We are living in a time when people are not aware of what time it is! Matthew 24:37-38. Living in indifference to the impending judgement regardless of the signs, you must see the two Rs the Rapture and the Revelation.
Jesus is warning of Judgment: So, what time is Jesus referencing here in Matthew in 24:37-38? A key thought is V38, For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
“Eating and drinking and marrying and giving in marriage” Or business as usual describe the normal affairs of life.
In the coming of the LORD, there is the Rapture and the Revelation. Prior to the Revelation of Christ, which is in Rev 19, you will find this on the earth, people are in a survival mode and not in the normal mode of life In Rev. 16-18 there is one judgment after the other, i.e. Rev. 16:9. In Rev. 17-18 Babylon is destroyed and men are saying, who is going to buy our goods, 18:11] and that is not the normal routine of life. Rev.18:22-23 even says this, And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee; And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived. The things that are being described prior to Jesus coming back at the end of the tribulation are not the normal things of life, as they were in the days of Noah when they were eating and drinking and not aware of the signs of the coming judgment. Prior to the coming of Christ back to the earth in Revelation 19 the earth is in great tribulation, therefore the coming that He is speaking of is the rapture.
As it were in the days of Noah so shall it be in the days before the rapture [the rapture is part of His coming], The world is Living in indifference to the impending judgement regardless of the signs, Violence on every street, corruption on every page, truth and equity have fallen in the street, Isa 59:14 And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter. Truth and righteousness are shut out of our courts of justice. Evil is called good and good evil.
A woman was beheaded on a public street in Northern California, in recent days.
The world is Living in indifference to the impending judgement and ignoring the signs and the coming rapture [illustration]
Paul gave a scathing indictment of the last days and we read it as nothing.
2Ti 3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2Ti 3:2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 2Ti 3:3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 2Ti 3:4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 2Ti 3:5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
The letters to the Churches are Epistles of Christ dictated before the throne Rev 2:1 Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;
It was not about the things they were doing; it is about the one thing they did not do! This church did a lot of things: 1] They laboured, 2] They stood against evil, 3], They did not quit in all those things, Rev 2:2 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: Rev 2:3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.
Jesus said, “I know” “expressing His omniscience. Not merely “their professions, desires, good resolutions”. He knows all things and He have a specific knowledge about the individual, John21:17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.. [ see Mal. 3:16-17 Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name. Mal 3:17 And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. ].
“And thy Labour” You would have to included v3 to understand the meaning, Rev 2:3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. It means they did not get weary in well doing. They were tired in the work but not of it. But there is one thing they did that Christ would judge them for if they did not repent! Did they repent? The warning is not just for the church but for the individual and for the Home.
What was the warning? Answer: v5, Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. and will remove thy candlestick out of his place,
Should Ephesus have engaged in all these things for which they were commended by the LORD? Answer, Yes! Luk_11:42 But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
You can feed the poor, maintain church discipline, do a boat load of good things, dot every eye and cross every T, have all the right answers for all your friends, you can proclaim all your goodness and you can receive all the praise of men but if Christ is not first it is all in vain. If He is not first, He is last! There is no second place. Col 1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
Christ is the pre-eminent One. He is more important than all who have ever lived. Christ washed us once for all, and loveth us always. [Rev. 1:5]
Rev 4:11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. You are redeemed for his pleasure!
V4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
He said remember, therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent and do the first works..... What is the place from where you have fallen? Answer: The place of knowing and living in His Kindness and Love and knowing the justification of His Grace that He has shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour.
What were their first works? Answer: Their love for Christ. Christ is not one of many! He is the Only One. Do again what love made you do at the first!
Did they repent? No! What was the warning? “..... or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. The removal of the candlestick is not the extinction of the light. Judgment on one brings blessing to another. The light shines where Christ is received and loved, Mat 5:15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 2Co 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
His Light illuminates our minds and hearts, Job 29:3 When his candle shined upon my head, and when by his light I walked through darkness;
Our message to all who will hear is to be ready for the rapture, Luk 12:35 Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; Php 2:15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; Php 2:16 Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.
You have any idea where Ephesus is today? 1The city of Ephesus was located in what is now the country of Turkey, a predominantly Muslim country. There is no longer a Christian church in Ephesus. Of course, there is no longer a city of Ephesus either. It is an archaeological site now, but that is beside the point.
The point is that although there is no longer a city of Ephesus, the church in Ephesus used to be the strongest church in Asia Minor, and now there are hardly even any Christians to be found in all of Asia Minor, let alone a church of any strength or size.
Turkey is 99.8% Muslim, leaving only .2% as Christian. And even this .2% is in rapid decline.
Turkey, although it used to be a fortification of Christianity, is now the largest unreached nation in the world and one of the strongest propagator’s of Islam. Most of the nation’s 55 million Muslim’s have never even heard the gospel.
One of the major centers for terrorism. Why? Answer: Because Christ removed their candlestick. He took out the Light. We are not the guardians of the church, Jesus is. and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: He did not say, that was the issue! He said, you left me.
If you have been saved, for 50 years or 5 months and you are not growing in the Lord, He is saying remember me!
Listen to what Jesus said, Rev 22:16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. 2Pe_1:19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: Mal 4:2 But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings;….”
He can heal you, He can heal your life, He can heal your home, Psa_18:28 For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness. We live in a day when blame is always put to someone else, Husbands blame their wives, wives blame theiir husbands, Church blames their pastor, pastor blames the church, Children blame their parents, and every one blames their circumstances but the issue is where is Christ in your thinking, in your life. Our victory in life is gained by what we know and believe about Jesus Christ, Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Pro_20:27 The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly. You know what He is telling you? Answer: He is saying, “I know”! I know you. And I want you to be ready for the day that is coming.
He said remember your first love! That is what communion is about. To remember your first love and do the first works is different for every believer. There is something unique about how you came to Christ and only you can remember from whence you have fallen but regardless of how far you have fallen underneath you are the Everlasting Arms, Deu_33:27 “The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms:…..”
Jesus Christ seeks to keep the Light burning in your life [Read the entire chapter in your study]
Have you ever wondered why trials? And you see the answer in 1Pe 1:6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: 1Pe 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: 1Pe 1:8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: What is the answer? That you would Love Him -----He wants to keep the light burning in your life!
He said repent! Repent is a word for the believer who has walked away from Christ, their first love. Nowhere in the entire Bible is one’s eternal destiny contingent upon his repenting of his sins. That is a man-made doctrine about the Gift of Eternal Life [Romans 6:23]. If we tell people they must repent in order to be born again, then we have preached a false gospel, or if we teach there is another way of salvation, or if we say, that all religions are the same as long as you are sincere, we have presented a false hope. You do not even know your sins in order to repent of them. You are born a sinner and therefore, must be born again, John 3:6. & John 3:16. On the Cross Jesus took away everything that separated you from Him and nailed it to His Cross, Col_2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; The cross tells you that Jesus’ sacrifice is sufficient for you, He was made sin by taking your sin, 2 Cor.5:21, And Jesus Christ made this promise to you, John 3:16. You are saved by believing in God’s offer to you for everlasting life, V17-18. His offer for total forgiveness is His Son Jesus Christ, who died on the Cross as your sacrifice and makes this promise to you, Joh 6:47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
Every time the word repent is used in the Revelation, [12 times] it is never in reference to obtaining eternal life but rather to turn from sin ongoing or engrained in the Church, in the home, in believer’s life.
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