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The 7th. Seal and the Marriage
Rev.12 Woman is already married, because she is with child
"There appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars: And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered. (Rev 12:1-3)
1. She is to take place in the future. ("Hereafter")
a. The Book of Revelation is divided into three divisions. The things which John saw, the things
which were, and the things which shall be hereafter. (Rev.1:19)
b. After chapter four, are the things that are "hereafter." (Rev.4-22) Everything within these
chapters do not belong before John. How then can the Rev.12 Woman be Mary that brings
forth Jesus? Mary was over 100 years, BEFORE John.
2. A woman is always a Church. (True or false)
a. Jesus is the Bridegroom (Matt.9:15) therefore the Church is the Bride (Eph.5:21-33). God's
pattern for marriage is between a man and a woman. (Gen.2:18-25)
b. God was a husband (Jer.3:32) to the "Church in the wilderness" (Acts.7:38) under the Old
Covenant
c. God said, Judah's unfaithfulness was playing a harlot woman. (Jer.3:6-10)
3. She is a godly woman with child, making her a married woman
a. God's Word calls for marriage first, then children. This is why Joseph was going to put Mary
away "privily" because she was with child and they were not married yet. (Matt.1:18-19,
Deut.24:1) Note: Mary and Joseph were married before she brought her firstborn son.
b. Note: This is why the Jews accused Jesus of being born of fornication, because God's Word
requires marriage before children. They were accusing Him of being a "bastard" (illegitimate
son) and not allowed in the congregation. (Deut.23:2, Heb.12:6-8)
4. The only future married Church is the Bride of Christ.
a. There is a future marriage for the only begotten Son. (Matt.22:1-14, Luke.14:16, Rev.19:1-9)
b. The apostle Paul spoke of the Church being presented as a "chaste virgin" (2Cor.11:3) unto
Christ the Bridegroom.(Matt.9:15, (Eph.5:21-33, Note: v.25)
5. In order for the Church to be married to Jesus, she must be clean and holy,
just like Jesus
a. Or else she would be unequally yoked. God cannot "deny" His own word. (2Tim.2:13,
Heb.6:13-20)
b. God's Word does say "we will be like Him." (1John.3:2)
c. We are to conformed to the "image of His Son." (Rom.8:29, 2Cor.3:18)
d. Paul told the Ephesus, that Jesus "gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some,
evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of
the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and
of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, (1Cor.13:9-12) unto the measure of
the stature of the fullness of Christ: (Eph.4:11-16)
6. Some think this will happen in the "twinkling of an eye."
a. The "twinkling of an eye" is only speaking of our mortal bodies putting on immortality.
(1Cor.15:1-58)
b. The context is the bodily resurrection. (1Cor.15:1-58)
- Christ rose again bodily from the grave. (1Cor.15:1-7)
- Christ rose from the dead. (1Cor.15:12)
- "if there be no resurrection of the dead." (1Cor.15:13)
- "if Christ be not risen..." (1Cor.15:14)
- "we are found false witnesses...because we have testified of God that He raised
up Christ." (1Cor.15:15)
- "if the dead rise not." (1Cor.15:16)
- "And if Christ be not raised (bodily) your faith is vain..." (1Cor.15:17)
- " now Christ is risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept." (dead)
- "How are the the dead raised..." (1Cor.15:35-43) Paul continues to explain how the dead
are raised and what body they have.
- "Behold, I shew you a mystery; we shall not all sleep (die) but we shall be
changed. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye... " (1Cor.15:51-52, 1 Thes.4:13-18)
Note: The "twinkling of an eye" has nothing to do with coming to the full stature of the man
Christ Jesus, (Eph.4:11-16) or having all our spots and blemishes removed before marriage.
(Eph.5:21-33)
7. The only event, in the order of events, before Rev.12 that pertains to the Church
becoming like Jesus is the seventh seal. (Rev.8:1-4)
a. This angel is functioning in the Tabernacle / Temple. because he is standing at the
altar, (Rev.8:3, Exod.27:1-8) having a golden censer. (Rev.8:3, Heb.9:4) and there was
given unto him much incense that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints. (Rev.8:3,
Exod.30:1-10, Lev.16:12-13) upon the golden altar. (Rev.8:3, Exod.30:1-10)
b. What Tabernacle was John seeing? There had been no "earthly" Tabernacle of
Moses since the dedication of Solomon Temple. (2Chron.5:1-5) The Tabernacle had long
gone, and the Temple had been destroyed 70 A.D. John was seeing what Moses saw on
the Mount. (Heb.8:5; 9:1-26) He was seeing the "true" tabernacle / Temple (Rev.8:1-4,
Heb.8:1-5; 9:1-26. Eph.1:3; 2:6, Col.3:1-2) which was foreshadowed by the Tabernacle of
Moses. (Heb.8:1-5; 9:1-26; 10:1)
c. What was this angel doing? (Rev.8:1-4) This angel was doing what only the high
priest was qualified to do on "the day" of atonement. (Lev.16:12-13) The only one
qualified as High Priest in the "true" tabernacle, is The Lord Jesus Christ. (Heb.2:17;
3:1; 4:14-16; 7:22-28; 9:1-26) He is the reality (the completion, fulfillment) of the Levitical
high priest.
e. The day of atonement (Lev.16:1-33) was when Israel as a "Nation" (Lev.16:30) and
the "Sanctuary" Dan.8:14,26-27) was collectively cleansed of sin for the entire year.
This foreshadows the future cleansing (1Peter.4:17, Matt.13:24-30, 36-43) of the Church.
(the Holy Nation -1Peter.2:9 / the "Sanctuary" Eph.2:20-22, Peter.2:5) As Aaron
represented (Exod.28:1-5) the "church in the wilderness" (Acts.7:38) and cleansed
the "holy nation" (Exod.19:6) from all their sins "once a year," (Heb.9:7) Jesus, our High
Priest (Heb.3:1) will cleanse the "holy nation" (the Church 1Peter.2:5-9) of "all" sin qualifying
her to be "presented" (Eph.5:27, 33, Gen.2:22, 1Cor.15:45, 2Cor.11:3) as His Bride.
Note: At this present we (the Church) is being "built up a spiritual house" (Temple,
Sanctuary Matt.16:18, 1Peter.2:5, Eph.2:20-22) When the building is finished, then God
cleanse it and filled it with His Glory as He foreshadowed in the dedication of Solomon's
Temple. (2Chron.5:1-14, Haggai.1:9, Isa.2:1-2 /1Kings.10:24)
f. Why does the Church need to be cleansed? The Church needs to be cleansed because
of the sin (leaven Exod.12:15, 1Cor.5:7-8, Col.2:6-8) that we have allowed to creep (Jude.1:1-
12) back into our house. (1Tim.3:15) Christ cannot marry the Church today, because He
would be unequally yoked, (2Cor.6:14-18) and deny His own Word. (2Tim.3:13)
Note: Remember, being changed in the "twinkling of an eye" does not cleanse us from sin
and make us equally yoked with Christ in Marriage. (Review #6) The Church is not ready to
be married. There must come a major skaking and cleansing to make us ready!
Look at the "blueprint" (The type, example, ensample, figure, shadow) 1Cor.10:11
- Israel had been set free by the blood of the Passover Lamb. (Exod.12:1-15) We have
been set free from the bondage of sin through Christ our Passover. (2Cor.5:7-8)
- Throughout their calendar year they offered blood sacrifice for sin committed. (Lev.1-5)
Throughout our journey with the Lord, provision has been made for us "If we confess our
sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins," (1John.1:9; 2:1) "and the blood of Jesus
Christ...cleanseth us from all sin." (1John.1:7) Note: Chart below.
- Then, once a year the "sanctuary" was cleansed because of the sins of the cleective
Nation. This is 'the day" of atonement that the writer of Hebrews was speaking of.
(Heb.10:25, Col.2:16-17, Heb.10:1
- There is a "sanctuary" (Temple, House) being built. This "sanctuary" is the Church,
The Bride the Lamb's wife.
Note: This day of atonement was the "center-piece" of the Feast of Tabernacles.
(Lev.23:23-44)
e. The Feast of Tabernacles was last of the three feasts that the "Church in the wilderness"
celebrated every year. (Lev.23:1-44) The apostle Paul interpreted these feasts days (holy
days, festival days) to be "shadows" (models, types) of "good things to come." (Col.2:16-17,
1Cor.5:7-8)
- Passover (also called "unleavened bread") was fulfilled at the Cross, for Christ our
Passover is sacrificed for us. (Exod.12:1-15, Lev.23:4-14, 1Cor.5:7-8)
- Pentecost (also called the Feast of "Harvest," or "Weeks") was fulfilled on the Day of
Pentecost. Pentecost means, fifty, or the feast 50 days after Passover. (Exod.23:16,
Lev.23:15-22, Acts.2:1)
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- Tabernacles (also called the Feast of "Booths" or "ingathering" Exod.23:16, Lev.23:23-
44) has not been fulfilled and is yet ahead of the Church! It will be fulfilled at the
opening of the 7th. seal. (Rev.8:1-4) This 7th. seal is "things not as seen yet" (Heb.11:7,
Matt.24:37-38) This 7th. seal must be "hereafter' (i.e. future Rev.4:1)
