Fritha Dinwiddie 6/22/24 Fritha Dinwiddie 6/22/24

THE WITNESS AND HEAVENLY UNCTION

#625 THE WITNESS AND HEAVENLY UNCTION

Scripture Revelation 22:17, NIV Undated

Passage: 17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.

Timeline/Series: Revelation

Introduction

A person’s motivation largely determines the kind of job he does, no matter what the area of his interest is. Observe the efforts of some people who are trying to get out of some actual or psychological ghetto. They will look for some personal commodity that will accomplish their purpose. They will bring all their energies to bear on that area which seems to offer the highest percentage of success.

Athletic prowess has become a means, a motivation if you please, to lift people out of poverty, and into public acclaim.

The Christian who would be a witness of his faith, must likewise be highly motivated. We must be able to analyze the directives in our lives that will cause us to be the kind of witnesses that we feel we are supposed to be.

I. The Standard of the Holy Spirit

To call people to eternal life. Revelation 22:17 LB The spirit and the bride say ‘come.’ Let each one who hears them say ‘come.’ Let the thirsty one come—anyone who wants to, let him drink from the water of life without charge.

He convicts of sin, judgment, unbelief. John 16:8 TEV, And when [the Holy Spirit] comes, he will prove to the people of the world that they are wrong about sin, and about what is right, and about God’s judgment.

He brings light to people in darkness. Ephesians 2:1, 22 RSV And you he made alive when you were dead through the trespasses and sins . . . in whom you also are built into it for a dwelling place of God in the spirit.

He is God’s agent for justification and sanctification. I Corinthians 6:11 NIV And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the spirit of our God.

He is the one who gives victories over the flesh and the devil. Romans 8:12, 13 KJV We are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. / For if ye live after the flesh ye shall die: but if ye, through the spirit, do mortify the deeds of the body, you shall live.

“Hinds Feet on High Places”….

II. The Stirring of the Holy Spirit

To go before us. Isaiah 45—To Cyrus: though he doesn’t know Jehovah, God promises to go before him for the purpose of undergirding God’s people, and returning them to Palestine.

To be behind us. Isaiah 58:8—if we act in obedient faith, the glory of the Lord will protect us from behind.

Also beneath us. Deuteronomy 33:27—The eternal God is your refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms.

With us. Matthew 28:20—And be assured, I am with you always, to the end of time.

Within us. John 14:17, TEV—The world cannot receive him because it cannot see him or know him. But you know him because he remains with you, and lives in you.

Paraclete—The “called-beside” one.

III. The Statutes of the Holy Spirit.

Open and active appropriation of the Word of God. More than appreciation. Billy Graham—would you make any changes? I would let God’s word permeate my soul.

Obedience to the whole will of God. Judges 6:34 the Spirit of the Lord took possession of Gideon. Acts 5:34 . . . the Holy Spirit who is God’s gift to those who obey him.

Willful enthronement of Jesus as Lord. Revelation 11:15 The kingdom of this world, has become the kingdom of our Lord, and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.

Compassion and concern for the lost. Example of Jesus. Impassioned concern of early disciples.

Persistent prayer and supplication for the Holy Spirit’s power. Note the difference between his presence and his power. Pentecost came while the disciples were praying. Luke 11:13 . . . How much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

Fritha Dinwiddie 6/21/24 Fritha Dinwiddie 6/21/24

AS TIME RUNS OUT

#600 AS TIME RUNS OUT

Scripture Revelation 9:13-21, NIV Orig. 2/4/1979

Rewr. 6/8/1989

Passage: 13 The sixth angel sounded his trumpet, and I heard a voice coming from the four horns of the golden altar that is before God. 14 It said to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.” 15 And the four angels who had been kept ready for this very hour and day and month and year were released to kill a third of mankind. 16 The number of the mounted troops was twice ten thousand times ten thousand. I heard their number.

17 The horses and riders I saw in my vision looked like this: Their breastplates were fiery red, dark blue, and yellow as sulfur. The heads of the horses resembled the heads of lions, and out of their mouths came fire, smoke and sulfur. 18 A third of mankind was killed by the three plagues of fire, smoke and sulfur that came out of their mouths. 19 The power of the horses was in their mouths and in their tails; for their tails were like snakes, having heads with which they inflict injury.

20 The rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood—idols that cannot see or hear or walk. 21 Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts.

Purpose: Continuing the series from Revelation for class study, here describing the sixth trumpet to show that time is running out.

Keywords: Bible Study Judgment Tribulation Unbelief

Timeline/Series: Revelation

Introduction

In the concluding verse of chapter six, we read the hopeless acknowledgement of those confronting the “wrath of the lamb.” The sixth seal had just been opened, and calamities of the broadest proportion fell upon men. They were terrors bespeaking the wrath of God. The people were heard to cry out:

“For the great day of His wrath has come, and who shall be able to stand?”

In the next chapter, however, God has His messenger, in the person of one of the elders, to say:

7:14f “These are they which came out of the great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the lamb. . . and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.”

The RSV, by the way, translates that last phrase: “. . . He who sits on the throne will shelter them with His presence.”

For the unredeemed, the tribulation continues and intensifies. In chapter eight, the first four trumpet judgments are described. We read about God’s judgment upon a material universe. In the following chapter we first viewed the fifth trumpet, called a “woe,” depicting horror [illegible] result in death to one-third of the human [illegible] . . . . way you perceive it, time is running out.

I. First, We Want to Talk about General Positions Relative to Interpretations.

Basically, there are four. Preterist—regards the book as referring to its own day; it pictured the church’s struggle, but it was a struggle with Rome. Historical—that the book was designed to forecast the whole range of church history: From John’s time—Revelation 1:1 “things which must shortly come to pass” [and] 1:19 “Write . . . the things which are, and the things which shall be”; it is a kind of “vision” of the ages. Futurist—the book forecasts the time of the Lord’s coming and the end of the world: we hear more about this; position of evangelists, [illegible] preachers. Spiritualists—that the book has nothing to do with historical event: A depiction in figurative language of the great principles of divine government.

I want us to spend some time at this point on the historical position and follow it through. At the time of John, Rome was in the ascendancy of her power: Begun after the time of Alexander; from 3rd Century B.C., for 600/700 years; reached her zenith about 200 A.D. She knew no rival or peer for 500 years. Civil war church persecuted—for 800 years no foreign invader; radical change after 5th Century A.D.

The historists say that the trumpet judgment assesses the coming decline of the Roman Empire.

· The first trumpet: Read 8:7, “and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth, and 1/3 of trees, . . . all grass.” The Goths descended from the north, left behind scorched earth, burned cities, about 409 A.D.

· The second trumpet: Read 8:8, “And a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and 1/3 part of the sea became blood, and 1/3 ships.” The vandals entered Italy about 422 A.D. They swept through Gaul, Spain, North Africa. Built an armada, fought Rome 30 years. After 600 years control, Rome defeated.

· The third trumpet: Read 8:10, “And there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the rivers and fountains of waters . . . and the name of the star is called Wormwood.” While still struggling against the Vandals, the Huns arrived about 440 A.D. From Central Asia, Attila came to the banks of the Danube with 800,000 men. H.H. Halley writes (p716) “Pushing westward, he met the Roman armies and defeated them in awful slaughter, successively on the River Marne, River Rhone, River Po, so that these rivers actually ran with blood. Some historians say that the River Danube was actually turned anise and Attila buried in its bed.

· The fourth trumpet: Read 8:12, “And a third of the sun, . . . moon, . . . and stars were smitten, and day and night affected by one-third. History records that Odoacer besieged and took Rome in 476 A.D. (Barbarians). Someone notes “The light of Roman civilization went out and the Dark Ages of the world began.”

· The fifth trumpet: Read 9:1, “A star fell . . . and was given the key to the bottomless pit . . . and there came out locusts.” Equated with rise of Mohammedanism. Fierce, relentless horsemen, famous for beards, long hair. Mohammedanism taught them to spare growing things. Some say it lasted from 630 A.D. to 796 A.D., about 150 years, or five months.

· The sixth trumpet: Read 9:16, “The number of the army of the horsemen were 200 thousand thousand.” The Turks did not enter the picture until 1057 A.D., but did they ever. The Eastern Roman Empire fell at Constantinople in 1453 A.D., or 396 years. On the day/year theory (see v15), a day, month, year, totals 396. Nothing has yet been said about the empire being in three parts: Western, Rome; Eastern, Constantinople; and Trans Mediterranean, Alexandria.

This makes for very interesting theorizing especially to historians. It disengages the immorality of the Roman Empire. It even strikes a blow at Roman Catholic. It does very little, however, to speak to the struggling church of 1st Century. Which would mean that it means little to the struggles of our own day.

II. Now Let’s Take a Renewed Interest in the Sixth Trumpet. V13, “And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God.”

There is ONE authority as we move toward a final day, and it is God. Comparing the sixth seal (6:12f), there came the “day of wrath,” (v17). Messenger is dispatched “having the seal . . . God.” 7:2a. Believers were to be sealed, identified. The seventh seal gave way to the seven trumpets. The first four trumpets reveal Judgment upon man’s habitat. Have you been to a zoo lately? A Safari Compound? They are marvels in artificial habitat. What we can create for any species of mammal, we cannot create for us. Our ultimate downfall may stem from the abuse of our environment. June: dinosaurs; May: Swiss forests.

The fifth trumpet began the time of “woe.” A time of real, or imagined, calamity. I Corinthians 9:16b, “Woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel.”

The sixth trumpet (woe) continues what God absolutely controls. Remember that God’s people are sealed (7:3). They are to be removed from, or delivered through, these calamities. Only the third trumpet mentions human death. (Seems to be natural.) The fifth warns against it. Now, death has become a foregone conclusion (v15) “for to slay the third part of men.” The voice came from the altar. See 8:3-5, 6:9 (intercedings). The voice instructs (v14) that the “four angels” will be loosed. Euphrates: eastern border; compares with Isaiah 8:5-8; see Ezekiel 47 flood of holy waters, see Psalm 75:1-6. These are the angels of death. Revelation 6:8 (4th seal), 1 in 4 killed by man’s own ineptitude. 9:15, now 1 in three will be slain in this race to judgment. Hour, day, month, year, may mean only that perfection at work.

A cavalry force of 200 million is pictured. There were never this many Turks, but it looked like it. They are described with such lethal depiction, could these be indescribable modern weapons. Fire, smoke, brimstone different. Could describe war, atomic accident, earthquake, eruption. Reminiscent of Sodom and Gomorrah, Genesis 19:24. Whatever else they are, such monsters from the underworld are stylized portrayals of the subversive powers of demonic forces leading people away from God and to destruction.

· Jim Jones episode in Guyana

· Displays in China: 6/89

In v17 John’s only mention “vision.” With all of the above, there is still no repentance. Every lost person should wince; every believer/lost relative. Sin has become entrenched. Devil worship; idol worship; murder, sorcery, fornication, the pharmakeia.

Fritha Dinwiddie 6/21/24 Fritha Dinwiddie 6/21/24

PICTURES OF TERROR

#598 PICTURES OF TERROR

Scripture Revelation 9:1-12 NIV Orig. 3/18/1973

Rewr. 1/1978; 6/4/1989

Passage: 9 The fifth angel sounded his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen from the sky to the earth. The star was given the key to the shaft of the Abyss. 2 When he opened the Abyss, smoke rose from it like the smoke from a gigantic furnace. The sun and sky were darkened by the smoke from the Abyss. 3 And out of the smoke locusts came down on the earth and were given power like that of scorpions of the earth. 4 They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any plant or tree, but only those people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads. 5 They were not allowed to kill them but only to torture them for five months. And the agony they suffered was like that of the sting of a scorpion when it strikes. 6 During those days people will seek death but will not find it; they will long to die, but death will elude them.

7 The locusts looked like horses prepared for battle. On their heads they wore something like crowns of gold, and their faces resembled human faces. 8 Their hair was like women’s hair, and their teeth were like lions’ teeth. 9 They had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the thundering of many horses and chariots rushing into battle. 10 They had tails with stingers, like scorpions, and in their tails they had power to torment people for five months. 11 They had as king over them the angel of the Abyss, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon and in Greek is Apollyon (that is, Destroyer).

12 The first woe is past; two other woes are yet to come.

Purpose: Continuing a study from Revelation, here describing the sounding of the fifth trumpet, the first woe. The race to judgment proceeds.

Keywords: Hell Judgment Tribulation

Timeline/Series: Revelation

Introduction

Saturday in Tiananmen Square began as many other days of the past month. The students kept their vigil around the mock-up of the Statue of Liberty. But terror came to the square before the day was over. We’ve watched the news filmed secreted out. We’ve heard the sounds of disbelief and grief from Chinese Americans, from students enrolled in schools here, and from the world’s free press. Terror came in the form of guns, and tanks, and bullets. A young woman was run over by a tank. A group of ten, by an armored personnel carrier. Some 500 are said to be dead.

This morning’s paper showed a picture of curious on-lookers who had gathered on the outskirts of the square. It seems that there is an almost sadistic interest in the aftermath of terror.

We had a ferry disaster near us in New Orleans. Curious throngs lined both sides of the river awaiting the arrival of bodies brought up by the search team. [About the same time], elevator across from Ochsner Foundation Hospital blew up, killing several. One could watch the action through binoculars from the upper floors of the hospital. Air traffic news reports a leaper on the New Orleans Mississippi River Bridge. People leave their cars in traffic to get a view, and hopefully to see the plunge. Some are angry if he doesn’t go.

Whatever it is that makes us that way, the movie companies are capitalizing on it. Films zero in on this sadistic interest in other people’s terror, and sell the rights to anyone who has the admission to the picture show.

The last one I saw was the Poseidon Adventure, but there are dozens of others. They are becoming more and more entrenched on television.

John, the Revelator, used six verses to declare the first four trumpet plagues. He will use all of chapter nine for the next two. Then, it will take chapters 10 and 11 for the setting and climax of the seventh and final trumpet woe.

I. The Drama Introduces the Star Angel. V1 “And I saw a star fall (fallen) from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key . . . .”

John uses the same root word in the previous chapter. That star (Revelation 8:10) was a mass of molten material that contaminates fresh water. Isaiah uses a similar theology (14:12). The king of Babylon is described as “fallen from heaven” and is called “Lucifer,” and is pictured as “son of the morning”/star. Jesus uses this word in Luke 10:18 “I beheld Satan as lightning” astrapen. See Luke 10:19 scorpions. This star is a person. He is given a key and opens the abyss.

Primitive people, including the Hebrews, perceived of the stars as celestial spirits possessing conscious personality. Judges 5:20 (Deborah’s song)—“The stars in their courses fought against Sisera.” Job 38:7 “The morning stars sang together.”

We need to try to identify this star-angel. He was seen, not falling in the degraded sense, but as descending. Some say it is Satan, or his agent as in Revelation 12:4 (great red dragon [whose tail swept] 1/3 of the stars). It seems more reasonable that this is a divine agent. Revelation 8:2 the seven angels stood before God. Thus his mission is of God. Those under indictment were “men without the seal of God” (9:4). Anthropos generic/aner—man. God is not without power over Satan, but this divine, not Satanic agent.

II. Next, the Star-Angel Uses His Key to Open the Abyss (Bottomless Pit). V1 “To him was given the key of the bottomless pit” KJV. Abyss/fathomless pit (Phillips).

The word of designation is abyssos. Luke 8:31 says the “devils” in the Gadarene demoniac ask to not be sent “into the deep”—this word. Revelation 11:7 continues thought of bottomless pit. Should compare 9:11a. This is different from the pits of gloom. (II Peter 2:4/Jude 6).

This pit is clearly a place where terror lurks. More will be learned in chapters 11, 20. The smoke out of the pit was smoke “like” that out of a furnace. We have talked about comets—8:10; there has been talk of a volcano—8:8; we may add talk of atomic conflagration. Whatever it was, it darkened the sun. Similar darkness over Egypt. Exodus 10:21 “that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt.”

The purpose seems to be exactly the same as that over Egypt. The problem of spiritual apathy is an eternal one. Such action prompts men to attention. John 3:19 “This is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men lived in darkness rather than light because [their deeds were evil].”

III. Suddenly, Out of This Smoke Were Seen Locusts. V3 “And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth.”

What broader ranging horror can confront any people than the loss of food? Anguish of people in Civil War when soldiers took all food, mule, Sherman. Locusts picture such loss. This was an agricultural society. Riots in Argentina stealing food. Joel describes the locust plague, Joel 1:15 “The day of the Lord is at hand.” A wife loses her husband; the priest loses sacrifice; farmer loses his crop.

These locusts are not allowed to range over plants and trees (see v4). They were to serve God’s purpose. Again, what a similarity with the plagues upon Egypt. Their purpose to break a selfish will. The final three plagues were locusts, darkness, death. There was a seal in blood over the door. No doubt, the sign of the seal is still blood. John 6:53 “Except ye eat the flesh of the son of man, and drink His blood.” I John 1:7 “The blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanses [us from all sin]. Revelation 7:14 “These . . . have washed their robes.”

A further inference of the locusts. They are not literal: shape of war—horses, men’s faces, women’s hair, lions’ teeth, scorpions’ tails. Their purpose is not to kill, but to torment. Sin’s day is marked. Retribution will come. II Thessalonians 1:6, “Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you.” Interestingly, the period of tribulation is for five months. The life cycle of locusts is 5 months. It does no injustice to scripture to see this as a short term.

IV. With These Locusts, and Out of This Pit, Came One Identified as Their King. V11 And they had a king over them which is the angel of the bottomless pit.

Again, there is a question of agency. Perhaps, as the star-angel, an agent of God. Some contend that this is Satan. He delivers punishment without seal. Part of Satan’s punishment could not be seen as the betrayer. Part of scoffing humanity’s burden may be recognition that they have allowed him to dupe them.

His name is “destroyer.” In Hebrew Abaddon—destruction. In Greek Apollyon—same. By now both Hebrew/Greek cultures are touched by the gospel. Domitian, then on the throne, claimed to be the reincarnation of Apollo. Beasley-Murray—John’s “last word about the 5th trumpet was master stroke of irony: The destructive host of hell had as its king the emperor of Rome.”1

V. We Close the Study with a Word about Tribulation.

It can begin at any time.

It will be endured by those believers who acknowledge Christ through the testimony of the preaching evangelists of chapter 7.

There is nothing to keep this from happening in our lifetime.

The worst struggle for believers is what happens to unbelievers.

A short period.

Death will not be an allowable alternative (6:15f).

1Beasley-Murray, G.R. (1974). The book of Revelation. The New Century Bible Commentary, Grand Rapids: Marshall, Morgan & Scott (Publications) Ltd., 163.

Fritha Dinwiddie 6/8/24 Fritha Dinwiddie 6/8/24

A GLORIOUS ANGEL AND A MYSTERIOUS BOOK

#601 A GLORIOUS ANGEL AND A MYSTERIOUS BOOK

Scripture Revelation 10:1-11, NIV Orig. 5-5-1973

Rewr. 3-4-1979

Passage: 10 Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven. He was robed in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head; his face was like the sun, and his legs were like fiery pillars. 2 He was holding a little scroll, which lay open in his hand. He planted his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, 3 and he gave a loud shout like the roar of a lion. When he shouted, the voices of the seven thunders spoke. 4 And when the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven say, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said and do not write it down.”

5 Then the angel I had seen standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven. 6 And he swore by him who lives for ever and ever, who created the heavens and all that is in them, the earth and all that is in it, and the sea and all that is in it, and said, “There will be no more delay! 7 But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will be accomplished, just as he announced to his servants the prophets.”

8 Then the voice that I had heard from heaven spoke to me once more: “Go, take the scroll that lies open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.”

9 So I went to the angel and asked him to give me the little scroll. He said to me, “Take it and eat it. It will turn your stomach sour, but ‘in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey.’[a]” 10 I took the little scroll from the angel’s hand and ate it. It tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it, my stomach turned sour. 11 Then I was told, “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages and kings.”

[Purpose: Continuing the Bible study from Revelation]

Introduction

Chapter 9 with its sixth trumpet closed in a very strange way. It called our attention to a fast-approaching day of unequaled terror. Along the way, it told about a coming time of warfare that would see 200,000,000 warriors massed for battle. However, these warriors are pictured not dropping atomic bombs on mankind, but moving out on horseback and killing as they go.

A young man in total seriousness asked me recently if I thought that there might be any connection between these warriors on horseback here in our computer age, and all of the talk going on about the energy crises. He ventured to suggest that perhaps the reason that they were on horseback, was because all of the mechanized war machines had ground to a halt in the absence of fuel. Well, I will leave you with that to ponder on your own. If this could be true, then it would mean that something ‘sans pareil’ is going to happen before nuclear energy and solar energy get sophisticated enough for war machines.

Our chapter for this evening is a sort of parenthesis between the sixth and seventh trumpet. Whenever something transactional is about to occur in the book of Revelation, there is always a brief transitional period. This one is most important because it is marked by the coming end of the age. Every interpretation of the book of Revelation that is worthy of consideration holds that the Seventh trumpet is the end of the present age. The historists tell us that on the occasion of the 7th trumpet, Christ will therein come in judgment. The futurists mark the event as the time when Christ will come to establish His Millennial Kingdom. Whatever we may choose to believe about that, the year 1979 seems to be positioned not very securely, somewhere in this parenthetical period, between trumpet six and trumpet seven.

Let’s go on and take a good close look at this GLORIOUS ANGEL AND THE MYSTERIOUS BOOK.

I. A Revelation of Inexpressible Impact, but Its Meaning is to be Withheld. V3f “The seven thunders crashed their reply and as I was about to write what they had said, a voice from heaven said, ‘Don’t do it, their words are not to be revealed.’”

First of all, a look at the angel. While this angel is not said to be the Lord Himself, the description leads us quickly to understand that it must be either the Lord, or some created being who comes immediately from His presence. He was seen coming down from heaven: John 6:38, I came down from heaven; Acts 1:11, This same Jesus which was taken away.

The angel was robed in a cloud. Psalm 104:3, God maketh the clouds His chariots; Exodus 14:19, The angel of God and the pillar of the cloud are pictured as giving light to Israel and darkness to the Egyptians; I Kings 8:11, The priests had no room to stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord had filled the House; Ezekiel 11:22f, The prophet is instructed to declare the desolation of the once holy temple—he pictures the glory of God leaving the temple, staying a moment over the door, hanging above the east wall of the city reluctant to leave a place sustained so long by His glory, moving from there to the mountain to the east (the Mount of Olives). There was a rainbow over His head—Genesis 9:13, the rainbow was a sign of covenant. The angel’s face shone like the sun—Revelation 1:16, His face shone like the sun in brilliance; Matthew 17:2 [In] transfiguration His face did shine as “white as the light”; Acts 9:3 and 26:13, A light from heaven brighter than the sun; Matthew 14:2, The SUN of righteousness. His feet were like pillars of fire—Revelation 1:15 His feet were like unto fine brass, tempered by a furnace.

Have you ever had a confrontation with someone or some occasion of danger? Do you remember how weak-kneed you were when it was over?

Now, a quick look at the book. It was a little book. Jewish Talmud. John—the world can’t hold books written about Him. Easy to major on unimportant details. It was an open book. Revelation 5:2-4, You do recall do you not the occasion of John being transported into heaven where he saw the seven-sealed scroll, and his first dismay when it seemed that no one would be able to open it. The emphasis has turned from an unopened scroll of major proportion to an opened scroll of impact proportion. The earlier picture of the scroll was that it was the title-deed to the world. Now not the picture that forms. The Christ-angel comes. In His hand is the wide opened title-deed to the world which cannot be refuted. Around His head is pictured the rainbow which in chapter 4 was seen encircling the throne of God. He plants His right foot upon the sea, and His left foot upon the land, and He lays claim to what is His. It was a book of justice. I sat and talked with one of you recently about all we see about us that just isn’t fair. In these 13 years in Baptist pastorates I could have written books on what is and isn’t fair, about people who suffered unduly—at least in my interpretation of things—and I have seen people who did not get what they deserved, and I have felt myself thinking “It’s a good thing I am not God, or I’d fix your wagon.”

Next, note the seven-fold thunderous reply. There comes to this book of justice the seven thunderous interpretations of judgment. Psalm 29. Understand please that this judgment is marked upon those who have usurped the place and the property of God. And every man who has done this will get exactly what he deserves. Note the continuing series of sevens: the scroll was sealed with seven seals; the seventh seal opened upon seven trumpets; in the interlude between six and seven there are seven thunders. The seven thunders are the final act of judgment redemptively the end of the age. Revelation 9:20f. Look for a moment at the sealing of the message: John knew; he was not allowed to reveal; the Christian is sealed off securely from this final act of judgment (II Corinthians 12:4); it is herein established that there will be no more delay—KJV, time. Revelation 6:10, How long, O Lord, dost thou not judge and avenge? Hebrews 10:37.

II. The End is Near and it will be a Glorious Conclusion [to] the Plan of God, but the Time Remaining is to be Used.

The final fulfillment of God’s plan awaits the seventh seal. Ephesians 3:21, May he be given glory forever and ever through endless ages because of his master plan of salvation for the church through Jesus Christ. I Corinthians 1:25, This so-called “foolish” plan of God is far wiser than the wisest plan of the wisest man, and God in His weakness—Christ dying on a cross—is far stronger than any man.

John and all who walk by faith, walk believing that the end is near, but with resolve to be used of God until the end. A message about enlightenment about the Word—Go and get the scroll from the angel. Yes, take it and eat it [Revelation 10:8-9]. The word of spiritual revelation is never forced on any person. If he comes to possess it, it will be because by faith he has claimed it.

John is told to assimilate the message of the scroll and that it will be sweet to the mouth and bitter to the stomach. Psalm 19:10, Sweeter than honey and the honey comb. A quaint Jewish custom of alphabet being written on the slate with a mixture of flower and honey; he licked it clean. But look again at the occasion of the prophetic word being delivered to the nations. Remember Amos—Damascus/ Gaza/ Tyre/ Edom/ Ammon/ Judah/ Israel. I Peter 4:17, Judgment must first begin with the house of the Lord.

Closing

Are we as the people of God, ready to take seriously the command of God to assimilate the Word of God for delivery to the peoples, nations, tribes, and kings. As much as we claim to love, honor, and revere the Word, it may well be necessary for God to lead us through periods of difficulty before we are able to be used of Him.

Fritha Dinwiddie 6/4/24 Fritha Dinwiddie 6/4/24

THE SEVENTH SEAL

#445 THE SEVENTH SEAL

Scripture Revelation 8:1-13, NIV Orig. 2-18-1973

Rewr. 5-18-1989

Passage: 8 1When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.

2 And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them.

3 Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all God’s people, on the golden altar in front of the throne. 4 The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of God’s people, went up before God from the angel’s hand. 5 Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it on the earth; and there came peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake.

The Trumpets

6 Then the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared to sound them.

7 The first angel sounded his trumpet, and there came hail and fire mixed with blood, and it was hurled down on the earth. A third of the earth was burned up, a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up.

8 The second angel sounded his trumpet, and something like a huge mountain, all ablaze, was thrown into the sea. A third of the sea turned into blood, 9 a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.

10 The third angel sounded his trumpet, and a great star, blazing like a torch, fell from the sky on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water— 11 the name of the star is Wormwood.[a] A third of the waters turned bitter, and many people died from the waters that had become bitter.

12 The fourth angel sounded his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them turned dark. A third of the day was without light, and also a third of the night.

13 As I watched, I heard an eagle that was flying in midair call out in a loud voice: “Woe! Woe! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the trumpet blasts about to be sounded by the other three angels!

Purpose: Continuing a study for Church Training in Revelation, here focusing in on the opening of the seventh and final seal.

Keywords: Bible Study Judgment Deliverance

Timeline/Series: Revelation

Introduction

John has been through an emotional buzz-saw. He encountered the glory of the throne room in chapter four which was quickly turned to consternation as the following chapter opened. The seven-sealed title-deed suddenly claimed every fiber of his being. Throughout chapters 5, 6, and 7, we watched as those seals were broken, and as God keeps His hand on His people for good. Even though the seals were indicative of judgments, and the final seal broods toward a final judgment, God’s patient love sustains.

Chapter seven has closed on the high note of the purpose of God.

7:17 “For the lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters, and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.”

There is a sudden silence as the seventh seal is severed. The angels are silent in the agony of expectation. The living creatures dare make no sound before the face of the Almighty. The elders are speechless in their praise for the One who has kept His promise.

Now will begin the transaction that will occupy our attention through chapter eleven. At that point the final destiny of the world will be marked. We will consider seven angels with seven trumpets, seven thunders, three woes, and then the dramatic conclusion.

I. Presenting the Elements of the Final Seal. V1 “And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence.”

The “he” is the Lamb. 6:1 “When the Lamb opened one of the seals.”

There was total, unmitigated silence. Part of the heavenly mystic, thus far, has been the noises. For first four seals, living creatures call out “with voice of thunder” (6:1, 3, 5, 7). Fifth seal vents the alarmed cry 6:9-10 “with a “great voice” of the martyrs. Sixth seal contained the earthquake. Then the “loud voice” of the multitude. Now, we are beset with stillness.

The door is opening for the trumpet blast. In New Orleans we were staying at the Seminary Guest House. It was early Saturday morning, silence pervaded our part of [the City]. Suddenly the quietude was broken by some jerk driving by with volume on full.

The trumpet has long played a part. Exodus 19:6—Call Hebrews to Sinai. Isaiah 27:13—Summon the exiles. Joel 2:1—The day of the Lord “Blow ye the trumpet in Zion . . . sound . . . an alarm.” I Thessalonians 4:16—The trump of God sounds. I Corinthians 15:52—The dead in Christ shall come forth.

“When the trumpet of the Lord shall sound and time shall be no more,

And the morning breaks, eternal, bright and fair.

And the saved of earth shall gather over on the other shore,

And the roll is called up yonder I’ll be there.” 1

Then there is an angel priest with a golden censer, incense, and a fire. The place of angels for the Hebrews was for watchcare. They have played a major role throughout scripture, again in Revelation: Agents of God’s revelation; to bring protection/reassurance (BI F84p80); agents of judgment; used to foretell the future.

The altar is that of incense (Leviticus 16:12, Numbers 16:46 (18” x 18” x 3’—gold): Burned before the first sacrifice, after the last; offering in envelope of incense; prayers of believers take the place of sacrifices of Israel; prayer is the watchword of obedience.

II. With that, the First Trumpet is Sounded. V7 “The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood.”

The first declaration of judgment is cast upon the earth. There is hail, and fire, and blood. Mindful of the four angels of Chapter 7, restraining the winds. Trees and grass are destroyed: Adam and Eve account of tree; Daniel 4 tells of Nebuchadnezzar’s tree vision; Ezekiel 31 seems to recount same; Jesus compared Israel to a tree—Matthew 3:10 “Now the ax is laid to the root of the trees; every tree that beareth not good fruit is hewn down”; Grass is the symbol of human frailty—Isaiah 40:6 “All flesh is as grass.”

Not all of the earth affected. But all mankind. We are genetic equals. We have the power to reason for/against God. We have the will to decide. Therein we are sectarians.

The opening seal had to do with creation. “Horseman on white horse with bow and crown came forth conquering.” He met with failure. The derelicts of the world mark this.

III. Then is Sounded the Second Trumpet. “A great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea.”

Perhaps we can presume an “as if it were a great mountain.” How else would a meteor appear? First possibility is volcanic eruption: Vesuvius—August AD 79; Santorini—we were disallowed to visit because mule tenders were on strike; Surtsey—in our own time. The second possibility would be that of a gigantic comet, meteor: of tidal wave proportions; harbors would be destroyed; trucking and shipping affected for hundreds, thousands of miles.

We take a look at the blood. Literal, as in the Nile plague, Exodus 7:20. Figurative, as in fine, red sand blown from the Sahara in such a storm. Joel 2:34 “the sun turned to darkness, and the moon to blood. Ezekiel 28:23 Zidon, “blood in her streets.” Hosea:1-3, Zephaniah 1:3, Isaiah 2:16f.

IV. Next Comes the Third Angel with Trumpet. V10, “There fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp.”

There has been judgment upon the earth, sea.

Now there is judgment upon the rivers. The picture here seems more to the point of a comet. But the bitterness of the waters is what brings dismay. We can think of radioactive fallout. There are ecological concerns such as industrial pollutants. Even volcanic eruptions: St. Helens.

We can gain insight about wormwood. Deuteronomy 29:18 “The day that any of you . . . begins to turn away from the Lord and desires to worship these gods of other nations, that day a root will be planted that will grow bitter and poisonous fruit.” Jeremiah 9:14-15, 23:15 “wormwood and gall.”

V. The Fourth Angel with Trumpet. V12 “A third part of sun, moon, and stars.”

Thus judgment has passed from earth to sea, to fresh waters, to the heavens, [to] galaxies.

In this manner, light is affected. At first it seems to be partial. But then there was total darkness for a third of the day. Luke 21:25-28. Think of storm darkness or an eclipse.

II Baruch 77:20-22, “And I called an eagle and said to him these words: You have been created by YAHWEH the Most High that you should be higher than any other bird. But now go and do not stay in any place, do not go into a nest, do not sit on any tree until you have flown over the breadth of the many waters of the river Euphrates and have come to the people that live there and cast down to them this letter.” Luke 17:37 vultures NIV, [eagles KJV].

Darkness as a symbol of judgment runs throughout the Old Testament. Amos 5:18 “Day of the Lord as a day of darkness.” See II Peter 3:1-10 (3-4, 7, 10).

1 Black, J.M. 1893, “When the Roll is Called Up Yonder.”

Fritha Dinwiddie 5/25/24 Fritha Dinwiddie 5/25/24

GRACE IN TIME OF TRIBULATION

#432 GRACE IN TIME OF TRIBULATION

Scripture Revelation 7:1-17, NIV Orig. 2-4-1973 (12-1978)

Rewr. 4-30-1989

Passage: 7 1 After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth to prevent any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea or on any tree. 2 Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal of the living God. He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea: 3 “Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.” 4 Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel.

5 From the tribe of Judah 12,000 were sealed,

from the tribe of Reuben 12,000,

from the tribe of Gad 12,000,

6 from the tribe of Asher 12,000,

from the tribe of Naphtali 12,000,

from the tribe of Manasseh 12,000,

7 from the tribe of Simeon 12,000,

from the tribe of Levi 12,000,

from the tribe of Issachar 12,000,

8 from the tribe of Zebulun 12,000,

from the tribe of Joseph 12,000,

from the tribe of Benjamin 12,000.

The Great Multitude in White Robes

9 After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. 10 And they cried out in a loud voice:

“Salvation belongs to our God,
who sits on the throne,
and to the Lamb.”

11 All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying:

“Amen!
Praise and glory
and wisdom and thanks and honor
and power and strength
be to our God for ever and ever.
Amen!”

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

14 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. 15 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.
16 ‘Never again will they hunger;
    never again will they thirst.
The sun will not beat down on them,’[a]
    nor any scorching heat.
17 For the Lamb at the center of the throne
    will be their shepherd;
‘he will lead them to springs of living water.’[b]
    ‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’[c]”

Purpose: Continuing a Church Training study in Revelation, here calling attention to the suspension of judgment as the opening of seals reaches its climax.

Keywords: Bible Study Grace Revelation Judgment

Timeline/Series: Revelation

Introduction

The suspension of judgment so clearly seen after the opening of the sixth seal is a place to pause. Here we are offered a vantage point useful in looking back over where we have been. This can help us to keep the entire book in focus as we try to grasp an immediate context. Chapter one introduces the author and his work. Chapters two and three personalize the people for whom the book was first intended: seven letters to seven churches.

Suddenly, in chapter four, we find John having being transported to the throne room of God. Around the throne were four “living creatures” and twenty-four lesser thrones. On and off these thrones were “elders” giving praise to God. Chapter five introduces a testamental document sealed with seven seals. The following chapter noted the opening of six of these seals, and represents six phases of judgment through which the world has gone.

1. The White Horse: an unsuccessful effort to bring order out of the chaos of creation, the rider, with bow and crown, bent on conquest.

2. The red horse: next we see the personification of evil set free by this zealous spirit of conquest. Peace is shackled.

3. Then came the black horse: moral order had been degraded, evil enthroned, peace immobilized. Sin’s self-gratification brings a social and material imbalance breeding discontent. Without bow or sword, but with a “balance.”

4. After this came the pale horse: the final result of sin’s presence on the world’s scene has to be sin’s judgment, and death and destruction are the signs. The rider was called “death” and followed by something called “Hades.” Remember that four is the great world number, and three is the divine number. There have been four judgments relating to the world, but the theme of the seals clearly changes here.

5. This seal brought into focus the souls of martyrs under the altar. The Word of God was brought to bear, and man in sin rejects it.

6. Seal six revealed a cataclysmic event of world proportion adding the sin of rejecting the living word as it had the revealed word.

Thus, we come to that moment in destiny just before the opening of the seventh seal. Chapter six concludes: V7 “The great day of his wrath has come; and who shall be able to stand?” There is a terrible similarity to other such declarations. Nahum 1:3f “The Lord has his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, . . . he rebuketh the sea, . . . the mountains quake at him, and the hills melt, . . . . Who can stand before his indignation?” Luke 23:30 “Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, cover us.”

Chapter seven, then, will become a suspension in judgment. The time of the end has come, but God, in love, will not cease His grace while time remains. The hiding place is not “in the rocks” but “on” the ROCK. “Who will be able to stand?” Those who stand on the ROCK.

· Matthew 7:25 “And the rains descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon the house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a ROCK.”

· Habakkuk’s prayer (3:2) should become our prayer as well. “O Lord, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy.” (V19 “The Lord God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places.” (See Habakkuk 3:15 for “Thou didst walk through the sea with thine horses.”)

I. Note the Suspension of Judgment.

These ancient peoples have us at somewhat of a disadvantage. They didn’t know about secondary causes. If an event was beyond human power, it was of the gods. Or, in the Hebrews’ case, of Jehovah.

Hail and wind damage, tornadoes and earthquakes would have been acts of God. We know about atmospheric pressure. Mountain configurations, weather variations. The impact of the moon, and sunspots.

The four angels represent this suspension. Genesis 19:1f angels delivered Lot from Sodom. Matthew 2:13 warned Joseph to flee to Egypt. Hebrews 1:14 angels: “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?”

This suspension was for the purpose of sealing the believers in safety and security. Then, a fifth angel (v2) appears on the scene. From the east as sunrise. As the star of annunciation. Prophecy of Zechariah Luke 1:67f, 79 “To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” This angel bears the seal of God. Same word for “living” in 5:6,14; “Living” creatures not identified, but God is here identified. Various exemplifications of god/God: Isaiah 44:14f “He heweth him down cedars . . . warmth, . . . bread . . . he maketh a god, and worshippeth it.” Joshua 3:10, “Hereby ye shall know that the living God is among you.” Note the conjunctive of purpose: “till.” Reference to the already saved; others will be saved during this time of suspension.

II. Note Then the Sealing of the Servants. V3 “. . . till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.”

This can, of course be related to a prior _____. One with an inkhorn is instructed to go through the city marking the ones “who grieve the abominations.”

Such seals give evidence of authority. Genesis 41:42 Joseph was given Pharaoh’s seal: “Without thee shall any many lift up hand or foot in all . . . Egypt.” Esther 3:10 It was with the king’s seal that Haman ordered the death of Jews. 8:10 likewise Mordecai countermanded the order.

Note the significance of the number and the identification of those sealed. Jehovah’s Witnesses declare this number to be the first order of the saved; Others may be saved but supplementary. Futurists believe that it speaks of Jews to be saved out of the tribulation (144,000 Jewish evangelists). In the study of numbers this is the equivalent of 12 x 12 x 1000. And 12 may be thought of as the product of 4 x 3. Not a number in limitation, but a number in perfection. 12 represents perfection, 1000 complete.

What we learn of the identification of the sons of Jacob here named. Judah, the 4th of Leah supplants Reuben; Reuben; Gad, Zilpah’s first; Asher, her second; Naphtali, Bilhah’s second; Manasseh, Joseph’s; Simeon, Levi, Issachar, Zebulon--2nd, 3rd, 5th, 6th sons of Leah; Joseph and Benjamin, the sons of Rachel; Dan is omitted: Genesis 49:17 Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path; Leviticus 24:11, Judges 18; I Kings 12:28-30. Jeremiah 8:16 speaks of “the snorting of horses heard from Dan”—Some believe that the anti-Christ will be a descendant of Dan.

A final word is spoken relative to the sealing of believers. Ephesians 1:13 “. . . in whom also, after that ye believed, ye were sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise.” II Corinthians 1:22 “Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the spirit in our hearts.” Ephesians 4:30 “Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby we are sealed unto the day of redemption.” Matthew 25:31 “When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory.”

III. Note, Next, the Glory of the Unnumbered Throng. V9 “After this I beheld, and lo, a great multitude which no man could number of all nations, kindred, people, tongues, stood before the throne and before the lamb, clothed in white robes, and had palms in their hands.”

If the prior verses speak of Jews saved during the tribulation, this must speak of Gentiles. Romans 1:16 “according to the Jew first.” These Gentiles would be won to salvation through Israel’s restoration.

Did God know that toward the end believers would lose the thrust of influence?

Remember also, believers have been taken up and are not in tribulation.

The angels take up the shout of the unnumbered throng. V12 “Saying amen, Blessing and glory, and wisdom, and Thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God.”

IV. Finally, the Bliss of the Redeemed.

There is angelic praise. The angels are in a circle about the throne. Around the elders and living creatures—See 4:6, 5:6. They fall (again) upon their faces—See 4:10. The white robes: Victorious faith; Righteousness of Christ; Victory by sacrifice (v14) is regularly stated. The palms were symbols of joy.

There is washing from sin. Rewards: Living/serving forever in presence of God; no more hardship imposed by nature (v16); contact forever with the source of life (v17); God will be their Comforter (v17b).

Fritha Dinwiddie 5/25/24 Fritha Dinwiddie 5/25/24

REDEMPTION’S DRAMA: ACT 1

#428 REDEMPTION’S DRAMA: ACT 1

Scripture Revelation 6:1-17, NIV Orig. 1-28-1973 (11-1978)

Rewr. 4-16-1989

Passage: 6 1 I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, “Come!” 2 I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.

3 When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!” 4 Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make people kill each other. To him was given a large sword.

5 When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come!” I looked, and there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. 6 Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, “Two pounds[a] of wheat for a day’s wages,[b] and six pounds[c] of barley for a day’s wages,[d] and do not damage the oil and the wine!”

7 When the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, “Come!” 8 I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth.

9 When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. 10 They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” 11 Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers and sisters,[e] were killed just as they had been.

12 I watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake. The sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red, 13 and the stars in the sky fell to earth, as figs drop from a fig tree when shaken by a strong wind. 14 The heavens receded like a scroll being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place.

15 Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and everyone else, both slave and free, hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. 16 They called to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us[f] from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! 17 For the great day of their[g] wrath has come, and who can withstand it?”

Purpose: Leading a study in Revelation for Church Training, in the seals leading to the opening of the great scroll of redemption.

Keywords: Bible Study Judgment Redemption Christ the Lamb

Timeline/Series: Revelation

Introduction

Recall that the scene for this drama was set in Revelation 4:1, “. . . a door was opened in heaven: . . . voice . . . said, Come up hither and I will show thee things which must be hereafter.”

What then fell on John’s gaze in this awesome place was a heavenly throne, upon which Majesty was seated. This supreme One was surrounded by the trappings of royalty. There were four “living creatures” representing all created order. There were twenty-four elders, spiritual leaders, on seats of honor.

These 24 chosen ones leave their places of honor and fall down before the throne. As they do so, John’s attention is drawn to the One on the throne. 5:1 “And I saw in the right hand of him that sat upon the throne a book . . . sealed with seven seals.”

The One on the throne makes no move to open the “book.” An angel calls for one “who is worthy” to come forward. The living creatures make no move. The angel did not do so much as examine the scroll. The elders, men of greatness from Old Testament and New Testament traditions held their peace and their place. And John wept, until the elder said, 5:5 “weep not: behold the lion of the tribe of Judah.” Then, in the midst of all this pageantry, John saw, not a lion, but a “Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent into all the earth” (5:6).

Now the drama begins to unfold. The Lamb, Jesus, who was worshipped (5:12-14), as the Lord had been worshipped (4:10-11), holds in His hands the scroll, the title-deed to the souls of men. The seals begin to fall, one by one. After all seven are removed, the book will be opened.

At the seventh seal, seven angels and seven trumpets are introduced (8:2), causing an almost interminable delay. Finally, at the end of chapter 11, the seventh angel sounds. But the drama resumes in chapter 12 with the inclusion of the “red dragon,” and the “plagues.” Then read chapter 21. These are the summations of the two parts of the drama. Here is the climax.

Mark Tullow was in L.A. during 60s. Group would meet for delayed broadcast of UCLA games. Returning from store he accidentally heard the score. He patted TV, “Don’t worry coach, we’re gonna win.”

I. Scene I: Seal I: Judgment Underway. “And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals. And I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four living creatures saying, Come (and see). And I saw, and beheld a white horse . . . .”

An important detail. Accurate translation not “Come and see.” Best rendering is “Come.” A word spoken not to John, but to the rider.

An important diversion. Best guides to interpretation are from scripture. See Zechariah 6:1-8 describes interestingly the same four colors of horses, seen as spirits from God going across earth. Again, II Kings 6:15f Elisha’s young servant “open the young man’s eyes.” He saw a mountain covered with horses, chariots.

A message concerning symbolism. V1 “As it were” KJ, “like” NIV.

Note the presence of “thunder.” First in Bible—Exodus 9:23 in the 7tn plague (hail) Judgment.

Our main concern here is for the white horse and its rider. First, could this be Christ? Some commentators say yes. But the Lamb is opening seals. He is giving these instructions, not heeding them. A different representation than found in 19:11 “a white horse whose rider is called Faithful and True.” He wears a diadema. Here it is a stephanos.

Who then is this rider? Non-millennialists: conquest, militarism, armed strength. Millennialist sees the anti-Christ just before the seven-year reign. Judgment coming. We need keep the people of that day in mind. A symbol for history’s inception. Man’s great potential. Warped by egomania. (Ref. Zechariah 14:13.) Rome was the power of the day, but they were intimidated by Parthians. Coins show horse, bow.

II. Scene II: Seal II: Man’s Lust for Power Becomes War. “And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, ‘Come.’ And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth.”

To view this as symbolism only, then this evil force follows the symbol of good in v1.

The Continuous-Historical method: The seven churches were seven ages. Seals, trumpets, vials represent progressive historical events. Also believe the world getting better. For the non-millennialist: war naturally follows the meism of seal one. Red is the color of shed blood as for bravery, as white depicts the good guy.

The millennialist sees this red horse as man’s last vain struggle for peace. Out of WWI: League of Nations. Out of WWII: United Nations. Out of Middle East: Camp David Accord. Reagan White House: Glasnost.

Judgment is waiting in the wings, and man’s political machinations are opening the door.

III. Scene III: Seal III: Famine. “Come. And lo, a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand (v5/6).”

Again, there is little difference in interpretation. Ezekiel 4:16. Famine follows in the wake of war. Black is the color of grief, death.

Famine is depicted spiritually in terms of a dearth of the Holy Spirit, Word. Matthew 24:7 “And there shall be famine.” Amos 8:11 “Behold, the days come saith the Lord God that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread or a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord.” Inflation v6/Warlords. Plowshares: Isaiah 2:4, Micah 4:3, Joel 3:10.

IV. Scene IV: Seal IV: Justice. “Come. And lo, a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was death and hell followed with him.”

There was a warning by the prior rider who carried balances. “He who lives by the sword shall die by the sword,” Matthew 26:52.

He is given the name “death,” and “hell” follows in his wake. Man’s natural instinct is aggression, and thus judgment/justice. Man’s natural instinct is war, and thus judgment/justice. Man’s natural instinct is for famine, and thus judgment/justice. Hell.

We have watched with interest the reports from Valdez, Alaska, on the progress of the oil slick. It is part of the price we are paying for the way we are choosing to live. Capsized barge in Bayou Sorrel. 90% water but the other 10% is toxic. Today is “Save the Earth Day.” Sunday Magazine had suggestions for taking toxins out of our homes. Are we interested? What will it cost? Is it hard work? What are others doing?

V. Scene V: Seal V: Martyrs. V9f “And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the Word of God, and for the testimony which they held.”

The tribulationists see this as the “tribulation” period. See 7:14. These are the “saved” during this time. Though the saved have been removed from the conflict. The word is proclaimed and yet others are being saved. There is great persecution of these.

Others see it only as judgment underway. Those who endure call for its end. They are admonished to be patient for some remain as they once were. White robes testify of their new nature.

The meaning of “under the altar.” Reference to Leviticus 4:7, “blood . . . at the bottom of the altar.” Their blood not wasted, sacrifice to God. Paul: II Timothy 4:6, “ready to be offered up.”

The cry of the martyrs. The cry of the suffering righteous. “How long?” Psalm 74:10/79:5. Barclay R20p14. A cry for “vengeance.” “Vindication.” Psalm 75:8-10 “all the wicked of the earth shall drink it down to . . . dregs.” Tertullian Concerning Spectacles1 yearns for such vengeance. A number to be completed, to fulfill. Anglican Prayer Book—“Accomplish the number of Thine elect.”

VI. Scene VI: Seal VI: V12f “And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake.”

Some see this as a final judgment.

For others it is a natural disaster in which portents of judgment may be seen. Exodus 19:18 “Sinai quaked at the approach of the Lord.” Matthew 27:551f at Christ’s death/Luke 21:25f signs.

The great day has come: wrath.

Sin’s impulse is to hide: Adam/Eve. Man becomes a fugitive: Cain/Jonah. The wrath evaded is that of the Lamb. Revelation 5:6—Lamb, 6:16—wrath of the Lamb, 7:14—saved by the Lamb.

1Tertullian, approximately 160-approximately 230. (1953). Tertullian, Apology, De spectaculis. Cambridge, Mass.: London: Harvard University Press; W. Heineman.

Fritha Dinwiddie 4/21/24 Fritha Dinwiddie 4/21/24

THE SEVEN-SEALED BOOK

#424 THE SEVEN-SEALED BOOK

Scripture Revelation 5:1-14 NIV Orig. 1-21-1973

Rewr. 3-29-1989

Passage: 5 1 Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. 2 And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” 3 But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. 4 I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. 5 Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”

6 Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits[a] of God sent out into all the earth. 7 He went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. 8 And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people. 9 And they sang a new song, saying:

“You are worthy to take the scroll
    and to open its seals,
because you were slain,
    and with your blood you purchased for God
    persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.
10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,
    and they will reign[b] on the earth.”

11 Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. 12 In a loud voice they were saying:

“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength
and honor and glory and praise!”

13 Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying:

“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be praise and honor and glory and power,
for ever and ever!”

14 The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.

Purpose: Continuing a study in Revelation for adults in Church Training.

Keywords: Bible Study Christ the Saviour

Timeline/Series: Revelation

Introduction

Dr. H.A. Ironside 1draws from an Old Testament parallel a factor aiding in understanding this 5th chapter. It, too, concerns a sealed parchment, and is in the form of a property deed.

Jeremiah continued to remind the people of Israel of the impending disaster hanging over their heads. He spoke to “Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre, and Sidon” that “any nation [willing to] bow its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon . . .” would live. The same message was delivered to Zedekiah (Jeremiah 27:12f). “Bow your neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon . . . and you will live.” This message made Jeremiah far more enemies than friends. But Jeremiah was also projecting restoration.

The instrument of the sealed parchment arose at the instigation of a cousin of Jeremiah by the name of Hanamel (Hanameel). Hanameel was a kind of real estate broker. He believed what Jeremiah was forecasting about Judah’s downfall. That being the case, the best thing it could do with property was to unload it. Jeremiah is instructed of the Lord to redeem the property. (Jeremiah 32:6-15) “Houses, fields, and vineyards will again be bought in this land” (v15).

So the title deed was signed, sealed, and put away for the one who would come as Jeremiah’s heir. Whoever, and whenever, the property would be his. He would be able to communicate his ownership through the title that the prophet signed.

Dr. Ironside suggests that the seven-sealed scroll here described is the title deed to the souls of men. Once it is established who the rightful heir is, he has but to step forward, prove his title, and claim the legacy. “Worthy is the lamb, who was slain” (Revelation 5:12).

THRONES DON’T COME CHEAPLY

#418 THRONES DON’T COME CHEAPLY

Scripture Revelation 4:1-11, NIV Orig. 7-12-1964; 1-1973

Rewr. 3-26-1989

Passage: 4 1After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” 2 At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. 3 And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne. 4 Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. 5 From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. In front of the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits[a] of God. 6 Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal. In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. 7 The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. 8 Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying:

“‘Holy, holy, holy

is the Lord God Almighty,’[b]

who was, and is, and is to come.”

9 Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:

11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God,
    to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
    and by your will they were created
    and have their being.”

Purpose: Continuing a series for use with adults in Church Training.

Keywords: Bible Study God, Glory Worship

Timeline/Series: Revelation

Introduction

It can be perceived directly that thrones don’t come cheaply. There is a cost, and someone must bear it.

Edward the VIII of the House of Windsor discovered early in his reign that the price was formidable indeed. After the death of his father in January of 1936, Edward became king of England. He had been a faithful servant of the British Empire for all of the twenty years of his adult life. He was well-known and loved by the British people. His inherent ability, his experience, and his being of the royal family portrayed a regent of great ability. However, his term as England’s reigning monarch was a brief one indeed.

Less than a year after inheriting the throne at his father’s death, he discovered the price that he would have to pay to hold on to his title. To remain king he would have to give up the woman whom he loved. He was unwilling to pay that price.

While the romanticists applaud his decision, the historians wonder what might have been England’s destiny under his able leadership, especially with the Second World War already in its early struggles.

Shakespeare did not picture it any differently. Macbeth was literally driven to the throne by his own ambition. He was a loyal subject of the king until he became enamored with the idea of himself as being king. You perhaps remember the scene with the three witches, with the tempting of Macbeth, and with resultant death of Duncan at Macbeth’s hand. He himself died similarly. Thrones don’t come cheaply.

A cursory reading of the Old Testament books of II Kings and II Chronicles further proves this point. The price paid under the labors of this kingly ambition. An extremely high price has already been paid for the throne perceived here in the opening of Revelation 4.

I. The Price of Purchase Describes Honor. V1 “. . . a door opened . . . and the first voice said . . . Come up hither, and I will show thee things which must be hereafter.”

We are not left to wonder whose throne. John was in the midst of a worshipful experience: At Patmos for punishment (Revelation 1:9) and in the spirit of worship (Revelation 1:10). In this continuing encounter he observes an open door, unguarded, same as in Revelation 3:8 (Philadelphia) hinges removed and permanently open. We were in Washington D.C. summer after the explosion in Lebanon, killing hundreds of soldiers. Barricade made entrance to White House a maze.

John is ordered to appear before throne. Word “looked” suggests design. “Saw” is a better translation.

John is then transported into a discerning spirit. This is an ordinary view of God. Psalm 47:8 “God sitteth upon the throne of his holiness.” Isaiah 6:1 “I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up.” We are given a description of what was seen:

· An open door—Door of opportunity (3:8), door of objectivity (3:20), door of observation (4:1).

· Next he observes a throne—Someone is on the throne; he makes no effort to describe with man-like quality

· What he sees he does picture—No mention of size, shape, texture; God is pictured in terms of light—glittering diamond (jasper), shining ruby (sardius), rainbow like an emerald. I Timothy 1:16 “God dwells in the light that no man can approach unto.” Psalm 104:2 “God who covers himself with light as with a garment.”

· He sees a rainbow: peace.

· There are twenty-four thrones/elders—Tribes/apostles; 4 earthly/3 divine/doubled; Wearing crowns signifying victory.

· Thunder and lightning—Announcing God’s presence (Sinai); Lamps of Spirit’s presence to enlighten, save.

· A glassy sea (transparent)—wide dominion/peaceful kingdom.

The signs thus seen are of honor, glory: Breastplate of High Priest—Exodus 28:17; foundation of holy city—Revelation 21:19; the colors communicate majesty (white—God’s purity, red—God’s wrath, green—God’s mercy).

II. The Price of Purchase Declares Holiness. V8 “And the four beasts . . . rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.”

Along with his title to honor is his testament of holiness. Usurpers can claim the trapping of the throne. Sergeant Doe led uprising in Liberia while Fritha was there. But only his own character can describe his worthiness to lead.

A further look at those around the throne:

· The elders—Genesis 3:22 “one of us,” Job 1:6 “Sons of God.” 24 courses of priests (I Chronicles 24:7f), symbolic of perfect worship.

· Their crowns—II Timothy 4:7,8 “I have fought . . . I have finished . . . I have kept . . . , laid up for me . . . a crown of righteousness.” Matthew 19:28 “When the son of man sits on his glorious throne, you my disciples shall certainly sit upon your thrones.”

· There are four living creatures—Covered with eyes suggesting wisdom; four classes of beings (Lion—preeminent wild, Oxen—preeminent domestic, Eagle—preeminent of winged, Man—PREEMINENT.) Thus, all creation praises: everything fulfilling its function.

III. The Price of Purchase Demands Homage. V10 “And the four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth forever and ever.”

The threefold effect of praise: glory, honor, thanks.

The elders’ praise represents all who are themselves followers of Christ:

· They fell down before Him;

· They cast crowns at His feet—stephanos, earned crowns;

· But they are on the thrones through His work, not their own;

· All living creatures have wings suggesting their readiness to do the will of God;

· Here are the operations of a divine economy that keeps this world in harmony;

· The church is to acquiesce to this divine harmony thus lifting our own voices of praise—the sounds of all creation, the voices of faith.

Conclusion

In this Roman world of which John wrote, there was a military/political event that figures into the picture here described. When one king was vanquished by another, the absolute sign of submission was to see him, the vanquished, remove his crown and cast it at the feet of him, the conqueror. The armies of Rome often carried with them to the field of battle an image of their emperor. When the enemy was subdued, then in open ceremony, the beaten monarch, or his agent, had to throw down a likeness of the royal crown before this image.

In mind and will, our lives are our own. We are sovereign and are determined to remain so. To accept Jesus is no act of appeasement. It is not giving intellectual assent to Jesus’ potential to Lordship. It is to de-throne self. It is to reject the deified self-image and pay homage to the king of kings.

Fritha Dinwiddie 4/8/24 Fritha Dinwiddie 4/8/24

OPENED DOORS OF OPPORTUNITY

#426 OPENED DOORS OF OPPORTUNITY

Scripture Revelation 3:8, 20; 4:1 NIV Orig. 10/15/1967

Rewr. 5/12/1987

Passage:

38 I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.

20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.

41After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.”

Purpose: Calling attention to our present advantage from God if we grasp the meaning of circumstances put before us.

Keywords: Consternation Hope Opportunity Revival

Special Program

Introduction

Checking the meaning of the word “door” in a dictionary, you may find any one of dozens of definitions. A cheap one may say nothing more than “access” or “passageway.” My Brittanica says little more. “Frame used for closing or opening . . . Any means . . . of exit or entrance.” The principal rendering in both examples then would be that a door is something to hide behind.

Scripture uses the word variously, even that way. But there are other meanings and we draw from those other meanings this morning.

The psalmist uses it as a barrier, not to keep closed, but to get opened. “Be ye lifted up ye everlasting doors, and the king of glory shall come in.” (Psalms 24:7). Yet again, he uses the idea to suggest humble service. “I’d rather be a door-keeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in tents of wickedness.”

Jesus, you remember, drew word pictures often with such imagery. In prayer: “When thou has shut the door, pray.” In parable, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God.” (Matthew 19:24). As an expression of finality in faith: “They that were ready went in: . . . and the door was shut. (Matthew 25:10). As an example of Himself: “I am the door; by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.” Notice the strong imagery there that it is not something to lock ourselves behind, it is a place to which we have occasional respite, remembering even as we do, that the greater place for good is beyond those doors.

I. The First of These Doors is the Door of Decision. V20 “Behold, I stand at the door and knock.”

We must remember that the one addressing the door is the One who knows our sin. History is full of incidents of people and nations thinking their sin is of no consequence. Jeremiah saw the real trouble for Judah. The northern kingdom had fallen. Jeremiah 7:9f “Will ye steal, murder, commit adultery and swear falsely and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods whom ye know not; And come and stand before Me in this house which is called by My Name, and say, ‘We are delivered to do all these abominations?’” The remarkable thing about Jim Bakker’s recent media exploitation. His sin of adultery was bad enough. But for seven years he had practiced deceit.

The One standing at the door demands the response of faith and faithfulness. We must never be deceived into thinking that polite acknowledgment and practical indifference will placate the holy and righteous God. Your testimony in your community depends on your faithfulness. Deacon, hear me, faithfulness is expected. Your church may not take action, but God will. Teacher/worker, God expects you to do your best, and to seek to improve.

We are as close as a church can be to losing Church Training to disinterest. Some of you are saying “Who cares?” which is the devil’s remark. Most of us got our basic training in Church Training.

Trusting Christ, we moved forward to grow in Him. We will do well to recall Luke 9:62 “No man having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit.” It was so easy to feel uplift of revival. Some took the courageous way of openness. Still others felt some innate desire. [The] next Sunday we weren’t even average. Church Training was the lowest in my memory. So, some were out of town for M.D., but why stay absent yourself that night.

Hear me, the One at the door respects your privacy. We ignore Him to our peril. Our children will be less spiritual than we. Our friends and neighbors need to know what it is that we really stand for. Faithful pastors must conclude, “Lord, if I can’t lift their vision, send one who can.”

II. The Next Door is That of Decision. V8 “Behold, I have set before thee, an open door.”

It is not in the sense of time or place. We still hear people talk about the good old days. We remember the value of such times. But we also remember the hardness, and the work. Someone spoke of the days when “a man’s word was his bond.” But it’s tough, in a $90,000 home, waiting for microwave meal to heat, watching Walton Mountain, on a 2T4 HEU, wishing for the “good old days.”

But, you see, God would have us where we are, for Jesus’ sake. The “direction” in missions came at Antioch.

· Acts 11:19 “preaching . . . to none but Jews only.”

· Acts 11:20 “preaching the Lord Jesus unto the Grecians.”

· Acts 11:26 “called Christians first in Antioch.”

It had not to do with time, place.

Nor is direction set by our circumstance. Naught else in all of nature has the power to change circumstance. Birds fly 5,000 miles with seasons. Whales swim thousands of miles to breeding site. Wildebeests migrate by the millions for grass. But all are responding to their inner clock. People can and do often change their circumstance. Tragically, many cannot. Calcasieu River bottom dwellers. And, our changing is sometimes running away. Every believer should claim the proof-text for circumstance and direction: Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God.”

Such direction is limited only by our dedication. Jeremiah voices a word of consternation. Jeremiah 9:24 “But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord that exerciseth lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth, for in these things I delight,” saith the Lord.

Oswald Chambers quotes Quaker, Mary Hooker. “When Jesus found the Galilean disciples they were mending their nets.” She added, “The majority of Christian people are always washing and mending their nets, but when Jesus Christ comes along, he tells them to launch out and let down their nets.”

It is thusly that He is speaking to us today. Do what you can, where you are, now.

III. Finally, We Must Also Perceive a Door of Division. 4:1 “After this, I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven.”

It is through this door that God’s word gains access. What power is the word allowed in your life? Even if we are in Sunday School. Too often is the first time we’ve touched a Bible since last trip, which for many was not last Sunday, or even the Sunday before. How it should grieve us to learn Mormons’ regard for their book, Jehovah’s Witnesses specially prepared texts, and we [with the] Bible take it for granted.

It is through this door that we experience the resurrected Jesus. Through that door the record is set. Through that door we experience reality. Romans 8:34 “It is Christ that died, yea, rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.”

Through that door gains entrance, the convicting and convincing power of the Holy Spirit. You will not remember John Marco Allegro, but his idea of truth caught on with the news media a while back. An ex-lay-preacher, he put forth the junk that Old Testament prophets saw visions as a result of LSD trips, and that early Christians were a politically slanted, drug-taking cult. Media will print and produce garbage if it will sell to the public. The Garbage barge is symbolic.

Conclusion

We experience many doors in our lifetime. Too often, they are “frames for closing” or “Any means of exit” (Brittanica), rather than entrances through which God is allowed to assert His sovereignty in our lives. Heed the message of Walter de la Mare’s Listeners.

‘Is there anybody there?’ said the Traveller,

Knocking on the moonlit door;

And his horse in the silence champed the grasses

Of the forest’s ferny floor:

And a bird flew up out of the turret,

Above the Traveller’s head:

And he smote upon the door again a second time;

‘Is there anybody there?’ he said.

But no one descended to the Traveller;

No head from the leaf-fringed sill

Leaned over and looked into his grey eyes,

Where he stood perplexed and still.

But only a host of phantom listeners

That dwelt in the lone house then

Stood listening in the quiet of the moonlight

To that voice from the world of men:

Stood thronging the faint moonbeams on the dark stair,

That goes down to the empty hall,

Hearkening in an air stirred and shaken

By the lonely Traveller’s call.

And he felt in his heart their strangeness,

Their stillness answering his cry,

While his horse moved, cropping the dark turf,

’Neath the starred and leafy sky;

For he suddenly smote on the door, even

Louder, and lifted his head:—

‘Tell them I came, and no one answered,

That I kept my word,’ he said.

Never the least stir made the listeners,

Though every word he spake

Fell echoing through the shadowiness of the still house

From the one man left awake:

Ay, they heard his foot upon the stirrup,

And the sound of iron on stone,

And how the silence surged softly backward,

When the plunging hoofs were gone.1

1de la Mare, W. (1979). The collected poems of Walter de la Mare. London: Faber.