Good morning. Will you please turn to Revelation?
And I saw, and behold, the Lamb standing on mount Zion, and with Him a hundred and forty and four thousand, having His name, and the name of His Father, written on their foreheads.
And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and the voice which I heard was as the voice of harpers harping with their harps:
and they sing a new song before the throne, and before the four living creatures and the elders: and no man could learn the song save the hundred and forty and four thousand, even they that had been purchased out of the earth.
These are they that were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they that follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth. These were purchased from among men, to be the firstfruits unto God and unto the Lamb.
And in their mouth was found no lie: they are without blemish.
May we have a short word of prayer?
Dear Lord, we want to thank Thee for gathering us together this morning. Lord, Thou hast been so gracious and merciful to us, and for this we are thankful.
As we gather here this morning, Lord, we want to give ourselves totally over to Thee and say, “Lord, what dost Thou have now to say to each one of us?” Thou hast bought us with Thyself. We are no longer our own; we are forever Thine.
Lord, we pray that Thou wilt continue to speak to us and draw us closer to Thyself, that Thy will may be done in each and every one of us on earth as it is in heaven.
We give this time into Thy hand and trust Thy Holy Spirit to release Thy Word to us. Speak to us, Lord, and bring us closer to Thyself, that we may do Thy purpose, Thy will, and glorify Thy name. We commit this time into Thy hand. We ask in Thy precious name. Amen.
Thank the Lord for gathering us together here this morning. We believe that He has something more to say to us, and we do want to open our hearts completely to Him and let His words sink deep into our hearts.
He deserves our everything. He has bought us with such a price—Himself—and there is nothing left for us to hold back.
As we come to the last book of the Bible, Revelation, we find that the message in Revelation is the call to overcome.
Our Lord Jesus is the Overcomer. While He was on earth, He was tempted in all things, but He overcame. And because He is the Overcomer, He wants every one of us who believe in Him also to be overcomers.
In the book of Revelation, the final message that God gives to His church is the message of overcomers. He has overcome, and He wants each and every one of us who are His to be overcomers.
When we open this last book of Revelation, from the very beginning to the very end, we find there is only one message, and that message is a call to overcome.
When John was exiled to the island of Patmos for the Word of God and for the testimony of Jesus, he was put into hard labor. And probably on the Lord’s Day he had some free time.
So we can imagine that he must have been sitting on a rock, looking over the Aegean Sea toward the coast of Asia Minor. We know that he was exiled while he was serving the churches in Asia Minor, so naturally his mind would be turned to these churches.
He must have been thinking, “What had happened to them?” He had served them faithfully while he was there, but now he could no longer be there. He had entrusted them to the Lord, but you wonder what had happened.
And then, as he looked and wondered and contemplated, he heard a voice behind him. He turned back to look at the voice, and he was given what we call the Patmos vision.
He saw seven golden lampstands, which represent the churches in Asia Minor that he had served before he was exiled. And he saw the Son of Man standing in the midst of the seven lampstands.
You know, even though he was exiled and no longer able to serve these churches, that does not mean that the churches were abandoned, because the Lord Himself continued to serve these seven churches.
Among these seven churches, we find that spiritually they varied very much. From Philadelphia to Laodicea, there was no comparison. But whatever the condition of the church may be, one thing is sure: the Lord is there, serving them.
And the call is clear: it is the call to overcome.
While our Lord was on earth, He was tempted in all things, but He overcame. Now He is in heaven, seated at the right hand of God. He is interceding for us, and His prayer for us is that, as He overcame, we too may be overcomers.
We are still living on this earth, full of temptations, full of the work of God’s enemy. And yet, in spite of that fact, we are called to overcome.
It is not God’s will that we should be overcome, but it is God’s will that we overcome. So, brothers and sisters, the question to each one of us is very simple: Are you an overcomer? How can you overcome? Not by yourselves—only by the grace of God.
In Revelation 2 and 3, concerning the seven churches in Asia Minor which John served before he was exiled, we find that their conditions were so varied—from Philadelphia to Laodicea, and everything in between.
But in spite of the various conditions of the churches in Asia Minor, God’s call is one. At the end of each letter, we find this call: “He who overcomes.”
So, dear brothers and sisters, what is the Lord expecting of us who are here this morning? We believe that we are in the last days.
All the prophecies preceding us have been fulfilled. There are still prophecies to be fulfilled, but these prophecies concern the coming of Christ and what follows afterward, not what comes before.
So what are we waiting for, brothers and sisters? Are you still waiting for some prophecy to be fulfilled so that you can get yourself ready? Brothers and sisters, that time has already gone.
The Lord may come at any moment. I always say to myself, “What if the Lord should come now? Am I ready for Him?”
I remember Brother Watchman once told us that one day he was walking with Miss Barber, who helped him much. As they were walking and turning the corner, Miss Barber said to Watchman, “Maybe, when we turn the corner, we may meet the Lord.”
She was a person who waited daily for the coming of the Lord. Dear brothers and sisters, are we such people?
The Bible tells us that the evil servant will say to himself, “My lord will not come back now.” And because he had that kind of thought, he began to beat his fellow servants. But without his knowledge, the Lord suddenly came, and he was cut asunder.
Brothers and sisters, beware. This is the time we are in. Do not think that we still have time. While we are sitting here, the Lord may come suddenly, now.
If this should happen, what will become of you? Will you be taken by Him, or will you be left behind? Will you be reigning with the Lord for a thousand years, or will you be left behind in the darkness, weeping, gnashing your teeth, and regretting your life?
Thank God, He is merciful. He is longsuffering. In spite of the fact that we may fail Him, He will not fail us.
Even this evil servant, cast into outer darkness with gnashing of teeth, was given the chance to repent. But, dear brothers and sisters, which is your choice? When the Lord shall come, will you go with Him and reign for a thousand years with Him, or be cast into outer darkness with gnashing of teeth, repenting for your carelessness?
I do thank the Lord. In spite of our carelessness, and in spite of the fact that there will be some believers who will be left behind and not able to attend the marriage supper of the Lamb, but cast into outer darkness, thank God His love never changes.
He still gives them the opportunity to repent and to return to the Lord. But, dear brothers and sisters, which will you choose to have when the Lord shall come: to go with Him and reign with Him for a thousand years, or to be cast into darkness, repenting of what you had done?
You live in this world just for a short period. No matter how long you may live, even if you live over a hundred years, in comparison with the millennium—a thousand years—it is short.
But to be in outer darkness, to repent—we do not know how long this will continue. The Bible does not tell us, and we dare not imagine. But we do know that in the outer darkness there will be repentance. It may take a thousand years; it may take shorter. By the grace of God, we do not know.
But, brothers and sisters, what are we looking for?
The Bible, in its last book, emphasizes this matter of overcoming. We are surrounded by the world, full of temptations.
You know, after I was saved, I used to think how good it would be if the Lord would take me to Himself instead of leaving me on this earth. But the Lord knows better.
He wants us not to be only baby Christians. Heaven is not to be filled with babies. Babies are lovely to look at, but babies are very difficult to take care of.
Brothers and sisters, the Lord is looking for overcomers. He wants every one of us here to be an overcomer. It is not the Lord’s will that we should be left behind. It is God’s will that, when He shall come, we will be raptured to be with Him. That is the will of God.
So, dear brothers and sisters, are we ready for His imminent return?
As you read the book of Revelation, you will find from the very beginning to the very end that the message is one: “He who overcomes.”
God does not expect any one of His to be overcome by the world, by sin, or by himself. He wants everyone here who is saved to be saved to the uttermost. So, dear brothers and sisters, He wants you to be an overcomer.
True, to be left on earth, surrounded by the world and all the temptations, is hard and difficult. But the Lord knows what He is doing.
He is using this time—we do not know how long it will be—to train us unto perfection, to allow us to grow into maturity, that we may be like Him in order to be fit to be His bride. And that is God’s purpose for us today.
Not only in Revelation 2 and 3 do we find a call to overcome, but this call came not only to Philadelphia. It also came to Laodicea.
Sometimes we may think it will be easier for us to be an overcomer in Philadelphia, surrounded with such good company and such a good environment. But, dear brothers and sisters, it may surprise you: a better environment may not be able to give you a better chance.
We feel the urgency in our hearts. Brothers and sisters, on the one hand we thank God for putting us in these last days, but on the other hand we fear and tremble lest we fail.
It does not mean that we will not be saved. We will be saved, but we will remain as babes—not grown up, not matured to be the bride of the Lamb.
So, brothers and sisters, this is a call to overcome.
Revelation 2 and 3 happened during the first century, toward the end of the century. The call was, “He who overcomes,” and this call continues on.
When you look into Revelation 7, the second part, we find there are multitudes and multitudes of people. They have palm branches in their hands, and on their foreheads is the name of God and of Christ. They are there before the throne, singing the song of victory.
Now, who are these people? These are the people throughout the centuries after the first century to the coming of Christ. Thank God, they are numberless.
But in spite of the fact that they are a multitude, yet in comparison with the world they are just a few. They have palm branches in their hands, and that represents overcoming.
They sing a song with a harp, and harp is always a heart. See? They are singing from their heart. They are redeemed by the Lord.
Brothers and sisters, in spite of the fact that, in comparison, the overcomers are rare, thank God, throughout the centuries God has His overcomers.
Then, when we look into Revelation 12, we find a vision of a woman with child. She was crying in travail, and yet before her stood the red dragon. The red dragon represents Satan.
We would think Satan would swallow that woman, because that woman represents the church at the end time. But he stood before the woman; he did not swallow the woman. The woman meant nothing to him because the woman was already under his control.
The woman represents the church in the last days. It was already under Satan’s control. He did not care for her, but he knew that out of the travail of that woman would come the man-child, and this man-child marks the end of Satan. He knew that.
This man-child is a corporate man. It is not just one. Now, some people think this man-child was Christ. Of course, Christ is the Overcomer, but we must remember that after Christ was born, He was not raptured immediately into the third heaven. He lived on earth thirty-three and a half years. So it does not represent Christ.
It represents overcomers in the last age, which we believe is our age.
We are the people of God who live in this last age. Satan pays his attention not to the woman, but to the man-child. He knew that the man-child would become his end, so he wanted to swallow that man-child as soon as he was born.
Brothers and sisters, do you see the scene? Do you see where you are? We are to be the man-child by the grace of God.
And Satan’s attention is completely focused, because he knew that when the man-child was born—that is to say, when the number of the overcomers is completed—that will be the end of Satan.
Do you know, brothers and sisters, what a thrilling time we are in? We are in the most dangerous time, but we are also in the most thrilling time. The Lord may come at any moment while we are sitting here.
Do not think that there will be tomorrow. Maybe it can be suddenly: the Lord came. But the problem is, where will you be? Will you be raptured?
The Bible tells us, “As in the days of Noah, so shall be the coming of the Son of Man.”
During the days of Noah, God said men still had a hundred and twenty years, and God commanded Noah to build the ark.
I can imagine there was no rain before that. While Noah was building the ark, people would come and say, “Noah, what are you doing?” He said, “God commanded me to build the ark, for the flood is coming.” They said, “Where is the flood?” They had never seen a flood before.
And that is our situation.
But after Noah had finished the ark, God commanded him and his family to enter into the ark. God brought animals by pairs to preserve them in the ark. Then God shut the door.
When God shut the door, the flood came. I can imagine how people would flock to the place where Noah’s ark was, knocking at the door and saying, “Please, open it for me.” But it was God who shut that door, not Noah.
Then the flood came. For forty days and forty nights, rain fell. Even the highest mountains were overcome.
Brothers and sisters, this happened once in history. It will happen again. So do not think that it would never happen.
The people in those days thought it would never happen because it had never happened before. Brothers and sisters, we should know better, because we already have Noah’s time and the flood. We have been warned. We have been told. So how can we be careless?
Be prepared for His imminent return.
Thank God, in Revelation 12, as soon as the man-child was born, he was immediately raptured to the third heaven. Satan did not have a chance to swallow him.
In other words, brothers and sisters, we all are supposed to be that man-child. We ought to be ranked among the people who compose the man-child.
When the number is filled, the overcomers will be raptured.
Do you know, brothers and sisters, we are living at this juncture. How can we be complacent? How can we be like the poor slave who says, “The Lord is not coming yet”? The Lord may come at any moment.
Are you ready?
Are you ready? Have you surrendered yourself to the Lord to such an extent that you may obey Him and follow Him at any time, in any case, so that you will be ready for any moment should the Lord come now?
This should be our attitude. So, brothers and sisters, this is what you find in Revelation 12.
Those who have not been ready will be left through the great tribulation. The great tribulation is coming. The world has never seen such tribulation.
To the Jews, it is called Jacob’s trouble; but to Christians, it is the great tribulation.
But even with the great tribulation—the disaster that the world has never seen—God’s purpose is positive. He wants to use the great tribulation to wake up some of the sleeping saints.
Thank God, even with the great tribulation, God wants to save some out of it. So we find in Revelation 15 that there will be those who came out of the great tribulation.
By the grace of God, they were able to give their lives for the Lord instead of bowing to the Antichrist. But I personally believe probably such people will be few.
And after that, you come to Revelation 19, the marriage of the Lamb, and also Revelation 21 and 22, the eternal marriage of the Lamb.
Brothers and sisters, we have two marriages at the end of the Bible. The Bible began with marriage: the marriage of Adam and Eve, representing the marriage between Christ and His church. And now this is the fulfillment.
In Revelation 19, you find the marriage of the Lamb. The bride has made herself ready. She was given the fine, shining, clean linen clothing.
In other words, if you read Psalm 45, you will find that the bride was to be led to the Bridegroom. In Psalm 45:14, if I remember correctly, she was clothed with gold garments, and that represents all who come to Christ being clothed with Christ as our clothing.
Just like the prodigal son, the first thing the father would do was clothe him with good clothing. Good clothing represents Christ, our righteousness. We have no righteousness of our own, but by the grace of God, when we come to Him, He clothes us with Christ. We are all clothed with Christ, and then enabled to stand before God.
But when you look at Psalm 45:15 and the following verses, you find the bride will be led to the Bridegroom wearing embroidered clothing.
In other words, there is a second clothing. The first clothing is the clothing of gold, representing Christ, our righteousness, enabling us to stand before God. The second, embroidered clothing represents the holy work of the Holy Spirit in our life.
Why? Because when you embroider, how much time you will spend! You work stitch by stitch. And of course, every stitch is painful. But it stitches Christ into you.
And that is what God is doing with us today. He is preparing you with a wedding garment. The Holy Spirit is working in your life as if stitch by stitch. It is painful, but something glorious is being stitched. That will be our marriage clothing.
So, brothers and sisters, are you clothed with only one clothing, of wrought gold? Thank God for that, but that is not enough.
In God’s purpose, He wants us to be clothed with embroidered clothing. Do you know the Holy Spirit is doing embroidery in your life?
The Holy Spirit dwells in you for only one purpose: to stitch Christ into you. He is to complete the wedding garment for you.
Sometimes we do not welcome the stitching of the Holy Spirit. How we are afraid of that stitching, because it is painful. But thank God, it is a wedding garment in preparation.
So thank God for leaving the Holy Spirit in you, doing this work of stitching in you. He is not hurting you; He is completing you.
And with that stitch completed, you become the bride of the Lamb. You can stand before God for eternity.
So, dear brothers and sisters, this is what you find in the book of Revelation.
When you come to Revelation 21 and 22, to the eternity to come, you find every believer will be clothed with two garments: one of wrought gold, representing Christ our righteousness; and one, the righteous acts of the saints.
This is the eternal purpose of God. Oh, thank God for His patience, working in each and every one of us.
So we do want to commit ourselves totally to the Lord. Even though in this remaining time on earth it may be difficult, it may feel painful—it is always painful trying to follow the Lord in this world, because this is a world of the enemy.
But thank God, He is using this to perfect you, so that in eternity to come you will reign with Christ for eternity. That is the wonderful purpose of God.
Shall we pray?
Dear Lord, our hearts bow and worship. What Thou hast planned for Thine own is beyond any expectation of ours.
We thank Thee that Thou wilt not only save us, but Thou wilt save us to the uttermost. Whom Thou hast called righteous, Thou hast also made holy.
So, Lord, we will gladly, and with thankful hearts, give ourselves to Thee and allow Thy Holy Spirit to stitch Christ into our lives.
Lord, sometimes we find it is painful. But Lord, we know it is worthy. Lord, we want Christ to be our all.
So, Lord, we come this morning to give ourselves over to Thee. We cannot do it, but Thou wilt do it.
Lord, spare us not. Stitch us; prepare us, that we may be able to be Thy fit bride for eternity. We give Thee glory in Thy precious name. Amen.