Pentecost 2017—LIVE #2

Events of Pentecost and leading up to the Feast of Trumpets

Fred R. Coulter—June 10, 2017

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Greetings, everyone! Welcome to Sabbath services. This is Pentecost—LIVE #2. I had to take an extra week on this simply because there's so much to cover in the book of Revelation. The book of Revelation is one of the greatest books in the Bible. It is laid out pretty much in sequence the way the Holy Days come.

Let's just do a little review through Revelation:

• Rev. 1—Passover, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, which then is the Wave Sheaf Offering, accepted by God for the sins of the world.
• Rev. 2 immediately follows:
• How many churches are there? Seven churches!
• What happens after the Wave Sheaf Offering? That begins the count—that's day one of the seven-week count, plus one day—to Pentecost!
• How do we know that the seven churches follow this pattern?
• the seven churches that were there in Asia at the time that John was given this vision
• we can tell from the context of these churches that it is also a projected history of the Churches of God down through time

• Rev. 3—here we have the projection of the churches down to the end. How God views the churches from heaven, looking down on the earth.

Granted they were separate individual congregations back then; however, once it spreads out to the world, then there are many, many different aspects about knowing the seven churches that become a little difficult to follow.

We can follow along with Ephesians, the beginning, and then Smyrna where there's a great persecution; that followed in the 100sA.D. Then later after that down through time.

We also have the Church at Pergamos, which is when the Catholic Church came to the fore with Constantine. We have the doctrines of eating things sacrificed to idols. That was not physical animals it was talking about. That's talking about what is today called the Sacrifice of the Mass.

Then we come to Thyatira and that's when there was the great persecution against the Church by the Catholics. It's interesting there was a great tribulation right during that time of Thyatira. It says, 'I will cast you into great tribulation.'

Then we come to Sardis. Sardis was a time when the Church almost died out, but it didn't. Then we come to the Church at Philadelphia. Here is a key verse to show that it takes us right down to the end-time.

Revelation 3:10: "Because you have kept the Word of My patience, I also will keep you from the time of temptation, which is about to come upon the whole world to try those who dwell on the earth." That means inclusive, everybody on the earth.

It becomes important for us to understand that when God says all nations, the whole world, He means all nations and the whole world.

Matthew 24:14: "And this Gospel of the Kingdom shall be proclaimed in all the world… [not part of it] …for a witness to all nations; and then shall the end come." That's almost identical wording back here in Rev. 3:10.

We have a sermon on that, The Temptation to Try the Whole World. Is it the Great Tribulation? or Is it something else that leads up to the Great Tribulation?

Then we have, Revelation 3:20: "Behold, I stand at the door and knock…." Christ is ready to return!

So, there's the seven-weeks harvest down through time, with the prophetic fulfillment being

• the seven churches that existed at the time John was given the vision
• the seven churches down through time as God views them
• at the end again the seven churches as God views them

That's seven times seven=49, but there are 50 days to Pentecost.

Rev. 4—here is a type of the resurrection. As I mentioned before, this is important to understand. John was of the high priesthood family. We know Paul went to Paradise and saw certain things, and heard certain things, but he doesn't describe it. John was told to write about it. Remember that this ties in with the priest going into the Holy of Holies once a year.

Revelation 4:1: "After these things I looked, and behold, a door After these things I looked, and behold, a door opened in heaven; and the first voice that I heard was as if a trumpet were speaking with me, saying, 'Come up here…'" Where do we find that language used again? We'll see Rev. 11 at the resurrection of the two witnesses, 'Come up here.' What do you know about that?

"'…and I will show you the things that must take place after these things'" (v 1).

As we already covered, John saw a vision of God the Father on the throne, the twenty-four elders around the throne, thousands and thousands of angels.

• Rev. 5—John saw a vision of Jesus Christ as a Lamb slain with seven horns in His head, which are the seven churches, because Jesus Christ is the Head of the Church, all seven churches of Revelation.

We also find that Jesus was the only One to open the seven seals. Let's come to the second seal (Rev. 6). This verifies 1-Thes. 5:1-3 that just before the end there's going to be a time of peace.

It's going to be so spectacular the people will thing that this is a wonderful thing. Mankind has finally gotten together. But right smack in the middle of it the covenant is broken. (Dan. 9) 

Seal #2, Revelation 6:4: "And another horse went out that was red; and power was given to the one sitting on it to take peace from the earth…" Then we have the seals 3-6.

Seal #5 is the martyrdom of the saints
Seal #6 is the ripping back of the heavens

The sign of the Son of man in heaven will be out there from a time just before Pentecost until the Sea of Glass. What did John see under the throne of God? A great sea of glass! That's important.

We covered the 144,000 and the 144,000 here are 12,000 from each of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel.

Let me explain something very important to understand: No one is going to be resurrected until the last trumpet! We find in Rev. 8 there are seven trumpets.

I need to comment about trumpets here: Every time there's a Feast day, the silver trumpets were to be blown. On the day of the Feast of Trumpets, if you read it carefully, this is the day of the blowing of ram's horns.

What are ram's horns used for? For war! The Feast of Trumpets is not the day of the resurrection. However, just like at Mount Sinai, the trumpet was blown at Mount Sinai, and the people saw God when the Ten Commandments were given in the fire and heard His voice.

Moses, Aaron, Nadab and Abihu and the 70 elders came up to the mountain to a certain place and they looked up and there was this sea of glass that God was on. He wasn't in His full glory, because no man can look upon the full glory of God and live, as God said.

Then they ate there to confirm the covenant with Israel. This becomes important when we talk about the Sea of Glass later. However, no one is going to go up to the Sea of Glass until the seventh trump!

Let's continue right here in Rev. 7. We saw that the 144,000 and great innumerable multitude were sealed. Why can that not be us? To be sealed means you have received the Holy Spirit! Do you have the Holy Spirit? Yes! You are sealed!

These were not converted, the 144,000 and great innumerable multitude, until after the great rolling back of the heavens like a scroll, and the sign of the Son of man appearing.

This probably takes place on the next to the last Pentecost, with the last Pentecost a year later being the resurrection from the dead.

Revelation 7:13: "And one of the elders answered and said to me, 'These who are clothed with white robes, who are they, and where did they come from?' Then I said to him, 'Sir, you know.' And he said to me, 'They are the ones who have come out of the Great Tribulation…'" (vs 13-14). As we saw, two years against Israel, with one and a half years remaining until the resurrection.

Actually if this occurs on Pentecost—which it does—this is one year from Pentecost to Pentecost. But then we've got to get from Trumpets to Trumpets for the finality, which we'll cover in just a little bit here.

"…and they have washed their robes, and have made their robes white in the blood of the Lamb. For this reason, they are before the throne of God and serve Him day and night in His temple; and the One Who sits on the throne shall dwell among them. They shall not hunger any more, nor shall they thirst any more; neither shall the sun nor the heat fall upon them, because the Lamb Who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them, and will lead them to fountains of living waters; and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes" (vs 14-17).

Here we have, v 16-17, a projection forward to Rev. 21 & 22. Even though it says right here that they are before the throne of the Lamb, they don't get there until the resurrection. The resurrection doesn't happen until the last trumpet. That's the seventh trumpet. Here we have in Rev. 6, before even the first trumpet is blown, a projection forward of what they will be doing. But they won't be doing it until the resurrection.

In Matt. 20 these are the workers that were hired in the morning, mid-morning, noon, mid-afternoon, afternoon, late afternoon, the eleventh hour. That pictures the whole harvest of the firstfruits down through time.

Those of the eleventh hour are the ones that we find in Rev. 7. They are the last ones, but everybody from the first to the last receives eternal life. That's why the parable in Matt. 20 that those who worked for one hour received a whole silver coin, the same as the ones who started in the morning. The parables fit in and have great meaning with this.

• Rev. 8 begins the Feast of Trumpets
• Rev. 9 carries on over to the end of it

this goes forward to

• Rev. 16 with the seven last plagues
• Rev. 10 is an inset chapter just before the resurrection
• Rev. 11 tells us that there has to be a temple and the two witnesses will be there. They will preach for the second half of the Tribulation—three and a half years.

Then we find the seventh angel sounding, and that's the last trump. This is the only place in the Bible where we have a first trumpet and a last trumpet. You can't gauge it by the Feast of Trumpets, because that's a memorial of ram's horns blowing all day long.

• Rev. 12 is an inset chapter showing all of God's plan

It actually starts out before the creation of the earth. God's plan, the Church, Satan's rebellion, down to the end-time, carries out. There will be some taken to a place of safety. Those who are not, Satan's going to make war against them, which is the Tribulation against the saints.

• Rev. 13 is an inset chapter as well

We have to know what are the major things that are going to take place at the end-time and how is that going to be worked out? What is it going to be?

How do we know Rev. 13 is the end-time? We have to go to Rev. 17 and 19 concerning the beast and the false prophet. That tells you that it's going to be right at the end-time.

Rev. 14 is very interesting. We'll get back there in just a little bit. Verse 14, shows another aspect depicting the first resurrection. This is a resurrection of grain. Of course, that takes place at the seventh trumpet.

You have to put all of these things together. That's why the Bible says that the Word of God is not easy to understand, because it's 'line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little, there a little,' and we put it together. As Paul wrote Timothy to rightly divide or put together the parts of the Bible. It has to be with God's Spirit. It has to be the things that God reveals to us.

We can claim the promise of Dan. 12 that at the end-time the wise shall understand. Who are the wise? The wise are those who love God and keep His commandments. Isn't that true?

• Rev. 14 a projection forward of the seven last plagues
• Rev. 15 is where then the sun that is out there, the second sun, the "Sun of Righteousness," will then come hurtling toward the earth

Remember what Jesus said, 'Every eye shall see Him' come hurtling toward the earth. Those on the earth are going to be afraid it's going to crash into the earth and destroy it. But when it gets over the area of the Holy Land, it's all of a sudden going to stop and become a gigantic sea of glass. That will happen on the last Pentecost before we all come back to the earth.

• Rev. 16 are seven last plagues
• Rev. 17-18 are inset chapters to show how this whole system developed down through time and has to be taken care of by God and the saints at the end
• Rev. 19 is very interesting; that's when all the saints are on the Sea of Glass

There's the wedding, the marriage of the Lamb, and all the guests who will be there, all on the Sea of Glass preparing for the return to come down to the earth. We'll be up there from Pentecost to Trumpets and we come back to the earth on the Trumpets after the resurrection Pentecost. In between that four and a half months there is the pouring out of the seven last plagues.

• Rev. 20 is the binding of Satan and the beginning of the Millennium and the Last Great Day

So, we have every one of the Holy Days of God depicted in the book of Revelation. That's something to really think about. However, those who don't keep the Holy Days of God will have at best a very limited understanding of some parts of the book of Revelation.

Note our sermon series on Daniel and Revelation. It's a nice thick spiral-bound book. You will have a big chart showing every one of these things, where they fit in the time sequence of the last seven years and the last three and a half years. That will help give you a better perspective of how these things take place.

Rev. 14 is a very interesting chapter. It also talks about 144,000. The question becomes this: Are the 144,000 here in Rev. 14 the same as the ones in Rev. 7? No! Why is that?

Rev. 7 we saw the 144,000 were from the twelve tribes of Israel. Let's read about the 144,000 in Rev. 14 and maybe we can make a fairly definitive statement as to who they are and what they represent, and then we'll have to put it together with some other Scriptures to figure it out.

Revelation 14:1: "And I looked, and I beheld the Lamb standing on Mount Sion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His Father's name written on their foreheads." It doesn't say that of the 144,000 in Rev. 7. We'll see the differences here.

Verse 2: "Then I heard a voice from heaven, like the sound of many waters, and like the sound of great thunder; and I heard the sound of lyre players playing their lyres. And they were singing a new song before the throne, and before the four living creatures and the elders. And no one was able to learn the song except the hundred and forty-four thousand… [notice how these are described]: …who were redeemed from the earth" (vs 2-3)—not Israel! This means from all nations.

There is no time-setting that this is any particular time, like back here right after the 6th seal, but from the earth. We're going to notice something else about them that it doesn't say here in Rev. 7 about the 144,000 and the great innumerable multitude.

Verse 4: "These are the ones who were not defiled with women…" What are the women? Rev. 17, Babylon the Great, the mother of harlots—women—and the abominations in the earth! The harlots are the women and the harlots are the churches that come out of the great Babylon.

This tells us "…not defiled with women…" means that after they were baptized in the covenant unto eternal life, they were faithful to the end and were never involved in eating things sacrificed to idols or in spiritual fornication.

When we look at the seven churches what do we have? Ephesus lost its first love, got all involved in just taking care of human needs. Ephesus was told to repent. There was sin; they were not virgins.

Then we have Smyrna, the one that suffered a lot of persecution. There is no call to repentance for them. So, they were not defiled with women. As a matter of fact, they were persecuted and killed by the false harlot of Rev. 17.

"…for they are virgins…" (v 4)—always faithful, waiting for Christ. We know that Christ is going to marry a virgin. Those who get defiled with the false Christianity of this world and the false religions of this world have lost their virginity. However, they have repented, so as it says, 'Repent,' to all the other churches: Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Laodicea. That leaves Philadelphia as the second church, which was a virgin.

So then, this question needs to be answered, v 4: "These are the ones who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins; they are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. They were purchased from among men as firstfruits to God and to the Lamb, and no guile wasfound in their mouths; for they are blameless before the throne of God" (vs 4-5). That describes those who were faithful, never involved in the false religions of this world.

Let's look at two things here. Eph. 5 talks about Christ and the Church. Look at all the warnings that Paul gave to them to not go out and be like they were behaving in the past, nor be involved with those who were living in sin.

Ephesians 5:23: "For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the Head of the Church; and He is the Savior of the Body. For even as the Church is subject to Christ, in the same way also let wives be subject to their own husbands in everything. Husbands, love your own wives, in the same way that Christ also loved the Church, and gave Himself for it; so that He might sanctify it, having cleansed it with the washing of the water by the Word; that He might present it to Himself as the glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it might be Holy and without blame" (vs 23-27).

Five of the churches in Rev. 2 and 3 were not virgins—two were.

• What was happening with the Church at Corinth at this time?
• What does Paul bring up here in 2-Cor. 11? False apostles teaching false doctrines, and the Church putting up with it!
• Sound familiar with some things we've read earlier in different places? Yes, indeed!

Let's see what Paul says, 2-Corinthians 11:1: "I would that you might bear with me in a little nonsense; but indeed, do bear with me. For I am jealous over you with the jealousy of God because I have espoused you to one husband, so that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ" (vs 1-2). Christ is going to marry virgins!

Verse 3: "But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds might be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ"—lose their virginity through false doctrine, false teaching, false apostles!

Verse 4: "For indeed, if someone comes preaching another Jesus, whom we did not preach, or you receive a different spirit, which you did not receive, or a different gospel, which you did not accept, you put up with it as something good." Think about that.

Have we seen that also in our day? Yes, indeed! So, this tells us that the virgins are few. They might not lose their salvation (1-Cor. 3), but they won't be married to Christ. What's going to happen at the marriage supper of the Lamb? We'll answer that in a bit.

Verse 5: "But I consider myself in no way inferior to those highly exalted so-called apostles."

Verse 13: "For such are false apostles—deceitful workers who are transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And it is no marvel, for Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light" (vs 13-14). They lost their spiritual virginity by not being faithful.

Let's see something else. This dawned on me one time when I had a wonderful wedding. It was a large event with a lot of people there. It was a happy occasion. All of the guests were in the large auditorium where they met. After the cutting of the wedding cake, there is the dance by the husband and wife, the bridegroom and the bride.

All of us were sitting there watching it and we were happy. We were partaking of it. I thought to myself at that point that maybe that's the answer to Rev. 14. So, I studied it out and I think that's pretty much right. But for those who have any doubt, this is speculation and I ring my bell.

Matthew 22:1: "And again Jesus answered and spoke to them in parables, saying, 'The Kingdom of Heaven is compared to a man who was a king, who made a wedding feast for his son'" (vs 1-2)—God the Father and Jesus Christ.

Verse 3: "And sent his servants to call those who had been invited to the wedding feast; but they refused to come. Afterwards he sent out other servants, saying 'Say to those who have been invited, "Behold, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and the fatted beasts are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding feast"'" (vs 3-4). Not come and be the bride!

Verse 5: "But they paid no attention and went away, one to his farm, and another to his business.… [not faithful] …And the rest, after seizing his servants, insulted and killed them. Now, when the king heard it, he became angry; and he sent his armies and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city" (vs 5-7). The destruction of Jerusalem, because they rejected Christ!

Verse 8: "Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding feast indeed is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy; therefore, go into the well-traveledhighways, and invite all that you find to the wedding feast'" (vs 8-9).

That's preaching the Gospel. Come to the wedding feast, but they are not the bride! They are the guests. Let's notice what happens.

Verse 10: "And after going out into the highways, those servants brought together everyone that they found, both good and evil; and the wedding feast was filled with guests."

Obviously, whether they're good or evil they have to repent of their sins in order to receive the Holy Spirit.

Verse 11: "And when the king came in to see the guests… [not the bride or the groom] …he noticed a man there who was not dressed in proper attire for the wedding feast."

What is the proper attire? The white linen garments are the righteousness of the saints! So, he couldn't get in there.

Verse 12: "And he… [the king] …said to him, 'Friend, how did you enter here without a garment fit for the wedding feast?' But he had no answer." This tells us what Jesus said, 'I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and no one comes to the Father except through Me.' So, they couldn't come as guests. They have to come through Christ.

What does this tell us and we will get to that right at the end of the sermon concerning the wedding feast. This tells us:

• there's the bride
• there's the groom
• there's the guests

And we all rejoice whether we're part of the bride or part of the guests because we all have eternal life.

The ones who marry Christ are virgins and are special. They will be the ones of the 144,000 in Rev. 14.

(go to the next track)

Let's cover one last thing concerning the 144,000 of Rev. 14. It says that they have the Father's name in there, written in their foreheads (v 1).

Let's read what Christ says to the Church of Philadelphia. They are described as faithful. Smyrna was described as faithful—'be faithful unto death and I will give you a crown of life.'

Revelation 3:10: "Because you have kept the Word of My patience, I also will keep you from the time of temptation, which is about to come upon the whole world to try those who dwell on the earth. Behold, I am coming quickly; hold fast that which you have so that no one may take away your crown" (vs 10-11).

I know this is to all the churches. Everyone says, 'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.' So, it does apply to all churches.

• to hear
• to love
• to obey
• to fear
• to do what is right

Notice that there is something special with the Philadelphians that He does not particularly say directly to the other five churches. As a matter of fact, we're going to talk about the name. We'll see something a little different here.

Verse 12: "The one who overcomes will I make a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall not go out anymore… [be with the Lamb wherever He goes] …and I will write upon him the name of My God… [the Father written in their foreheads] …and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which will come down out of heaven from My God; and I will write upon him My new name." That's what happens with the bride, the name of the husband.

The Church of Pergamos, Revelation 2:16: "Repent! For if you do not repent, I will come to you quickly, and will make war against them with the sword of My mouth… [His Word judging them for their sins] …The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who overcomes I will give the right to eat of the hidden manna; and I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written, which no one knows except the one who receives it'" (vs 16-17).

That's different than Rev. 3:10; there is a difference here. Exactly how God works that out, we'll just have to wait and see. I'll ring the cowbell again to let you know that any speculation in there is not absolute doctrine.

Rev. 7—let's just set the timing here. The 144,000 and great innumerable multitude are sealed, that is receive the Spirit of God. Today those of us who are baptized and have the Holy Spirit of God we are sealed already. So, this 144,000 here cannot apply to any of us, because they are saved out of Great Tribulation. None of us have gone through the Great Tribulation.

This probably happens on Pentecost. Let's get the sequence of time coming up to Pentecost. We have in Matt. 24, we already covered it, that the sign of the Son of man shall appear in heaven. That's what happens when the heavens are rolled back as a scroll. We saw that Christ is called the "Sun of Righteousness." He also says that the sign of the Son of man is going to be like the sun shining from the east to the west. At the beginning of chapter seven is where that starts to take place. It's out there in the heavens and everybody's going to see it.

The world is going to have to recover from all of the destruction because it says 'when the heavens roll back as a scroll the great earthquakes and everything is shaken up.' They're going to have to get everything ready, clean it up, clean the roads up, bury the dead, get ready.

When that happens, there's going to be a great calm, 144,000 and a great innumerable multitude will be saved. Rev. 8-11 talks about trumpets, they are in sequence; they don't all blow at the same time.

What is the next Holy Day after Pentecost? Trumpets! Trumpets is a war feast. What do we have here beginning in Rev. 8? War! We'll cover most of this on Trumpets. Now we're running the time:

• we have the 144,000 and great innumerable multitude on Pentecost
• then four months plus to Trumpets

That gives the world time to clean up after all the earthquakes, all the things that take place and get ready for war. Now they're ready to start fighting each other and God. So, this is quite a thing that takes place!

Revelation 8:1: "Now, when He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about a half hour. Then I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them" (vs 1-2). Each one has a single trumpet.

Also remember: none of the events at the end take place unless God gives the okay, or gives the command, as it were. This is why all speculation that different men have had at different times, concerning many different things, cannot be something we can put our teeth into as correct. God is One Who determines when it's going to be.
This is preparing the way, v 3: "And another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar; and much incense was given to him, so that he might offer it with the prayers of all the saints…"

This shows that those who are in a place of safety are praying. This shows that the 144,000 and great innumerable multitude just sealed are saints and they are praying.

This tells us again another affirmation that the 144,000 and great innumerable multitude of Rev. 7 did not ascend to heaven, yet. Actually what it is, heaven is coming to the earth. The third heaven is coming to the first heaven, in the clouds.

"'…with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar that was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense went up before God from the hand of the angel, ascending with the prayers of the saints. And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire from the altar, and cast it into the earth; and there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings, and an earthquake" (vs 3-5).

Right after the rolling back of the heavens like a scroll, then we have almost dead silence:

Revelation 7:1: "And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth, so that the wind might not blow on the earth, or on the sea, or on any tree." That is probably until the 144,000 and great innumerable multitude were sealed.

The silence is broken beginning on Trumpets. Pentecost, you have four months-plus, coming up to Trumpets. That gives time for all the armies to get assembled, get ready for battle. Everything ready to go. Then God gives the seven trumpets to the seven angels to start blowing them.

• Rev. 8—we have the first four trumpets blown. They come in quite rapid succession

Then the last three are the three woes. We'll get more into this on the Day of Trumpets, but:

Revelation 9:1: "And the fifth angel sounded his trumpet; and I saw a star that had fallen from heaven to the earth, and there was given to him the key to the bottomless abyss…. [this is an angel] …And he opened the bottomless abyss; and there went up smoke from the pit, like the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by the smoke from the pit" (vs 1-2).

This is letting out all the demons that are in the abyss. The king of the abyss is Apollyon, who is Satan the devil.

Verse 3: "Then locusts came onto the earth from the smoke; and power was given to them, as the scorpions of the earth have power. And it was said to them that they should not damage the grass of the earth… [because it grew back after it was burned up] …or any green thing… [because a third were burned up, a third of the trees, and so forth] …or any tree, but only the men who did not have the seal of God in their foreheads" (vs 3-4).

This shows the 144,000 and a great innumerable multitude and those in the place of safety are still human beings on the earth, sealed. If they had gone up to the throne of God, would they need protection there? No!

• Rev. 10 is a very interesting chapter. There are seven thunders. God told John 'Don't write them.' So, if any man comes along and tells you, 'I know what the seven thunders are,' he's a liar, because it's not written down.

Here we have something very interesting, Revelation 10:7: "But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound the trumpet, the mystery of God shall also be completed, according to the Gospel that He declared to His servants the prophets."

That is the first resurrection at the seventh trump. When you have seven trumpets, which one is the last? Even someone from kindergarten could tell you: the seventh trumpet!

• Rev. 11—the whole thing concerning the two witnesses

Note the sermon series: Daniel and Revelation. It's a nice, thick 300-page transcript book with all the messages going through everything by detail. Interesting, and you need that. You get that big chart and that will help you place everything the way that it should be.

This actually helps to understand about the chart and what led me to do it:

Revelation 11:1: "Then the angel gave me a measuring rod like a staff, saying, 'Arise and measure the temple of God…'"

There has to be a temple of God to measure it. This is not spiritual; this is not in heaven. That has got to be on earth, because where are the two witnesses? On the earth! Therefore, a temple must be built.

"…and the altar, and those who worship in it. But leave out the court that is within the temple area, and do not measure it because it has been given up to the Gentiles; and they shall trample upon the Holy city for forty-two months" (vs 1-2).

Forty-two months ties right in with Rev. 13 that when the beast is revived from the deadly wound he continues for 42 months. Forty-two months is not necessarily 1,260 days. That's how long the two witnesses are to preach. What does this tell us? We'll get to that in just a minute.

Verse 3: "And I will give power to My two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth."

How can you know when they start? You can if you know when they finish and count backwards 1,260 days! That's how I started with the chart: 42 months, 1,260 days are two different timeframes, not exactly the same. You've heard it preached in the past that they are exactly the same, well, they are not, and I'll tell you why.

So they prophesy, v 4: "These are the two olive trees, and the two lampstands that stand before the God of the earth." God is going to select who the two witnesses are. No man is going to appoint them.

By the way, if you want to know who the two witnesses are, go to the sermons that we have now and you can get it online.

Verse 5: "And if anyone attempts to harm them, fire will go out of their mouths and devour their enemies. For if anyone attempts to harm them, he must be killed in this manner. These have authority to shut heaven so that no rain may fall in the days of their prophecy; and they have authority over the waters, to turn them into blood, and to smite the earth with every plague, as often as they will" (vs 5-6).

God gives them that authority and He has selected them, 'These are My two witnesses.'

Verse 7: "And when they have completed their testimony, the beast who ascends out of the abyss will make war against them, and will overcome them, and will kill them. And their bodies will lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. Then those of the peoples and tribes and languages and nations shall see their bodies three and a half days…" (vs 7-9)—people, tribes, language, nations.

That can only be done if God keeps the satellites in the orbit that they need to be, which will convey this to all of those who have digital pads, computers, or smart phones; they will all see it. They will rejoice. They'll have a wonderful time.

Verse 11: "Then after the three and a half days, the spirit of life from God entered into them and they stood on their feet; and great fear fell upon those who were watching them."

Three days is a legal time according to the Jews that a person has to be dead for him to be dead. If he comes back to life before then, he was not dead. That's why Jesus was in the tomb three days and three nights.

If you believe Protestantism or Catholicism that Jesus was raised from the dead after a day and a half, He was not dead. But Jesus Himself said to John (Rev. 1) 'I am the One Who was dead and behold, I am alive evermore.'

So, all Catholics and all Protestants, if you've never heard that before, you better check things out. Because if you believe in a Friday crucifixion and a Sunday-morning resurrection, you have been deceived. "…and great fear fell upon those who were watching them." They came back to life.

Verse 12: "And they heard a great voice from heaven, say, 'Come up here!'.…" Where did we read that? Rev. 4:1, Come up here, to the throne of God!

"…And they ascended into heaven in a cloud; and their enemies saw them rise. And in that hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell; and seven thousand men were killed in the earthquake. And the rest were filled with fear, and gave glory to the God of heaven. The second woe is past. Behold, the third woe is coming immediately" (vs 12-14).

Pictures this. Two witnesses come back to life. The third woe, which is the seventh trump, let's read it here, v 15: "Then the seventh angel sounded his trumpet; and there were great voices in heaven, saying…"

Right as they were ascending up to the throne the trumpet blew. What do we have? We have the two witnesses, the last two martyrs of God, are the first two resurrected and thus is fulfilled what Jesus said, 'The last shall be first.' Think on that for a minute.

"'…'The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and His Christ, and He shall reign into the ages of eternity.' And the twenty-four elders, who sit before God on their thrones, fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying, 'We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty, Who is, and Who was, and Who is to come; for You have taken to Yourself Your great power, and have reigned" (vs 15-17).

He started reigning right then by raising, because this is the seventh trump and the first two are the two witnesses, and then comes the resurrection of the rest of the saints. Right after that. Exactly how that's going to work, I don't know. We need to be faithful so when it happens we will know.
What's going to happen? The angels as Jesus said there (Matt. 24), at the sound of the great trumpet the dead shall rise and the angels shall take them. As Paul wrote (1-Thes. 4) to meet Christ in the air for the joyous festival. On what day will the resurrection take place? Pentecost! Won't that be a joyful, joyful day? Yes, indeed!

Seventh trumpet is the last trumpet. Paul wrote this to the Thessalonians in his first epistle that he wrote. Little did they know that this was a prophecy for our day and beyond our day. There are going to be a good number of us, we're going to enter into our place of safety, which will be the grave.

Sidebar: We know that we love one another. We love each other. We are concerned about everyone. When someone dies, it is an emotional loss. However, remember it is a spiritual gain. Those who are faithful unto death, they have finished the course. Like Paul said, 'Run the race, wait for a crown of righteousness to be given at the resurrection.'

While it is grievous that people die, it is joyous the outcome of that death at the resurrection. We need to keep that in perspective here, and this is what Paul was telling them in 1-Thes. 4, in the first epistle that he wrote. Brethren, we're getting excited because at that time they thought that Jesus was going to return in their lifetimes. Sound familiar?

1-Thessalonians 4:13: "But I do not wish you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep… [that's how God looks at death of the saints] …that you be not grieved, even as others, who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, in exactly the same way also, those who have fallen asleep in Jesus will God bring with Him" (vs 13-14).

How are they going to get to where Jesus is? The resurrection! Here's another lesson to learn. In the writing of things in the Bible, many times the preview of what is coming is given first, then the details to follow. You can't come with Jesus back to the earth, unless you get from the earth to Jesus.

Verse 15: "For this we say to you by the Word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall in no wise precede those who have fallen asleep, because the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout of command, with the voice of an archangel and with the trumpet of God…" (vs 15-16).

That's when the "Sun of Righteousness" swooshes to the earth. It looks like it's going to collide into the earth, and all of a sudden there's that great Sea of Glass. The world's going to think the aliens are attacking. I believe (speculation) that they're going to see the saints come out of the graves and be taken up by the angels. They will see that. They will really think that the aliens have come back to take people. Amazing thing!

Is the earth being prepared for that right now? Yes, even the Catholic Church is looking into aliens. They're saying, every movie, every depiction always ends with aliens attacking the earth.

• Does the world know us? No!
• Do they know Jesus Christ? No!
• Do they know God the Father? No!
• Are They aliens to them? Yes!
• We are aliens to them!

But it's not the aliens that they were looking for or hoping for. These are the ones that are going to nearly destroy the earth.

Verse 15: "…by the Word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall in no wise precede those who have fallen asleep, because the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout of command, with the voice of an archangel and with the trumpet of God… [the seventh trumpet] …and the dead in Christ shall rise first; then we who are alive and remain…" (vs 15-17).

They thought they would live to see this. That's why Paul had to write this. Can you imagine that in the very first epistle of the Apostle Paul he had to explain about the timing of the return of Christ.

"…shall be caught up together with them in the clouds for the meeting with the Lord in the air…" (v 17). Pentecost on the Sea of Glass. What's going to take place up there on the Sea of Glass?

"…and so shall we always be with the Lord. Therefore, encourage one another with these words" (vs 17-18).

1-Cor. 15 is the resurrection chapter. Very important to understand. Talks about the resurrection, and those in Corinth had some misgivings about the resurrection. They didn't understand it. This is really very interesting.

They were saying that 'maybe there's not a resurrection.' The immortality of the soul was being transferred over in the beliefs of some of the people. Some of them were saying 'there's no resurrection; it's over with. Because Christ is the only one to be resurrected, the rest of us, our souls, are going to go up to heaven.' No way!

1-Corinthains 15:17: "But if Christ has not been raised, your faith is vain; you are still in your sins, and those who have fallen asleep in Christ…"

I want to emphasize this. When you die in Christ, it is called fallen asleep! Your spirit goes back to God and is put in where all the spirits of the just have been perfected, waiting. They have no consciousness, they have no thought, but they have everything recorded on the spirit of man and Spirit of God, waiting to be put in a spirit body with a spirit mind to become a spirit being.

Just like the chip I have here in this recorder and in the camera. The chip records everything there. Unless you process it and put it in a machine that has the ability to read it, it doesn't do anything. You don't even know what's on it. So, likewise with us. The spirits of just men that have been perfected (Heb. 12), that's where all the spirits when we die goes back to God and He stores it.

Sidebar (speculation): If He has a place for the spirit of those who have been perfected, then He also has a place for the spirit of those who have not committed the unpardonable sin and will be for the second resurrection. Have to be. Then there would have to be a third compartment for all of those who committed the unpardonable sin, because they must be raised back to flesh and thrown into the Lake of Fire.

There's a difference between falling asleep and perishing, v 18: "And those who have fallen asleep in Christ have then perished." In other words, there is no hope. You no longer will exist.

Verse 20: "But now Christ has been raised from the dead; He has become the Firstfruit of those who have fallen asleep."

Paul talks a little bit more about the resurrection from the dead. He shows clearly that the resurrection is going to be… There are different things, like there are different flesh on the earth: animals, fish, bird, human beings. There is a glory in heaven, the glory of the earth, the glory of the moon, the glory of the stars. They all differ, etc.

Verse 42: "So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption… [dust you are and to dust you shall return] …it is raised in incorruption…. [spiritual, glorious, eternal] …It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body... [that doesn't come until the resurrection] …accordingly, it is written, 'The first man, Adam, became a living soul; the last Adam became an ever-living Spirit.' However, the spiritual was not first, but the natural—then the spiritual. The first man is of the earth—made of dust. The second Man is the Lord from heaven. As is the one made of dust, so also are all those who are made of dust; and as is the heavenly One, so also are all those who are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the one made of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly One" (vs 42-49).

All of this is based upon Jesus' Word. He said, 'Heaven and earth will pass away, but not My Word.' So we can be guaranteed that all of that is true.

We all have a physical body, a natural body. If you don't believe it, take a pin—or pinch yourself and you'll see that you're flesh and blood. If you are converted and if you remain faithful, and if you do the things that please God and keep His commandments and love Him first, put everything in your life first with God the Father and Jesus Christ, you will receive a spiritual body at the resurrection with all the saints together.

Verse 50: "Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God, nor does corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I show you a mystery: we shall not all fall asleep, but we shall all be changed, in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet…" (vs 50-52). There are seven trumpets and the last one is the seventh trump. That is blown on Pentecost.

"…for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruptibility, and this mortal must put on immortality. Now, when this corruptible shall have put on incorruptibility, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: 'Death is swallowed up in victory.'" (vs 52-54).

There are some people who believe that one man years ago was so-called an apostle. He may have been a very good evangelist, but he was not an apostle, but he never saw Christ. But they think that his interpretation of the Scriptures, back then during his lifetime, was all that there was to know about the Bible. When they kept the Pentecost on the wrong day, Monday, instead of the first day of the week, Monday the second day of the week, they did not understand that the resurrection would be on Pentecost.

We've covered that quite sufficiently, so let's come to Revelation 15:1: "Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and awesome: seven angels having the seven last plagues, for in them the wrath of God is filled up." They're ready to go. Notice what else he sees:

Verse 2: "And I saw a sea of glass mingled with fire…"

• Was there a Sea of Glass under the throne of God? Yes!
• Was there a Sea of Glass under the feet of Christ as the Lord God of the Old Testament and Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu and 70 of the elders of Israel could look up and see Him? Yes!

If we're taken to meet Christ in the air, what are we going to stand on? just be suspended in air? No! A Sea of Glass!

"…and those who had gotten the victory over the beast… [the beast goes all the way back to the serpent in the Garden of Eden] …and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, standing on the Sea of Glass, having the lyres of God. And they were singing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, 'Great and awesome are Your works, Lord God Almighty; righteous and true are Your ways, King of the saints. Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You only are Holy; and all the nations shall come and worship before You, for Your judgments have been revealed.''" (vs 2-4).

Then we have the seven last plagues. I'll talk about those a little later because those lead up to the Feast of Trumpets.

What's going to happen while we're on the Sea of Glass? You talk about a rejoicing time and happy time. When we're resurrected we will all have the same language. Just as God confused the languages, He's going to bring it all back to the language we will speak as spirit beings when we're resurrected. We have to communicate while we're on the Sea of Glass—don't we? Yes, indeed! We're not going to have the confusion like it was when God confused the languages, because they wanted to build a tower to reach to heaven.

We will be in the clouds in the first heaven waiting to come back to the earth. Every one of us is going to receive a new name. Those who are the Bride of Christ, which are different from the guests, will also receive the name of the Father in their foreheads.

Every saint will be given his or her reward. The saints will receive assignments as kings and priests. On the following Trumpets you have the resurrection on Pentecost, then you have the seven last plagues. Then you have everything going on, on the Sea of Glass.

Then the trumpets, after that Pentecost of the resurrection, we come back to the earth. Amazing! The marriage of the Lamb and His bride will take place. The marriage supper of the Lamb will take place. We'll all witness the seven last plagues poured out. Then we will be gathered into the army of God. We will be given our white horses. When Christ says, 'Let's go,' we'll come down right behind Christ to the earth.

Revelation 19:1: "And after these things I heard the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven…" The first heaven where the clouds are where the Sea of Glass is. That great multitude will be us!

"… saying, 'Hallelujah! The salvation and the glory and the honor and the power belong to the Lord our God. For true and righteous are His judgments… [the seven last plagues] …for He hasjudged the great whore, who corrupted the earth with her fornication, and He has avenged the blood of His servants at her hand.' And they said a second time, 'Hallelujah! And her smoke shall ascend upward into the ages of eternity'" (vs 1-3).

Once that smoke gets outside the atmosphere of the earth, it goes into universe forever and ever.

Verse 4: "And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God, Who sits on the throne, saying, 'Amen. Hallelujah!' And a voice came forth from the throne, saying, 'Praise our God, all His servants…'" (vs 4-5).

All resurrected and on the Sea of Glass. We'll see God the Father. Christ is going to present us to Him. Then just before we go, we will have worship services, we'll worship God the Father. The angels will be there to help us. All of the saints will be there. We'll have our white horses. We'll be able to get on them. Then we'll come back to the earth.

Verse 6: "And I heard a voice like that of a great multitude, and like the sound of many waters, and the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, 'Hallelujah! For the Lord God Almighty has reigned. Let us be glad and shout with joy; and let us give glory to Him; for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.' And it was granted to her that she should be clothed in fine linen, pure and bright; for the fine linen is the righteousness of the saints. And he said to me, 'Write: Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb.'.… [the guests] …And he said to me, 'These are the true words of God'" (vs 6-9).

That's the first resurrection. Now you know how much there is to be fulfilled concerning the Day of Pentecost. That's why it took me so long to go through it. Now we get ready for Trumpets.

Scriptural References:

• Revelation 3:10
• Matthew 24:14
• Revelation 3:20
• Revelation 4:1
• Revelation 6:4
• Revelation 7:13-17
• Revelation 14:1-5
• Ephesians 5:23-27
• 2-Corinthians 11:1-5, 13-14
• Matthew 22:1-12
• Revelation 3:10-12
• Revelation 2:16-17
• Revelation 8:1-5
• Revelation 7:1
• Revelation 9:1-4
• Revelation 10:7
• Revelation 11:1-17
• 1-Thessalonians 4:13-18
• 1-Corinthians 15:17, 20, 42-54
• Revelation 15:1-4
• Revelation 19:1-9

Scriptures referenced, not quoted:

• Revelation 1; 5
• 1-Thessalonians 5:1-3
• Daniel 9
• Revelation 21; 22
• Matthew 20
• Revelation 16; 12; 13; 17; 14:20
• Daniel 12
• Revelation 18; 20
• 1-Corinthians 3
• Revelation 13
• Hebrews 12

Also referenced:

Sermons:

• The Temptation to Try the Whole World
• Pentecost, 2017—LIVE #1

Sermon Series: Daniel & Revelation (with chart)

FRC:lp
Transcribed: 6-21-17
Formatted: bo—7-5-17

Copyright 2017—All rights reserved. Except for brief excerpts for review purposes, no part of this publication may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means without the written permission of the copyright owner. This includes electronic and mechanical photocopying or recording, as well as the use of information storage and retrieval systems.