Revelation 2-3 The Groundwork (Part 2)
Sermon • Submitted • Presented
0 ratings
· 7 viewsNotes
Transcript
Intro:
I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him. That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past.
Practically speaking: In order to know where you’re ________________ you must know where you are. And to know where you are, you must know where you’ve _______________.
History repeats itself…
The Battle over a throne: Read: Isaiah 14:14
Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
Satan’s devices for attacking mankind… (Since we discussed this last week we will not dig deeper today.)
There is an “ancient landmark” that must not be removed in order to properly interpret the Bible and history.
Remove not the ancient landmark,
Which thy fathers have set.
Remove not the old landmark;
And enter not into the fields of the fatherless:
The ancient landmark that we must remember, and must understand because were we are at today Biblically is determined by where God’s timeline of events is concerning His chosen people the Jews. If we lose the landmark that God has given us concerning the Jews, we will miss interpret the word of God, and we most certainly will miss apply the Scriptures.
Historically speaking none of us were taught in history class that the greatest nation that has ever been in this point of history is the nation of Israel in 1 Kings 10, when other world powers are coming and bowing before the king of Israel because they are hearing about what his kingdom is like but they come to see it with their own eyes and they still can’t believe it. What’s amazing is that all of that is a picture when the Son of David sits on that throne during His millennium kingdom! (That which has been, will be). The devil doesn’t want us to have the ancient landmarks…
When we lose sight of the Jews/Nation of Israel, we are destined to enter “fields of the fatherless.”
Foundation for developing church history: The book of Acts is the historical account of the church recorded for us in the word of God.
Acts is the transition from the Gospels to the Epistles. (Could you imagine how confusing it would be to go from the Gospel accounts to Romans without the understanding that the book of Acts gives us?
But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
The last I checked, the book of Roman’s was to Gentiles… The book of Acts transitions us to that point.
1. The book of Acts provides the bridge from an OT structure to a NT structure.
2. It provides the bridge from the Nation of Israel to the Body of Christ. (His church)
3. It provides the bridge from God working primarily with the Jew, to God working primarily with the Gentile.
4. It provides the bridge from the Kingdom of Heaven message (a literal, physical kingdom), to a kingdom of God message (a spiritual kingdom).
5. It provides the bridge from the ministry of Peter to the ministry of Paul.
6. It provides the bridge from God’s headquarters in the church at Jerusalem to the new base of operations in the church at Antioch (of Syria).
God uses the book of Acts to identify some key locations of the church history.
Antioch of Syria (there are two Antioch’s in the book of Acts but Antioch of Syria is God’s base of operation).
The first helps ministry or “deacons” was in Antioch. (Acts 6:1-5)
The first Gentile awakening was in Antioch. (Acts 11:19-21)
The church in Jerusalem sends Barnabas to Antioch. (Acts 11:22-24)
Barnabas departs and brings back Saul to Antioch. (Acts 11:25-26)
They were first called Christians in Antioch. (Acts 11:26)
God’s taking His hand off Jerusalem, and the Jew and places it on the Gentiles in Antioch. (Acts 11:27-30)
The first Bible teachers were in the church at Antioch. (Acts 13:1)
The first missionaries were sent out from the church at Antioch. (Acts 13:2-3)
When their mission was complete, they returned to the church at Antioch.
Everything in the book of Acts related to Antioch of Syria is in a _________________ context!
2. Alexandria, Egypt
Everything in the book of Acts related to Alexandria is always a ___________________ context.
What God lets you know in His word about Egypt.
It is a picture of __________ and the _____________.
God calls His people “__________ of Egypt.” (In Exodus there are 37 references to God bringing His people “OUT of Egypt. and in Leviticus, 8 times God says, “…I am the Lord that brought you OUT of the land of Egypt.”) Lev. 11:45, 19:36, 22:33, 23:43, 25:38, 55, 26:13, 45.
Coming “out of Egypt” is a picture of Salvation. (Col. 1:13, Gal. 4:3)
Jacob “bury me not, I pray thee, in Egypt.” (Gen. 47:29)
Joseph “carry up my bones from hence!” (Gen. 50:23-25)
Whenever the Bible talks about going into Egypt it is always a downward move.
“And Abram wend down into Egypt.” (Gen. 12:10
“…and the Lord appeared unto him (Isaac) and said, God not ____________ into Egypt.” (Gen. 26:2)
“And Joseph was brought down to Egypt.” (Gen. 39:1
Other references: Gen. 37:25, 42:2-3, 43:15, 45:9, 13, 46:3-4, Num. 20:15, Deut. 10:22, 26:5, Josh. 24:4, Isa. 30:2, 31:1, 52:4, Acts 7:15, 34.
God calls Egypt the “house of _________________” (Ex. 20:2)
Moses calls it the “Iron furnace.” (Deut. 4:20)
In Deut. 17:16, God says, “Done do ____________________ with them.”
Isaiah 31:1 warns, “Woe to them that go down to Egypt for ______________.”
What about the book of Acts?
Alexandrian’s were part of the group who disputed with _____________________. (Acts 6:9-13)
Alexandria is connected with bad Bible teaching. (Acts 18:24-26, 19:1-5)
It is a ship from Alexandria that takes Paul to Rome and his ultimate death. (Acts 27:6, 28:11)
We will keep our eye on the connection between Alexandria and Rome!
There was a famous school in Alexandria.
The headmaster was Philo. (20 B.C- 42 A.D)
He was influenced by the Greek philosophers, Plato, Socrates, and Aristotle.
He is known for blending the teaching of the philosophers and the writings of the Old Testament. (For centuries this school would be considered the greatest school for Christianity in the world…) But God isn’t anywhere near it...
3. Rome, Italy
Rome tried to kill Jesus at His birth. (Matt. 2:13)
Rome killed John the Baptist (Matt. 14:1-12)
Rome had Christ beaten. (Matt. 27:24)
Rome had the crown of thorns placed on His head. (Matt. 27:29)
Rome put the nails into His hands and feet. (Luke 24:39)
Rome had Him Crucified. (Matt. 27:35)
Roman soldiers cast lots for His garment. (John 19:23-24)
A Roman soldier put the spear into His side. (John 19:34)
Roman soldiers sealed His tomb. (Matt. 27:62-66)
Rome had James’ head cut off. (Acts 12:1-2)
Rome had Paul arrested and finally killed. (Acts 21:33)
4. God uses the book of Acts to reveal key groups and events in Church History.
Matt. 12:14, 26:59, Mark 13:9, Luke 22:66, John 11:47, Acts 4:15, Acts 6:12, Acts 22:30, 23:1, 15, 20, 28.
On almost every occasion in the NT, the word “council” indicates a group of Bible rejecting religious leaders whose job is to stop the work of the Holy Spirit.
5. Priest/Priests
They are referred to 27 times in the book of Acts… 26 times it is a negative connection and the only time it is positive is Acts 6:7 where there was a group of them that got _____________!
What do priest do to Bible believers in the book of Acts?
Beating them. (Acts 4:3, 5:18)
Throwing them in prison. (Acts 5:17)
Filled with indignation against them. (Acts 5:27-28)
Commanding them not to preach. (Acts 7:1, 57-58)
Martyring them. (Acts 7:1, 57-58)
Granting permission to capture them. (Acts 8:1-2, 14, 21)
Granting permission to put them to death. (Acts 26:10)
Hitting them in the mouth. (Acts 23:2)
Conspiring to put a them to death. (Acts 23:24-25, 25:2-3)
Note: The disappearance of the word priest in the letters to the churches! (Found in the Gospels and the transitional book of Acts but not in the Epistles to the churches.