🔥 AN OVERVIEW OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION (PART 3) 🔥

Mike Balloun teaches today. 11/25/23

🔥 AN OVERVIEW OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION (PART 3) 🔥

VERSES: Revelation 1:19,12:10-11; Genesis 3:15; Romans 11:25; 1st John 1:9

DOWNLOAD FULL NOTES: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/l10y0z8fogzsk0zsvcj3n/h?rlkey=ntusfffboycwmjg2qt19sixon&dl=0

Subscribe to Receive Updates from For His Glory TX: http://eepurl.com/o7-J9

AN OVERVIEW OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION part 3

The Book of Genesis defines for us Man’s beginning, purposes, and fall, and then his destiny, all prophetically declared in one Verse: Genesis 3:15. This one verse gives us the thrust of human history for the last 6000 years. That single retributive prophetic declaration of God to satan in the Garden of Eden was that he (satan) would bruise the heel of the woman’s Seed; fulfilled at the Cross, but ultimately that ‘Seed’ would ‘bruise’ his head. God’s few Words were, “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his heel.” These Words prophetically jump over 4 millennia and mysteriously proclaim the Cross and then jump again over 2000 more years to today and the soon dawning of the ‘Last Days’ recorded in the Book of Revelation at Christ’s Second Coming as King of Kings when He will then fill up that one immortal Verse with its prophetic meaning. (Revelation 20 elaborating upon the full fulfillment of the crushing of satan’s head when Christ takes complete authority away from satan and his demonic spirits.)

The Book of Revelation wonderfully details the fulfillment of God’s Word in Genesis 3:15, which was first briefly expounded upon by Enoch. (Jude 14-15) The Book of Revelation unveils the climax of the “so great salvation” mystery, (Hebrews 1:1-3:1, Ephesians 1:4) and the unveiling of many mysteries on both sides of Christ’s coming Millennial Kingdom, His triumph over His enemies, their fate, and His everlasting Rule.

INCENTIVIZED TO OVERCOME STRESSES THE GAIN OF REWARD FOR A PART IN CHRIST’S HEAVENLY MILLENNIAL AND ETERNAL KINGDOM EXCLUSIVELY FOR OVERCOMING CHRISTIANS, the rewards being proclaimed by Christ in the first 3 Chapters of Revelation. AND HOLDS FORTH CHRIST’S PREMIER PROMISES OF RAPTURE FOR THE END-TIMES LIVING AND FOR THE FIRST RESURRECTION FROM AMONG THE DEAD FOR THOSE FAITHFUL TO THAT CALLING… as brought out throughout Revelation, especially in Chapters 12,14,19 & 20. BUT BESIDES THE PROMISES, SCRIPTURE ALSO HOLDS FORTH THE THREAT OF VARIOUS JUDGEMENTS, SOME MOST SEVERE, FOR CHRISTIANS WHO IGNORE THE HIGH CALLING.

“He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” [Hebrews 10:28-31]

So it is in the first order of importance that the Book of Revelation in the first 3 Chapters gives the members of the Body of Christ, throughout this Age, the understanding of inheritance in His heavenly Kingdom when He comes back as being conditional in that it is attained by ‘overcoming’. After the 3rd Chapter, comes the elaboration of what the prophets of the Bible have pointed to; that of the ascended Son of Man/Son of God returning to this Realm to receive His investiture as the King of righteousness (Matthew 25:14, Luke 19:12, Daniel 7:9-14 & Revelation 4&5, Acts 3:21), followed by the Last Days’ campaign of confrontation and final climax of His taking His Kingdom, wherein He rewards His overcomers and violently judges His enemies in establishing His everlasting authority that begins in this earthly and heavenly Realm for a 1000 years. (Psalm 96:11-13, Daniel 7:22,27, Revelation 19:7-20:6)

The timing of Christ’s investiture as King is wrongly supposed by many to have already occurred 2000 years ago when He ascended to the ‘Holy of Holies’ at the right hand of the Father in the 3rd Heaven. And then by ‘spiritualizing’ Scripture, they try to impose and spread the prophetic events of the “Last Days” revealed in the Book of Revelation as either already fulfilled or happening over the last 2000 years, that will finally result in His Second Coming. We have consistently shown this Spiritualizing view as false and one that cannot be maintained, even in the dimmest light of Scriptural understanding. In the first place, its inconsistent with the prophetic Passages set forth above and numerous other places in Scripture, in their timing and details. In that the visions given to John in the Book of Revelation were decades after Christ’s Ascension and yet John still referred to His investiture as a part of the “things which must come to pass hereafter.”

In the second place, the Throne to which Christ ascended “far above all the heavens” can be seen that it is not the same Throne of Daniel’s or John’s visions of the future, yet to then be ‘set up’ for the Son of Man’s investiture as King of this Realm. And that it (and other thrones) are to be “set up” in the End-Times, specifically for a specified period and purpose. The Throne of Daniel’s and John’s visions are portable and are to be set up in the angelic regions, below the Heaven of heavens, in this Realm’s unseen heaven or heavens, where Scripture declares satan, then and now yet rules from, over Mankind.

He Who now sits at the right hand of the Father’s Throne, now sits as the High Priest Intercessor for the redeemed (Hebrews 8:1), not as the King of Kings, Who will in the Last Days soon stand before that special Tribunal Judgement Throne as the Son of Man/Lamb of God and receive His investiture as rightful King of this Realm (its Earth and its heaven - Daniel 7:13, Revelation 5:6), granted by the Ancient of Days/God the Father, Who is seen as the Over-Ruler of this Realm, Who then will take His seat on His Tribunal Throne, having just then been set up, along with the other 24 administrative Thrones at the appointed End-Time of this Age. (Matthew 25:31-33, 1st Kings 22:19, Isaiah 6:1, Ezekiel 1:26, Job 1:6,2:1, Exodus 19:16,20, 24:10)

Again, we have the order and timing of the events of the Book of Revelation as being separated into three categories by the Lord. In the Book of Revelation, in Verse 1:19, He says to John, “Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter…”

THE THINGS WHICH THOU SAWEST (which are recorded in Revelation Chapter 1)
Christ, in the First Chapter, was revealed as the High Priest in the heavenly Tabernacle’s ‘Holy Place’ moving among the ‘candlesticks’ in this Age of grace and mercy. The Old Testament Covenants and their laws, to the greatest degree, are in abeyance (temporary cessation or suspension) in this current Age, but offenses are yet accruing towards the lawless, and will again be exercised and in force in the closing of this Age and the next, when Christ takes His investiture as King, and establishes the New Covenant promised to Israel with its laws that will be maintained throughout the Millennial Reign of Jesus. (Ezekiel 40-48) Note the transference from the Age of Grace to the Age of Justice where the nations are under the re-shaped Law of Moses and Christ rules with a rod of iron.

Typically (in type and shadow), the scene is Moses in exile from Egypt from the Pharaoh, he is shepherd of the sheep in the wilderness, before he is directed back to Egypt to rescue and bring his people out and judge the Pharaoh and Egypt. (Exodus 3) This being the perfect type for the anti-type of Christ who leaves, becomes our Shepherd, and then returns to bring His People out and judge the End-Time Pharaoh/Anti-Christ.

THE THINGS WHICH ARE (Revelation Chapters 2-3)
Christ’s current ministry of High Priest and Intercessor sitting at the right hand of the Father in the 3rd Heaven interceding on behalf of those who are redeemed.
The Dispensation and disposition of the Church or “Body” of Christ
(while the Nation of Israel is “broken off”).

Jesus, in Chapters 2 & 3, as He has throughout the New Testament, gives Believers vital instruction in regard to the Kingdom of heavens’ inheritance and qualifying worthiness that must be owned to be a part of Christ’s future Millennial Kingdom in this World. It is clear from these first three Chapters that the promises are not rewarded to mere Believers in the Church, but to the Overcomers. The timeframe of this heavenly calling of “the things that are” is the last 2000 years and is now near closing. It represents the immediate relevancy of the threads of the 2 groups in the Book of Revelation (that being Jews and the One New Man/Christians) revealed in the Words of Paul. “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. And so all Israel will be saved…” [Romans 11:25,26a NKJV]

Typically: the redeemed are at the foot of Mount Sinai. They are to be preparing for the Lord to come down to them on the Mount. They are to be washing their clothes and sanctifying themselves in watchfulness. Today the Intercessor intercedes for His redeemed that they themselves might overcome.

The realities of the spiritual war for all believers to be overcomers is seen in Revelation 12:10-11… “And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.” (This being the formula for overcoming.) That Jesus currently in this Age is the Intercessor for the redeemed to overcome is here in view and it is just as certain that satan is currently our accuser that he might see us be overcome.

The pattern/precedent for God’s Theocratic government was set in Genesis of Adam and his bride having dominion in the Earth. That the Second Adam/the Son of Man’s Kingdom must have a worthy Bride to co-rule is as sure as the first Adam’s Kingdom was appointed a bride. Satan’s strategy, knowing that the Second Adam is untouchable, is to persue the Bride and disqualify her. His only chance is to keep the Bride from ruling. And as sure as Adam was to overcome, so was his bride, and that in their earthly bodies. Which means that the ‘members of their body’ are to be revitalized weapons in the renewing of the mind to the Word and are required to be wholly employed in service to Jesus in this world in order to be His Co-Ruling Bride in His Coming Kingdom. (Revelation 1-3, Romans 6:13, 2nd Timothy 2:3, 1st Corinthians 9:24-27)

(For this, a certain amount of Scripturally-directed introspection is needed (1st Corinthians 11:28,31), and that for repentance and overcoming. (Hebrews 4:12-16) We are to judge ourselves, neither condemning ourselves nor ignoring or justifying our daily fleshly thoughts, words, and deeds. Rather, we are to be convicted and then repent, which answers to ‘lawfully” running the race and receiving the crown and throne of inheritance in Christ’s Kingdom. (2nd Timothy 2:5)

An overcomer must be defeating satan, and that being in two spheres: 1) In a heavenly unseen Judicial Court setting (that being in a lower heaven, as satan has long since been cast down from access to that Holy Mountain of God in the 3rd Heaven - Ezekiel 28:16). And the other sphere in which we must be winning is 2) the practical daily walk in this earthly sphere. “….which (satan) accused them (and daily accuses us) before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.” What this Passage means is that an overcoming Christian…
A) rightly comprehends from the Word the ongoing daily unseen judicial side of the battle necessary to appropriate his God-granted provision of ‘mercy and grace’ in the Atonement of Christ, beyond justification, and that to obtain a required faithfulness for an inheritance in the coming Millennial Kingdom of Christ. That appropriation is in the continuing contrite plea/petition for the application of that Blood Atonement for sanctification of our soul before that unseen Judicial Throne in order “…that we (the redeemed) may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

B) must overcome in this seen world in our practical living works in Christlikeness, in being witnesses of Jesus our Lord and Intercessor, in word, thought, and deed in this life on the Earth. We must walk according to the Word of God in such a way that it warrants favorable rulings from the Judge against the Accuser, for our continuation in maturing fruitfulness unto an overcoming final assessment by the Master. (Titus 2:14, 2nd Corinthians 5:10)

The overcomer will not be sinless, though he be ever on guard against sin. He is quick to repent. (See 1st John 1:9… “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”) And the overcomer is both aware of satan’s judicial rights, as the usurping god of this World in that unseen Courtroom (Luke 22:31-32, Romans 6:16, 1st Peter 5:8, 2nd Timothy 2:26) and also aware of Christ’s Blood Atonement for those who sin and repent after regeneration, who are under “the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:2), and are “kept by the power of God.” (1st Peter 1:5, Jude 24) These ‘spiritual laws’ founded on Christ’s Atonement being more or less effective based upon the redeemed person’s sincerity. Most effective are those spiritual laws exercised by those whose loving faith in Christ’s Kingdom inheritance do not hold their lives too dear on this Earth (giving diligence 2nd Peter 1:5-11). It is by these means that the Blood of Jesus defends those who are endeavoring to overcome the flesh, satan, and the world and defeats the Devil/Accuser in the heavenly Court. And on the Earth, it is the battle wherein the overcomer humbly, contritely, wins the victory over the “roaring lion” as he chooses to die to pleasing himself and living for Christ and others. One maturing step after another, unto a fruitful life.

Typically/in type: The 7 Churches are greatly alluded to in the Book of Exodus. (Read Exodus 4, Revelation 2:25, Acts 1:9-11) Those of the heavenly calling are typed as the “elders” out of Israel, who were called with Moses up Mount Sinai. And having ascended only so far, then from there Moses was called up higher, even into the very Presence of God. Moses spoke to the “elders” and said “…tarry ye here…” (up on the mount) and wait for my return. So it is in the anti-type; as Christ the Mediator has been called up higher, so the 7 Churches (particularly the anointed leaders) are commanded to remain in their higher anointed heavenly calling, and not to descend again into Worldliness, and to be prayerfully alert and faithfully awaiting His Return. (Revelation 2:25, 2nd John 1:8, Hebrews 3, 1st Corinthians 10)

The Book of Exodus holds forth the promises of inheritance to the fearless. Compare this with the promises of the redeemed for the heavenly Kingdom’s Overcoming conquerors. Theirs is a better land and place than one filled with milk and honey. (Read and compare Exodus 24 to Revelation 3:21) They will inherit fruit of a greater tree; from the Tree of Life. (Compare Numbers 13:23 to Revelation 2:7, 22:2) They will inherit a greater Manna treasured up above. (Compare Exodus 16:15 to Revelation 2:17a) To these Overcomers, a greater stone and name is inscribed than that on the Earthly High Priest’s holy vesture. (Read and compare Exodus 28:11-12 to Revelation 2:17a) And a better feast awaits the Bride of the heavenly Kingdom than that of the 74 upon Mount Sinai. (Compare Exodus 24:11 to Revelation 19:9) And a more brilliant splendor awaits them than that which shined over the tents of Israel. (Compare Exodus 13:21 to Revelation 21:10-11,23-25)