We have finally completed the first resurrection – finishing our study of the Gleanings Harvest of the tribulation saints. The gleanings harvest is all about supplying guests for the wedding of the Lamb and his wife. As I stated this morning, I do not claim to be any kind of theologian. I merely compare scripture with scripture and find the similarities and connections that allow a proper possible conclusion. Remember – the gleanings = the guests.
This morning, we took a very fast walk through the book of Revelation. We took a few moments to identify three prominent women revealed in this prophetic book.
1. The Woman clothed with the sun...Revelation 12
This is Israel who gave birth to Christ, who ascended to heaven, who will rule the nations with a rod of iron. Israel is God's wife, who is currently estranged / divorced from her faithful husband – Jeremiah 3:6-15
. She will repent and be restored to her husband when she sees the abomination of desolation in the temple. And flees into the wilderness for the great tribulation. Matthew 24:13-21
2. The Great Whore – the Babylon Mystery Religion...Revelation 17-18
This is the geopolitical religious system that was established in Genesis 10-11. The diaspora that occurred with the confusion of languages at the tower of Babel carried this religious system into all the world. It is currently hidden in the fabric of every culture in this world, but will be fully exposed in the tribulation.
3. The Wife of the Lamb – the Bride of Christ...Revelation 19:7-8
This, of course, is comprised of all the saved of the Church Age who are called out of this world at the rapture at the close of the dispensation of the grace of God.
The whirlwind tour of Revelation and the recurring events that point to the last days of the tribulation. Revelation 6:12-17, 11:12-19, and 16:17-21 all mention the same set of similar events – thunder and lightnings, the great earthquake, and great hail that weighs 100 lbs per hailstone. I believe that this confirms that Revelation is a recurrent book.
We completed our study of identifying the gleanings – the guests invited to the wedding Jesus spoke of in Matthew 22.:1-14.
Revelation 6:9-11 – those under the altar are given their wedding garments and told to rest until they are called to the wedding.
Revelation 7:9-17 – the rest of the guests who are called out of great tribulation from every nation on earth.
Revelation 11:7-12 – the official call “Come up hither” is given to the two witnesses, but includes all the guests who died for their witness washing their robes in the blood of the Lamb. This group includes the 144,000 virgin Jewish witness sealed in Revelation 7, and are suddenly identified in heaven in Revelation 14:1-5.
Revelation 20:4-6: And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
These verses identify all who take part in the first resurrection, and what they will be doing in the kingdom – ruling and reigning with Christ for a thousand years!
Next Sunday, we will pick up our study in Ephesians 4:11-32, and the purpose of the church to grow believers from immaturity to maturity.
