Author: Art Davison

THE SECOND DEATH
REVELATION 20: 13-14

“And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.”

Introduction:

There are three things in these verses that I would like to note: 1) The word “death;” 2) The word “hell; 3) The phrase “the second death.” Let us examine these three words and phrases and when I terminate, I hope that you all will understand the danger that exist today.

I. Death, What Is It?

A. Death is the cessation of life in the human body.

1. God put the breath of life into man, Genesis 2:7, “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.”

2. Man disobeyed God and suffered the penalty, Genesis 2:17; Romans 5:12, “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.”

B. Capital Punishment, the death penalty, Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

II. Hell, Does It Exist or Not?

A. What is it?

1. A place prepared for the Devil and his angels, Matthew 25:41, “Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.”

2. It is also a place for those who reject Jesus as Savior, those who have no faith in Christ. Religion is not enough (“And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” Matthew 7:22-23).

B. Does hell really exist? YES!!! Luke 16:22-25.

1. It is a place of torment, v. 23.

2. It is a place of flames, without water, v. 24.

3. It is a place where sinners can see the saints of God in the paradise of God adding to the agony of their disbelief, vs. 23, 25.

C. He who is not born twice (John 3:3, 5-6) will suffer the second death in hell.

III. THE SECOND DEATH

Revelations 20:14, “And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.”

A. Who will suffer this second death? Revelations 20:15, “and whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”

B. Look at the examples in the Word of God,

2 Peter 2:4-8:

1. The fallen angels, v. 4.

2. The world in Noah’s time and the flood.

3. The cities of Sodom and Gomorrah – only the believers were saved.

Judas 6-7, “ And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.

7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.”

CONCLUSION:

Those that have faith em Jesus Christ as Savior have no danger of hell, neither the second death, but the unbeliever is in grave danger.

THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST

REVELATION 1:1-9

Introduction:

This book does not contain “revelations,” but is ONE GREAT REVELATION. Its name is “The Revelation of Jesus Christ.”

The word “revelation” means “unveiling” or “uncovering.” Thus this book reveals God’s plans for the future of mankind and especially for those who have received His Son, Jesus Christ, as their personal Savior.

John was on “the isle that is called Patmos”

I. THINGS WHICH MUST SHORTLY COME TO PASS

A. God gave the Revelation to His Son, v. 1; Amos 3:7, “Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.”

1. God has raised up a PROPHET like unto Moses, Deuteronomy 18:18, “I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.”

a. The very SON of God, THE MEDIATOR between man and God, 1 Timothy 2:5, “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;”

b. This Revelation is of A BETTER COVENANT, Hebrews 12:24, “And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.”

2. The PROPHET SENT by God TO ISRAEL was NOT WELL RECEIVED, Mark 6:4, “But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.”

a. Jesus was REJECTED by His people, John 1:11, “He came unto his own, and his own received him not.”

b. However, Jesus was FAITHFUL to FULFILL the WILL of His Father, John 17:4, “I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.”

c. Jesus FINISHED the WORK of REDEMPTION, John 19:30, “When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.”

B. The Son of God gave the Revelation TO HIS SERVANT, John, v.1; Revelation 22:6, “And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done.”

C. John gave the Revelation TO THE CHURCHES, v. 11, “Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.”

D. The churches gave the Revelation TO THE WORLD, Mark 16:15, “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.”

II. JOHN BEAR RECORD…

A. Of the WORD of God, John 1:1, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

1. Jesus is the Word of God INCARNATE, John 1:14, “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,)full of grace and truth.”

2. John KNEW the “WORD OF LIFE,” the Lord Jesus, PERSONALLY, 1 John 1:1-2, “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; 2 (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)”

B. Of the TESTIMONY of Jesus Christ, John 19:35, “And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe.”

1. John was a WITNESS of the MINISTRY of Christ, 1 John 1:3, “That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.”

2. This IS the VERY SON of God, John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

C. Of ALL THE THINGS he saw, v. 2; v. 19, “Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter;”

1. John made a FAIR and FAITHFUL RECORD of what he saw, John 21:24, “This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony is true.”

2. The PURPOSE of John’s record was “THAT YE MIGHT BELIEVE,” John 19:35, “And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe.”

a. John VERIFIED that the Father HAD SENT His Son to be the SAVIOR of the world, 1 John 4:14, “And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.”

b. He VERIFIED the TESTIMONY of the Son of God, Acts 4:20, “For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.”

CONCLUSION:

John was a faithful witness and a faithful writer of what the Lord had revealed to him. “The Revelation of Jesus Christ” is most important document ever given to mankind.

It is THE MESSAGE OF LIFE. The Lord Himself declared in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

THE NEW EARTH AND NEW HEAVEN

REVELATION 21:1-8

Key verse: v. 1, “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.”

Introduction:

History as we know it will have come to an end and God prepares to purify everything that sin had contaminated. The Devil is in the Lake of Fire with all of his fallen angels as are the Antichrist and the False Prophet. All unbelievers have been judged and sent to their eternal abode in the Lake of Fire.

Now God opens a new chapter in the history of man – that of the eternal bliss in the presence of the God of heaven. Consider what He plans to do:

I. A NEW WORLD IS CREATED, v. 1.

A. The new heaven.

1. The Lord starts with heaven because it was contaminated by Satan rebellion.

2. This is the only reference to the new heaven in the Bible.

B. The new earth.

1. Satan has contaminated the earth with his presence.

2. Satan contaminated the earth as he tried to convince man to rebel against the God of heaven, Genesis 3:1-5

II. A NEW WORLD FOR A NEW MAN, vs.3-8.

A. The changes that God will make regarding the born-again man, vs. 3-7.

1. God will dwell with man, v. 3, “And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.”

2. God will do away with some things that have plagued man, v. 4, “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.”

a. No more tears, Revelation 7:17, “For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.”

1) No more death, Isaiah 25:8, “He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it.” 1 Corinthians 15:26, “The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.”

2) No more sorrow, Isaiah 35:10, “And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.”

b. No more pain because there will be no sickness.

3. The beauties of Eden will be restored, Isaiah 55:13, “Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.”

B. The description of who will not qualify to live in God’s heaven, v. 8, “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

1. The fearful, those too timid to receive Christ as Savior for fear of man, Proverbs 29:25, “The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe.”

2. The unbelieving, John 3:18, “He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” John 16:9, “Of sin, because they believe not on me;”

3. The abominable, the Greek word means, “to stink,” perhaps referring to those that pollute their own bodies, Romans 1:26-27.

a. Adoration of Images, Deuteronomy 27:15 “Cursed be the man that maketh any graven or molten image, an abomination unto the LORD, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and putteth it in a secret place. And all the people shall answer and say, Amen.”

b. Cheating the customer, Deuteronomy 25:13-16, “Thou shalt not have in thy bag divers weights, a great and a small. 14 Thou shalt not have in thine house divers measures, a great and a small. 15 But thou shalt have a perfect and just weight, a perfect and just measure shalt thou have: that thy days may be lengthened in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. 16 For all that do such things, and all that do unrighteously, are an abomination unto the LORD thy God.”

c. Incest, Leviticus 18:18 ”Neither shalt thou take a wife to her sister, to vex her, to uncover her nakedness, beside the other in her life time.”

d. Sodomy, Leviticus 18:22-23, “Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination. Neither shalt thou lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith: neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto: it is confusion.”

4. Murderers, and whoremongers, Revelation 22:13, “For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.”

5. Sorcerers, =Greek, “pharmakeus” those who use drugs, i.e. spell-giving potion. Deuteronomy 18:10-12, “There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, 11Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.” [One who claims to know the future through communication with the dead].

6. Idolaters, Greek = a worshipper of false gods, used of anyone even Christian, participant in any way in the worship of the heathen, esp. one who attends their sacrificial feasts and eats of the remains of offered victims. Ephesians 5:5, “For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.”

7. All liars, to deceive one by a untruth, John 8:44, “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.”

C. Nothing that corrupts will be there.

1. Nothing as it was in Noah’s day, Genesis 6:11-12, “The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. 12And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.”

2. No sinners will be there, Psalms 14:1, “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.”

3. Our uncorrupted treasures will be there, Matthew 6:20, “But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:”

4. Corrupt communication will be no more, Ephesians 4:29, “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.”

CONCLUSION:

The new heaven and a new earth will be glorious. It will be like nothing we have ever experienced before. It will be heaven.

THE LORD JESUS CHRIST

REVELATION 1:5

 

Revelation 1:5, “And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,”

Acts 2:36, “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.”

Introduction:

Jesus gives a picture of Himself in this verse. Look at the Savior as the Spirit of God reveals Him in the Word of God.

I. THE FAITHFUL WITNESS

A. He is the Faithful Witness of His Father.

1. He is the Only Begotten of the Father, John 1:14, “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,)full of grace and truth.”

2. He has DECLARED the Father, John 1:18, “No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.”

a. He has declared that He is the WAY to the Father, John 14:6, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

b. He has declared how the Father is to be worshipped, John 4:23-24, “But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. 24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”

1) We worship Him in Spirit.

This is in opposition to all carnal conceptions of him, as if he was a corporeal being, or circumscribed in some certain place, dwelling in temples made with hands, or was to be worshipped with men’s hands; and in distinction from the carnal worship of the Jews, which lay greatly in the observation of carnal ordinances: and this shows they should NOT worship with their bodies only, for bodily exercise profiteth little; but with their souls or spirits, with their WHOLE hearts engaged therein. —John Gill’s Exposition.

2) We worship Him in Truth, Joshua 24:14, “Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD.”

c. He has declared that He is ONE with the Father, John 10:30, “I and my Father are one.”

d. He declared that He is EQUAL with the Father, John 5:18, “Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.”

B. He is the Faithful Witness of the Promises of the Word of God, Romans 15:8, “Now I say that Jesus Christ was a MINISTER of the circumcision for the truth of God, to CONFIRM THE PROMISES made unto the fathers:”

1. To minister to man, Matthew 20:28, “Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.”

2. As Priest He is the MINISTER of the TRUE TABERNACLE, Hebrews 8:2, “A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.”

II. THE FIRST BEGOTTEN OF THE DEAD

A. The FIRSTBORN of the dead, at the head of those who rise from their graves, Colossians 1:18, “And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.”

B. He has risen to die NO MORE, 1 Corinthians 15:20-22, “But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. 21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.”

1. He is the HOPE of our great future, 2 Timothy 1:12, “For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.”

2. God raised Jesus from the dead that we might HOPE IN GOD, 1 Peter 1:21, “Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.”

III. THE PRINCE OF THE KINGS OF THE EARTH

1. Jesus by his resurrection won LORDSHIP over the kings of earth, Revelation 17:14, “These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.”

2. Satan had offered this if He would bow down to the Devil, Matthew 4:8-9, “Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; 9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.

3. Jesus is the RIGHTFUL OWNER of the title, Revelation 19:16, “And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”

B. Jesus our Prince LOVES His people, John 13:1, “Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.”

C. Jesus WASHED US in His own blood, Hebrews 9:14, “How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?”

1. His blood has cleansed us from ALL SIN, 1 John 1:7, “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.”

2. His blood has SAVED US FROM the WRATH to come, Romans 5:9, “Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.”

3. Through His blood we have REDEMPTION and FORGIVENESS of sins, Ephesians 1:7, “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;”

THE EMBLEM OF JOY

REVELATION 22:1-5

Introduction:

A native in the Bible Lands will not sleep in a dark room. However poor he may be, he absolutely must have some light. To them it is the symbol of the supremacy of good over evil, the triumph of life over death.

Light, therefore, is the EMBLEM of JOY in the Eastern mind. It is where there is not the danger of evil and corruption. The Scripture says in John 3:19-20, “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.”

I. LIGHT IN SCRIPTURE IS THE EMBLEM OF JOY

A. The joy of the saints in heaven is comprised in this:

1. Jesus CHOSE us, John 15:16, “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.”

2. Jesus BOUGHT us, 1 Corinthians 6:20, “For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”

3. Jesus WASHED us, Revelation 1:6, “And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,”

4. Jesus ROBED us, Isaiah 61:10, “I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.”

5. Jesus KEPT us, John 17:12-13, “While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled. 13 And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.”

6. Jesus will GLORIFY us, Romans 8:17, “And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.”

B. We are here entirely through the Light of the Lord Jesus, John 8:12, “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”

II. LIGHT IS THE EMBLEM OF THE JOY OF KNOWLEDGE

A. The Lord Jesus himself is the fountain knowledge, Ephesians 3:19, “And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.”

1. Lack of knowledge of Jesus Christ destroys man, Hosea 4:6,“My people are destroyed (CUT OFF) for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.”

2. Knowing Jesus Christ as Savior is the beginning of knowledge, Proverbs 1:7, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning (the principle part) of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”

B. All that puzzles us now will become plain to us in the light of Jesus Christ, 1 Corinthians 13:12, “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.”

1. Then we shall see God as our ALL IN ALL, 1 Corinthians 15:28, “And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.”

2. We shall see Him as He is, 1 John 3:2, “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.”

III. LIGHT IS THE JOY OF THE MANIFESTATION OF CHRIST

A. In this world it does not yet appear what we shall be, Psalm 31:19, “Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!”

B. We shall be changed into the image of his manifested glory, 1 Corinthians 15:51-52, “Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”

C. We were poor and wretched, but what a transformation it shall be, Philippians 3:21, “Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.”

1. We had the stain of death upon us, Job 3:5, “Let darkness and the shadow of death stain it; let a cloud dwell upon it; let the blackness of the day terrify it.”

2. But Jesus had the victory over death, 1 Corinthians 15:54-57, “So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. 55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

CONCLUSION:

“Whatever there may be of effulgent splendor, Jesus shall be the center and soul of it all. Oh! To be present and to see him in his own light, the King of kings, and Lord of lords!” —Barne’s Notes