Who is worthy to open the book? Revelation 5 ushers in one of the most important prophetic climaxes in heaven. John sees God seated on His throne, and in His right hand is a book (like a scroll) with writing inside and on the back, sealed up with seven seals.
And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, ‘Who is worthy to open the book and to break its seals?‘
Revelation 5:2 NASB
Much to John’s chagrin, no one is worthy–whether in heaven, on earth, or under the earth. John’s hopelessness breaks into devastated weeping until one of the elders intervenes.
…and one of the elders said to me, ‘Stop weeping; behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals.’
Revelation 5:5 NASB
Jesus, the Overcomer
Only one person in all of creation has overcome to be worthy to open the book. Jesus, the Lion from the tribe of Judah and the Root of King David, appears as the sacrificial Lamb of God. The Lamb has seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God He sends into all the earth. After He takes the book from God’s hand, glorious praise and worship crescendos in heaven.
Where does God keep our prayers?
When the four living creatures and elders fall on their knees before the Lamb, each elder holds a harp and golden bowls full of incense. Inside these golden bowls are the prayers of the saints–yours and mine. Isn’t it amazing that our prayers are collected and will be presented to Jesus on this day? How reassuring to know that God keeps and safeguards every prayer we pray in heaven.
Sing a new song
At the Coronation of King Charles III, a new song was composed for that happy occasion. On the other hand, Elton John composed and sang a new song at the funeral of Princess Diana. As great ceremonies call for new songs, it’s the same in heaven. Here are the lyrics we will sing to the Lamb of God when He takes the scroll from God’s hand:
‘Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon theearth.‘
Revelation 5:9-10 NASB
Following this, John witnesses a vast number of angels around the throne, described as “myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands.” These continue worshiping the Lamb, saying with loud voices, ‘Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing’ (Revelation 5:12 NASB).
All creation joins in mighty praise
Finally, all the rest of God’s creation–in heaven, on and under the earth, and on and under the seas–join in praise, saying,
‘To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.’
Revelation 5:13b NASB
And worship
The four living creatures said, ‘Amen,’ and the elders fell down and worshiped.
Revelation 5:14 NASB
We are anxiously awaiting that glorious day. All of heaven and earth will lift loud voices of praise and worship to both Father God and His Son. The breaking of these seals signifies the beginning of the Tribulation on Earth.
Thank you, dear Father God, that Your Son is worthy to take the scroll and break its seals. We praise You and give You all the glory, for You are worthy of worship and of our praise. In Jesus’s Name, Amen.
How amazing to actually see what God’s throne room looks like–and who is there! That’s where John takes us in the fourth chapter of Revelation. His experience will banish any childhood fantasies about heaven. Aren’t we thankful that we catch a glimpse of what our future holds? We believers will actually see, hear, and experience what we are about to see through John’s eyes. Wow!
“After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven, and the first voice which I had heard, like the sound of a trumpet speaking with me, said, ‘Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after these things.’ “
Revelation 4:1 NASB
Is this the time of the rapture of the church?
Although there are other theories, great evidence supports the rapture of the church occurring between Revelation 2 and 3. Let’s explore a bit of the evidence, beginning with Revelation 1:19.
‘Therefore write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after these things.’
Revelation 1:19 NASB
Since Revelation 4:1 begins with the words, after these things, we know that John, standing in heaven, is watching the future unfold on earth.
Additionally, John enters heaven through an open door, and no one leaves heaven until the church returns with Christ at Armageddon. We know that the trumpet will sound to announce this event as told in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, and the voice in Revelation 4:1 was “like the sound of a trumpet.”
Interestingly, after Jesus instructs John to write a letter to each of the seven churches, the church isn’t mentioned again until Chapter 19. Since the church has vacated earth, so will the Holy Spirit who lives inside believers. No longer is the Restrainer present to hold back the evil Satan unleashes through the Anti-Christ and False Prophet.
Hence, God allows the seven-year Tribulation to begin, whose purpose is to bring His judgment and wrath upon the wicked, not upon the righteous (see Romans 8:1).
Our glorious God
After John wrote the letters to the seven churches, he finds himself in the spirit and transported to heaven. The first thing he focuses on is God seated on His throne.
And He who was sitting was like a jasper stone and a sardius in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, like an emerald in appearance.
Revelation 4:3 NASB
Isn’t it interesting that this is our only glimpse of God? We know man is made in God’s image, but John describes Him in relation to the colors of precious stones.
A jasper stone here was probably clear white, and a sardius is red, perhaps like a ruby or a red jasper stone. The rainbow around the throne is green like an emerald stone–not as the many-colored half-rainbows we see in the sky after a rain storm. This soft green light encircles the throne of God in one complete circle, perhaps signifying His mercy and grace. Suffice it to say that God and His throne are bathed in beautiful colors of transparent lights, which is the glory of God.
The twenty-four elders
Around the throne were twenty-four thrones; and upon the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white garments, and golden crowns on their heads.
Revelation 4:4 NASB
Next, John sees twenty-four thrones in a circle around God’s throne where twenty-four elders sit. No one really knows who they will be, although speculation abounds. Many surmise that they represent those from the church because they wear white clothing and golden crowns.
The seven lampstands
Out from the throne came flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder. And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God;
Revelation 4:5 NASB
As a child, I still have vivid recollections of severe summer storms. They could be quite frightening as bright flashes of electricity in a dark sky preceded pounding, deafening thunder. Yet, John describes these same things as coming from God’s throne. Not terrifying, but witnesses to the power and divine majesty of the holy God we serve.
And in the midst stood seven lamps–the seven spirits of God–burning with fire and positioned in front of the throne. But what exactly are they? We know there is only one spirit, the Holy Spirit of God. So, these spirits may refer to the varied ministries of the Holy Spirit: the Spirit of the Lord, and wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge and fear of the Lord (see Isaiah 11:2).
The four living creatures
…and before the throne there was something like a sea of glass, like crystal; and in the center and around the throne, four living creatures full of eyes in front and behind. The first living creature was like a lion, the second creature like a calf, the third creature had a face like that of a man, and the fourth creature was like a flying eagle. And the four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within; and day and night they do not cease to say,
‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come.‘
Revelation 4:6-8 NASB
These creatures may be an exalted order of angels whose sole purpose is to worship and glorify God. To John, they resemble a lion, a calf, a man, and an eagle in flight, all having six wings. These also parallel the descriptions in Ezekiel 1:10 and Isaiah 6:2. Night and day, forever and ever, they will continually give praise to God the Father. We’ll see in the next chapter that they also worship Jesus, thus proving that Jesus is separate yet equal to God.
A concert of praise to God
And when the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, to Him who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders will fall down before Him who sits on the throne, and they will worship Him who lives forever and ever, and will cast their crowns before the throne, saying, ‘Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created.‘
Revelation 4:9-11 NASB
At the conclusion of this chapter, we see the creatures and the elders joined in agreement as they worship God together. The creatures cry holy, and the elders cry worthy. As the elders fall on their knees, they cast their golden crowns before God’s throne and praise Him for His creation, giving Him all glory, honor, and power. What a powerful time of worship and praise to our holy God!
I don’t know about you, but this glimpse into God’s throne room gives me goosebumps.
How wonderful to look forward to that day when we will be in His presence, praising and worshiping our God along with the rest of heaven.
Dear Father, thank You for allowing us to glimpse You and Your throne room in heaven. We give you all the praise, all the glory, and all the honor both now and forever. We worship You, for You alone are worthy. We anticipate the day when we will worship You in heaven. In Jesus’s Name, Amen.
A Glimpse into God’s Throne Room by Karen Jurgens copyright 2023 All rights reserved.
“The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants, the things which must soon take place; and He sent and communicated it by His angel to His bond-servant John.”
Revelation 1:1 NASB
As we prepare to return to our survey of the book of Revelation, let’s begin by remembering Christ’s words to John, which frame the purpose for this book of prophecy:
‘Therefore write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after these things.‘
Revelation 1:19 NASB
Jesus directed John to write things that were past, present, and future, beginning with the messages to the seven churches in Asia. Each letter outlines specific commendations of excellence and warnings of failure, but concludes with a promise of rewards for overcomers. In fact, the purpose of these seven-fold messages is to overcome. Let’s review Christ’s encouragement to each church.
Ephesus:
‘To the one who overcomes, I will grant to eat from the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God‘ (Revelation 2:7 NASB).
Smyrna:
‘The one who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death’ (Revelation 2:11b NASB).
Pergamum:
‘To the one who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows except the one who receives it’ (Revelation 2:17b NASB).
Thyatira:
‘The one who overcomes, and the one who keeps My deeds until the end, I will give him authority over the nations; and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the potter are shattered, as I also have received authority from My Father; and I will give him the morning star‘ (Revelation 2:26-28 NASB).
Sardis:
‘The one who overcomes will be clothed the same way, in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels‘ (Revelation 3:5 NASB).
Philadelphia:
‘The one who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; and 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 My new name‘ (Revelation 3:12 NASB).
Laodicea:
‘The one who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat with My Father on His throne‘ (Revelation 3:21 NASB).
Notice that Jesus concludes His message to each church the same way. ‘The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’
As we prepare to delve into the fourth chapter and beyond, let’s be aware that we’re entering a realm of spiritual mystery. There will be fantastic, wonderful descriptions of heaven and what it’s really like. But there will also be a description of the wrath of God poured out upon the earth, and at times it will be very dark and troubling.
Keep in mind that through it all, God is in complete control. We don’t have to fear what we read, neither do we have to understand every detail. At some point, God will send Jesus to rapture the Church out of the Great Tribulation because the wrath of God is only for the wicked (see 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). The bottom line is to be a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ in order to escape what is coming on the earth. We can rest assured that God will protect us through it all.
Our survey will glean the surface and hopefully bring encouragement to dig deeper in a Bible study on Revelation. Why should we read this book of prophecy? The answer is here:
Blessed is the one who reads, and those who hear the words of the prophecy and keep the things which are written in it; for the time is near.
Revelation 1:3 NASB
Dear Father, thank you for blessing us as we read this great book of prophecy. Let us listen closely to Your words and be obedient to its instruction. May we be overcomers in Your kingdom. Come quickly, Lord Jesus–we anxiously look for Your return. In Jesus’s Name, Amen.
He is Risen! I trust your Easter weekend has been a wonderful experience, from Maundy Thursday to Good Friday to Easter Sunday. Hasn’t it been a mixture of emotions?
The Garden of Gethsemane
We witnessed the dread of Jesus’s coming to terms with His assignment in the Garden of Gethsemane where He shed drops of blood in fervent prayer.
And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, ‘My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.’
Matthew 26:39, NASB
Good Friday
On Good Friday, we turned our heads as Judas hanged himself and Peter denied Christ three times.
We agonized with Jesus as He was unjustly accused and sentenced to die by crucifixion.
We cringed in horror as they lashed His back thirty-nine times and slapped the crown of thorns on His head.
We wept as He carried His cross, assisted by Simon the Cyrene, up the hill to Golgotha where they drove nails into His hands and feet.
But Jesus was saying, ‘Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.’
Luke 23:34
We sat amazed when He forgave His tormentors as well as the thief crucified next to Him.
And he was saying, “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom!” And He said to him, ‘Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.’
Luke 23:42b-43
We mourned with Mary, His mother, as she watched her Son suffer unto death.
But standing by the cross of Jesus were His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus then saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother, ‘Woman, behold, your son!’ Then He said to the disciple, ‘Behold, your mother!’ From that hour the disciple took her into his own household.
John 19:25-28
We waited on Saturday. But where was Jesus from Friday night to Sunday morning?
Descent into Sheol
After death, Scripture tells us that Jesus descended into the bowels of the earth to Sheol. Sheol is a two-sided holding tank for the dead, with the righteous on one side and the wicked on the other, separated by a chasm. We know this from the story of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16:19-30.
First, Jesus took away the keys of death, hell, and the grave from Satan. Then He preached the Good News to the damned, giving them the opportunity to escape from their prison of hell. Every person who has ever lived must make the choice to accept or reject Jesus as Savior. Last, the righteous vacated Sheol to live in heaven.
I am the first and the last,and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.
Revelation 1:17b-18
Good Friday seals the forgiveness of our sins and the healing of our physical bodies through Jesus’s shed blood at Calvary.
The Third Day
The miracle of Jesus’s bodily resurrection on Sunday seals our eternity with Jesus Christ in heaven. We rejoice because His tomb is empty! Our Lord is risen, just as He said.
What joy fills our souls as we rejoice in the goodness of our Savior! To realize that He loved us that much–to come down from heaven to be the perfect sacrifice for us. We owed a debt we couldn’t pay, and He paid a debt He didn’t owe. He restored our broken relationship with God out of his abundant love for each one of us.
Christianity isn’t a dry, dead religion. It’s a living, personal relationship with the One True GodJesus Christ.
Dear Father, May we carry Easter in our hearts all year long. May we be forever humble and grateful, showing our sincere thanks to Jesus for providing us with the precious, priceless gift of salvation. In Jesus’s Name, Amen.
He is Risen! by Karen Jurgens Copyright 2018, 2022, and 2023 All rights reserved.
…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness.
Romans 3:23-25a
How will you be spending Good Friday this year? My desires today are:
to humble myself before Him;
to be still and know that He is God, my Savior, and my Redeemer;
to meditate through Scripture on the depths of His sufferings;
to remember His sacrifice;
to thank and worship Him for His gift of salvation;
to listen to what the Holy Spirit would speak to me.
On this holy day of Passion week, may we take time to prayerfully ponder the meaning of what Christ accomplished for us on the cross. Let’s remember the ways Jesus shed His precious blood and the benefits He purchased for each of us. It cost Him everything, but by His grace, it costs us nothing. How wonderful that salvation is a free gift!
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.
Ephesians 2:8-9 NKJV
Christ shed His blood in seven places.
Let’s discuss the seven places Christ shed His blood (if you wish to read a medical explanation of how Jesus could be born with pure and sinless blood, click HERE).
The seven places where Jesus shed His blood fulfilled Old Testament Scripture in Leviticus 16.When the Jewish High Priest made atonement for the sins of the people once a year, he sprinkled blood seven times on the mercy seat, seven times in front of the mercy seat, and seven times on the horns of the altar. (Click HERE to read the full account in Leviticus 16:11-19 NKJV.)
The first place Jesus shed His blood happened during His prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane.
“And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground” (Luke 22:44 NKJV). Just as in the Garden of Eden where Man lost his state of innocence through Adam’s sin, it was in this garden that Jesus’s blood began the redemption process for all mankind.
The second place occurred when Pilate ordered His scourging.
They flogged the back of Jesus with thirty-nine lashes–just under the legal limit of forty. “Then he released Barabbas to them; and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered Him to be crucified” (Matthew 27:26 NKJV). This blood paid for all our sicknesses and diseases: “The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5b NKJV).
The bruises he bore under His skin marked the third place He bled for us.
“Then they spat in His face and beat Him; and others struck Him with the palms of their hands, saying, ‘Prophesy to us, Christ! Who is the one who struck You?’ (Matthew 26:67-68 NKJV). This blood was shed for our inherited weaknesses or iniquities, as Isaiah states. “But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities” (Isaiah 53:5a NKJV).
The crown of long thorns the soldiers wove and pushed onto Jesus’s head was the fourth place He shed His holy blood.
This blood gives us the mind of Christ, freeing our thoughts from the control of the enemy. (Click HERE to read this account in Matthew 27:27-31 NKJV.)
When the centurion drove the nails into Jesus’s hands and feet, these were the fifth and sixth places Christ bled for us.
His blood-stained hands freed us to receive all that God has for us and to lift our hands in holy prayer (Click HERE to read 1 Timothy 2:8 NKJV). His blood-stained feet gave us back dominion on the earth that we lost through Adam’s sin. Through His blood, we can claim righteousness and power over Satan wherever our feet touch the ground (Click HERE to read Luke 10:19 NKJV).
The blood and water that came out of His side was the seventh place He shed His blood for us.
After Jesus had surrendered His spirit into God’s hands, the centurion speared His side. (Click HERE to read John 19:31-37 NKJV). The release of blood and water proved medically that Jesus’s heart had burst, making this blood the provision for the healing of our broken hearts.
Dear Lord, may we truly understand the depth of Your love for us. Thank you for suffering and dying in our place on this holy day. We worship You, precious Lamb of God. In Jesus’s Name, Amen.
May the Lord touch you as we continue worshiping with Kari Jobe and Gateway Worship.
The Passion of Christ by Karen Jurgens copyright 2021 and 2023 All rights reserved.
“…looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Hebrews 12:2 NKJV
As Christian believers, we observe the crucifixion of Christ beginning on Maundy Thursday and concluding on Good Friday. This year Passover will intersect with Good Friday on April 7th. The Passover story celebrates the Israelites’ deliverance from Egyptian bondage and their redemption through the blood of a lamb. Jesus became that Passover lamb when he died for our sins and redeemed us with His blood. Christ is truly the fulfillment of Passover as seen in the book of Revelation where He is referred to as “the Lamb of God” twenty-nine times.
The definition of shame
When Jesus died as our Passover Lamb, He bore our sins and despised the shame. What is the meaning of shame? The Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines it as, “a painful emotion caused by consciousness of guilt, shortcoming, or impropriety; a condition of humiliating disgrace or disrepute; something that brings censure or reproach” (Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shame).
We have all experienced shame at some point in our lives. The good news is that Jesus not only took our sins to the cross, He also took away our disgrace. When we humbly confess our sin and receive God’s forgiveness, He throws both sin and shame into the Sea of Forgetfulness.
Freedom from sin involves Jesus’s blood, which cleanses our spirits, while freedom from shame involves cleansing our minds and emotions. Since habits and memories dwell in a deep place in our souls, we must allow the Lord to purify them with His sinless and atoning blood. We may not be able to forget them completely, but Jesus can take away the sorrow and pain, and give us His perfect peace that defies logic.
Let’s regard shame another way. Did you know that it can also refer to physical nakedness?
Adam and Eve’s shame
And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.
Genesis 2:25 NKJV
Adam and Eve experienced shame and fear after they ate of the forbidden fruit. Their sin opened their eyes to their nakedness, and they hid from God’s presence. How did God react?
Also for Adam and his wife the Lord God made tunics of skin, and clothed them.
Genesis 3:21 NKJV
Why is this act significant? God slayed an innocent animal–perhaps a lamb–marking this event as the first blood covering for forgiveness of sins. God requires a blood sacrifice for sin, which continued until Jesus, the perfect Lamb of God, shed His sinless blood once for all for the sins of mankind.
King David’s guilt
Psalm 51 reveals King David’s heart when he repented from his sin against Bathsheba and Uriah.
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Psalm 51:7 NKJV
David also pleaded with God to cleanse his guilty conscience so he could again sing praises to Him:
Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, The God of my salvation, And my tongue shall sing aloud of Your righteousness.
Psalm 51:14 NKJV
Jesus bore our shame
Let’s envision Jesus as He hung on the cross. Do you know that the familiar artwork of Christ is partly wrong? The Romans imposed a cruel penalty, crucifying a person naked. On that Passover day, Jesus wore no loin cloth. Yet, although He despised the shame of His nakedness, He endured it for our sakes and for the joy placed before Him.
For the Scripture says, ‘Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.’
Romans 10:11 NKJV
What a wonderful promise! No shame for believers! No condemnation, as Romans 8 explains:
There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.
Romans 8:1-2 NKJV
As we ponder the wondrous cross on this day of Christ’s passion, may God give us a deeper and fuller understanding of what Jesus purchased for each one of us. He has freely given us this priceless gift of salvation and taken away our guilt and shame.
Let’s pray with King David:
O Lord, open my lips,
And my mouth shall show forth Your praise.
For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it;
You do not delight in burnt offering.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit,
A broken and a contrite heart—
These, O God, You will not despise.
Psalm 51:15-17 NKJV
“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.”
Revelation 16:15 NKJV
Dear Father, we humbly worship You on this day when You suffered and died for our sin and shame. Apply Your blood to our hearts, just as the Jews applied lamb’s blood to their doorposts. Deliver us from the evil one, just as You delivered the enslaved Jews from the Egyptian Pharaoh. Thank you for freeing us from sin and shame through the cross of Christ. In Jesus’s Name, Amen.
Despising the Shame by Karen Jurgens Copyright 2022 All rights reserved
Jesus faced incomprehensible dread as He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane.
What do you dread?
The first day of school?
A medical diagnosis?
Facing a new job?
Speaking in front of a group?
No matter our circumstances, we all can plug in a memory that makes our palms sweat and our stomachs knot, where we’re forced to tiptoe through a tunnel laced with fear of the unknown.
Do you think Jesus felt dread on Thursday night following the Passover meal? Unlike us, He knew the future because He was God as well as Man. As He entered the Garden of Gethsemane with His disciples, as was His custom, He encouraged them to pray that they not enter into temptation.
And He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and began to pray, saying, ‘Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.’ Now an angel from heaven appeared to Him, strengthening Him. And being in agony He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground.
When He rose up from prayer, and had come to His disciples, He found them sleeping from sorrow. Then He said to them, ‘Why do you sleep? Rise and pray, lest you enter into temptation.‘
Luke 22:41-46 NASB
Can you imagine drops of sweat turning into blood?
I researched that condition and found that it’s indeed possible. Blood vessels clustered near the sweat glands can burst under extreme stress, producing bloody sweat. (To read more about drops of sweat turning into blood, follow thislink.)
Luke, a physician, is the only apostle who includes this detail about Jesus. It lends understanding about the tremendous dread our Lord must have felt as He prepared to suffer and surrender His life for the sins of all mankind—past, present and future. God even sent an angel to minister strength to Him in that hour.
On this Maundy Thursday, let’s reverently give humble thanks to our precious Lord who willfully pressed through the dread of the coming cross. There He would painfully bear our sins, knowing He would face temporary separation from the Father—the price He willingly paid to redeem us at Calvary.
The precious blood of the Lamb sets us free from sin and death.
My prayer is for all to find salvation in Jesus, God’s perfect Passover Lamb. Would you like to know Jesus personally? These verses tell how:
…if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. For the Scripture says, ‘WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.’ For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; for ‘WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.’
Romans 10:9-13 NASB
Dear Lord, may we come to the cross, confess and turn from our sins, and invite You into our hearts. Thank You for saving us and writing our names in the Lamb’s Book of Life, so we may spend eternity with You in heaven. In Jesus’s Name, Amen.
May God richly bless you this Resurrection Season as together we worship our Lord and Savior, Christ Jesus.
Dread in the Garden of Gethsemane by Karen Jurgens Copyright 2017 and 2023 All rights reserved.
Have you ever wondered about the significance of waving palm branches to the Lord? Let’s glean a richer understanding of this Palm Sunday celebration. Come along as I share this nugget from God’s treasure chest with you.
“The next day a great multitude that had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out: ‘Hosanna!“ Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” The King of Israel!’”
John 12:12-13 NKJV
Here’s the story…
As Jesus and His disciples approached Jerusalem, He sent two of them ahead to find and untie a colt on which no one had sat. The Lord instructed them to answer anyone who questioned their actions by saying that the Lord had need of it, so they would allow it. As the disciples obeyed, it happened exactly as Jesus had said. They spread their cloaks over the animal’s back where Jesus then sat and led him down the hill into Jerusalem.
When the multitudes who had come to the feast heard that Jesus was arriving, they ran to meet Him. They laid their cloaks on the ground and cut down leafy branches as a “red carpet” for Jesus’s entrance into the city. The excited crowds consisted of those from Bethany who had witnessed Lazarus’s resurrection from the dead and those in Jerusalem who had heard about this great sign. They congregated joyfully around Him, waving palm branches and chanting Scripture taken from Psalm 118:25-26: “Hosanna! ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ The King of Israel!” (John 12:13 NKJV).
The Jews intended to cast off Caesar and his Roman rule and crown Jesus as their king. This uproar, however, distressed the Pharisees because they were losing the fight to suppress His popularity. Caiaphas expressed fear over what would happen to them politically, realizing they had to side with Rome against Jesus in order to save themselves.
What’s the significance?
What is the significance of people waving palm branches? We can trace this practice in both the Old and New Testaments.
In Leviticus 23:39-44 (Click HERE), the Israelites waved beautiful palm branches for seven days during the Feast of Tabernacles (also called the Feast of Booths or Sukkot). This feast memorializes how God brought them out of slavery from the land of Egypt. (For more study about the Feast of Tabernacles, click HERE.)
During Jesus’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem, the people rejoiced by waving palm branches in His honor. They welcomed the deliverance they believed He was bringing to them—freedom from Roman tyranny and the political occupation of Israel. They honored Him as a king riding victoriously into His kingdom. A worldly king would come riding on a horse—a symbol of war—but He came riding on a donkey’s colt—a symbol of peace. Later the disciples would understand how this act fulfilled Zechariah 9:9:
“‘Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey.’”
NKJV
Future Significance
Lastly, we find a future waving of palm branches during a thrilling time in heaven. Revelation 7:9 describes those who will be saved out of the Great Tribulation wearing white robes and holding palm branches. They will cry out, “‘Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!’” (v.10). (Click HERE to read more about it.)
Do you understand why waving palm branches is significant to God? It represents people showing thanks for God’s deliverance.
In Leviticus, God delivered the Israelites from slavery in Egypt and entrance back into their Promised Land.
The Gospels describe how the Jews expected deliverance from Rome’s political tyranny and the beginning of Messiah’s reign.
Revelation reveals the Lamb of God who will deliver a multitude from the evil rule of the Anti-Christ. They will stand before God’s throne and will serve Him day and night in His temple.
The triumphant entry into Jerusalem will happen one day in the future. At the Second Coming of Christ, Jesus will be riding on a white horse, not a donkey’s colt. He will come to make war on the Anti-Christ and destroy his reign. This is the age when the Messiah’s eternal reign will begin. (Click HERE to read Revelation 19:11-16.)
As we joyfully wave our palm branches on Palm Sunday, let’s remember to be deeply thankful to God for His gift of deliverance. Jesus loosed us from the bondage of sin and death and gave us the right to become God’s sons and daughters through Jesus’s shed blood. We will be joint-heirs with Christ in His kingdom forever.
“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.”
John 1:12 NKJV
Dear Lord, thank you for becoming our King of kings and Lord of lords. We wave our palm branches to you with hearts full of thanksgiving and praise for Your gift of deliverance. In Jesus’s Name, Amen.
Resurrection Week: Palm Sunday by Karen Jurgens, Copyright 2021 and 2023 All rights reserved.
As we saw in the previous post, King Darius believed in the God of Daniel after witnessing Daniel’s miraculous deliverance from the lions. The king declared:
‘I issue a decree that in every part of my kingdom people must fear and reverence the God of Daniel.’
Daniel 6:26 NKJV
However, in a day soon to come, a different ruler will arise who will do just the opposite. Instead of a world of peace and godliness, it will be a terrible day where God will pour out his wrath on all the earth.However, just as He rescued Daniel, God has a miraculous deliverance planned for His church.
How it all began…
Jealousy
Remember Satan’s desire to overthrow God’s kingdom, which sealed his eternal fate? God cast him and one-third of his angel followers out of heaven. Since then, Satan’s goal has been to deceive mankind into worshiping him instead of God and to add their souls to hell’s kingdom.
How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’ Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, To the lowest depths of the Pit.
Isaiah 14:12-15 NKJV
Deception
Unlike King Darius, a new ruler (who Scripture calls the beast) will arise to control the world with a one-world political and economic system. His sidekick, the false prophet, will create a one-world religion and perform great signs, deceiving people to worship the beast as God.
The beast will face assassination but will magically come back to life after three days, indwelt by Satan himself as Anti-Christ. Following this miraculous sign, he will force every person on earth to take his mark (his name or his number 666) on either the right hand or forehead, without which no one can buy nor sell. The Anti-Christ will force all people to worship the image of the beast or lose their lives, just as in the story of Daniel.
The Anti-Christ will then make a seven-year peace treaty with Israel, but halfway through will break it by seating himself in the Jewish temple in Jerusalem, proclaiming to be God. Every person who has his mark will fall down and worship his image, but the Jews will flee to the mountains in Jordan, called Petra, where God will protect them until Christ’s Second Coming. (See Revelation 12:6)
Capture
During the seven-year Tribulation, suffering will occur on all sides. God will pour out His wrath through the seal, trumpet, and bowl judgments, while the Anti-Christ will persecute Christians and Jews.
Where will the Church be now?
God’s wrath is meant for the wicked, not the righteous. Although there is debate about the timing, the Rapture will snatch away all believers in Christ in a nano second and take them to heaven for the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.
For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 NKJV
Those left behind who get saved after the Rapture will endure unbelievable suffering, as they cannot buy or sell without the mark. If caught and captured, they will face a guillotine as punishment for their faith in Jesus. On the other hand, those who take the mark of the beast are cursed by God forever. These will suffer under God’s judgment poured out upon all mankind.
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, 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. 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.‘
Revelation 14:9-11 NKJV
Miraculous Deliverance
The last great battle, the Battle of Armageddon, will take place on the plains of Meggido. Many nations will converge on tiny Israel to annihilate it from the earth, thus believing they are annihilating God from the earth. Instead, they are in for the greatest surprise of their lives as they look upward.
‘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. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Now out of His mouth goes a 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. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written:
KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.’
Revelation 19:11-16 NKJV
Justice
Jesus will defeat the beast and his armies, and He will cast the false prophet and the anti-Christ into the lake of fire that burns with brimstone. The double-edged sword from Jesus’s mouth will kill the armies, and the birds will feast on their flesh. Also, God will bind Satan for 1,000 years then release him for a short time and finally cast him into the lake of fire. The White Throne Judgment will take place where God will judge the wicked and also cast them into the lake of fire.
Decree
Jesus is King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 19:16), King of heaven and earth and all creation.
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. 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.’
Revelation 21:3-4 NKJV
Conclusion
As one man, Daniel, experienced miraculous deliverance, so shall all the earth one day soon. The pages of Revelation write the next story, and many of us will witness it. Perhaps its pages are a mystery to those who have never read or studied it. This is the time to take part in the blessing promised to all those who read and heed its warnings.
Although Revelation describes deep mysteries, the most important thing to understand is that Jesus is coming again soon, and we must make ourselves ready for His return. Revelation reveals Jesus Christ as King above all kings and Lord of all. Salvation in Him protects believers and frees us from fear of the coming tribulation.
‘And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.’
‘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.’
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.
Revelation 22:12,16-17 NKJV
Are you ready for God’s miraculous deliverance?
Dear Lord, may we understand the greatness of Your glory as our Deliverer from the wrath to come. Draw all men to Yourself that we may know You as Lord and Savior. Thank you for providing miraculous deliverance through salvation in Your Son. In Jesus’s Name, Amen.
Miraculous Deliverance in Revelation by Karen Jurgens copyright 2021 and 2023 All rights reserved
Before continuing with the survey of Revelation, let’s pause to delve into the Old Testament. Have you ever experienced a miraculous deliverance? Many stories exist about God’s delivering His people from bondage. Here I’m going to relate the first of two—one from antiquity and the other yet to come.
“It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom one hundred and twenty satraps, to be over the whole kingdom; and over these, three governors, of whom Daniel was one, that the satraps might give account to them, so that the king would suffer no loss.”
Daniel 6:1-2 NKJV
Jealousy
Due to the excellent spirit in him, Daniel received high favor from King Darius such that the king considered giving him authority over the entire realm. The kingdom’s satraps and governors, smitten with envy, plotted against Daniel. They tried to dig up charges against him or find mistakes he had made, but all they could uncover was his faithfulness. “Then these men said, ‘We shall not find any charge against this Daniel unless we find it against him concerning the law of his God’” (Daniel 6:5 NKJV).
Have we ever been in a position where people made false accusations against us out of jealousy? Perhaps co-workers resented our promotion. Or friends turned against us when we got ahead of them materially or socially. Instead of congratulating us, they plotted to bring us down.
Deception
‘King Darius, live forever! All the governors of the kingdom, the administrators and satraps, the counselors and advisors, have consulted together to establish a royal statute and to make a firm decree…’
Daniel 6b-7a NKJV
These men connived a plan to remove Daniel from his lofty political position by appealing to the king’s vanity. If anyone prayed for thirty days to a man or god and not King Darius, he would be cast into a lion’s den. What’s more, they insisted that the king sign the law according to the law of the Medes and Persians, making it unalterable. Even if the king wanted to, he wouldn’t be able to reverse it.
Appealing out of jealous resentment to someone in higher authority can produce ugly results. Sometimes a boss or friend might suddenly turn against us for no good reason, replacing our peace with fear. We don’t know what is going on behind our backs, but we feel we’re losing favor.
Capture
Although aware of the decree, Daniel continued in prayer three times a day, as was his custom. These men found Daniel in the act and reported his guilt to the king. Darius, forlorn, realized he had been tricked, but there was nothing he could do to save Daniel from the irrevocable law.
Have we ever been persuaded into turning against a friend or employee? After the harm was done, we couldn’t undo it, no matter how sorry we were.
Test
So the king gave the command, and they brought Daniel and cast him into the den of lions. But the king spoke, saying to Daniel, ‘Your God, whom you serve continually, He will deliver you.’
Daniel 6:16 NKJV
The king spent a fitful night fasting from food and pleasures, unable to sleep. Early the next morning, he ran to the den and cried out, “‘Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?’” (Daniel 6:20b NKJV).
Being tested for doing the right thing is a noble act. That’s when God enters to deliver us through the trial. Note that God doesn’t remove the trial, but He walks with us to the other side. And He always stays with us to the bitter end.
Miraculous Deliverance
Then Daniel said to the king, ‘O king, live forever! My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths, so that they have not hurt me, because I was found innocent before Him; and also, O king, I have done no wrong before you.’
Daniel 6:21-22 NKJV
What a miracle! The king was thrilled and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. What’s more, Daniel had no injuries whatsoever because of his belief in his God.
The innocent can trust God to work miracles on their behalf, according to God’s perfect will. Here Daniel’s trial turned into a testimony to the king, who witnessed the power of the living God. The end of our trials will always glorify God, not man.
Justice
Furious, the king then ordered the guilty accusers, along with their wives and children, thrown into the lion’s den. Before they hit bottom, the lions crushed their bones and devoured them alive.
If you’re waiting for God’s justice on earth, there is a definite time when that will happen. (Keep following my blog on Revelation to find out when!) No matter our situation, we must let God be the Judge. Let’s wait patiently, and He will avenge our injustices.
A New Decree
King Darius wrote a worldwide decree to all the people of every nation and language on the earth.
‘I make a decree that in every dominion of my kingdom men must tremble and fear before the God of Daniel. For He is the living God, And steadfast forever; His kingdom is the one which shall not be destroyed, And His dominion shall endure to the end. He delivers and rescues, And He works signs and wonders In heaven and on earth, Who has delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.’
Daniel 6:26-27 NKJV
Can we imagine what the world then must have been like after such a decree? What a wonderful command to fear and worship the living God! However, we can also rejoice because a day is coming soon when Christ will establish His kingdom on earth, and we will reign with Him forever.
Our present-day, however, is just the opposite. Like the story of Daniel, godless men plot and plan to persecute those who worship the true and living God, bringing us to the second story, which is yet to be. (Continued in the next blog post…)
Dear Lord, thank you for encouraging us through the story of Daniel. You are a God of miracles and a God of deliverance both then and today. May we trust You to deliver us in a day of trials and persecution. In Jesus’s Name, Amen.
