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I just want you to keep your finger there. We are coming back to Isaiah 22, and please go to Revelation chapter 3. Revelation chapter 3, please. And turn to verse number 7. Revelation chapter 3 and verse number 7. Revelation chapter 3 and verse number 7. So we're up to verse 6, church, in this series of seven churches, which is the church in Philadelphia. And it says here in verse number 7, And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia writes, These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth, and shutteth, and no man openeth. So you notice there, verse number 7 mentions the key of David. Brother Anthony was, as we're reading Isaiah 22, notice the key of David was mentioned in that chapter as well. So that is the connective tissue right there between Revelation chapter 3 and Isaiah 22. But before we go back to Isaiah 22, let's just get a few things here. So we're looking at the church in Philadelphia. It says that these things saith he that is holy, he that is true. Now I love it when the Bible connects these two elements together. When we talk about something that is holy, we're talking about that which is separated unto the Lord. Something that is different. Jesus Christ, of course, is not just some religious leader. He is the Lord God Almighty. He's holy. He's perfect without sin. But not only is he holy, not only is he separated to the Lord, not only is he different from a wicked world, but he is true. And what I love about this is we need to make sure as Christians that we have this right balance in our life. You know, sometimes I meet Christians that have the truth. We talk about he that is true, we talk about the truth. Jesus Christ, of course, who is true. Hey, the Word of God is truth as well. And, you know, I meet Christians that have a lot of truth. They've got a lot of knowledge. They've learnt a lot of doctrine. You know, they've taken advantage of YouTube, the Internet, you know, hearing lots of great preaching online. Hey, they know a lot of truth, but a major part of their life is missing. They aren't walking in holiness. They've got the knowledge, but they're just not living out. I mean, that's what you've got to do. You've got to absorb the knowledge and then live out according to what you've learnt. And when you live out according to what you've learnt, you're living a holy life, a separate life. A life that is pleasing to God, a life that is different to the world. And so we want to make sure we're balanced. You know, hey, yeah, I want truth, I want knowledge, but I also have to walk in holiness. You know, this is what we learn about Jesus. He is holy and true. If we're trying to be like Jesus, then we also need to desire to be holy and true. Hey, you've got the other extreme on the other side. People that, you know, they present themselves holy, right? But they've got no truth in them. I mean, the classic example in the time of Jesus were the Pharisees. All right? They spoke grand, grand words. They had their vain repetitions. They had their long robes. Hey, on the outside they looked wonderful and, you know, amazing. Hey, even religious leaders today dress in a certain way. Look at my robes, look at my chain, look at the big cross that I have, look at all the smoke machines that I'm carrying around, the incense and all that kind of stuff. Look how holy I am, but they've got no truth. It's a problem. You've got to have both. In fact, okay, don't worry about the robes. Don't have that, okay? But, you know, there are Christians, even there are Christians that, you know, present a, you know, a measure of holiness. Hey, look at my life. I live such a Christian life. But when you ask them about the Bible, when you ask them about the words of God, they've got no idea. They don't have the truth. Hey, they're saved. Yeah, great. They're just, they're putting on the show. They've gone to church their whole life. They know how to present themselves. They know, look at me, I'm a Christian. But when you ask them about the truth, when you ask them about God's word, I don't know, no idea. You know, and so we don't want to be unbalanced. We want to be people that are holy, people that are true. And then it says, as it keeps going there, verse number seven, He that hath the key of David. So when we talk about keys, what are we talking about once again? We're talking about authority, yeah? If you've got keys to your car, you're the owner. If you've got keys to your house, you've got authority in that house. Hey, and the keys allow you to do what? To open and to shut, all right? To open and to shut. And that's why you keep reading there. It says, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shuteth, and shutteth, and no man openeth. So we learn here, whatever Jesus Christ opens, you can't close. Whatever Christ closes, you can't open, all right? So you can see Christ has authority in this area. All right, I'm going to touch upon what Christ opens and what He closes in a moment, but please go to Isaiah 22 now. Let's draw the parallel from what we read there in Isaiah 22 and verse number 15. And I remember when I found this, because I've never heard another preacher preach on this issue. So when I found the connection here, I thought, man, this is amazing. Like, it's amazing truths about Jesus Christ that was sort of there in Isaiah 22 this whole time. And I've read through Isaiah 22, obviously, and I've not really picked up on it, until I did my study on the book of Revelation. I said, hold on, that's the key of David. And when you go back, man, it's all connected. It's all the same. One and the same, it's just adding another layer to the understanding that we read there in Revelation. But in Isaiah 22 verse 15, it says here, Thus saith the Lord God of hosts, Go, get thee unto this treasurer, even unto Shebna, which is over the house, and say. So this is the, when this is being prophesied, or being spoken, I should say, in Isaiah 22, this was at the time of King Hezekiah. And what we learn about this is that King Hezekiah had a treasurer, and most kings had a treasurer, and the treasurer that we read about here is Shebna. Do you notice that? Get unto this treasurer, even unto Shebna, which is over the house, and say. And so the treasurer is someone that was in charge of the finances. You know, the king had entrusted the treasurer, hey, you take care of the finances, you know, you pay the bills, you know, make sure, you know, if we as a government decides to spend money in an area, we've got to go to you, you know, you're keeping budget, you're keeping track of the finances. And so obviously, Shebna has a high authority. He has authority over the house there, the house of the king or the house of the Lord, maybe the temple as well. Let's keep going there, verse number 16. What do we learn about this Shebna? It says in verse number 16, the Lord asks to Shebna, what hast thou here? So the question is, Shebna, what do you have to do with this land? What do you have to do with this people? What are you trying to accomplish, Shebna? Say, what do you mean? Let's keep going there. And whom hast thou here? And that thou hast hewed thee out, a sepulchre here, as he that heweth him out a sepulchre on high, and that habitation for himself in a rock. So what do we learn here? That Shebna, you know, started to put together a sepulchre, which is a grave, for himself. And he said, what's the big deal about that? Because it says he has hewed him out a sepulchre on high. So what we, you know, in this time, the kings would have a burial place where it was just for the kings. It was just for those of that family line, those in authority in that sense. And Shebna had created his own graveyard, his own sepulchre for his burial amongst the kings in a higher position than what he really was. He's a treasurer, he's got a good position, but the highest position is a king and he's creating for himself a grave, okay, to be buried amongst the kings. All right, so his attitude is, I'm as good as any king. I deserve to be buried here. So the Lord's asking Shebna, you know, this is not your place. What are you doing here? Why are you building the sepulchre on high? Why are you lifting yourself up as a king? You know, let's keep going there, verse number 17. And the Lord's angry about this, the Lord's really upset. It says, verse number 17, Behold, the Lord will carry thee away with a mighty captivity and will surely cover thee. So that's going to be the punishment for Shebna. At the captivity time, he's going to be carried away. Verse number 18, look at this, He will surely violently turn and toss thee like a ball into a large country. There shalt thou die, and there the chariots of thy glory shall be the shame of thy Lord's house. So the Lord God's going to take Shebna, who's trying to lift himself up to be a king with his great sepulchre for remembrance. Oh, look at Shebna, what a great man, buried amongst the kings. The Lord says, you're going to be taken into captivity. Hey, they're going to do it to you violently. Hey, they're not going to treat you well, okay? They're not going to look after you. They're going to do bad things to you. They're going to be violent towards you, and there you're going to die. Okay, and you'll be ashamed forever. When people remember the name Shebna, you're going to be ashamed forever. Okay, so that's what we're reading. Okay, what does that have to do with our revelation? Let's keep going, all right? It says here in verse number 19, And I will drive thee from thy station. So that's the treasure. He's going to lose his position. And from thy state shall he pull thee down. So, Lord God, hey Shebna, you're lifting yourself up too high. I'm going to pull you down. I'm going to humble you. I'm going to lower you. Verse number 19, verse number 20, sorry. And it shall come to pass in that day that I will call my servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, and I will clothe him with thy robe. So we learn here that Eliakim will replace Shebna, okay? God couldn't like him to stand up. So he's going to take the robe of Shebna, okay, which shows authority and power and prosperity that's going to be given to Eliakim, and strengthen him with thy girdle. He's even going to wear your belt. And I will commit thy government into his hand. So all the authorities, all the things that Shebna had is going to be given to Eliakim. And he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. When it says there that he'll be a father, again, it's just a position of authority. Like a father has authority of his family, of his children. Hey, Eliakim's going to be given that authority over Jerusalem and over Judah. So it's going to change from Shebna to Eliakim. And let me just remind you a very familiar passage, Luke 14 and 11, don't need to turn there. It says, For whosoever exalts of himself shall be abased, and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. Please remember this principle in the Bible. If you want to do great things for God, you want to accomplish great things, you want God to promote you, you have to humble yourself. You have to lower yourself, okay? Hey, put other people before you, all right? Serve other people, appreciate other people, love other people, lower yourself. You know what, I am the pastor of this church, I have authority of this church. But you know what, I see myself as lower than everybody else. Honestly, I see myself as a servant. You know, I'm nervous when I get behind the pulpit, not because I'm not prepared, I'm nervous because I just want to make sure God's people have been fed the word of God. And I'll make sure that you're built up, you gain knowledge, you're not just wasting your time coming here to hear this pastor ramble on. I want to give you something nourishing, something that will give you strength, something that will strengthen your soul and strengthen your spirit, because I love you. You know, and that's the truth about serving the Lord. You know, you've got to make sure you're someone that humbles yourself, and then the Lord God will elevate you. He will exalt you, he will give you those positions of authority. Hey, but if you try to force yourself, hey, look at me, I'm the greatest man, I'm the greatest soul winner, I'm the best of the best, you know, this, you know, whatever, then God's going to humble you. God's going to lower you. Please be careful about how you treat your fellow believers, your fellow brethren, and how you view yourself within the house of God. Let's keep going there, Isaiah 22, 22. And then it says this, this is where the connection is to Revelation 3. It says, and the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder, so you notice the key of the house of David there, laid upon the shoulder of Eliakim, and then it says this, so he shall open, and none shall shut, and he shall shut, and none shall open. Hey, that sounds exactly what we read there in Revelation 3.7, you see the connection there. All right, so there are two things you need to understand what's going on here. Yes, the primary application, the primary meaning is about Eliakim. He's going to take over Shebna, 100%, okay? He's going to be the treasurer, so we have the key to the finances, all right? I mean, you know, whatever he opens can't be closed by anyone else, and whatever he closes can't be opened, because any financial decisions, any expenditure has to go through Eliakim. He's got that authority. He can say, yes, King, we can afford this, or no, King, we can't afford that right now. Whatever it is, he's in charge of the finances, and so he's got a key to the treasury box in that sense. But this is more than about Eliakim, okay? This is more about the time, than just the time of King Hezekiah. This is about the end times, okay? It's about the end times. We saw earlier in Revelation 3.7 that Jesus has the key of David, and we know what does that mean? We know that David represents the kingly line, that, you know, Jesus Christ is not just a treasurer of the house. He is the king, okay? He does follow that lineage. He's got the king of the key of David, okay? He's got the key that he can open, that no man shuts. He's got the key that shuts, that no man openeth, okay? Now notice this, again, what did it say there in verse number 22, Isaiah 22, 22? And the key of the house of David will lay upon his shoulder. What does that sound like to you? Does that sound like another passage in the book of Isaiah to you? It should, because there's a very famous prophecy of Jesus Christ. Keep your finger there, and turn to Isaiah chapter 9. Turn to Isaiah chapter 9, verse 6. Isaiah chapter 9 and verse number 6. Very famous prophecy, often read at the time of, around Christmas time, you know, remembering the birth of Christ. It says here in Isaiah 9, 6, For unto us a child is born, and unto us a son is given. Now look at the next words. And the government shall be upon his shoulder. What did we read in Isaiah 22? That the government's going to be upon his shoulder. It's got a double application about Jesus Christ. So when we read Revelation 3, and Christ says he's got the key of David, well that makes sense because he told us here earlier in Isaiah 9, 6 that the government is going to be upon your shoulder. We read in Isaiah 22 that the key of David will be given to that person. Let's keep going. What does it say there? And his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. What was Eli Kim going to be called? A father over Israel. What does it call Jesus Christ here? The Everlasting Father. Again he's got that authority, he's got that power over the nation of Israel. And of course that power will be given to Christ when it comes back during his millennial reign. Let's keep going there. Verse number 7. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end upon the throne of David and upon his kingdom to order it and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. So as you compare Isaiah 9-6, clear prophecy about Christ. You compare that to Isaiah 22. Then you can see where the double application applies to Christ and Revelation chapter 3 confirms that this is about Christ as well. Okay? Now let's go back to Isaiah 22. Isaiah 22 and verse number 23. Isaiah 22 verse number 23. So if Eli Kim represents Jesus as a type, okay, in this story, then who does Shebna represent? Any thoughts? Satan? Oh, kind of. Not too far. What's that sorry? Oh, Judas was a treasure. Hey, that's a good one. There's a connection there a little bit. Yeah. But we'll keep going. We'll keep going. Look at verse number 23. Talking about Eli Kim and by extension Jesus. Okay? Verse number 23. And I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place. Hey, so when Christ comes to reign, it's going to be a reign forever. Yes, it's a millennium, but His reign continues even when God creates a new heaven and a new earth. His position, His kingly line is a sure place. Look at this. And He shall be for a glorious throne to His Father's house. So notice that Eli Kim, or Jesus referred to a father or everlasting father, talking about the authority over Israel, but then this man Eli Kim and by extension Jesus has a father as well. Okay? And so Jesus Christ has His throne in His Father's house. Verse number 24. So that's speaking about Eli Kim and by extension Jesus Christ. Look at verse number 25. So when we look at that, which nail in a sure place was removed and cut down? Well, Shebna. Okay, because Eli Kim is being set up. Jesus is being set up in a high place, but Shebna is being removed from that sure place, removed to be cut down and full and the burden that was upon it shall be cut off for the Lord has spoken it. So you know the end times. I'm going to tell you the answer and it will be obvious to you. Okay? But of course before Jesus Christ is placed on this earth, before He rules over this entire world, who's going to be ruling on this earth before Jesus? The Antichrist. Yeah, the beast. The Antichrist. He elevates himself, right? Shebna elevate himself. I'm a king. The Antichrist is going to appear on the scene. I'm God, right? I'm Jesus. I'm your Messiah. He's going to lift himself up to a position that is not his own and God is going to humiliate him. He's going to be taken down, you know, destroyed. The Antichrist is going to be thrown into the lake of fire when Christ comes back, okay? So he's going to lose his position and he's going to be replaced. There's going to be another king over the entire earth and that's going to be the Lord Jesus Christ. And so you can see the typology. The symbolism between Shebna and Eliakim also points us to the end times, the Antichrist and Jesus Christ who comes and takes over the authority and the power over the entire earth. All right. Can you please turn? Please turn to Luke chapter 8. Turn to Luke chapter 8. Luke chapter 8. You don't need to keep a finger on Isaiah 22 anymore. You might want to keep a finger there in Revelation chapter 3. And please go to Luke chapter 8. Luke chapter 8. So we saw that Jesus Christ is a key that he can open, he can shut. You know, what are some things, when you think about things that Christ opens, things that Christ shuts, you know, what kind of ideas do you get in your head? I think one of the first ideas that we get is of course Jesus Christ has opened the doors of salvation. He's opened the doors to heaven. You know, these are doors that only Christ could open. No man can open those doors. Okay, only Christ can. And while you're turning to Luke 8, I'll just read to you from John 10, 7. Jesus Christ says, Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I said to you, I am the door of the sheep. All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door. By me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out and find pasture. Okay, so Christ opens the doors to heaven. He opens the door to salvation. Reverend, once you've entered in salvation, once you're in Christ, no man can shut that door. You know, you can't lose your salvation. You've entered, that door's open. No man can shut it. But did you know Christ can shut the door of salvation as well? Some people don't understand this one. They think it's a crazy teaching. Christ can open doors. Christ can shut doors. Christ can shut doors on those that have rejected him. Hey, you know, once you pass away, if you've not trusted Christ, if you've not believed on his sacrifice, and you passed away without Jesus, you're destined for hell. You know, you've rejected the Lord. Hey, at that point, salvation's closed to you. At that point, you can't be saved. You can't call out of hell and say, well, Jesus, I believe on you. Please save me. It's too late. That door's been closed and no man can open it. And we understand that. We understand that concept. People that go to hell do not get a second chance and go to heaven. But this can also happen to people walking the earth today. People can be walking the earth today and the door's been closed of salvation toward them because they've hated the Lord. They've rejected Jesus Christ. The Bible speaks of these people becoming reprobates. They've been given up to a reprobate mind. You know, they want nothing to do with God, you know, and so God says, all right, then I want nothing to do with you. Okay, and you've lost your opportunity to be saved. Now, look at Luke chapter 8 verse 10. Luke chapter 8 verse number 10. And he said, Jesus, this is Jesus said, right? He's been to his disciples here. Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to others in parables, look at this, that seeing they might not see and herein they might not understand. Do you notice that? When it comes to the believers in Christ, Jesus wants to teach us everything. He wants to get us to give us the knowledge of the Lord. He wants to give us the scriptures. He's given us the Holy Spirit to learn the things in the Bible. But to some people, you know, it's as though he speaks just in parables and he does it so they would not understand, right? That seeing, so yeah, I saw what's been read there, but they don't see. They don't get it. You know, herein they might not understand. You know, for some people that opportunity to understand how to enter into the kingdom has been shut for them, okay? Again, why does this happen? I'm not going to preach a whole sermon on this, but it's because they've rejected the Lord. And if you want more information about this, read Romans chapter 1. It explains it all in detail. They've rejected the Lord. The Lord has rejected them, all right? So, and we are, keep your finger there in Luke chapter 8. We're going to come back to Luke chapter 8 because there's another, there's also a lot of parallel in Luke chapter 8 with Revelation chapter 3. So keep your finger there in Luke chapter 8. You know, so we learn a few things. Jesus Christ has the key. Hey, he can open doors of salvation. He can close those doors for those that have rejected Christ. You know, something else that the Lord opens is a local church. You know, Blessed Our Baptist Church is a church that has been planted by Jesus Christ. He opened the doors for us to have church. You know, Jesus Christ says, and I say unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Hey, Jesus Christ is involved in the starting of churches. You know, a church that is following the pattern and the lessons, the doctrines of the Bible. You know, Jesus Christ is all in favor of new churches started. But as we saw earlier in this series, when we looked at the Church of Ephesus, Jesus Christ can also remove a candlestick out of its place. Jesus Christ can also shut down a church, or even a church that continues, as it were, they continue, but really, it's not doing anything for the kingdom of the Lord, because that candlestick has been removed. We saw that earlier in the Church of Ephesus. All right, won't re-hatch that. So yeah, Jesus Christ opens churches, Jesus Christ can shut down churches, if he so wishes. What else does the Lord God have access to? You know, and you know, this is something that for ladies, sometimes it's a challenge, but Jesus Christ can open the womb, Jesus Christ can close the womb. It's up to the Lord. The Bible says in Genesis 29 verse 31, and when the Lord saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. Do you notice that? You know, we have Jacob, sorry, I forgot who it was, Jacob married to Leah and to Rachel, okay? And because he did not give attention to Leah, you know, she was hated in that sense in comparison to Rachel. The Lord looks upon her, has mercy upon her, and opens her womb, and when it comes to Rachel, he keeps it shut. You know, the Lord God can open and close the womb. And go back to Revelation chapter 3 verse 8. Revelation chapter 3 and verse number 8. What else does it say about this church? In verse number 8 it says, I know thy works. And by the way, before I keep reading, out of all the seven churches in the book of Revelation, Jesus has nothing bad to say about this church. You guys have seen, every church so far, he says something good, then he says something negative, then he says something good again. This is the only church that has nothing bad said about it, okay? I mean, the only potentially bad thing, but I don't think it's a negative thing at all. Let's keep going to verse number 8. I know thy works. Look at this. Behold, I have set before thee an open door. Hey, that makes sense. Hey, this is a door that Jesus Christ can open. Hey, this is the church that's serving Jesus. You know what? If Jesus wants blessed our Baptist church to continue, he's going to keep the doors open. He's going to allow us to continue to meet and to serve him. Hey, Jesus Christ can also allow us to have an open door of preaching the gospel. You know, there are places in this world that it's illegal to preach the gospel. There are places in this world that if you try to preach the gospel, you could lose your life. You could say there's a closed door in those areas. You know, when it comes to the modern day nation of Israel, did you know it's illegal to preach the gospel? It's illegal. Hey, we live in Sydney. Hey, we think of it as a wicked city and it is a wicked city, but thank God, the door's open, that we can still knock our neighbor's doors and give them the gospel. Amen. But notice about this church, it says here, for thou hast a little strength. You might say, well, that's a negative. But not really. Because when it says that, you've got a little strength. Look at this, and has kept my word and has not denied my name. So, look, when I think about this church being of a little strength, you know, I think of this church being a smaller church, you know, in comparison to maybe larger churches, where they've got hundreds, maybe thousands of people. Hey, this church has a little strength. Maybe it's not that much. Maybe it doesn't have that many members. Hey, but the few that are in that church, there is some strength there. Hey, the people have kept the word. Yet, not only are they learning the word, they're following it. They're putting it into practice. And they've not denied the name of Christ. Okay? Hey, they're not ashamed of Christ. And so, you know, I like to think about this because, you know, still, blessed are Baptist Church, and even New Life Baptist Church, we're smaller churches. You might say, hey, we've got a little strength. But you know what? Even if we have a little strength, let's use that strength. You know, let's keep the word. Let's not deny the name of Jesus Christ. Let's see the open door that Christ has given us, and walk in His ways. Do the work that He's given to us. All right? And we can still be our shining light for the work and the kingdom of Jesus Christ. Look at verse number nine. It says here, Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews and are not, but do lie. Behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. Interesting, isn't it? Know that you've loved thee. Because when you read in the book of Acts, you know, with the new churches, the number one enemy to God's people was not the Roman Empire, it was the Jews. And by Jews, I mean those that have rejected Christ. Those that are continuing the religion of the Pharisees and Judaism down that line. I'm not talking about the Jews that have believed on Christ. Hey, they're Christians. The number one enemy, if you read your New Testament, were the non-believing Jews. They persecuted Jesus. In fact, they crucified Jesus, and they persecuted the people that followed Jesus Christ. These are those, and look, I've already taught on this. You might want to go back to the church in Smyrna, I saw one that I did. We looked at the synagogue of Satan there. But, you know, in summary, the synagogue of Satan is the false religion of Judaism. It's the Jews that have rejected Christ. They're the ones that go to synagogue and worship. Okay, they do not believe on Christ. Hey, it's a false religion that sends people to hell. It's a synagogue of Satan. It's a false religion. And notice this, that these Jews, who so-called think of themselves as the people of God, they're going to come before the church in, um, what church was this again? Philadelphia, that's right. They're going to come before the people of, or the feet of people of Philadelphia, and bow before them, hey, and recognize, look at this, and to know that I have loved thee. Amazing. So these Jews that are persecuting the Christians, they're going to come, lower themselves at the feet of Christians, and have to acknowledge Jesus loved you. Alright, because that's what they think. They think God loves us. We're God's chosen people. We're special. Bless us. No, they're going to come down and bless the people of God, worship the people of God, and acknowledge actually it was Jesus who loved you. You are the people of Jesus. You are the people of the Messiah. Not us. The Bible says in Romans 2 29, But he is a Jew which is one inwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter, that means not in the law, whose praise is not of men but of God. You know, our salvation, our gospel is not in the letter. It's not in the law. You know, we don't believe being saved is by following the law. That's what Judaism teaches. In fact, that's what every false religion teaches. If you do the good works, if you follow the light that God's given, you're going to be saved. No. Salvation is circumcision of the heart. It's inwardly. It's of the spirit. It's once you believe in Christ, you are saved. It's not of the law. It's not of works. But look, Judaism today teaches it's the commandments. Keep the commandments. And that's their gospel message as it were. Let's keep going there. Revelation 22 verse 10. Sorry, Revelation chapter 3 verse 10. Revelation 3 verse 10. Now look at this. It's interesting, verse number 10. Verse number 10 is like a proof text to our brethren that believe in a pre-trib rapture. Like if you go to your pre-trib pastor, pre-trib rapture pastor, you say, pastor, can you show me a verse that says that Jesus Christ is coming back before the tribulation? This is a verse that'll probably take to you the most. Look at verse number 10. Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world and try them that dwell upon the earth. See, brethren, isn't that easy to understand? It's a pre-trib rapture. You were wrong this whole time. Can't you see? Jesus Christ is coming before the tribulation. It's right there in verse number 10. You say, what are you talking about, pastor? Well, if that's you, then I'm glad. Let's read it carefully. Let me tell you how they read it. Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I'm not sure what they mean by that. You know, I've asked that question, they can't answer it. I will, sorry, I also will keep thee from the hour. Say, well, see, if you went to Bible college, you would know that the hour there means seven years. Didn't you know that? You don't know that. That hour, okay, it's not an hour, it's seven years of temptation. Okay, you gotta go to Bible college for these things, okay? That really means the great tribulation. Oh yeah, don't you know it starts with T? Temptation starts with T, tribulation starts with T. Hey, temptation ends with N, tribulation ends with N. Can't you see, it's the great tribulation. I will keep thee from the seven years of the great tribulation, which have come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. See, it's a pre-trib rapture. We're not gonna be here for the seven years of the great tribulation. Honestly, if you wanna go to Bible college, that's the kind of teaching that you'll receive. What is the ground and pillar of truth? Your local church. If you wanna learn the church, you wanna learn the truth, hey, Jesus Christ who is holy and true, you wanna learn the truth, you go to church. This is where Christ is. Christ isn't gonna be in the church. He's gonna build his church. Christ did not say he's gonna build his Bible college. Okay, the church is important. The church is the place we come to learn God's word. So what is this about? I told you to keep your finger there in Luke chapter 8. Please turn to Luke chapter 8. And again, I don't think I've seen any other preacher link Luke 8 and Revelation chapter 3. Okay, but you'll notice that it's definitely talking about the same thing. You know, a lot of the terminology, a lot of the phrases that we saw just there are also found in Luke chapter 8. Verse number 10, please, verse number 10. And we read verse number 10 earlier. It said, and he said unto you, it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to others in parables that seeing they might not see and hearing they might not understand. So I just wanna show you that once again, the fact that God can close the doors on certain people. Now let's keep going. What is the parable about? Verse number 11. Now the parable is this, the seed is the word of God. We're not gonna read the whole parable, but this is the parable of the sower. You know, where the sower goes out, sowing seed, and the seed falls on different grounds, all right? Now Jesus Christ says, the seed is the word of God. This is why when we preach the gospel, we must go with God's word. We must go with scripture. We must go with Bible. You know, our faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. It is a seed which creates faith for people to place that on Jesus Christ. Let's keep going there, verse number 12. Hey, what saves somebody? Believing the word. See, sometimes we go and we preach the gospel, we speak God's word, they've heard it, but then Satan comes along in the journey, takes it away out of their heart, they forget it, they don't know it, they don't get it, they don't want it, and they can't believe, okay? They can't be saved because they can't believe. Satan has come, taken that word away, okay? So salvation, again, what is it? It's believing. It's putting your faith on Christ. Let's keep going, verse number 13. They on the rock are they, which when they hear, receive the word with joy, and these have no root, which for a while believe, now look at this, and in time of temptation, fall away. Now, the reason I'm showing you this is because we saw the word temptation there, okay? And when we read Revelation chapter 3, verse 10, it says, because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I will keep thee from the hour of temptation. So you can see, I just want to show you the similarity there. Temptation is mentioned here, temptation is mentioned there in Revelation 3, 10. All right, so these are people that they hear God's word, they receive it, hey, they're saved, but they've got no real roots. In fact, this will be the majority of people that we preach the gospel to, they get saved, but they don't really end up reading their Bible, they don't really end up coming to church, they don't really end up doing anything for the Lord, they've got no roots, okay? Hey, but when temptation comes, when difficulties come their way, they kind of just fall away. Hey, but praise God, they're saved. Okay, salvation was never based on their performance, it was based on them placing their faith on Jesus Christ. Look at verse number 14. And that which fell among thorns are they, which when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures in this life, and bring no fruit to perfection. So these are other believers, they hear God's word, right? But then they get distracted with the world. They don't bring forth any fruits. They don't get anyone else saved. They're saved, but you know, the world has distracted them. They're too busy just living their life in the world, they're not serving the Lord Jesus Christ. Look at verse number 15. But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, look at this, having heard the word, keepeth. What did it say in Revelation 3, 10? Because it has kept the word of my patience. Now notice that, kept the word of my patience, look at this, and keeper, it says here, and bring forth fruits with patience. Notice all these words, keeping the word, patience, okay? The temptations, all right? All of these things has to do with what we read there in Revelation 3, 10. We saw earlier that Jesus Christ is keeping the door open for that church. The door open to continue meeting as a church. The door open, they will continue doing the works, even though they have little strength, okay? The Lord God is keeping it open for them to preach the gospel and see people saved. And so what do we learn here? That our hearts ought to be like the good ground. We've received God's word with an honest and good heart, having heard the word and keepeth. Praise God, you know, when we come to church and we hear the preaching of God's word, when we hear the Bible, our desire ought to be all right. I heard it, now I want to keep it. I want to remember this. I need to do it. I need to apply it, otherwise I might forget it. Otherwise the cares of this word might distract me and cause me to forget what I've heard. And Brethren, if you do God's word with patience and bring forth fruit with patience, you're going to be effective for the kingdom of God. You're going to be able to be used to win people, win the loss to Jesus Christ. But Brethren, it requires patience. It requires patience, all right? This is why when we go back to Revelation 3, 10, if you can go back to Revelation 3, 10, it says, Because thou hast kept the word of my patience. Okay? They've continued doing the works, even though they have little strength. They're still preaching the gospel. They're still being fruitful. So because they're serving the Lord, because they prioritize the kingdom of God, He says, I will keep thee from the hour of temptation. Meaning that when temptation comes, if you've been serving the Lord God, you're going to have greater success overcoming that temptation. Versus the Christians that are just living a worldly life, hey, they're saved, they're choked of the cares of this world, when temptation hits them, when they go through the hour of temptation, they're going to be the ones that easily give into that temptation and sin. Brethren, if you want victory over sin, you have to keep God's word. You've got to walk in His paths. You've got to serve the Lord. You've got to be in church. You've got to read the Bible. And through that process, when you do go through the hour of temptation, you're going to have a greater ability to not give into that temptation and not give into sin. So that's what it's teaching. Revelation, it's not saying, oh man, the rapture's going to happen before the great tribulation. It's saying, hey, if you just do God's word, God's going to help you when the hour of temptation comes to deliver you out of that. So you want sin against the Lord, so you'll be more victorious, that you'll live more of a holy life, a clean life that pleases the Lord. Verse number 11, please. Revelation 3.11. Revelation 3.11. It says, Behold, I come quickly. Hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. So Christ gives a warning to this church. You know, keep holding fast. Keep serving the Lord. Keep using your little strength. Keep following my word. So no man takes your crown. Something else that we learn here is that you can lose your rewards, all right? And by losing your rewards, one thing that I want you to understand, and I don't have time to go through this in any great depth, but some people think that, all right, if I've served... I've heard someone say like, okay, I'll give you an example. You know, I know of pastors that have been serving the Lord faithfully. They've passed the church. They've done great works for God, but then they've disgraced themselves. Let's say they've committed adultery. They've disqualified themselves. They're out of the ministry and they're ashamed. They don't want to show their face anymore. I've heard people say, well, they've lost their rewards, meaning that everything that they've done for the Lord is just all wasted now. That's not what it means to lose your rewards, okay? To lose your rewards in the Bible means that Jesus Christ has set treasure for you in place, okay? Whatever that maximum value is, that's what Jesus Christ wants to give you at his coming. And as we serve the Lord, you know, one year, second year, third year, four years, as we keep serving the Lord, we're getting closer to earning that maximum reward, whatever that looks like, when Christ comes back. But if we fall away, right, if a pastor disgraces himself and gets ashamed, or whatever it is, you know, you get backslidden. It's not like, okay, you've lost it all and you go back to zero. It just means, let's say you've earned this many rewards and that's the maximum. It just means you've lost rewards, meaning you've lost what you could have attained, okay? But whatever you serve the Lord God with during that time, you're going to be rewarded for those things, okay? Serving the Lord is never a zero value. You know what, it's better to just serve God one day. It's better to just say, you get saved on your deathbed, let's say, and you serve the Lord on that one day that you have. Well, praise God. You know what, you're going to get maximum rewards because it's all you had. It's all you've been given. Right, that one day to serve the Lord Jesus Christ. You can get maximum rewards just for that. You know, but we've been given so many days to serve the Lord. Let's not let it go to waste. In fact, I'm just picking it up back off our Ramson sermon. You know, God has given us time. He gives us days, He can extend those days if the Lord God so wishes. Let's use those days to serve the Lord, to gain the maximum rewards that we can for Him. Let's not lose our rewards. Verse number 12. Him that overcometh, so that's the one that is saved, will I make a pillar in the temple of my God? And so, when you think of pillars, we think of a strong foundation or a strong stand, as it were. Okay, of course, the pillar in the temple of God is not literal. We're not going to be just stuck as a pillar, you know, frozen in place. Okay, it just means that we're going to be a strong component to the kingdom of God to come, to His temple there. Because then it says here, and He shall go no more out. Again, the idea of a pillar, maybe a foundational pillar or just a pillar that stands upright. Hey, once it's fixed in place, it's not going to move. So, the same idea here is, hey, once we're in the kingdom, once we're with the Lord God, we'll never be removed out of that place. We're a strong pillar standing in His kingdom. It says here, and I will write upon Him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, which is New Jerusalem. So, we're going to have that name. You know, we're going to be, you know, representative of the Father. We're going to be representative of the people of the city of God. The New Jerusalem is what we're going to be representative of. It says there, which cometh down out of heaven from my God, and I will write upon Him my new name. So, we're going to have the name of the Father, we're going to have the name of Jesus Christ, we're going to have the name of New Jerusalem. That's what we represent in this new kingdom to come. Then it says, hear that happen here, let Him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. We're going to turn to one more passage before we end. Please turn to Galatians chapter 4. Please turn to Galatians chapter 4 and verse number 21. Galatians chapter 4, verse number 21. You know, when I preach about the synagogue of Satan, when I preach about Judaism being a false religion, I have no doubt that some fellow Christian brethren will think I'm like anti-Semitic, that I hate the Jews or something. That's, look, when we say that it's a false religion, we're saying it's a false religion just as much as we'll say Islam is a false religion. Just as much as we say Roman Catholicism is a false religion. Okay, when we say they reject Jesus, we say as much as the Buddhist rejects Jesus Christ. Okay, it's not like they're, you know, they're just non-believers. False religion. Hey, all false religion ultimately is of Satan. Jesus Christ is the only one that opens the doors of salvation. All right? And again, so many churches have been confused on this topic. Dispensationalism, the teachings of C.I. Schofield, the Schofield Reference Bible. There are so many influences that have affected churches in our modern day. You know, and they've taught strange doctrines that were not believed by Christians in the past. And so I want to just be clear about this. In Galatians 4.21, let's read about this. Galatians 4.21. It says here, tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? So when you talk about people that are desiring to be under the law, if you understand the book of Galatians, it's Jews that are trying to make Christians to be outwardly circumcised, okay? People that are trying to bring you under that law. And again, I mentioned earlier that Judaism is a religion that tries to bring you under that law, all right? So let's understand a little bit more here. Verse 22. For it is written that Abraham had two sons, the one of a bondmaid and the other by a free woman. So who remembers just very quickly the two, the names of Abraham's two sons? Ishmael and Isaac. Ishmael and Isaac. Ishmael was born from the bondmaid, Isaac was born from the free woman, Sarah, okay? Now look at this, verse number 23. But he who was born of the bondwoman, that's Ishmael, was born after the flesh, but he of the free woman was by promise. Remember God promised Abraham and Sarah they would have a child? Well, that promised child was Isaac, all right? Let's keep going there, verse number 24. Which things are an allegory? So Paul is saying, look, the birth of these two sons, it's an allegory. Allegory just means it's a story, or it's an illustration, okay? An illustration of what? It says, for these are the two covenants. So when you think about it, what are the two covenants? Well, the Old Testament, the New Testament, the Old Covenant, the New Covenant. One of the children represents the Old Covenant, the other child represents the New Covenant, all right? The one from Mount Sinai, so remember most received the Old Covenant at Mount Sinai, okay? The one from Mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is agar. Ishmael's mother, the bondwoman, was called Hagar. Drop the H, it's agar in the New Testament. Same woman, okay? So we learn that Ishmael is representative of the Old Covenant, all right? Let's keep going there, verse number 26. But Jerusalem, sorry, I missed verse number 25. For this agar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and answerth to Jerusalem, which now is, and is in bondage with her children. So what, in the time of the writings of Paul here, what would be the Jerusalem which now is? That would have been the Jerusalem on the earth, which now is. And is in bondage with her children, why? Because those that have rejected Christ, they're under bondage because they think salvation is by keeping the Old Covenant. They think salvation is by keeping the law. So they're under bondage, right? That's representative of Ishmael and of Hagar. But look at verse number 26. Because we read earlier in Revelation 3, that it said that we're going to have the city, the name of the city of my God, which is New Jerusalem, which cometh then out of heaven from my God. Hey, you know what? We're representatives of the New Jerusalem, the one that comes out of heaven. So that ties into here, in verse number 26, which says, but Jerusalem, which is above, is free, which is the mother of us all. Hey, Jerusalem on this earth is not our mother. It's Jerusalem, which is above, which is our mother. Again, symbolic, that mother represents in Sarah, Abraham and Sarah, the promise, Isaac, okay? You know, Isaac symbolically represents us being children of that heavenly mother, Jerusalem, that city which comes from above. Let's keep going there, verse number 26. But Jerusalem, which is above, is free, which is the mother of us all. Verse 27, for it is written, rejoice, thou barren that bearest not, break forth and cry, thou that travailest not, for the desolate have many more children than she which have an husband. Now we brethren, so look, who's we brethren? Well, we're reading the Epistles to the Galatians. Okay, it's the Galatian church. It's a Gentile church. Okay, we brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. We brethren, as Isaac was, hey, brethren, we, members of blessed our Baptist church, are the children of promise. Our mother is Jerusalem above, spiritual Jerusalem, heavenly Jerusalem, verse number 29. But as then he that was born after the flesh, hey, that was Hagar, Ishmael, hey, the Jews that are still under bondage today, persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. So what do we read there? The Jews, the non-believing Jews, are persecuting God's people, the believers, Jew, Gentile, whatever you are, whatever your background is, as long as you believe in Christ, if your mother is heaven above, the Jews persecuted the unbelieving Jews, the Christ-rejected Jews persecuted, it said in verse number 29, I did not make this up, it's in there, verse number 29, it persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. That's why we read Revelation chapter 3. The sinning God of Satan will bow down themselves and worship the feet of the people of Philadelphia. Okay, because the Jews, the unbelieving Jews, are persecuting God's people. Verse number 30. Nevertheless, what saith the scripture? Look at this, cast out the bond woman, that's Hagar, that's Ishmael, that's the Christ-rejecting earthly Jews of this Jerusalem on this earth, cast out the bond woman and her son, for the son of the bond woman shall not be heir with the son of the free woman. Brethren, non-believing Jews, they're not going to receive the same, they're not going to receive an inheritance with us. You know, we're children of God, we're children of the promise. We've been given the great promise to Abraham and to his seed, and to those that are in Christ are the seed of Abraham. We're the children of promise, we're going to inherit new Jerusalem, we're going to inherit the new heaven and the new earth. For Christ-rejecting Jews, they're not going to inherit with us. But brethren, this is what so many high-speed churches are teaching, they're people of Jerusalem now, they're the God's people, they're going to inherit the land, they're going to be brought back into the land. The Bible says, no, they're not going to inherit with us. They're going to be cast out. They're children of the bond-woman. Then it says in verse 31, So then, brethren, we are not children of the bond-woman, but of the free. We're children of heavenly Jerusalem. We are children of the New Testament. Salvation has always been through the New Testament. Hey, salvation, even in the Old Testament times, was by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. They just knew it mostly by picture form, by symbolism. But salvation was always by grace through faith. Jesus Christ died for the sins of the entire world. Everyone who's ever lived, from Adam to the one who was the last one born, Jesus Christ has paid for the sins of all man. Salvation could never be received through the Old Testament. It was always by grace through faith on Jesus Christ. And so these people that are so mixed up, hey, there's nothing wrong with the Old Testament, but it was never a way of salvation. It was just a way for God to have an agreement with a national identity, a people of a nation on this land that were supposed to, and they did, bring forth Jesus Christ and to evangelize the world. But then they got mixed up. They thought salvation was through the covenant. Well, if you think it's by the works, you think it's by the letter, if you think it's by outward circumcision, if you think it's by identifying yourself with the Jerusalem which now is, then you're not going to inherit with the children of God, with the children of the promise. And so, brethren, as I said earlier, Revelation 3.13, Here they have an ear. Let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. I just want to show you, I'm not just saying things about the Jews, because, again, many churches, they've got this mixed up. They don't get it. I'm not saying these things because I hate the Jews. I want to see them saved, all right? If we come across and we knock on the door, and when there's a Jewish man, hey, we ought to have the heart to give them the gospel, just like anybody else, regardless of what nationality they are. It doesn't matter, okay? We ought to have a desire to give them the gospel and have the hope that they would hear God's word, the seed of God's will be planted in the heart, and they would believe and call upon them the Lord, regardless of what they are. Gentiles agree. You know what? I want to see the Jews saved. I want to see the Gentiles saved. I want to see Australians saved, okay? But we must get back to Scripture. The Scripture is super clear. Christ-rejected, non-believing Jews who identify with Jerusalem on this earth, they are going to, if they die like that, they die in their sins without Christ, they're going to be cast into hellfire forever. They've got no chance. They're not the people of God. You can only count yourself a child of the promise, the people of God, if you are in Christ Jesus, okay? And a child of heavenly Jerusalem, who's the mother of us all. Let's pray.