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The Throne Room of God - The Book of Revelation · Bible in a Year with Jack Graham

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  Speaker 1: Let us pray. And immediately I saw in the Spirit,
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  Speaker 1: and behold a throne was set in heaven, and one
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  Speaker 1: sat on the throne. Revelation 4, 2. Jesus, as I
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  Speaker 1: press into the deeper things of God, I thank you
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  Speaker 1: that your familiar spirit of comfort and love surrounds me.
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  Speaker 1: As I bask in your glory, I thank you that
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  Speaker 1: through the reading of Revelation, I can be taken up
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  Speaker 1: into the beauty and splendor of your throne room. In
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  Speaker 1: the same way that John heard and saw the angels
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  Speaker 1: flying around your throne, Lord, show me and let me
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  Speaker 1: hear the praises of your greatness in everything that I do.
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  Speaker 1: When I look around, let the evidence of your glory
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  Speaker 1: and splendor fill my sight as the beauty of your
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  Speaker 1: throne room is revealed to me in spirit and in truth.
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  Speaker 1: May your continued faithfulness be felt in my life. May
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  Speaker 1: my praises echo loud in the throne room of grace,
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  Speaker 1: like the angels above. For no matter how glorious I
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  Speaker 1: think you are, I know that, like your throne room,
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  Speaker 1: there are different levels of your greatness. And I can't
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  Speaker 1: wait to explore them all. In Jesus' name.
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  Speaker 2: Amen.
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  Speaker 1: Thank you for praying with us today. Continue your time
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  Speaker 1: with God by listening to today's Bible story. Brought to
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  Speaker 1: you by BibleInAYear.com.
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  Speaker 2: The Throne Room of God In this story, John has
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  Speaker 2: been exiled after being dipped in a vat of boiling oil.
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  Speaker 2: As he sits on the shores of Patmos, God comes
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  Speaker 2: to him in a vision. John writes in poetry and
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  Speaker 2: metaphor to describe his vision of God's throne room. We
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  Speaker 2: are taken up with John, beholding God's majesty and glory,
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  Speaker 2: inspired by the book of Revelations.
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  Speaker 3: Hello, this is Jack Graham with today's episode of the
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  Speaker 3: Bible in a Year podcast. We are making our way
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  Speaker 3: all the way through the Bible, and it is an
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  Speaker 3: incredible adventure. In our previous episode, we heard the conclusion
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  Speaker 3: of the book of Acts as Paul arrived in Rome
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  Speaker 3: and was able to openly share the gospel there for
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  Speaker 3: two years. Though his life eventually ended at the hands
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  Speaker 3: of a cruel Roman despot, an evil emperor by the
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  Speaker 3: name of Nero, His work and witness continues bearing fruit
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  Speaker 3: even to this very day. Today we'll begin to see
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  Speaker 3: through the eyes of the Apostle John and the inspiration
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  Speaker 3: of the Holy Spirit a vision for the future and
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  Speaker 3: an opportunity to look at the very throne room of
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  Speaker 3: God and the hope that we have in heaven. So
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  Speaker 3: let's listen now to reading from the Revelation, the last
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  Speaker 3: book of the Bible.
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  Speaker 2: Exiled on the island of Patmos, I was sitting on
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  Speaker 2: the bluffs, watching the darkened waves crash against the jagged
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  Speaker 2: rocks below. The clouds were dark and heavy, soon to
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  Speaker 2: burst forth with rain. The wind howled against my bruised
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  Speaker 2: and scarred skin. Persecution for the gospel had left me
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  Speaker 2: scarred and alone, destined to die on an island away
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  Speaker 2: from my loved ones. I closed my eyes and sought God,
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  Speaker 2: and what I heard behind me was like a bellowing
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  Speaker 2: thunder A trumpet-like voice shook my bones, saying, Everything you
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  Speaker 2: are about to see, write down, for these will be
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  Speaker 2: spread among the churches of Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia,
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  Speaker 2: and Laodicea. Discerning that it was the voice of God,
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  Speaker 2: I got my parchment and quill and began to write.
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  Speaker 2: I turned away from the waves to see behind me
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  Speaker 2: a vision of the Lord. I saw seven golden lampstands
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  Speaker 2: glistening with flames and wonder Among the lamps was one
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  Speaker 2: like the Son of Man, clothed with a long robe
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  Speaker 2: and golden sash around his chest. The hair on his
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  Speaker 2: head was pure white, not from age, but from sheer glory.
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  Speaker 2: His feet were like steady bronze, and his voice was
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  Speaker 2: like the roar of many waters. I looked to see
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  Speaker 2: seven stars held in his right hand, and from his
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  Speaker 2: mouth was a sharp, two-edged sword. His face shone like
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  Speaker 2: a thousand galaxies. His presence was indescribable. When I saw him,
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  Speaker 2: I fell onto my face as though dead. I could
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  Speaker 2: not comprehend what my eyes were seeing, and I became afraid.
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  Speaker 2: A gentle hand reached out to me and touched my shoulder.
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  Speaker 2: His presence was as warm as I remembered. It was Jesus.
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  Speaker 2: His voice was like rushing waves in a gentle stream,
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  Speaker 2: all at once. Fear not, he told me, for I
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  Speaker 2: am the first and the last. I died, and now
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  Speaker 2: I live forevermore. I alone hold the keys of death
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  Speaker 2: and Hades. My mind was fixed on his greatness, so
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  Speaker 2: he reminded me to write what he was saying down
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  Speaker 2: so that it might be known to the churches. He
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  Speaker 2: then uttered encouragements, rebukes, and calls to all seven churches, Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia,
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  Speaker 2: and Laodicea. His voice was gentle, but his tone was resolute.
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  Speaker 2: After this I looked up. There was a door standing
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  Speaker 2: by itself, opened up to heaven. From the door I
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  Speaker 2: heard a resounding voice shouting, Come and see! As the
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  Speaker 2: voice commanded, I was taken off of my feet and
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  Speaker 2: lifted to heaven, rushed through the gates of time and space.
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  Speaker 2: I was in the spirit and standing before the throne
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  Speaker 2: of God. He who sat on the throne had the
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  Speaker 2: appearance of Jasper and Carnelian, the depth of red almost
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  Speaker 2: like blood. Around the throne was a rainbow, Its color
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  Speaker 2: was a deep emerald. I looked around the throne, and behold,
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  Speaker 2: there were twenty-four smaller thrones surrounding it. Seated on the
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  Speaker 2: thrones were twenty-four elders, clothed in pure white with gold crowns.
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  Speaker 2: Lightning flashed violently, and I fixed my gaze on the
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  Speaker 2: throne above all. Thunder rolled. Emerging from the floor were
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  Speaker 2: seven torches of pure fire. It forced me to look
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  Speaker 2: below where I was standing. The floor was like a
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  Speaker 2: calm sea, as still as glass, yet still alive and moving.
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  Speaker 2: I gazed upon the beings standing behind the throne and
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  Speaker 2: fell backwards. Behind and beside the throne were four living creatures.
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  Speaker 2: They were massive and looming above the throne room like
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  Speaker 2: majestic guardians. One creature was like a lion. The second
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  Speaker 2: had the strength of an ox. The third had the
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  Speaker 2: face of a man. and the fourth was like an
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  Speaker 2: eagle flying in the midst of the throne room. All
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  Speaker 2: beasts had six wings and eyes wrapping around their heads.
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  Speaker 2: They dwelled in majesty, singing with deep voices like thunder, saying,' Holy, holy,
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  Speaker 2: holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is
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  Speaker 2: and is to come!' All were in reverence to the
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  Speaker 2: one sitting on the throne. And as the mighty beasts
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  Speaker 2: flapped their wings and sang glory to God, the twenty-four
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  Speaker 2: elders knelt before him, laying their crowns at his feet.
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  Speaker 2: Their voices were as one, singing poetry to God. It
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  Speaker 2: resounded in my very soul as they sang, Worthy are you, God,
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  Speaker 2: to receive glory and power, for you are the creator
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  Speaker 2: of all things, and by your will they exist. Then
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  Speaker 2: all became silent. The one sitting on the throne held
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  Speaker 2: a scroll in his hand with seven seals. An angel
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  Speaker 2: spoke behind me, saying, Who is worthy to open the
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  Speaker 2: seven seals? I looked and saw a vision of many
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  Speaker 2: men and women attempting to break the seals. Yet no
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  Speaker 2: one could open the scroll. I knew in my heart
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  Speaker 2: it contained life itself and wisdom beyond measure. So I
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  Speaker 2: began to weep, lamenting the unopened scroll. One of the
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  Speaker 2: elders touched my shoulder from behind and whispered, Weep no more.
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  Speaker 2: For the Lion of Judah, the Root of David, has
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  Speaker 2: conquered death. He can open the scroll. My tears ceased
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  Speaker 2: when I saw him. Behold, standing before me was him,
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  Speaker 2: the Lamb of God. He bore the scars of slaughter,
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  Speaker 2: still bloodied and bruised by the cruelty of man. He
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  Speaker 2: took the sealed scroll in his hand. All the elders
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  Speaker 2: and creatures erupted in praise, singing, Worthy are you to
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  Speaker 2: open its seals, for you were slain, and by your
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  Speaker 2: blood we are ransomed for God. Every tribe, language, and
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  Speaker 2: nation will know that you are God. Even more angels emerged, singing,
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  Speaker 2: Worthy is the Lamb who was slain. Honor, glory, and blessings!
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  Speaker 2: I watched as every living creature in heaven and on
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  Speaker 2: earth worshipped the bruised and crucified king. Its beauty was
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  Speaker 2: beyond words.
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  Speaker 3: We begin today's reading with John on the island of Patmos.
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  Speaker 3: He is an older man, exiled because of persecution, as
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  Speaker 3: he said, for the word of God and the testimony
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  Speaker 3: of Jesus. Many, if not all, of his friends had
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  Speaker 3: faced death for the cause of the gospel, but God
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  Speaker 3: had not yet called him home. He was not yet
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  Speaker 3: finished with the apostle John. though he was the last
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  Speaker 3: man standing. The Lord had a message for John to deliver,
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  Speaker 3: one of extreme importance, about hope, the hope of heaven,
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  Speaker 3: and how we can endure even under persecution as we
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  Speaker 3: look forward to the return of Christ and the promise
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  Speaker 3: of heaven. We heard how God spoke to John with
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  Speaker 3: a thundering voice like a loud trumpet and told him
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  Speaker 3: to write down what he was about to say and
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  Speaker 3: about to show him. He was to record what he
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  Speaker 3: saw and send it in a book to the seven
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  Speaker 3: churches throughout Asia. As John turned towards the voice that
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  Speaker 3: he heard, he saw something that was incredible. seven golden lampstands,
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  Speaker 3: and in the center was a marvelous man wearing a
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  Speaker 3: long robe and a golden sash. And this picture portrait
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  Speaker 3: was none other than Jesus himself. He looked so different
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  Speaker 3: from when John had last seen him, on a cross,
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  Speaker 3: then in a resurrection, and ascending into the clouds, but
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  Speaker 3: it was truly Jesus. Symbolically, he held seven stars in
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  Speaker 3: his hands, signifying his sovereignty and ownership over all who
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  Speaker 3: follow him. Out of his mouth came a double-edged sword,
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  Speaker 3: indicating that he is the judge supreme. So what did
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  Speaker 3: John do? Did he at first run joyfully to greet
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  Speaker 3: his friend Jesus, whom he had not seen for decades?
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  Speaker 3: He was, after all, the one Jesus loved, and John
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  Speaker 3: loved Jesus. Well, in reality, John fell on his face.
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  Speaker 3: It was as though he were dead. He was in awe,
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  Speaker 3: in wonder of what he was seeing. He saw the
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  Speaker 3: glory and majesty of Christ. John felt unworthy and even terrified.
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  Speaker 3: Surely he was as good as dead because he had
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  Speaker 3: seen the face of God. But Jesus spoke to him
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  Speaker 3: tenderly and gently, telling him, Do not fear, for he, Jesus,
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  Speaker 3: is the first and the last, the Alpha and Omega,
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  Speaker 3: the one who holds the keys to death and Hades.
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  Speaker 3: Jesus again told him to write down what he was
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  Speaker 3: about to see and hear. These were important messages beginning
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  Speaker 3: with specific words to the seven churches in Asia Minor.
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  Speaker 3: These were words of encouragement, rebuke, comfort, correction, warning, and witness.
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  Speaker 3: Words like these to the church at Laodicea found in
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  Speaker 3: Revelation 3, 19 and 20. Those whom I love, I
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  Speaker 3: reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. Behold, I
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  Speaker 3: stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my
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  Speaker 3: voice and opens the door, I will come into him
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  Speaker 3: and eat with him and he with me. And though
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  Speaker 3: these were specific instructions given to specific strategic churches at
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  Speaker 3: the time, these are words we need to hear today.
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  Speaker 3: As a matter of fact, there are no doubt people
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  Speaker 3: listening to me right now and God's word today that
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  Speaker 3: need to open the door of their hearts and receive
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  Speaker 3: Jesus as Lord and Savior. He is knocking at your
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  Speaker 3: heart's door. And if you will open the door by
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  Speaker 3: faith and invite him in, he will come in and
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  Speaker 3: live in your life and you will know eternal life
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  Speaker 3: and the forgiveness of your sins. Next, John looked up
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  Speaker 3: and saw heaven opening when he heard a voice calling
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  Speaker 3: him to come up and see. He was lifted off
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  Speaker 3: his feet and translated up into heaven into a place
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  Speaker 3: that he had never seen. It was God's throne room
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  Speaker 3: and it was marvelous, majestic, magnificent. The description John gives
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  Speaker 3: conveys immense beauty and majesty and glory. And in this
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  Speaker 3: incredible room, there were 24 elders dressed in white and
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  Speaker 3: wearing crowns. These were very important figures. This much is clear.
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  Speaker 3: These 24 elders represent the church of all ages, God's people,
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  Speaker 3: both Old Testament and New Testament saints. But they weren't alone,
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  Speaker 3: for John saw four living creatures with wings. The creatures
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  Speaker 3: sang praises to God, worshiping him in his throne room.
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  Speaker 3: These were angelic messengers and witnesses and worshipers. What an
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  Speaker 3: incredible sight. I can only begin to imagine how overwhelming
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  Speaker 3: this would have been for John. As he looked around
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  Speaker 3: the room, the throne room of God, there was one
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  Speaker 3: unmistakable reality. God is holy, holy, holy, and Jesus Christ
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  Speaker 3: is Lord. He is worthy of all of our praise.
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  Speaker 3: He is alone worthy. He is altogether worthy and he
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  Speaker 3: is always worthy. All these beings were created beings and
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  Speaker 3: it was God who created them all. Let us never
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  Speaker 3: lose the wonder of the greatness of God and the
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  Speaker 3: glory in the presence of God, not only in his
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  Speaker 3: spirit today, but when we are in his presence forever.
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  Speaker 3: As we heard in the scripture today, something then amazing happens.
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  Speaker 3: A question is asked, who is worthy? to open the seals,
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  Speaker 3: the seals of judgment. And only one could come forward
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  Speaker 3: who was worthy, the one whom we just proclaimed, Jesus.
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  Speaker 3: And John, though he was greatly saddened that no one
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  Speaker 3: was worthy to open the seals in heaven or in earth,
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  Speaker 3: he then rejoiced and was told not to weep, for
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  Speaker 3: Jesus himself would open the seals. The root of David,
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  Speaker 3: the Lion of Judah, he had conquered death, and he
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  Speaker 3: could open the scroll. He is commanding all things. of
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  Speaker 3: the history and the destiny of the world and eternity.
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  Speaker 3: John saw Jesus in all of his glory, the Lamb
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  Speaker 3: of God standing before him. Jesus took the scroll and
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  Speaker 3: all began to cry out, worthy, worthy, worthy. Why? Because
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  Speaker 3: Jesus is God. God is Jesus, and he is the
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  Speaker 3: one we worship. It was this truth that John had
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  Speaker 3: embraced so many years ago when he followed Christ on earth.
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  Speaker 3: And though he had only a faint understanding of what
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  Speaker 3: all of this meant, he was now given a vision
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  Speaker 3: of heaven itself and the hope that we have in Christ.
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  Speaker 3: We're told of things that are yet to come in
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  Speaker 3: the earth, of great tribulation and of an antichrist and
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  Speaker 3: of judgment. But we're told most of all that our
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  Speaker 3: God reigns. What a marvelous sight to behold. And this
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  Speaker 3: was just the beginning. Let's pray. God, we thank you
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  Speaker 3: for the book of Revelation, which not only speaks to yesterday,
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  Speaker 3: but speaks to today also. and tomorrow, and forever. The
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  Speaker 3: hope that we have in Christ, what we know is
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  Speaker 3: that he is alive, that Jesus is Lord, and that
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  Speaker 3: we can put our faith and trust in him. May
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  Speaker 3: we live every day in this hope and look forward
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  Speaker 3: to the day we see Jesus face to face. Amen.
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  Speaker 3: I want to thank you for once again listening to
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  Speaker 3: today's Bible in a Year podcast. One thing that you
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  Speaker 3: can do to follow up on what we're reading together
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  Speaker 3: in the scriptures is to go to jackgram.org, that's me, jackgram.org,
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  Speaker 3: and there are resources galore that you can find and
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  Speaker 3: grow in your Christian faith. There is a study in
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  Speaker 3: the book of Revelation, for example, that you may want
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  Speaker 3: to check out. We have a book called All Things New,
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  Speaker 3: all about the book of Revelation, and you can find
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  Speaker 3: it at jackgram.org. So let me encourage you to go
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  Speaker 3: there and be encouraged in your faith as you walk
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  Speaker 3: with Christ.