Talk of JESUS .com

Tag: Christ

  • Apocalypse 2 – Good News Unsealed

    Apocalypse 2 – Good News Unsealed

    ἀποκάλυψις

    apokalypsis or apocalypse

    We often associate apocalypse with the dramatic catastrophic events of the Book of Revelation from the Bible. To begin with a definition, note that an apocalypse is not necessarily an unseen disaster (although it may be for some).

    1. laying bare, making naked
    2. a disclosure of truth, instruction
    3. manifestation, appearance

    In this case: ‘the revelation‘ or disclosure of Truth, instruction by the Lord Jesus, various appearances of awe-filled scenes taking place in heaven — ALL lay bare to the eyes of mankind the wrath of the Judgement to come upon all the Creation of Almighty GOD!

    Revelation

    Apocalypse is also the hopeful good word used in the Gospel of Luke by a first century prophet at the Temple of the Jews revealing the child Jesus as their Messiah or the Christ.

    A LIGHT FOR REVELATION TO THE GENTILES,
    And the glory of Your people Israel.”

    Luke 2:32 – prophesy of Simeon about Jesus

    Christians and unbelievers alike are familiar with it as the title of the last book of the Holy Bible. From the Latin of ancient Rome:

    apocalypsis Iesu Christi

    Other versions or translations from Greek:

    Ἀποκάλυψις Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ

    • The Revelation of Jesus Christ
    • The Revelation from Jesus Christ
    • The Revelation of Yeshua the Messiah

    So whatever section of Revelation you read remember this:

    Revelation is NOT bad news about the end of Creation, but Gospel GOOD NEWS of Jesus Christ the Lord and Savior sent in the flesh to a world of sinners.

    Roger Harned + talk of Jesus {dot}.com

    The Apostle John, who witnessed many miracles of the Lord God, falls prostrate is AWE before these visions laid bare to his mortal eyes. John subsequently obediently begins Christ’s disclosure to the saints of the churches, seven specific first century churches & faithful worshipers of this 21st century day:

    Revelation 1:

    The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants, the things which must soon take place; and He sent and communicated it by His angel to His bond-servant John, who testified to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, everything that he saw.

    apokalypsis of THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST

    Blessed is the one who reads, and those who hear the words of the prophecy and keep the things which are written in it; for the time is near.

    To be continued...
  • Apocalypse – a mystery of Good News Unsealed

    Apocalypse – a mystery of Good News Unsealed

    Good News & Bad News

    Which would you like to hear first?

    Invitation

    ‘Apocalypse? How can Good News come out of inescapable consequence,’ you ask?

    I’ll answer this mystery as our series progresses, but first please accept my invitation to subscribe to my February 2021 series for Scripture’s answers to some of our most difficult questions.

    The END in the beginning

    Those enticed by mysteries will sometimes peek at the end of the book for clues of the unraveling of its plot. Rather than beginning this brief series from Chapter 1, Verse 1, or simply summarizing a ‘Sparks Notes’ approach to one of Scripture’s most important books; allow me to quote just part of one verse from an early section to encourage you (perhaps) for now.

    Then the kings of the earth and the eminent people.. and the wealthy and the strong.. hid themselves…

    Revelation 6:15 excerpt NASB

    I did not want to go there — to this Book of Revelation. For after enduring the heated discussion of this month in SHAKEN! and I wanted nothing to do with recent controversary or judgment because I’ve had enough of it already. (How about you?)

    The current crises [yes, plural, i.e. COVID, Political unrest, etc.] seem to hold yet more bad news, not good; yet somehow a verse from Revelation comforted me. NO, I claim no special insight into the great mysteries of this Book, but as I read this verse my spirit settled in peace with the promised punishment of the wicked.

    The END Revealed + Fear of the Judge!

    I’m no king and certainly not eminent in any way — not wealth or strong — hardly fit to judge Kings, Premiers, Presidents, Popes, Prime Ministers, Senators, Representatives, Governors, or any others of the rich and powerful of this land or nations beyond our shores. NO, I do not expect ANY of these to send solutions only the Lord God can accomplish.

    Yet I take comfort in Christ Jesus, that HE will return in the end and judge those who have taken what they want for the most part from your life and from mine.

    Before we move on though, you’d better read the rest of this verse so that you will know why I was so SHAKEN to reveal it to you.

    Revelation 6:

    15 Then the kings of the earth, the nobles, the generals, the rich, the powerful, and every slave and free person hid in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains.

    Note that WE THE PEOPLE, those ruled also will want to hide from the Lord on the Day of Judgment!

    And they said to the mountains and to the rocks,

    “Fall on us and hide us from the face of the one seated on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb,

    because the great day of their wrath has come! And who is able to stand?”

    The Revelation of Jesus Christ to the Apostle John 6:16-17 CSB
    To be continued...

  • SHAKEN 4 – His voice shook the earth

    SHAKEN 4 – His voice shook the earth

    Hebrews 12:

    Looking only at Jesus, the Leader and perfecter of the faith..

    The writer of the letter to the Hebrews encourages the saints of the church to look to Jesus Christ, the originator of all things and only Shepherd perfecting the faith of sons chosen by the Lord God.

    In SHAKEN 3 a great cloud of witnesses over our head we shared this call to perseverance: Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus.

    FAITH: Swear it upon your biggest BIBLE, mention GOD four times only and Christ Jesus not at all — faith in US?

    Does this ‘ONE NATION UNDER GOD’ claim faith without fear of the LORD?

    (But I digress..) Returning to the Bible:
    Exhortation from Hebrews 12:1-2 - SHAKEN! from a troubled 2020 election to troubled times: Joe Biden Presidential Oath of Office sworn on Douay-Rheims Bible (1899) of his Roman Catholic faith

    Do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord

    Nor faint when you are punished by Him – Hebrews 12:5b

    Speaking of those who would follow Jesus Christ as Lord:

    8 But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.

    IN GOD WE Trusted

    In the days of Moses, David and some some other leaders, a chosen and blessed Hebrew nation had trusted God. Yet at times they became divided to trust each in his own ways.

    Some like Zerubbabel responded to the voice of God through Prophets like Haggai and repented (as we pointed out previously). Faithful saints suffered once more in a fading Empire of Rome, which persecuted both Jews and Christians.

    The writer to first century Hebrews asks the church to remain faithful to God in Christ Jesus.

    $20 bill

    Is the U.S. ‘one nation under God?’

    Or are claims of both divisions of this troubled PEOPLE no different from failing faith of a divided Israel and Judah?

    Hear more from the letter to the Hebrews.

    Warnings against Rejecting God’s Grace

    12 Therefore, strengthen your tired hands and weakened knees, and make straight paths for your feet…

    14 Strive for peace with all… that no “root of bitterness” spring up and cause trouble, and by it the many become defiled; 16 that no one be immoral or irreligious like Esau…

    How are WE doing with this: our leadership United ‘under GOD?’

    Contrast of Sinai and Zion

    18 For you have not come to what may be touched, a blazing fire, and darkness, and gloom, and a tempest..

    For they heard an awesome trumpet blast and a voice so terrible that they begged God to stop speaking.

    Hebrews 12:19 NLT

    21 (.. And so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I am exceedingly afraid and trembling.”)

    The Unshaken Nation

    25 See that you do not refuse Him who speaks.

    For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, 26 whose voice then shook the earth;

    but now He has promised, saying, “Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven.”

    .. the removal of what can be shaken—that is, created things—

    Is your soul shaken by this?

    Do you hear the Voice of the LORD?

    28 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken,

    Christian fish drawing gif
    and His voice shook the earth.. Hebrews verse and picture of earth from space

    let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:
    For our God is a consuming fire.

    Hebrews 12:28b-29 KJV

    Pray that this ‘one nation’ under God may repent and unite with He Who Was and Is and Will be forever unshaken.

    Roger @ talk of Jesus .com

    Amen.