Walk With Me
Christian discussion of biblical topics, and a dose of daily application. Yes the Bible is still relevant, and we find out more and more each day how relevant it has always been.
Walk With Me
This is....the end......?
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Hello, everybody, and welcome to today's episode of Walk With Me. I am your host, JJ. It's so good to have each and every one of you with me today, with us today. Remember to like, share, follow the podcast, share it with everyone. There are people that are asking questions, and I love questions, and this is the place to go. Follow me on YouTube
Welcome And Series Finale Setup
SPEAKER_00and Facebook and all the social medias. We are slowly bringing it online to Rumble. I have not kept up with that, and I'm sorry, but we will keep we will get it done. Big shout out to my sponsors, Two Bars Lyricists and Scuiza Creations. Love them very much. The last episode of the End Times question. I know it's been a long time. You guys didn't even know I was answering the question, right? If you started following this podcast within the last three or four months, you did not know that I was answering one of my my beginner, my one of my very first listeners' questions. Um and this is what this was all about. And it seems like once you start asking that you have to follow through all the way to the end. Uh, but don't worry, this is not the last episode of the podcast. I also have other questions that have been stacking up, so we will follow through with those, and maybe as I see as we get uh get some of these questions caught up, we'll be able to cover more topics. I love each and every one of you. Thank you all very much. But we are going to wrap up the end time question: what happens at the end? And this is this episode is the end of the end times, which is kind of weird to say it that way, because it's not really the end, and so it's sort of a contradiction, but primarily we're going to be in Revelation chapter 22 today.
Why Context Changes Everything
SPEAKER_00Uh, and remember there is a rule on this podcast. Um, if if I give you a scripture, I need you to read a verse or two above or a verse or two below, but preferably the whole chapter. Why? Because context is key. Context is key because I can tell you anything I want the Bible to say, but if it's not in context, it will be a lie, and that's where a lot of us have come up with weird doctrines and trying to figure out things that we think are contradictory because we literally take a scripture from over here and a scripture from over there, we we we skip all the context of why what was said and what was done, and then we we we lose our minds when it's confusing to us because it doesn't make any sense. We gotta make sure we stay in contact. A verse or two above, a verse or two below, but preferably the whole chapter. So let's get into today's topic because time is moving. I don't want to waste too much of time because time is uh is a finite thing on this side of eternity. Alright, so um we are talking about the end of the end, all right. So now everything that has happened will happen. We've had the mark of the beast, we've had the wars, we've had the Armageddon's, we've had the mountain falling into the sea, and we've had people dying by the millions, and we've had judgment, and we've had all these things, and now the epilogue, now the epilogue, revelation 22,
Revelation 22 And The New Beginning
SPEAKER_00and it kind of starts in Revelation 21:1, because as far as the the chronological order of events, revelation does kind of end with I saw a new heaven and a new earth, and in Revelation 22 and 2, it actually tells us that how Revelation, I'm sorry, how eternity began. Now, by eternity beginning, I'm talking about people who have made it to heaven, people who are have who have uh earned eternal life. This is where eternity begins. For everyone else, eternity began already in the lake of fire, and that's not where we want to go. And it's easy to talk about the lake of fire, it's easy to talk about hell, and and there's a lot of descriptions about it, but God is very um not vague, he's um he's very uh how do I put it? He's not very descriptive on how he discovers, how he talks about hell, not discovers, how he created heaven. He's very to the point where he um he he doesn't talk a lot about it. He talks a lot about it here in this chapter, but he he leaves some things out that that causes people to become curious about it. For instance, you know, Peter described that that you know in first 2 Peter 3 and 7, but the heavens and earth, which are now by the same word, which are kept in store, reserved unto fire until the day of judgment and perdition of godly ungodly men. He's when when he's what Peter is talking about here is that the old earth has to be destroyed, which is why God is sort of mum on how the new earth is actually going to look. So let's talk about something that a lot of people, and it actually took me a little bit of time to try to figure out. See, there's three heavens you have the atmospheric, atmospheric, atmospheric, and there are three heavens. You have the atmospheric heaven, you have the stellar heaven, which contains like galaxies
Three Heavens And What Burns Away
SPEAKER_00and stars and constellations and that kind of thing, and the third heaven, where God's throne is located. Now, just to kind of give you a brief overview, the atmospheric heaven is what's called Satan's domain. He is the Prince of the power of the air, if you read Ephesians 2 and 2. So when God destroys the earth in judgment, he's going to also destroy that heaven because that heaven goes along with that earth, right? So no trace of that evil has can remain because if not, if it does, it will contaminate the new earth and a new heaven, right? So in the Bible does not indicate that there's the stellar heaven, which is all the stars and stuff, will be destroyed. So, in all probability, the galaxies and stars in space will remain untouched. However, it is certain that this world will be purged by fire, and nothing that is unclean or impure can remain. So, this new heaven and this new earth, all things will be eternal. And it's it's very difficult to kind of figure out because we live in a time where we live in a situation where um everything changes, everything is transitory, everything is measured by time. So it's very difficult to try to understand or wrap your mind around what the idea of eternity is because we are used to and trained by using time. It's not gonna be days or months or seasons or or years. It's gonna be it won't be like no summers, and it won't be marking freezing and and and stuff like that. Eternity will be a lot different because it will not be measured by time or calendar. This is why a lot of people are get when we try to figure out what eternity is, because that's just we have no frame of reference for it. So, one thing we are not told about, because I'm not gonna lie to you here, we're I'm not gonna tell you how um how big it is or where the location is. The Bible doesn't really tell you that. Um, and even if we were to try to discuss its size, we'd only be sort of speculating because all things are relative. We only know that it would be long large enough for a new Jerusalem to rest upon it as a capital city. We also know that the entire earth will be habitable.
What We Know About New Earth
SPEAKER_00See, right now, two-thirds of earth is covered by water, so a large part of the rest of Earth is useless because we got mountains and deserts and glaciers and stuff like that. So all of that's gonna be gone. So in the entire earth will be habitable, and there's gonna be a giant city called New Jerusalem. That's pretty much the extent of what we know uh as far as what how it is going to look. So on this earth in 20 in 21 and 1, it's gonna be no more sea, so there's not gonna be any salt water or anything like that. However, there will be a river of life flowing out from the throne, watering the whole earth. The this river um will contain no impurity, it's gonna be clear as crystal, it's gonna be clean, it's gonna be it's just gonna be absolutely wonderful to drink out of, and this throne will be placed in the capital city, which will be New Jerusalem. I'm gonna keep referring back to that because that is the focus of the epilogue. And wherever this new Jerusalem will be, it will be sitting upon the highest elevation on the planet. Now, on both sides of this river, and this is this is all in Revelation 22. Okay, so on both sides of this river, we're gonna be growing some trees. You're gonna have the tree of life, which is 12 kinds of fruit, and then there are gonna be fresh fruit ripening all the time so that people can eat of it. And the thing is that um, I wanted this, I wanted to word this very carefully. Now, the leaves of the tree of life will have healing properties, but it doesn't mention that we will any of us will be sick because there will be no more sickness, no more tears. But there will be this tree, and this tree will have leaves with healing properties, and we should always keep in mind that this uh this will literally be considered heaven on earth because New Jerusalem will be on the new earth, not the earth that we think about now, but on a new earth. So the final verses of Revelation, there's like a big burst of praise, and there's a promise and a warning that always seems to follow this pattern. You have praise, you have promise, you have warning. But before, all we had was promise and warning, and this is what makes revelation so different
River Of Life And Tree Of Life
SPEAKER_00because now we get we get to see the why we get to see why God did the way did uh things the way he did back in the old Israel, when they had the the praised singers walk out in front of the warriors. Uh you bet you didn't know that when we uh when they walked around the walls of Jericho, the singers went first, and this is going to uh kind of explain why when we see the fact that this there's gonna be praise, promise, and warning, all in that order. So um it's going to be uh great emphasis, and it's gonna be uh we're gonna find out right here that this is the finality of it all. It's gonna be no more changes, no more opportunities to repent, no more opportunities to get right with God, and those who enter this eternity unrighteously will remain unrighteous, and those who enter eternity righteous and holy will remain holy. There is no changing of status either either way, either up or down. So when people talk about once saved, always saved, this is what the concept is, but we can't have that now. So this is gonna be we're gonna talk about these three invitations. I'm really trying to wrap this up today. Um, come unto me, all ye labor, which is 1128, Matthew 11:28. Come into the merit, Matthew 22 and 4. And in Revelation 22, 17, we have this same gospel call sounded forth in a triple call. It is really the clarion call of the Lord that that we all hear, heed um what he's trying to tell us. Um, and it's going to be whosoever can drink freely from that river. Now, remember now that if you've gotten through everything that has already happened, you are righteous, you are saved. Um, and but it is not, and I'm I'm really trying to word myself correctly here. If you if you are unrighteous, you won't be here. You will already have started your eternity in hell. So that was the promise that anybody who's made it through this point and spending eternity with Jesus can still can come and drink of this water and eat of the tree of life and and enjoy the the properties of the trees of the garden. However, there is still a warning, and I gotta get this warning in Revelation 22, 18 and 19. And what this warning is, and and I just kind of touched on it a minute ago because a lot of people use this to try to tamper with God's word, because they think you you can be saved on earth and always be saved, and this is not true. This
Promises And The Final Warning
SPEAKER_00saving has already happened after eternity has begun. So the important of not tampering with God's word is seen in this last warning. Um, and God, if we add to God's prophecy, then God is gonna add plagues, He's not gonna add you to eternity, He's gonna add plagues, and if we subtract, then we're gonna lose our part in the book of life. We don't lose the plagues, we lose our part in the book of life, and it's so it's very important to only say what God's word said no more and no less, even the parts that you don't like. Because I I can tell you right now, there are things about there are some things in the Bible that my flesh does not like, and I have to say, okay, God, I will obey. Obedience is better than sacrifice, and that's that we learned that back in the old testament when we were talking about King Saul. And it's important to understand that by uh understanding what that you can't add anything, you can't take anything away, it it just means that I cannot add my opinion. Now I will add my opinion, but I will make sure I say this is JJ's opinion, do not take it for gospel fact. But if you if someone preaches their opinion as gospel fact, that's a problem because they're either adding something to the word of God or they're taking something out of it. These days, a lot of people tend to be taking a lot of things out of it, and um, that in itself is very, very bad because you will get your name taken out of the book of life by following people who do that. So I I literally try to stay just to the Bible, even of the things I like or that I don't like, uh, because it's it's not about what I like or what I don't like, because I am not God, and I am not your divine lawyer. I do have to give an account because if you say, Well, JJ said I had to repent and be baptized, God is gonna say, Um, JJ, did I say that or did I not say that? And I'm gonna say, God, you said that because you said Peter to say that. Peter said it, and so when Peter said it and you gave the Holy Ghost, that you know that I mean that's how that conversation would go out, and he would say, Well, um, person, uh, I did say that, and you and yet you didn't do it. So, what's the problem? So we we can't add anything or take anything away because God is not going to contradict his word. So, but let's move on to the last promise so we can wrap this up because we have one last prayer to get through. Before we do that, we want to talk about the last promise, which is uh Revelation 22 10. I'm sorry, 22 20. Truly, I come quickly. All right, that is a promise. That is not a threat, that is a promise. Uh Revelation 22 7, behold, I come quickly. Again,
Jesus Comes Quickly So Get Ready
SPEAKER_00he's gonna say this three times. Behold, I come quickly. Revelation 22 and 12. This promise is more of an exhortation rather than a threat, because if you're looking for Jesus to come and we feel as if you know God delayed his coming, he is coming quickly. When I say coming quickly, it doesn't mean um he's going to come yesterday, it means that when it does happen, it will happen quickly. Um, and it's it this also gives the assurance that a final reward will be given. Hey Day is coming, and he's gonna reward us all according to our works. So, and also let me just drop this in there because I've been having a lot of discussions lately about faith is all that matters. No, no, no, faith is what causes you to do works, faith without works is dead, being alone. So we have to be very careful when we say things like that, okay. Um, now the emphasis placed on this final promise should cause us to realize that these promises will be fulfilled quickly, is it means speedily, rapidly. It means it's it's gonna come with lightning uh quickness, not timeliness, but lightning quickness. He's gonna come with such suddenness that unprepared people are not gonna have time to get ready. So I beg you right now, please get ready. And that's part of the that is the the bonus behind the podcast because you have to get ready, I have to get ready. If we anyone who really wants to spend eternity in heaven and not in hell, no matter what your motivation is, the my motivation was I don't want to go to hell. I didn't necessarily want to spend it in heaven, but I didn't want to go to hell, and then I realized there's only two ways to go heaven or hell. Okay, so I I think I guess I better try to spend it in heaven. Well, that's fine. Oh, you know what? Loving for God ain't so bad. You know what? Loving God is actually pretty good. Wow, he really loves me like this, and then that's how you get started. So um you don't have time to get ready when he comes. Getting ready is now, getting prepared is now. Um, so we gotta be very careful about uh being ready when he comes like uh comes quickly, and then we're gonna talk about the last prayer, and we will be done with this. And I know it's not like I'm trying to rush through this one, but I really want to make sure we cover this. Uh, a part of the benediction in verse 21, the final prayer of the Bible is found here, 2220. Even so, come. That is actually a prayer, even so come, Lord Jesus. That's John's last words,
The Bible’s Last Prayer Explained
SPEAKER_00and it's kind of a fitting climax to Revelation because it it literally turns the page into eternity and there's nothing else. Now it's undoubtedly John's prayer for you know Jesus to come quickly. Um, and in writing these words is a divine inspiration, and he was uttering this as far as the prayer, not just for himself, but for the entire church, you know, because as he's repeating these, these uh his uh promises, as God is saying, I'm coming quickly, I'm coming quickly, I'm coming quickly. Uh John is saying, even though come, Lord, quickly, even so, come. I am joyously anticipating your arrival. Please come, please come. And yeah, and John is not even to the point where he's saying um to get him off the island. Please understand, like some people said had said to me, Well, he just wanted to get off that island. No, no, no. John had already resigned himself to his faith that he will be a martyr for the Lord Jesus. As a matter of fact, most of all of the apostles had um already resigned themselves because that's what Jesus had already told them. When they watched him get crucified, they knew right away that that was also the end that was coming for them. This is why Peter denied Jesus, because he physically, spiritually, wasn't ready for that, but he got ready, the Holy Ghost got him ready. So when John said, Even though come Lord Jesus, John that is literally a prayer to say, even so, even so, with all the things that are going to happen, the people who will die, the people who will reject God, the people who will be angry at God and reject God because someone else died, all of the things, the mark of the beast, the antichrist, the beast rising from the ocean, the locusts, and the not being able to die for five months, even so come, Lord Jesus. That is the prayer, and that is the last prayer that you will see in the book, in the Bible, in the book of Revelation. All of it, that is the end, and it is also said with joyful anticipation. It's not like, oh boy, I I guess he's gonna come soon one day. This is a joyous um anticipation. So, with that being said, uh, we we do I do love everyone who stepped through me with this podcast, uh, through this question. It was a very long question. Literally took us six months to answer that question, y'all. Six months. Um, and and hopefully, hopefully, and and and I have to say that uh, I'm
Bible Truth And What Comes Next
SPEAKER_00gonna wrap this up, but I have to say that um I love questions. I absolutely love questions, and I want everyone to understand that um the Bible is true and JJ is a liar, the Bible is true, and your uncle is a liar, the Bible is true, and your auntie is a liar, the Bible is true, and your grandma is a liar, the the Bible is true, and that random guy on the corner is a liar. I'm I'm saying all that to say that if the Bible says something that in con if I contradict the Bible, let me just say it this way: if I say something that the Bible doesn't say, or or I have to make up something to go along with the Bible, I am in fact lying. The Bible is true, and every man is a liar. That is absolutely a scripture. The Bible, if the word of God be true, and every man a liar, because God is the one who wrote the Bible through men, told men to write it down, just as I God told me to start this podcast, and and yes, even though I resisted it too, so for a while, you have people in the Bible who resisted the word of God for a while. So I'm saying all that, I'm gonna wrap everything up. I love each and every one of you. Next week we have another question. Uh, we're gonna start another question. I promise you, I don't think it's gonna take this long because uh it, I don't think end times is such a big, big, big thing. Um, and it's caused a lot of people a lot of pain. But uh, the question that's coming up is kind of interesting, um, and we're gonna talk about it. So I have questions stacked up. I love each and every one of you. See y'all on the next one. God bless you.
unknownBye.