In this sermon, the preacher discusses the imagery found in the book of Revelation. He describes the scene of the throne of God, with seven lamps of fire and a sea of glass. The preacher explains that the four living creatures represent the four gospels, with the lion symbolizing Matthew, the calf symbolizing Mark, the face of a man symbolizing Luke, and the flying eagle symbolizing John. The preacher also highlights the significance of the eyes of the living creatures, representing foresight, hindsight, and insight. The sermon concludes by emphasizing the central role of Jesus as the lamb, the sacrifice for humanity's sins.

Having reached our last occasion together for this time, I want to conclude our thinking on the Church in the book of the Revelation and look into the marvels of God's wonderful grace to us in the new creation. I suppose that you know that great hymn which says, The Church's one foundation is Jesus Christ, her Lord. She is his new creation by water and the Word. From heaven he came and sought her to be his holy bride. With his own blood he bought her and for her life he died. That's a wonderful, wonderful verse. It's one that I love. It's one that I think of and often quote because it's so true. And I want to look a little into this book of the Revelation with this great truth in mind, the Church. Now you may look into the book of the Revelation to find out who are the four horsemen of the apocalypse or who this is or what these creatures are that have got stings in their tails and all that sort of thing. It's very fascinating. One does that. In my infancy I can remember I used to like to pick up, when I say infancy, when I was a boy, I used to look up Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress. But I never used to read much about that. I used to read about the Holy War that was tacked on at the end. All these sort of fascinating things. And what a truth sometimes it is to read the book of the Revelation with this marvelous thought that God had in mind about the new creation. Bless the name of the Lord. It's a wonderful thing to find out what God has in his heart. What he had as the dear wish of his heart. You can read what he's got in his mind. What he's planned, for instance, about trumpets and seals and vials and one thing and another. That's what he's got in mind. That's his plan. But I don't know whether I'm made that way or not or whether it's because the Lord Jesus brought me there or what it is. But I always want to find out what's in his heart. For my sake you can have everybody's head but I'd like their heart. And I believe this is really what God wants us to enter into. And this is the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ as you see in verse 1. It's the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ that God gave unto him. Amen. It's good to have the Revelation that God gave to Jesus. Paul had some marvelous revelations. Peter had some marvelous revelations. And so did John. But isn't it lovely to have the Revelation of Jesus that God gave to him? Because I'll tell you what. I found out this. That a man moves toward his revelation. He lives for his revelation. Everything in his life is toward the revelation that he has if he has a revelation. If he hasn't got a revelation he's pretty banal. God wants us to move in. Some people call it a vision. And I suppose that carries some kind of an idea. What's your vision? What can you see? What are you moving to? What are you aiming at? What are you trying to create? But revelation is much better to have a revelation from God. Because you see where visions are concerned often you can see the visions of your own mind or of your own heart. But if you have got a revelation, it didn't come from you at all. And it's given to you from God himself. And that becomes the source of inspiration of your whole life. Now, we are shown very much in this book and of course I shall only be able to select a few things although I should travel perhaps through some of the chapters at some speed. You will know that the book opens with John on the Isle of Patmos and a vision to John of the Lord Jesus in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks. And all that transpired there concerning the church. And after that in chapter 4 John is given a sort of a backwards and a forwards look as well. And he is given things that are at present. After this he says he looked and he sees a door opened in heaven. The first voice which he heard was of a trumpet talking with him. And this trumpet said, Come up hither, I will show thee things which must be hereafter. He says he was in the spirit and he saw a throne. Hallelujah. And as it were, John is given a revelation of the movement of God from the throne. He is shown the throne of God pre-Calvary. He is shown the throne of God after Calvary or post-Calvary. And he is shown what happened on the day of Pentecost. And what has been moving on from there. Quickly into this fourth chapter he sees the throne. Let your eyes run down through the verses in verse 2. And he sees the one that sits on the throne. He is completely, well he just can't be explained in normal terms. This is it. Verse 3. He was like a jasper and a sardine stone. And there was a rainbow round about the throne in sight like unto an emerald. Hallelujah. You know that's the green everlasting colour. The colour of eternity. Green. And you know that the bow was the first great covenant sign shown to man. It took place after the flood when God said he set his bow in the cloud. And it was God's great covenant to man at that time. And God often adjusted his covenant to the particular need at the time. Praise God. And it was this that he would not destroy the earth by a flood anymore. And that he said that as long as the earth remained there would be sea time and harvest and summer and winter and cold and heat and so on. It was a great covenant with creation. It was a great creation covenant. It was applied. And it's in this great truth that we need to think. Because I want to talk to you about this new creation of the Lord. And it's the eternal covenants then. In it's application to the needs then. Bless the name of the Lord. It's marvellous to think that this is from the throne. And it's for you to see that the throne is set in eternal covenant. Round about the throne was the complete rainbow. Marvellous. And here is God then. In his sovereignty in eternal covenant with man. Praise the name of the Lord for that. Let's move on shall we. And about the throne there were four and twenty seats. And upon the seats he says he sees four and twenty elders sitting. Clothed in white raiment. And they had on their head crowns of gold. Well praise the name of the Lord. Twenty four elders round the throne. And this is the reason of course beloved why there are elders set in the church. They actually represent the church. The four and twenty elders. Because there are elders round the throne. It's this idea of eldership that God has put into the church. And you know elders should always be men in touch with the throne. I don't know whether they are or not everywhere. But they should be. If they are not men who are in touch with the throne. And are for governmental purpose in the church. If they can't move in the sovereignty of God. Set in eternal covenant with his people. I should get rid of them. If you've got any elders like this in this church I should ask them to leave. They've got to be this kind of person. It's a woeful condition in any church. Where they haven't got this kind of a. I mean this business of we have an annual vote. Or every three years. And if Mr. So-and-so has got a good business head. And he knows how to run his business. He's the chap to be an elder in our church obviously. He can handle the money and so on. Well that's about as big a mockery as you could ever have. No wonder the church can't really get on. Or this sort of thing that's going on. Eldership is a tremendous thing. And you notice that elders wear a crown. Praise God. It doesn't mean that they're decorated. It just means that they are men who rule. They are elders in this great kingdom of priests. That John talks about in the first chapter. Remember unto him he says. That loved us. Are you looking? In verse five. In the middle of the verse. Unto him that loved us. And washed us or loosed us from our sins. In his own blood. And hath made us kings and priests. Really that should be a kingdom of priests. Unto God and his father. To him be glory and dominion forever and ever. And they represent the great kingdom of priests. Praise the name of the Lord. Because everyone in the church. As we were thinking together some of us earlier this week. Should be a priest. Everyone in the church. What a glorious truth this is. And you can see at a later stage. Though I may not touch on it tonight. You must read this for yourself. That these elders. They had golden bowls. With the prayers of the saints in them. And it's wonderful. They also had harps. And they could lead the singing. That's very good. It's tremendous. It's a great pity there aren't any pianos in heaven brother isn't it? Very glad there aren't any tambourines. That's my personal taste of course. Skin and tin. They don't make very nice noise really. And it says. They were sitting round the throne. And they had these crowns of gold on their head. And out of the throne. Went lightnings and thunderings and voices. And that's about the only way you could describe it. You couldn't sort of make out what was being said. And there were seven lamps of fire. Burning before the throne. Which were the seven spirits of God. And before the throne. There was a sea of glass. Like under crystal. And in the midst of the throne. And round about the throne. Were four beasts. Or living creatures actually. Full of eyes. Before and behind. And the first beast was like a lion. And the second beast was like a calf. And the third beast had the face of a man. And the fourth beast was like a flying eagle. And there you have a representation. Of the four gospels. The four gospels. In Matthew. Which sets forth the lion. Or the king of the tribe of Judah. These set forth in Matthew. And there you have next. The calf. Which is Mark. The lowly serving calf. And the third of course has the face of a man. Which is Jesus as the son of man. Luke. And you've got John. He was like a flying eagle. The son of God. Going right up. Into God. There you have four representations. Of the four gospels. The Lord Jesus Christ. In the mysterious incarnation. It's all represented here. Let's move on. And the four living creatures had. Each of them six wings about him. Full of eyes within. Now this is a remarkable thing. Because if you look in verse six. You're told that they had. Eyes before. That's foresight. They had eyes behind. Which is hindsight. And they have eyes within. Which are insight. That's tremendous. Now isn't that marvelous. They look forward. They look back. And they look within. That's tremendous. You read the four gospels. And you see that's absolutely right. They look back. Jesus Christ. The son of Abraham. You see. Jesus Christ. Son of Adam. Jesus Christ. As it's written in the prophets. This is Mark. Jesus Christ. The son of God. John. They're looking back. Bless God. They look forward too. Amen. And they're telling you that. He's coming. He's going to sit on the cloud. He's coming again. It's all so tremendous. That's wonderful. But insight. Oh my. What insight you find in these gospels don't you. Full of eyes within. You read through those gospels. And you'll really think. If you're not afraid to read them. That they're reading you. All right. You'll find that the parables tell your story. Now tell the inner secrets of what goes on in you. Your very thoughts will be put out on the pages of the gospels. Your attitude will be revealed. All sorts of things. Let's press on. They say. Holy. Holy. Holy. Lord. God. Almighty. Which was. And is. And is to come. And when those living creatures give glory and honour. And thank to him that sat on the throne. Who liveth forever and ever. Before him twenty elders fall down. Before him that sat on the throne and worshipped him. That liveth forever and ever. And cast their crowns before the throne. Saying. Thou art worthy O Lord. To receive glory. And honour. And power. For thou has created all things. And for thy pleasure. They are. And were created. Bless the name of the Lord. And then he moves on. He sees in the right hand of him that sits on the throne. This book. Written within and on the back side. Sealed with seven seals. He sees the strong angel. Proclaiming with a loud voice. Who is worthy to open the book. And to loose the seals thereof. No one. In heaven. Nor in earth. Neither under the earth. Was able to open the book. Neither to look thereon. And I wept much. He says. Because no man was found worthy to open. And to read the book. Neither to look thereon. One of the elders said unto me. Weep not. Behold. The lion of the tribe of Judah. The root of David. Hath prevailed. To open the book. And to loose the seven seals thereof. And I beheld. And lo! In the midst of the throne. And of the four living creatures. And in the midst of the elders. Stood a lamb. As it had been slain. Having seven horns. And seven eyes. Which are the seven spirits of God. Sent forth. Into all the earth. And so you see. You saw the throne of God. In its great. Related to the creation. You see. The end of chapter four. Thou hast created all things. Now you see the throne. In relationship to redemption. This is a tremendous thing. That. He goes right back. And you see the throne. With the rainbow around it. And you understand. Tremendous things. That God did. And before the throne. You see. A sea of glass. Now the strange thing about it is. If it is strange. Is that. In the beginning. When God began creation. He brought everything up. Out of the waters. That later he called seas. Genesis one. That is how it began. The throne. With just the sea. Him on the throne. So on and so on. And all creation. Came up out of the sea. In other words. It was born by baptism. That is right. Came up out of the water. That is right isn't it. Yeah. Hallelujah. Yeah that is good isn't it. It is good to see and know this. And. That is marvelous isn't it. And then you know. God had to overflow the earth again. So he still presented with the seas. And. You know what happens. He brings forth a new creation. As it were. And. Here is the great covenant. Hallelujah. But when John looks at the throne. He sees. A sea in front of him. What is coming up out of this sea. What is going to happen here. The throne. The sea. The elders. The living. Creatures. I hope it is all beginning to tie up in your mind. And here is what the Lord is moving to. Shows us this great state. That God in his heart. Had had all the way through. And he had this sea in mind. When he created water in the beginning. This was what he had in mind. Praise the name of the Lord. And then. He sees this book. I tell you what. I would like to read this book. I reckon it is better than the Bible. I have never read this book. It was all sealed up. It was in the hands of God. Nobody could open it. Nobody could even look at it. Such a tremendous book. I don't know why. They couldn't look at it. But they just couldn't. And then he sees the land. Just as he had been slain. If you like. He is seeing the Lord. In the throne. After Calvary. You see he finishes his gospel. Bless the name of the Lord. They all finish their gospels. These four gospel writers. At the death. And the resurrection. Of the Lord Jesus. Some even go as far as the ascension. Do you remember? That we are told that he went up. And so on and so on and so on. Do you remember which gospel takes us as far as the ascension? Don't you? Yes. All right. And he goes. And he is there on the throne. Hallelujah. He takes the book. He is the only one that is able to open the book. We are told in verse 5. He prevailed to open the book. And to loose the seven seals thereof. Why this is tremendous. And he comes in verse 7. He takes the book out of the right hand of him that sat on the throne. And that starts. As soon as he takes the book. The four living creatures fall down. And the elders all fall down. They have hearts. Golden vows full of vows and so on. And they sing the great new song. Hallelujah. As soon as Jesus gets that book in his hand. They start singing. Amen. It makes everybody's heart glad. That knows the truth. They just worship. The chapter finishes up with them. Worshipping him that liveth forever and forever. And then. He watches whilst the lamb opens one of the seals. And I heard as it were the noise of thunder. One of the four living creatures saying. Come and see. And I saw. And behold a white horse. And he that sat on him had a bow. And a crown was given unto him. And he went forth conquering and to conquer. That's the day of Pentecost. Bless the name of the Lord. He saw the Holy Ghost come forth. Blessed be the name of the Lord. Now this is a tremendous thing. Look in Hebrews. Shall we just for a moment now. In the book of Hebrews. Hebrews and chapter 1. This is so tremendous. Verse 13. To which of the angels said God at any time. Sit on my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool. Hallelujah. We'll go to it. Chapter 2. Why there are so many glorious insights. Into this moment. In history. Or if you like into the events. Of eternity. And in the second chapter of the Acts of the Apostles. In verse 34. Here is Peter. He says David not ascended into the heavens. But he said himself. The Lord said unto my Lord. Sit on my right hand until I make thy foes thy footstool. Now that's why the Holy Ghost has come out. He's been given a bow. He's conquering. And to conquer. Blessed be the name of the Lord. I hope then there are no foes of the Lord Jesus in this room. I hope there aren't any enemies of Christ. Because you're going to have some clashes with the Holy Ghost. He's come. To make. Jesus's foes. Jesus's footstool. Blessed be the name of the Lord. I'm so glad. That I started off as an enemy. I was an enemy in my mind by wicked works. So were you. And the Holy Ghost has come to make. Conquest. In your life and mine. Everything's got to be subdued. Everything. Everything's got to be brought into submission. By the Holy Ghost. Don't say the elders are doing it. I want you to notice that. The Holy Ghost. Is coming to do this. And it's so tremendous. When a person. And I'll tell you the art of eldership brother. If you're listening now. The art of eldership. Is so living and moving. That everybody is put under the authority of the Holy Ghost. And the Holy Ghost does everything. Amen. It's a marvelous thing. If you know how to work with the Holy Ghost. If you know how to move with the Holy Ghost beloved. Warfare will nearly cease in your church. What if it won't cease all together. Blessed be the name Lord. You won't have personality clashes. You won't have anybody challenging your leadership. If you know how to work with the Holy Spirit. Amen. Oh oddly. Once now and again. You might get it. But very very rarely. Because the Holy Spirit has come forth. And he's got the honor and glory of Jesus laid to his charge. This is what Father said to Jesus. We see Jesus standing on the throne. Hallelujah. He's not a dead lamb. He's really alive. He's standing on the throne. Then Father said to him. Now you sit down son. You've done your bit. Holy Ghost is going to do it all now. Just sit down. Holy Spirit is going to do it all now. Isn't that a marvelous thing. So the Holy Spirit. The Lord Jesus you see is resting. And the Holy Ghost hasn't got through with you. On the major thing in your life. Till you are sitting down and resting. That's the rest. That he speaks of in Hebrews. Please sit down beloved. And don't make such a fuss. The Lord Jesus. He's sitting down. He's not bothering. Glory be to God. Why should he bother? The universe went on even when he died on the cross. He's got nothing to worry about. He applied himself to the root cause of all warfare. Sin. He applied himself on the cross. To be the remedy in the hands of the Holy Ghost. For the destruction of everything that's anti-Christ. Anti-God. In your life. And so he sat down. And the Holy Spirit has come forth. Oh it's so wonderful. It's this that makes old Paul say. We are more than conquerors. The Holy Ghost is the conqueror. I'm more than a conqueror. Yeah. You see. I don't have to conquer anything. Everybody thinks they've got to sort of fight. And get the victory. No you haven't. All you've got to do. Is to accept the position that you sit down. In Christ. You sit down. Let the Holy Ghost do everything. Now that's precious isn't it? Yeah. Let the Holy Ghost do everything. Now that doesn't excuse you for any laziness. Or any wrong approach to life. Or any wrong attitude to anybody. It only means that you adopt the right attitude to yourself. And to the Lord. Sit down. This is lovely. And of course you know where you sit. I don't know whether you've ever realised this. But in the tabernacle. Or the temple of those. There was only one seat. God sat on that. It was called the mercy seat. God sat on it. Everybody else had to stand up. You see. They were slaves. They were servants. Only one seat. Nobody could get at it. That was behind the veil. Nobody had to go in there. Only God sat there. That's all. And er. But you see. Jesus went. And he sat on it. And you'll never rest till you're sitting on it. You see. You'll never rest till you're sitting on it. You sit there. In the holiest of all. That's where you sit. You stop in the holiest of all. You don't go in and come out. You stay in the holiness of holiness. Amen. Are you like that? Sitting down. Resting. In perfect and complete holiness. Are you? You'd better. And if you let the Holy Ghost. Conquer you. As you should. You'll get there. But all the time you keep coming up with your mental conflicts. Inward personality battles. And troubles. That you spread like poison through your family. And everywhere you go. Until you let the Holy Ghost do this beloved in you. What? You'll never sit down. You can talk about positional preaching you know. Sitting down in the heaven. But what's the use of that to me? You can have everybody's head for my sake. Let me have the heart. I want to know this. To sit down. It's glorious to sit down. And rest. Blessed be the name of the Lord. Hope you're there. Last night we were talking about the Holy Ghost. In relationship to gifts. And powers. And ministries. How about the Holy Ghost in this religion? In your life? All right. So the Holy Ghost goes forth first. Before God starts his program. With all the universe. Which it is a cosmic program. That's revealed in this book of the Revelation. Creation. Calvary. Pentecost. All right. Bless God. He misses out all the unimportant parts. Like Kings. Chronicles. And all these things. You know they're not. They're passed over. They have an importance. Bless God for the revelation of it. But God didn't get his bride out of that. And it's the bride that he's concerned about. He didn't get his church. They're taken into consideration. There are provisions made for them. But he's after this great bride of his heart. And from that breaking of the first seal. We may read through the next chapters. I don't think we will. Concerning the breaking of the other seals. Oh they're dreadful. Perhaps we'll just touch on them. He breaks another. He breaks the second seal. Verse 3. Out goes a red horse. Verse 4. Let your eyes run quickly down. I mustn't spend too much time tonight. I want to get on. Peace taken from the earth. People killing one another. And so on. And he opens the third seal. In verse 5. And then he sees a black horse. And this chap. He goes. This one. He goes out. Balances in his hand. And all sorts of talk about a measure of wheat for a penny. Three measures of barley for a penny. See thou hurt not the oil and the wine. Blessed be the name of the Lord. These people don't seem to be suffering from inflation. And he opens the fourth seal. That's good isn't it? And this time. Out goes a pale horse. Death and hell follow him. And there's. Kills. Hunger. Death. Destruction. Fifth seal. In verse 9. Under the altar the souls of them are slain for the word of God. And for the testimony which they held. And all sorts of things. The sixth seal. Verse 12. Earthquake. Sun becomes black as sackcloth of hair. The moon turns to blood. Oh. You're at the end of Joel's prophecy by the time you've got here. In Acts chapter 2. It starts. With the reason why Joel's prophecy was stated. This is that. In Acts 2. On the day of Pentecost. Finishes. With the end of Joel's prophecy. In Acts chapter 2. Now you must really do some Bible reading. About this. The Bible all fits together. When you do it properly. And. It's all so wonderful. And. Blessed be the name of the Lord. From this moment onwards. We see. The old creation. Heading for destruction. All sorts of things happen. I don't know whether you're aware of it. But we're going to get a clue. Now. About that sea. Let's move on shall we. We're going to move on quickly. We're coming to church. Sorry. To chapter 13. And in chapter 13. He's standing upon the sand of the sea. And out of the sea. He sees a beast rise up. My word. Out of the sea. Let's move on again shall we. And in chapter 15. He sees another sign in heaven. Great and marvelous. Seven angels. Having the seven last plagues. For in them is filled up the wrath of God. And I saw as it were. A sea. Of glass. Mingled with fire. And then that had gotten the victory over the beast. And over his image. And over his mark. And over the number of his name. Stand on the sea of glass. Having the hearts of God. Praise the name of the Lord. We're beginning to move on now. Here's this great sea. In front of the throne. He sees it. The throne of course. Is the original throne. Of which there was an adaptation. An application. In the tabernacle. Of old. It was called a mercy city. Later it's told. We're told in Hebrews. It's changed it's name. It's called a throne of grace. There. And this is very very wonderful. Because under the old covenant. They could only deal in mercy. Everybody was a sinner. They had to come and obtain mercy. This is all that the Jews. To this day know. Even if they're very orthodox. They don't know anything about the throne of grace. They only say. They must get mercy. Because they've broken the ten commandments. And so on. And. You know that even in the ark. It was only the second set of ten commandments. Moses smashed the first set. And so God had to give them a second set. Of ten commandments. And that was very very good. And that emphasizes the fact. That Israel. In those old covenant days. Was it's first born. And they always get the double portion. So if they squander the first one. They get the second all right. It's very very marvelous. So far as God is concerned. And the second set of the commandments. Was put in the ark. And God sat on that. And he still dispensed mercy. To sinners. Now that's all that they had. Really. What they did not have. Was what we can have. At the throne of grace. At the throne of grace. We have more than mercy. We can have eternal life. At the throne of grace. We can have complete regeneration. At the throne of grace. And we are to come. And we are to be in this great place. Beloved. We move right on. To the end of the book of the revelation. And in chapter 21. We see a new heaven. And a new earth. The first heaven and the first earth were passed away. And there was no more sea. Amen. The sea is gone now. The sea of glass. Has given way to something much more grand. And it's like this. We better read it together. Let's go right down. It's just the time factor. He's carried away in the spirit still. In verse 10. He sees the great city. The holy Jerusalem. Descending out of heaven from God. Having the glory of God. Her light was like a stone most precious. Even like a jasper stone. Clear as crystal. Boy that's what was said about God. He looked like a jasper. Do you remember that? A jasper stone. And now the city is looking like jasper stone. Clear as crystal. Now this is ever so wonderful beloved. And we. He has a good look at this city. And it says the building of the wall. Verse 18. Was of jasper. This is the very substance of God. And the city was pure gold. Like unto clear glass. Well hallelujah. Look in 21. The street of the city was pure gold. As it were transparent glass. Glory be to God. Now you know that. In line with the throne. Under the old covenant. There was in. In the temple of Solomon. A sea. A sea. Old Moses he just had a labor. When he started in the temple. Of course it had to be carried around. You couldn't carry this great molten sea around. That Solomon made. You couldn't carry a temple around. Which would carry something made of skin. Around. God's very sensible. And he's very practical. As a brother prayed a little earlier. He knows how to adapt himself. That's a tremendous thing. One of the things that grace does. It also enables us to adapt ourselves. And behave ourselves rightly. In all circumstances. And to answer all needs. But. In Solomon's temple. What had been a labor. A little sort of a handle. Or a foot washing bowl. It became a great molten sea. See. Glory be to God. There it is. And it was the labor. Or the sea of regeneration. And right in front of the throne. Was the sea of regeneration. That space reserved in front of the throne. Is for the regenerate. Now. In. Chapter 13. We got a clue. That out of the sea. Which is of course the sea of humanity. There came up this beast. He comes up out of the sea. Now beloved. When you and I. Are brought into the new creation of God. We can only be brought in. Via the labor or sea of regeneration. You and I have got to come up out of the sea. We come up out of the sea of regeneration. Hallelujah. And. There's this great sea in front of God. It's reserved for the regenerate. Reserved for the regenerate. I want you to see. Something else too. This. Gray. City. New Jerusalem. It's like. Transparent glass. Did you notice that. Well the labor. Was made of looking glasses. Not transparent. They were to reflect. The face that looked into it. But transparent glass allows you to see the face that's looking through it. Yes. Amen. Amen. So. We're not beholding in mirrors. A reflected glory here. We're seeing. Everything's transparent. No more a thing to God. It's really God. It's really there. Oh beloved. I wonder if you've learned the lessons of what God is trying to tell us. I wonder if you have. That God is moving on to this new creation state. All the time. Jesus came and died. And rose again. That's what the four living creatures tell us. There's the permanent record of the fact that our blessed Lord Jesus became a man. What a tremendous thing that is. They all finish up by telling us he was the lamb. Because they all finish up at Calvary. The sacrificed lamb. So in the midst of the living creatures there appears the lamb. Is that right? Isn't the Bible wonderful? It's all so simple really. There's nothing difficult. Not when you dare the Lord to get hold of your heart and show you truth. You see. And there's the permanent record of that. But oh beloved. The great purpose of it was this. That having ascended to there. God should move on to his great plan. And on the day of Pentecost it was initiated. Alright. God initiated his great plan. Regeneration. Regeneration. By the baptism into the labour of regeneration. Which contains the cross. As far as we're concerned. We're baptized and immersed into that which utterly destroys the old. We're immersed into that which kills it all. Stops it dead. Amen. That's it. Hallelujah. There's no hangover. There's no bringing over anything. Not the old. Into this great regeneration. Blessed be the name of the Lord. The Holy Ghost. He's come forth to see to this. And it's such a wonderful thing beloved. And you will find. I can't work it all out for you tonight. But I'll give you some lead. I hope in this book for your reading. And you'll find that finally. These people that stand on the sea of glass. It's brought up to those who've come through great tribulation. Those who lost their lives for the Lord. Glory that the sea is shot through with fire. You're not to think it strange. Concerning the fiery trial which is to try you. As though some strange thing happened to you. And here we all get some fiery trial. It's all going to culminate up in tremendous tribulation. Some think it's very near. Some think it can't take place yet. It doesn't matter whether you call yourself a historicist. Or whether you call yourself a futurist. Or whether you call yourself a national historicist. A millennialist. Or an amillennialist. Or what. It doesn't matter much about that. If you don't know these theories. I shouldn't bother. You only be sure that you're in this great regeneration. Now this is the thing you've got to pay attention to. And the Lord finally. You see his people standing on this great sea. Now on the earth. Out of the sea of humanity. All this time has been coming up. Beasts. There's been famine. Warfare. Oh. Terrible things happening on the earth. And it's in this old creation. Whilst the old creation is running out it's course. And degenerating. And getting worse. In wars, famines, pestilences. Hell. Death. Destructions. Sicknesses. Plagues. All sorts of things. Glory be to God. This is his genius. This is his greatest glory really. He's getting a new creation. The Holy Ghost. And they're running together. You've got the new creation now. And the old creation running together. The new creation now is not of heaven and earth. It is not of the powers of earth. Of the politics of earth. Don't be a great revisionist and don't join any of these groups that are going to put the earth right. If they can't put the earth right. It's doomed. The church getting mixed up in politics is absolutely crazy. So therefore the sort of Romish church which wants to combine state and church is absolutely as wide of the mark as you can ever find. She's the woman in red. And she's called Babylon. And she's flirted with all the kings of the earth. It says, you must read this book of the Revelation. We can't have any of this ecumenism. We can't have any of that. Hallelujah. There's a new creation. We're in this. We belong to the church. You and I are not to meddle with the things that the merchants of the earth meddle with. We're not to do any of this. They're trafficking souls we're told. That's what we're told in the book of the Revelation. They're trafficking in souls. Dreadful thing. You and I are to see that whilst the earth is running its course. And it's destroying itself. It appears, blessed be the name, the Lord is regenerating a people. He's got another sea. It's called the sea of regeneration. It's really the sea of the life that was in the person of Jesus Christ. Did you see that? It's really the sea of the life that was in his blood. That was shed at Calvary. A great sea. It's the eternal sea. It's the sea of the eternal life of God. Praise God. That's what you'll be immersed in. Don't get too worried about water. Get baptized. Don't mistake me. But this is the tremendous thing you'll see. You see, when God brought the old creation up out of the water, how did he bring it up? Listen. It was there under the sea. And when it came up, what was it in? Spirit. The Spirit of God was moving over the water. This is the type of the baptism. Regeneration. It was the new creation then. It's old now. It was the new covenant when God made the covenant with Israel. It's the old covenant now. We've got a new covenant in Christ. Don't you see that? Yes, that's right. Amen. And this is so tremendous. And this blessed creation. Oh, hallelujah. It's being immersed. And you can only get in by the cross. No way into that life of Jesus Christ save at the point where he laid it down. It's the only way in. And you're baptized into this glorious thing of God. And whilst on earth, whilst God is moving in this great destruction. He's running down the ages. It's finishing its course. Blessed be the Lord. Strikes and fights and filth. I don't know what. He's bringing out his great new creation. And we are just beholding his inner glass in this mirror. The glory of the Lord, you see. Our faces are all unveiled and we're changed from glory to glory. That's a marvelous thing. But when we finally get there, it's all transparency. We'll see him as he is now. We won't see him in reflection. You see, we won't see him in figures and in forms and in suggestions and in shadows and in types. We won't see that. We'll see him as he is. And we'll see him as he is because we have had imparted to us the very substance of God. Which is spirit. The substance of God is spirit. And we've had imparted to us the nature of God, which is love. And we've had imparted to us the disposition of God, which is holiness. And we've brought him, been brought into the everlasting covenant of God, which he made in the blood of his son to give us his nature. Oh, this is all so glorious-blooded. Have you seen this? Do you know what it's all about? And that's why, you see, you've got... I've read of certain seas in the book of the Revelation. And it says in the book of Revelation, chapter 21, I saw a new heaven and a new earth. The first earth to pass away and there was no more sea. It had done its work. There's not going to be any more generation. Not when he's generated the new heavens and the new earth. Then the generating medium, if you like, that which God used, is going to be done away. Blessed be the name of the Lord. All seas, when you see, you go down to your sea on your legs or in ships, I don't care which way you go, down here, up, or on wheels, I don't know quite. If you're too tired or lazy to walk. Beloved, always remember, it speaks to you of God. He made the sea also. And it speaks to you of this great, high, linked, deep, grid of eternal life. Into which God has plunged you. Have you been plunged in? Or are you one of these people that just want to keep sticking your toes in? Going back because it's cold. Or it's too rough. Hallelujah. Oh, what a baptism. What an immersion. Hallelujah. Now come up out of it and stand on the sea of glass with you. Hallelujah. You see, the Lord had a terrible job with us. He got some disciples once in a boat. And though he didn't push the boat out, he did really in spirit. And when they got out, and then he went up in the mountains. They were struggling with the sea, he was desperate. Everything was contrary, everything was wrong. And so he comes down off the mountain. He starts to walk across the sea. And old Peter says, it's thou. You've come to be on the water. So he said, come. And he actually taught Peter to stand on the sea and walk on the sea. But then he got his eyes off the I am. Because this is literally what the Lord said. When they said, he said, be of good cheer. What did he say? But really he said, be of good cheer. I am. So he had come down from the mountain. I am had come down. Yeah, that's right. Come on, he said you can walk on the sea. You can stand on the sea Peter. Just a little fleeting glimpse of what he was getting at. Peter sinks. Save me Lord. So the Lord picked him up and put him in the boat. But he had a lesson. Have you heard it? Do you stand on the sea where he is? I am. Glory be to God. Bringing us to eternal consciousness. In the life of God. Stand there. Blessed be his name. Now this is what God's after. The sea's done away you see. And oh how glorious this is. But he leaves a lake. He does away with seas and leaves a lake. And you find the lake in chapter 19. I saw the beast. Verse 19. And the kings of the earth that played around with the whore. The great woman in scarlet. And their armies gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse. And against his army. And the beast was taken. And with him the false prophet. That wrought miracles before him. You see that don't you? With him he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast. Them that worshipped his image. Both were cast alive into a lake of fire. Burning with brimstone. That's the beast and the false prophet. They are thrown into a lake. Alright. End of chapter 20. I saw a great white throne. Verse 11. And him that sat on it. From whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for him. And I saw the dead small and great stand before God. And the books were opened. And another book was opened. Which is the book of life. And the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books. According to their works. They weren't judged according to the tale they told. The things that were written in the books. 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. Hell there being Hades. The place of departed spirits. From which many spirits erupt onto the earth in these days. Through mediums. And all kinds of media. They were cast into the lake of fire. That will stop all mediumistic spirit activity. Glory be to the name of the Lord. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life. Was cast into the lake of fire. Amen. No more sea. He goes on to say in the next verse. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Blessed be the name of the Lord. Beloved. Are you having anything to do with lakes and seas? Where do you stand in all this? Praise God. The sea heads up at last. As the grey crystal city. The water apparently crystallizes. It's crystal clear. The Lord does it absolutely tremendously. I don't know how he does it. I only know in verse 11 of chapter 21. That this city has the glory of God. Has it. And her light was like unto a stone. Most precious to him. Even like a jasper stone. Clear as crystal. Blessed be the name of the Lord. You can't go wrong about this. Look. It says the wall of the city. Verse 12. 14. Had twelve foundations. In them was the name of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. Now you can see who she is. The church is built upon the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. You can see who she is. That's why it says the holy city. Verse 2. New Jerusalem comes down from God out of heaven. She's prepared as a bride. Adorned for her husband. Hallelujah. She's not just clothed in white. She's transparent. She's clear. Absolutely clear. Are you clear? Clear? Glory. You've got to be clear. As crystal. You've not just got to be precious. You've got to be most precious. You know. You can be most precious. You will be most precious. If Jesus is more precious to you. Than anyone else in the world. And you show that he's more precious to you. In your response to him. And in your desire to be all he wants you to be. Not bothered. Personally. To be all that anybody else wants you to be. But you to be to Jesus what he wants you to be. That's right. Hallelujah. And he wants you to be this. Hallelujah. He wants you to have a place and to fit in. To the new creation in a special way. This is what he's after. Blessed be the name of the Lord. The new creation. When all this old earth is going to be burned up. I sometimes wonder. If it's going to really constitute the lake of fire. When the elements are going to meet with fervent heat. And everybody that's lived for the earth. And lived for the world. Will spend their eternity in it. I wonder. But not quite as they want it. I sometimes wonder. You needn't choose. All the elements are going to melt with fervent heat. You know this great talk about atomic energy. Don't you? That's right. I wonder if this is going to constitute the lake of fire. That's where all the sin was. That's where devil and dragon and serpent. That's where you went. You invaded the earth. Didn't you? That's where you're going to spend your eternity. False prophet. You. You're going to be there too. Why? It's going to be terrible. It really is. It's so horrific that I seldom like to think about it. I don't try to understand it. I only know. That God says it's going to be there. Amen. And how about you and I? Well, beloved. The spirit and the bride have discovered the secret. I hope you've discovered the secret. In place of the sea. In the chapter 22. You find the pure river of water of life. Clear as crystal. Proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of New Jerusalem. That's it. Hallelujah. There it is. They've discovered the source of the water. That fed the sea. Hallelujah. It flows to among the throne. Blessed be the name of the Lord. There it is. And it's flowing down the golden street. And the spirit and the bride have really learned the secret. For they say this. Verse 17. They say, come. Let him that's herein say, come. And let him that's athirst come. Amen. Everybody that hears doesn't say, come. But if you really hear. You see, I just thought that the inflection of my voice, it changed the whole thing, didn't it? You've got to read the Bible with understanding. The spirit and the bride say, come. Let him that's herein say, come. He's calling me. Let him that's athirst come. Drink. Can I go and drink? Can I go and drink? Is he calling me? Yes, he's calling you. You can go and drink. You see, we've discovered the secret, beloved. You can take of the water of life free. Absolutely. You can drink so much that your inward man is saturated with it. And it runs out of your inward man, or barely as Jesus said, like it runs out from under the throne. That's what God intends. To be so filled with this living water. Glory be to God. Now. Oh. If you've never drunk, you've got to come and drink. But it's only for the thirsty. All the time you're thirsting for the things of the world. It's ways. It's gifts. It's presents. It's accolades. It's crowns. And so on and so on and so on. You won't drink. You won't drink at all. Because you're thirsty for the wrong things. What is that book says? There's no thirsting for the things of the world. They've taken wings. Long ago I gave them up. And instantly all my night was turned to day. All my burdens rolled away. I think the hymn writer's optimistic. But never mind. As long as you sing with understanding, you'll be all right. But. That's why I like John Wesley. He's more realistic. Charles Wesley and his writings. But never mind. We understand what the writer is saying. Blessed be the name of the Lord. I tell you what I found. I found I didn't have to give up anything. I found they gave me up. You know. That's right. That's what I found. I don't know about you. Everybody's trying to give up things. Are they? Come and drink. He says. Come and drink. Now beloved then. We've seen God's program working out. Through the book of the Revelation. But you will know that beyond the reference to the opening chapters. I left them alone. John starts off by seeing the seven golden candlesticks. He sees the Lord standing in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks. In Revelation chapter one. The mystery of the seven stars. Says the Lord Jesus. In verse twenty of chapter one. And listen to what he says. In verse nineteen. Write these things. Write them. People in Worthing need to know. Write them. All right. The mystery. That everybody needs to know. Of the seven stars. Which thou sawest in my right hand. And the seven golden candlesticks. Or lamps then. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches. And the seven candlesticks which thou sawest. Are the seven churches. So you must know ladies. Why you must keep your heads covered. Because of the angels. All right. Blessed be the name of the Lord. It has other references than this. But that should be sufficient for you. And uh. Oh it's so tremendous. Glory be to the name of the Lord. The angels have to move in subjection and submission to God. All the time. And they expect us all to move in subjection and submission. Humble. Lowly. Thirst. Saying Lord I'm just thirsty to drink in what you say. Lord just pour it in. This Holy Ghost has come for conquering and to conquer. If he's going to wrestle with you about things like this beloved. How in the world would you expect to prosper in the things of God. Best thing you can do is put an arrow in his bow and kill you I think. Slay you a bit. That's what I think the best thing the Holy Ghost can do in all of us. So that there's no. None of this sort of. Pettiness and tantrums and. And. Thinking up some odd idea and some peculiar thing in order to justify yourself in rebellion. See that spirit's always the wrong spirit. The real spirit is oh Lord anything you say I don't care. Glory be to God. Oh but Lord it's the 20th century. Well don't think he knew that. We have our hairstyles different now. Yeah well thank you for telling me. Good job God's not sarcastic isn't he. We dress differently. Yeah I know. Sometimes dress is like gifts. Partial. The Lord wants us to move in reality. He wants a precious bride. He wants a people that don't go in just to be like you want the Jesus. Tell me why do brides on their wedding day. Wear the best dress they've ever can conceive. Why do they wear white. Why is it a long flowing robe. Why is it you can't see their feet. Leave alone their thighs. Why is it. Because they want to be. What have they think we are bride grooms. You ask yourself a question. If you'd only be sane. If you'd only see what tradition has taught us. Not that the tradition is the thing. It's the thing that's behind the tradition. But we can't see that. We get caught up with the traditions. We get caught up with the symbols. You know we get caught up with baptism in water which is a symbol. We get caught up with bread and wine. Which are only symbols. We argue about them. Somebody calls it Eucharist. Somebody calls it the mass. Somebody calls it fighting like anything about bread or wafers or wines. Yeah it's right you see. They argue about whether you should be dipped or have it poured on you. Water, water, water. They argue about white dresses. What's behind it. How long dresses should be. And how well head should be covered. And how properly men should do this. And well I mean don't you see what it's all about. You do see what it's all about don't you. Have you really been baptized in the cross. Have you really been baptized there. Have you. You better know it. Because that's the only way into regeneration. When you've been baptized there beloved. You're finished. All your ideas are gone. You're as empty headed as an eggshell. When God gets you there. That's what God wants. Hallelujah. He wants us to move. And we are to see what the Lord is after in our lives. And I think I'm going to soon finish anyway in this great truth. When you read through this you see the new creation as it is now. You see the seven churches. You know that seven is the mystic number of perfection. In the Bible. And so God is showing this thing to perfection. You can see the whole lot. And this is how it finishes up. Terrible isn't it. Hallelujah. I'm looking in chapter three. I know verse fifteen. And perhaps we ought to see. That the chapter fourteen ends up with these words. The creation of God. I know thy works. That thou art neither cold nor hot. I would that thou wert cold or hot. So then. Because thou art lukewarm. And neither cold nor hot. I'll spew thee out of my mouth. I detest the taste of you. You make me feel sick. Terrible isn't it. Absolutely terrible. Praise God for this. God likes us either cold or hot. He wants us hot. But he likes to start off with us cold. Amen. None of this lukewarm stuff. He starts off with us dead cold. I mean dead cold. Cold dead. Amen. And then he regenerates us into glorious hot life. Amen. Oh praise God. That's why the fire was on their heads on the day of Pentecost. They were hot. Burning with lust. Clear devotion. Burning hot for Jesus. Blessed be the name of the Lord. That's it. And when we're moving in this. This means that my life is utterly sacrificed to God. It's a whole burnt offering to God. Now when you're a whole burnt offering beloved. I never heard of a whole burnt offering murmuring and muttering and moaning did you? Did you? This is what I think. That's what I think. Mumbling and grumbling. Objections and so on and so on and so on. What do you think of the world? Who ever heard of a whole burnt offering discussing this new idea and that new fashion? And this new party? Who ever heard of that? Did you ever hear of a whole burnt offering discussing anything? So far as I can see the whole burnt offering was glad to get out of its skin. Am I right or not? You read Leviticus chapter 1. Blessed be the name of the Lord. What's the skin used for then? To fill up with new wine. Everything that's inside it offered to God. It's a marvelous thing that God is showing us. If we're ready to be taught by the Lord. And he doesn't put new wine in old wine skins. So you'd better be freshly offered and freshly skinned. And the Lord will keep filling you with his wonderful wine. And the wine you know beloved is always the wedding feast. This was the first miracle he did. The thing that speaks of the wedding. Hallelujah. In his heart. Praise God. This is what he thinks of you. He's always on bridegroom level. Always. Always. First miracle. Wine. Is that right? Turns water into wine. I won't comment on that. But I know that water is connected with seed. He turns water into wine. By the Holy Ghost. And the Lord wants us to see the wonderful truth beloved. He doesn't want to have a spirit out of it. You ought to run through these second or third chapters of the book of the Revelation. He's only got the bride here in his heart. And that's what he wants. And as you beloved and I in the new creation are to be the glory and the life and the most precious thing that God has in the new creation. When he's really brought the regeneration into solid and eternal view. So now as the church on earth we are to be light. We are to have the glory of the Lord in us. And this can only be as we are in a state as spoken of in verse 4 of chapter 2 of first love. We've got to be in a state of first love. Amen. Glory. Is it possible to hold a state of first love? Is it possible to be as deeply in love with Jesus now as you were 10 years ago if it was then that you were really born again? Listen beloved. This is really the deepest test. The greatest test of our new life. Do we love Jesus now with the same first quality, first grade love that we had at the beginning? See he writes the letter since he says that I'm the beginning of the creation of God. See he came down into the church and said my love, my love thou art all fair my love. No spot in thee. And she said let's go over there. There I will give thee my love. It's all so wonderful. This is the one. Now I notice here he says you, let's spew you out of my mouth. I can't bear you. As fancy as Jesus talking like that. Fancy. It would be horrible if it was you wouldn't it? See we've got to love him. It's got to be love. It's got to be first love. Praise God I was talking with somebody out in India. And she said she'd been along to a church. And she was very very upset in this church. And I wanted to know why. She was a missionary in America. Well she said he preached a sermon on Revelation 2. A canned sermon. A real American expression is a canned sermon. And about no we all sort of got, we were all sort of condemned. Because everybody had left their first love you see. So she said and I went up to him afterwards and I said. Do you know that's not true what you were speaking this morning. She said some of us are loving Jesus now more than we've ever loved him in our lives. You see. And he hummed and aahed and he didn't quite know what to say. She said yeah you're preaching a canned sermon. He said yes that's all I know to preach on that section. Yeah a canned sermon she said. Beware of preaching canned sermons. Sermons have got the flow out of you like living water down the golden street. That's how preaching has to be done. Something out of your living experience. Something that's real. Nothing that can be taught you in a college. Nothing. Nothing. Only that which is gloriously flowing from God.