THE CELEBRATION OF PENTECOST IN HEAVEN?
(THE WHITE HORSE OF THE FIRST SEAL; PART 3)
Hello all Doves!!
This part of my study is presented as an overview of the scenes in heaven described by John, in Revelation chapters 4 and 5, and how it relates to the opening of the seals in chapter 6.
The conclusion that I have come to has taken years to formulate, and seems like a pearl born out of the tribulation of not understanding these chapters of Revelation, and the truths that the Holy Spirit has been laying on my heart. I have always had trouble seeing the rapture taking place before Christ had ascended to heaven. When you read the verses, you have to wonder why Christ has to be located, and becomes worthy to open the seals.
I feel I have found the answer, at least for myself, in the discovery that the rider on the White horse of the first seal is the Holy Spirit. Once I understood that, and researched that possibility, everything else began to fall into place. Once I had been shown, in the Spirit, this possibility, the more it was put on my heart to share this.I have been consumed with studying the Holy Spirit and how all this relates to the Bride and the Seals and what is happening this time of year near Pentecost, and so many signs pointing to our departure. I was able to find one study that spoke about Pentecost in heaven, but, the author did not see the first seal rider as the Holy Spirit.
In truth, I have not found any studies that see it the way that I do; but, there are many good studies out there that see the white horse as other than the Antichrist. At this point, I am relying of the best source I have, the Holy Spirit, to show me the way. Therefore I will quote from only a small part of this study to explain how I see what is happening in heaven in these chapters of Revelation:
Inauguration of Christ’s Ministry in Revelation
Some scholars see the inauguration of Christ’s ministry in the heavenly sanctuary in the throne scenes of Revelation 4 and 5. The scenes in a sense are a celebration of Pentecost in heaven, which results in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on earth.Christ, the Lamb that "had been slain" (Rev 5:6), is welcomed back to heaven by four living creatures, twenty-four elders, and myriads of angels who praise Him, saying: "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!" (Rev 5:12). The immediate result of the Lamb’s sacrifice is intercession (Rev 5:8) and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit represented by the "seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth" (Rev 5:6).
In his book A Rebirth of Images: The Making of St. John’s Apocalypse, Austin Farrer sees in the vision of the throne (Rev 4-5) a description of the feast of Pentecost: "The Christian Pentecost which St. John describes took place in heaven, but had its effect on earth.
The Lamb, by virtue of the sevenfold Spirit which is his seven horns of strength, his seven eyes of knowledge, opened all revelation, and when the day of Pentecost was fully come, he poured it on his servants in prophetic Spirit.
The Pentecostal gift is constantly renewed, as in this ‘apocalypse of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to shew his servants what must quickly be, and which he signified by the message of his angel to his servant John.’ Yet the first Pentecost is not cast into the shade by such renewals, but kept all the more foremost in mind."
This interpretation of the vision of God’s throne (Rev 4-5) as cast in the setting of the Feast of Pentecost suggests that at the time of John’s writing (about A. D. 90-100), the feast played a significant role in the liturgical life of the church, especially since the book of Revelation was used in the liturgy of the church. Farrer continues noting the connection between the imageries of Passover and Pentecost in the vision of the throne: "It is the Christ of the Passover, the paschal Lamb ‘standing as slaughtered,’ who by his sacrificial merit has attained to take the book and loose the seven seals thereof.
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Back to the White Horse and its rider; Christ begins to open the seals of earth’s redemption, as soon as He ascends to the Father. This is not a future event!! He fulfilled the Work of He who sent Him (“ IT IS FINISHED!”) and now He is sending another (the HOLY SPIRIT COMFORTER) to enable His children to run the race and to claim the same victory over Hell and Death. (I would like to note here, that I see the pale green horse(s) of the 4th seal as being the Antichrist, (Death) and the False Prophet, (Hell)…but that is another study.)
The LAW was sent at Pentecost, so that Christ could fulfill the Law!! The HOLY SPIRIT was sent at Pentecost; so that His followers could overcome the evil in the world, and share the ultimate victory that Christ made a way for us to share. It was the beginning of the AGE OF GRACE, and it will mark the ending of that AGE. It is the Age that Christ assured us that He would be with us until the end of it. And, the only way for Him to be with us is through the HOLY SPIRIT.
“Then I saw when the Lamb broke one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures saying as with a voice of thunder, "Come". I looked, and saw, a white horse, and he who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.” (Revelation 6: 1-2)
After the inauguration of the Lamb as the High Priest and the ascension to the throne, the Holy Spirit is sent at Pentecost to fulfill the covenant. Therefore, under the first seal, a great blessing occurred.
Jesus sent the conquering Archer, Who was decorated with honor and given a bow and a crown, the final piece that would complete the TRINITY. By sending the Holy Spirit He went out to conquer the world despite all the opposition. CHRIST IS THE ONLY WAY TO OBTAIN THE HOLY SPIRIT AND BE BORN AGAIN!! BEING BORN AGAIN IS THE ONLY WAY TO WIN THE RACE!!
Jesus Breached the Wall. But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ, and are indwelt with the Holy Spirit, that you may overcome as He has overcome!
“For He Himself, is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall,” (Ephesians 2: 13-14).
The northern and the southern kingdoms become one again. The Jews of Judah reunite with the Israelites that have been scattered to the four winds. The Church is raptured and the Jews are sealed!! All celebrations of Pentecost have been the foreshadowing of what Jesus did for us on the Cross. The fulfillment being, when Jesus sends the Holy Spirit to the disciples at the first Pentecost!!
Let the games begin!!
Please read these chapters of Revelation (Rev. 4-7) with this concept in mind and heart, and see if this rings true for you, in anyway. It certainly has been an eye opening experience, not to mention timely and fitting for the soon to be celebration of the rapture of the Bride!!
I feel so pressured to share all this and I hope it at least gets one thinking about the Holy Spirit, and what a miracle of the ages it was!!! Christ Jesus, our Lord and Savior, overcame Hell and Death in order to send this awesome protection, connection and perfection, to His beloved children.
TO HIS NAME IS ALL THE GLORY!!
ANY DAY NOW!!!
Patti C.