away, 

and I went in bitterness,

    in the heat of my spirit; 

but the hand of the LORD 

     was strong upon me.

              Isaiah 3:14

May this year be a year of holiness for you

Richard L. Crumb