Bible Study:
John's
Book of Revelations
with comments by Pastor Jess Foglesong
We will be looking at The Book of Revelations: with Pastor Jess Foglesong
January 15, 2019
Four times the author identifies himself as John (1:1,4,9; 22:8). From as early as Justin Martyr in the second century a.d. it has been held that this John was the apostle, the son of Zebedee (see Mt 10:2). The book itself reveals that the author was a Jew, well versed in Scripture, a church leader who was well known to the seven churches of Asia Minor, and a deeply religious person fully convinced that the Christian faith would soon triumph over the demonic forces at work in the world.
John had been exiled to the island of Patmos (probably the site of a Roman penal colony) for his activities as a Christian missionary (1:9).
John writes to encourage the faithful to resist staunchly the demands of emperor worship. He informs his readers that the final showdown between God and Satan is imminent. Satan will increase his persecution of believers, but they must stand fast, even to death. They are sealed against any spiritual harm and will soon be vindicated when Christ returns, when the wicked are forever destroyed, and when God's people enter an eternity of glory and blessedness.
Revelation 1: 1 - 8 (NKJV)
Introduction and Benediction
1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must [a]shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John, 2 who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw. 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.
Greeting the Seven Churches
4 John, to the seven churches which are in Asia:
Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth.
To Him who [b]loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, 6 and has made us [c]kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
7 Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.
8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega, [d]the Beginning and the End,” says the [e]Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
........................Pastor Jess: Well, The Book of Revelations has astounded people from the far corners of the earth. Its wild and wondrous descriptions and its deep meanings, sometimes very difficult to understand and decipher. So let's get in to it with the first few verses. We know that the Book was written by the apostle John (a Son of Zebedee), and basically wrote the Book on the island of Patmos. Where John is driven to write about the God-man which he followed through several years of trials and wonders and of watching the Messiah himself, the Lamb of God, The Christ Jesus perform miracles after miracles. And finally getting a chance to sequester himself to sit and expound words of truth: of the power of Holy Spirit and a message of salvation. John was ready to finally reveal what the inexplicable wonders of heaven has in store for the multitude of people of faith, as they wait for the return of the Lamb, the Son of God, the Christ Jesus, the Prince of Peace. Amen! Pastor Jess Foglesong
Revelations 1: 9 - 29; We are daily, looking at
John's Book of Revelations with Pastor Jess Foglesong
Revelations 1 Vision of the Son of Man
9 I, John, [f]both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. 10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet, 11 saying, [g]“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,” and, “What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches [h]which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.”
12 Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. 14 His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; 15 His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; 16 He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. 17 And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying [i]to me, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. 18 I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of [j]Hades and of Death. 19 [k]Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this. 20 The [l]mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the [m]angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands [n]which you saw are the seven churches.
.......................Pastor Jess: The angel of God spoke to John about The Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ Standing in glory in heaven surrounded by the seven churches (lampstands) and the seven angels (Stars). That the Father has given his Son full authority to rule over the transformation of the multitude of believers on planet earth, to be accepted into the Kingdom of God. His power is given to Him by God, temporarily until all of evil are sent to a fiery grave, forever and ever! That The Christ Jesus had defeated death by dying on a cross, then buried, but rose and breaking the sting of death; then ascended to heaven to the right side of the Father -- The All-Supreme Ruler of The Universe and beyond!! Amen! Pastor Jess Foglesong
Revelations 2: 1 - 7; Our daily look atJohn's Book of Revelations with Pastor Jess Foglesong
Revelations 2 The Loveless Church
“To the [a]angel of the church of Ephesus write,
‘These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: 2 “I know your works, your labor, your [b]patience, and that you cannot [c]bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; 3 and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary. 4 Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. 5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent. 6 But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
7 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.” ’
....................Pastor Jess: The angel gives us (here) today what God wants us to be; that is patience, perseverance and true to our faith in the one, the Christ Jesus of Nazareth. So as we look to the 7 churches we need to look at ourselves; what they are doing, in some measure is what we today are doing. We must have the strength to fight the evils such as what God also hates: The Nicolaitans -- people who follow the works of Satan and who move in and conquer the church (very similar to Islam of today, anti-Christians). But God does commend the Church at Ephesus and will reward them, as He will reward believers of today (you and me) who stand their ground in asking for strength form above; and when the end comes will indeed see the Tree of Life in the middle of God's paradise! Amen! Pastor Jess Foglesong
Revelations 2: 8 - 11; Jan. 18, 2019; Our daily look at
John's Book of Revelations with Pastor Jess Foglesong
Revelations 2: The Persecuted Church
8 “And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write,
‘These things says the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life: 9 “I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a [e]synagogue of Satan. 10 Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
11 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.” ’
..................Pastor Jess: Just as many of us are today, the devil is constantly after those who are faithful, and follow God's word. We hear of Christians in far away countries who have found the word of God, but are forbidden to freely pray and pursue its following. The Church at Smyrna was given assurance by the angel of God not to lose faith, even in the face of death. As God guarantees, through the gift of life by the Christ Jesus to never die; as the second death in God's grace is not valid. Amen! Pastor Jess Foglesong
Revelations 2: 12 -- 17; Jan. 19, 2019; Our daily look at
John's Book of Revelations with Pastor Jess Foglesong
Revelations 2: The Compromising Church
12 “And to the [f]angel of the church in Pergamos write,
‘These things says He who has the sharp two-edged sword: 13 “I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. 14 But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality. 15 Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, [g]which thing I hate. 16 Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth.
17 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.” ’
---------------Pastor Jess: Even churches of today, that supposedly follow the word of God and the Gospel of Christ, that for the sake of society will compromise; thinking that God would Himself do the same. Knowingly doing what the Holy Spirit would disagree emphatically, as foreign to God and His character. By accepting un-Godly people into your church such as those who commit sexual immorality, agreeing that their actions are just part of a progressive society and that all should be empathetic and kind. But unfortunately God does not see it the way mankind does ..... God is unchangeable; His character is steadfast and true to himself. He is fully righteous in the eyes of his created beings throughout the universe and beyond. He does not compromise to breaking the Laws that He formed. And when you and I break the laws of the Life-giver, we will pay a price. So will the church of supposedly, Christian followers. God's amazing Grace is not a compromise .... it is indeed a solution, that puts all the blame onto one Man, a God-man, named: Jesus Christ of Nazareth. He makes the decision whether one is worthy to have everlasting life. Not you or I ... or the church. And the Holy Spirit is there to assist us in bringing the lost to the Redeemer: The Christ! Amen! Pastor Jess Foglesong
Revelations 2: 18 -- 29; Jan. 20, 2019; Our daily look at
John's Book of Revelations with Pastor Jess Foglesong
Revelations 2: The Corrupt Church
18 “And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write,
‘These things says the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet like fine brass: 19 “I know your works, love, [i]service, faith, and your [j]patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first. 20 Nevertheless I have [k]a few things against you, because you allow [l]that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, [m]to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. 21 And I gave her time to [n]repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent. 22 Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of [o]their deeds. 23 I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches[p] the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works.
24 “Now to you I say, [q]and to the rest in Thyatira, as many as do not have this doctrine, who have not known the depths of Satan, as they say, I [r]will put on you no other burden. 25 But hold fast what you have till I come. 26 And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations—
27 ‘He shall rule them with a rod of iron;
They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter’s vessels’—
as I also have received from My Father; 28 and I will give him the morning star.
29 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’
........................Pastor Jess: Think of the Church of Thyatira as the people of earth not being told the truth of the Gospel of Christ. Think of this church as an illustration of the people of the world that has become corrupted by the influence of Satan, by falling into chaos in doing what is forbidden; that is, the evils of sexual immorality and adultery. Think of us today as seeing evil take its toll over Christianity, by preventing the freedom of one's faith in prayer and worship. Think of the church of Thyatira as reflecting the dangers of letting our guard down and allowing the dreads of the Prince of Darkness in our lives. But Jesus says there is time to repent all of your sins and allow Him to cover every part of what you disown ... that only He can guaranteed everlasting life. Amen! Pastor Jess Foglesong
Revelations 3: 1 -- 6; Jan. 21, 2019; Our daily look at
John's Book of Revelations with Pastor Jess Foglesong
Revelations 3: The Dead Church
3 “And to the [a]angel of the church in Sardis write,
‘These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. 2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before [b]God. 3 Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you. 4 [c]You have a few names [d]even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. 5 He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.
6 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
..............Pastor Jess: . Yes, the Dead Church! They boast and holler, praise the Lord, and they bow, and they jump, and make many kinds of gyrations! But they are superficial in God's eyes! Today there are many Denominations that are indeed dead to the Lord! They practice abominations, and think surely that they will be accepted into heaven. There are many religions and denominations throughout the world today. Christianity of course has a huge following and most are true and faithful disciples of the Christ Jesus. But there are also many who speak beautiful and magnificent words but none of it is reaching God's ears. Then there are Satan's followers who despise the name Jesus, and they are indeed the Anti-Christ, and have been for hundreds of years. There is a battle going on here on the surface of the earth, as well as spiritually. It is a arena of war! It has always been --- Good against Evil! And I am happy to say: Good will win in the end! Amen! Pastor Jess Foglesong
Revelations 3: 7 -- 13; Jan. 22, 2019; Our daily look at
John's Book of Revelations with Pastor Jess Foglesong
Revelations 3: The Faithful Church
7 “And to the [e]angel of the church in Philadelphia write,
‘These things says He who is holy, He who is true, “He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens”: 8 “I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, [f]and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name. 9 Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie—indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. 10 Because you have kept [g]My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. 11 [h]Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. 12 He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.
13 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
...................Pastor Jess: The Christ Jesus has come to earth, sent by the Father to be sacrificed, as a Lamb, to satisfy a ransom held by Satan; and died on a cross, then buried in a cave for three days. But death could not hold him, and was brought back to life, defeating the power of Darkness; guaranteeing freedom from slavery for the human race (you and me); and promising everlasting life for those who accept his gift. Giving each and every one of us a choice to be his church through the trials and tribulations of life. The church at Philadelphia was indeed full of faith and trust in the gospel of Christ and through perseverance was named the faithful church. And in the thousands of churches today in this and other countries who truly worship and deeply believing in the Holy Spirit of God, you are special, you are held high in the face of the Father. The day will come when God will say to His Son: "Go get my children!" ... and a Trumpet will sound, that the end of the world has come; and all who have kept the faith will be snatched away in a blink of an eye. Then the true spiritual New Jerusalem will descend out of heaven, to be the dwelling place for all of His children; the City of God. Amen! Pastor Jess Foglesong
Revelations 3: 14 -- 22; Jan. 23, 2019; Our daily look at
John's Book of Revelations with Pastor Jess Foglesong
Rev. 3: The Lukewarm Church
14 “And to the [i]angel of the church [j]of the Laodiceans write,
‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: 15 “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. 16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither [k]cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. 17 Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— 18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten.[l] Therefore be [m]zealous and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. 21 To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
22 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’ ”
.................Pastor Jess: The Church at Laodicians is like many churches today. They are either here or there. They think they believe, or may not know what to believe. They go to church on Sundays just as a routine, or just to say to others that yes, "I attend church regularly." But at the end of the day, did it mean anything? Well, let's hope so! The Christ Jesus is the Son of God, and came here to earth to do two things: First to disclose his Father in heaven and vindicate him from the accusations of Satan. And second, to sacrifice himself as the Lamb of God, to pay the ransom and free human kind from the grip of Satan; freeing us forever and ever. And so to have "faith" and "trust" in Jesus Christ is imperative to be part of the true discipleship of the Gospel and Grace of God. So, I would say: be passionate in studying the word of God; be serious in your belief; and take being a follower of Christianity full-time -- not something as a hobby! Amen! Pastor Jess Foglesong
Revelations 4: 1 -- 11; Jan. 24, 2019; Our daily look at
John's Book of Revelations with Pastor Jess Foglesong
Rev. 4: The Throne Room of Heaven
After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, “Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.”
2 Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne. 3 [a]And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald. 4 Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white [b]robes; and they had crowns of gold on their heads. 5 And from the throne proceeded lightnings, [c]thunderings, and voices. Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the[d] seven Spirits of God.
6 Before the throne there [e]was a sea of glass, like crystal. And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back. 7 The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle. 8 The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying:
“Holy,[f] holy, holy,
Lord God Almighty,
Who was and is and is to come!”
9 Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying:
11 “You are worthy, [g]O Lord,
To receive glory and honor and power;
For You created all things,
And by Your will they [h]exist and were created.”
.......................Pastor Jess: These verses actually describes the central command center of heaven. With God as the Being in charge, sitting on the center throne. All those around the supreme ruler, represent all of his creations, and they all worship and rely on His wisdom and power. Heaven is real! It is a far cry from literal life here on earth. It is totally spiritual, outside of the material world we live in. It is timeless, not regulated by time. No beginning, no end. God's realm is beyond our comprehension, therefore reading these descriptions can be confusing, to say the least. But as we read from various chapters in the new testament: "it is not for you to know, at this time." So all we can do is surmise with the best of our given wisdom -- from the Holy Spirit. Simply know that God the Father is indeed ruler of all ..... and has given authority to His Son, The Christ Jesus for a time; in which He will retake the reigns at the conclusion of the age; and that is when all of His children on earth are safely back in his care; when the bride is escorted through the gates by the bridegroom ... and finally, the usurper and accuser -- Lucifer, and his followers -- is disposed of in the fiery, searing heat of the abyss! Amen! Pastor Jess Foglesong
Revelations 5: 1 -- 7; Jan. 25, 2019; Our daily look at
John's Book of Revelations with Pastor Jess Foglesong
Rev. 5: The Lamb Takes the Scroll
And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a scroll written inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals. 2 Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?” 3 And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll, or to look at it.
4 So I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open [a]and read the scroll, or to look at it. 5 But one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and [b]to loose its seven seals.”
6 And I looked, [c]and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth. 7 Then He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne.
Worthy Is the Lamb
..................... Pastor Jess: Worthy is the Lamb, indeed! Yes, He is the true Lamb of God! The sacrificial Lamb that God had the people of Israel sacrifice for a millennium and more. The Messiah, the Kinsman Redeemer, the Bridegroom, the Prince of Peace ... The Christ Jesus! The Son of God ... and He took the scroll from the right hand of His Father and because He was the only worthy one -- opened it! And we here today are patient and faithful as we wait for that day when the Christ returns to execute the end of the age, and initiate and embrace the New Kingdom of God. Amen! Pastor Jess Foglesong
Revelations 5: 8 -- 14; Jan. 26, 2019; Our daily look at
John's Book of Revelations with Pastor Jess Foglesong
Rev. 5: Worthy Is the Lamb
8 Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9 And they sang a new song, saying:
“You are worthy to take the scroll,
And to open its seals;
For You were slain,
And have redeemed us to God by Your blood
Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,
10 And have made [d]us kings[e] and priests to our God;
And [f]we shall reign on the earth.”
11 Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, 12 saying with a loud voice:
“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain
To receive power and riches and wisdom,
And strength and honor and glory and blessing!”
13 And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying:
“Blessing and honor and glory and power
Be to Him who sits on the throne,
And to the Lamb, forever and [g]ever!”
14 Then the four living creatures said, “Amen!” And the [h]twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped [i]Him who lives forever and ever.
....................Pastor Jess: Yes, the one who took the scroll was the Christ Jesus, and the others gave thanks for shedding his blood in-order to redeem human kind. Jesus was the one and only one that was worthy to take the scroll and open the 7 Seals and to implement and manage the end and the beginning of the transformation of lost believers (you and me) to becoming saints in the eyes of God the Father. The entire realm of heaven, including many thousands of angels bowed and worshiped the Lamb of God. Today, we as well should in prayer thank and worship the Son of God; the one called the sacrificial Lamb of God, The Christ Jesus of Nazareth for allowing His life to be taken, and His blood to be spilled, for our sake as well as His Father. We are indeed free from Satan's grip and power; and God is vindicated from the accusations by the usurper of heaven -- Lucifer, a former Arch Angel of the heavenly council of Angels. No more! Amen! Pastor Jess Foglesong
Revelations 6: 1 -- 8; Jan. 27, 2019; Our daily look at
John's Book of Revelations with Pastor Jess Foglesong
Rev. 6: First Seal: The Conqueror
Now I saw when the Lamb opened one of the [a]seals; and I heard one of the four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder, “Come and see.” 2 And I looked, and behold, a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.
..................Pastor Jess: How many times have we gone to church and heard the Preacher distort the word of God; and this is done time after time. This is happening throughout the United States, as well as the entire world, where Christianity is preached. And all are proclaimed as authority, believing that what he or she is teaching is true ("Don't do this, don't do that ..... or you should not wear that, or eat this and that"). And amazingly, millions take their word for it. Well, I believe this is the meaning and symbol of the First Seal. It is the the man on the white horse that illustrates the churches and preachers of the world that are spewing false doctrines --they are false prophets. Those who wear religious white garments and preach on their high white horse, but try to conquer by distorting the Gospel of Christ and the word and grace of God! Amen! Pastor Jess Foglesong
Revelations 6: 1 -- 8; Jan. 27, 2019; Our daily look at
John's Book of Revelations with Pastor Jess Foglesong
Rev. 6: First Seal: The Conqueror
Now I saw when the Lamb opened one of the [a]seals; and I heard one of the four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder, “Come and see.” 2 And I looked, and behold, a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.
..................Pastor Jess: How many times have we gone to church and heard the Preacher distort the word of God; and this is done time after time. This is happening throughout the United States, as well as the entire world, where Christianity is preached. And all are proclaimed as authority, believing that what he or she is teaching is true ("Don't do this, don't do that ..... or you should not wear that, or eat this and that"). And amazingly, millions take their word for it. Well, I believe this is the meaning and symbol of the First Seal. It is the the man on the white horse that illustrates the churches and preachers of the world that are spewing false doctrines --they are false prophets. Those who wear religious white garments and preach on their high white horse, but try to conquer by distorting the Gospel of Christ and the word and grace of God! Amen! Pastor Jess Foglesong
Revelations 6: 3 -- 4; Jan. 28, 2019; Our daily look at
John's Book of Revelations with Pastor Jess Foglesong
Second Seal: Conflict on Earth
3 When He opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, “Come [b]and see.” 4 Another horse, fiery red, went out. And it was granted to the one who sat on it to take peace from the earth, and that people should kill one another; and there was given to him a great sword.
...........................Pastor Jess: So we look at the Second Seal and see that it is a Red Horse and a rider. And we know that Christ gave his blood to free a lost people -- the human race. And so we must view His blood as a symbol of freedom, of liberty. And so the rider on the red horse will come to interrupt the works of Satan who has convince a multitude with his lies and deception; and has assured many that all is well -- if you follow him. That there will be peace forever. Not so fast, this is what the false prophet want all to believe. But the Christ Jesus will send the rider on the red horse to disrupt this so called tranquility to open people's eyes of the truth: that it is God's word that all should follow. That it is the Gospel of Christ Jesus that will save the human race and indeed guarantee life ever after with angels! Amen! Pastor Jess Foglesong
Revelations 6: 5 -- 6; Jan. 29, 2019; Our daily look at
John's Book of Revelations with Pastor Jess Foglesong
Rev. 5: Third Seal: Scarcity on Earth
5 When He opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come and see.” So I looked, and behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it had a pair of scales[c] in his hand. 6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, “A [d]quart of wheat for a [e]denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not harm the oil and the wine.”
.....................Pastor Jess: Jesus opened the third seal and the horse was black with a rider on it holding a pair of scales ... and what do we normally use a scale for? Yes, to measure the correct amount of food. Why? So we would have enough for the next day and for the next few days and perhaps weeks. So the third seal tells us that there will be tough times ahead. Famine will strike the land and many, especially the poor will go hungry. Black is the color of evil, of death (the dark Knight, etc). But not all will suffer, as the rich and the affluent will carry many through the ordeal. They will provide for all for a price! Even though there will be a lack of food, there indeed will be plenty of wine and oil, and the rider on the black horse will not touch them. The rich will be richer, and the poor will be poorer; but only for a short while as the day will come when the provider for all who believe, will return and to rectify all disparity and doom. The Christ will indeed save the day -- on the last day! Amen! Pastor Jess Foglesong
Revelations 6: 7 -- 8; Jan. 30, 2019; Our daily look at
John's Book of Revelations with Pastor Jess Foglesong
Rev. 6: Fourth Seal: Widespread Death on Earth
7 When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Come and see.” 8 So I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed with him. And [f]power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth.
.....................................Pastor Jess: Well, earth is indeed in trouble at this point! The rider in this Seal is on a Pale Horse representing Death and Destruction by various ways. The power is given to the rider to prepare the people of earth for the transformation and the beginning of the end, to a new beginning of the Kingdom of God. So as we here today, look at this proclamation, that may happen at any time; many who understand the ways and character of God will say: well it is time; it is what we have been waiting for. But those who did not understand and did not believe will be bewildered and shocked, and be fearful of their lives. The Holy Spirit of whom has been with us and has protected us through this interim of time, will continue to protect all believers, but will (through this Pale Horse and rider) implement the annihilation of a 4th of the worlds population. God indeed has a plan of bringing his created people back to Him from lost status due to Sin. They fell into sin because of a rebellious Angel named Lucifer; who was caretaker of planet earth. Through his usurping of God's will, lost his status in heaven, and was thrown down to planet earth (as the Red Dragon) along with one third of heaven's angels. And here, he ruled by convincing Adam and Eve to disobey God the Father, and Sin ensued, affecting all of mankind. And so the time has come as the people of earth are shaken with the appearance of the Pale Horse and its Rider representing Death. Amen! Pastor Jess Foglesong
Revelations 6: 9 -- 11; Jan. 31, 2019; Our daily look at
John's Book of Revelations with Pastor Jess Foglesong
Rev. 6: Fifth Seal: The Cry of the Martyrs
9 When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. 10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” 11 Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed.
.................................Pastor Jess: Some say that the Fifth Seal has not been opened yet. But I think it has been opened by the the worthy, Christ Jesus. Due to technology we are more aware of what is going on in all parts of the world. And we can view and see that Christians every where, from the Middle East to the communists countries of China and North Korea, to worshipers in Africa and the Philippines; just about in all parts of the world, faithful believers and worshiper of The Christ Jesus are being tortured, beheaded, and killed. It seems to me that the Fifth Seal is in progress and has been for quite a while. And those who have been killed will wait, attired in while robes, for the Christ to implement the end of the age and the transformation of the Saints. I believe this includes the "millions" of unborn children that had been (and are being) killed through abortion. So instead of looking at these Seals as specific time or moment ... I believe it is more a broader time period. God through His Son and His Holy Spirit are working to bring as many as they can to the Father, as pure and righteous children; but only through the Sacrificial Blood of Jesus of Nazareth! Amen! Pastor Jess Foglesong
Revelations 6: 12 -- 17; Feb. 1, 2019; Our daily look at
John's Book of Revelations with Pastor Jess Foglesong
Sixth Seal: Cosmic Disturbances
12 I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and [g]behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the [h]moon became like blood. 13 And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind. 14 Then the sky [i]receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place. 15 And the kings of the earth, the great men, [j]the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, 16 and said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! 17 For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”
.........................Pastor Jess: Through earth's history there has been many occasions that signaled the return of Jesus and his forces. But two thousand years has passed and we still expect Him, but so far, even though today there is strife and turmoil at every corner of the world; people die unmercifully in disasters such as earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, fires, and so much more; he has not appeared. And many say: it must be the end times and any moment the Christ will come in the clouds. But as many faithful believers know, that it is Birth Pangs, such as a woman whom is very close to childbirth ... so much pain and discomfort. So the Sixth Seal does proclaim that it is time; it is very close to the appearance of the faithful Leader: The Christ Jesus! And no doubt when that day comes (it may be within a few minutes, or a few years); it is not for us to know. But when he comes it will like a thief coming through your window! Many will hide; thinking that they are not worthy; or just plain fearful of the majesty of His coming. But we as believers are anticipating His return -- in full glory and magnificence! Amen! Pastor Jess Foglesong
Revelations 7: 1 --17; Feb. 2, 2019; Our daily look at
John's Book of Revelations; comment by Pastor Jess Foglesong
Rev. 7: The Sealed of Israel
7 After these things I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, on the sea, or on any tree. 2 Then I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God. And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, 3 saying, “Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.” 4 And I heard the number of those who were sealed. One hundred and forty-four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel were sealed:
5 of the tribe of Judah twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand were [a]sealed;
of the tribe of Gad twelve thousand were sealed;
6 of the tribe of Asher twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand were sealed;
7 of the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Levi twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand were sealed;
8 of the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Benjamin twelve thousand were sealed.
A Multitude from the Great Tribulation
9 After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” 11 All the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying:
“Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom,
Thanksgiving and honor and power and might,
Be to our God forever and ever.
Amen.”
13 Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?”
14 And I said to him, [b]“Sir, you know.”
So he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and 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 dwell among them. 16 They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; 17 for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to [c]living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
.......................Pastor Jess: So Revelations Seven talks about not harming the earth, although the angels have the authority to do so. but another angel appears and signals to them to hold off. The 144,000 of course equals 12,000 each, of the 12 Tribes of Israel. And at the Top of the list is Judah; the tribe that bore the Messiah, the Christ Jesus. But many have written that the 144,000 are literal people of believers, faithful to Christ who are privileged and are chosen due to their deep devotion to Jesus. Well, that sounds good and seems proper but, only 144,000 that are worthy to be chosen to enter heaven? I say not likely ... I believe and think that God desires a multitude of believers to come home to him, through His Son, the Christ Jesus! Therefore, I surmise that the 144,000 are indeed related to the twelve tribes, but God sees them as an illustration of "All" believers on earth; a multitude of faithful believers! So the 144,000 is a complete number symbolizing every person, every Christian who has given his or her trust in God through His Son, The Christ Jesus. Millions and millions of believers, including you and me, are the 144,000 in this Seal, that have admitted that they are sinners, and have accepted the sacrificial death of Jesus; that He has paid the ransom of the 144,000 (equalling the multitude) and has taken our place and has covered all of our sins ... in order to be a Bride, to be escorted by the Bridegroom (Jesus) to the Wedding Celebration and to be presented in the presence of the Father in heaven! You are the 144,000! The Church of Believers! Amen! Pastor Jess Foglesong
Revelations 8: 1 --6; Feb. 3, 2019; Our daily look at
John's Book of Revelations; with comment by Pastor Jess Foglesong
Rev. 8: Seventh Seal: Prelude to the Seven Trumpets
When 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 to them were given seven trumpets. 3 Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. 4 And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel’s hand. 5 Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it to the earth. And there were noises, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake.
6 So the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.
..................... Pastor Jess: This Seventh Seal looks like the end of the age will finally come; but again we must look at this with a broad scale. Jesus had been summoned to earth as a God-man, born from Mary's womb as the Christ-child. He lived as a human being, but sinless. He finally entered his final years as the Christ Jesus and assembled 12 apostles to be witnesses of His earthly presence and accomplishments. He was beaten and killed by his own people and died on the cross at Golgotha. He rose to the Father in heaven, after visiting the Apostles in his heavenly body. The angels said that this Jesus will return the same way as he left, except He will return in the clouds, in glory! And now we look at His return: Jesus opens the Seventh Seal and there is quiet, and stillness for a short time -- as we today say the phrase: "Wait for it!" .... Then He gives the Angels 7 Trumpets: one to each angel to begin the sounds of the beginning of the Transformation of planet earth and its inhabitants. Many of the "Saints" who had perished due to their devotion and faith, have already been safely housed, waiting for their Bridegroom's hand. And so we here on earth who have committed our life to the Christ Jesus as our savior and redeemer, too, are waiting for a sign from above, of His return ....... I believe that day is close -- so be ready, Christians! Amen Pastor Jess Foglesong.
Revelations 8: 7 --13; Feb. 4, 2019; Our daily look at
John's Book of Revelations; with comment by Pastor Jess Foglesong
Rev. 8: First Trumpet: Vegetation Struck
7 The first angel sounded: And hail and fire followed, mingled with blood, and they were thrown to the [a]earth. And a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up.
Second Trumpet: The Seas Struck
8 Then the second angel sounded: And something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea became blood. 9 And a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.
Third Trumpet: The Waters Struck
10 Then the third angel sounded: And a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. 11 The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters became wormwood, and many men died from the water, because it was made bitter.
Fourth Trumpet: The Heavens Struck
12 Then the fourth angel sounded: 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 were darkened. A third of the day [b]did not shine, and likewise the night.
13 And I looked, and I heard an [c]angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, “Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!”
..........................Pastor Jess: In all four of the Angels sounding the Trumpets, we see that it is (or will be) affecting one third of the elements on earth. Therefore two thirds of the earth is not affected, seemingly surviving the onslaught by the angels. But indeed all of the Trumpets "Sounded" and soon following are the dreadful catastrophes. But obviously, if just one third is annihilated, no doubt the other two third would be affected--including people; or even nearly destroying much of the face of earth.. Much of this may have already happened. As we have seen these events from time to time. These are tribulations brought on by God's transformation of planet earth and its inhabitants before entering into a higher level of eternal life with the Christ Jesus and angels. But for many it will not be an easy transformation. And for others, it will be a blink of an eye! So I will say to you: Christians: be ready ... even if it takes another several years! Amen! Pastor Jess Foglesong
Revelations 9: 1 --12; Feb. 4, 2019; Our daily look at
John's Book of Revelations; with comment by Pastor Jess Foglesong
Rev. 9: Fifth Trumpet:
The Locusts from the Bottomless Pit
Then the fifth angel sounded: And I saw a star fallen from heaven to the earth. To him was given the key to the [a]bottomless pit. 2 And he opened the bottomless pit, and smoke arose out of the pit like the smoke of a great furnace. So the sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke of the pit. 3 Then out of the smoke locusts came upon the earth. And to them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. 4 They were commanded not to harm the grass of the earth, or any green thing, or any tree, but only those men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. 5 And [b]they were not given authority to kill them, but to torment them for five months. Their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it strikes a man. 6 In those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will desire to die, and death will flee from them.
7 The shape of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle. On their heads were crowns of something like gold, and their faces were like the faces of men. 8 They had hair like women’s hair, and their teeth were like lions’ teeth. 9 And they had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots with many horses running into battle. 10 They had tails like scorpions, and there were stings in their tails. Their power was to hurt men five months. 11 And they had as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in Hebrew is [c]Abaddon, but in Greek he has the name [d]Apollyon.
12 One woe is past. Behold, still two more woes are coming after these things.
..................Pastor Jess: The Star from heaven or Angel from heaven swoops down to earth, and into earth to let a demonic terror like a Locust loose, but millions of them. But they look more like scorpions, and are given power over people of earth that are non-believers. And these beasts of the bottomless pit will torment them for 5 months. And as we see, God torments the unbeliever, and protects the faithful believer of his gospel. 5 is indeed the number of God's grace. And therefore He torments the wicked (the opposite of grace), but harbors His children who are in His grace ... For the eventual Transformation to heaven by His Son, The Christ Jesus! Are you safe in God's grace? Or are you lost in Satan's grip? The choice is yours! You have nothing to lose -- except your life! Choose God! You'll not regret it! Amen! Pastor Jess Foglesong ...
Revelations 9: 13 --21; Feb. 6, 2019; Our daily look at
John's Book of Revelations; with comment by Pastor Jess Foglesong
Rev. 9: Sixth Trumpet: The Angels from the Euphrates
13 Then the sixth angel sounded: And I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, 14 saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.” 15 So the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released to kill a third of mankind. 16 Now the number of the army of the horsemen was two hundred million; I heard the number of them. 17 And thus I saw the horses in the vision: those who sat on them had breastplates of fiery red, hyacinth blue, and sulfur yellow; and the heads of the horses were like the heads of lions; and out of their mouths came fire, smoke, and brimstone. 18 By these three plagues a third of mankind was killed—by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone which came out of their mouths. 19 For [e]their power is in their mouth and in their tails; for their tails are like serpents, having heads; and with them they do harm.
20 But the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, that they should not worship demons, and idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk. 21 And they did not repent of their murders or their [f]sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts.
................... Pastor Jess: Again, time after time, a third of the people on earth are annihilated immediately. But the remainder of the populous are still not in the clear. I am thinking that the true believers, faithful to the Lord and Christ of God have been taken away, to the meeting place in the clouds. And these things happen simultaneously. Therefore we are left with just those who haven't made up their minds .... or they believe, but were waiting for a sign from heaven. Well .... the sign appears! And if they don't "Repent" and admit that they are sinners, and accept the grace of God, and the gospel of the Christ Jesus, that He died on the cross as the sacrificial Lamb, paying the ransom of being enslaved by Satan; and freeing human kind, to be the Bride in a marriage, as the woman, to the Bridegroom--the Christ Jesus--who will take your hand across the threshold of the gates of heaven, to live free and safe -- forever and ever! Have you made your decision? You may not have a second to spare ... he will appear like a thief in the night, in glory! Don't be left behind! Amen! Pastor Jess Foglesong.
Revelations 10: 1 --7; Feb. 7, 2019; Our daily look at
John's Book of Revelations; with comment by Pastor Jess Foglesong
The Mighty Angel with the Little Book
10 I saw still another mighty angel coming down from heaven, clothed with a cloud. And a rainbow was on his head, his face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire. 2 He had a little book open in his hand. And he set his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, 3 and cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roars. When he cried out, seven thunders uttered their voices. 4 Now when the seven thunders [a]uttered their voices, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven saying [b]to me, “Seal up the things which the seven thunders uttered, and do not write them.”
5 The angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised up his [c]hand to heaven 6 and swore by Him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things that are in it, the earth and the things that are in it, and the sea and the things that are in it, that there should be delay no longer, 7 but in the days of the sounding of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, the mystery of God would be finished, as He declared to His servants the prophets.
.................. Pastor Jess: This angel coming down almost describing the return of the Christ Jesus in magnificent glory. But wishful thinking on my part ... This angel is indeed a prelude of the eventual second coming of our Lord. This is indeed a "Mighty" Angel of high rank that is like the God of the universe, but not quite; He has the trust of the Father and creator ... And is most likely the Arch Angel, Michael. He brings with him a Little Book that is open. Obviously the Book pertains to the created children of God; the trials and tribulations of what was: a lost human kind. But God orders the Angel not to add to the Little Book at this time. But instructs him that the process of the Transformation of all into His New Kingdom will not be delayed. And that the process will accelerate, as the end of the age is upon us. So, are you ready? It has been over 2000 years since Christ defeated Satan at the cross, and departed to sit to the right side of His Father in heaven. And when this angel appears, it is a warning to make your decision: accept Christ Jesus's gift of everlasting life; or stay on earth with the usurper of the universe--The Prince of Darkness--and never to be heard of again. God is the God of Light; He lives in Light. And when His Light moves on, there is only Darkness: the home of Evil, Satan! Amen! Pastor Jess Foglesong
Revelations 10, 11: Feb. 8, 2019; Our daily look at
John's Book of Revelations; with comment by Pastor Jess Foglesong
John Eats the Little Book and The Two Witnesses!
8 Then the voice which I heard from heaven spoke to me again and said, “Go, take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel who stands on the sea and on the earth.”
9 So I went to the angel and said to him, “Give me the little book.”
And he said to me, “Take and eat it; and it will make your stomach bitter, but it will be as sweet as honey in your mouth.”
10 Then I took the little book out of the angel’s hand and ate it, and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth. But when I had eaten it, my stomach became bitter. 11 And [d]he said to me, “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings.”
The Two Witnesses
11 Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod. [a]And the angel stood, saying, “Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there. 2 But leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the Gentiles. And they will tread the holy city underfoot for forty-two months. 3 And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.”
4 These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the [b]God of the earth. 5 And if anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies. And if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner. 6 These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire.
The Witnesses Killed
7 When they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them. 8 And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also [c]our Lord was crucified. 9 Then those from the peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations [d]will see their dead bodies three-and-a-half days, and not allow their dead bodies to be put into graves. 10 And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, make merry, and send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.
The Witnesses Resurrected
11 Now after the three-and-a-half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them. 12 And [e]they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” And they ascended to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them. 13 In the same hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. In the earthquake seven thousand people were killed, and the rest were afraid and gave glory to the God of heaven.
14 The second woe is past. Behold, the third woe is coming quickly.
................ Pastor Jess: The Apostle John takes the Little Book and devours it, just as we (you and me) would devour a book by deciphering its contents ... And so the Apostles, who in reality represent the multitude of believers (again, you and me) must take in the instructions given to them by the authority of God, and to wait for the signs of the Transformation. They will not be harmed as they are part of the inner Temple of worshipers; children of God who have steadfastly believed the word of God through turmoil and tribulation. God has given two witness, symbolically, representing His disciples and apostles whom have gone out to preach His word two by two, as commanded. And in doing so have been mocked, beaten and killed. But due to their strong belief and devotion to the truth of the gospel of Christ Jesus, they defeated death; just as Jesus did at the cross event. God gave the numbers: three and a half days, 3.5 years, 42 months, and 1260 days, as you can surmise all equaling to 3 and a half years, referring to Lazarus's time in the tomb. That those who have been killed (perhaps all believers, you and me), will be in suspended time. And will be resurrected on the 4th day! To have fully died, one would have to be dead on the 4th day rather than 3 and a half days. Jesus went to Lazarus on the 4th day, to ensure that he was indeed dead; but death could not hold him and Jesus said to Lazarus: come out (of death) and come back to life. And so, in these days of the Anti-christian torment and killing by the Anti-Christ groups and movement; the multitude of believers (inside of the Temple boundaries) will indeed be raised to life, and be children of God, to be taken to the gathering place to meet the Bridegroom and be escorted through the gates of heaven, to the presence of God the Almighty! Amen to that! Pastor Jess Foglesong
Revelations 11: 15 - 19; Feb. 9, 2019; Our daily look at
John's Book of Revelations; with comment by Pastor Jess Foglesong
Rev. 11: Seventh Trumpet: The Kingdom Proclaimed
15 Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The [f]kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!” 16 And the twenty-four elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God, 17 saying:
“We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty,
The One who is and who was [g]and who is to come,
Because You have taken Your great power and reigned.
18 The nations were angry, and Your [h]wrath has come,
And the time of the dead, that they should be judged,
And that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints,
And those who fear Your name, small and great,
And should destroy those who destroy the earth.”
19 Then the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of [i]His covenant was seen in His temple. And there were lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake, and great hail.
.........................Pastor Jess: How magnificent is this! Wow! God has proclaimed His reign as ruler of the Heavens and the earth! His Christ (Jesus) has defeated the usurper (Lucifer) and has squashed his attempt to take over the leadership of the realm of the angels. It is a celebration of immense glory. The Christ Jesus has turned the tide of gloom and doom, that was put upon His children of earth, and has won back the sole authority of a lost planet and people. Jesus has paid the ransom with his life; but was raised to free the enslavement of the children of God; and to bring them back, freely, as redeemed souls to live with angels, forever and ever! Amen! Pastor Jess Foglesong
Revelations 12: 1 - 6; Feb. 10, 2019; Our daily look at
John's Book of Revelations; with comment by Pastor Jess Foglesong
Rev. 12: The Woman, the Child, and the Dragon
1 Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars. 2 Then being with child, she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth.
3 And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads. 4 His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born. 5 She bore a male Child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. And her Child was caught up to God and His throne. 6 Then the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that they should feed her there one thousand two hundred and sixty days.
....................Pastor Jess: And so even though in Rev. Chapter 11, proclaiming that God had established His new Kingdom through His Son the Christ Jesus, and implementing the start of the transformation of His Saints, His Children ... this Chapter seem to recapitulate the process of what happened that brought us to this point.
The woman obviously is us, (human kind), and the Red Dragon is indeed Satan (Lucifer). And he did a dastardly, cowardly, diabolical thing in trying to usurp God's authority. And in doing so cost him his place in the realm of heaven. He was an arch-angel in charge of the planet earth and all its inhabitants -- human kind included. But because of Lucifer's disobedience; God banished him and one third of the angels to earth; putting all inhabitants (animals and humans) under his spell: Total Sin!. And because of this cancer on earth: all of earth became a wasteland. Nothing survived: nor man, nor animal. And in-order for humanity to regain their status as righteous children of God, there had to be a redeemer, to return them back to good standing with a totally righteous, supreme ruler of the universe and beyond. God was determined to reclaim his ownership, His offspring, His children ... and therefore placed a seed in the woman, and soon a child was born ... to be the true redeemer of mankind -- a righteous, sinless God-Man; a Christ of God; Jesus of Nazareth! Amen! Pastor Jess Foglesong
Revelations 12: 7 - 12; Feb. 11, 2019; Our daily look at
John's Book of Revelations; with comment by Pastor Jess Foglesong
Rev. 12: Satan Thrown Out of Heaven
7 And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, 8 but they [a]did not prevail, nor was a place found for [b]them in heaven any longer. 9 So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
10 Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. 11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. 12 Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.”
...........................Pastor Jess: It's hard to believe that a trusted angel could become a "Turn-coat" and even think about taking over the throne of God -- The Father. But there came a point that arch-angel Lucifer did indeed think and instigated such a move; and to know that he was persuasive enough to bring in one third of the angels! He was caught in the act of insubordination and usurping the authority and will of God. Soon he and his cohorts was confronted by the arch-angel Michael and was pushed back into a corner where there was no place for him in the realm of heaven. And like a fleeing coward, Satan (the Red Dragon) gathered his Demons and headed down to planet earth .... And by doing that, plunged all inhabitants of earth into darkness -- into a suspended consciousness, resembling death. Planet earth became a wasteland; formless and void (Genesis 1.2). Satan became in charge of a planet resembling the other planets in our Solar System: Bare, empty, lifeless (such as Venus, and Mars). But God was not deterred. He desired His children back and instigated a "Plan of Salvation" -- which is where the Bible comes in, beginning at Genesis 1.3 -- Let there be Light ... And a Redeemer, even, Christ Jesus, became the culmination of God's perfect plan for redemption! Amen! Pastor Jess Foglesong
Revelations 12: 13 - 17; Feb. 12, 2019; Our daily look at
John's Book of Revelations; with comment by Pastor Jess Foglesong
Rev. 12: The Woman Persecuted
13 Now when the dragon saw that he had been cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male Child. 14 But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent. 15 So the serpent spewed water out of his mouth like a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away by the flood. 16 But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the flood which the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. 17 And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus [c]Christ.
.........................Pastor Jess: Indeed the Woman is the human race (the Bride of Christ); And the Dragon, who is Satan, saw that the Woman was giving birth, possibly to a Redeemer, it swooped in to kill the child; but the Woman escaped into the desert (this seems to be illustrated by Mary and Joseph who took the child to Egypt, escaping the anger of King Herod). But in the larger view, it is indeed Satan going after God's redeemer in Christ Jesus of Nazareth. And the children of God are protected due to their faith and trust in the Word and the Father, and The Son -- the Christ Jesus; the Savior of all (you and me)! Amen! Pastor Jess Foglesong
Revelations 13: 1 - 10; Feb. 13, 2019; Our daily look at
John's Book of Revelations; with comment by Pastor Jess Foglesong
Rev. 13: The Beast from the Sea
1 Then [a]I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having [b]seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name. 2 Now the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority. 3 And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast. 4 So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?”
5 And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to [c]continue for forty-two months. 6 Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. 7 It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every [d]tribe, tongue, and nation. 8 All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
9 If anyone has an ear, let him hear. 10 He who leads into captivity shall go into captivity; he who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the [e]patience and the faith of the saints.
The Beast from the Earth
...................... Pastor Jess: Satan was thrown down to the earth, because he usurped the authority of God. And therefore his home since then is earth. And Satan (Aka, Lucifer) now from earth comes out of the Sea; he is awaken with new found authority after God placed Adam and Eve in Eden. Then, unfortunately Adam and Eve broke the law and the command of God by eating the fruit from the Tree of Good and Evil. Satan, in turn gained complete power and became the ruler of earth and all it's inhabitants. And he enslaved all of human kind. His authority was comprehensive entailing all of life on earth ... Every creature was hypnotized and became under his spell (nearly every animal and human kind, except for those who kept their faith in their Lord, The God of heaven). And he knew that one day a savior, a redeemer would be born and one day rise to conquer his domain -- the earth and its inhabitants (you and me). And indeed such a redeemer was born, as a God-Man, over 2000 years ago as a Christ-Child; then Jesus of Nazareth; but soon was killed by the followers of Satan, hung on a cross and entombed. And the Beast was pleased, thinking that he had won. But God defeated death by raising His son, and restoring his life, and now is seated to the right side of His Father in heaven. The beast, Satan, was struck, and wounded in the head by the resurrection of the Redeemer, The Christ Jesus. Satan had lost his right to rule earth and all inhabitants, including human kind (you and me). Jesus had paid the price (the ransom) through His sacrifice as the Lamb of God, freeing the grip and hold of enslavement by the Dragon and Prince of Darkness. And in the interim, between then and the return of The Christ ... Satan will play havoc on the people of earth, knowing that at the end of this age, he will perish in the fiery pit of the Abyss! Amen! Pastor Jess Foglesong ...
Revelations 13: 11 - 18; Feb. 14, 2019; Our daily look at
John's Book of Revelations; with comment by Pastor Jess Foglesong
The Beast from the Earth
11 Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon. 12 And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. 13 He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. 14 And he deceives [f]those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived. 15 He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. 16 He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, 17 and that no one may buy or sell except one who has [g]the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
18 Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666.
.................Pastor Jess: Like the first beast, who was Satan or the Red Dragon; this second beast is his protege, an advocate of the first beast who was fierce and ferocious; and devoured whatever and whomever came across its path. This second beast is the antithesis (or the opposite) of John the Baptist coming to make way for, and an advocate for the Christ Jesus. You may say that this second beast is the Anti-Christ movement; not necessarily one person; because there were and even today are many who hate the name Jesus Christ, just as they did nearly 2000 years ago, and today, persecute and kill the followers of Christ and many Christians throughout the world. This advocate and follower of Satan--who was wounded at the cross by Christ's death and resurrection, but recovered--will pursue to the death, faithful followers and believers of The Christ Jesus of Nazareth; but all of their vile anger and hatred will end abruptly at the second advent of Christ. But before that, the Beasts will influence a multitude of skeptics and non-believers; and will leave on their wrists (symbolizing what is used to make and create things); and a mark on their head or mind as 666 (symbolizing the biblical number of "man" multiplied to the third). It is the number of man, but always short of the number 7, which is God's rest; or completeness. Therefore you may say that those who do not believe in God's Word or the Gospel of Christ has the mark of the Beast -- 666. And those who believe with all their heart and soul, carry the mark of Christ Jesus on their wrists/hands and their minds -- which is at a higher level/number. Amen to that! Pastor Jess Foglesong.
Revelations 14: 1 - 5; Feb. 15, 2019; Our daily look at
John's Book of Revelations; with comment by Pastor Jess Foglesong
Rev. 14: The Lamb and the 144,000
1 Then I looked, and behold, [a]a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, [b]having His Father’s name written on their foreheads. 2 And I heard a voice from heaven, like the voice of many waters, and like the voice of loud thunder. And I heard the sound of harpists playing their harps. 3 They sang as it were a new song before the throne, before the four living creatures, and the elders; and no one could learn that song except the hundred and forty-four thousand who were redeemed from the earth. 4 These are the ones who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These were [c]redeemed from among men, being firstfruits to God and to the Lamb. 5 And in their mouth was found no [d]deceit, for they are without fault [e]before the throne of God.
.........................Pastor Jess: Wow ...... This tells us that we are there, following the Lamb of God, The Christ Jesus -- Our Redeemer! Most of you know and understand that when Jesus sacrificed himself as the sacrificial Lamb; He paid the ransom to free us (you and me) from the iron grip of Satan. Human kind was free to choose whether to take the Bridegrooms hand or stay and follow the prince of darkness. Yes, we were cleanse, sqeeky clean, righteous; but only because of what God, through Jesus did. He is The Lamb and you (we) are the 144,000 having His Father's name written on our foreheads. The 144,000 is a complete number multiplied (12 X 12) equaling the full 12 Tribes of Israel; which represent the children of God, equaling all faithful believers on earth! Let me state that again! 144,000 equals all (millions) faithful believers of God, through His Son, The Christ Jesus and the Holy Spirit! Amen to that! Pastor Jess Foglesong
Revelations 14: 6 - 13; Feb. 16, 2019; Our daily look at
John's Book of Revelations; with comment by Pastor Jess Foglesong
Rev. 14: The Proclamations of Three Angels
6 Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people— 7 saying with a loud voice, “Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.”
8 And another angel followed, saying, “Babylon[f] is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.”
9 Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.”
12 Here is the [g]patience of the saints; here[h] are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.
13 Then I heard a voice from heaven saying [i]to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’ ”
“Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.”
.....................Pastor Jess: Non believers! You are walking in the wrong direction; you are walking away from the Creator, away from the life-giver, the God of the universe and earth! You have received the mark of the Beast on your body and on your limb. You are a slave to Satan! You were freed from slavery at the cross and resurrection of The Lamb, The Christ Jesus! You had a chance to choose life or death; and by choosing death, you are destined to go down with Satan (The Beast) and his demons into the pit of fiery abyss! To suffer eternally. On the other hand, those who took the hand of the Bridegroom and was faithful and steadfast in their belief of the Father in heaven and The Son, The Christ Jesus will be lead to the gates of heaven, to live with angels forever and ever! Is this you? Let's hope so. Let's hope you chose the right road to glory -- in the Christ Jesus! Amen to that! Pastor Jess Foglesong
Revelations 14: 14 - 20; Feb. 17, 2019; Our daily look at
John's Book of Revelations; with comment by Pastor Jess Foglesong
Rev. 14: Reaping the Earth’s Harvest
14 Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat One like the Son of Man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle. 15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, “Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the time has come [j]for You to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.” 16 So He who sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped.
Reaping the Grapes of Wrath
17 Then another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle.
18 And another angel came out from the altar, who had power over fire, and he cried with a loud cry to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, “Thrust in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe.” 19 So the angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth, and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. 20 And the winepress was trampled outside the city, and blood came out of the winepress, up to the horses’ bridles, for one thousand six hundred [k]furlongs.
....................... Pastor Jess: One of the prime signs of the end of the age is when the wheat and the grapes are ripe, full and ready for the harvest. Understand that the wheat or grain, as well as grapes are the multitude of believers -- namely you and me. So The Christ will give the order to reap the earth of its faithful believers to meet Him in the clouds. On the other hand, nonbelievers as well as believers will also be harvested by an angel, and will be thrown into the winepress and will be trampled to separate to good wine and the bad. It is a time of God's wrath in separating those that have always been faithful and steadfast in their belief, that The Christ Jesus is the Redeemer and Lamb of God. The reaping and harvesting of the human race will be the deciding moment in the process of being accepted into the Kingdom of God. So you must decide before that time comes. Jesus or Satan! Don't delay! Amen! Pastor Jess Foglesong
Revelations 15: 1 - 8; Feb. 18, 2019; Our daily look at
John's Book of Revelations; with comment by Pastor Jess Foglesong
Rev. 15: Prelude to the Bowl Judgments
1 Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous: seven angels having the seven last plagues, for in them the wrath of God is complete.
2 And I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who have the victory over the beast, over his image and [a]over his mark and over the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having harps of God. 3 They sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying:
“Great and marvelous are Your works,
Lord God Almighty!
Just and true are Your ways,
O King of the [b]saints!
4 Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name?
For You alone are holy.
For all nations shall come and worship before You,
For Your judgments have been manifested.”
5 After these things I looked, and [c]behold, the [d]temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened. 6 And out of the [e]temple came the seven angels having the seven plagues, clothed in pure bright linen, and having their chests girded with golden bands. 7 Then one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God who lives forever and ever. 8 The temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His power, and no one was able to enter the temple till the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.
...................... Pastor Jess: The multitude of believers who have kept their faith and trust in The Christ Jesus and to the God of love and of creation, have been transformed into spiritual children of the Father and through Jesus, has conquer the diabolical ways of Satan, the Beast, and will be under the care and of angels in heaven. But those who have sided with the former prince of darkness will suffer directly, by the Wrath of God. The order was given to the seven angels having the seven plagues; and the unfortunate will be tormented until God sees that it is completed. The wrath and smoke of God consumed the Temple and will not cease until the task is done. And as we see in this vision, we as Christians can only hope that by accepting the gift of The Christ Jesus, and The Full Grace of God The Father, we will enter into the good book of Christ, assuring that we are part of the realm, of the New Kingdom of God. By taking the Bridegroom's hand, as his Bride, we are guaranteed to be accepted in the presence of The Father in heaven ... to live in safety and love, for ever and ever! Amen! Pastor Jess Foglesong
Revelations 16: 1 - 21; Feb. 19, 2019; Our daily look at
John's Book of Revelations; with comment by Pastor Jess Foglesong
Rev. 16: The Seven Bowls
16 Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, “Go and pour out the [a]bowls of the wrath of God on the earth.”
First Bowl: Loathsome Sores
2 So the first went and poured out his bowl upon the earth, and a [b]foul and loathsome sore came upon the men who had the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image.
Second Bowl: The Sea Turns to Blood
3 Then the second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it became blood as of a dead man; and every living creature in the sea died.
Third Bowl: The Waters Turn to Blood
4 Then the third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood. 5 And I heard the angel of the waters saying:
“You are righteous, [c]O Lord,
The One who is and who [d]was and who is to be,
Because You have judged these things.
6 For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets,
And You have given them blood to drink.
[e]For it is their just due.”
7 And I heard [f]another from the altar saying, “Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgments.”
Fourth Bowl: Men Are Scorched
8 Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and power was given to him to scorch men with fire. 9 And men were scorched with great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God who has power over these plagues; and they did not repent and give Him glory.
Fifth Bowl: Darkness and Pain
10 Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom became full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues because of the pain. 11 They blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and did not repent of their deeds.
Sixth Bowl: Euphrates Dried Up
12 Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, so that the way of the kings from the east might be prepared. 13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 14 For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings [g]of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.
15 “Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.”
16 And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, [h]Armageddon.
Seventh Bowl: The Earth Utterly Shaken
17 Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, “It is done!” 18 And there were noises and thunderings and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such a mighty and great earthquake as had not occurred since men were on the earth. 19 Now the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. And great Babylon was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath. 20 Then every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. 21 And great hail from heaven fell upon men, each hailstone about the weight of a talent. Men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, since that plague was exceedingly great.
.....................Pastor Jess: This is the final warning for all who rejected the offer to repent and come home with The Christ Jesus! The Seven Bowls coming right out of the Temple, through the angels of destruction, giving the unbelievers a final choice to ask for forgiveness. God disperses a final judgement, given to the seven angels, plagues that torment and destroy much of the earth, the sea, the rivers and streams. And along with nonbelievers ... Satan and his cohorts, the Beast and False Prophet, will suffer greatly for their actions, in usurping the authority of the Supreme Ruler of the universe and earth. And when the Wrath of God is finished; He will proclaim that the deed is done. And the Temple of God will reopen, to reveal the Saints (you and me) of whom during this calamity and destruction, were protected and cared for. And God will finalize the transformation of His children with open arms (as was the Prodigal Son), to a great celebration, like a wedding party, and will take the hand of The Bridegroom, Redeemer: The Christ Jesus, to live and exist forever and ever! Amen! Pastor Jess Foglesong
Revelations 17: 1 - 6; Feb. 20, 2019; Our daily look at
John's Book of Revelations; with comment by Pastor Jess Foglesong
Rev. 17 The Scarlet Woman and the Scarlet Beast
1 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and talked with me, saying [a]to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, 2 with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.”
3 So he carried me away in the Spirit into the wilderness. And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast which was full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. 4 The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of [b]her fornication. 5 And on her forehead a name was written:
MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT,
THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS
AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS
OF THE EARTH.
6 I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I marveled with great amazement.
.......................Pastor Jess: There are two sides: Good (God); Bad (Satan). Obviously the mother of all Harlots, is a follower of Satan's usurping nature! The scarlet woman are those of the human race that think they are doing God's work, by imitating every aspect of God; thinking that if they are like God, that it pleases God. How further from the truth! As believers and faithful saints, we have come to understand that there is no other God in the universe, that can be or called God. And therefore by portraying the likeness and title of God is an abomination in His eyes. As with the ancient kingdom of Babylon who worshiped false gods and idols; this scarlet-harlot woman and scarlet beast is accomplishing the same blaspheme; and The Father in heaven notices it and unless this usurping use and display ceases ... there will be dyer consequences. And for believers and the faithful (you and me): stay the course: trust the word and gospel of God, through his son, The Christ Jesus, formerly of Nazareth; now seated at the right side of The Father! Amen! Pastor Jess Foglesong.
Revelations 17: 7 - 18; Feb. 21, 2019; Our daily look at
John's Book of Revelations; with comment by Pastor Jess Foglesong
Rev. 17: The Meaning of the Woman and the Beast
7 But the angel said to me, “Why did you marvel? I will tell you the [c]mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and the ten horns. 8 The beast that you saw was, and is not, and will ascend out of the bottomless pit and go to [d]perdition. And those who dwell on the earth will marvel, whose names are not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, when they see the beast that was, and is not, and [e]yet is.
9 “Here is the mind which has wisdom: The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. 10 There are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come. And when he comes, he must continue a short time. 11 The beast that was, and is not, is himself also the eighth, and is of the seven, and is going to [f]perdition.
12 “The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast. 13 These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast. 14 These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.”
15 Then he said to me, “The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues. 16 And the ten horns which you [g]saw on the beast, these will hate the harlot, make her desolate and naked, eat her flesh and burn her with fire. 17 For God has put it into their hearts to fulfill His purpose, to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled. 18 And the woman whom you saw is that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth.”
........................Pastor Jess: All of this chaos is an accumulation of all that the Beast, Satan, has propagated to follow him to defeat the Lamb of God (The Christ Jesus). The woman, that is, human kind, failed to believe in the word and gospel of God have partnered with the Beast, assuming that all will be well and good in the end. But they will perish assuredly, with Satan when the Lamb returns to begin the transformation of the Saints (faithful believers, you and me) into the Kingdom of God. The turmoil brought upon by the Prince of Darkness is ongoing and happening as we speak, subtly, then as the end of the age grows nearer, to a height of frenzy and tumultuous upheaval! But those of the woman, who believe and are steadfast and faithful have been chosen to be escorted to the gates of heaven by the Christ of God, the Bridegroom, to the wedding party dressed in wedding garment, to be married into the family of angels; of the realm and Kingdom of God ... To live in safety and love, forever and ever! Amen! Pastor Jess Foglesong.
Revelations 18: 1 - 24; Feb. 22, 2019; Our daily look at
John's Book of Revelations; with comment by Pastor Jess Foglesong
Rev. 18 The Fall of Babylon the Great
1 After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illuminated with his glory. 2 And he cried [a]mightily with a loud voice, saying, “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird! 3 For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the [b]abundance of her luxury.”
4 And I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues. 5 For her sins [c]have reached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities. 6 Render to her just as she rendered [d]to you, and repay her double according to her works; in the cup which she has mixed, mix double for her. 7 In the measure that she glorified herself and lived [e]luxuriously, in the same measure give her torment and sorrow; for she says in her heart, ‘I sit as queen, and am no widow, and will not see sorrow.’ 8 Therefore her plagues will come in one day—death and mourning and famine. And she will be utterly burned with fire, for strong is the Lord God who [f]judges her.
The World Mourns Babylon’s Fall
9 “The kings of the earth who committed fornication and lived luxuriously with her will weep and lament for her, when they see the smoke of her burning, 10 standing at a distance for fear of her torment, saying, ‘Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! For in one hour your judgment has come.’
11 “And the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her, for no one buys their merchandise anymore: 12 merchandise of gold and silver, precious stones and pearls, fine linen and purple, silk and scarlet, every kind of citron wood, every kind of object of ivory, every kind of object of most precious wood, bronze, iron, and marble; 13 and cinnamon and incense, fragrant oil and frankincense, wine and oil, fine flour and wheat, cattle and sheep, horses and chariots, and bodies and souls of men. 14 The fruit that your soul longed for has gone from you, and all the things which are rich and splendid have [g]gone from you, and you shall find them no more at all. 15 The merchants of these things, who became rich by her, will stand at a distance for fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, 16 and saying, ‘Alas, alas, that great city that was clothed in fine linen, purple, and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls! 17 For in one hour such great riches [h]came to nothing.’ Every shipmaster, all who travel by ship, sailors, and as many as trade on the sea, stood at a distance 18 and cried out when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, ‘What is like this great city?’
19 “They threw dust on their heads and cried out, weeping and wailing, and saying, ‘Alas, alas, that great city, in which all who had ships on the sea became rich by her wealth! For in one hour she [i]is made desolate.’
20 “Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you [j]holy apostles and prophets, for God has avenged you on her!”
Finality of Babylon’s Fall
21 Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, “Thus with violence the great city Babylon shall be thrown down, and shall not be found anymore. 22 The sound of harpists, musicians, flutists, and trumpeters shall not be heard in you anymore. No craftsman of any craft shall be found in you anymore, and the sound of a millstone shall not be heard in you anymore. 23 The light of a lamp shall not shine in you anymore, and the voice of bridegroom and bride shall not be heard in you anymore. For your merchants were the great men of the earth, for by your sorcery all the nations were deceived. 24 And in her was found the blood of prophets and saints, and of all who were slain on the earth.”
.........................Pastor Jess: The Great City of Babylon, implying all who have given their soul and trust in the Prince of Darkness, Satan (Lucifer) himself. All who have followed like sheep into the mouths of wolves; and all who have grown rich with envy and arrogance towards whomever confronts them. The multitude from the far corners of the earth who have fallen into the deceit, lies trickery of the Satan will be thrown down with him into the fiery pit of the Abyss; never to be seen anymore. The great city of Babylon (symbolizing evil) will be banished into oblivion; her wealth and fame will be broken into a million pieces. So, if you have fallen into Satan's web of destruction; it is time to get out and accept the gift of life.
That is, take the hand of your redeemer: The Christ Jesus, who has taken your place and covered all of your sins. All you need to do is accept that He did! You will be a child of God and a saint, in His Son -- forever and ever! God has spoken! Evil, Satan: will be Gone! That, is a great Amen! Pastor Jess Foglesong
Revelations 19: 1 - 10; Feb. 23, 2019; Our daily look at
John's Book of Revelations; with comment by Pastor Jess Foglesong
Rev. 19: Heaven Exults over Babylon
1 After these things I [a]heard a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, “Alleluia! Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to [b]the Lord our God! 2 For true and righteous are His judgments, because He has judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication; and He has avenged on her the blood of His servants shed by her.” 3 Again they said, “Alleluia! Her smoke rises up forever and ever!” 4 And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sat on the throne, saying, “Amen! Alleluia!” 5 Then a voice came from the throne, saying, “Praise our God, all you His servants and those who fear Him, both[c] small and great!”
6 And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, “Alleluia! For the[d] Lord God Omnipotent reigns! 7 Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.” 8 And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.
9 Then he said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’ ” And he said to me, “These are the true sayings of God.” 10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “See that you do not do that! I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”
...................Pastor Jess: Yes, there is (since time is not a factor) a mighty celebration in heaven, as the multitude of God's creations on heaven and earth are grateful that God has handed down the final judgement to the great Harlot, and the symbol of evil: Babylon -- which usurped the will of God and expounded her deceit and abominations to the easily fooled and gullible unfaithful people of earth. But for those who have kept their faith and trust in the God of the universe, and to the Lamb of redemption, as saints of The Christ (you and me), will be attired in clean, pure white robes to attend the marriage of the woman (human kind: the Bride), and the Christ Jesus (the Redeemer, Bridegroom); and there will be a magnificent Wedding Celebration of immense proportions ... and all of the realm of heaven are invited to the feast! Amen! Pastor Jess Foglesong.
Revelations 19: 11 - 21; Feb. 24, 2019; Our daily look at
John's Book of Revelations; with comment by Pastor Jess Foglesong
Rev. 19: Christ on a White Horse
11 Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. 12 His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He [e]had a name written that no one knew except Himself. 13 He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies in heaven, clothed in [f]fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. 15 Now out of His mouth goes a [g]sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16 And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written:
KING OF KINGS AND
LORD OF LORDS.
The Beast and His Armies Defeated
17 Then I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the midst of heaven, “Come and gather together for the [h]supper of the great God, 18 that you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all people, [i]free and slave, both small and great.”
19 And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army. 20 Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. 21 And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh.
......................... Pastor Jess: And the time had come for the triumph of the Christ Jesus and the multitude of His followers, His children, His Bride, the people of earth who believed in the Word of God, and the Gospel of the Lamb, the redeemer; to stand on the mountain of truth; to stand with angels, and to be in the presence of the Father; the God of all, from here to eternity! And the Beast, along with his accomplice, the False Profit were defeated and captured and sentenced to the pit and lake of the fiery abyss ... And all that followed them as well suffered the same consequences! The Kingdom of God was reestablished with the Son, The Christ Jesus at His right side! Amen! Pastor Jess Foglesong
Revelations 20: 1 - 6; Feb. 25, 2019; Our daily look at
John's Book of Revelations; with comment by Pastor Jess Foglesong
Rev. 20; Satan Bound 1,000 Years
1 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 2 He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; 3 and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while.
The Saints Reign with Christ 1,000 Years
4 And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for [a]a thousand years. 5 But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.
....................... Pastor Jess: Satan, the Beast, Lucifer was humiliated at the cross event as the Christ Jesus was murdered and hung on the cross; before which was accused of blaspheme, then beaten, and made to carry his cross to Golgotha, and there He died, sacrificing His life to vindicate His Father; also to pay the ransom to free God's children from the vile grip of the prince of darkness -- Satan. The cross, resurrection and ascension event was a major turning point of the Kingdom of God. Before this milestone, Satan had free reign to manage and control the earth and its inhabitants (human kind). But God sent his one and only Son to end Satan's total reign; and won back the ownership of the children of His Father. At the moment of the resurrection of Christ Jesus (the sacrificial Lamb), Satan was wounded and bewildered, and basically indicted as a criminal would be. His reign ended and was imprisoned, but was released for a short time (as a person out on bail awaiting his sentencing). And during this interim of time (which we are in today), he will have the ability to influence mankind to go with him, to the fiery pit of the abyss. When Jesus died but was raised by the Holy Spirit, the believing and faithful children of God at that moment was freed completely for a symbolic 1000 years (completely, forever and ever). To clarify: 1000 (a Millennium) is a complete number meaning totally free to choose! And secondly: When Satan lost at the cross event, he on the other hand was confined and restrained for a 1000 years; meaning a complete number for a person being totally in captivity. But was released for a short time to influence the children of God, until the return of The Prince of Peace, at the end of this age! So, to clarify finally: Satan enslaved human kind at Eden; then Christ Jesus freed mankind (you and me) at the cross; at that point Satan lost his control, but given a short time to deceive the nonbelievers; then at the end of the age, will perish (along with his followers) in the fiery pit of the abyss! The Christ Jesus will reign with the children of God, forever and ever! Amen! Pastor Jess Foglesong
Revelations 20: 7 - 15; Feb. 26, 2019; Our daily look at
John's Book of Revelations; with comment by Pastor Jess Foglesong
Rev. 20: Satanic Rebellion Crushed
7 Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea. 9 They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. 10 The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where[b] the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
The Great White Throne Judgment
11 Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before [c]God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. 14 Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second [d]death. 15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.
...................Pastor Jess: After the Cross event, when Jesus sacrificed himself to pay the ransom and in turn was raised from death and gave instructions to His apostles, then ascended to heaven; Satan lost his ability to rule the earth as well as its inhabitants -- human kind (you and me). For thousands of years he ruled the earth and its inhabitants with an iron rod, enslaving all of life, including mankind. But when God came to earth as the Redeemer -- in the Christ Jesus -- a new covenant was implemented. A blood covenant which included the restriction and confinement of Satan, the Beast of the world. Satan was defeated and was mortally wounded by the actions of the Christ Jesus, which infuriated him greatly. He pleaded his case, and therefore was released for only a short while -- which is where we are today: We are in that interim of time where Satan (although hindered and restricted) can influence and manipulated all of human kind to side and follow him; and to reject the word of God, and the gospel of Christ Jesus. God will judge, from His throne, all of His children, through their decision, whether to choose life -- or death (Satan's path).. But assuredly, in the end (at the onset of Christ's return) Satan will perish in the searing, fiery, pit of the Abyss, along with his followers (including humans) -- forever and ever. At that time the eternal reign of the Christ Jesus will gather all of His Father's faithful children (His Bride) to the wedding celebration, to live in perfect harmony with angels, forever and forever! Amen! Pastor Jess Foglesong.
Revelations 21: 1 - 9; Feb. 27, 2019; Our daily look at
John's Book of Revelations; with comment by Pastor Jess Foglesong
Rev. 21: All Things Made New
1 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. 2 Then I, [a]John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. 4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”
5 Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said [b]to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”
6 And He said to me, “It[c] is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. 7 He who overcomes [d]shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. 8 But the cowardly, [e]unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”
......................Pastor Jess: We see through these words that heaven indeed is an amazing place. And it is here that the faithful will dwell forever and ever. God had promised this from the beginning, and finally after millions of years will come true. And how different it will be. The old has passed, the new will be implemented. A new heaven and a new earth. The faithful will dwell on the same level as angels and with their Redeemer and savior: The Christ Jesus, Son of God. The unbelievers and followers of Satan will not be present; as they were given a choice to accept the Lamb's sacrifice as their redeemer and savior, but they reneged on the gift of life, instead chose to follow and wallow with evil, namely: Satan (aka, Lucifer). God has banished evil completely from the earth, and made it a new earth. And a New Jerusalem will be established. And from this Headquarters, the Tabernacle will be the center of God's glory and grace. The saints will live in peace and tranquility; where there will be no death, sickness or pain. It is the reward for accepting the gospel of Christ Jesus and the trust and goodness of the God of the new heaven and New Earth! Amen! Pastor Jess Foglesong.
Revelations 21: 9 - 27; Feb. 28, 2019; Our daily look at
John's Book of Revelations; with comment by Pastor Jess Foglesong
Rev. 21: The New Jerusalem
9 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came [f]to me and talked with me, saying, “Come, I will show you the [g]bride, the Lamb’s wife.” 10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the [h]great city, the [i]holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, 11 having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal. 12 Also she had a great and high wall with twelve gates, and twelve angels at the gates, and names written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: 13 three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates on the west.
14 Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the [j]names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. 15 And he who talked with me had a gold reed to measure the city, its gates, and its wall. 16 The city is laid out as a square; its length is as great as its breadth. And he measured the city with the reed: twelve thousand [k]furlongs. Its length, breadth, and height are equal. 17 Then he measured its wall: one hundred and forty-four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of an angel. 18 The construction of its wall was of jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass. 19 The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all kinds of precious stones: the first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth sardonyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. 21 The twelve gates were twelve pearls: each individual gate was of one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.
The Glory of the New Jerusalem
22 But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine [l]in it, for the [m]glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light. 24 And the nations [n]of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor [o]into it. 25 Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no night there). 26 And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into [p]it. 27 But there shall by no means enter it anything [q]that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.
......................Pastor Jess; Jerusalem in its glory descends from heaven on to a new earth. There is no night, and sun or moon. God has let the old go, and have brought in the new. It is a new age of glory and peace. The city of Jerusalem, unlike the old one is filled with the wonders of God's character. it's light is illuminated by the Father and His Son, never to be stricken by evil. There is no need for a temple, as the God and Lamb is indeed its temple. This is where the faithful believers, who are the Bride of the Christ Jesus will dwell forever and ever. The communion of heaven and earth has arrived in complete glory and celebration of the marriage between mankind (which is the woman); and the Christ of God (the Bridegroom). And this bond will last into eternity, and is indeed the ultimate and true promised land, proclaimed by the supreme God of the universe and beyond! Amen! Pastor Jess Foglesong.
Revelations 22: 1 - 11; Mar. 1, 2019; Our daily look at
John's Book of Revelations; with comment by Pastor Jess Foglesong
Rev. 22: The River of Life
22 And he showed me a [a]pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2 In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3 And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. 4 They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. 5 There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.
The Time Is Near
6 Then he said to me, “These words are faithful and true.” And the Lord God of the [b]holy prophets sent His angel to show His servants the things which must shortly take place.
7 “Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”
8 Now I, John, [c]saw and heard these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who showed me these things.
9 Then he said to me, “See that you do not do that. [d]For I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.” 10 And he said to me, “Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand. 11 He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him [e]be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still.”
...................Pastor Jess: And so we come to the period where we (the multitude of believers) must make a choice of a life time. Where we must decide, through life's experience whether God is real, whether Jesus did come to earth and died for your sins, whether He was/is the Lamb that had been sacrificed for hundreds of years prior to He himself was sacrificed, mocked and beaten, and hung on a wooden cross, if He died and rose again, and ascended to the right side of His Father in heaven. It is your decision to make! Are you skeptical? Or are you a believer? Is your faith strong enough to take Christ's word, as well as His witnesses, the Apostles word that the Gospel of the Lamb, and The sacred Word of God is true? Can you make that decision today? Amen, if you do! Pastor Jess Foglesong.
Revelations 22: 12 - 21; Mar. 2, 2019; Our daily and final look at
John's Book of Revelations; with comment by Pastor Jess Foglesong
Rev> 22 Jesus Testifies to the Churches
12 “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the [f]Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.”
14 Blessed are those who [g]do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. 15 [h]But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.
16 “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.”
17 And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.
A Warning
18 [i]For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, [j]God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God[k] shall take away his part from the [l]Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
I Am Coming Quickly
20 He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming quickly.”
Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be [m]with you all. Amen.
....................... Pastor Jess: Jesus speaks to the faithful (you and me), those who have decided to take the road to the gates of heaven; and those who have continually pushed away the darkness throughout their lives. It has been a long ordeal in earth time since the days of Adam, the first steward of the human race. But as we know evil was present hiding in the darkness. And eventually overcame the truth given to Adam and his mate, Eve. By going against the will of God in eating the fruit from the Tree of Good and Evil, mankind fell into the hands of the deceiver; they called him the Red Dragon, The Beast and The Harlot. But through the years God had found a way to regain his rule by bringing forth a chosen people, and from this special group , He called them Israel, a redeemer and Messiah was born from a seed place in a woman's womb, part of Himself. Yes, God decided to enter the human stream to view and be with human beings. And He walked with them for hundreds of years. He became the symbol of the sacrificial lamb, where each year thousands of Lambs were sacrificed at the Alter by the High Priest in the Temple, Jerusalem. A ceremony that culminated over 2000 years ago, when Jesus, the true sacrificial Lamb was sacrificed and murdered, and died on a wooden cross. This was the ultimate sacrifice, and He gave himself as the sacrificial lamb once -- and only once. And at that moment, the ransom for the release of the human race from the diabolical iron grip of Satan was paid and satisfied. Human kind was freed to choose his or her destiny. That is: whether to believe in the gospel of Christ Jesus and the Grace of God; or to disregard the gift of eternal life and follow the prince of darkness, Satan and His demons. And a multitude has turned to God (the 144,000, equaling millions); they are called Saints and children of God. Today, we as faithful believers stand steadfast and tall, ready for the harvest of the saints; to be escorted as the Bride of The Christ Jesus (our Bridegroom), to be married -- to be in a relationship -- with Him and the God of the universe! Our representative and redeemer, The Christ Jesus will stand in the presence of The Father, and plead our case ... And in that moment will lead us to the exquisite, marvelous, and glorious City of spiritual Jerusalem to dwell with Him and the angels forever and ever! Amen! Pastor Jess Foglesong. God Bless All ......