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   Revelation was written to assure the recipients of the ultimate triumph of Christ over all who rise up against Him and His saints. Most will agree to this, The book was written in symbolism and because of that, many have over interpreted the book. People see more in the book than what it says.

It maybe because of these God warned us in Rev. 22:18-19 not to add or takeaway from the prophecy of this book. God knew that the symbols would be hard but give us a little help to our understanding of the book. Look at the verses I call the understanding keys to the book. Rev. 1:3 “Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.” Rev. 22:6 “Then he said to me, “These words are faithful and true.” And The Lord God of the holy prophets sent His angel to show His servents the thing which must shortly take place.” Then we see the warning in Rev.22:10 And he said to me,“Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand.”

   Some of the symbolism we can understand because the answer is given in the book itself. Like the lamp stands are the churches 1:20.

   I do not understand all the symbols of the book, for me it is like the strokes of a artist bush I may not understand or know what they are but I can know what the final picture is and enjoy the beauty, In the book of Revelation We can enjoy knowing that Jesus Christ and His saints are going to overcome. If I trust and obey I can and will be with Him in Heaven. How about You?

One point to keep in mind the Revelation will not teach us something that does not agree with the other books of the Testament of Christ

   The Jews was known in the Bible by three names the first was Hebrews, Genesis 14:13. The Language of the people was Hebrew so the people was called by the language they spoke much like Americans who travel over sea may be called English because of the language we speak. Second was Israel Genesis 49:16, Israel was the family name for the people Jew’s because they was all descendent of Israel the grandson of Abraham. The third name was Jews, first used in Esther 3:6. The name Jews came to be used of the people from the land around Jerusalem called Judah at the end of the Old Testament time. Much like people from Oklahoma are called Okie. Over the past 2,400 years the name Jew has been the one used by most of the world for the Hebrew and Israel of the Bible.

    As a young minister in Kentucky, I was asked by a funeral director to hold a graveside service for a homeless man, who had no family or friends. The funeral was to be held at a new cemetery back in the country, and this man would be the first to be buried there.

   I was not familiar with the backwoods area, and I soon became lost and finally arrived an hour late.

   I saw the backhoe and the open grave, but the hearse was nowhere in sight. The digging crew was eating lunch. I apologizes to the workers for my tardiness, and I stepped to the side of the open grave. There I saw the vault lid already in place. I assured the workers I would not hold them up for long, as I told them that this was the proper thing to do.

   The workers gathered around the grave and stood silently, as I began to pour out my heart and soul. As I preached, the workers became excited and began to say”Amen”. Their fervor truly inspired me. So I preached and preached like I had never preached before, all the way from Genesis to Revelation.

   I finally closed the lengthy service with a prayer, thanked the men, and walked to my car. As I was opening the door and taking off my coat, I heard one of the workers say to another,

   “I ain’t never seen nothin’ like that before, and I”ve been puttin” in septic tanks for thirty years.”

 I Do not know the author of the story. But is a time in my life I need to smile. My mother pass from this life Dec.6 at 78 years. The word of God that came into my heart was 2 Samuel 12:23 What David said after the deaf of his son ” But now he is dead; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.”

    We see all of them in the first four books of the New Testament: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. The New Testament does teach there is but one Gospel, Galatians 1:8. However, each of the Gospel accounts highlights a different perspective of the life of Christ.

    The first, Matthew wrote to the part of the human race that knew the most about God’s promise to send the Messiah. That group was the Jews. Matthew emphasize the prophecy of the OT and the fulfillment that the eternal King “anointed one” would be born of the seed of Abraham. In the first Gospel story, we see Jesus the Saver and King. In the book, we see many OT references

    The second, Mark with most think was the first of the four accounts to be given in writing Mark wrote to the common people of the Roman world. It told the story of the Son of Man,His work and teaching. The simplicity of the gospel is seen in Mark.

    The third, Luke wrote to the gentile world. Luke was a doctor and he wrote a very accurate account of the life and present of Christ as the perfect human and Savior. Luke wrote to Theophilus and to the gentiles in general. and the gentiles (Greek) mind set. Luke highlights the parables of Jesus.

    The fourth, John was the last of the Gospel penned. Is was needed because some had begun to teach Jesus was a saver but not the Son of God that came to earth from heaven. John showed Christians that Christ had always been with God. John 1:1″In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God”

    Jesus is the Christ, The Son of God, The King, He is the way and only way for all of mankind to get to heaven …Acts 4:12.

   When I was a child I played a role in the play of the family of Joseph, Mary and the baby Jesus in the manger. I think I played a wise man. I can hear the words of the teacher “NOW” for the wise men to enter the stage.

   The only bad thing about the play was the timing, the wise men did not enter the stable that great night 2000 years ago. They saw the star when Christ was born and travel from afar to Jerusalem. They came to the king of Israel (Harold) but he did not know. The King and all in Israel did know of the promise of God to the people, a messiah would come from God. The priest looked and found the Christ was to be born in Bethlehem, Herod told the wise men to go to Bethlehem, search for the young child, sent word back to his and he would come and worship the child.

   When the wise man got to Bethlehem them when into the house and fell down and worshiped Him. They give Him three gifts, gold, frankincense, and myrrh. It is because of the three gifts that some say that three were the number of wise men but we cannot know if there was two, three or more we only know there were more they one and three gifts was given.

   “Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way,”Matt.2:12. “Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in  a dream, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word: for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.”

   Herod got so upset he sent his solders to kill all the male children two years and down in Bethlehem and all its districts.

  What we saw in the story of the wise men and Herod is the two groups of people that are in the world. One worship Christ and give time and money for his praise and will being the other will do all they can to stop him and what he is doing.

   Noah and his family was in a World of great sin. Noah saw that  every intent of the thoughts of all his neighors  hearts was only evil continually.. What was Noah and his wife to do? How was they going to keep the family doing and going the right way?

   God was very up set with the children of Adam and Eva. Why because they , all but eight was going the way of sin, in though and deeds.

   God used water to save  Noah and his family  from sin and the consequences of  ungodliness. I Peter 3:20; The water would of killed Noah and his family like the other if he had not had Faith, He believed God and obeyed by building the Ark.

   Today we to must have faith. But not just faith ! James 1:17; We have to have that faith that leads us to obey the Lord God and His son. Matt. 7:21

   Noah and his family got into the ship and the water washed the sin from the world. Today we are baptized and we do not leave the  world of sin but our sins are washed away, so sins leave us. Acts 22:16 We are to tell other about the blood of Christ and the Gospel, so  they to can live right  so as to dies right and go to heaven to be with Christ and God.

     In North American it is 282 feet below sea level, at Death valley. In the world it is  1,388 feet below sea level at the shore of the dead sea. The Dead Sea is called dead because it is void of all life. In the bible it is also called the salt sea.

How did the oldest man that ever lived died before his Father did?  The oldest man that ever lived was methuselah.  Who died at 969 years.  He died before his father did because, his father did not die.  His father “Enoch walked with God and he was not God took him”. Genesis 5:24  In Hebrew’s 11:5 we read by faith Enoch was taking away so that he did not see death, ‘and was not found, because God had taken him; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God.  Today we need to live so that we are pleasing to God, and we do that by faith and diligently seeking Him.