[Special Lesson 57] Introductory Level Test Review

What kind of entity is the devil?

The devil is a created being, a fallen angel. Did God create Satan?

No, God did not create Satan. What did God create?

God created an angel.

Who became Satan? It might seem like semantics to some, but it is a key distinction. And the distinction tells you everything about God.

Let’s turn to Isaiah 14:12-15. We should be quite familiar with these verses.

Satan, who was once a morning star, some of your versions may say Lucifer there. Lucifer is actually a title, not a name. Lucifer is a title, which means light bearer, which also means AKA morning star. So he was a high-ranking angel. In fact, so high-ranking that he had the title of archangel, one of the four living creatures of heaven before his fall.

Of course, after his fall, he was replaced because there must be four, but we know that that’s the title that he had. And the description of Satan in Ezekiel 28, 11 to 19, which we will not read now, but I’ll quickly summarize. It calls him a guardian cherub, a guardian cherub.

And it said, on the days you were created, I adorned you with many mountings and settings. And you are a model of perfection, perfect in beauty. So he was not created evil at first, he was created perfect.

But unfortunately, over time, his heart began to desire more than what he already had. So keep these things in mind. The two things that brought Satan down were pride and what was the other one? Pride and greed. Greed.

Pride and greed brought Satan down. For pride goes before the fall. So this is the reason why God detests these things.

God does not like pride and greed because it reminds him of Satan, who caused all the issues that we’re having today, both in the spiritual world and in the physical world. So we have to keep these things in mind.

The Meaning of Religion

Religion, at its core, means to realign or reconnect or rebind. The “re” prefix is crucial here, as it suggests there was a separation that needs to be addressed. The original Latin word is “relegare,” which means to rebind, reconnect, or realign.

God has provided us with the opportunity to reconnect with Him by giving us His word. His word allows us to connect with Him, as we can no longer see Him with our naked eyes under normal circumstances. When people in the Bible encountered spiritual beings, it was often in the form of a dream, vision, or prophecy, or when they were in the spirit. There has been a great separation between God and His creation.

The point and purpose of religion is to connect us to God once again. God did it, so what does religion mean? It means to realign, reconnect, or rebind with the divine. The “re” is important, as it suggests there was a separation that needs to be addressed. God’s word is the means by which we can bridge that gap and reconnect with Him, as we can no longer see Him directly.

To sinners, Because through one man, all had fallen short, all had sinned, but through another, we were redeemed.

The Bible reveals God, who is life, and Satan, who is death. If we didn’t have the Bible, would we know who God is? No.

Would we know who Satan is? We would have no clue, unless those who were at the beginning somehow passed things down. Well, we know what happens when people pass things down only orally.

The stories change over time, right? Even events in our own lives kind of change a little bit after some years, right? But God recorded his word, so there would be an immutable evidence as to what God is saying.

And God made known himself to us through his word, but he also made known the devil, right, in the verses that we read, so that people can be aware of him and overcome him. If we could not see the devil, we would be in trouble. So how do we see him?

Through the words of the Bible. Then we can recognize where he’s working. Satan is much less effective when he is exposed.

So what Jesus did, for example, in Matthew 23, was he exposed where Satan was working, just like God was working through Jesus, right? God was working through Jesus at the first coming, but Satan also had his vessels that he was using, but people didn’t recognize them as Satan’s vessels.

So they thought, oh, these were righteous men of God, but they did not know that Satan was working through the Pharisees and Sadducees and teachers of the law. But when Jesus came, Jesus was able to expose them. To expose ultimately Satan.

Like in Matthew 15, “Leave them; they are blind guides.” And when people noticed who the Pharisees were, they would leave them.

They would leave them and come to the truth. So they would say, “Oh, we were once over here, but now we are over here. Following the one of truth like that.”

So when Satan is exposed, he is no longer effective. So let’s keep those things in mind. So where is Satan working today?

His dwelling place is Babylon. So our prerogative, our imperative is to locate Babylon. Otherwise, we will find ourselves within it, especially when it is going to be judged.

And we don’t want to be around when it is being judged.

God is the author, so what does that mean? Let’s first discuss this point.

We’ll refer to two passages that address this. Let’s go to the book of 2 Timothy 3:16-17.

Catch the term used there, everyone. Is it an accident that this term is used?

Of course, some of your versions might say “inspired.” Same meaning, right? But what does it say?

All Scripture is God-breathed. This means that it comes from the inspiration of God. This is the reason why, when the Bible is properly understood, it eliminates contradictions and makes perfect sense.

You start to see the same things being said repeatedly throughout the Bible. “Oh, that’s just like Isaiah 65.” “Oh, that’s just like Revelation 21.”

“Oh, Malachi chapter three sounds just like 2 Peter 3.” “The snake is mentioned in Genesis, and it’s also mentioned by Jesus, and it’s also mentioned in Revelation.”

How is it possible for the Bible, which was recorded by approximately 35 to 40 people, to be so accurately consistent with one another?

How could this be possible? There is only one author.

2 Peter 1:20-21 states: “Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of a man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”

So no prophecy came about by man’s own interpretation, but they recorded what they heard and saw as they were carried along by the influence of the Holy Spirit.

The entire Bible is filled with phrases like “and the Lord said,” “and the Lord showed me,” and “and the Lord said I should.” Countless times this occurs.

When people claim the Bible is only the words of men, it often stems from a misunderstanding. They see things in the Bible that are difficult to understand or explain, and they equate that to mistakes or errors, using it to discredit the Bible and avoid believing what they don’t understand.

However, when someone fully understands the Word, they no longer make such claims. They are able to say that every word of the Bible is true, but it must be understood properly. The Bible never contradicts itself because the author is one and the same – God.

The Bible was recorded by approximately 35 to 40 people, and some of the writers may have had helpers, such as Timothy assisting Paul.

Let’s delve into this in a bit more detail. Each of these individuals had an important task to fulfill.

Their crucial role was to care for God’s people and creation. So God appointed Adam and instructed him to tend to the Garden of Eden, which was his kingdom.

God appointed Noah and told him to get people on the ark. Those who joined the ark would become His people and partake in His covenant. To Abraham, God said, “You will have a great many descendants.” From those descendants would come His Son.

God then appointed Moses to lead those descendants out of Egypt, so they could reach the Promised Land. However, Moses could not complete the task of bringing them into the Promised Land due to his anger issues. Let’s also examine our own issues.

Joshua then finished the job and brought the people into the Promised Land. There, they established the nation of Israel and Jerusalem. They tried their best to uphold the covenant, but we know they did not succeed.

Out of the Promised Land and the lineage of David came our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Jesus established something new and promised to send someone at the time of the second coming, the one who overcomes.

We’ll learn more about the one who overcomes as we continue to study the book of Revelation. The one who saw the events of Revelation in great detail and heard them is told to do something.

Let’s turn to Revelation 10:8-11. The voice from heaven spoke to John, “Go, take the scroll that lies in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.” John went to the angel and asked him to give him the little scroll.

The angel said to him, “Take it and eat it. It will turn your stomach sour, but in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey.” John took the little scroll from the angel’s hand and ate it. It tasted as sweet as honey in his mouth, but when he had eaten it, his stomach turned sour. Then he was told, “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages, and kings.”

Verse 11 is the key verse here. To “eat” the scroll means to listen and fully digest the word, to understand it. The Bible compares the word to food, with milk being easy to digest and solid food requiring more mature digestion.

Since the start of December, we have been receiving solid food, which is why each lesson feels fresh and new. I hope you have grown accustomed to eating solid food and that milk is no longer as appetizing.

In Revelation 10, John is told to eat and then prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages, and kings. Although John did not have the chance to do this after his exile on Patmos, as he died shortly after recording Revelation, the words of Revelation have been spread throughout the world for 2,000 years so that people can recognize the prophecies when they start to unfold.

Let’s go over these periods. We have the period of Genesis, the time between Adam and Joshua when the Israelites entered Egypt, which covers approximately 2,500 years.

When the Israelites entered Egypt, that began the period of Exodus and the law. After 430 years of slavery, God led them out of Egypt. As He brought them out and led them to the Promised Land, God gave them the law they were to follow.

After that, we have the period of the Judges, when God empowered people like Samson, Samuel, and Elijah to deliver the Israelites from the captivity of Gentile nations. However, during this time, the people began to demand a king, like the nations around them.

God warned that kings tend to become corrupt, and unfortunately, this proved true with the kings of Israel. We know the faults of Saul, David, and Solomon, though Solomon was initially blessed by God.

Eventually, God judged Israel and split them into two kingdoms, which were later destroyed by Babylon and Assyria. This period of the kings led into the period of the Prophets, when figures like Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel wrote about God’s plans to judge Israel but also to bring their redemption, further expounding on the prophecies of the Messiah.

After the Prophets, there was a 400-year period of silence before the Gospel of Heaven, when Jesus came and preached for about three and a half years. After His ascension, His disciples continued to preach the Gospel, ushering in the period of the Epistles.

The period of the Gospel and Epistles lasted around 2,000 years, and now we are in the period of Recreation and Revelation, where the events prophesied are beginning to unfold.

To summarize the key periods: Genesis, Exodus and the Law, Judges, Kings, Prophets, Gospel and Epistles, and Recreation and Revelation.

The question is worded in a way that could be easily misunderstood.

At the time of the Exodus, God is the one who made the promise.

When God makes a promise, He always makes it to a person or a people. Later on, God comes to fulfill the promise.

He fulfills this promise to a new group of people who are present at the time when the promise is being fulfilled. He works on that promise through the one who was chosen or sent to fulfill that promise. In this example, in question one, at the time of the Exodus, God came to Moses to fulfill the promise that He had made through Abraham.

First, God came to Abraham in Genesis 15 and made Abraham a promise. Then, later on, God came to Moses in the books of Exodus through Deuteronomy to fulfill that promise that He had made to Abraham 430 years prior. Approximately 400 years pass between the making of the promise and the fulfillment of that promise through Moses.

The same pattern repeats itself at the time of the first coming if we look at the time of Exodus. During this era, God comes to the Old Testament prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel, and he gives those prophets prophecy. The prophecy that God gives these prophets is sealed, of course.

The prophecy given to the Old Testament prophets is sealed partly because it has not yet been fulfilled. Later on, God came to his son Jesus to fulfill the promises that he made through the Old Testament prophets. Jesus fulfilled the promises God made through them. This spans many thousands of years, considering all the Old Testament prophets from Moses all the way up to Malachi. That’s essentially what the question is asking.

God came to Moses to fulfill the promise he had made to Abraham. And to establish the law, the word that they were to keep. And the logic is the same at the time of the first coming.

So God came to the Old Testament prophets. And he prophesied about his son. Then later on, God came to his son to fulfill those promises and gave him the word.

Right. So the logic essentially is the same as in Exodus period . The pattern is the same.

This is how God works. Promise first in prophecy and then fulfill in actual reality. Prophecy and fulfillment.

It’s God’s trademark. And when you see it, the Bible this way, primarily prophecy and fulfillment, it makes a lot of things make sense and it eliminates contradictions because you’ll realize that some places and names are being used figuratively, not literally. And that’s the mistake some people make who equate the Bible to having some errors because they’re looking at something that’s meant to be understood figuratively, literally, like the people at the time of the first coming.

Right. When Jesus came and Jesus would say something and they would say, what do you mean? You know, be born again.

How can a man enter his mother’s womb? Whoever drinks from me will never thirst. Well, give me some of this water so I don’t have to come back to this.

Well, right. Be careful of the yeast of the Pharisees. Be careful of their yeast.

Was it because we didn’t bring bread? Right. People are often thinking literally first, which led them to misunderstand.

So it’s very important for us to be able to discern what is literal and what is figurative so that we can understand the Bible.

So question sub-question three, that is the one who overcomes. And we know that this person is also new, John, for many reasons. So let’s understand the reasons why, right?

 

The quoted verse here is Revelation 21:6-7, where God says to the one who overcomes will inherit all of this. And I will be his God and he will be my son. That’s what Revelation 21:6 says.

 

So let’s understand the relationship between new John and the one who overcomes. So first of all, the book of Revelation is written by who? It’s recorded by who?

 

It’s recorded by Apostle John. And Apostle John recorded Revelation on the island of Patmos. It’s a small island in the sea.

 

And it’s near Greece and Spain, approximately in that location. So it’s this tiny little island here. And Apostle John ended up here because he was in exile.

 

In exile after being boiled in oil and surviving. Well, they were attempting to martyr him, but he survived his martyrdom. So they put him in exile on the island.

 

And it is at that location that John receives the vision of Revelation. So God and Jesus are like, you can’t die yet, John. We still need you to do one more thing.

 

And then he saw some amazing and wild visions, right? He saw the book of Revelation. And so he wrote it down.

 

He recorded the things that he saw. But we know that the flow or the pattern of Revelations fulfillment or any prophecies fulfillment is that like we see above here, God, God gives a promise to a person, but then fulfills that promise later on with a different person. So the person who saw the vision is not the person who carries out the contents of that vision.

 

It is for a future time. So for example, 

 

Acts 8:26-35

26 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” 27 So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28 and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the book of Isaiah the prophet. 29 The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.”

30 Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked.

31 “How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

32 The eunuch was reading this passage of Scripture:

“He was led like a sheep to the slaughter,

    and as a lamb before the shearer is silent,

    so he did not open his mouth.

33 In his humiliation he was deprived of justice.

    Who can speak of his descendants?

    For his life was taken from the earth.”

34 The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” 35 Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.

 

The Ethiopian eunuch, a smart man in charge of an entire country’s finances, was reading the book of Isaiah but could not understand it. He asked one of the most critical questions in the entire Bible while reading Isaiah 53: “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” This question is crucial because it explains how prophecies in the Bible work. The answer is that Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, and Amos were all pointing to Jesus.

 

When we look at the events in Revelation, even though John uses words like “I saw,” “I heard,” and “it was shown to me,” those things were taking place in a vision. In Revelation chapter one, John says, “I was in the spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard a loud voice behind me like a trumpet,” indicating that he was seeing these things in a vision. Sending letters to the seven churches, going up to heaven in the spiritual world, seeing the scroll being opened, witnessing the judgment of the four living creatures on the four horses, and the events of the sealing, seeing the locusts from the abyss and the angels bound at the river Euphrates, eating the scroll, and testifying for 1,260 days – all of these things John saw were happening in a vision. This means that later on, someone must come and live out those events, not in a vision, but in reality. That person must be able to give a testimony about everything Apostle John saw, stating, “I saw it too. Here at this location, at this time, on this date, these are the people, and this is what they did.”

 

The open word is not a guess or an interpretation; it is a testimony about what has taken place and what has been fulfilled. The person with this responsibility has a significant task because they must testify to a world that was not expecting those things, a world that thinks they are already okay and good to go, and a world that is looking in a totally different direction. They have to tell this world, “Actually, this is how it happened. This is what took place.” People then have to accept or reject the testimony, which is not an easy job. It is understandable how scary it can often be for that kind of person, as most prophets in the Bible who had to do something similar were quite fearful for their lives because people do not like being told that they are not living according to the way they thought they were living.

Who is the promised pastor who fulfills the prophecies in the New Testament? This person corresponds to a specific time period.

Let’s examine some important aspects about the one who overcomes. Let’s turn to Revelation 2:7, where we’ll observe some patterns.

This content hasn’t been covered in detail yet, but it’s a teaser for what we’ll see more of in the next level.

Revelation 2:7 states, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.” Revelation 2:10-11 continues, “Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death.”

The pattern continues in Verse 17: “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.” Verse 26-27 states, “The one who overcomes and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces.”

This continues into Chapter 3, where the one who overcomes is promised various blessings, such as white garments, a new name, and a place on the throne of God.

This is a very important individual that is often overlooked. People may say we are all the ones who overcome, but then what is the significance of the new name written on the white stone, known only to the recipient? What is the crown of life? These are details that the one who overcomes should be able to explain clearly.

Revelation 21:6-7 states, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son.”

The one who overcomes will inherit all of this. Some versions may say “those who overcome,” but the singular form is supported by the original text and the specific promises made to the one who overcomes throughout Revelation 2, 3, 12, and 21. This one who overcomes teaches others how to overcome, how to sing the new song, where to gather on Mount Zion, and even sees the spiritual world and eats the open scroll.

As we continue to understand these patterns, we’ll see them in more detail.

God appointed a person to speak on behalf of the chosen individual, and this prior person had a lesser testimony compared to the chosen one. The prior person is described as a lamp that shines a little light in a time of darkness, while the chosen person is a greater light, with the responsibility to testify about all prophecy and fulfillment.

In the era of the fulfillment of the prophecies given to Abraham, which is the time of the Exodus, Aaron was the one who came prior to Moses, the chosen person. This is evident in Exodus 4, where God instructs Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. However, Moses was hesitant due to his speech impediment, so God sent Aaron to speak on Moses’ behalf.

The text also mentions that Aaron’s role was to tend the lamps in the tabernacle after the Exodus, which is seen as a foreshadowing of future events. The speaker emphasizes that God’s appointed tasks are never easy and that feeling challenged in one’s Christian walk may indicate that God has asked them to do something difficult.

The passage from Exodus 4:8-17 is used to support the idea that God provides help and guidance to those He chooses for important roles, even when they feel inadequate or reluctant to take on the responsibility.

Exodus 4:1-17

In Exodus chapter 4, we see God giving Moses instructions on how to use the tools he has been provided. However, Moses was hesitant because he doubted his own abilities. As he said in verse 10, “I am not eloquent, and I am slow of speech and tongue.” But God reassured him, saying, “I know that, but I have chosen you anyway. So do not doubt yourself.”

This is something we can all relate to. Sometimes, we doubt our own capabilities, thinking a task is too difficult or that we are not up to the challenge. “Why are you doubting yourself?” God asks. “I know, and I will help you.”

In verse 14, God’s response to Moses’ doubts is encouraging. The Lord’s anger burned against Moses, and he said, “What about your brother Aaron the Levite? I know he can speak well.” This means that God had already sent Aaron to meet Moses, providing him with the help he needed.

The key message here is to trust in God. He knows our strengths and weaknesses, and He has a plan for us. Even when we doubt ourselves, God is already working behind the scenes to equip us and provide the support we need. We should not be afraid to take on the challenges He sets before us, for He will be with us every step of the way.

God came to Abraham in Genesis chapter 15, where He promised him a great many descendants. He also promised that his descendants would be slaves in a land not their own for 400 years, but they would come out of that land with great possessions. This set the stage for God’s prophecies to be fulfilled in the book of Exodus.

Abraham had Ishmael and Isaac, and Isaac’s son was Jacob, who took the birthright from his twin brother Esau. Jacob had 12 sons, one of whom was Joseph, the dreamer. Joseph’s brothers did not like him and sold him into slavery in Egypt. There, Joseph became a powerful man, saving the people from a seven-year famine. Joseph’s family then entered Egypt, beginning the 400 years of slavery, as the subsequent Pharaohs did not like the Israelites, who multiplied quickly.

After this 400-year period, God came to Moses to fulfill the promises made to Abraham in Genesis 15.

The Bible also speaks of a promise regarding the one who would prepare the way for Jesus. This is mentioned in Malachi 3:1 and Isaiah 40, which we will discuss further.

Malachi 3:1
“See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the Lord Almighty.

The passage mentions two messengers – the messenger who prepares the way, and the messenger of the covenant. The messenger who prepares the way is identified as John the Baptist. The messenger of the covenant, also known as the messenger of the promise, is Jesus.

John the Baptist himself explains this in John 1:23, where he says, “I am the voice of the one calling in the desert. Make straight the way for the Lord.” This is a reference to the prophecy in Isaiah 40:3.

So we have two passages that talk about a messenger who prepares the way – one in this passage, and the other in the prophecy of Isaiah.

In the era of the Old Testament prophecies, John the Baptist came prior to the one who spoke on behalf of God. We know that John the Baptist himself was also called a lamp, and his job was to prepare the way for Jesus, who fulfilled that role. John the Baptist came to fulfill the role of a lamp and shined like a light in the time of darkness, preparing the way for the Lord.

John the Baptist was the one who came to fulfill or prepare the way for the one who would fulfill the promises. We have Old Testament prophets, and Jesus, with John the Baptist preparing the way for Jesus. Both Aaron and John the Baptist were compared to lamps.

Aaron and his Levites and his sons tended the lamps in the tabernacle, as their job, as described in Leviticus 24:1-4. This was a figurative representation, as the law is a shadow.

Similarly, John the Baptist was also called a lamp, as mentioned in John 5:35, where it states that John was a lamp that burned and gave light. The people chose to enjoy his light for a time. This follows a clear pattern set by God.

The second coming will be represented by the seven stars, as mentioned in Revelation 1:20. These seven stars are also referred to as the seven lampstands, and their role is to prepare the way for all aspects of the second coming, including Jesus and the one who overcomes. As we continue to study, we will gain a deeper understanding of the seven stars and their significance. The primary purpose of all their roles was to prepare the way for the Lord of that time.

Regarding the New Testament prophecies, including the prophecies of Jesus, there will be those who are sent to prepare the way, as well. These individuals are referred to in prophecy as the seven stars and the seven golden lampstands, as mentioned in Revelation 1:20.

To summarize, the mystery of the seven stars that were seen in the right hand and the seven golden lampstands is this: the seven stars represent the angels, or messengers, of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands represent the seven churches themselves. The role of a lampstand is to prepare the way, just as Aaron prepared the way for Moses, and John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus. Similarly, the seven stars are to prepare the way for the fulfillment of Revelation.

How can we know that the events of Revelation are being fulfilled? It is not by looking at the news, as that will only lead to more confusion. The sign that these events are taking place is when the specific prophecies and the testimony about them appear. The question we should be asking ourselves is: who are the seven stars? Have they appeared yet? Where did they appear, and what did they do? This is what we should be looking for, as it indicates that the process has already begun.

The key is to stop focusing on the news and instead look for the fulfillment of the prophecies and the testimony about them. This is the true sign that the events are unfolding, not the sensationalism of the media. By keeping our focus on the biblical prophecies and their fulfillment, we can better understand the times we are living in and prepare accordingly.

The chart we have is a significant one. Here’s my advice on how to approach the chart first. I wish we had the time to read each of these verses and understand why one is connected to the other. Isaiah 7:14 talks about a virgin giving birth to a child, and we know that this prophecy was fulfilled 700 years later when Mary gave birth to Jesus. If someone claimed to be the Messiah but was born in Jerusalem in the normal way, that person cannot be the Messiah because an important prophecy is not accounted for.

Being the Messiah is not easy; it’s not as simple as claiming to be the Messiah. One had to fit all of these criteria for us to say, “Amen, this is the Messiah we’ve been waiting for.” When Jesus was born, and Herod found out about it, he gave the order to kill the recently born males. So the angel told Joseph and his family to flee to Egypt and wait there until the death of Herod, fulfilling the prophecy in Hosea 11:1, “Out of Egypt, I called my son.”

Isaiah 9:1-2 talks about a light coming out of Galilee, and many people at the time did not recognize that this light represents a person. When Jesus began to preach in Galilee, people were asking, “What’s the Messiah doing in Galilee? Isn’t he supposed to come from Bethlehem?” This is because they didn’t understand the parable. The reason why the answer for question number nine is part of the answer is that people misunderstood the parable and could not identify the reality.

What Jesus came to do at the first coming was to explain the parables about himself, so that people could realize the prophecies have been fulfilled. We need to be paying attention and re-understanding this. Jesus came and bore the cross, and Psalm 40 and 41 point to the things he was prophesied to go through, including suffering. One of the favorite prophecies about this is Isaiah 53. Jesus also preached the gospel of heaven, as prophesied in Isaiah 61:1, when he took the scroll of Isaiah and read it in front of the people, saying, “These words have been fulfilled in your hearing.”

To tackle question five, first, read the verses and understand them, then commit the verses to memory.

Three main categories: betrayal, destruction, and salvation. What Bible verse comes to mind when considering these themes?

2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 states: “Do not be deceived in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction.”

The day we’re waiting for is the Day of the Lord. The book of Revelation fits into these three categories: those who appeared and rebelled against God and Jesus, who were then destroyed by destroyers; and the one who witnessed these events is tasked with establishing something new. This is the essential law of Revelation.

The text uses figurative language, representing the fulfilment of prophecy. It speaks of a parable, where the word “flee” is used, indicating a call to the true believers to escape the lies and false hope. The seed of a lesson is planted for a specific time and era. The text is open to interpretation, not sealed, allowing the reader to discern the deeper meaning.

To the chosen people who will attain salvation. What are the qualities of a chosen person? What are the qualities?

What must a chosen person have?

A chosen person requires God’s covenant. So each key person that God appointed, right?

Those seven, God had a covenant with each of them, didn’t he? This is very important. There is a series of things that they are supposed to keep and abide by.

It is very important for God to do these things.

The Bible mentions different types of “gods” (lowercase g) and what it means by “gods” being spirits.

The Bible mentions various types of spirits. What are those types, and what are they?

Essentially, there are two types of spirits – holy and evil. Correspondingly, there are two types of believers. Can you provide an example of a verse that illustrates this?

There are many verses that detail these two types of believers. Let’s review a few:

John 10:34-35 and Acts 17:29 are relevant examples.

How does Matthew 13 describe these two types of believers?

The Pharisees and Sadducees represent one type, while the disciples represent the other.

Okay, so Matthew 13 uses a particular type of language to convey this message. What is it?

It’s a parable. Specifically, the parable of the sower.

In this parable, we have seeds. What are the two types of seeds?

The two types of seeds represent the good (wheat) and the bad (weeds).

Matthew 13 also mentions bad fish and good fish, as well as the foolish and wise virgins in Matthew 25. We also have the goats and the sheep, and the lazy and diligent servants with the talents.

A very important verse is Matthew 7:21-23, which says, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”

This verse clearly illustrates the two types of believers – those who profess faith but do not truly follow God’s will, and those who do the will of the Father.

Let’s start by reading Psalm 82. Actually, let’s go to John 10:34-35 first, as it quotes Psalm 82.

Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in the law? ‘I have said, you are gods.'” If he called them gods, to whom the word of God came, and the Scripture cannot be broken.

Amen.

So, this is Jesus defending the fact that he is calling himself the Son of God. The people are angry because they are saying, “How can you call yourself the Son of God?”

Then, Jesus says, “Does it not say in the Bible, Psalm 82, that you call them gods, them to whom the word has come?” Okay, I think we have to read Psalm 82.

Let’s go to Psalm 82:6-7: “I said, ‘You are gods, and all of you are sons of the Most High.’ But you will die like mere mortals; you will fall like every other ruler.”

You are what? Gods, sons of the Most High, but you will die like mere men.

So, there are sons of God, sons of God, and there are mere men. Jesus was saying, “You call them gods, small ‘g,’ of course, not a God, but sons of God. Those who have God’s seed, those to whom the word has come, become those who become sons of God, like in John chapter one.”

We see a similar thing in Acts 17 and, of course, Genesis 6:1-3, where it talks about the sons of God marrying the daughters of men, and then sin began to increase in the world.

Let’s close by reading Galatians 4:29: “At that time, the son born according to the flesh persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit. It is the same now.”

In fact, read Galatians 3 and Galatians 4 because they really talk about the distinction between the original chosen people and who God is working through at this time, and what the differences are between them. This is something that’s often argued in the Christian world today.

But actually, the New Testament makes it quite clear that it is those who are keeping the current established covenant that God considers his children. However, he promised many things, especially things throughout time, especially promises made to Abraham. And those promises are forever.

This is so important. Let’s go to Galatians 3:17-18 really quickly. It says, “What I mean is this: The law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise. For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on the promise; but God in his grace gave it to Abraham through a promise.” This passage is really important, as it shows that those who believe in Christ, like in John chapter one, become part of the promise made to Abraham, which is an everlasting promise.

So, what are those two types, everyone? God’s kingdom and Satan’s kingdom.

Amen, that one doesn’t need any more explanation, right? God’s kingdom and Satan’s kingdom. Number two, which two groups have been fighting all the battles throughout the 6,000 years of biblical history?

The two groups that have been fighting are the spirits and flesh that belong to God, and the spirits and flesh that belong to Satan.

To understand it simply, the war always takes place on two fronts – the spiritual front and the physical front. This war has been waging for 6,000 years.

Guess who’s sick and tired of this war? God.

Guess who wants this war to continue? Satan, because as long as the war continues, people continue to die and be pulled away from God. God wants this war to end and to have his Sabbath rest that he has been denied for the last 6,000 years.

This is the reason why Jesus said in John 5:17, “My Father is at his work to this very day, and I too am working.” Jesus is certainly at his work as well and is even doing things today.

In John 3:16, we are familiar with the passage that states, “For God so loved the world that he sent his one and only son, and whosoever believed in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.” The question is, what does it mean to believe in Jesus?

To believe in Jesus requires knowledge, faith, and action. The knowledge refers to understanding his prophecies and their fulfillment. These prophecies are often recorded in parables. If someone comprehends the parables of the Old Testament, they can then recognize that Jesus is the Messiah and believe in him.

When Jesus spoke in parables, those who desired to know more would approach him and ask for an explanation. Jesus would then provide the explanation, and their faith in him would grow. Jesus often had to resort to performing miracles to capture people’s attention, as some refused to listen to his teachings. However, the miracles were not the ultimate goal, but rather a means to get people to listen to his message.

Jesus would sometimes say things that were difficult to understand, such as the need to “eat my flesh and drink my blood” in John 6. Those who heard these words and rejected them would be unable to believe in Jesus, as they were not willing to listen to his explanations.

The key is the condition of one’s heart. This is similar to the parable of the four fields, where the seed (the word) is sown. In the path, the word does not take root at all. In the rocky soil, the word starts to take root, but persecution causes the person to fall away. In the thorny field, the worries and pleasures of life choke the word, preventing it from taking hold. But in the good soil, the word is heard, retained, and produces a bountiful crop.

The message is that belief in Jesus requires a humble, noble, and good heart that is willing to listen, understand, and persevere in faith.

 

That kind of person, when they hear my flesh or eat my flesh and drink my blood, they’ll come into Jesus and ask, what do you mean by this? And then they’ll understand, oh, Jesus is saying, eat my words. Know my words.

When you do these things, you will believe in me. That’s what it means. And look at how I’ve been prophesied since the time of Moses, like the lamb used to bring the people out, the blood on the doorframes.

Jesus was making those spiritual figurative connections. And if someone wasn’t willing to listen to those things, they wouldn’t even be able to believe in Jesus in the first place. And one of the things that makes me so sad is today, this has been diluted so much that people don’t look at these things as important.

They just think, believe in Jesus, that he is the son of God. And then they don’t explain how. How do I believe in Jesus as the son of God?

Why should I believe that he is the son of God? Well, someone who has the open word will be able to say, because he was prophesied and then show them all the places Jesus was prophesied and then show them the things that Jesus said and did and then show them the things that Jesus promised for the second coming. Now their faith in Jesus is rock solid, unmovable, unshakable, unbreakable.

And then they’ll look at the events that happened in their lives. Wow, this happened to me. When I most needed God and Jesus, they came through for me.

Those things add on to a rock solid faith that someone has because of an understanding of the word. So what we’re asking everyone in the class to do is have a rock solid understanding of the word, especially the words that pertain to our time, like the new covenant. Let me tell you something quickly.

The new covenant, which is actually the book of Revelation, it actually hasn’t really been possible to keep the new covenant until now, until the things started to happen. And as things start to happen, the new covenant becomes revealed fully. And of course, God had a plan for people who died and lived before this was even possible.

But we live in a time when it is possible to fully know. So God and Jesus are going to say, are you keeping the new covenant? Are you following my words?

Are you believing in the words that I spoke about my coming? If you don’t believe in my second coming, do you really believe in me, honestly? This is why Jesus said in John 14, if you’ve seen me, you’ve seen the father.

If you don’t listen to my words, it means you don’t actually believe in God either because God promised me. God promised I would come. The logic is the same.

So these things do not supersede these things. They are in fact the same, there’s no difference. They’re the same thing, just in more detail.

These are the things that the people at that time did and that we need to do too. Okay, I’ve gotten a little bit long winded, but I really wanted to spend time on that question because it was important.

We haven’t covered the figurative meaning of hailstone yet. Let’s delve into this concept a bit further.

First, let’s examine the figurative meaning of stone. What does a stone represent?

A stone represents the word of judgment.

However, a stone also symbolizes a pastor with the authority to judge. This is the figurative meaning of stone.

A hailstone is similar to a regular stone, but where does a hailstone originate from?

A hailstone comes from the sky. It falls from the heavens, descending towards the earth and making an impact upon landing.

This is the characteristic of a hailstone. Now, let’s explore how God prophesied the use of his hailstone in scripture.

 

Isaiah 28:2

See, the Lord has one who is powerful and strong.

    Like a hailstorm and a destructive wind,

like a driving rain and a flooding downpour,

    he will throw it forcefully to the ground.

 

Oh, interesting. What was said here?

See, the Lord has one who is powerful and strong, like a hailstorm and a destructive wind.

So, who is Isaiah talking about here? Himself or someone else?

The hailstone? The one who is powerful and strong, who comes from above and judges like a destructive wind? Who’s that?

It’s Jesus. 

He’s the one who came from above and judged with His words. Remember, just a couple of verses later, in verse 16.

 

Isaiah 28:16

So this is what the Sovereign Lord says:

“See, I lay a stone in Zion,

    a tested stone,

a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation;

    the one who trusts will never be dismayed.

 

See, I lay a stone in Zion, a precious cornerstone, a precious capstone, as some other prophecies also say. So Isaiah 28 is talking about Jesus.

And so Jesus was the hailstone. That’s why the answer is the word of wrath and a pastor. We actually see a hailstone appear once again in the book of Revelation.

That’s why it’s on the test as well. The logic is the same: a stone that falls from heaven and judges the earth.

Or a pastor who preaches the word of judgment that was given to him from above. Like that. If we go to the book of Revelation, let’s go to chapter 16.

 

Revelation 16:17-21

17 The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and out of the temple came a loud voice from the throne, saying, “It is done!” 18 Then there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder and a severe earthquake. No earthquake like it has ever occurred since man has been on earth, so tremendous was the quake. 19 The great city split into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapsed. God remembered Babylon the Great and gave her the cup filled with the wine of the fury of his wrath. 20 Every island fled away and the mountains could not be found. 21 From the sky huge hailstones of about a hundred pounds each fell upon men. And they cursed God on account of the plague of hail, because the plague was so terrible.

 

Hailstones are prophesied to fall to the earth when the seventh angel pours out the seventh bowl on the air. Interesting.

What is a figurative bowl, everyone?

A person who carries the wrath of God speaks, and his words are like hailstones destroying the earth.

But what earth is being judged? What earth is shaking?

What is earth? Or, to put it another way, what is a field?

A field represents the world of the church of Jesus.

And what about a small field?

A small field represents a person’s heart. Right?

So, what does an earthquake mean, then? Ah, like that.

When someone hears something that’s surprising, it shakes them to their very core.

That’s a teaser for everyone.

 

We’ll see much more later.

Lightning and thunder represent the rapid movement of spirits, not angels. The other representation is the sounds of administration.

What does this mean?

In Revelation 4, we will see where lightning and thunder make their introduction in the book of Revelation. However, it is important to note that lightning and thunder are mentioned many times throughout the Bible, which we will explore in just a moment.

 

Revelation 4:5

From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. Before the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God.

 

Instructor Nate explains that the spirits are responsible for the rumblings and peals of thunder, which represent the sounds of administration. These sounds originate from the throne, as stated in verse five.

The verse mentions that from the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings, and peals of thunder. Before the throne, seven blazing lamps were present, which are identified as the seven spirits of God.

The question is then posed: Who is on the throne? The answer is God. The instructor emphasizes that when God gives a command, the angels react swiftly, without delay. They do not take their time or make preparations; instead, they move at the speed of light to fulfill the words spoken by God.

It is acknowledged that God has been working continuously for the past 6,000 years, without taking a break. This implies that angels have been diligently going back and forth, carrying out God’s commands to ensure that heaven can come down to earth.

The instructor suggests exploring other instances in the Bible where this concept is mentioned.

 

Ezekiel 1:13-14

13 The appearance of the living creatures was like burning coals of fire or like torches. Fire moved back and forth among the creatures; it was bright, and lightning flashed out of it. 14 The creatures sped back and forth like flashes of lightning.

 

The creatures being discussed in this passage are the four living creatures that Ezekiel witnesses descending from heaven. He describes their movement as being like lightning, speeding back and forth, indicating that they do not move slowly. One of my favorite questions to ask is, “If you could have one superpower, what would it be?” My personal choice has always been super speed. Upon discovering that this is indeed the speed at which angels move, I became excited.

It’s fascinating to note that many of the things we dream about are already occurring in the spiritual realm. We often see these concepts depicted in movies, particularly in the Marvel franchise. However, this is how the spiritual world actually functions, and that’s the movie I truly desire to see.

Are we all comprehending the incredible speed at which the angels move? They move extremely fast.

Path, please don’t be confused. There’s a difference between the field-like path, or the path that is like a field, and the path that is more like a way or a direction. The context is what’s important here.

When a path is being referred to as one of the four fields, it is not a good thing. In this case, it represents a person’s heart for which the seed cannot go in. The seed kind of bounces off and never goes in because that person does not understand. However, the path mentioned in the question is not talking about this figurative path.

It’s more talking about the true path, a direction or way.

 

Matthew 7:13-14

13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

 

This is the path that the question is talking about – the straight and narrow path. The reason why it is narrow is because it is one. Remember what Jesus said in John 14:6? “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” Is it an accident that he says it that way? “I am the way” means follow me to get to God. But what does he mean by “broad”? If narrow is one, broad is everybody else. That’s why it’s broad, and not many find it.

This means it’s rare for someone, especially back then, to have found out about Jesus, particularly if they were not in Israel. They would have lived their entire life and died without knowing it, so they had to find out later. However, many, or few then, but much more now, are able to know about Jesus while they’re alive. They are very blessed.

But that also means that someone needs to find this particular pastor in order to find God. That’s the logic behind it. Does that make sense? It’s about the path.

So it’s not talking about the field, which we definitely don’t want to be in, but the path that we are to follow – the way. In fact, that’s what Christianity may have been called in the early days. Did you know that? They called it “the way.” So cool! But don’t take my word for it. Let’s see it in scripture.

 

Acts 9:2

and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.

 

He asked for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the way, he could take action.

Oh, that is so cool. He went after those who belonged to the way.

Of course, this is when Saul was converted to Paul, right? Saul was converted to Paul when Jesus appeared to him. After that, he too joined the way.

The concept of orthodoxy does not appear in the Bible, but it is a general term used to define the truth or the true way from God’s perspective, which is the only perspective that matters. On the other hand, cult or heresy refers to lies.

In the beginning, before the creation of Adam, God and the spirits of heaven, including the angels and the word, existed in the spiritual world. However, one of them, Satan, desired to surpass God, as described in Isaiah 14:12-15 and Ezekiel 28:11-19. In order for something to surpass God, it must first separate from Him. Satan separated from God, forming a cult by pulling the first angels away from God.

For the last 6,000 years, Satan has been establishing these places on earth, pulling people from the truth to the lies without their knowledge. The term “cult” is often used flippantly, losing its true meaning. From God’s perspective, it ultimately means those that belong to Him versus those that do not, which is the real standard.

We should be cautious not to use this standard flippantly without understanding the consequences from God’s perspective. The truth is simply what belongs to God versus what does not. Satan started the first cult, and any place that does not belong to God can be labeled as such. Therefore, it is crucial to be in a place that belongs to God.