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HopeLives365

Mark Finley

13 Ablaze with God’s Glory

We come to the last of our lessons in this series titled 3 Cosmic Messages.

I've titled this lesson, A Blaze with God's Glory.

The glory of the book of Revelation is the glory of Christ.

Revelation chapter 1 verse 1 says, the revelation of Jesus Christ that God gave unto him to show unto his servants things which must surely come to pass, and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John, is the revelation of Jesus.

Jesus is the Lamb of God throughout the book of Revelation.

He is mentioned at least 27 times in Revelation as the Lamb of God.

In Revelation there is a great contrast between the Lamb of God and the dragon, and the incredible good news is that the Lamb wins, that Jesus Christ is victorious over the principalities and powers of hell.

With everything targeted against God's people, with everything focused to destroy God's people, God's people win.

Revelation is the story of the great controversy.

It's the story of the conflict between good and evil.

Now, in this last lesson, we point out very clearly that sooner or later, final events are going to unfold.

Now, exactly when and how they're going to unfold, we may not be sure of every precise event, but we do know there'll be a conflict over worship, a conflict over man's way and God's way, a conflict between human tradition and divine revelation, a conflict between the teachings of man when it comes to worship on Sunday and the teachings of Christ when it comes to Sabbath and the seventh day of the week.

To prepare for that final crisis, God gives us an appeal throughout scripture.

In 1 Thessalonians chapter 5, verse 1 to 5, we read, But concerning the times and seasons, brethren, you have no need that I write to you.

You know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night.

So Christ's coming is quickly, rapidly, unexpectedly.

For when they say peace and safety, then sudden destruction comes upon them as labor planes upon a pregnant woman and they shall not escape.

But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so this day should overtake you as a thief.

You are all sons of light and sons of day.

Therefore let us not sleep as others, but let us watch and be sober." So the purpose of the book of Revelation and the purpose of all prophecy, according to the Apostle Paul speaking to the church at Thessalonica, John wrote the book of Revelation, Paul wrote Thessalonians.

Paul says, and he coordinates his message of course with John, because all the Bible is given by inspiration of God, and we see the interlinkage of Bible passages.

The call of the hour is to prepare for the second coming of Jesus Christ.

And Ellen White adds in Testimonies volume 8, page 28, in it's under Sunday's lesson, it is a statement that has really moved me personally.

We who know the truth should be preparing for what's soon to break upon the world is an overwhelming surprise.

So the events that are going to take place in the history of the world are going to be a surprise, they're going to be an overwhelming surprise to the population of this world.

But to us who have eyes divinely enlightened through the Holy Spirit's revelation in the book of Revelation, we will not be surprised, but we will sense the power of the living God in these last days as he unfolds truth through the Holy Spirit to make it clear to us.

There are 3 passages in the book of John that to me are very helpful.

Jesus says in John 8, verse 32, under Monday's lesson, you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.

If you're teaching this lesson or you're studying it, don't miss John 7, verse 17.

It says, if any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether I speak of man or myself.

So knowing God's will is contingent upon the willingness to do God's will.

If any man will do his will, he shall know.

So the willingness to do God's will, the desire in the heart to please God opens the mind to be receptive to the Holy Spirit's divine truth.

Then Jesus says in John 17, 17, sanctify them through thy word, thy word is truth.

First, Jesus says, and you shall know the truth so the truth can be known.

Secondly, if any man will do his will, you have a willing heart to know truth.

So as we say, as we saturate our minds with the word of God, he reveals truth to us.

It's to continue on the shoulders of the great reformers.

The great reformers in the past emphasized the Word of God as Scripture, sola scriptura, as the basis of truth.

They emphasized Christ as the only Savior, Christ the 1 that has redeemed us on the cross, Christ the 1 who ascended, who resurrected, who ascended to heaven, Christ the 1 who intercedes for us.

So here we find the emphasis in Tuesday's lesson on the fact that the Reformation continues.

There were many truths that the reformers did not discover, many truths that they were not aware of.

Many of them didn't understand the truth about death.

They didn't understand the truth about the Sabbath.

So God has raised up an end time last day movement to call men and women from the errors of Babylon, apostate religion opposed to God.

And we find this in Revelation 18 verse 1.

Revelation the 18th chapter in the first verse.

This is where we get the title for today's lesson.

After these things, Revelation 18, 1, I saw another angel coming down from heaven having great authority.

It means the triumph of the principalities and powers of hell.

The earth was illuminated with God's glory.

According to Exodus, it's his character of goodness, graciousness, kindness, compassion, integrity, righteousness, truth.

Because God has raised up a group of people filled with his love, charmed by his grace, redeemed by his power, that go out to the ends of the earth as ambassadors for Christ.

And it says, he cries mightily, Babylon is fallen, is fallen.

It's become the habitation of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hateful bird.

The nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication." So what is the wine?

So the false church, Babylon, apostate religion, unites with the kingdoms of this world.

And notice verse 4, "'And the merchants of earth.'" So you have this triumvirate of error and you have the triumvirate of truth.

The triumvirate of truth is the father, the son and the Holy Spirit.

The triumvirate of error is the beast, the political powers of the world and the economic power.

So you have religious, political, and economic powers that unite in a great power block.

And in 1 of the vehicles of their unity is the first day of the week worship and also the immortality of the soul.

It says, verse 3, "'The nations have drunk of the wine "'of the wrath of her fornication.'" So you have false doctrine that unites them.

But I heard another voice from heaven, verse 4, saying, "'Come out of her, my people, lest you share her sins.'" What is sin?

First John 3, verse 4, sin is the transgression of the law.

So here God's people, Jesus says, my sheep hear my voice and they know me and they follow me.

1, the earth will be filled with the glory of God.

2, that there'll be a great triumphant of error with the apostate religion with political, religious and economic powers.

And thirdly, that God will give a call to his people who will respond.

It says in Revelation 19 there, and verse 1, that the great controversy between good and evil is about God's honor, about God's reputation.

And in Revelation 19, 1, it talks about, it introduces the 4 hallelujahs.

And it's amazing when you look at these 4 hallelujahs, all of heaven is rejoicing, saying, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah.

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13 Ablaze with God’s Glory

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