The Compassion To The Saints

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abide, body, branch, bride, comfort, comforter, Father, holy spirit, LAMB, supper, truth

Rev 21:4  and he shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and death shall be no more; neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain, any more: the first things are passed away.

 

First off to my readers, apologies for leaving this very important part out of the original posts.

Now this for us in light of the current events around the world and as of the time this blog is being produced in November 2014, in the USA there is a health insurance debacle that will in all likelihood cost most Americans their employment and jobs may become impossible to get as business place hiring freezes into effect.  There may even be worse backlash than this over new policies and speeches our President has effected.  On the global scene in the Mediterranean we have an Islamic Fundamentalist movement called ISIS or ISIL or it may even have new name by the time you read this.  This group will ask you to either become Muslim or die.  They are not nice about it and they torture as they kill.  They are spreading and may even be in the USA as I type. They are butchering Christians right and left.  In other places that are still Communist Christians suffer in abject impoverishment and disease and torture and imprisonment because they will not turn to deny this King of Kings.  We who suffer at any level for the sake of the Gospel …. suffer.  We await the coming King to release us from this prison of ungodliness.  And He will come.

So then in light of all I have written above and, believe me, that is just a little bit of all the manifold things that are being foisted upon His people at this hour, I add this new post to remind us all that He is our joy and comfort both to come and even here and now.

In His compassion upon His own for whom He died, Christ sends and gives comfort.

The Comfort to come

Rev 21:4  and he shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and death shall be no more; neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain, any more: the first things are passed away.
Isaiah 25: 6-9

6 The LORD of hosts will prepare a lavish banquet for ball peoples on this mountain;
A banquet of aged wine, choice pieces with marrow,
And 4refined, aged wine.
7  And on this mountain He will swallow up the 1acovering which is over all peoples,
Even the veil which is stretched over all nations.
8  He will aswallow up death for all time,
And the Lord GOD will wipe tears away from all faces,
And He will remove the creproach of His people from all the earth;
For the LORD has spoken.
9  And it will be said in that day,“Behold, this is our God for whom we have waited that He might save us. This is the LORD for whom we have waited;
Let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation.”

This portion of verse 8 in Isaiah is the connection to Revelation 21:4.  Moreover there is the banquette.

The Marriage Supper of the Lamb is the celebration of the consummated union of the Head (Jesus) with the Body, (the Believers); the Bridegroom, (Jesus) with the Bride (the Believers); the Vine (Jesus) with the Righteous Branch…  Now here is where things get a little tricky for the Righteous Branch of Isaiah IS Jesus, He starts as the shoot out the Jesse and in His fulfilled Sacrifice and the culmination of the One Righteous Act or the Perpetually Perfectly Personally Obedient life lived under the Law unto the Father as completely pleasing in all things to the Father, Jesus becomes the fully grown VINE. (At least this is my understanding of it)  In John 15 He tells us that He is the VINE and we are the BRANCHES.  But the apostolic writings tell us that we are One Body.  Therefore we the branches are actually considered as the ONE RIGHTEOUS BRANCH, just as is Jesus, which is fitting for His RIGHTEOUSNESS is OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.

Eph 2:8 For by grace you are saved, through faith, and this not of yourselves; it is the gift of God;
Eph 2:9 not of works, that not anyone should boast;

So then the banquette is part of the comfort and the reward to the Bride who made herself ready. And how did she do this?

Php 2:12 So, then, my beloved, even as you always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much rather in my absence, cultivate your salvation with fear and trembling,
Php 2:13 for it is God who is working in you both to will and to work for the sake of His good pleasure.

This then is the Marriage Supper as it is referred to in Revelation.

Rev 19:7 Let us rejoice and let us exult, and we will give glory to Him, because the marriage of the Lamb came, and His wife prepared herself. 
Rev 19:8 And it was given to her that she be clothed in fine linen, pure and bright; for the fine linen is the righteousness of the saints. 
Rev 19:9 And he says to me, Write: Blessed are the ones having been called to the supper of the marriage of the Lamb. And he says to me, These Words of God are true. 

This again is the Supper as referred to in Isaiah

Isaiah 25: 6-9

6 The LORD of hosts will prepare a lavish banquet for ball peoples on this mountain;
A banquet of aged wine, choice pieces with marrow,
And 4refined, aged wine.
7  And on this mountain He will swallow up the 1acovering which is over all peoples,
Even the veil which is stretched over all nations.
8  He will aswallow up death for all time,
And the Lord GOD will wipe tears away from all faces,
And He will remove the creproach of His people from all the earth;
For the LORD has spoken.
9  And it will be said in that day,“Behold, this is our God for whom we have waited that He might save us. This is the LORD for whom we have waited;
Let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation.”

Notice where those tears are wiped away.  For she comes in her pain and her sorrows and the deep shame that she never quite measured up but also in the intense gratitude for that He even ever deigned to show the kindness of Redemption at all.  For she (The Bride) has been humbled.  So them for all of you who suffer now for His name sake, take comfort in this, that you are among the BLESSED who have the invitation to attend the banquette of all the ages as and honored guest of the King of Glory.

His Comfort NOW

Joh 14:16 And I will petition the Father, and He will give you another Comforter, that He may remain with you to the age,
Joh 14:17 the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive because it does not see Him nor know Him. But you know Him, for He abides with you and shall be in you.

Joh 14:25 I have spoken these things to you, abiding with you;
Joh 14:26 but the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things and shall remind you of all things that I said to you.
Joh 14:27 I leave peace to you; My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be timid.

While we are “going through” all these trials which work patience perfect work in us that we become complete lacking nothing in ourselves with all these “light afflictions” (this is what God calls them) we have God, even Christ in us the hope of glory who is also He who gives us joy and comfort so that we might “count it all joy” when we “go through” what life seems to offer.  There is also a great assurance in the knowledge that He is with us every day and thorough every thing we encounter and He sees and knows what is done to us and seeks to see and hear the right response of thanksgiving and praise in all we go through in our lives.

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The Seals: Seal One: Part Two

Tags

four winds, Jesus, revelation, spirits, spiritual, truth, zechariah

Lastly let’s look at the fact that this overcoming rider is wearing a crown.  What does a crown say?  “I own and I rule!”  The word crown here is: Strongs Greek # 4735 stephanos From an apparently primary “stepho” (to twine or wreathe); a chaplet (as a badge of royalty, a prize in the public games or a symbol of honor generally; but more conspicuous and elaborate than the simple fillet, G1238), literally or figuratively: – crown.   “…A badge of royalty, a symbol of honor.”
Of course unlike the Lord of Glory this rider only has one.  Remember he does not come in his own power but in that of another so he is but a symbol.  A symbol that is believed in is effective enough sway the whole world.  Now in my humble opinion because there is a literal Beast who rises up and has policy… oh that sounds like Daniel doesn’t it? In Zechariah we see chariots of colored and specified horses but not actual single horsed riders.  However in Zechariah 6:1-5 in the fifth verse the identity of these chariots is disclosed.  They are the “Four Winds of Heaven which go forth from standing before the LORD”  They are not corporeal but rather spirits as it were.  It would seem that this and the other three horsemen to follow are very much spiritual.  You see it takes a spiritual thing to set up the mindset of a populace to overcome them in the physical.  Back to the crown for one more moment.  This rider is getting honor, and this book and its content are written to Believers, so why among believers would this character be honored, especially since he LIES and DECIEVES?  Because someone else is no longer honored.  Listen to this from Paul to the church in Rome. Rom 1:21  because that, knowing God, they glorified him not as God, neither gave thanks; but became vain in their reasonings, and their senseless heart was darkened. … further more… Rom 1:25  for that they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.  Finally, Rom 1:28  And even as they refused to have God in their knowledge, God gave them up unto a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not fitting;…  God in their KNOWLEDGE,  That word knowledge is this: Strongs Greek #1922 epignōsis, From (1921  epiginōskō  From (1909 epi  A primary preposition properly meaning superimposition (of time, place, order, etc.), as a relation of distribution [with the genitive case], that is, over, upon, etc.; of rest (with the dative case) at, on, etc.; of direction (with the accusative case) towards, upon, etc.: – about (the times), above, after, against, among, as long as (touching), at, beside, X have charge of, (be-, [where-]) fore, in (a place, as much as, the time of, -to), (because) of, (up-) on (behalf of) over, (by, for) the space of, through (-out), (un-) to (-ward), with. In compounds it retains essentially the same import, at, upon, etc. (literally or figuratively).)  and (1097 ginōskō A prolonged form of a primary verb; to “know” (absolutely), in a great variety of applications and with many implications (as shown at left, with others not thus clearly expressed): – allow, be aware (of), feel, (have) known (-ledge), perceive, be resolved, can speak, be sure, understand.); to know upon some mark, that is, recognise; by implication to become fully acquainted with, to acknowledge: – (ac-, have, take) know (-ledge, well), perceive.); recognition, that is, (by implication) full discernment, acknowledgement: – (ac-) knowledge (-ing, -ment).
In other words these are those who KNEW… which leads to this:

Heb 6:4  For as touching those who were once enlightened and tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit, 

Heb 6:5  and tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the age to come, 

Heb 6:6  and then fell away, it is impossible to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.

These are the apostate, and because of them we have another enemy in the mix… God Himself.  Here’s the point. Paul told us this would come to pass.

2Th 2:1  Now we beseech you, brethren, touching the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together unto him; 

2Th 2:2  to the end that ye be not quickly shaken from your mind, nor yet be troubled, either by spirit, or by word, or by epistle as from us, as that the day of the Lord is just at hand; 

2Th 2:3  let no man beguile you in any wise: for it will not be, except the falling away come first, and the man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition, 

2Th 2:4  he that opposeth and exalteth himself against all that is called God or that is worshipped; so that he sitteth in the temple of God, setting himself forth as God. 

2Th 2:5  Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? 

2Th 2:6  And now ye know that which restraineth, to the end that he may be revealed in his own season. 

2Th 2:7  For the mystery of lawlessness doth already work: only there is one that restraineth now, until he be taken out of the way. 

2Th 2:8  And then shall be revealed the lawless one, whom the Lord Jesus shall slay with the breath of his mouth, and bring to nought by the manifestation of his coming; 

2Th 2:9  even he, whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 

2Th 2:10  and with all deceit of unrighteousness for them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 

2Th 2:11  And for this cause God sendeth them a working of error, that they should believe a lie: 

2Th 2:12  that they all might be judged who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. 

2Th 2:13  But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, for that God chose you from the beginning unto salvation in sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: 

2Th 2:14  whereunto he called you through our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

2Th 2:15  So then, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye were taught, whether by word, or by epistle of ours. 

2Th 2:16  Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, 

2Th 2:17  comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word. 

Now look at this passage and tell me the one who opposes and exalts himself is not the same as the rider of seal one and the beast later on and even the false prophet for the one who forever exalts himself is the Cherub who once covered the Dragon the Serpent of Old the Accuser of the Brethren; Satan Himself. 
He comes to overcome, overcoming as he comes because there is in place already a strong spirit of delusion from God against the apostate who are being judged along with the rest of the nonElect.  You see like the fallen angel the apostate Christian has no room for repentance.  The Non Elect are not considered as part of those who are God’s from the foundation.
All this is but one rider… there are more.