The Apostle John, on the Lord’s Day, that is ancient
sources tell us is the First day of the week, that Jesus rose from the dead and appeared to the Apostles showing they and we that that He is alive.
This living Savior comes to John to give him, and all Christians in his day, and throughout the ages, to give encouragement and assurance that He Jesus lives
. The Book of Revelation is not just about "events" that unfold at the end of human history, but rather it speaks to us about Jesus, about Who He is for us and with us.
. The Book of Revelation is not just about "events" that unfold at the end of human history, but rather it speaks to us about Jesus, about Who He is for us and with us.
For Any & All Difficult Times
The Book of Revelation was written during times of great stress and uncertainty for the church. There were many hardships upon the lives of Christians, there were problem and persecutions, within and without the Church. Uncertain times like our own. This Book was written to encourage Christan in any and all times of hardship, no matter when they come upon us no matter what age in which we live.
Seeing the Ark
“Then
God's temple in heaven was opened, and within his temple was seen the ark of
his covenant. And there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder,
an earthquake and a great hailstorm.” Rev: 11:19
Many wonder what this cryptic reference to seeing
the Ark of the Covenant in the temple
means. Some ask, is the Ark now residing in the Heavens? Is there a spirit composed "real Ark" of which the earthly one was but a copy? John see it without obstruction, the Temple we are told is "opened".
Day
of Atonement-Beyond The Veil
Recall that the Ark was kept in the Holy of Holies – that is the
part of the Temple behind the curtain,
"He made the veil of violet, purple, crimson and fine linen, and he worked cherubim on it" 2Chronicles 3:14
This Veil separated the Holy of Holies from the Sanctuary and kept the Ark out of sight and inaccessible except once a
year on the Day of Atonement, and
then access was given only to the High Priest who offered sacrifices on behalf of the people of Israel.
Yet for the rest of the Priest and Leviets and the people, none else might enter, access to the symbolic presence of the Great God was greatly limited.
We See the Ark in the Open Temple
.
But now John's in vision , on the Island of Patmos he sees the Ark of God in an open Temple; and we see it through the pages of Scripture there in Heaven. The Temple and
Heaven is now open- what is the Holy Spirit speaking to us. Is He just informing us of the location of a long sought for artifact . Is the Ark of the Covenant in Heaven? Well, maybe, He is telling us something more important, more relevant to our daily Christian lives; especially in difficult times in which we may find our selves.
Here in vision the Ark is seen, that is: The
Temple is opened the veil has been rent asunder and we can see the Ark in the Holy of Holies , this speaks to all of us, that we are able to enter
the Holy of Holies. The veil has been "rent", God is accessible, not just to High Priest
one day out of the year, but always and to all.
The Rent Veil
When our Lord Jesus hung upon the cross, and there having suffered and died for all human sin and in doing so, atoned for all of us, God in Christ wrought humanities atonement. And breathing His last , at Jesus' moment of death the veil within the Temple was rent from top to bottom opening the Holy of Holies to all.
"And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.
At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom." Matthew:27:50-51
The rent veil show each and all that the way to God is now open for all, Jesus’ death took away anything that could keep us from God. The way to the Holy of Holies is opened to us all. All excuses are taken away, all reason for not being in a relationship with the Great God are nullified. The Holy of Holies is an unencumbered relationship with God, not just a position that is occupied. We can come to Him at any time of need or hardship. Consider how this impacted the early church facing hardship and even death. This gave them and we, confidence that our God is there for us in times of difficulty.
"So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most." Hebrews:4:16
Jesus our High Priest has passed into the Heavens and by Him we are brought into the very Holy of Holies, He is there with and for us.
"We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain,where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek." Hebrews:6:19-20
The Rent Veil of Flesh
"Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful" Hebrews:10:19-23
Died in Him
"For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again." 2Corinthians:5:14-15
"What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?
By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?
We
were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order
that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the
Father, we too may live a new life.
We are baptized into the power of His Death and His Life, sin's claim on us is broken in Christ. By His death we are counted as dead, and by His resurrection we are count as alive. The veil of flesh is "rent";
we can see the Ark in the
Temple is opened. We have access to God at any and all times.There is nothing to keep us out but our own unwillingness to enter in to that Holy of Holies Relationship . There is great comfort in being able to enter that most Holy place where we see the Ark of the Covenant....Amen
If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection.
For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin—because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.
Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.
For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him.
The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.
In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.
Do
not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness,
but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from
death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of
righteousness.For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace" Romans:6:1-14
We are baptized into the power of His Death and His Life, sin's claim on us is broken in Christ. By His death we are counted as dead, and by His resurrection we are count as alive. The veil of flesh is "rent";
Rev.Todd Crouch, Pastor
Fountain of Life Church
Washington, Pa
Fountain of Life Broadcast heard on RKP Radio 1710 & 1670 in Washington, Pa.
And online around the world at www.rkpradio.com
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