Revelation 7: Entering the Millennium (part 2)

11. Those who obeyed the Law of Moses worshiped God in the temple

" Then one of the elders asked me, “These in white robes—who are they, and where did they come from?”

I answered, “Sir, you know.”

And he said, “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore,

“they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence.” (NIV, Revelation 7:13-15)

1. Serve God in the temple

" Therefore,

“they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence." (NIV, Revelation 7:15)

These people served in the temple, the law-abiding Israelites, worshiping and serving God in the temple day and night according to the Law of Moses.

2. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb

“they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb” (NIV, Revelation 7:13)

One of the elders asked me, “These in white robes—who are they? These were the Israelites who kept the law and worshiped and served in the temple. Because no flesh can be justified before God by doing the law, because the law convicts people of sin. Therefore, those who keep the law must all believe in Jesus and wash their clothes with the precious blood of the Lord. Only when you are pure can you enter the kingdom of the millennium.

3. These are they who have come out of the great tribulation

“These are they who have come out of the great tribulation.” (NIV, Revelation 7:14)

These are they who have come out of the great tribulation, which refers to the Israelites who were saved by God from the fierce battles of the great tribulation and finally entered the thousand-year kingdom. Many people will be misled by this sentence: "come out of the great tribulation" and think that these people in white clothes will be raptured "during the tribulation"; such an interpretation is a wrong interpretation of the Bible and leads to incorrect theology.

The Israelites are God's chosen people. Once the great tribulation is over, all nations will gather to fight against Jerusalem. In this bloody battle, Israel will be defeated and the city will be captured. They will still firmly hold on to their faith amidst the fiery trials. , will not surrender to Satan or succumb to the army of Antichrist until death, and would rather die than worship the image of the beast or receive the mark of the beast. At the last critical moment, God’s chosen people will cry out for God’s salvation. Then the LORD will go out to fight against those nations.

At that time, the Lord Jesus will descend with the clouds on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem with all the heavenly armies (Zech. 14:4); He will defeat the entire army of Antichrist led by the devil and save God’s people. God’s chosen people finally knew that Jesus was the Messiah, and finally believed in Jesus, accepted blessings, and were saved by grace; just as it is written in the Bible: and in this way all Israel will be saved. As it is written: “The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. (NIV, Romans 11:26).

4. The Third Temple will be established

‘The silver is mine and the gold is mine,’ declares the Lord Almighty. ‘The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,’ says the Lord Almighty. ‘And in this place I will grant peace,’ declares the Lord Almighty.” (NIV, Hag. 2:8-9)

Fourteen years after the city of Jerusalem was captured, about 572 BC, the Spirit of the Lord fell on Ezekiel and brought him to Israel. Standing among the high mountains, he saw a man with a measuring rod in his hand. (Ezekiel 40:3). Show him a glorious temple, a temple larger than reality. This is the Third Temple.

The third temple will appear in the millennium, and it will be more beautiful, magnificent, splendid, and grand than the previous temple built by Solomon. This is what the prophet Haggai predicted: The silver is mine and the gold is mine; the latter glory of this house will be greater than the first glory.

Every year during the Feast of Tabernacles, all nations will go to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices and observe the festival in the house of God, to meet the only true God, Jehovah, and to worship Jesus Christ, the King of Zion.

5. The Lord covered them with the tabernacle (tent of meeting)

"he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence." (NIV, Revelation 7:15)

God said, "I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought the Israelites up out of Egypt to this day. I have been moving from place to place with a tent as my dwelling" (NIV, 2 Samuel 7:6)

At the millennium, the tabernacle (tent of meeting) will be moved into the third temple, where God's people will pray and offer sacrifices, and it will become the worship center for those who keep the law. The Lord will cover them with his tabernacle (the tabernacle), and this God will be the refuge of his people.

By then, God’s chosen people in Israel who abide by the law will surely believe in Jesus and be saved! But they still came to God's tabernacle to worship, offer sacrifices, and observe various festivals, New Moons, and Sabbaths according to the Law of Moses and the statutes and regulations...

12. People who receive the truth and grace of Jesus worship and serve in the church and drink the Lord’s living water of life.

‘Never again will they hunger;

never again will they thirst.

The sun will not beat down on them,

nor any scorching heat.

For the Lamb at the center of the throne

will be their shepherd;

‘he will lead them to springs of living water.

‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’”(NIV, Revelation 7:16-17)

1. Those who believe in Jesus and uphold the truth will endure it for three and a half years before they can enter the millennium.

"And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes." (NIV, Revelation 7:17)

All Christians who do not love the Lord will not be raptured and will have to stay in the great tribulation, suffering the disasters of the sun and heat, and weeping with remorse. They experienced fiery torture, life was worse than death; God used fire to refine them like silver, and to test them like gold.

These people must rely on the grace of the Lord, hold on to the truth, endure to the end, be determined to die, and resolutely refuse to worship the image of the beast or accept the mark of the beast, in order to survive the three and a half years. They finally overcome and enter the Millennial Kingdom; at that time, God will comfort them and wipe away all tears.

2. The Lord will shepherd God’s children in the church, and they will drink freely of the living water of life.

"Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst." (NIV, Revelation 7:16)

Once we enter the millennium, the Lord Jesus will shepherd the children of God who have received truth and grace in the church, and lead them to the fountain of the water of life. The word of the Lord is the Word, and the Word is water; brothers and sisters must come to the house of God and listen to the true word, which is to drink the living water in the church.

All children of God who come to worship and serve in the church and accept the edification of the true way will then be under the shelter of the Lord and will no longer be spiritually hungry or thirsty. The Lord Jesus said: "but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (NIV, John 4:14)

3. The sun and heat will not harm them.

" The sun will not beat down on them, nor any scorching heat." (NIV, Revelation 7:16)

“On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” (NIV, John 7:37-38).

These words were spoken by the Lord Jesus loudly to the Jews at the end of the festival, that is, the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles; these words refer to the fact that those who believe in Him will receive the Holy Spirit and speak in tongues. The spiritual meaning of the Feast of Tabernacles typifies that in the millennium, the Lord Jesus will personally preach and teach us to be baptized in the Holy Spirit, speak in tongues, and rivers of living water will flow from your belly. This way, you will never be thirsty again, even in the sun and heat.

At that time, the scripture will be fulfilled:

the sun will not harm you by day,

nor the moon by night.

The Lord will keep you from all harm—

he will watch over your life;

the Lord will watch over your coming and going

both now and forevermore.

(NIV, Psalm 121:6-8)

13. During the thousand-year kingdom, all nations will receive blood (repentance), water (baptism), and the Holy Spirit (speaking in tongues)

“the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. We accept human testimony, but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son. Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony. Whoever does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because they have not believed the testimony God has given about his Son.” (NIV, 1 John 5:8-10).

1. Blood, water, and the Holy Spirit are the truth, the law, and the summary of the law.

When Moses was explaining the law in the book of Deuteronomy, he suddenly added a law: "Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach....No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.” (NIV, Deuteronomy 30:11,14) What does this law mean?

Paul was inspired by the Lord to understand the mystery of this gospel. He said: "But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim (blood, water, and Holy Spirit): If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (NIV, Romans 10:8-9).

To receive the three testimonies of blood, water, and the Holy Spirit, one must confess with the mouth and believe with the heart; For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. (NIV, Romans 10:10). Man cannot keep the law, and no one can be justified by the law; however, the law of blood, water, and the Holy Spirit is the summary of the law. This is also the last law, which is justification by faith in Christ. This is not difficult and we can do it.

Blood, water, and the Holy Spirit are both truth and law! In the thousand-year kingdom, not only those who believe in Jesus and obey the truth must receive the blood, water, and Holy Spirit; those who keep the law must also believe in Jesus and receive the blood, water, and Holy Spirit. Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes, receiving the full gospel, the blood, the water and the Holy Spirit. (NIV, Romans 10:4).

2. The first time Peter preached the gospel, it was blood, water, and the Holy Spirit.

On Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was poured out, and the disciples were baptized in the Holy Spirit and received power. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Peter was the first to bring out the full gospel of blood, water, and the Holy Spirit. He preached the gospel to the Jews and declared:

“Repent (blood) and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins (water). And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (speaking in tongues)." (NIV, Acts 2:38)

"The testimony of the blood": Everyone must confess their sins, repent, and ask the Lord's precious blood to forgive their sins (be baptized in blood).

"The testimony of water": In the name of Jesus Christ, believe and be baptized (immersed in water).

"The testimony of the Holy Spirit": receiving the promised Holy Spirit, being baptized in the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues (baptized in the Spirit)

Blood, water, and the Holy Spirit are the testimony of God for His Son, the full gospel, the very person of Jesus Christ, and the foundation of the church of the living God.

3. The Lord Jesus became like all sons and daughters: repented, was baptized, and spoke in tongues

“For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.” (NIV, Romans 8:29)

Jesus set the pattern by obeying the Father: repenting, being baptized, and speaking in tongues! This makes Him the firstborn among many brothers. Jesus is our elder brother, and those of us who follow his image are his younger brothers and sisters.

⑴.Repent

The Bible clearly says: Jesus has no sin! Since he was not guilty, did he need to repent? Of course not. So let me ask, when Jesus came to the Jordan River to be baptized by John, did Jesus repent? There must be repentance. Because what John performed was the baptism of repentance (Mark 1:4).

The Lord Jesus must first repent before John could be baptized for Him. The reason why Jesus repented was to set an example for us, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers.

⑵、Be baptized

"As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water." (NIV, Matthew 3:16)

Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan River and met John to be baptized by him. John wanted to stop Him, saying: I deserve to be baptized by You, and yet You come to me? Jesus answered and said to him: Allow it for now, for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness. So John promised Him.

⑶. Speaking in tongues

"Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear." (NIV, Acts 2:33)

God the Father exalted the Lord Jesus and sat at His right hand; He received “the promised Holy Spirit” on Pentecost, was the first to speak in tongues, and poured out the Holy Spirit; the Lord Jesus obeyed God the Father, repented, was baptized, and spoke Tongues, taking our likeness, made Him the eldest brother of all the children of God.

4. No one can come to the Father except through blood (repentance), water (baptism), and the Holy Spirit (speaking in tongues)

Jesus said, "Jesus answered, “I am the way (blood ) and the truth (water) and the life (Holy Spirit). No one comes to the Father except through me (blood, water, Spirit)." (NIV, John 14:6)

(1) The way (blood)

“Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body,” (NIV, Hebrews 10:19-20)

(2) The truth (water)

"Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth." (NIV, John 17:17)

Truth is the word, and the word is water that cleanses away all filth.

“to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.” (NIV, Ephesians 5 :26-27)

(3) The life (Holy Spirit)

"The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace." (NIV, Romans 8:6)

“because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.” (NIV, Romans 8:2)

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