Category: Bulletin Articles

And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. (Revelation 13:1)

As we continue our congregational reading today in the book of Revelation, we have reached the thirteenth chapter which gives the reader an introduction to one of the most intriguing characters in the Bible. Unfortunately for many, there seems to be more interest in this person than in the one the Revelation is truly about. The book is the Revelation of Jesus Christ, but for all of the interest that is stirred over the thirteenth chapter we would think it is the Revelation of the Antichrist. Would to God there was as much in-depth study of the person, character, and nature of Christ as there is devoted to the speculation of the identity of the Antichrist!

Even though the term “antichrist” is never used in Revelation, there is no doubt this is the person described in the thirteenth chapter. The apostle John is the only writer of scripture that uses the term but he does not use it here. We find it five times in 1 John (including “antichrists”) in which he refers not only to this person named in Revelation, but to any person that denies the essential equality of the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ (1 John 2:22). The term simply means “against Christ” therefore anyone that stands against the doctrines of Christ is identified by the term.

During the last half of the Tribulation, a new world leader will emerge that embodies the worst forces of evil. He will be a charismatic, mesmerizing man empowered by Satan. With the deceitful skills and craftiness of the old serpent, he will deceive the world into thinking he is actually God. It is most interesting to me that he gains notoriety and his position through his first deception which is the ability to handle the world’s economy. Prosperity is his mantra and when he is able to give people “hope” in the calamitous times of tribulation, he quickly rises to the top as the world’s economic savior. I find this very curious in light of the current economic climate. Even Christians have abandoned God’s demands of morality and decency to pursue their political candidates (and preachers) that promise prosperity.

Although the Antichrist will be wildly popular, he cannot produce what every person most desperately needs. Lest we forget, this world was not created for us. As the song says, “This is my Father’s world” and He will receive all glory from His creation. The world needs “THE CHRIST” not the Antichrist because God intends to receive glory. Scripture declares “To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever.” If you do not have Christ living in your heart, you cannot glorify God. Whatever and whomever does not conform to God’s glorious purpose will be destroyed.

We should not forget the reason Christ came into the world. The apostle John wrote: “He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8). Our leaders may claim to be political and economic saviors, but that kind of salvation has no value for your soul. Look to Christ and keep your eyes on Him! He is the only one that can give you soul salvation. It will not profit to gain the whole world and lose your own soul (Matthew 16:26). The world and its system will pass away. Your soul will last for eternity. Do you know where it will be? Heaven or Hell are the only options, so be careful which “christ” you choose to follow.

Pastor V. Mark Smith

And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever. (Revelation 11:15)

In the book of Romans chapter 13, Paul wrote, “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.” In this verse, Paul is referring to the leaders of civil government. It is the duty of all Christians to obey those that are in power because God has ordained them for our good. There is no person that rules any country unless God permits and ordains him to be there. This is an amazing statement in light of Rome’s government in the first century. At the time of Paul’s writing, Nero was the emperor and his hostility towards Christianity was legendary. Christians were cruelly tortured and killed during his reign and yet there is no mention in scripture that Christians were to rise up to fight against this godless government. How is it possible that Paul should write such an admonition to believers?

We might well ask the same question today as we are very perplexed with the government of our country. Did God put this president in power? It may be hard to swallow, but the answer is “yes.” God providentially ordains governments to His ends. This government could well be the destruction of life in America as we know it, but is this necessarily against the providence of God? Does not God use government also as a means of chastisement? See Romans 13:3-4. The political party that is now in power has made no secret of its hatred of God. While pretending to be still a “Christian” government nearly every evil imaginable has been foisted upon us. In the name of “tolerance” we are commanded to accept murder and perverted lifestyles as the right of individuals. At the same time, true Christianity is proclaimed intolerable and Christians that oppose the evils perpetrated upon us are declared guilty of “hate crimes.” It is shameful that American Christians bear much of the responsibility for the terrible condition of our country. Many have fallen prey to the greed of our wicked society and now vote according to their pocketbooks rather than the principles of God’s word. As we know, the alternative last year was to vote for a Mormon. The leaders of evangelical Christianity like Billy and Franklin Graham were busy about reconciling Mormonism to Christianity! What disgusting choices!

How are real Christians to react to this kind of government? Are we right to obey it? Should we not rather be anarchists? I believe the answer is found in our scripture reading today. Notice the present tense verb in this passage: “The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ.” This scripture was written near the midpoint of the Revelation and yet there are eight more chapters to go until Christ returns in power and glory to begin His Kingdom upon the earth. How is it possible that voices in heaven can declare the Kingship of Christ in the present? The secret is the surety of God’s plan. In the Greek language, there is a verb tense that allows a future event to be spoken of as if it has already happened. This is how the Bible writers expressed the absolute certainty of the coming reign of Christ. This means that though we live under a godless physical government for the time being, we are citizens of the perfect government of Jesus Christ. We do not need to concern ourselves with the overthrow of this American government because human government is not our end. We live peaceably now as much as we can while we wait for our true King to come. While we certainly believe in patriotism, our goal is not to make sure America survives, but to pray that it will be utterly conquered and become a kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ.

It is often said, “No one knows the future.” I beg to differ. I know the future of America and of every nation of the world. None of them will continue to exist in their present form. Christ will not “tolerate” them. They are guilty of “hate crimes” against Jesus, and friends, it does not pay to be His enemy. For the time being, just wait; be patient. “…greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ…”(1 Pet. 1:6-7)

Pastor V. Mark Smith

And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. (Matthew 16:18)

Today, we are privileged to open our Bibles once again to Matthew’s Gospel to begin a three part message on the Lord’s promise to build His church. Our concentration in the morning message will be the foundation of the church, which we believe to be none other than the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. There is much to be considered when the topic turns to the church because most of the New Testament is devoted to the founding, development, and doctrines of it. Unfortunately, we do not have time to consider the topic extensively in these three messages and will discuss mostly the meaning of the verses in Matthew.

I want to take a little space in this article to discuss membership in the church. Is it necessary to be a member of the church? We have many people visit our church and we are thankful for each visitor that comes, but I notice many times visitors will attend for several weeks; they like the church and desire to worship with us, but they never make any move towards church membership. Sometimes there is confusion about the steps necessary to become a member of the Lord’s church.

Let me say first that membership in the church is not automatic. Recently, I asked one of our visiting families if they were members of a church and I was told, “Yes, we are members here.” Well, this was quite a surprise because I do keep up with the membership list of Berean. Membership is more involved than attending church services. There are three major requirements for membership in the church. What do you need to become a member of Berean?

1. Salvation – This is number one on the list. The first prerequisite is personal faith and trust in Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord. As Baptists, we believe the Bible teaches a regenerate church membership, which means every person must be a born again Christian.

2. Baptism – Every person must be a baptized believer. If you are a believer and you have not been baptized, you must submit to the baptism of this church. All those baptized under the authority of our church are immediately received into membership by virtue of their baptism. Baptism is the first step of obedience for a Christian and should be done as soon as practical after a person has received Christ as Saviour. This is your public identification with Christ. If you have been baptized previously in another church and desire membership, we will accept your previous baptism if it was administered by a church of like faith and order to Berean.

3. Commitment – Church membership is a commitment to work and worship with this body of believers. We should not have to emphasize this point because salvation is the receiving of Christ as Saviour AND Lord. This means in salvation there is an element of voluntary surrender to the mastery of Jesus Christ. Church membership is a commitment to the doctrines taught by the church. It is commitment to support the church with tithes and offerings. It is commitment to pray for other members and the leadership and to interact with them and help them as a part of the same spiritual family.

There is much more to be said on this subject, but if you desire to be a part of the Berean Baptist Church this is a beginner’s guide to help you to take the necessary steps. Church membership is very important and should not be taken lightly. According to scripture, Christ loved the church and gave Himself for it. Every born again believer ought to love it too! Membership in a good Bible believing church is not optional for Christians. It is the command of Christ and is to be obeyed.

We sincerely appreciate your attendance today and we hope Berean Baptist will become your church home. If you desire membership, you may express your desire to the Pastor or any of the helpers in the back of the auditorium after the morning service. We strive to help you accomplish the goal for which we were all created—to glorify our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. “Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.” (Ephesians 3:21)

Pastor V. Mark Smith

And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey. [10] And I took the little book out of the angel’s hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter. (Revelation 10:9-10)

I firmly believe there is no greater calling than the one God gives to ministers of His word. It is always a joy and privilege to stand in the pulpit and open the precious word of God to preach the great salvation we have in Jesus Christ. Preachers have an awesome responsibility when handling the word of life because the eternal destiny of the soul depends on the truths that are preached and believed. It scares me to think there are pastors that spend little time studying the word and yet they approach the pulpit with confidence that their personal wisdom is sufficient to feed the flock of God. Some years ago I was in the office of a pastor in a nearby town and as we were discussing the church he suddenly remembered he did not have a sermon for Sunday morning. He opened his desk drawer and pulled out a few pages of notes and said, “This one looks like it will do.” Without any thought, prayer, or preparation, he was ready to stand before his congregation and deliver a sermon. When I think how often this scenario goes on in many churches, I am reminded of John’s experience when the angel told him to take the little book and eat it. John said, “And it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter.”

Revelation is rich with symbolism and none is more important than the one we read in this text. The book John was told to eat was the seven sealed scroll which is emblematic of the word of God. When he ate, the scroll was sweet to the taste which symbolizes the wonderful message of salvation contained in its pages. The gospel of Jesus Christ is sweet to the ears of the person plagued by his sins and weighed down by an insufferable burden of guilt. Isaiah wrote, “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!” (Isaiah 52:7). What a joy it is to be a preacher that gives the good news to dying sinners. I would never want to come to the pulpit with no thought over a message that contains as much hope as this!

John tasted the word and it was sweet, but when it reached his stomach he said, “As soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter.” This statement tells us the word of God has another side. For those that respond to it in faith, it is sweet. The other side is the effect it has on those that do not believe. For these, the word contains bitter judgment. On one side there is salvation; on the other there is condemnation. On one side there is heaven; on the other side is hell. It is as much the responsibility of the minister to preach the judgment of God as it is to preach the salvation of God. What preacher could approach the pulpit with such an awful message of doom and not be heavily burdened for the seriousness of the warning and the hopelessness of its hearers? Preaching requires much thought and preparation because both sides of the message are too profound to approach lightly.

I feel the sense of this great responsibility so I promise not to come to the pulpit of Berean unprepared and without careful consideration of the duty of ministers. I intend to preach the whole counsel of God’s word. You will receive both sides of the message and I make no apologies for preaching it all. I love to preach the sweetness of salvation but I must also preach the bitterness of condemnation. I only hope and pray you are able to receive the word with joy and know in your heart the salvation found only in Jesus Christ.

Pastor V. Mark Smith

And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk: [21] Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts. (Revelation 9:20-21)

Once again our congregational reading in Revelation takes us to the awful time of Tribulation that occurs after the rapture of God’s children from the earth. The scenes of physical destruction are frightening, but in my opinion the spiritual problem we see in Revelation 9:20-21 may very well be the scariest of all. These verses are not frightening to me as a believer in Christ, but they should be a huge wakeup call to those that ignore salvation thinking when they are full of sin they will turn from their wickedness and receive the Saviour.

In the previous verses, we have seen hordes of demons unleashed from the abyss. Evil spirits like scorpions inflict torment on people so vicious they wish they could die. They will seek death but not find it (9:5-6). Later another demonic army two hundred million strong will kill one-third of the world’s population (9:16-18). We would think the entire world would be convinced they must turn to Christ for salvation. Surely the mass destruction and utter devastation would cause them to seek God for deliverance. And yet we read in verse 21 “Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.”

We wonder, “Why would they not repent?” It should not seem mysteriously strange as something never seen before when people today so callously turn their backs on Christ. This morning there are good preachers in pulpits all across America that lay the word of God before people and ask them to choose between life in heaven with Jesus Christ or eternal destruction in hell with Satan and his demons. Many recognize there is a problem, but rather than believe in Christ they say, “We will wait awhile. When we are finished with our fun and have tired of our vices, we will accept your Christ in time before we die.” This is a foolish thought because it is not in anyone’s power to receive Christ at any time he chooses. The human heart is depraved and incapable of turning to Christ unless the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit regenerates and brings the person to repentance and faith. Neither the worst of times nor the best of times are enough incentive to move a person to turn from his sins, give up self, and surrender all to the Saviour.

There are many that believe a preacher’s pleadings will save people. Some think salvation is an intellectual choice made by good sense and by the free will of man. They do not understand every faculty of man is depraved even, and perhaps most of all, his will. The will is enslaved to sin and cannot break free. We would as soon expect that pigs can fly as to believe a person is capable of turning his own heart to God. Revelation 9:20-21 shows that people with the strongest incentive to believe will never do so unless God speaks to their hearts and removes the natural hardness that keeps them from the truth of the gospel.

The most important lesson that you can learn from the end of this chapter is that to be saved you must humble yourself and plead for God’s mercy. God is in charge of your salvation not you! An arrogant attitude that says, “I will come when I am good and ready,” will never be acceptable to God. Trust Him today while the door of salvation is open. Tomorrow, He may choose close it.

Pastor V. Mark Smith

And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit. (Revelation 9:1)

Each week as we read through the Revelation, we are faced again and again with fascinating, intriguing scenes. Our reading today is in the ninth chapter as John sees more of the terrible woes that will come to earth during the Tribulation period. This is an era when God Himself will not only afflict the earth, but He will allow Satan to have more latitude to work his evil in the hearts of men. Although Satan is called the prince and the power of the air, and he is called the god of this world, he only has as much power as God allows him. During the Tribulation, God will take away some of the restraints that are placed on him now so that he will have much more freedom to do his worst. In 2 Thessalonians 2:7, we are told the Holy Spirit’s restraining power that hinders Satan’s freedom will be removed.

In the ninth chapter, John sees a star fall from heaven to the earth. Many commentators note the tense of the verb should render this as fallen which means the star had already fallen. We are in agreement that the star that fell is Satan. The personal pronoun “him” is used which indicates the word “star” is used in a symbolic way. An account of Satan’s fall from heaven is recorded in Isaiah 14:12-15. Jesus also said in Luke 10:18, “I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.”

Satan was created as one of the holy angels and most likely was of the highest order and chief among angels. When he fell he was not the only angel that rebelled against God. Revelation 12:4 is an indication that one-third of the angels joined him in his rebellion. Some of those angels, now known as demons, are active in the world today and are Satan’s helpers to bring temptation into our lives. However, not all of the demons remained free to assist Satan. Some were chained in the abyss and remain there today. During the Tribulation, Satan will be given the key to the abyss to allow the chained demons to go free and to torture people on earth. The Tribulation will be a time of both terrible mental and spiritual anguish. Demon possession will once again be prevalent because of the darkness of a world with little godly influence.

There are, however, some that will be saved during the Tribulation. In the seventh chapter, we learned that God will choose 144,000 from Israel that will become His witnesses. These are sealed and are under God’s protection (7:3, 9:4). They cannot be hurt by the demons that come from the abyss. I have often been asked if it is possible for Christians to become demon possessed. I am tempted to say, “YES!” because I know some church members that surely act as if they are. I am being facetious though because every Christian has the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit never leaves us, so in order for Satan to possess a Christian he would have to drive the Holy Spirit out. This is impossible. Every Christian is forever protected from the powers of Satan. This is one of the marvelous benefits of our salvation. We belong to God and are safely held in both Jesus’ and the Father’s hand (John 10:28-29).

As you read this article today, are you confident of God’s protection? Do you know Christ as your Saviour? If not, you are wide open and completely vulnerable to Satan’s attacks. You may not understand this very well, but without Christ you are a subject of Satan’s kingdom. You are in rebellion against God even as the evil star that fell from heaven. One day God will end the rebellion of Satan’s kingdom. If you are still part of that kingdom, the devil’s punishment will be your punishment. Thank God He sent the bright and morning star to change your destiny! His name is Jesus (22:16) and He promised to deliver you from the kingdom of Satan if you will only trust Him as Lord and Saviour. Please do not delay—do not spend another day in the kingdom of darkness. Today is the day you can be saved!

Pastor V. Mark Smith

And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour. (Revelation 8:1)

This past summer, my wife and I had the privilege of an extended visit with our grandchildren. For more than two months, our house was filled with five grandchildren ranging from fifteen months to five years old. We got up with them, spent most of the day with them, fed them, bathed them, and then slept with them. For sixteen hours of the day, there was nonstop noise as they played, fought, and nearly killed each other. The only time there was a little peace was when they were sleeping, but I am sure they were dreaming how they could make the next day as chaotic as possible. We love our grandchildren and had a great time with them, but there were times we wished we could have just a few moments of peace and quiet.

I thought about this as I read the first verse of Revelation chapter 8. If you are planning to go to heaven for a little peace and quiet, I promise your dreams are only half true. It is not normal for heaven to be a quiet place. In the fourth chapter, we are told of angels and elders that fall before God’s throne and give Him praise. In the fifth chapter, there are ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands that sing praises. In chapter six, there are souls of martyred saints under the altar in heaven that cry out with loud voices for vengeance. In chapter seven there are millions of Gentiles that stand before the throne also crying out and worshipping God. Heaven will not be a quiet place!

This makes the scene in heaven in the opening of chapter 8 very strange. For half an hour, heaven goes stone cold silent. In his Revelation study, my father commented on this verse saying: “John sees the breaking of the last seal of the book and a strange thing happens. Prior to this all heaven resounded with the singing and praising of the Lord. Suddenly there is a deathly silence in heaven for half an hour. Volumes are written trying to explain the meaning of this silence, all kinds of speculations are made, some of them plausible, some of them foolish. Perhaps the best illustration and explanation comes from nature itself. In Kansas I have seen storm clouds gather and soon lightning began to flash and thunder peal, wind gusting and howling then suddenly an eerie calm. The chickens would all run for cover and the farm animals mill restlessly. Then suddenly the storm would break forth in all its fury with all the heavens seeming to explode in blinding flashes, deafening roars of thunder and mighty torrents of water plunging from the clouds as the storm poured out its wrath. This, I believe is the significance of the silence in heaven; God is setting the stage to hurl His wrath and indignation upon the earth, as the world has never seen before.”

What a frightening thought this is! The ominous silence of heaven is the cautious, reserved calm before the storm. Heaven becomes deafeningly silent as it awaits the wrath of God. The justice of the Creator will be poured out on unrepentant sinners that have rejected the mercy, love, and grace of God. Although we love peace and quiet, something tells me this quiet half hour will seem almost like eternity itself. I am thankful that I will be waiting out the half hour in heaven rather than on the earth. Do you know where you will be when this happens? I encourage you to be silent for a few minutes and listen to see if God is calling. Be still and know that He is God!

Pastor V. Mark Smith

Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. [16] They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. [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. (Revelation 7:15-17)

In the sixth chapter of Revelation, we are introduced to a seven year period of tribulation that will engulf the earth after the rapture of God’s people. Those of us that are believers in Christ are anxiously waiting the appearing of the Saviour because we expect our final salvation which is complete deliverance from the presence of sin. Those that are not believers can expect no such deliverance but instead will be plunged into this terrible time of God’s wrath poured out on the earth. In recent years, we have been astonished and saddened by the numbers of lives that have been lost in natural disasters such as tsunamis, hurricanes, and earthquakes. Sometimes these disasters take thousands of lives. In the tribulation, these types of disasters and others will be common and much more intense in their destruction. During this time, not thousands but multiple millions of lives will be lost.

In the seventh chapter, we see there is some hope for people that are left behind at the rapture. There are 144,000 Jews that are sealed by God—12,000 from each of the 12 tribes—that will become God’s witnesses of the gospel. Through their testimony, many people will receive the truth of the gospel and be saved. However, they will be terribly persecuted and many believe every one of them will be killed before the end of the Tribulation. Their lives will be characterized by hunger and thirst as they are not permitted to buy food or participate in the world’s economy. The armies of the Antichrist will relentlessly pursue them into their hiding places and cruelly take their lives (for a frightening perspective on this, read also Matthew 24).

In the end of the seventh chapter, these martyred Tribulation saints are seen in heaven where they gather around the throne of God to worship and continually serve Him. It is notable that all of the heartache and troubles they had on earth will be reversed as they enjoy the company of the Saviour who promised to feed them and lead them to living fountains of waters. W.A. Criswell in commenting on verse 16 explains the multiple use of negatives as God reverses the heartaches they had on earth. He writes: “The next description is: ’They shall hunger no more, they shall thirst no more, neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.’ These negatives are often used in Revelation. In the twenty-first chapter, where heaven is described, there is an abundance of negatives. The Greeks, as they wrote things, had an emphatic way of putting them down. In English, double negatives mutually eliminate each other. If you say, ‘don’t not,’ then you actually do. That is English. But in Greek, the more negatives are piled up, the more emphatic the meaning. We get the meaning, even in English when we do that. If someone said to you, “I don’t know nothing nohow,” you would get the idea that he did not know anything. If a man comes up to you and asks for a job, saying, ‘You don’t know nobody nowhere what wants nobody to work for him, don’t you?’, you know he is asking for a job. But that is good Greek. It may be bad English, but it is marvelous Greek. That is what God says here. He just piles up negatives, ‘no,’ ‘not,’ ‘neither,’ ‘nor,’ adding one to the other, as He describes God’s separate remembrance and provision for His people.”

I sincerely hope there is no one in our church that will be left behind when Jesus comes. Although millions will be saved during the tribulation, I have serious doubts that anyone who has heard the gospel prior to the coming of Christ will be afterwards convicted by the Holy Spirit to believe. While we say there is hope for some because of the witness of the 144,000, this is not any guarantee that any particular individual will ever come in contact with these witnesses, or if they do they will believe when the gospel is preached. The scripture says today is the day of salvation. There is no guarantee of tomorrow; and if tomorrow does come it may already be too late. Trust Christ today and be sure of your place at the throne of God.

Pastor V. Mark Smith

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 beasts saying, Come and see. (Revelation 6:1)

Our congregational reading today is from the sixth chapter of Revelation. I hesitated somewhat before deciding we would continue reading in Revelation because the subject matter of the next chapters seems a little strange to read in the setting of a worship service. We take a literal futuristic view of Revelation so we do not accept the sixth chapter and those following as being largely symbols of events that are in the past and some that still remain to take place in the future. Nearly all commentators agree John wrote about events that were future to him, however they do not agree whether many of these events occurred between the time of John and the present time.

The confusion is due to the different schemes of interpretation relating to the timing of the Second Coming of Christ and of the characteristics of the millennium. Those that do not believe Christ will return to begin a literal, physical kingdom on the earth as the fulfillment of the Davidic Covenant tend to interpret these verses as events Christians will live through before Christ returns. We believe Christ will first rapture His people from the earth and then a seven year period of tribulation will begin. The events of chapters 6 through 18 belong to the time of tribulation which is yet future. This tribulation is a terrible time of judgment in which God begins to purge the world of sin in preparation for the coming Kingdom.

Returning to the message of the sixth chapter, the chapter begins with the opening of God’s book. This book is a scroll and each section is marked off with a seal so each section cannot be read until its corresponding seal is broken. This is God’s title deed to the earth and no one is worthy to break the seals and open the book but the Lamb of God that was slain from the foundation of the world. He alone has power and authority to implement the plan for the earth’s reclamation (5:4-5).

The scroll contains God’s plan for the final redemption of the earth. When Adam disobeyed God, the entire creation was cursed. God’s plan is to lift the curse imposed in Genesis chapter 3. Since the fall of Adam in the Garden, Satan has usurped God’s authority upon the earth. As a result of the curse, man lost his dominion over the earth. The story of redemption is how God places all authority into the hands of Jesus Christ to take back our forfeited inheritance and claim it once again for Himself and His children. Redemption began at the cross and will continue until we reach a glorious future where we will rule and reign with Christ (5:9-10).

Each of the seals represents a time of judgment, and when the final seal is opened and fulfilled, the end result is the defeat of Satan and all the kingdoms of the world. Christ is then enthroned on the earth in an everlasting kingdom. Though the world as we know it will end after the millennium, Christ’s kingdom will never end. The form of the kingdom changes and shifts to the new heavens and the new earth, but as promised, Christ will never relinquish any part of His kingdom to evil again.

These chapters are difficult to read if we focus only on the immediate impact. They are not to be separated from the whole as the plan of final redemption unfolds. The struggle against evil is not a pretty sight. There are no pleasantries, no compromises, and no negotiations with the powers of darkness. Here we see how terrible sin is and what it costs to eradicate it from the earth. No one should imagine sin to be inconsequential. It has devastating effects and results in both physical and spiritual death. As we read through these chapters, remember where we are headed. It takes a terrible war to establish final peace and God will not rest until His people have the reward He has promised. Strewn in the way are all those that rebel against God. As the sixth chapter ends, we read these words, “For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?” The question is rhetorical and the answer is obvious. Christ comes to conquer and conquer He will. This is the objective. Keep it in mind as you read.

Pastor V. Mark Smith

And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? [3] And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. [4] And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon. [5] And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. (Revelation 5:2-5)

Before our congregational reading last week in Revelation chapter 4, I remarked that chapters 4 and 5 are two of my favorite chapters in the Bible. The scene in these chapters is heaven where a vast throng of worshippers lift up their praises to the Lord Jesus Christ the one who is worthy of all worship. This heavenly scene is made up of innumerable majestic angels and of redeemed saints from every kindred, tongue, people, and nation (5:9). Jesus Christ is worthy of worship for countless reasons, but we find the specific reason for this particular scene in verse 5 of chapter 5. Jesus is to be worshipped because He is the only one capable of claiming the title deed to the earth and redeeming the entire creation from the curse of sin.

We notice in verse 2 a question posed by a mighty angel, “Who is worthy to open the book?” The book refers to this title deed that is to be claimed by the one who can purge the earth of sin. A search is made in three places to find one suitable—heaven, earth, and beneath the earth. Our King James Version reads, “no man was found worthy”. This is better rendered as “no one” since it includes not only man but all creatures that have been created by God. There is no created being that is able to claim the title deed. This rules out all men and angels both elect and condemned.

Men are unable to redeem because the curse of sin is on us. In the creation, man was given dominion over the earth. However, when Adam sinned he forfeited the right to hold dominion and brought the curse to the entire earth. Because “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God,” man cannot be a suitable redeemer. Neither are angels suitable to redeem because they are unrelated to man. The earth is the inheritance of man and no angel can receive this inheritance. The heir to the earth must be a kinsman of the Adamic race. Since man has forfeited his rights through sin, the Redeemer must be both related to man and sinless. There is only one that matches this requirement. His name is Jesus which is the name given to the incarnate Son of God that came to earth to redeem the fallen race. He is related to man through human birth and yet does not have the sinful nature because His Father is God.

The scene of rejoicing in heaven is because God has not left the world without a Redeemer. John wept because the search of heaven and earth yielded no positive results. But when the Lamb of God stepped forward, heaven broke forth in peals of glory and praise. This chapter is moving because our Saviour was willing to do everything necessary to bring us salvation. The love of God in providing redemption by the sacrifice of His beloved Son causes wonder in heaven and earth. How can anyone do less than fall at His feet in worship crying, “Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb forever and ever.”

Pastor V. Mark Smith