Revelation 2022 / 111

Let’s review. The rapture occurs and all believers are in heaven. God releases the seven bowl judgements that destroy the earth. Nonbelievers who didn’t receive the Holy Spirit are condemned to the eternal lake of fire. Believers who received the Holy Spirit are transferred to a new earth and new heaven. Here they will live forever. God’s holiness will provide light to the new earth. There will be no sun.

God describes the believers on the new earth as the new Jerusalem. On the old earth, the church is referred to as the believers and not the building. Similarly, on the new earth, the new Jerusalem is referred to as the believers and not the physical structures. We don’t know how the new earth appears. Because there will be no earthquakes, hurricanes, natural disasters, or temperature swings, it may appear as the original Garden of Eden; no buildings at all. Also, it may appear as something we’ve never imagined.

Let’s read more about the new Jerusalem.

Revelation 21:16 The city was laid out like a square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with the rod and found it to be 12,000 stadia in length, and as wide and high as it was long.

This scripture says that the city is 12,000 stadia in length, width and height. It is a perfect square. We will study the size of the new Jerusalem in our next blog, but now I’d like to discuss the meaning of 12,000 stadia. It represents the 12,000 Jews from each of the 12 tribes of Israel that accepted Christ as savior. Most Jews throughout history did not. Therefore, the new Jerusalem is the 144,000 Jews (12,000 X 12 tribes) that accepted Christ, as well as the gentiles (non Jews) that accepted Christ throughout the history of the world.

Jerusalem was the original capital city of Israel under King David and King Solomon and contained the Temple of God. The new Jerusalem will be like a new and final city or destination for the Jews who accepted Christ, as well as the gentiles who accepted Christ throughout history. We do not know how the city or new earth will appear.

Thank you so much for studying. God bless.

Jeff

Revelation 2020 / 46

 

Let’s review what we’ve learned about the two witnesses of Revelation 11.  The first witness is the two olive trees. The two olive trees are the Israelite believers in Jesus Christ and the gentile (nonIsraelite) believers in Jesus Christ.

The second witness is the two lamp stands.  The two lamp stands are the Old Testament and the New Testament.  In other words, the entire word of God.

To sum up, the two witnesses are all believers in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and the entire word of
God (Bible).

Let’s refer back to:

Revelation 11:3  And I will give power to my two witnesses and they will prophecy for 1260 days, clothed 
in sackcloth.

In the next blog, we will study what is meant by the 1260 days.  We will also study the associated historical events.

Thank you so much for studying.  God bless.

Jeff

Gifts of Healing 3

This week let’s read one more scripture about early Christians and physical healing.

Mark 16:15-18  He (Jesus in spiritual body before ascending to heaven) said to them (twelve disciples), “Go into all
the world and preach the good news to all creation.  Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever
does not believe will be condemned.  And these signs will accompany those who believe:  in my name they
will drive out demons;  they will speak in new tongues;  they will pick up snakes with their hands;  and when
they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all;  they will place their hands on sick people, and
they will get well.

To current day Christians, I definitely don’t recommend picking up poisonous snakes or drinking deadly poison.

The early Christians, and the twelve disciples and the seventy-two, were given a special blessing to physi-
cally heal in the name of Jesus.  These miracles were necessary in the beginning of Christianity.  It
was necessary so that the faith would take root and increase.  This new faith had to be nourished by
miracles and miracles of healing.  It was to turbo boost the new faith of Christianity and to convince
people that Jesus was the promised savior.

Thank you so much for studying.  God bless.

Jeff