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SERIES: THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST, WEEK 60

TITLE: PREPARATION FOR THE SEVEN LAST PLAGUES

TEXT: REVELATION 15:5-8

INTRODUCTION: (1) AS WE COME TO OUR STUDY OF REVELATION 15:5-8 THIS MORNING, I MUST BE TRANSPARENT AND SAY, I WISH THIS TEXT WAS FILLED WITH HOPE, COMFORT, LOVE, JOY AND PEACE.

* QUITE FRANKLY, RECENTLY OUR STUDY OF THE WORD OF GOD HAS BEEN PRETTY NEGATIVE AND FILLED WITH THE WRATH OF GOD.

** NOW I’M NOT APOLOGIZING ABOUT PREACHING EXPOSITIONALLY THROUGH A BOOK THAT HAS A LOT TO SAY ABOUT THE WRATH OF GOD, NOR AM I ASHAMED TO TALK ABOUT GOD’S WRATH.

*** BUT WITH THAT SAID, IT WOULD BE A THRILL TO TALK ABOUT SOMETHING OTHER THAN THE WRATH OF GOD AND GOD’S JUDGMENT AGAIN.

**** YET, I’M REMINDED AGAIN, THE BIBLE HAS A LOT TO SAY ABOUT THE WRATH OF GOD, AND WHEN WE UNDERSTAND GOD’S WRATH, WE APPRECIATE HIS LOVE AND MERCY THAT MUCH MORE.

(2) OUR UNDERSTANDING AND APPRECIATION OF A QUOTE NEGATIVE TRUTH HELPS US APPRECIATE A QUOTE POSITIVE TRUTH.

* FOR EXAMPLE, IF WE UNDERSTAND LOVE, IT IS BECAUSE WE UNDERSTAND HATE.

** IF WE UNDERSTAND GOODNESS, IT IS BECAUSE WE UNDERSTAND WICKEDNESS.

*** IF WE UNDERSTAND REWARD, IT IS BECAUSE WE UNDERSTAND PUNISHMENT.

**** AND IF WE UNDERSTAND MERCY, IT IS BECAUSE WE UNDERSTAND WRATH.

(3) NOW LET ME TAKE THOSE IDEAS TO THE NEXT STEP WHEN IT COMES TO THE CHARACTER OF GOD, GOD CANNOT LOVE RIGHTEOUSNESS AND FAITH UNLESS HE HATES SIN AND UNBELIEF.

* HE CANNOT LOVE TRUTH UNLESS HE HATES LIES.

** HE CANNOT LOVE GOODNESS UNLESS HE HATES WICKEDNESS.

*** AND HE CANNOT REWARD UNLESS HE PUNISHES.

**** AND BECAUSE GOD IS ABSOLUTELY AND PERFECTLY HOLY, THERE ARE THINGS HE HATES.

(4) FOR EXAMPLE, IN PROVERBS 6:16-19, THE WORD OF GOD LISTS SOME THINGS THAT GOD HATES, IT SAYS: (READ THEM).

* NOW BECAUSE GOD IS PERFECT IN LOVE, HE IS PERFECT IN HATRED OF THESE EVIL THINGS.

** THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT ARE AN ABOMINATION, THAT HE PERFECTLY HATES. IN DEUTERONOMY 18:10-12 IT SAYS:

*** NOW GOD DETESTS THESE THINGS. AND GUESS WHAT, WHEN WE LOVE GOD WITH ALL OF OUR HEART AND SOUL, AND MIND AND STRENGTH, AND TRULY FEAR HIM, WE WILL LOVE WHAT HE LOVES AND HATE WHAT HE HATES. READ PROVERBS 8:13 AND PSALM 119:103&104.

**** NOW THIS TRUTH THAT WHEN WE LOVE GOD AND HIS WORD AND FEAR HIM, WE WILL HATE EVIL IS FURTHER ILLUSTRATED IN PSALM 97:10 WHERE IT SAYS: (READ IT). ALSO READ PSALM 101:3 AND ROMANS 12:9.

(5) NOW AS FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST WE ARE TO HATE EVIL AND LOVE GOOD. AND IF WE LOVE THE WORD OF GOD WE WILL HATE THE ERROR AND LIES THAT DIMINISH GOD IN WHO HE IS.

* AND WHILE GOD’S BOOK, THE BIBLE IS A BOOK OF HOPE, IT’S ALSO A BOOK OF JUDGMENT.

** AND ONE THING WE HAVE LEARNED RECENTLY IN OUR STUDY OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION IS THAT GOD IS A GOD OF WRATH AND JUDGMENT.

*** AND ALTHOUGH I AM NOT OVERJOYED IN TALKING ABOUT THAT SUBJECT AGAIN, IT IS A JOY TO EXALT GOD’S WORD AND PREACH THE WHOLE COUNSEL OF GOD.

*** AND TODAY IN OUR STUDY OF GOD’S WORD WE COME TO THE PRELUDE, THE INTRODUCTION OF THE SEVEN LAST PLAGUES OF GOD, THE SEVEN GOLDEN BOWLS OF GOD’S JUDGMENT WHICH ARE “FULL OF THE WRATH OF GOD”, REVELATION 15:7.

**** AND IN LIGHT OF THAT, I’VE TITLED OUR STUDY TODAY: “PREPARATION FOR THE SEVEN LAST PLAGUES.”

(6) AND UNDER THAT TITLE AND THEME, WE’LL LOOK AT 3 POINTS IN OUR PURSUIT TO KNOW GOD THROUGH HIS WORD. NO. 1 THE PLACE WHERE THIS PRELUDE TAKES PLACE, THE TEMPLE IN HEAVEN, VV. 5&6; NO. 2 THE PURPOSE OF THIS PLACE BEING OPENED, V. 7; AND NO. 3 THE PRESENCE OF GOD THAT WILL FILL THIS PLACE, CALLED THE GLORY OF GOD, V. 8.

* SO WE’LL LOOK AT THE PLACE, THE PURPOSE AND THE PRESENCE UNDER THE TITLE OF “PREPARATION FOR THE SEVEN LAST PLAGUES.”

** AND WITH THAT OUTLINE AS OUR PATH TO FOLLOW, LOOK AT V. 5 WHERE WE’LL START TO SEE OUR POINT TODAY, THE PLACE. LOOK AT REVELATION 15:5 PLEASE.

I. THE PLACE, (READ V. 5)

A. NOW V. 5 BEGINS WITH THE PHRASE, “AFTER THESE THINGS” OR AFTER THAT OR AFTER THIS, DEPENDING ON WHICH TRANSLATION YOU HAVE.

* AND THIS IS A REPEATED PHRASE IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION THAT INTRODUCES TO US A NEW VISION THAT JOHN IS HAVING.

** AFTER THESE THINGS IS A TRANSITION PHRASE THAT INTRODUCES TO US A NEW VISION, AN IMPORTANT NEW SUBJECT.

*** SO SOMETHING DRAWS JOHN’S ATTENTION AWAY FROM THE REDEEMED SAINTS IN VV. 3&4 SINGING GREAT TRUTHS TO THE LORD IN WORSHIP.

**** AND WHAT DRAWS ATTENTION AWAY IN THIS NEW VISION IS HE SEES “THE TEMPLE OF THE TABERNACLE OF TESTIMONY IN HEAVEN WAS OPENED.”

1. NOW THIS SCENE IS CLEARLY IN HEAVEN, NOT ON THE EARTH.

* AND IN HEAVEN, THE TEMPLE OF THE TABERNACLE OF TESTIMONY IS OPENED.

** NOW WHAT IS THIS TEMPLE?

*** WELL, THE GREEK WORD FOR TEMPLE HERE IS NA-UCE WHICH YOU CAN SEE ON THE SCREEN.

**** AND THIS WORD REFERS TO THE HOLY OF HOLIES, THE INNER SANCTUARY, THE SACRED PLACE, THE PLACE OF GOD’S PRESENCE.

2. AND THEN THE PHRASE “TABERNACLE OF TESTIMONY” LIT. MEANS THE TENT OF TESTIMONY MAKING REFERENCE TO THE MOVABLE TENT OR TEMPLE THAT WAS USED BY ISRAEL IN THE WILDERNESS AS A PLACE OF SACRIFICE AND WORSHIP.

* IT WAS A PORTABLE, MOVABLE TEMPLE OF GOD THAT WAS A TENT THAT COULD BE USED AND SET UP FROM PLACE TO PLACE AS THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL WERE ON THE MOVE.

** AND THIS PHRASE “THE TABERNACLE OF TESTIMONY” IS A REFERENCE TO THAT TABERNACLE, USED THAT WAY IN EXODUS 38:21; NUMBERS 1:50, 53; 10:11 AND ACTS 7:44.

*** FOR ACTS 7:44 SAYS: “OUR FATHERS HAD THE TABERNACLE OF TESTIMONY IN THE WILDERNESS, JUST AS HE WHO SPOKE TO MOSES DIRECTED HIM TO MAKE IT ACCORDING TO THE PATTERN WHICH HE HAD SEEN.”

**** NOW WHY WAS IT CALLED THE TABERNACLE OF TESTIMONY?

3. WELL, THE ANSWER IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ITEM IN IT WAS THE ARK OF THE COVENANT SOMETIMES CALLED THE “ARK OF TESTIMONY.”

* AND IT WAS NAMED THAT BECAUSE THE TWO STONE TABLETS ON WHICH GOD HAD WRITTEN THE 10 COMMANDMENTS WERE IN THE ARK.

** EXODUS 32:15 SAYS: “THEN MOSES TURNED AND WENT DOWN FROM THE MOUNTAIN WITH THE TWO TABLETS OF THE TESTIMONY IN HIS HAND, TABLETS WHICH WERE WRITTEN ON BOTH SIDES; THEY WERE WRITTEN ON ONE SIDE AND THE OTHER.”

** AND THEN EARLIER IN EXODUS 25:21 & 22 IT SAYS:

V. 21 – “YOU SHALL PUT THE MERCY SEAT ON TOP OF THE ARK, AND IN THE ARK YOU SHALL PUT THE TESTIMONY WHICH I WILL GIVE TO YOU.”

V. 22 – “THERE I WILL MEET WITH YOU; AND FROM ABOVE THE MERCY SEAT, FROM BETWEEN THE TWO CHERUBIM WHICH ARE UPON THE ARK OF THE TESTIMONY, I WILL SPEAK TO YOU ABOUT ALL THAT I WILL GIVE YOU IN COMMANDMENT FOR THE SONS OF ISRAEL.”

*** SO THE TESTIMONY OF GOD WAS THE 10 COMMANDMENTS AND THEY WERE STORED IN THE ARK OF THE COVENANT IN THE HOLY OF HOLIES WHERE GOD’S PRESENCE WOULD DESCEND.

**** NOW WITH ALL OF THAT IN MIND, WHAT JOHN SAYS IN THIS VISION IN HEAVEN IS THE PLACE WHERE GOD DWELLS IS OPENED, THE PLACE WHERE GOD’S PRESENCE WAS IS OPENED.

4. IN OTHER WORDS, THE COUNTERPART TO THE HOLY OF HOLIES IN THE TABERNACLE ON EARTH IS THE TRUE TEMPLE IN HEAVEN WHERE GOD DWELLS. THIS IS THE HEAVENLY PRESENCE-CHAMBER, THE PLACE WHERE GOD DWELLS.

* AND THE TABERNACLE ON EARTH PROVIDES A FRAME OF REFERENCE POINTING TO THE PLACE OF GOD’S PRESENCE IN HEAVEN.

** AND THE REFERENCE TO “THE TESTIMONY” OR THE 10 COMMANDMENTS MAY POSSIBLE MAKE REFERENCE TO BOTH GOD’S NATURE AND PERFECT HOLINESS.

*** FOR IN THE 10 COMMANDMENTS ARE TRUTHS THAT REVEAL GOD’S PERFECT MORAL NATURE AND CHARACTER AND STANDARD. A STANDARD BY WHICH HE IS GOING TO JUDGE MANKIND WHO HAVE VIOLATED AND REBELLED GOD’S HOLY STANDARD.

**** ROBERT THOMAS AMPLIFIES ON THIS POSSIBILITY IN HIS COMMENTARY ON REVELATION 8-22 BY SAYING AND I READ:

5. “JOHN DEFINES THE HEAVENLY TEMPLE IN TERMS OF THE TABERNACLE OF THE TESTIMONY IN THIS CONTEXT, BECAUSE THAT PARTICULAR ROOM WAS THE LOCATION OF THE TABLETS OF GOD’S LAW SO BLATANTLY DISREGARDED BY THE EARTH DWELLERS.

* GOD IS ABOUT TO ENFORCE THESE STANDARDS ON A REBELLIOUS EARTH THROUGH THE JUDGMENTS OF THE 7 LAST PLAGUES.” (END QUOTE)

** AND THIS HOLY TEMPLE IN HEAVEN WHERE GOD DWELLS IN HIS HOLY CHARACTER WILL BE THE PLACE FROM WHICH THOSE 7 LAST PLAGUES PROCEED OR COME FORTH FROM.

*** BELOVED THESE JUDGMENTS THAT WILL ROLL OUT IN REVELATION 16 COME FROM A HOLY GOD WHO HAS BEEN OFFENDED BY MANKIND WHO DISREGARD HIS LAW.

**** AND AS HEAVEN IS OPENED, OUT OF THIS HEAVENLY TEMPLE SEVEN ANGELS EMERGE, LOOK AT V. 6 PLEASE.

B. READ V. 6. NOW OUT OF THIS HOLY HEAVENLY TEMPLE COME 7 ANGELS WHO HAD THE SEVEN LAST PLAGUES, SO FOR THOSE WHO KNOW NOT CHRIST, IN A SENSE, THIS IS A TEMPLE OF DOOM, A TEMPLE OF JUDGMENT.

* FOR WE HAVE 7 ANGELS THAT COME FORTH COMMISSIONED FOR THE EXECUTION OF JUDGMENT ON THE EARTH.

** THE TIME HAS COME IN GOD’S HOLY SOVEREIGN PLAN FOR THE 7 PLAGUES, WHICH ARE THE FINAL DEADLY JUDGMENTS TO BE POURED OUT ON THE WORLD, FOR YOU SEE HEBREWS 10:31 SAYS: (READ IT).

*** AND THE TIME HAS COME FOR THE LIVING GOD TO POUR OUT HIS FULL CUP OF WRATH WHICH WILL BE CARRIED BY THESE MINISTERING SPIRITS SENT FORTH BY GOD OUT OF HIS VERY PRESENCE TO POUR OUT THESE JUDGMENTS.

**** AND THEY ARE CLOTHED IN LINEN CLEAN AND BRIGHT OR PURE AND WHITE OR CLEAN SHINING LINEN.

1. AND THE GREEK WORD TRANSLATED WHITE OR BRIGHT IS THE GREEK WORD LOM-PROCE FROM WHICH WE GET OUR ENGLISH WORD LAMP AND LIT. MEANS SHINING OR BRILLIANT, SOMETHING BRIGHT.

* WELL, THESE ANGEL’S CLOTHING REPRESENTS THEIR HOLINESS AND PURITY, THESE ARE HOLY ANGELS ON A HOLY MISSION. THE PURITY OF THEIR CLOTHING COMMUNICATES THE PURPOSE OF THEIR MISSION WHICH IS PURIFICATION.

** THEN BEYOND THEIR CLOTHING THESE ANGELS WERE GIRDED, THEY WORE GOLDEN SASHES AROUND THEIR CHESTS.

*** AND SOME SUGGEST GOLD REFLECTS THE GLORY OF GOD, AND IT MAY BE THESE GOLDEN SASHES, LIKE GOLDEN BELTS THAT BIND THEIR CLOTHING, POINTING TO THEIR MISSION OF POURING OUT RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENTS ON THE EARTH BRINGING GLORY TO GOD.

**** AND CERTAINLY I CAN’T BE DOGMATIC ABOUT THAT BUT CERTAINLY ANGELS LIVE TO GLORIFY GOD AND DO HIS HOLY BIDDING OR SERVICE.

2. AND TO SUMMARIZE VV. 5&6, JOHN SEES HEAVEN OPENED AND FROM THE HOLY PRESENCE OF GOD COMES FORTH HOLY ANGELS ON A HOLY MISSION OF JUDGMENT. AND THAT IS THE PLACE, OUR FIRST POINT TODAY WHICH LEADS US TO V. 7 WHERE WE’LL SEE OUR 2’D POINT, THE PURPOSE. LOOK AT V. 7 PLEASE.

II. THE PURPOSE, (READ V. 7)

A. NOW THE PURPOSE OF THESE 7 ANGELS COMING FORTH FROM THE PLACE OF GOD’S PRESENCE IS TO RECEIVE THE 7 GOLDEN BOWLS FULL OF THE WRATH OF GOD.

* NOW LET ME ATTEMPT TO BREAK THIS PURPOSE DOWN, TO UNPACK IT.

** ONE OF THE FOUR LIVING CREATURES, WHICH COME ON THE SCENE IN REVELATION 4:6, ACTUALLY IMPARTS THE SEVEN GOLDEN BOWLS OF GOD’S WRATH TO THESE SEVEN ANGELS.

*** AND SOME SUGGEST THAT THESE LIVING BEINGS ARE SERAPHIM AND OTHER CHERUBIM.

**** BUT CLEARLY THEY ARE A HIGH ORDER OF ANGELS THAT CAMP AROUND THE THRONE OF GOD, PERHAPS THE HIGHEST EXALTED ANGELIC ORDER.

1. AND THIS LIVING BEING IS ACTIVE AND HAS A ROLE IN DISPENSING THE 7 GOLDEN BOWLS, AS THE 4 LIVING BEINGS HAD AN ACTIVE ROLE IN THE FIRST 4 SEALS OF JUDGMENT IN REVELATION 6:1-8.

** NOW IT SAYS IN V. 6 THAT THE 7 ANGELS HAD THE SEVEN PLAGUES, BUT HERE IN V. 7, THE LIVING CREATURE GIVES THE 7 GOLDEN BOWLS.

*** AND THE ANSWER TO THIS APPARENT PROBLEM IS THE REFERENCE TO PLAGUES IN V.6 MAY BE PROPHETIC, WHAT WILL HAPPEN HERE IN V. 7 OR THE BESTOWAL OF THE BOWLS IN V. 7 MAY BE THE AUTHORIZATION TO USE THEM WHICH IN CHAPTER 16 VERSE ONE THEY ARE COMMANDED TO POUR THEM OUT.

**** ANOTHER POSSIBILITY IS THE SEVEN ANGELS ALREADY HAD THE SEVEN PLAGUES ACCORDING TO V. 6 BUT NOW IN V. 7, THEY EACH RECEIVE A GOLDEN BOWL FILLED WITH GOD’S WRATH TO ACTUALLY POUR THEM OUT.

2. BUT REGARDLESS, THESE 7 ANGELS RECEIVE 7 GOLDEN BOWLS AND THE WORD FOR BOWLS MAKES REFERENCE TO SHALLOW SAUCERS OR SHALLOW BOWLS.

* SOMETHING THAT WOULD EMPTY OUT QUICKLY, FOR THE IMAGERY IS NOT THAT OF A STREAM BEING POURED OUT GRADUALLY FROM A PITCHER, A LARGE CONTAINER WITH A HANDLE AND A SPOUT.

** BUT OF THE WHOLE CONTENTS OF SHALLOW SAUCERS BEING POURED OUT QUICKLY LIT. HURLED DOWN IN AN INSTANT FLOOD, A FLASH FLOOD OF JUDGMENT.

*** AND AS WE WILL SEE IN REVELATION 16 LORD WILLING, THE BOWL JUDGMENTS COME IN A RAPID-FIRE, QUICK STACCATO MANNER OR MODE, EACH ONE STRONGER IN INTENSITY AND IN FURY THAN THE ONE BEFORE IT.

**** SO THESE BOWLS ARE POURED OUT QUICKLY, AND THE CONTENTS OF THESE BOWLS IS THE WRATH OF GOD, THAT’S THE FLUID IN THIS CUP OR SAUCER.

3. IN FACT IT SAYS THESE BOWLS ARE “FULL OF THE WRATH OF GOD.”

* THESE BOWLS ARE FULL TO THE BRIM, FILLED WITH THE HOT ANGER OF GOD, BRIMMING OVER WITH THE WRATH OF GOD.

** AND THE PICTURE HERE IS A BRIMMING RUNNING OVER CONDITION, AS IF NO MORE COULD BE PRESSED INTO OR POURED INTO THE BOWL.

*** AND IT’S NOT THE WRATH OF MAN THAT FILLS THE CUP BUT THE WRATH “OF GOD” THAT FILLS THIS BOWL TO THE BRIM.

**** AND THE GREEK WORD FOR WRATH HERE LIT. MEANS PASSION, ANGRY HEAT, ANGER BOILING UP AND READY TO OVERFLOW OR EXPLODE.

4. AND WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS AN OUTBURST OF HOLY AND RIGHTEOUS INDIGNATION AGAINST SIN AND REBELLIOUS UNREPENTANT SINNERS SEEN IN THESE FINAL JUDGMENTS.

* AND WHILE THIS BLAZING HOLY ANGER IS SEEN IN TIME, AT A SPECIFIC FUTURE TIME IN THE TRIBULATION, IT ORIGINATES IN A GOD WHO IS OUTSIDE OF TIME AND IS DESCRIBED HERE AS THE ONE “WHO LIVES FOREVER AND EVER” AT THE END OF V. 7.

** IT IS THE WRATH OF GOD THAT WHOSE EXISTENCE HAS NEITHER BEGINNING NOR END, HE IS PERPETUAL, HE HAS ALWAYS EXISTED AND WILL ALWAYS EXIST FOR HE IS ETERNAL, HE IS THE EVERLASTING GOD.

*** SO THIS WRATH IS NOT FROM A CREATED BEING, BUT FROM AN ETERNAL HOLY GOD THAT DIFFERENTIATES HIS BEING AND CHARACTER AND EXISTENCE FROM EVERYTHING ELSE.

**** AND SO THUS THIS WRATH IS NOT LIKE HUMAN WRATH BUT IS THE ETERNAL GOD’S WRATH, WHICH THERE IS NOTHING LIKE IT OR ANYTHING TO COMPARE TO IT.

5. FOR EVERY BEING IS FINITE AND HE IS INFINITE AND ETERNAL – PRAISE BE TO HIM. OH LORD THERE IS NONE LIKE YOU AND THERE IS NO WRATH LIKE YOUR WRATH, FOR OURS IS ROOTED IN THE EARTH AND IS NORMALLY UNRIGHTEOUS, BUT GOD’S WRATH IS ETERNAL AND TOTALLY RIGHTEOUS.

* AND THE PURPOSE OF V. 7 IS FOR THE LIVING BEING TO DISPENSE THE 7 GOLDEN BOWLS FILLED WITH GOD’S WRATH, WHO IS THE ETERNAL ONE, SO THEY CAN QUICKLY POUR THEM OUT, WHICH LEADS US TO OUR LAST POINT AND VERSE TODAY, THE PRESENCE TALKING ABOUT THE PRESENCE OF GOD. LOOK AT V. 8 PLEASE.

III. THE PRESENCE, (READ V. 8)

A. NOW AFTER THESE THINGS TRANSPIRE THAT WE’VE TALKED ABOUT, THE HEAVENLY TEMPLE UNDERGOES AN AWE-INSPIRING TRANSFORMATION INTO AN ENVIRONMENT, INTO A PLACE ACCESSIBLE ONLY TO GOD.

* FOR AFTER THIS TEMPLE-TABERNACLE IS OPENED AND THE 7 ANGELS COME OUT FROM THE PRESENCE OF GOD AND RECEIVE THE 7 BOWLS OF GOD’S WRATH, THIS HEAVENLY TEMPLE FILLS UP WITH SMOKE.

** AND SMOKE IS A SYMBOL OF GOD’S PRESENCE, THUS OUR THIRD POINT TODAY, THE PRESENCE.

*** NOW I SAY THAT SMOKE IS A SYMBOL OF GOD’S PRESENCE FOR IN THE O.T. THE SHEKINAH OF GOD, THE CLOUD PICTURED AS SMOKE LIT. FILLED THE TABERNACLE AND TEMPLE.

**** TO ILLUSTRATE THAT IN EXODUS 40:34&35 IT SAYS:

V. 34 – “THEN THE CLOUD COVERED THE TENT OF MEETING, AND THE GLORY OF THE LORD FILLED THE TABERNACLE.”

V. 35 – “MOSES WAS NOT ABLE TO ENTER THE TENT OF MEETING BECAUSE THE CLOUD HAD SETTLED ON IT, AND THE GLORY OF THE LORD FILLED THE TABERNACLE.”

1. NOW NOTICE THAT MOSES COULD NOT ENTER THE TABERNACLE WHEN THE PRESENCE OF GOD OR THE GLORY OF GOD WAS PRESENT IN THE TABERNACLE.

* THEN IN I KINGS 8:10&11 IN REFERENCE TO THE TEMPLE AT JERUSALEM IT SAYS:

V. 10 – “IT HAPPENED THAT WHEN THE PRIESTS CAME FROM THE HOLY PLACE, THE CLOUD FILLED THE HOUSE OF THE LORD,

V. 11 – SO THAT THE PRIESTS COULD NOT STAND TO MINISTER BECAUSE OF THE CLOUD, FOR THE GLORY OF THE LORD FILLED THE HOUSE OF THE LORD.”

** AND HERE THE PRIEST COULD NOT MINISTER BECAUSE OF THE GLORY OF GOD.

*** AND THEN ONE LAST REFERENCE IN ISAIAH 6:1-4, IN ISAIAH’S VISION OF THE LORD IT SAYS:

V. 1 – IN THE YEAR OF KING UZZIAH’S DEATH I SAW THE LORD SITTING ON A THRONE, LOFTY AND EXALTED, WITH THE TRAIN OF HIS ROBE FILLING THE TEMPLE.

V. 2 – SERAPHIM STOOD ABOVE HIM, EACH HAVING SIX WINGS: WITH TWO HE COVERED HIS FACE, AND WITH TWO HE COVERED HIS FEET, AND WITH TWO HE FLEW.

V. 3 – AND ONE CALLED OUT TO ANOTHER AND SAID, “HOLY, HOLY, HOLY, IS THE LORD OF HOSTS, THE WHOLE EARTH IS FULL OF HIS GLORY.”

V. 4 – AND THE FOUNDATIONS OF THE THRESHOLDS TREMBLED AT THE VOICE OF HIM WHO CALLED OUT, WHILE THE TEMPLE WAS FILLING WITH SMOKE.

**** NOW THE COMMON THREAD IS GOD’S PRESENCE IS EQUIVALENT TO SMOKE AND IN THE TABERNACLE AND TEMPLE WHEN THAT HAPPENS, NO ONE CAN GO IN.

2. WELL, LIKEWISE WE HAVE THE SAME SITUATION HERE IN REVELATION 15:8, THE TEMPLE IN HEAVEN IS FILLED WITH SMOKE FROM THE GLORY OF GOD “AND FROM HIS POWER.”

* AND GOD’S GLORY AND POWER WILL BE ON DISPLAY IN THESE 7 LAST JUDGMENTS POURED OUT ON THE EARTH.

** AND GET THIS, THE SMOKE FROM GOD’S GLORY AND POWER IS SO INTENSE THAT NO ONE COULD ENTER THE TEMPLE.

*** A COMMENTATOR NAMED MOFFATT AT THIS POINT IS QUOTED BY DR. ROBERT THOMAS IN HIS COMMENTARY THAT I MADE REFERENCE TO EARLIER AS SAYING AND I QUOTE:

**** “SMOLDERING FIRE OF INDIGNATION ARE HERE AT THE POINT OF ERUPTING INTO PUNISHMENT ISSUING FROM AN ARSENAL OF DIVINE WRATH.” (END QUOTE)

3. SHOWING US AT THIS PARTICULAR TIME AND UNTIL THE 7 BOWLS OF THE WRATH OF GOD ARE POURED OUT, GOD IS UNAPPROACHABLE AS HE IS DOING THIS WORK THIS WAY UNTIL HE IS FINISHED.

* SO THIS GLORY CLOUD APPEARS TO REMAIN IN THE HEAVENLY TEMPLE UNTIL THE EARTH IS COMPLETELY PURGED, CLEANSED, AND PREPARED FOR THE KING AND HIS KINGDOM.

IN WRAP UP: (1) IN OUR STUDY TODAY, WE’VE TALKED ABOUT THE TABERNACLE, THE TEMPLE ON EARTH AT JERUSALEM THAT EXISTED AND THE TEMPLE IN HEAVEN WHERE GOD DWELT ON EARTH AND DWELLS IN HEAVEN.

* BUT DO YOU REALIZE THAT GOD DWELLS ON EARTH TODAY, NOT WITHIN A TEMPLE MADE WITH HANDS, BUT IN BELIEVERS HE HAS SAVED BY HIS GRACE.

** THAT WE ARE THE TEMPLE OF GOD WHERE GOD’S SPIRIT DWELLS.

*** AND THAT IS A SIMPLE YET PROFOUND TRUTH, AT LEAST TO ME, THAT THE LIVING GOD WOULD DWELL IN YOU AND ME THAT ARE HIS.

**** AND THAT GREAT TRUTH SHOULD LEAD TO THE ACTION OF BRINGING GLORY TO HIM IN THE BODIES THAT WE LIVE IN.

(2) I CORINTHIANS 6:19&20 SAYS: (READ THEM).

* NOW THE TRUTH IS THE SPIRIT OF GOD, THE THIRD PERSON OF THE GODHEAD DWELLS IN PEOPLE HE HAS SAVED FROM HIS WRATH.

** AND WE ARE NOT OUR OWN, OUR OWNER, OUR MAKER, OUR CREATOR IS OUR SAVIOR GOD – THE LORD JESUS. FOR WE WERE BOUGHT AND PAID FOR BY HIS DEATH AND SHEDDING HIS BLOOD TO SAVE US AND FORGIVE US OF OUR SINS.

*** AND BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN BLOOD BOUGHT AND RESCUED FROM HIS HOLY WRATH, WE ARE TO GLORIFY GOD IN THIS BODY AND OUR SPIRITS WHICH ARE HIS.

**** AND OUT OF LOVE AND GRATEFULNESS FOR BEING BOUGHT WITH THAT PRICE, WE ARE TO BRING GLORY TO GOD IN THIS BODY IN OUR LIVES AS LONG AS GOD GIVES US BREATH FOR THIS BODY TO BE HIS TEMPLE.

(3) AND GOD’S PRESENCE IS SEEN AND GOD IS GLORIFIED WHEN WE LIVE FULLY AND TOTALLY AND SACRIFICIALLY IN THIS BODY FOR HIM.

* BELOVED, GOD’S PRESENCE AND POWER ARE ON DISPLAY AS WE LIVE AND OBEY HIM WHICH GLORIFIES HIM, SO HOW MUCH GLORY IS ASCRIBED TO GOD IN YOUR LIFE, HOLY SMOKE SHOWING HIS POWERFUL PRESENCE.

** AND LASTLY, THAT GLORY IS TO BE SEEN IN HIS CHURCH, HIS BODY ON THE EARTH AS THE ORDAINED MEANS TO FULFILL HIS COMMISSION TO DECLARE AS PSALM 96:3 SAYS: (READ IT).

*** AND WHEN LOCAL VISIBLE ASSEMBLIES OF BELIEVERS, CHURCHES LIVE FOR THE GLORY OF GOD, HIS PRESENCE IS MADE MANIFEST AND THERE IS GLORY IN THE CHURCH.

**** FOR EPHESIANS 3:19-21 SAYS: (READ THEM).

4. BELOVED, MAY THERE BE GLORY IN CHRIST’S CHURCH THROUGH US HIS TEMPLE TODAY. (LET’S PRAY)