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Voice Of Prophecy

H.M.S. Richards

Three Last Things in the Last Chapter of the Holy Bible

Richards, and his subject today, 3 Last Things in the Last Chapter of the Holy Bible.

Our subject is important, 1 of the most important we could possibly give over the radio.

I want to talk about the 3 last things mentioned in the last chapter of the Bible.

The Lord quoted them 3 times in this last chapter, and he's spoken of them many times in the scripture before.

It would be good for us to read from that last chapter just 3 or 4 verses, verse 17 to 22, or 21 would be enough.

And the Spirit and the Bride say, come, the Holy Spirit and the Bride is the church.

And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book.

If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book.

And if any man shall take away from the words of the prophecy of this book, God shall take away his part out of the book of life and out of the holy city and from the things which are written in this book.

He which testifies these things, that's Jesus, saith, surely I come quickly.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.

It's my conviction that we're living in the latter days of human history, what the Bible calls the last days.

Someday the very last day itself will come.

I believe it would be a very wise thing for everyone listening right now to read the whole book of Revelation from beginning to end as soon as possible.

Has only 22 short chapters, probably some things you do not understand at first, but we can all understand these words I've just read.

When you read the book of Revelation, remember you're reading the last book in the Bible, written especially for the last generation on earth.

When you finish reading, even the first time, you'll feel more solemn than you've ever felt before because God's Holy Spirit will impress you that these words are particularly for you and for all people of our age and our time.

You'll notice 1 thing that's made very important in these last verses, that is the subject of the second coming of Christ to this earth.

Naturally, We get nearer the end of this age.

We're nearer and nearer to the second coming of Christ.

This age is going to end with his second coming.

Nobody doubts that that's read anything at all.

He was born in a little town called Bethlehem in the Holy Land, carried on his ministry in that land for the first 3 and a half years of his life, his ministerial life, and then he was crucified by his enemies, and most of them didn't know what they were doing.

Had they really known, many never would have done it.

For here's what the Apostle Paul says about it in 1 Corinthians 2, 7.

But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the world unto our glory, which None of the princes of this world knew, for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

Before Jesus actually came to this world, his birth, the town where he was born, the work he was to do, his death and resurrection were all prophesied.

It's surely a strong indication that before he comes a second time, there will also be prophecies concerning the event.

The prophecies of his first coming were fulfilled literally.

Why not the prophecies of his second coming?

There are solemn words here in the book of Revelation.

As Jesus was crucified on the cross, our Savior's mother was watching him there, watching him die.

And Jesus gave his mother to John as a precious gift for John to take care of her.

He had no insurance except the love of his followers.

And John took her as his legacy and cared for her the rest of her life.

Because John was a strong preacher of the words of the Bible, beholding Jesus Christ as a sin-pardoning Savior, as a fulfiller of prophecy for his faith and his preaching of the Word of God.

The Apostle John was exiled by the Roman Emperor Domitian to the lonely island of Patmos.

Though the enemies of Christ's servants could exile him there, away from his family and his church and his work, they couldn't keep him away from the presence of the Lord.

On that lonely island, the wonderful messages contained in the book of Revelation were given to him in holy vision.

The last words of this wonderful book, which truly is a revelation of Jesus Christ from 1 who loved him much, are the words that we have just read.

It's believed that this was about 94, 95 AD.

The Apostle John would be an old man by this time.

Upon the death of Domitian, Nerva became the new emperor, and all political prisoners were freed, including John, who returned to Ephesus on the mainland where his home was.

Remember, while on the Isle of Patmos as an exile, John received the vision contained in this unique book, the book of Revelation.

It's been my privilege, along with others, to pray more than once in the very grotto which is still shown today as the place where the holy apostle John lived and wrote his book.

Now notice these 3 important things mentioned in this last part of the chapter.

First, the last invitation given in the Word of God.

How wonderful it was that God would put an invitation to receive salvation right in the last part of the last book, in fact, the last chapter, in the last words.

No 1 could ever say, well, I never had an opportunity to hear.

No 1 who ever read the Bible would ever have any reason to blame God for never hearing or having an invitation to come to Christ.

And the Spirit, that's the Holy Spirit, and the bride, that's the church, say, Come.

And let him that hears say, come, and let him that's a thirst come.

Then to make sure everyone that hears receives the invitation to come, the Lord sums it all up and says, whosoever will, who wants to be saved, come, and let him take the water of life freely.

If you have a good concordance, say maybe Walker's comprehensive concordance to the Holy Scriptures, which by the way, I consider the best text finder there is, and see how many times you can find the word come in Scripture.

Remember the words of God to Noah just before the flood that destroyed the world.

He said, Come, and all your house into the ark, Genesis 7, 1.

Then in Isaiah 1, 18 is a wonderful invitation.

Come now, let us reason together, saith the Lord.

Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.

And remember those wonderful words in Matthew 11, 28, the words of Jesus, come unto me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

When Jesus was crucified, just before his crucifixion, in fact, in his own prayer there on the 17th of John, he said to his own father, Father, I will, that they all whom thou hast given me be with me where I am.

When he comes a second time, he's going to take all the children of God away from this earth.

It takes place at the second coming of Christ.

The righteous dead will be raised from the dead.

If you're a believer, you'll be taken home with him.

First Thessalonians 4, 15, this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not precede those which are asleep, those who are dead.

For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, with the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first.

Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.

And so, that means in this way, shall we ever be with the Lord.

If you expect to be with the Lord, you can only go with Him when He comes a second time.

And we're told to comfort 1 another with these words.

Now Christ is coming to take his people home.

And the Holy Spirit says in order to get ready for him to come, for us to come to him now by faith.

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Three Last Things in the Last Chapter of the Holy Bible

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