Revelations of God Past, Present and Future. - Laolu Laditan

 

Stock Article Art

Revelations of God  Past, Present and Future. by Laolu Laditan.

The fundamental question that everyone must answer at one time of the other is the question of the existence of God. The majority of the religions of the world do not doubt the existence of a superior being. It seems inbuilt in man is a desire to associate with the superior power. The three major religions are monotheistic, that is there is one God. Others believe there are many Gods, and some believe there is some light, some higher existence that they aspire to.  This in-built desire to seek God has led a lot of people to find what they believe is God in various forms rituals and philosophies.

             But glory be unto the Lord, we, as believes have the privilege of God finding us. Throughout our tradition we have had a history of the true revelation of God.

 

I am going to deal with how God has revealed Himself to us in the past, is revealing Himself in the present and how He will reveal Himself in the future.  I might have to break this down into two or three weeks because I will not like to overwhelm you with too much information  in one Sunday.

A.   Revelations In The Past.

1.  Make-over Revelation In Gen 6 The bible tells us -  Then the people began to multiply on the earth, and daughters were born to them. ² The sons of God saw the beautiful women^[a] and took any they wanted as their wives.³ Then the Lord said, “My Spirit will not put up with^[b] humans for such a long time, for they are only mortal flesh. In the future, their normal lifespan will be no more than 120 years.”⁵ The Lord observed the extent of human wickedness on the earth, and he saw that everything they thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil. ⁶ So the Lord was sorry he had ever made them and put them on the earth. It broke his heart. ⁷ And the Lord said, “I will wipe this human race I have created from the face of the earth. Yes, and I will destroy every living thing—all the people, the large animals, the small animals that scurry along the ground, and even the birds of the sky. I am sorry I ever made them.” ⁸ But Noah found favor with the Lord.

Hidden in that special revelation was that the whole world went through a make-over and Noah found himself in a brand new world, cleansed of anything that displeased God. 

There is plenty to displease God in this present world, but I have good news for you. Because of Jesus, God can make a special exception for you to be spared. God can do a makeover of your home, your family, your health and your finances in the mighty name of Jesus.  As Noah found favor with God, the favor of the Lord will be on you and your family.

 

2. Revelation of Special Selection. Gen, 12: 1-3  “The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. ² I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others.³ I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.”

Because God specially selected Abraham He enjoyed a seven-fold blessing

a). I will make you into a great nation – generational blessing

b). I will bless you – A personal blessing

c). I will make your name great – Reputation. You will be known throughout the world and for all generations.

d). You will be a blessing – An instrument of blessing wherever he went.

e). I will bless those who bless you .- Divine favor, Jacob and Joseph as examples.

f). I will curse those who curse you – Divine protection. Abimelech and Sarah in Gen 20.

g). All the peoples of the earth will be blessed through you.  Lineage established forever. Repeated in Gen. 22:18  and established through the birth of Christ. Anyone who comes to God in faith through Jesus Christ is a child of Abraham. I pray for you today. In this new year God will reveal Himself to you and select you for a special blessing in Jesus name.

PRAYER: Father, select me for special blessings in this coming year in the name of Jesus.

3. Revelation of will, ways and plan. Ex. 33: 12 -23.  “ One day Moses said to the Lord, “You have been telling me, ‘Take these people up to the Promised Land.’ But you haven’t told me whom you will send with me. You have told me, ‘I know you by name, and I look favorably on you.’ ¹³ If it is true that you look favorably on me, let me know your ways so I may understand you more fully and continue to enjoy your favor. And remember that this nation is your very own people.”

¹⁴ The Lord replied, “I will personally go with you, Moses, and I will give you rest—everything will be fine for you.”

¹⁵ Then Moses said, “If you don’t personally go with us, don’t make us leave this place. ¹⁶ How will anyone know that you look favorably on me—on me and on your people—if you don’t go with us? For your presence among us sets your people and me apart from all other people on the earth.”

¹⁷ The Lord replied to Moses, “I will indeed do what you have asked, for I look favorably on you, and I know you by name.”

¹⁸ Moses responded, “Then show me your glorious presence.”

¹⁹ The Lord replied, “I will make all my goodness pass before you, and I will call out my name, Yahweh,^[c] before you. For I will show mercy to anyone I choose, and I will show compassion to anyone I choose. ²⁰ But you may not look directly at my face, for no one may see me and live.” ²¹ The Lord continued, “Look, stand near me on this rock. ²² As my glorious presence passes by, I will hide you in the crevice of the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. ²³ Then I will remove my hand and let you see me from behind. But my face will not be seen.”

As a result of this special revelation certain things happened

1. Moses was one of the very few people who received direct oral instructions from God.   Ex. 33:11 “ So the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend.

2. Moses was the only man who received written instructions from God, twice. Ex. 31:18 and  Ex. 34:28

3.    No man understood the ways of God more than Moses. Not even the children of Israel who he mentored for over 40 years. Psalm 103:7 “He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the children of Israel.

4. Moses is the only man who while alive on planet earth who saw what any part of God looks like   Exodus 33: 22 -23. “²² As my glorious presence passes by, I will hide you in the crevice of the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. ²³ Then I will remove my hand and let you see me from behind. But my face will not be seen.”

God will reveal His ways to you in this new year in Jesus name. You will walk in the perfect will of God this year in Jesus name.

 

PRAYER : Father in this new year, let me know your will and plan for my life. Let your presence ever be with me. Go with me wherever I go.

Stock Article Art

4. Revelation for Protection.  Dan. 3: 24 “But suddenly, Nebuchadnezzar jumped up in amazement and exclaimed to his advisers, “Didn’t we tie up three men and throw them into the furnace?”

“Yes, Your Majesty, we certainly did,” they replied.

²⁵ “Look!” Nebuchadnezzar shouted. “I see four men, unbound, walking around in the fire unharmed! And the fourth looks like a god^[!”

When God shows up to protect you

Those who plan to kill you will die in your stead.

Those who plan to steal from you will give to you ]

Those who plan for your down fall will live to see your promotion.

God will receive honor and praise on your behalf.

 PRAYER: Father the blessing of protection which you gave Shadrach Meshack and Abednego, let me enjoy in Jesus name

5.   Revelation of Salvation: . Fulfilled in Christ Jesus. In this revelation the Son of God who brings salvation to the world is revealed.

i).   The Prophets prophesied His coming Isaiah 9:6-7, The angels announced His birth in Luke 2: 8-14 “That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. ⁹ Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, ¹⁰ but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. ¹¹ The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!¹² And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”

¹³ Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,

¹⁴ “Glory to God in highest heaven,
    and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”

 God the Father affirmed His Son reported by all the synoptic Gospels at His baptism in Matthew 3:13-17, Mark 1:9-11 and Luke 3: 21-22  “One day when the crowds were being baptized, Jesus himself was baptized. As he was praying, the heavens opened, ²² and the Holy Spirit, in bodily form, descended on him like a dove. And a voice from heaven said, “You are my dearly loved Son, and you bring me great joy.^”

 

Then at His transfiguration in Matthew 17:5 and Luke 9:35  “ About eight days later Jesus took Peter, John, and James up on a mountain to pray. ²⁹ And as he was praying, the appearance of his face was transformed, and his clothes became dazzling white. ³⁰ Suddenly, two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared and began talking with Jesus. ³¹ They were glorious to see. And they were speaking about his exodus from this world, which was about to be fulfilled in Jerusalem.

³² Peter and the others had fallen asleep. When they woke up, they saw Jesus’ glory and the two men standing with him. ³³ As Moses and Elijah were starting to leave, Peter, not even knowing what he was saying, blurted out, “Master, it’s wonderful for us to be here! Let’s make three shelters as memorials—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” ³⁴ But even as he was saying this, a cloud overshadowed them, and terror gripped them as the cloud covered them.

³⁵ Then a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, my Chosen One. Listen to him.” ³⁶ When the voice finished, Jesus was there alone. They didn’t tell anyone at that time what they had seen”.

 

ii). You must accept Jesus personally. John 3:16, Romans 10:13 “ For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

iii). On acceptance, you become part of the kingdom of Christ, a part of the body of Christ.  1 Peter 2:9   “ But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests,^[g] a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light”.

 

iv). You are commissioned to be an ambassador for Christ – Matthew 28:18-20,  “Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. ¹⁹ Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations,^[b] baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. ²⁰ Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

v) Saved to do good works  Ephessians 2 :10 “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

vi). You are empowered by the Holy spirit, signs and wonders will accompany your  walk, Acts 1:8, Mark 16:16  “ And then he told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone. ¹⁶ Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved. But anyone who refuses to believe will be condemned. ¹⁷ These miraculous signs will accompany those who believe: They will cast out demons in my name, and they will speak in new languages.^[e] 18 They will be able to handle snakes with safety, and if they drink anything poisonous, it won’t hurt them. They will be able to place their hands on the sick, and they will be healed.”

PRAYER:   . Empower me for ministry in Jesus name. This year, let me lead several people to Christ in Jesus name ‘ Let signs and wonder accompany me this year in Jesus name.

B  Present day Revelations

6.   Revelation in the Word of God. The Bible is the fullness of the revelation of God. The inspired Word of God through several authors through the ages and enables us in the following ways

i)              Teaching, rebuking, correction and training in righteousness -2 Timothy 3:16 “ All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.

ii)  The plan of God for man is revealed. Jeremiah 29:11 “ For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. 

iii)           The word equips for the purpose of ministry. Acts 1:8

iv)           The scripture is the sword of the spirit, the only offensive weapon in spiritual warfare Ephesians 6: 13-16 “Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, ¹⁵ and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; ¹⁶ above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. ¹⁷ And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;

v)              Jesus used only the scriptures to defeat the temptations of Satan

7.   Revelation in the person of the Holy Spirit . God is revealed in the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity who dwells in every believer.  John 16: 7-11. “But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you. ⁸ And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment. ⁹ The world’s sin is that it refuses to believe in me. ¹⁰ Righteousness is available because I go to the Father, and you will see me no more. ¹¹ Judgment will come because the ruler of this world has already been judged.

i)              The Holy Spirit is the constant presence that enables us to worship the Father inspirit and in Truth John 4:24 “ For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.”

ii)             The Holy Spirit is the Master teacher who can properly teach us the words of Christ. John 14:26  “ But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.

iii)           Without the Holy Spirit we cannot really know the character of Christ.          1 Corinthians 2:14 “But people who aren’t spiritual^[g] can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means. ¹⁵ Those who are spiritual can evaluate all things, but they themselves cannot be evaluated by others.”

iv)           Gives us the reassurance that we are the children of God. Romans 8:16. “¹⁶ For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children.

8.   Revelation by visitations to heaven and to Hell

Very profound in the way God is revealing Himself to the world is how Jesus is appearing to people, taking people to experience heaven and hell and personally performing great miracles of healing in the lives of people to convince them that He is God.  This revelation actually started in the past.  If Paul the Apostle had not had a personal experience of meeting Jesus on the way to Damascus  in Acts 9. Christ is appearing to Muslim Clerics, Imams, Buddhist priests, Atheist doctors who do not believe in miracles, Little children and adults, stark illiterates and highly educated people. Let me share some of these experiences with you

i)              Connor Colton was the son of a pastor who had an emergency surgery and died on the operating table. When He came back some 20 minutes later he began to recount how Jesus took him to heaven. In heaven he met his grandfather who had died before he was born, a sister who died in pregnancy before he was born, the nail holes in the hands and feet of Jesus.A movie had been made of the book and you can watch it free on the internet.

ii)             Jesse Duplantis the televangelist. His description of heaven and the people he mat are breath taken. Google it. Just type in Jesse Duplantis in heaven.

Just google near death experience.

9.   Revelation in Phenomena.  

i)              In the Book of Exodus  chapters 7-11, God plagued the Egyptians with 10 plagues before Pharaoh came to his senses and let the Children of Israel go.

ii)             In Genesis 12: 14-20 God inflicted the household of Pharaoh for taking Sarah Abrahams wife because he claimed she was his sister

iii)           In 1 Samuel chapters 5 and 6 plague broke out in the Philistine cities after they captured the Ark of the covenant

iv)           David made the mistake of counting the people contrary to the instruction of the Lord an God plagued the land  2 Samuel 24: 10-17

What is common about these plagues was the repentance of the people

This is to confirm the prescription for solution for all plagues and pestilences. In 2 Chronicles 7:14.  

Listen to these figures

Worldwide 85 million people have contacted the virus, and of these almost 2million have died.

In the US, 21 million have contacted the virus and 358,682 have died. Somehow it has not occurred to the church, the people called by the name of the Lord have the solution to this plague. Too busy preserving our empires and too proud to come together as one body to appeal to the Lord of the universe for mercy and forgiveness.

I have a strong feeling, one day they will stand before the judgment seat of Christ and explain themselves.

C. Future Revelations.

10  Revelation of Rapture. 1 Thes 4: 13-17  The second coming of Christ When the Son of God will be revealed a second time.“But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen ^[b]asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. ¹⁴ For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who ^[c]sleep in Jesus.

¹⁵ For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are ^[d]asleep. ¹⁶ For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷ Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 

PRAYER: Father keep me reputable this year in Jesus name.

11. Final Revelation: New Heaven and New earth. The final destiny of man  Rev 21: 1-4 “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. ² And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.

³ I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them.^[a] 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”