The Sweetest Words We Will Ever Hear |
|
Beginning in Chapter 4 we move into a new section of the Book of Revelation. As we have seen in earlier studies, John was given the commission in 1:19, "Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter." The things, "thou hast seen" refer to the vision he had of a glorified Christ in chapter one. The "things which are" refer to the seven Churches we considered in chapter 2-3. It is the "things which shall be hereafter" that becomes our focus for the rest of our study of Revelation.
The words "after this" indicate that a new section is beginning. This new section involves future events that are kicked off by the return of Jesus Christ for His people. This return of Jesus Christ is what is often called the rapture. You do not find the word "rapture" in the Bible, but the truth and thought is there. We read in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." The words "caught up” is the Greek word harpaze. In Latin the word is rapto which means to “seize,” “to catch away” or to “pluck.” When we talk about the rapture we are talking about that moment when every saved person that is living on the earth will suddenly be caught away or raptured out of this world.
Imagine what that hour will be like. In the hours that follow, the world will awake to the news or be made aware that millions of people are missing around the world. I once came across an imaginary newspaper that read: “PEOPLE PANIC – MILLIONS MISSING AROUND THE WORLD” “At 12:05 last night a telephone operator reported three frantic calls regarding missing relatives. Within 15 minutes all communications were jammed with similar inquiries. A spot check around the nation found the same situation in every city. Sobbing husbands sought information about the mysterious disappearance of wives. One husband reported, ‘I turned on the light to ask my wife if she remembered to set the clock, but she was gone. Her bedclothes were there, her watch was on the floor … she had vanished.’ An alarmed caller from Brooklyn tearfully reported, ‘My husband just returned from the late shift … I kissed him … he just disappeared in my arms.’”
Another has described what that moment will be like on earth: "In one chaotic moment, millions of people around the world suddenly disappear leaving their clothes, wedding rings, eye glasses and shoes in crumpled piles. Mass confusion hits while vehicles suddenly unmanned veer out of control, fires erupt and hysteria breaks out as the living stare in disbelief and fear at the empty places where their loved ones were just seconds before. This is the rapture that God has planned as the first sign to begin the unraveling of the end of time."
Can you imagine the Newspaper headlines the day after: "Millions Mysteriously Vanish!" "All Children Have Disappeared!" "Massive Traffic Snarls Due to Missing Drivers!" "Planes Crash, Trains Wreck As Pilots and Engineers Disappear!" No doubt it will be a chaotic scene on earth, but oh, what glory awaits those that are saved. It will be a grievous time for those left behind but a glorious time for those who are taken out.
As we began the future section of Revelation, we learn that at that moment there are certain words we will hear. As far as I am concerned, for the Christian they will be THE SWEETEST WORDS WE WILL EVER HEAR. What are those words? Let's notice verses 1-2 of Revelation chapter four. First, notice with me:
1. THE TIME THAT IS STATED
John now speaks to us about a certain period of time. In verse 1 John speaks of that "which must be hereafter." Our attention is now drawn to the future and the things that will happen both on earth and in heaven. John's record of the future gives us:
(A) A Disclosure of the Future
John was shown the future that he might disclose to us the future. Paul said in 1 Thessalonians 4:13, "But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope." The word "ignorant" speaks of lacking information or knowledge. God does not want us to lack information or be without an understanding of the future. That is one of the reasons the Book of Revelation has been given to us by the Holy Spirit.
When it comes to the future there are some things that have not been disclosed. For example, it is impossible for us to know the WHEN of the Rapture. Jesus said in Matthew 24:36, "But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only."
In 1988, Edgar Whisenant wrote a booklet proving that the world would come to an end in 1988, probably on September 12. When that failed to happen, Whisenant re-checked his mathematical calculations and found his error. The end was then predicted to be September 1, 1989. Like so many date-setters before him, Whisenant was wrong. Our Lord said no one would be able to predict the time of the second coming.
We cannot know the day or hour -- the when of the rapture -- but God does want us to know the WHAT of the rapture. We are not without information as what will happen.
John's record also give us:
(B) A Depiction of the Future
In the events that unfold, we are given a depiction of future events. We will see events that relate to both the saved and the lost. There is depicted for throughout Revelation both heavenly and earthly events. These events will largely be depicted in signs, symbols, and images. If you recall our first study we noticed the word “signified” in 1:1. One has suggested that we read the word "sign–I–fied." Revelation is a book by which events are revealed through signs, symbols and images. These give us a depiction of the future.
John's record also gives us:
(C) A Definition of the Future
Let me draw your attention once again to Revelation 1:19, "Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter." The word "shall gives an affirmation of future events. These things are certain. They "shall" happen just as God declares in His Word.
In Revelation 4:1 John heard a voice saying, "I will shew thee things which must be hereafter." Not only "shall" these things happen, they "must" happen." There is not only an affirmation of future events, but also an arrangement of future events. The word “must” speaks of that which is "binding" and "necessary." These are events which involve God carrying out of His eternal purposes and plans. The events that will unfold in the future are more than good things that will happen for a Christian and bad things that will happen for those who are unsaved. They are first and foremost the unfolding of God's eternal decrees for this world and the ages. All the things we will see happening in Revelation is God bringing to fulfillment His promises and plan. That is what prophecy is all about.
Secondly, we not only see the time that is stated, but also:
2. THE TRUMPET THAT IS SOUNDED
In verse one John hears "as it were a trumpet talking with him." Trumpets are found at least 6 times in Revelation. We find trumpets are often associated with future events. The Bible often speaks of the trumpet in relation to the rapture. We read in 1 Thessalonians 4:16, "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first." We also read in 1 Corinthians 15:52, "In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed."
As regards to trumpets and the return of Jesus, let me say a word about:
(A) The Meaning of the Trumpet
Trumpets were sometimes used to make an announcement. They were used to call the people to assembly. They were also used in certain activities that were associated with their feasts and times of celebration. Then of course, there were military usages of the trumpet.
The trumpet that will be heard by Christians when the Lord returns will be a heavenly announcement. It will announce the arrival of the Lord Jesus to take us out of this world. It will also be a call to assembly. Both the living and dead will be summons from the grave and the earth and caught up together.
Let me also say a word about:
(B) The Message of the Trumpet
In Corinthians 15:52 Paul spoke of the "last trump." This was a Roman military term. A first trumpet would sound which was a call for the soldiers to pack up their tents and equipment. That would later be followed by a second trumpet which was a call to line up. Then the third or last trump as the Romans called it was a call to move out and march. When Christians hear the trumpet of the Lord sound it will mean that Christians are pulling out of this world and heading home. Glory!
John described the voice that he heard as “the first voice which I heard” indictaing that this was a voice he had heard previously. We read in 1:10, "I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet." The voice he was hearing was none other than the voice of the Lord Jesus.
John speaks of the trumpet “talking with him.” He then tells us what the trumpet said to him: “Come up hither.” I personally believe that this is what every Christian will hear the Lord say when He returns. These will be the sweetest words we will ever hear! When we hear the last trump and Lord say, "come up hither," we will caught up to meet the Lord and our loved ones in the air and we shall live together with Lord for all of eternity.
As Christians we are admonished to look and long for His coming. The more we learn of what lies ahead for the Christian the greater our longing will be and the more we will turn our eyes to the sky looking for His appearing.
Thirdly, notice with me:
3. THE THRONE THAT WAS SEEN
We read in verse 2, "And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne." We will look at this throne closer in our next study, but I want to point out 3 truths about the rapture that we see in John’s vision of the throne.
First, we see:
(A) Our Translation
John said, “And immediately I was in the Spirit.” As Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15:52, it will all happen in "a moment, in the twinkling of an eye." Quicker than we can snap our fingers or blink our eyes, we will transported in and by the Spirit out of this world.
We also see:
(B) Our Destination
John saw the throne in heaven. The Bible speaks of 3 heavens. There is the atmospheric heaven which is the sky around and above us. There is the stellar heaven which is the space above us where we see the stars and planets. Then there is the heaven of God which is the future home of every Christ. This world is not our final home. We have a heavenly home awaiting us.
Lastly, we see:
(C) Our Occupation
When we get to heaven we are not going to be thinking about streets of gold and gates of Pearl. Our thoughts will not be on our heavenly mansion. John saw One sitting on the throne. Our occupation in heaven will be worshipping the One who sits upon the throne. As the years of eternity pass we will worship our Saviour and Redeemer. That will be our eternal occupation.
Would you not agree with me that the sweetest words we will ever hear are the words, "Come up hither!" |