COME UP HERE

Revelation 4:1 begins, “After these things.” This is exactly the phrase that is used in Revelation 4:19, giving the outline. It refers to a specific time, namely, after the church age. So, after the church age, John says, “I looked and behold a door standing open in heaven.” This reminds us of three very important things. First, Jesus Christ is the door and identifies Himself as such (John 10:7). What kind of a door is He? He’s an open door to heaven. Second, Jesus Christ opened the door. We see that in Luke 23:45, where He cries out in the agony of separation from the Father and says, “the veil in the temple was rent from top to bottom,” signifying that the way into God’s presence is now open. The veil symbolized the fact that there was a barrier between God and man which was removed on the cross. Finally, the “door” reminds us that He has opened to us a door for evangelism. Remember, with the Church of Philadelphia, He said that He “would open for them a door that no one could close (Revelation 3:8).” You also see the apostle Paul in 1st Corinthians 6:9 asking the Corinthians to pray for him because he said, “a great door for effective service has been opened to me and there are many, many adversaries.” So, the open door is significant because it all centers around the finished work and victory of Jesus Christ on the cross.
Revelation 4:1 says, “I saw a door open in heaven.” I should point out to you that the verb here is perfect. The door opened in the perfect hands, and means it opened in the past, with the result that it remains opened in the present. Jesus Christ opened the door in the past through the work of the cross, and it remains open to the present time. When John saw the door standing open in heaven, he “heard the first voice that he had heard.” The first voice that he heard was the voice of the Lord Jesus Christ. So, he’s hearing the voice of our Lord speaking with him like the sound of a trumpet. This voice, like the sound of a trumpet, gives him a command, and the command is “COME UP HERE.” Now, it’s significant that at the end of the section dealing with church history, John should hear the command, “Come up here,” and he hears it in a voice of a trumpet. You’ll remember in 1st Thessalonians 4:13-18, we are told that “The Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with a voice of the archangel and the trumpet of God, the dead in Christ will rise first, and then we are alive and remain will be caught up together in the clouds, and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” Also, in 1st Corinthians 15:51-58, the Apostle Paul talks about how, “we shall all be changed in a moment. In the twinkling of an eye at the last trumpet.” That trumpet, I believe, is the very voice that John hears in Revelation 4:1. And what that voice says, what is said there. When the rapture of the church takes place, believers are going to hear the voice of the Lord Jesus Christ in the same manner. You might just read through John Chapter 5, because in His explanation of the resurrection, the Lord Jesus Christ said, “the hour is coming, and now is when those who are in the grave will hear his voice and they shall arise.” So, I believe that the voice that brings the dead in Christ from the ground and catches up those who are living is the very voice that we hear right here. What this portrays in verse one is the rapture of the church. Let me just point out again that while the term “church” and “churches” has been used 19 times in the Revelation Chapters one to three. You will not see the word “church” occur again until Revelation 22:16. Not until God’s plan is finished. Not until we’re in the eternal state is the church mentioned again. What we find in the interim is symbolic language in Revelation Chapters 4 and 5 in heaven. In Revelation Chapter 6 through 19, the section dealing with the tribulation period, the emphasis is all on Israel. Why? Because that’s annual 70th week. We looked at that last time. That’s the time when God is finishing His work in the nation of Israel.
“After these things” is used twice in Revelation 4:1. This is emphasis and very Hebrew. It’s a very Hebrew thing to speak something twice for the purpose of emphasis and to display perfection.
Believers are going to hear the voice of the Lord Jesus Christ. A voice that brings the dead in Christ from the ground and catches up those who are living. This is the very voice that we will hear, “COME UP HERE.”

Gene Cunningham - January 28, 2003

Hebrews 05

Heb 1:4-14, 1Jo 1:9 Heb 1:1-3 Superiority of Jesus over the prophets The old covenant is fulfilled in Jesus. The author is arguing for in the first Key verse: Heb 8:2 Only Revelation and Hebrews look at what Jesus is doing now, His current ministry. Three divine anointing: prophet, priest, king. His revelation is superior to the one by the prophets. Heb 1:4-7 He is superior to the angels Gnostic Judaism developed a fascination toward angels, and it was a dangerous pitfall. It was like the pantheism of the Greco-roman world, and it became a false worship. Col 2:18 Seven Goals of book of Hebrews, purposes: 1. To warn unbelievers to repent before the coming national judgment. 2. To warn believers of apostasy because that was the cause of the judgment. 3. To clarify the spiritual war and angelic conflict in its relation to mankind. In Christ is our only help on this battlefield. Our victory is totally dependent on the fact that Jesus is superior to angels. 4. To reveal the glories of Jesus Christ so we fix our eyes on Him. 5. To stimulate the body of Christ to spiritual growth onto maturity. Heb 5:11-14, Heb 6:1-8 6. To orient believers to a discerning to the difference between Law and Grace Rom 6:14 7. To teach the benefits of the High Priestly ministry of Jesus Christ. Our whole life depends on what He’s doing, and what we’re supposed to be doing is determined by what He is doing. We are supposed to be fulfilling a simultaneous function. He uses seven Old Testament verses, called the stringing of pearls. We are the recipients of the ministries of angels because Jesus is the victor in the angelic conflict. Heb 1:4-5 better, key word of book. Better in His exalted humanity He is better, and represents each person who has believed, and what we will be, and that we’re seated with Him. Col 3:1-3 Psa 2:7 This is fulfilled in Phi 2:5-11 having become=it took a process, in His incarnation. The process is virgin birth gennao, victorious in earthly life, and then glorified. Jesus gained His rightful inheritance. Because He humbled Himself so much, He is highly exalted to the Father’s right hand. Jesus as the rightful heir is given the more excellent name, His reputation, honor, dignity. He is better than the angels because He has earned this inheritance that no one else could do. His inheritance was earned. Heb 1:5 2SA 7:14 The seed of David will establish His throne forever. This is a covenant made to David. Three things were to be established: house (family), throne (authority/rulership), kingdom (source of blessing, because universal blessing) We are the house which He established Heb 3:6 Are you a believer or not? If you are, are you steadfast or not? The Church is the channel of blessing to Israel. We are given better things than they ever had. His case is of our responsibility with what we’ve been given. They didn’t have a fraction of the provisions of grace we’ve been given. The one thing we’re to do as a body is fulfill the great commission, and as an individual, to fulfill our spiritual gift. We will walk with Him and fulfill His plan for us, or leave this world in shame and judgment. He is the firstborn Psa 89:27, Psa 87:7 He is the firstborn in His humanity because He is the only born. He is unique to everything. As the firstborn, He is dedicated as holy to God. Exo 13:12 There were certain Gen 25:31, Gen 21:17 The rights of the firstborn: the priest of the family, rulership of the family, the heir of the family. Jesus is the rightful heir of God’s inheritance. Col 1:15 He is the firstborn of all creation because He is the Creator of all things. Col 1:18 firstborn from the dead Three reasons why Jesus has a right to dispense with the soul of every person: 1. He created that soul, He redeemed that soul, He died and conquered death, so He has the right to resurrection. 2. He took responsibility for us, He took our burdens and paid our debt, and set us free. He did it to manifest His love to us Rom 5:8 3. Heb 1:7 His right as Creator. He is superior because even though He is a man, He is the Creator psa 104:4 We are involved for a tremendous campaign. We are blessed for a purpose, so we must be zealous and on fire for Christ. Do you keep your fire going through your personal study of the Word? 2Ti 1:6-7 stir up, get the fire going again. The Word is the fuel to the Holy Spirit. You may not always have a pastor, and you will need to keep going and learning. Read the Word, rely on Him to teach you, read every day and apply it to your life. How in the world do you think you can escape if you neglect such great salvation? You can’t. Do not neglect what He’s given you.

Scripture References: Hebrews 8:2, Romans 5:8, Hebrews 1:4-5, Psalms 89:27, Hebrews 1:1-3, Colossians 1:18, Romans 6:14, Hebrews 3:6, John 1:9, Colossians 1:15, Hebrews 6:1-8, Hebrews 1:5, Hebrews 1:4-14, Genesis 21:17, Hebrews 5:11-14, Philippians 2:5-11, Genesis 25:31, Colossians 2:18, Psalms 104:4, Psalms 2:7, Exodus 13:12, Hebrews 1:4-7, Hebrews 1:7, Colossians 3:1-3, Psalms 87:7