•
Recently
someone cried out in anguish, “I’m trying desperately to find God’s
church, but what hope do I have? There are hundreds of denominations and
sects in the world. Most claim to be God’s true church, and all are alike
in certain areas, yet different in others. I could never in my entire
lifetime examine the teachings of all these groups. I feel frustrated and
traumatized.”
•“It
all seems so futile and so pointless.”
•Tragically,
millions share such sentiments. Perhaps you, yourself, feel the same way.
Did you know that
in Revelation God so clearly describes His church for these last days that
once you know what He says you can easily select His true church from among
all the churches as you could select your country’s flag from among all
other flags?
That’s dynamite!
•No
wonder satan panics when people begin studying the book of Revelation. He
knows that God’s church is clearly described in Revelation and he uses
every imaginable tactic to prevent our getting serious over its study. If
everyone understood the book, satan’s kingdom would be in immediate
jeopardy and God’s great name and His noble church would be Exalted in a
most exciting manner.
•Let’s
look at Revelation’s amazing description of God’s church.
•It
is found in chapter 12.
We hope you have already read the entire chapter. This was your
assignment from last lesson.
God’s Church Today
•1.In Noah’s day, how many ways of escape were
there? Gen.7:1
•
•Answer:
•There
was only ONE.
•Note:
•Jesus
said the time just before His second coming will be just like Noah’s day (Luke
17:26). So we
should expect only one way to safety today.
2.How many faiths or churches
did Paul say Jesus has?
Eph.4:5
•“One
Lord, one faith, one baptism.”
•Note:
As in Noah’s day, God had only one “Ark of Safety” to avoid coming
destruction in these last days.
3.What happens to sincere
Christians of other churches?
John 10:16,27
“…them also
I must bring … and there shall be one fold and one shepherd.”
•Here Jesus is presented as the
Good
Shepherd,
His people as sheep and His church as the fold. Jesus plainly says that some
of His sheep are not yet in His church, but that He will call them, and they
will follow Him into His
church
(John 10:27).
God’s Church Symbolized
•4. How does God symbolize Zion, or His church, in
prophecy?
•Jer. 6:2 & Isa.51:16
•“I
have likened the daughter of Zion to a comely and delicate woman.” /
“… and say unto Zion, Thou art my people.”
•
•Note:
The Bible repeatedly symbolizes God’s church as a virtuous woman.
God’s Church Symbolized
•4. How does God symbolize Zion, or His church, in
prophecy?
•Jer.
6:2 & Isa.51:16
•“I
have likened the daughter of Zion to a comely and delicate woman.” /
“… and say unto Zion, Thou art my people.”
•
•Note:
The Bible repeatedly symbolizes God’s church as a virtuous woman.
5. Jesus introduces His church
as a woman in
Rev. 12:1
•A.
What did John see in Heaven?
•“A woman” Note: This woman represents God’s church
of all ages.
•B. What was her clothing? “The
sun.”
•Note: The
sun represents Jesus and His righteousness (Mal. 4:2).
•C. What
was she standing on?
•“The moon.”
•Note: The moon only reflects light from the sun. This
represents the Old Testament sacrificial system which only reflected light
from the Gospel
of the New Testament as it is in Jesus
(Heb. 10:1).
•D. What was on her head?
•“A crown of 12 stars.”
•Note: The crown of 12 stars represents the work of
the 12 disciples which crowned the early years of the church (Matt. 10:1- 4).
•Since the sun and the moon makes a complete whole,
this symbolism represents the sum total of the church in history: the church
before the cross and the church after the cross.
6. What takes place next in this
great prophecy of God’s church?
Rev. 12:2-5
•Answer:
•(
a ) A child is born into the church.
•(
b ) The child is later caught up to God’s throne.
•Note:
•Jesus
is the baby who was born predestined to rule all nations and who ascended up
to Heaven
•(Ps. 2:7-9, Rev. 19:15).
The Great Red Dragon
•7. Next appears the great red dragon.
Rev. 12:3,4, 7 - 9
•
•Who is this dragon? “The
devil.”
•Where did he come from?
•“He
was cast out of Heaven.”
8. Who was cast from Heaven with satan?
Rev. 12:3,4, 7 - 9
His angels were cast out with him.
9. Who did satan try to kill?
Rev. 12:3,4
•Answer: The
woman’s baby.
•Note: Satan,
through Herod, tried to kill Jesus at His birth. The dragon represents satan,
and secondarily the pagan Roman government, who was his agent on earth.
God’s Church Persecuted
•
•10.
After failing to kill Jesus what did satan do to His church?
Rev. 12:13
•
•“He persecuted the woman.”
11. How long was this persecution
to last?
Rev. 12:6,14
•“One thousand two hundred and threescore days.” - a
period of 1,260 years
•(Eze. 4:6 - one prophetic day = 1 year).
12. What did the church do when the persecution began?
Rev.
12:6
•“The woman fled into the
wilderness.”
•Note:
The wilderness typifies the deserted and remote places of the earth. God’s
people fled for their lives and hid in solitary places of the earth.
•13.
God’s true church will preach the gospel worldwide plus three special
messages. What are these?
•Matt.24:14;
•Rev.14:6-10;
18:2-4
a(a)
“The hour of God’s judgment is come … worship Him that made heaven
and earth.”
Note:
God’s church will be teaching that God’s judgment
is now in session & that we must worship
& honor Him as Creator by keeping the Sabbath, the sign of His creative
power.
•(b) “Babylon is fallen, is fallen …
come out of her
my people.”
Note:
Is it
possible that you are in Babylon? God’s church for today must be calling
people out of Babylon. We will take up a detailed study of Babylon in Lesson
21.
•( c ) Beware of the beast and his image
and his mark.
Note:
God’s church for today will be telling people
how to avoid the mark of the beast.
16. Name two identifying marks of
God’s last day church
•1. “Keep the commandments of God.”
•
•2. “Have the testimony of Jesus.”
•
•“Testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of
prophecy.”
(Rev. 19:10)
•Note:
•So, God’s last day church will have the gift of prophecy
and will keep all the commandments, including the seventh-day Sabbath of the
fourth commandment. Jesus is still saying, “If you love me, keep my
commandments.” (John
14:15). It is impossible to really love Him and not love His commands
(1
John 5:3).
There are many loving Christians in churches
which do not observe the Sabbath or have the gift of prophecy. However,
none of these churches can be God’s remnant church into which He is
calling all His people, because His church must qualify in both areas.
God’s Church Identified
•17. According to Revelation chapters 12
& 14 the
following seven points identify God’s church into which He is calling all
His people:
1. It appears after the
Dark Ages
(wilderness) persecution.
2. It teaches the same Bible
truths as the Apostles.
3.
Keeps ten commandments, including
Sabbath.
4. Has the gift of prophecy.
What time is it?
We are living between two texts:
Rev. 6:13, 14
5. Preaches the end time
messages of
Revelation 14.
6. Is a worldwide missionary
church.
7. Teaches salvation through Jesus Christ.
•Note:
•Jesus gives you these seven points and says,
“Go find My
church.”
18. What does Jesus promise when
we seek?
Luke 11:9
•“Seek and ye shall find.”
19. How many churches in the world fit these seven points?
Eph. 4:5
Only one.
•Note:
The church which is conducting this Revelation Seminar fits all
seven points. It is the worldwide Seventh-day Adventist Church. It is
established in over 200 countries of the world and currently has over
12,000,000 members. Almost 3,000 people a day are coming from all races,
cultures and religions to be baptized and unite with God’s people who are
preparing for the coming of Jesus.
20. Once you recognize God’s true church, should you
become a member? Acts
2:47
•“And
the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.”
•A. We are called into one body.
•(Col. 3:15)
•B. That body is the church. (Col.
1:18)
•C. We enter the church by baptism.
•(1 Cor. 12:13)
•Note:
It is just as imperative to enter God’s church
today as it was to enter the ark in Noah’s day. Remember that Jesus
intends to save the church.
(Ephesians 5:25 - 27)
21. Is holding onto salvation very
important to you?
22. Now, do you sense the importance of belonging to God’s
remnant church?
Lesson
9 Lesson
11