The Last Days
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Lesson 72 | 07/19/26
Revelation 19:9-10 | The Spirit of Prophecy
Throughout our study of Revelation, we have seen the eternal purpose of God and His Word being fulfilled. All through history, we have seen God’s Word concerning future events continue to come to pass without fail, Joshua 21:45. And now, as Jesus Christ returns to the earth, this fulfills the most anticipated event in history... the Return of the King. But how do we know about this event, and all the events leading up to this point? God has revealed it to us through His Word. This is prophecy, and Biblical prophecy always points to one person, Jesus Christ, Revelation 19:9-10.
There is truly no one like our God who knows the beginning from the end, Isaiah 44:6-8. This is prophecy and God loves us so much that He wrote down how the end is going to take place so that we might not fear, v.8. This is one of the purposes of prophecy... to comfort the believer, 1 Cor 14:3; 1 Thess 4:18; 5:11. When you know the outcome of the future... that we win in the end, it takes away the fear and anxiety of the moment. We can take comfort in knowing the plan of God, because He has given us His Word of Prophecy. This book of Revelation is prophecy. Notice how John begins this entire book, Revelation 1:3- Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.
Jesus wants His Church to know the events of this book, so much that there is a special blessing to those who read and understands this prophecy. But there is also a strict warning at the end, Revelation 22:18–19-18 For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
This book closes the canon of Scripture and the writings of prophecy. This book was written. I think about John on the Isle of Patmos writing these things. All through the book of Revelation, Jesus has been revealing this extraordinary prophecy to him and telling him to write down what he sees. It began in Revelation 1:11; 19; then the seven letters to the churches in chapters 2-3. As the visions progressed, John continued to write. We don’t know how long the entire process lasted, but it seems the last break from writing John had was back in chapter 10, Revelation 10:4- Now when the seven thunders uttered their voices, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, “Seal up the things which the seven thunders uttered, and do not write them.” Chapter 10 seemed to be a place where John could catch his breath for a moment, but then he is directed to continue writing, Revelation 10:11- And he said to me, “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings.”
From chapters 11 through 14, John was given the amazing Revelation of the events of the middle of the week and the rise of the Antichrist. Then after this, in Revelation 14:13, one of the angels tells John again “Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’ ” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.”
When the angel tells him to “write.” It is not just these specific words, but everything he had been seeing up to that point. Notice, these words are coming from the Holy Spirit. Yes, angels are talking to him, and even Jesus Himself, but the Holy Spirit it is guiding his thoughts and breathing into him these words. After chapter 14, begins the final climax of the Tribulation including the 7 Bowls of wrath that would complete the wrath of God, Rev 15:1.
Now after these Bowls are complete and the kingdom of darkness destroyed, John sees and hears the exaltation of praise in heaven as the Marriage of the Lamb takes place, and heaven prepares for the return of Jesus Christ. One of the angels that has been speaking to John since chapter 17 tells John again to, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’ ” And he said to me, “These are the true sayings of God.”
John is given this amazing privilege of writing the Truth of God’s Word and the fulfillment of His promises, but it is such an overwhelming scene, that John falls down to worship the angel that has been giving him this message.
Revelation 19:10) And I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “See that you do not do that! I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”
John knows better than to worship an angel, but these things are so overwhelming, and he sees this awesome angel in front of him, that his impulse is to worship. But righteous angels will never accept the worship of men. Satan and fallen angels love this worship and adoration, but true and holy angels will not allow themselves to be worshipped.
The angel tells John, “I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus.” We are not brothers with angels in the sense of brothers in Christ, but we do share a commonality that we worship God and speak the words of God which testify of Jesus Christ.
All prophecy is points to Jesus Christ. Jesus said, “The volume of the book is written of Me...” Hebrews 10:7. He also said speaking to the Pharisees in John 5:39–40- “You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. 40 But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.” Scripture testifies, μαρτυρέω, to bear witness of Jesus Christ.
This what the angel tells John, “...For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” The witness of Jesus is the subject of all prophecy, it is the spirit, the inner being, the core of prophecy. Of which, THE HOLY SPIRIT is the main witness of Jesus Christ and the ONE who breathes out prophecy and tells us of things to come concerning our King, John 16:12-15; 1 John 5:7-8.
When you think about prophecy, which tells of the fulfillment of God’s plan of redemption in Christ, and His Second Coming, there is a crucial element that we cannot ignore: the salvation of Israel. The plan of God, and the ultimate fulfillment of redemption, is that Jesus Christ will reign on the earth physically from the throne of David in Jerusalem. This means that Jerusalem will still be around and the Jews will finally worship their King. The Prophets speak much of this including the promise that Gabriel gave to Mary, Luke 1:31-33. There are many promises to Israel specifically that MUST take place before Jesus returns to reign on the earth. In contrast, there is nothing that needs to happen prophetically for the Bride to be caught away to be with Jesus, but the rapture is not the end of prophecy. The rapture is just one more step in the plan of redemption. However, the salvation of the Jews and their acknowledgment of Jesus is a crucial event that must take place before Jesus comes to reign on the earth. This is why Satan has tried to destroy the Jews for thousands of years even after the cross. This is Satan’s strategy. If he can destroy God’s people, he can thwart the plan of God and prohibit Jesus from coming back. But he is sorely mistaken, God’s promises will be fulfilled and His purposes will be accomplished, Revelation 17:17- For God has put it into their hearts to fulfill His purpose, to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled. We spoke much about this back in Lesson 66.
The salvation of Israel and their acceptance of Jesus as their Messiah will happen. Paul writes about this in Romans 11:25-27. The acknowledgment of Jesus is the trigger that will bring Jesus back to reign as King. Hosea 5:15- I will return again to My place Till they acknowledge their offense. Then they will seek My face; In their affliction they will earnestly seek Me.”
God has appointed this time, Acts 17:30-31, not against their will in a deterministic way, but in accordance with their free will in His foreknowledge, He knows that at the end of the 7-Year Tribulation, when the power of their pride has been completely shattered, He will return and save them, Daniel 12:7-10. This last 3-1/2 years is the Time of Jacob’s Trouble to draw them back to God, Daniel 12:1-2. This is ultimately the purpose of the Tribulation; to turn Israel away from playing the harlot with Babylon, and to draw the Jews to Himself, Jeremiah 30:7-9; Deut 4:27-31; Ezek 13:14; 22:16-22; Zech 13:8-9.
At the end of the 7-Year Tribulation, the Antichrist will come from the north to destroy the Jews. The Jewish people at this point have fled Jerusalem and they are in hiding in Petra, but their backs are against the wall and they will cry out to their God to save them. It is as this point that they will acknowledge that Jesus is their God, their King, and their Savior who gave His life for them and He will return and fight for them, Zech 12:8-11.
Next week we will begin looking at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ and the Campaign of Armageddon...
Homework: Read Matthew 24; Isaiah 63; 53; Zechariah 14
PREVIOUS LESSON 71 ← GO TO → NEXT LESSON 73
There is truly no one like our God who knows the beginning from the end, Isaiah 44:6-8. This is prophecy and God loves us so much that He wrote down how the end is going to take place so that we might not fear, v.8. This is one of the purposes of prophecy... to comfort the believer, 1 Cor 14:3; 1 Thess 4:18; 5:11. When you know the outcome of the future... that we win in the end, it takes away the fear and anxiety of the moment. We can take comfort in knowing the plan of God, because He has given us His Word of Prophecy. This book of Revelation is prophecy. Notice how John begins this entire book, Revelation 1:3- Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.
Jesus wants His Church to know the events of this book, so much that there is a special blessing to those who read and understands this prophecy. But there is also a strict warning at the end, Revelation 22:18–19-18 For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
This book closes the canon of Scripture and the writings of prophecy. This book was written. I think about John on the Isle of Patmos writing these things. All through the book of Revelation, Jesus has been revealing this extraordinary prophecy to him and telling him to write down what he sees. It began in Revelation 1:11; 19; then the seven letters to the churches in chapters 2-3. As the visions progressed, John continued to write. We don’t know how long the entire process lasted, but it seems the last break from writing John had was back in chapter 10, Revelation 10:4- Now when the seven thunders uttered their voices, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, “Seal up the things which the seven thunders uttered, and do not write them.” Chapter 10 seemed to be a place where John could catch his breath for a moment, but then he is directed to continue writing, Revelation 10:11- And he said to me, “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings.”
From chapters 11 through 14, John was given the amazing Revelation of the events of the middle of the week and the rise of the Antichrist. Then after this, in Revelation 14:13, one of the angels tells John again “Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’ ” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.”
When the angel tells him to “write.” It is not just these specific words, but everything he had been seeing up to that point. Notice, these words are coming from the Holy Spirit. Yes, angels are talking to him, and even Jesus Himself, but the Holy Spirit it is guiding his thoughts and breathing into him these words. After chapter 14, begins the final climax of the Tribulation including the 7 Bowls of wrath that would complete the wrath of God, Rev 15:1.
Now after these Bowls are complete and the kingdom of darkness destroyed, John sees and hears the exaltation of praise in heaven as the Marriage of the Lamb takes place, and heaven prepares for the return of Jesus Christ. One of the angels that has been speaking to John since chapter 17 tells John again to, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’ ” And he said to me, “These are the true sayings of God.”
John is given this amazing privilege of writing the Truth of God’s Word and the fulfillment of His promises, but it is such an overwhelming scene, that John falls down to worship the angel that has been giving him this message.
Revelation 19:10) And I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “See that you do not do that! I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”
John knows better than to worship an angel, but these things are so overwhelming, and he sees this awesome angel in front of him, that his impulse is to worship. But righteous angels will never accept the worship of men. Satan and fallen angels love this worship and adoration, but true and holy angels will not allow themselves to be worshipped.
The angel tells John, “I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus.” We are not brothers with angels in the sense of brothers in Christ, but we do share a commonality that we worship God and speak the words of God which testify of Jesus Christ.
All prophecy is points to Jesus Christ. Jesus said, “The volume of the book is written of Me...” Hebrews 10:7. He also said speaking to the Pharisees in John 5:39–40- “You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. 40 But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.” Scripture testifies, μαρτυρέω, to bear witness of Jesus Christ.
This what the angel tells John, “...For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” The witness of Jesus is the subject of all prophecy, it is the spirit, the inner being, the core of prophecy. Of which, THE HOLY SPIRIT is the main witness of Jesus Christ and the ONE who breathes out prophecy and tells us of things to come concerning our King, John 16:12-15; 1 John 5:7-8.
When you think about prophecy, which tells of the fulfillment of God’s plan of redemption in Christ, and His Second Coming, there is a crucial element that we cannot ignore: the salvation of Israel. The plan of God, and the ultimate fulfillment of redemption, is that Jesus Christ will reign on the earth physically from the throne of David in Jerusalem. This means that Jerusalem will still be around and the Jews will finally worship their King. The Prophets speak much of this including the promise that Gabriel gave to Mary, Luke 1:31-33. There are many promises to Israel specifically that MUST take place before Jesus returns to reign on the earth. In contrast, there is nothing that needs to happen prophetically for the Bride to be caught away to be with Jesus, but the rapture is not the end of prophecy. The rapture is just one more step in the plan of redemption. However, the salvation of the Jews and their acknowledgment of Jesus is a crucial event that must take place before Jesus comes to reign on the earth. This is why Satan has tried to destroy the Jews for thousands of years even after the cross. This is Satan’s strategy. If he can destroy God’s people, he can thwart the plan of God and prohibit Jesus from coming back. But he is sorely mistaken, God’s promises will be fulfilled and His purposes will be accomplished, Revelation 17:17- For God has put it into their hearts to fulfill His purpose, to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled. We spoke much about this back in Lesson 66.
The salvation of Israel and their acceptance of Jesus as their Messiah will happen. Paul writes about this in Romans 11:25-27. The acknowledgment of Jesus is the trigger that will bring Jesus back to reign as King. Hosea 5:15- I will return again to My place Till they acknowledge their offense. Then they will seek My face; In their affliction they will earnestly seek Me.”
God has appointed this time, Acts 17:30-31, not against their will in a deterministic way, but in accordance with their free will in His foreknowledge, He knows that at the end of the 7-Year Tribulation, when the power of their pride has been completely shattered, He will return and save them, Daniel 12:7-10. This last 3-1/2 years is the Time of Jacob’s Trouble to draw them back to God, Daniel 12:1-2. This is ultimately the purpose of the Tribulation; to turn Israel away from playing the harlot with Babylon, and to draw the Jews to Himself, Jeremiah 30:7-9; Deut 4:27-31; Ezek 13:14; 22:16-22; Zech 13:8-9.
At the end of the 7-Year Tribulation, the Antichrist will come from the north to destroy the Jews. The Jewish people at this point have fled Jerusalem and they are in hiding in Petra, but their backs are against the wall and they will cry out to their God to save them. It is as this point that they will acknowledge that Jesus is their God, their King, and their Savior who gave His life for them and He will return and fight for them, Zech 12:8-11.
Next week we will begin looking at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ and the Campaign of Armageddon...
Homework: Read Matthew 24; Isaiah 63; 53; Zechariah 14
PREVIOUS LESSON 71 ← GO TO → NEXT LESSON 73