DEFINITION OF TERMS

(For Serious Students Only)

LAMB

LAMB OF GOD

SACRIFICE

SACRIFICE AND OFFERING
I. In the Old Testament
II. In the New Testament

Looking at the book of Revelation, we need to understand that its apocalyptic writing style is highly symbolic. It was written to believers, in a time of persecution towards the end of the first century. To keep the believers safe, much was written in a code that they but not their persecutors, would understand.

We also need to understand that in Jewish culture, life is regarded as a process, a progression, whereas we view it as a series of events. Hence prophecy, in Jewish thought, is ongoing. An earlier prophecy can be expected to have past, present and future fulfilment. However, with our Western (Greek) understanding, we look at Revelation as a series of one-time events. So we discuss whether their fulfilment is past, present or future. We have Preterists, Historicists, Futurists, Pre and Post Millennialists. Yet in Jewish thought, all could possibly be true! For prophecy is expected to have past, present and future meanings. Now that's a thought!

While, with our Western outlook, we view the Kingdom of God as coming at the end of the age when Jesus returns, Jesus, a Jew, revealed it as a spiritual kingdom that exists now for those prepared to grasp hold of it, as well a physical one later. Like God, the kingdom has always been there. We need to absorb the Jewish way of reaching out to a God who has always been, and always will be there. In a similar way we need to seek the kingdom now.

So let's have a brief look at the kingdom of the Lamb now, and the kingdom of the Lamb to come, in light of the above.

The Lamb crucified, has purchased believers with His blood and so is worthy to open the scroll of the seven judgements upon the earth.

For Jesus who is the Lamb of God, is worthy of all our worship.

The first four seals were opened, one by one, and their respective judgements such as war, famine, plague were delivered upon the earth by riders on white, red, black and pale horses.

With the third seal however, there was a group of people who would not be judged by the scales the rider carried, those fully committed Christians who have sought out the kingdom. The verse refers to the Feasts of the Lord.

In the midst of the famine, those believers who simply believe in Jesus (Passover) or have also accepted the infilling of the Holy Spirit (Pentecost) will be affected by the high prices of the famine marketplace. But those who seek the kingdom, who are prepared to submit themselves 100% to the Fathers will, (Tabernacles) will not be damaged. Yes, those who will submit to spiritual death to self.

They will join with those who suffer the physical death of martyrdom, as revealed in the fifth seal.

The sixth seal judgement is of earthquakes and other earthly and heavenly events that show the wrath of God and the Lamb.

The story goes on to symbolically describe the 12,000 'sealed' from each of the 12 tribes of Israel, before coming back again to those in white robes, ones who have withstood the great tribulation, who have found the kingdom, who have purified themselves in 'the blood of the Lamb'.

The opening of the final, seventh seal, shows the separation of the saints from the unrighteous, prayers from the saints and judgement upon the unrighteous.

Finally, at the end of the age, Jesus will physically return to rule and reign upon the earth with His bride, from the New Jerusalem.

There is no need for a Temple, for the curtain has been torn in two through Jesus shedding His blood, giving up His life on the cross, so that our relationship with the Father might be restored.

The river of life flows down from the throne of God and the Lamb. And by the ever present 'fruit of the Spirit' of the tree of life, the godly actions of the submitted saints of the kingdom, they will rule and reign with Jesus forever.

To end John's vision, the Lamb of God, Jesus, promised three times, He would be returning soon.

Jesus died on the cross in order that we might receive our spiritual inheritance.

How can we be assured of this? Our assurance comes through the deposit of the Holy Spirit, living in believers. He assures us of our salvation and inheritance of the kingdom.

It is done! Jesus did it all on the cross. Our kingdom inheritance is guaranteed when we 'believe' (give ourselves up to Him, take ourselves out of our own keeping and entrust ourselves into His keeping).

The key response to the message of the inheritance of the kingdom is one of righteousness and holy living. Scripture after scripture highlights the fact that the kingdom of God is to be a living reality in our lives. When we become a follower of Jesus we are to develop the behavioural characteristics in our lives that He displayed in His. These are commonly known as the 'fruit of the Spirit'.

Our nature is to be washed clean, to be sanctified, in spiritual terminology, in order to inherit the kingdom.

This requires a commitment greater and much different to that which the Jews in Old Covenant society were used to. Under Jewish expectation, salvation came through being a member of a godly family, for Jewish thought revolves around the family unit. But Jesus came with a radically different message, saying that personal commitment is required, and that many who look good here on earth, will not do so in the kingdom and vice versa

We are expected to help others, to be diligent and not become lazy in His work, in order to inherit the promise of the kingdom.

Our response to being rescued from the kingdom of darkness is to bear fruit with patience and endurance, in order to inherit the kingdom.

I'm sorry (Well, not really!) to keep emphasising the need for living out our faith time and again, but it is vitally important to both get this understanding and to apply it in our lives. For it is only then that we can come into the full inheritance of the kingdom, whose entry has been made possible by the death and resurrection of Jesus, the Lamb of God, on our behalf.

The Lamb has been honoured high above all. He will reign with His church, those who receive the inheritance of the kingdom of God. Amen. Come Lord Jesus, come.

Very often we get trapped, by taking for granted what we superficially see. So it was for me with the Bible. I saw the Old Testament and the New. "Well, that must be it," I thought. The Old Covenant followed by the New. It's simple, it's obvious, but it doesn't fit in with God's pattern, as I understand it.

For those who have read other of my writings will know that God works in threes. As He manifests Himself in three ways, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, (exactly how depends on whether you are a Oneness, Two-ness or Trinitarian believer!) so He normally operates in patterns of three in His dealings with us, His people. Therefore I have always had a difficulty accepting the two Testaments as reflecting God's pattern as such.

One day however, the Lord showed me that the Old Testament is not really a single entity, but can be split into two at an unexpected but logical place, as we will see shortly.

Today, as I was reading the Word, He started to show me many patterns reflecting the development of His kingdom through these three stages of His Word. It is helping me understand the whole in a way that I have not appreciated previously.

So let's embark on a journey together and see what we can find out about what God has done, what He is doing, and what He will do in the future. Each step forms a logical progression in His plan that has been in existence from before time began.

In these end days God is calling His church to fulfil His final revelation and build His kingdom on earth as well as in heaven. He desires it so much that He made it part of the Lord's (From the Lord for His disciples) Prayer!

Are we prepared to be those who will usher in the kingdom now, or will He have to wait for another generation?

ANCIENT OIL VASES

Oil was stored in earthenware vessels (Heb. Asak). They were deep and narrow, with the narrowest part at the bottom. They had no handles and were usually inserted into a stone or wooden stand, or simply placed into holes in the ground. The top was capped with wood or some soft material.

Source: http://www.bible-history.com