The Sacred Lineage, and Gabriel

Bobservations' Column

Titled - "The Sacred Lineage, and Gabriel"

Written by: Pastor Bob Lawrenz

Seven days from today, we will celebrate Christmas Eve, in recognition of the final day of the Earth’s existence without her Savior onboard. “Seven” is the Biblical number for completion. The preparation for receiving her Messiah is complete, and the number “Eight” (the next day) is the Biblical number for new beginnings, but December 25th is not likely the actual birthdate of Jesus! It is a long story, but it is most doubtful that the shepherds of Bethlehem would be out tending their flocks by night in the winter, for it does snow in the Hills of Judea in the wintertime! (Luke 2:8-10)

The heathen feast of Saturnalia had just passed, closing out the movement of the star field in the northern hemisphere, and initiating the sun’s fresh trek across the sky as daylight hours began to lengthen again a day at a time. In the Lunar Calendar, this was therefore also a new beginning. December was a fitting date to honor our newborn King. Why it was chosen, and by whom is a question better left to the world’s calendar experts and historians.

But Jesus’ birth was not to be ignored in spite of the actual date being left likely to arbitrary assignment. In Matthew 2:10, 11, we find a bit of evidence of a likely time that the Magi arrived in Bethlehem to worship this King, as prophesied in sacred texts. But when they arrived, Jesus was no longer a Babe in a Manger, but a toddler in a house! Computerized retrogrades* of the star field indicate the likely phenomenon of three heavenly bodies aligning in a way to appear to be a single, very bright star from Earth. Was this THE Star? (See Genesis 49:10) This phenomenal alignment would have taken place from 4 BC to 2 BC, which allows for some error as the Lunar Calendar was replaced with our modern Gregorian Calendar, as well as other margins or error. Some Christian research astronomers believe the convergence of two stars in the Constellation Virgo could well provide the explanation, but secular scholars are skeptical.

Since the 13th Century, astronomers have offered multiple explanations for this notable star. But WHAT caused it is not as important as the fact that mankind recorded it as an actual starry event. What we DO know is this: As time progresses, Science is regularly affirming the Bible these days.

"Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever." - Psalm 119:160

*The Star Of Bethlehem” on YouTube 1:07 with Rick Larson

Bobservations' Column: Audio Version

Sunday Morning Audio Message:

Matthew 1 and Luke 1 - "The Sacred Lineage, and Gabriel"

Summary/Bible Notes:  

This week we are taking a break from our ongoing study in the book of Revelation to focus on The Christ of Christmas.

The momentous intervention of God into human affairs (especially after such a long period of prophetic silence) should cause awe, amazement, and rejoicing. The events surrounding the coming of the Messiah (who will bring Redemption and Salvation and Everlasting Life) are anything but ordinary and typical. But what we easily forget is that God’s intervention in our own lives to draw us to Himself in saving faith is no less an awe-inspiring wonder of His mercy and grace. His visitation rescues us out of the domain of darkness into His glorious light, and we serve Him in that glorious light of holiness, righteousness and truth. When the Lord “visits” his people, that means he comes down and gets personally involved in their welfare. And when he “redeems” his people, that means he takes action to set them free. That the Lord has visited and redeemed his people is certainly something to praise God for.

As we look at Matthew 1 this morning, the genealogy, or what we call a descending record leading through Joseph to Jesus. It comes right on down from Abraham and David, descending down through Joseph to Jesus.

In the New Testament, Jesus’ genealogy is also recorded in the third chapter of Luke. We won't be going through this, but just alluding to it. The genealogy in Luke is actually the reverse. It is an ascending genealogy. It starts with Jesus and goes back through Mary. So here you have a genealogy coming down through Joseph and there you have a genealogy going back through Mary. One begins with Jesus, the other ends with Jesus. Pretty neat! No matter how you slice it, there is no doubt that Jesus is the One, the Only One, the rightful heir to the throne.  Jesus the promised Messiah. 

There are other distinctions between the genealogy in Matthew and the Luke genealogy.  For instance, Matthew is showing the legal descent of Jesus as the King of Israel, while Luke shows the lineal descent. In other words, Matthew shows us the royal line, whereas Luke shows us the blood line. If you're wondering what the difference is, the royal line always passes through the father.  Now this is important, Jesus had no human father.  Joseph was not His biological father, but His legal father. He was Joseph’s child legally because if you were adopted into a family, you were the legal child with all the rights and privileges. He was Joseph’s child legally.  Through Joseph he has the right to reign that belonged to David, even though Joseph was not his father in terms of actuality he was his legal father.

Just as Jesus had the legal right to reign, He also had the bloodline to reign.  He was a descendant of David through His mother as well. Mary is also the line of David.  Through Mary, he has the blood of David.

Matthew follows the royal line through David and Solomon, David’s son. Matthew follows it all the way down, he gets to David and then the royal line went through Solomon. But David had another son. He had several. But this other one was Nathan. And Mary’s line came through Nathan. So what you have is one line coming down through David, and then it goes this way through Solomon and this way through Nathan. Through Nathan you come to Mary and through Solomon you come to Joseph. Both of them of the seed of David. Both of them passing on royal blood.

Jesus is the legal heir to the throne through Joseph, and the legal heir of David by the blood line of Mary.  His mother was the one who granted the royal blood to Jesus. 

Now, as we go through the lineage in Matthew's account, this would be the lineage of Joseph, we find some in the royal bloodline whose wickedness not only disqualified them from the being seated on the throne of David, but God commanded that they should not enter into the congregation of God's people for 10 generations.  This curse included their offspring for 10 generations.  So, from Phares on down to Boaz (10 generations), and Jechonias down to Jacob (10 generations). 

God in His sovereignty devised a plan, which was fulfilled perfectly.  Not only that, but He is able to use our sordid history and sinful past as part of his seamless plan.  With all the sinful failures in Joseph's family tree, these 10-generation punishments did not interfere with God's timeline.  In fact, the virgin birth carried the royal right to reign through the bloodline of Mary.  God has every aspect covered.

As we turn to Luke 1, we will read the divine announcement by the angel Gabriel given to Mary about the incarnation of Jesus Christ. All the holidays and all the celebrations and all the commemorations of people and events across the globe take note of human events, human beings. Christmas commemorates a divine person and a divine event.

It's not about what man has done, but what God has done.  Christmas is not a celebration of human history, it is the recognition of a marvelous, miraculous, divine accomplishment. Christmas celebrates the most monumental event and the most monumental person in the history of the world. Christmas is all about the eternal, sovereign creator God of the universe coming into the earth of His creation as a human being to live among His creation as one of them.  Jesus is fully God, and fully man. 

From Luke 1: 26-38 - 

"And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. For with God nothing shall be impossible. And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her."

There, with those simple straightforward, unmistakably clear words is the beginning of the glorious, beautiful, true account of God becoming flesh, the incarnation. The simple, lovely narrative clearly designed to feature the divine character of the event. There's nothing man-made about this. There's nothing human about this. There is no more wonderful, no more marvelous, no more compelling, no more miraculous story in all of history than this one as God begins to tell the drama of salvation in the birth of the God-Man.

And though this is how the story begins in the New Testament account, it's not the first mention of the coming Savior, the child that would be born. Not at all, in fact you can go all the way back to the third chapter of Genesis. Genesis chapter 3, you know, is where the Fall of man is recorded. Living in the garden in the paradise of God, Adam and Eve, enjoying the full blessing of God in holy innocence, fell into sin and immediately upon that sin they were cursed as was the whole human race.

Genesis chapter 3 verse 15: Comes a promise that there will come a seed of the woman. A woman has no seed, man has a seed. But there will be a woman who will have a seed. She will bear a child who will bruise the serpent's head. There's the first prophecy that the Messiah would come, that the seed of the woman would destroy the one who had destroyed the human race, bruise his head. A human offspring of Eve would be born of a seed in a woman and someday deliver the fatal blow to Satan.

Important Note: 

In Luke 1:28 - Known as the first part of "Mary Magnificant."  It is important to understand the context as well as the content of these scriptures.  The text of the "Hail Mary" prayer by the Roman Catholic Church, incorporates two Bible passages: “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee" (Luke 1:28) and “Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb" (Luke 1:42). The first passage is the angel Gabriel’s greeting to Mary when he came to inform her that she had been chosen to bear the Messiah. The second is her cousin Elizabeth’s greeting to Mary when Mary came to visit her cousin, who was also pregnant at the time with John the Baptist. The third part of the Hail Mary prayer is not from the Bible and is, in fact, in direct contradiction to Scriptural truth: “Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.”

This last part of the Hail Mary prayer has three unbiblical parts to it:

1. Mary is not and never was “holy.” Mary was a human being who was born, as all humans are, with a sin nature and who recognized that she needed a Savior. In fact, the very passage used in the Hail Mary, known as Mary’s Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55), contains the declaration “my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,” a clear indication that she understood her need for a Savior from sin. The Bible never says that Mary was anyone but an ordinary human whom God chose to use in an extraordinary way, the Bible is filled with them.  It is true that Mary was a righteous woman and favored (graced) by God (Luke 1:27-28). At the same time, Mary was a sinful human being who needed Jesus Christ as her Savior, just like everyone else (Ecclesiastes 7:20; Romans 3:23; 6:23; 1 John 1:8).

2. The second unbiblical part of the Hail Mary is addressing Mary as the “Mother of God.” Mary was the human mother of the human Jesus Christ, who was indeed God incarnate. But she was not the mother of God, neither is she the "queen of heaven,” another title given to her by the Catholic Church which has no basis in Scripture. God doesn’t have a mother, nor does He have a queen. He is an eternal, infinite Being, uncreated and unborn, self-sufficient and self-sustaining.

3. The third unbiblical statement in the Hail Mary is the plea for her to “pray for us sinners.” Here we see the unbiblical practice of praying to Mary to intercede with God for us. First, we do not need another intercessor with God. Christ is the only intercessor we need. Through Jesus and Him alone, we have direct access to the Father. Christ alone mediates and intercedes between God and man. “For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5). Prayer to anyone other than God alone is anti-biblical. Praying to Mary or petitioning her to pray for us is against the Scriptures.

Prayer is an act of worship. When we pray to God, we are admitting that we need His help. Directing our prayers to anyone other than God is robbing God of the glory that is His alone, something God hates and will not tolerate (Isaiah 42:8).

While Mary was certainly a godly young woman greatly blessed in that she was chosen to bear the Savior of the world, she was not in any way divine, nor was she sinless, nor is she to be worshiped, revered, venerated, or prayed to.

Gabriel (1:26) - An angel of the Lord. An angel is a divine messenger. A high-ranking angel as he stands in the presence of God (Luke 1:19). That's where Gabriel stands, to be dispatched by God Himself to this duty. Gabriel makes the most important birth announcement ever known to mankind, the birth of Jesus.

Virgin (1:27) - Mary is called "a virgin" by both Luke and Matthew.  The Greek word being "parthenos," can mean nothing else but chaste, abstinate, a virgin. 

Highly Favored (1:28) - Mary was "highly favored" and "blessed among women," because she had been given the privilege of fulfilling the ancient promise made by God in Genesis 3:15.  This is the promise of choosing a woman who would bear the promised Seed and who will eventually crush the serpents head.  This blessing in no way warrants us to worship her as the "Mother of God," which in reality is on equal footing with God Himself - that's blasphemy.  

Favor (1:30) - The Greek word for "favor" is the word normally translated "grace," and this is actually the first mention of grace in the New Testament.  Grace is not a reward that is earned from God, but a gift from God that is found through faith.  In the Old Testament (Genesis 6:8) it is said, "Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord."  Grace is a gift of God given to those who find it.  Both Mary and Noah believed, and therefore obeyed the Word of the Lord.  

Conceive In Thy Womb (1:31) - The miraculous conception was unusual in that it took place directly in the womb rather than in the tubes.  It was uniquely miraculous in that no man was involved.  "That holy thing" was placed directly in Mary's womb by God "the Holy Ghost" (1:35), and thus was uniquely "the seed" of the woman (Genesis 3:15). Just as the body of the first Adam was directly formed by God (Genesis 2:7), so the body of "the last Adam" (1 Corinthians 15:45) was directly formed by God (Hebrews 10:5).  

Throne of His Father David (1:32) - Jesus was the legal son of His father David (as adopted by Joseph when he took Mary as his wife) but He was, of course, not his biological son.  As legal son, He did have the legal right (as well as spiritual and prophetic right) to the Davidic kingdom. 

Overshadow Thee (1:35) - This marvelous work of God can be nothing less than direct creation.  

Magnify the Lord (1:46) - A beautiful hymn of thanksgiving very similar to Hannah's prayer in 1 Samuel 2:1-10. 

My Savior (1:47) - Mary acknowledged her need of a Savior, as we all must. In the Bible, the word Savior simply means “someone who saves someone else.” She realized that God would accomplish this and that her babe would be essential in this plan.

To understand Jesus’ role as Savior, we must understand our own desperate situation. Humans have sinned against God, rebelling, and voluntarily separating themselves from the God of life (Romans 3:23; 5:12). Sin produces death, and so everything in our world is now dying (Romans 6:23; James 1:15). Because God is holy, He will punish sin, leading to eternal separation from Him (Matthew 10:28). Without Jesus, humans are helplessly enslaved by sin and cannot ever achieve holiness on their own (Romans 3:9–20). We were born on a one-way track to hell, rightly condemned for our sin (Ephesians 2:1–3).

That is where Jesus steps in. Being God, Jesus is perfect and never sinned. He lived a perfectly righteous life, and therefore did not deserve to die (2 Corinthians 5:21). However, He chose to die a horrific death on the cross for us, paying the price for our sin (Romans 6:23; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 2:2). Then He rose again three days later, establishing His victory, and He is coming back soon to remove evil from the world completely. Because of His death and resurrection, anyone who trusts in Him can have eternal life. To the person who trusts in Him, Jesus Christ becomes the Savior.

A Prelude and Warning

Bobservations' Column
Titled - "A Prelude and Warning"
Written by: Pastor Bob Lawrenz

Next week we will begin our Christmas teachings and take a break from His judgments. I must admit, my feelings are bitter/sweet as I write this week’s column. Joy is mixed with sadness for the reality of what the world has yet to go through. The signs of the end that Jesus shared with His Apostles are all in place. But it’s Christmastime and a time of great joy!

His arrival in Bethlehem should have been expected, a time of great joy for the Jews, as their long-awaited Messiah was about to be born. The prophecies that their own prophets gave to them were fulfilled! The Jewish leaders did not miss God’s prophecies regarding Messiah’s coming. They refused to teach of them to God’s Chosen People! I can only imagine that God has mixed feelings, the same bitter/sweetness as time moves forward on earth, and His Chosen Ones still reject Jesus His Son. But judgment must still come.

The warnings are clear in today’s text, and in the prophets. We, however, are blessed to know that the end is not yet. So, while God’s amazing grace delays His judgment, we shall truly celebrate beginning with next week’s teaching. But for the teaching today, the warnings are very real. They are real for any and all who reject Jesus, son of man, and Son of God. The Perfect Lamb of God will one day roar as the Lion of Judah, and Savior of the World. This is a time of great joy to every Believer, for we are washed clean by His shed blood.

We will read of a glorious vision that unfold through John’s words. The text calls it a marvelous sight, and it describes a scene in God’s glorious heaven that might bring fear to unbelievers, and cautious joy as Satan’s followers are judged on earth.

God takes no joy in doling out judgment, nor happiness in the destruction of anyone. But for the sake of the saved, sin cannot continue side-by-side with His glory, for He will is not willing to stand in the presence of evil. The losses might be great, and not pleasant for the faint-of-heart, but The Lord God will reign in His sovereign glory for all eternity!

Proverbs 14:27 -

"THE FEAR OF THE LORD is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.”

Bobservations Column: Audio Version:

Sunday Morning's Audio Message:

Revelation 15:1-8 - "A Prelude and Warning"

Summary/Bible Notes:  

We pray that you will join us as we continue in our ongoing study in the book of Revelation.  

Today we are in chapter fifteen of Revelation, the shortest chapter in this book.  It is a sort of prologue to the sixteenth chapter, which contain the coming bowl judgments, and the seven last plagues that will be poured out upon the earth.   It also looks back to God's former judgments while anticipating the glory to come.  

The chronological timeline of the seven-year period in Revelation is contained especially in:

• Chapter 6 - The Seal Judgment
• Chapters 8-9 - The Trumpet Judgments
• Chapter 16 - The Bowl Judgments

The seal and trumpet judgments take place the first three and a half years, and the bowl judgments the last three and a half years.  

Remember, the Seventh Seal releases the Seven Trumpets (Revelation 8:1-2), and the Seventh Trumpet calls for the Seven Bowls (Revelation 11:15; 15:1, 7).   

Revelation 15 and 16 present specific facts of the final outpouring of God's wrath before Christ's return.  That wrath is expressed by the effects of the seventh trumpet that we read about in chapter eleven, from verse 15.  These are the seven bowl judgments described in Revelation 16. 

We must remember that God's nature encompasses not only righteousness and holiness, but also grace and mercy.  Even during the devastating judgments of the tribulation, God will continue to call sinners to salvation. 

• The 144,000 Jewish evangelists (7:2-8; 14:1-5), 
• The two witnesses (11:3-13), 
• A host of redeemed Gentiles and Jews (7:9-17), 
• The angel flying in the sky heralding a call to repentance (14:6-7).  
  

John sees gathered around the throne of God those who had been victorious over the beast because of their undying faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. They are holding harps of God, rejoicing and singing praise to Him.   They sing an anthem of praise to God, upholding His holy righteous character.  A song of deliverance and redemption. 

Each of the angelic beings John describes as carrying out their specific assigned duty according to God's plan.

After these things, John says, "I looked."  This introduces a dramatic new vision.  Something is about to draw John's attention away from the redeemed saints singing their praises before God's glorious throne.  This new vision being revealed to him are the bowl judgments that are described in chapter 16.  

After this brief interlude, Revelation will resume explaining the end-times judgments in chapter 16. There, the catastrophic bowl judgments will begin.

Another Sign in Heaven (15:1) - This is the third heavenly "sign" that John has seen in heaven (12:1, 3).  It is a miraculous preview of heaven and the events unfolding as God is getting ready to pour out his wrath upon an unbelieving world.    The "sign" anticipates the bowl judgments.

Great and Marvelous (15:1) - Terms expressing the enormous importance of this sign that contains the final outpouring of God's wrath on the wicked, unrepentant sinners of earth. 

Plagues (15:1) - These are the seven Bowl Judgments.  The word translated literally means "a blow," or "a wound."  These judgments shouldn't be considered diseases or epidemics, but rather judicially inflected pains. These are deadly blows that will strike the world with a killing impact.  This sign in the heavens pictures for us the overflowing wrath of a long-suffering and merciful God.  He is the judge slamming down his gavel in full fury, inflicting the severest punishments of all.

The Seven Plagues (15:1) - are the last and worst of all the judgments, because here the wrath of God is finished.   God had been speaking to men in His wrath, but they would not listen, they would not repent and return to their Creator.   God's wrath is finally filled up, and it is about to be unleashed.  

Sea of Glass Mingled with Fire (15:2) - God's heavenly throne sits on a transparent crystal platform (see 4:6).  The "sea" is mixed with the fire of God's judgment.  Those who reject God's grace and mercy face a "terrifying expectation of Judgment and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries (Hebrews 10:27).  God is a consuming fire (Hebrews 12:29).  Fire is frequently associated in Scripture with God's judgment (See - Numbers 11:1; 16:35; Deuteronomy 9:3; Psalms 50:3, 9:3; Isaiah 66:15; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9; 2 Peter 3:7).

Victory Over the Beast (15:2) - Here are the overcomers, the saints, those who did not succumb to the beast, his image, the mark or the number of his name.  All the saints from every nation, including Israel, ultimately triumph over Satan's Antichrist and his system because of their faith in Jesus Christ.

Song of Moses (15:3) - This is sung by the people of Israel immediately after their passage through the Red Sea and their deliverance from the Egyptian armies (Exodus 15:1), this was a song of victory and deliverance that the redeemed who overcome the Antichrist and his system will readily identify with. 

Song of the Lamb (15:3) - This song, along with the previous mentioned, are two songs celebrating two great redemptive events.  (1) The deliverance of Israel by God from Egypt through Moses; and (2) The deliverance of sinners by God from sin through Christ.  The song gives glory to the Creator, the Redeemer, the Savior and the King.

Great and Marvelous are Your Works (15:3) - This statement from the song of the Lamb extols God's powerful works in Creation as He providentially upholds the universe (see Psalm 139:14). 

Almighty (15:3) - God is omnipotent.  He is all-powerful with unlimited ability.

King of Saints (15:3) - God is sovereign over the redeemed of every nation.

Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony (15:5) - This refers to the ark of the covenant in the Holy of Holies (temple) where God dwells (see 11:9).  Aaron's rod and the stone tablets were stored in the ark. 

Seven Plagues (15:6) - The final, most severe judgments from God, described in chapter 16. 

Clothed in Pure White Linen (15:6) - The fabric represents holiness and purity (19:14). 

Golden Girdles (or belts) (15:6) - These belts run from the shoulder to the waist, that each of the seven angels wears over his garments.  The bands demonstrate riches, royalty and untarnished glory.

Seven Golden Vials (15:7) - The Greek word is phiale, from which we get "vial, or bowl."  The exact form of the container is unknown, though whatever the vessel, it is overflowing with God's long restrained wrath. 

For Ever and Ever (15:7) - This phrase occurs 21 times in the Book of Revelation, 17 of which stress the uniquely eternal nature of God.  Three times it refers to the never-ending punishment of the ungodly.  Once, in its final occurrence, it refers to the never-ending blessedness of the redeemed.  "The Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever" (22:5). 

Temple Filled with Smoke from the Glory of God (15:8) - The "shekinah" glory cloud indicating the presence of God.  It had similarly filled the ancient tabernacle and also Solomon's temple when they had first been dedicated to the Lord (See Exodus 19:16-18; 40:34-35; 1 Kings 8:10-11).  Smoke, an emblem of majesty.  This smoke also symbolizes God's wrath.  No one was able to enter the temple until the seven plagues were finished.  The glory cloud will remain in the heavenly temple until the earth is completely purged and prepared for the King and His kingdom.  

Safe From The Sickle - Part 2

Bobservations' Column

Titled - "Safe From The Sickle" Part 2

Written by: Pastor Bob Lawrenz

Today we start with Babylon in the text. Similar to its namesake from the Tower of Babel in Genesis 10, it was and will be mankind’s attempt to reach up to God. All the while, God wanted to reach down to man by sending His beloved Son, Jesus, a feat which He fulfilled miraculously. Babel was the natural extension of Genesis 9’s dictate that men should judge other men by their deeds, and not by their words, and to judge righteously. This sets the stage for men ruling over other men. It establishes that some men are destined to rule over others, and with God’s approval, according to them.

Babylon, as recorded, “is fallen; is fallen.” The Babylon of tomorrow is Satan’s premiere offering to mankind. All the world will live under a single set of laws culturally, and worship a single god, for the sake of peace. Participating nations will identify “religion” as a hindrance to world peace. Financially, the world will be controlled by a single world-wide financial system which will level the playing field among the rich and the poor, but in theory only. It is a socialist concept.

Babylon will fail twice (“is fallen, is fallen”), economically, and religiously. An even playing field requires a leader and a follower, setting the stage for the “haves” and the “have nots.” Mankind’s sin nature is never addressed when the leaders become wealthy and the poor get poorer. We would revert to the age-old system of conquer, or be conquered, as in times of tribal wars. The winners rule more people and territory, and the losers are absorbed, or killed.

God always strove to keep His people separate, and not to be absorbed into the masse of humanity. To be absorbed meant that the bloodline of Messiah would be compromised. This co-mingling of blood erases racial and ethnic lines, lines that God Himself designed (Acts 17:26). The bloodline of Noah’s son, Shem is the semitic line from which Messiah would come. Those that fight against the Jews, essentially fight against God. God wanted the bloodline that leads to Messiah to be preserved.

Mankind wants it obliterated. Sin would therefore not be dealt with, ever. But God persevered, and Christ Messiah was born. God is always faithful to fulfill His Word.

From Psalm 89:34 –

"My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that has gone out of my lips."

Bobservations Column: Audio Version:



Sunday Morning's Audio Message:

Revelation 14:7-20 - "Safe From the Sickle - Part 2"

Summary/Bible Notes:  

Today we will be finishing up the rest of chapter 14, verses 7-20 in the book of Revelation.

John’s attention now points to three angels who deliver urgent messages from the Lord.  The three angels deliver messages of warning and prophecy, predicting God's impending judgment on sin and evil. There is a specific warning to those who take the mark of the beast described in chapter 13. They are not ignorant of what they do, they know they are rejecting God by doing so. They have rejected Christ the Savior, the only means of their salvation and will face eternal damnation for doing so. This passage ends with a word of encouragement for Christians who suffer persecution for their faith (Revelation 14:6–13).

The first angel declares the everlasting gospel message over all the earth.  The emphasis is the coming judgment.  The Angel cries out, “fear God and give glory to Him and worship Him” as their Creator.  "The hour of his judgment is come." God in His grace is still giving man every opportunity to repent and believe upon Him. The message points to God, the Creator of all things.  For generations, the world has been indoctrinated in the theory of evolution.  Yet the fact remains, Christ is our Creator, He is the Savior and the coming King.  He alone has the right to judge all men.  (See Romans 1:25; 12:9).

The second angel announces the imminent fall of the kingdom of Satan. This includes the fall of both the religious and political aspects of the that kingdom. Modern Babylon is the reinstituting of ancient Babylon.  A kingdom perpetrating a humanistic and a satanistic world system.  A system uniting mankind in a religious, economic, cultural and political rebellion against God. Although this message is presented prior to the second coming of Christ, it is presented in the current tense “Babylon IS fallen”. Emphasizing the certainty of the fall of the Satanic kingdom. The actual fall of Babylon will occur at the end of the tribulation as described in Revelation 18.  Here the pronouncement is made. 

The third angel announces the coming judgment of anyone who take the mark of the beast described in chapter 13.  Taking the mark of Satan is permanent.  They are not ignorant of what they do, they know they are rejecting God by doing so. They have rejected Christ the Savior, the only means of their salvation and will face eternal damnation for doing so.  Those who are marked by the beast are members of Satan's kingdom. He pictures the deliverance of God’s wrath as a cup of wine that is poured out upon their heads. As the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of Babylon's fornication, so now shall they drink the wine of God's wrath.   Remember, the Lord Jesus Himself, as the Lamb of God, had once drained the cup of God's indignation, enduring all the fury God's wrath, substituting His blood atonement for us.  But now!  Now they have willfully rejected Christ's work of atonement and must now drink for themselves the cup of God's wrath.  Along with this message, he emphasizes their eternal judgement which takes place in the presence of the Lord and His angles. It involves torment in everlasting fire and brimstone in the Lake of Fire.

Finally, the believer's patient service to Christ while on earth is based upon these three messages: 1. The need of the gospel message to the lost. 2. The certainty of the defeat of Satan and his Kingdom.  3. The promised recompensing of the lost who have abused God’s people throughout history.  They are also reminded of the wonderful eternal blessings awaiting them… eternal rest, and rewards for their faithfulness.

In the last section of this chapter, John sees the coming of Christ pictured as two reaping's of the earth.  The first reaping represents the Lord's taking home of His people prior to the falling of His wrath.  The second reaping symbolizes the wrath of God falling upon those who reject Him.  The sacrifice of Christ not only secured the salvation of His people, but also secured His role as judge of the wicked. 

The Son of man begins His mighty reaping, the "reaping of the earth."  Jesus holding a sickle symbolizing His return, and the subsequent battle, in terms of a grape harvest. Just as mature grapes are fat and full of juice, the wickedness of unbelievers on earth will have reached a peak at this moment. Just as a winepress crushes and shreds grapes to make wine, the wrath of God will tear apart those who fight against Christ at the end of the tribulation (Revelation 14:14–20).

Loud Voice (14:7) - The angel of the Lord will be flying from nation to nation, shouting it loudly enough so that everyone on earth can hear. They will be without excuse having heard the gospel.

The Hour of His Judgment Has Come (14:7) - The last moment to repent and believe before God's wrath is poured out.

Him Who Made Heaven and Earth (14:7) - Creation is the great proof of God, which preachers will appeal to as the ground for all people to believe in Hi and worship Him. It is the foundation of the gospel. Creation is not some peripheral doctrine; it is foundational to everything else in the scriptures.

Babylon is Fallen (14:8) - Babylon refers to the entire worldwide political, economic and religious kingdom of the Antichrist (see 16:17-19 for details). The original city of Babylon was the birthplace of idolatry where the residents built the Tower of Babel, a monument to rebelliousness and false religion. Such idolatry was subsequently spread when God confounded humanity's language and scattered them around the world (see Genesis 11:1-9). Having ignored the first angel's message, a second angel is sent to announce judgment, proclaiming the certain destruction of the great enemy of the gospel.

Wine of the Wrath of her Fornication (14:8) - Babylon, having caused the world to become intoxicated with her sinful pleasures and emersed in an orgy of rebellion, hatred and idolatry toward God. Fornication means spiritual prostitution to the Antichrist's false system.

The Cup of His Indignation (14:10) - Divine wrath is not an impulsive outburst of anger aimed at those whom God doesn't like. It is the settled, steady, merciless, graceless, and compassionless response of a righteous God against sin. His cup of indignation is God's collected wrath poured out upon the children of hell, those who rejected God, their Creator and His gracious gift of salvation.

Fire and Brimstone (14:10) - Always a divine punishment. In this chapter this reference refers to hell, the lake of fire (see 19:20; 20:10; 21:8). Brimstone is a fiery sulfur (see 9:17).

Forever and Ever (14:11) - This is the doctrine of eternal punishment. The third angel brings another message, warning those who will take the mark of the beast. The torment of hell is the ceaseless infliction of unbearable pain to all those who spurn the love and grace of Christ and His sacrifice for us and offer of salvation.

Son of Man (14:14) - Here Jesus returns to the first and eternal aspect of His person and work, He is the Son of Man. He is ready to reap the harvest of the earth, separating the few remaining stalks of wheat from the great mass of tares, and this is a judgment committed to the Son of man (see Matthew 13:41; John 5:27).

Sickle (14:14) - The harvesting tool with a razor-sharp, curved steel or iron blade and wooden handle, used by farmers to cut grain. It represents swift and devastating judgment.

Another Angel (14:18) - This angel is associated with fire on the altar representing the prayers of the saints (6:9-11; 8:3-5). Fire refers to the constantly burning fire on the brass altar of the Jerusalem temple. This angel is coming from the heavenly altar to ensure that all the prayers of all the saints for judgment and the coming of the kingdom are answered. He calls for judgment to star.

The Great Winepress (14:19) - This vivid imagery signifies a horrendous slaughter or bloodbath. Here it refers to the slaughter of all enemies of God who are still alive, facing the destruction at Armageddon, the final battle against God's enemies, staged on the plain below Bozrah, deep in Edom, up beyond Megiddo through the valley of Jezreel. This battle occurs outside of Jerusalem. These armies of the beast, gathered together to battle the returning Christ, will be instantly slain simply with the "sword" of His mouth.

Up to the Horses' Bridles (14:20) - The severity of the slaughter is indicated in the imagery of the blood of those killed in the Battle of Armageddon splattering as high (about four feet) as the bridles of the horses involved. Incredible.