Matthew Blewett - Class 2: Applying the Approach

Automatically transcribed. Accuracy is good but not perfect, and words are sometimes wrong. Trust the audio over the text.

1. 0:02

   You are listening to a Bible, talk recorded at the 2018. Western christadelphians Bible school at Minooka. This is the second class in a series given by brother, Matthew blew it on the subject. Meditations in Revelation. This class is titled applying the approach.

2. 0:27

   Welcome back to the graveyard session. I hope you all had sustained with some caffeine or some tea, or whatever. It is that you need to keep you going. Just a few more minutes and then you’ve got the whole afternoon as you said to enjoy your

3. 0:45

   Sustained by the example of our subject of what an encouraging word from my brother John. So, we’re going to continue just to remind you a little about the meditation approach that, that I was suggesting, we’re going to spend a bit of time today, just looking at some of the techniques, which I guess many of you are familiar with that. I’ve tried to employee in my meditations and when they become a bit more, from a study point of view, the approach that I think is supported in scripture and then we’re going to go and apply it and give you some examples of Of some of the applying the approach in some of the meditations that I’ve had been able to enjoy.

4. 1:19

   So I’m just going to run very quickly that some of these slides we’ve seen already. So I will just run through them. Those are the five steps that we were going through yesterday focus. And then this idea of looking at the overall passage first. And then of course, remembering thinking about Echoes. And we’ll look at some of that in a bit more detail bringing us to worship and Obviously looking at ways in which we can apply what we’ve learnt and gaining from it, this spiritual truth, the principles that the Lord Jesus Christ is intending to share with us in this amazing love letter. So in this military action approach, as I’ve already suggested what I found really important is this idea of taking our time.

5. 2:05

   And there was already allusions to the fact that we live in a world that’s full of lots of things, but there’s not enough depth happening. And I think when we give ourselves Tom, that is very important and so one of the key principles that are found is taking a little bit less and really giving it a whole bunch of time.

6. 2:25

   I’ve already spoken about when I think about a passage in the Book of Revelation, my intent is not to and I’ve been told saying not tick the boxes but check the boxes. So that’s what I mean by that. Don’t just be trying to check the boxes, trying to work out what every symbol represents.

7. 2:43

   Sometimes we get more caught up in that then getting to understand the why? And the real application and the principle behind the passage, I’m sorry. Yes. My template changed to Red on black and I’ve already worked out that that is not good. So I’m going to go back to white on black, but we’ll have to hope to do with the last time. You can see some of the writing in doing that. Obviously, this principle that that I’ve emphasized and will continue to emphasize is the strong principle that when we’re trying to Understand these symbols, the best place to go is spiritual with spiritual.

8. 3:19

   You know, the idea of symbols and images. I’ve really said, is exciting. It allows us to look at these these messages from a number of angles, this multi-dimensional approach. And the risk of it obviously is is also that because we’re reading about symbols and images, we can bring a lot of our own understanding and no doubt when the Bible or Revelation uses a symbol like lamb, it wants us to think about the natural qualities of a lamb.

9. 3:43

   And that it’s obviously often a gentle creature, that it follows the shepherd, and it follows the Sheep. Yes, those issue. Those thoughts should come in, but a lot of what I believe we’re taught to think about is what and how those symbols those images. Those ideas, those words have been used in remembering the rest of scripture and we’ll see in some of the techniques that I think Paul and the Lord, Jesus Christ, who really are our.

10. 4:10

    The great students were us of the Old Testament Use these techniques and show us how to actually unravel the meaning of things that we find in the word of God. So this is to me, one of the key passages to do that, that explains how we do that. And then at the center of any meditation of any Bible, study of any passage that we get into in some detail, must always be why?

11. 4:34

    What, why is this passage of any importance? You know, I think as we get older, we lose the. Why question? My kids were really good when they were young and asking why. Why eventually we got crazy with Adam older or sicker as kid. He asked why so many times we gave them three for the day and then he couldn’t ask anymore and you might be less gracious, a more gracious as parents.

12. 4:57

    But the reality is what we doing is we squeezing the wires out of them but obviously that’s the most important question we get older. We stop asking why because maybe we think we worked out everything but every every passage of Revelation, every passage of scripture is really trying to bring As to the, why, why is it recording for us?

13. 5:16

    Why do we have the book of Hosea? You know, what is the Y? And that’s what I want us to keep coming back to. And then, for those of you heard me before, you know, I think I plagiarized, well, sort of a plagiarism when you take something from somebody else, but I remember Peter King. I’m sure some of you may have heard of Peter King. He always said that if you do any Bible study or any Bible talk, and it doesn’t eventually bring you to the feet of Jesus. You perhaps have Haven’t used your time effectively and so in almost any meditation, my expectation is that it’s going to bring me back to Jesus and the Book of Revelation as we said in the beginning in chapter 1 verse 1 says, this is the Revelation from Jesus Christ and that that genitive use of the Greek also can mean of Jesus Christ. So he is both the messenger who’s giving us the message but it’s also all about it begins with them right at the beginning, he’s walking amongst the lampstands he’s the Symbol of the lamb and many other images of him throughout the book, and he’s there at the end.

14. 6:18

    And the last statement even soul second to last statement, even so come Lord Jesus. So he, he is the central figure. We should expect to see him in everything that we meditate on and, and I hope to be able to show that as well. So what are some of the techniques that that, that I think are really important? And one of the ones that has been, I guess hugely impactful for me.

15. 6:42

    And this is why I keep Keep referring to this as a meditation approach is the idea of when you read a few verses of Revelation, focusing on seeing the picture that has been described a large part of what John is recording for us in the Book of Revelation is visual so he saw something, he was caught up into the spirit. He sees a picture, sometimes he does hear words, he records those words and then he takes the visual and puts it back into words because he has to communicate. It didn’t have a video at the top so he couldn’t capture it on video.

16. 7:13

    So He captures those words and then he presents it back to us often. What we do is we just stayed back at the words Zone, we read the words and then we attempt to study it, instead of trying to convert those words, in our mind, back into a picture. Now that might sound well that, you know, but it’s very important because once we do that, we begin to see and notice things that we may not have seen just by reading. And I’m going to give you two little techniques to do that and I think this is really important. I’m also taught I’m not a psychiatrist and I’m sure would have people that are more into studying the way in which the brain works.

17. 7:48

    That when we, for example are reading, and we’re going through the process of encoding letters and two words, there’s a certain part of our brain that’s activated. And we enter into certain way of thinking, which is quite different to the way of thinking we may have when we see a picture. So, there’s a different mindset that we approach something when we see it in picture form, and it’s also so important for me, this idea of trying to See that the passages of Revelation that I highly encourage you, if you have not already done this because then you’re already are corrupted not to go on the internet and find other peoples, pictures of the passages of Revelation because they’ll corrupt, you give yourself the opportunity to build the picture first in your own mind, that’s the beauty when we read something and we create the picture ourselves, that our pictures will look different. And why is that?

18. 8:40

    Because we will notice different things. And in that is Something special for you. So if you’ve really done it, maybe you’ve forgotten and you can recreate these pictures in your mind. And the important principle here is what I call the principle of taking the words off the page. And hence my the thing that has worked really well for me is to try to limit the passage are meditating on to one or two or at best maybe three versus.

19. 9:07

    Now this isn’t always easy because sometimes the picture that’s being described, even if we want to take the smallest, Of it is a bit more than that, but the point is, if you like me and at some point, I want to read what’s being said, and then I want to put it away so that I’m not in the reading mode.

20. 9:23

    I’m in the thinking imagining mode. What if it’s too many verses you’re going to fall, you’re not going to be able to do that. So some of you may have really good memories, you can read ten verses, put it away, and remember it, then that’s great. But the idea of taking a small passage helps us to take it off the page, the beauty of taking scripture off the page means you meditate, when you drive it or up, because it’s impossible. As far as I found to meditate when you’re driving. If you’re reading those two things don’t go well together. So this is going to elongate your term of meditating taking it off the page and when I mean taking off the page, it doesn’t mean you’re trying to learn a verse or bahat. You read a passage three times.

21. 10:01

    What’s going to happen is certain words are going to stick or certain ideas. I hopeful even pictures in your mind so that you can take it off the page and further work with it. So, that’s a key principle one way of doing this as well. We all different Is maybe choosing actually not just to imagine the vision, but to draw it to take the opportunities, they let me draw what I think I’ve read and again, I encourage people if you’re going to draw a vision not to do it analytically, okay?

22. 10:25

    It says that there are four creatures that we draw the four creatures. So, it says this and then go back in that analytical mode. Read it. Read it two or three times. If you’re very slow, reader, 10 terms, move it away. And then from what you’ve remembered trying to recreate that picture will do a little exercise in that and you’ll see her.

23. 10:43

    Amazing. Is when you start to draw something that you’ve heard as a picture, you’ll notice that certain detail, isn’t there. You can’t actually draw it. You say, well, it didn’t say whether it was round or Square, or it doesn’t tell me who’s actually on the threat, is it a man? A lamb? It says someone. So, you begin to notice what’s missing. And that’s a very important technique for focus and meditation.

24. 11:05

    As I’m presenting it, very important for me, as I’ve already mentioned. Is this idea of Echoes? We’re trying to pick up On ideas, themes, symbols and and then to unlock them or potentially gain more from them from what the rest of the Bible says, I’m passionate. I said, I heard you remember camera and saying, in his first talk I’m going back to Genesis 1 and I do that every time.

25. 11:29

    Well, that’s a good practice because to me there’s a great especially with revelation. We mentioned this in the first talk. There’s this this beautiful sometimes parallel, sometimes contradiction between the first and the last Genesis and revelation So, so many of the themes of Revelation are Jeannie, as it were have their DNA in the Book of Genesis. So it’s always exciting to go back to chasing up an idea or a picture to the Book of Genesis because they’re often the beginning, the seed of that picture is in Genesis and we see it growing and reaching its Climax and Revelation. And sometimes what we see is an amplification of Revelation, sometimes we’re having a discussion yesterday. We actually see a paradox that in Revelation The dni and what we saw in Genesis has been completely changed around in the Book of Revelation.

26. 12:17

    And that’s, that’s a great way of unlocking more from from the symbol looking for themes, is it obvious thing as 1, meditate more and more in the Book of Revelation certain themes become a parent. One of the key themes, you’ll hear me talking about over and over again, that has become so obvious to me is the continuous allusion to power with the Book of Revelation starts with this, this, this this place hissing of power that’s been given to the lamb and to God.

27. 12:46

    And in the whole way through this, a struggle for power, as man, tries to exert, power and strength and then how God brings that power back. So, so we look out for these themes and these, these repetitions that, we expect to see and then meanings and patents. Again, this is a bubble Technique.

28. 13:05

    We make a lot of use of we try and pick up patterns, we try and see, is there anything in the meaning of a word? And again, a lot of these, these techniques That helped us to gain more from the message, or to reveal the spiritual truth. Or as I mentioned earlier, really techniques that we’ve learned from Jesus, and from Paul.

29. 13:23

    I mean, for example, people sometimes say to me, you know, we as barbel students, we keep going back to the meaning of a word and then sometimes we over do that. But if you just look at porn Hebrew 7, he uses this technique. For example, when he mentions milk is it? He says we’ve got a king called Melchizedek and he begins to unpack, what Melchizedek met.

30. 13:43

    Might mean today when he says well, his name means king of righteousness. So he actually, he shows us this technique, he takes the meaning of the name, and he was the king of Salem. And Salem means peace. So we get from Melchizedek that he was first the king of righteousness. And then he was the king of peace and that idea of Rochester’s comes before P.

31. 14:04

    So so these are technique being taught to us by Paul of of meanings. I mean, as far as pectins is concerned, the Lord Jesus Christ, and it’s not always obvious is incredible at teaching us to look at occurrences of words. People often say, you know, you keep talking about the number of times this word appears and that is so dominant in the Book of Revelation.

32. 14:23

    I’ll give you one example. But we do Chase up Jesus says consider the lilies. All right. And I can tell you that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed as one of these. Don’t chase up the word Lily and the pattern of the use of that word in the Old Testament, you will find in almost every occasion that its use.

33. 14:42

    Solomon is the one who uses it. So he’s made use of patents. He’s looked at who was who saw a lily as something that was glorious to and mentioned it all the time, Solomon sea. Doesn’t just pick up the Lily randomly, he sees the pattern and makes use of it. So, again, a Bible technique talk to us by the Lord Jesus Christ.

34. 15:03

    Looking specifically for colors. The Book of Revelation is such a colorful books that we notice the colors and notice the numbers we’re going to talk about how the book talks to us in different languages. And I want to just end on these two, what looks strange and what is missing. And again, I think this this technique is taught to us by both Paul and the Lord Jesus Christ.

35. 15:24

    When we focus on a scripture, we expect often because there’s a spiritual truth year that there’s something here that doesn’t fit naturally. You know, we’ve got to be very aware when we’re reading from the book of the spirit that many of the things that the natural mind expects to see and fraud shouldn’t actually be there. They should be things that don’t make sense, because we’re being trained to think differently.

36. 15:49

    Remember what it says in Isaiah, my ways are not your ways. My thoughts are higher, as the heavens are from the Earth. To your thoughts. I have a different way of comprehending things, so when we consider a passage, we should be looking for. What’s missing? What did I expect to find her and it’s not here.

37. 16:04

    Again, use the example. Hebrews 7, Paul, he says of Melchizedek. He said who has no dissent. Who has no father or mother now we think well surely because it again a father or a mother and had some dissent. But what he’s saying is go back to the record in Genesis use the Genesis Gene practice. Go back to the record in Genesis. Look at how the Bible reveals Melchizedek this incredibly important, man who blesses Abram appears out of nowhere. He has no father.

38. 16:35

    He has no mother used to say he’s saying, surely you noticed that was missing and why? Well, you got to go to Hebrews 7. You’ll find out. So so he’s using that, that missing what’s missing from the passage, you know, Jesus does it also he’s phenomenon and that often marveled at his technique when they were argue about the resurrection. He said to them, what he is, the god of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, he is the god of the living, not the god of the Dead. What was that all about?

39. 17:05

    He was saying, didn’t you realize how? When God the only time it’s interesting. If you got to have a look at the phrase, God is the god of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, you might think that that phrase is used throughout the Old Testament as one of the labels have got it, isn’t it actually only appears four times around the time of the burning and of the Bush and the revelation of the Eternal name? Yahweh.

40. 17:30

    He who was he, who is, he used to come it represented. The fact that God was Living. And, in that revelation of his name. God says, here’s my name Yahweh and we will call me the god of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Now, what Jesus is saying is what a strange Association to make that God in declaring himself to be living says, he’s the god of three people that are dead, that doesn’t make sense.

41. 17:52

    Of course, it doesn’t unless you enter into the spiritual mindset, that says, they’re not dead. They will be raised again. So these, these biblical study, Meek’s meditation techniques, they’re being taught to us by the two greatest students we could ever ask to learn from the Lord Jesus Christ, and Paul and others who show us how we can take parts of Revelation and indeed parts of any part of scripture and apply these kind of techniques but it takes time, it requires us to think deeply. So we’re going to be doing some of these things. We’re going to be saying, what looks strange what’s missing? And hopefully from that maybe learn a few things so these little This yet developed by the graphic designer, Matthew blew, it they will appear every now.

42. 18:40

    And again, to show you that we’re using this technique, maybe just to demonstrate it, and I’m sure in your own Bible study, you have. But for those who perhaps haven’t thought about it more formally, he has a way of thinking about it, so let us start getting into some practice because that’s the best way to learn.

43. 18:58

    Now, if you haven’t worked out by now, I have a computer it background. So I do think of it like a computer every night. Again and at the very basic level of RT, the way that we’ve improved your life. So massively is actually very simple, we just understood binary code, we understood that in life.

44. 19:14

    Everything is either on or off. So right now some of you are often some of you are on okay I’m overly more 1s than 0 then zeros in this room and we represent that as a one and a zero and it’s the simplest piece of information that in the article computer world that we could represent and we can either represented by II particular piece of an electronic circuit being on or off, we can actually use magnetism to do that and we can use light to do that.

45. 19:42

    Light is on or off. That’s why we’ve got Optical communication methods, I’ll stop. They leave the Artistry but you get that just bits and then often to sort of like represent something a bit more meaningful like a letter, we take a number of bits 8 butts and we call them a bite. So, if you, if you don’t remember anything else at this, You’ve got a computer.

46. 20:04

    Listen. All right. Now the only reason I’m telling you all of that there is no scriptural background as you know, bits and bytes and the scripture it’s just that when I was doing my meditations I became very aware that sometimes I would meditate on a passage and they would be a single idea. I call that a bit, a beautiful spiritual truth, that I would take for the day.

47. 20:22

    Maybe I would pause on for two or three days. But every now and again, and more more more more now than again, I would discover a bit that needed to be chewed on. You know, you understand about chewing. The cud like the cattle. Teach us when they really get a good piece of grass. They tasted say, wow, this this grass is really good. What they do, is they go to bed and then they wake up in the morning, I think.

48. 20:48

    Wow, I remember that piece of grass a tight and they bring it back up again. I mean, sometimes I wish I could do that. Got a great restaurant, have a good meal annexed, a bring it back up and enjoy it again.

49. 21:01

    I won’t carry on with that analogy. So, The idea is that you can chew the cat and of course what’s so amazing about the word of God is, we choose the kind and we and we get into a bit more of the detail. We pull more of the string, even more spiritual truths, come out.

50. 21:16

    And our mind begins to wonder and think about it over the day and over the week. So everyone, again, I have a bat. So what we’re going to be sharing with you through the rest of our time together, are some bits, some meditations that are, I think quite specific singular in the, in the message and some that We’ll take me about half an hour to tell you about just, and I’m so excited to share it. So, I’ve just got a lead you to the cad with me. So that’s a bit about.

51. 21:41

    So I’ll talk about Revelation, B and Revelation butts and I have no Bible reference to show you to do that. But anyway, let us now give to illustrations of bits, just putting into practice the the approach that I’m suggesting. So I’m going to start with a seeing bit and on the screen. Yeah. So here we have.

52. 22:04

    Passage from Revelation chapter 19. So he jumping to Revelation, 19, and let’s read it to you. So, if I was doing my meditation approach, this is the passage that’s come up. We read it. Now, I saw heaven, opened and behold a white horse, and he who sat on him was called faithful and true.

53. 22:22

    And in righteousness, he judges and makes War. His eyes were like a flame of fire and on his head were many crowns. He had a name written. That no one knew except himself. If he was clothed with a robe dipped in Blood, and his name is called the word of God. Now, if I click forward, just Illustrated the point.

54. 22:46

    Not that forward, if I go back like that, there are a few more verses that carry on with this Vision. That’s not the end of that Vision. In verse 14, it says and the armies in heaven clothed, in fine linen, white and clean followed him on white horses. Now, what I’ve purposely done here is I have decided to stop there because there is a break in the vision.

55. 23:05

    The next part of the vision is going to focus on those who are around the one on the White Horse. So again, the only reason I’ve done that is because I’m a pretty simple guy. If I’ve got to try and Imagine all of that. My mom not may not be able to focus. I’m quite comfortable with doing that because the way I do, my meditation is in two or three days time, I will move on to the next part of the vision and maybe focus on that and there may be some context that’s relevant from the previous spot. So so, you know, we always say try and keep everything in context.

56. 23:34

    Well, that’s maybe an exception. So we’re focusing just on that first part. I’m going to read it again and I’m warning you now. So after you’ve done that, then I want you to close your eyes and I want you to see the picture. You can do it while I’m reading. Say it again, but let’s read it again.

57. 23:47

    Are normally take three reads. Some might take this. Now, I saw heaven opened and behold a white horse, and he who sat on him was called faithful and true. And in righteousness, he judges and makes War. His eyes were like a flame of fire and on his head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in Blood and his name is called the word of God.

58. 24:13

    So you’re going to be thankful, I’m going to shut up for them. Minute and ask you just to imagine and visualize that little picture. At this point, anybody listen to the recording is just checking that it’s still working, but we are still. Yeah, how many thought to minute was quite a long time and you didn’t need a minute.

59. 25:26

    To think about that, put your hands up. If you want to say that you were done in 10 15 seconds. So so the point is, if that’s true, it’s a practice, it’s a practice of saying it just took me 10 seconds to imagine a. But now I’ve got to get on top of this man with it.

60. 25:41

    What do I see? How do I see anything different? When I zoom up and look at him from above, is anything different from that perspective? And then I look at him from the front door, I noticed I think I might notice anything different. So there’s looks to notice isn’t there in that there’s lots to to get our attention, this picture of this incredible man and he’s riding his White Horse. And the white is perhaps starting to get our mind racing. And he’s got these fiery ours and he’s got the word of God written on them.

61. 26:06

    And of course, their minds perhaps before we can even stop them because we try to imagine it more. We maybe even getting it goes back to John 1 and and we still trying to imagine the picture and as we’re imagining it there, so many things that could get our attention. That’s why there’s so much in here.

62. 26:21

    Now, for me, what was it? I’m taking you through my process. What was it about that picture that maybe grab my attention, that seem peculiar using that particular technique and we’re going to be sharing that together. So for me, as I’ve just taken you through, it’s a process of focus, getting yourself into a quiet place so that you can externally, Focus doesn’t help if you’re in a very noisy place, it’s hard to see the vision we spoke about internal Focus clearing.

63. 26:48

    Mind meditation practices, perhaps before, even doing the imagination and reading the scripture spend 235 to have a long. You’ve got breathing techniques, clear your mind, get yourself ready to truly be able to focus. Another little practice that I find very useful. When you’ve got a shorter passage of scripture, sometimes trying to read it in reverse. Now I know that that’s to do that audibly is very difficult but it’s not difficult to do that. When you just look at a passage read the passage and the ideas backwards because our brains have ability. When we looking at passages, we’ve seen many Any times before to miss to see the same detail every time. So a practice, read it in reverse. And then of course in this Focus tick method that I was thinking of going Beyond, just seeing the picture, but looking for that, which is missing, or that, which looks like the red ball, something, that’s different.

64. 27:36

    And so if we take this passage, did your picture look like that. Anybody ever picture like that? Not at all. So imagine if you had seen that before, then you would have been maybe made to have Good. That picture. So that’s a part of this. This technique apart of this approach but I have used that picture for a reason because when I spend time focusing on this image one thing suddenly jumped out at me. Yeah we have this this amazing person coming who’s going to terrain and faithfulness and bring Justice and of course, we’ve got the pictures of the Lord, Jesus Christ already in our mind.

65. 28:12

    And it says that he is wearing many crowns and I wasn’t as good as this archers. I was wondering how he was going to be. Balance. All those crowns on his head, I don’t know that some of you had that kind of thought, you know, I kind of I didn’t think you’d pick them like that. You had one here and one there, it’s just quite awkward. And I was looking at some video footage, you know, when the Queen of England makes her a rare appearance often not looking too happy, even for a porous, grandson’s wedding. But anyway, besides that she arrives and she’s just got one crown and you don’t need more than one Crown to show you a queen or a king.

66. 28:43

    But here is this, this many crowns and of course the the person, Drew this picture has tried to illustrate that. He’s got them stacked up on his head and so suddenly my attention is drawn to why many crowns? Why does he have to come with many crowns? And what does that teach me and is there something I can take with me for the day and for the rest of my life?

67. 29:04

    So it’s it’s follow that through. First of all, as I said, I do like to start by just saying, what am I getting out of this passage before I move into the detail of something I’ve noticed and and I think we would all agree when we stay at the First level, this is a beautiful passage, and if I get nothing more out of it, it’s confidence that although we live in a world where sometimes we can feel like there’s no justice that will they ever come a day where there is going to be this? Well, to be colloquial this knight in shining armor on a white horse will come and rule in righteousness and bring Justice.

68. 29:39

    And and there’s the inspiration before we even go any further. And the Book of Revelation is full of that inspiration. So that when I go out for my day and suddenly at work, I’m confronted With power that I understand is not good and not by the principles that I want to live by.

69. 29:54

    I’m encouraged that that my judge is coming and when he comes, he will Vanquish all that. I’ll be for him. So there’s the the Forest View. But, but that’s pursue now the focus. And let’s think about these crowns. So he’s wearing many crowns and so we want to say, well, how does the bible help us to understand crowns?

70. 30:14

    Well, from a natural point of view, the minute we think of crowns, we think of English say Queens, rest of us a king’s. Okay, we think of of power, we think of those who rule we think of Kings, well, is that what the scripture? Says we go back to the scriptures and fact the first occurrence of a crown is linked to a King.

71. 30:34

    First time we find it’s not in Genesis, by the way or that I found, please if I’m wrong, I’d love to be able to correct that act in fact, but second Samuel, chapter 1 and verse 10 is the first occurrence of a crown and it was the first king’s crown. So very interesting, just a little side note, we get introduced to Source Crown once he’s dead.

72. 30:55

    I think there’s a wonderful message there, The People’s Choice for power and we see his crown first, when he’s a dead man, and of course, we have many other references to crowns, but the one Echo that should be coming up is the crown of thorns that they gave to the one that God had chosen to be king.

73. 31:13

    So the one that they chose to be king, we find him with a crown when he’s dead. One that they didn’t want us King. We found him with a crown of thorns when they trying to kill him. What an amazing contrast between power and Kings. So, immediately we starting to understand more about, he’s coming with many crowns and this is something to do with with power and God and man’s claims to power And so why would he have to wear many crowns? Well, but later on the verses that I didn’t ask you to read and we would come to you in the next day of meditation. He and the very same vision is called the king of kings. In other words, the word of God wants you to know that there are many Pretenders to power out there. Many people who want to hold the crown, this man is not coming just to be another king.

74. 32:07

    He’s coming to Vanquish all of them. All of these Kings will be under his kingship. Every Crown is going to be his crown. He has many crowns because he is the king of everything and everyone or crowns are brought before him. So suddenly this idea of Many Crowns, as unusual as it may seem in a vision from the natural perspective in the spiritual perspective, makes all sense.

75. 32:32

    And so we find in the Book of Revelation are lots of other crowns. The beasts have crowns. A dragon has crowns. Everybody’s trying to show that they are the true power, but this is the only one with many crowns. This is the king of kings. So, that brings me to worship. It brings me to reflect on.

76. 32:53

    What does that mean for me and my Lord and it may bring me to pray and all of this matters because it puts his greatness into perspective, I’m brought to worship him with humility. We spoke about that today in the knowledge of his omnipotence, though we may live in a world where it seems that certain crowns wield, so much power, and resultant Untold, Injustice and misery. We are humbled by his or consuming power, he will prevail as the only Power For yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, both now and forever.

77. 33:24

    And I’ve put it as a free because to me, meditation must bring us to some, some edit consciousness of our relationship with the Lord Jesus, and his father. So, that’s the worship. And then before we leave our meditation. What can I take with me for the day? How can I apply this into my own life? And isn’t it true?

78. 33:45

    That he is the king of kings? He is the one who wants to be king of every part of my life and we do have different parts of our Lives. We have the part that we’re enjoying right now. It’s our ecclesial Church laugh and sometimes it’s easy for him to have that crown and we are celebrating the fact that he’s the king here right now but in a few days time we go back to work and there’s some very, very strong people there. People like our bosses people like the owners of the business you could fire us tomorrow and they exert power and sometimes we don’t want to tell them where we’ve been the last week because we’re afraid that maybe That would affect our relationship with him.

79. 34:23

    And so perhaps he isn’t the kingly, well, maybe for you, he is the king there, but you have some entertainment that you love to do with friends, maybe playing golf. Maybe going to watch football or whatever it might be. And in that place, he doesn’t have the crown. Or maybe it’s at your home in your family environment where you are, the boss would like to be the power and he doesn’t honestly rule there. So the point is, he has many crowns because he wants to be the king of every part of your life. Is there a place in your life, where he doesn’t hold the crown? So as I walk out into the day, I’m thinking, Lord, you need to be my king of kings in every place that I’m found. I need to be able to say you are King here. And of course, if you like bonus, Jim’s, I like to wish you a bonus Jim’s.

80. 35:13

    There’s this idea that comes from the New Testament. We’re in fact, pork talks about the Crown’s, we’re going to receive and often we think what we’re going to get this one Crown. Well, I’ve got good news for you. You’re not just getting one Crown in. First Corinthians 9, Paul says you’re going to get an Incorruptible Crown, I’d like one of those, but he says in 1st Thessalonians, there’s a crown of rejoicing that’s also on offer.

81. 35:37

    And then Peter says, there’s a crown of Lori, first Peter, father’s, full. And then we’ve read about from Jesus that he wants to give us a Crown of Life. And again, Paul says, there’s a crown of Rochester so I can’t if these Five Crowns that I’m expecting, so no wonder he’s coming with many crowns. So all of these ideas just unlocking by listening for The Echoes buying by remembering what we’ve read in the rest of scripture and I hope through that Illuminating the spiritual truth that is contained in a passage that we may have just viewed as predictive.

82. 36:10

    As a fulfillment when the Lord Jesus Christ returns but that has value for us today. So let’s do some a different approach. We’re going to do some drawing but we’re not going to. Well, you have got a pencil and a piece of paper. Excellent, good, good Bible student. So at least you’ve got one that can participate in this. So, Because I forgot to give you homework Bulls, very good. He gives you a homework and my homework would have been simple, just bring a pen and paper.

83. 36:36

    So we have over here, Revelation Chapter 4, verses 1 to 4, a bit of a long. Passage I do, except it’s on the limit of even my ability to take off the page. So here we have a picture, very well-known picture. The throne room scene. It’s often called that beautiful scene of Glory that is pictured for us in Revelation 4.

84. 36:55

    So what I want to do is I’m going to read it to or two times twice twice. We have to And then, if you have got a pen and paper, you can actually fast it, will let you cheat. You can even start drawing while I’m reading because we have got Tom constraints, and then I want you to quickly draw up, what you see.

85. 37:10

    Now, the idea of drawing is a passage or a vision is not to present it to anybody else. So if you like me and you have no artistic skill, this is not for you to prove that you are a closet artist. You can go to the training courses if you want to get that to come out, this is purely for you in the process of drawing to start perhaps the In details that you hadn’t seen before. So you can start drawing one.

86. 37:32

    I read it’s read the passage after these things are looked and beheld, a door standing open in heaven and the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet. Speaking with me saying, come up here and I will show you things which must take place after this immunity. I was in the spirit and behold a throne set in heaven and one sat on the throne and he who set there was like a Jasper and a society, a stone in Appearance. And there was a rainbow around the throne and appearance, like an emerald around the throne were twenty-four Thrones and on the Thrones are sought 24 Elders, sitting clothed in white robes and they had crowns of gold on their heads. I’ll go a little bit further and the throne proceeded a lightning thunder, and voices seven lamps of fire were burning Before the Throne which are the seven spirits. It’s of God Before.

87. 38:31

    The Throne there was a sea of glass like Crystal and in the midst of the throne and around about The Throne were four living creatures, full of eyes in front. And in the back I’m going to read it one more time to give you a bit more time to draw because it is quite a bit of detail. I’m going to leave out the first part when he scored, he comes through a door.

88. 38:51

    Come up here. See more verse 2 immediately. I was in the spirit and behold a throne was set in heaven and one sat on the throne. Hugh said they was like Jasper and the Saudi has done an appearance and there was a rainbow around the throne and appearance, like an emerald around the throne were twenty-four Thrones and on the Thrones I saw 24 Elders sitting clothed in white robes and they had crowns of gold on their heads.

89. 39:17

    And from the throne proceeded Lightnings thunderings and voices seven lamps of fire were burning Before the Throne which are the seven spirits of God. Before the Throne, there was a sea of glass like Crystal and in the middle of the throne and around the throne were four, living creatures, full of ours in front and in back. And if you join very quickly, one was like a lion. The second was like a cough, the third had the face of a man, and the fourth was a flying eagle.

90. 39:45

    Now, that’s quite a long passage. And the first thing that I’ve learned is I’m not necessarily interested in my drawing being perfect and capturing every detail that’s in that passage. What I am interested in is what remains in my mind, that I heard that, I’d like to draw as I’m drawing. I’m also interested that when I’m drawing, there’s certain detail that I’m not sure of was that in the passage, is that detail there because I’m trying to draw it and I don’t quite know how to draw it and that may make me go back and have a look. And in those details are perhaps the ways in. Which we see something missing or something that stands out for us.

91. 40:19

    So some of you may have been able to draw something. So I’m not going to ask you to present your drawing to us although I’m sure some of you got some beautiful pictures. I’m going to show you some pictures and and you’ll see how different they may be from what you’ve done. So here’s a picture that I got off the internet of that Vision.

92. 40:36

    Does that look similar to any other ones that anybody who did draw look? Not at all? All right. Now interestingly enough, it doesn’t make yours wrong. Well there’s right. And they may have some details that may not be quite Correct with the way it’s written. But the point is whoever drew that I can see and I don’t even know it is that there’s a certain word that caught their attention.

93. 40:53

    What would you think that might be all right. And they’ve captured them on on the circular nature of the throne room, which by the way is very interesting if you haven’t thought about this because clearly the throne room has all of the Echoes of the Tabernacle and what is one of the defining features of the Tabernacle and Temple?

94. 41:15

    Oh my goodness, that’s got my attention. The throne room looks round and circular and yet the pattern of it on Earth, the Tabernacle the temple was fourfold Square. Anybody has an answer for that? I don’t come and tell me that. All right? Yes, another picture, very interesting details. All right, focusing on lots of ours, on the on the four creatures and their your 24 Elders, coming through their emphasis on the door.

95. 41:45

    Perhaps lovely idea. You start drawing this picture and you, and you draw that door that John is pulled up through. And then there is my picture. I must confess, I did my picture, and then, I did say to my wife, please Icon present that, so, He took my picture and she might look a little bit more. Beautiful.

96. 42:04

    I don’t roll like that either. That’s my wife. She’s incredible artist. So so I think sir. So here is the picture that I drew. And and what I want to show you in that picture in the drawing of my picture, the two things that became my focus and there’s so many things and this is just the, the approach of the methodology, two things that really Drew my attention and maybe they are quite reflected our that one.

97. 42:27

    The seven lamps before before the Roan and and we’ll talk a bit about why that Drew my attention. But that was wow, I hadn’t really noticed that these seven lamps, this lamp stand, as it were right in front of the throne. And then the other thing that Drew my attention I’ve already mentioned, is this idea of an open door? So so now my meditation focused through the act of drawing some things out there, and there’s a spiritual truth that I want to go and understand a bit more.

98. 42:56

    So let’s take that a bit further then. Just through the door, understanding, Zoom thick. What do we know before we even get into any detail? You know what’s so amazing about? This is for John to see this picture of Glory. He just had to come through a door, there was a door in time and space that revealed to him, what it would seem luck, the Earth reconciled to its God in glory, to me, that’s phenomenal.

99. 43:22

    What an inspiration just from that through the door of time and space weights the day of Glory, your kingdom, come your will be done on Earth. As it is in heaven, you know, sometimes in my daily life and I’m sure you are the same. It seems so much further away. Things are going wrong, I seem like I’m surrounded by immorality and sending it starts with me, actually, and that door and that vision of the Kingdom seems so far away. And yet, John in chapter 4.

100. 43:49

     And Jesus talking to us as it’s only a doorway only as far as that door that you hear knocking. I’m standing at a time knocking. I want to come in and share this Glory with you. So that’s To me a wonderful overall understanding but let’s talk about the focus, very briefly. This is what caught my attention. Hebrews Nan says, for a tabernacle was prepared. This image, The Echoes of the Tabernacle all over Revelation, chapter 4 was prepared.

101. 44:17

     The first part of which was the lampstand, the seven lamps, the table of the showbread, which is called the sanctuary. And behind the second Veil, the part of the Tabernacle, which is called the holiest of all, which had the golden censer and the Ark of the Covenant, which we come to know from the Psalms is, Very Throne of God. And so here in Hebrews Paul is saying as we know that it did, it wasn’t right in front, it wasn’t front, but it was separated by avail.

102. 44:47

     And because of that separation only once a year, Only once a year could one man, go and stand Before the Throne. But in Revelation chapter fall. The holiest place the place of the throne is full of people or at least what seems to be representation of people. There are the 24 Elders, they are the four beasts and they’re praising and they all in the holiest place and the lampstand which which we know represents the certainly in Revelation. The churches represents us is not separated, it’s right there, right in front of the throne, what an incredible spiritual truth.

103. 45:28

     This is that this is true. They’re indeed. We have boldness to enter the holiest by the blood of Jesus, that Jesus has turned the holiest of all from a lonely place to a family place from a place. Where only one man could go to a place where all of us can go that he’s opened that door that he’s torn, that Veil.

104. 45:55

     Wow, what a privilege to be able to enter into the holiest today, in communion with you. My Lord. Thank you for opening such an It about door. So as I go out into the day and I look at how I can apply this into my everyday Living, Well, it becomes obvious that not only do I have to be aware that as I face challenges in my life as I face these other crowns and the dim the vision of the Kingdom becomes dim that day of Glory. That I know that it’s just a doorway that if I commune with him he’ll bring me to that place of Glory. I can experience that that feeling that is described in Revelation, chapter 4 and more.

105. 46:33

     Morton V is that he’s done? The work, he’s broken the veil and how often in our spiritual lives. Either, we are putting things to separate ourselves from God, or other people are other people are putting conditions by which you might break bread and be in communion other people are putting conditions, how you should communicate with God, and how you should have a relationship with him and all he was doing was to try and take away those barriers.

106. 46:59

     Those whales those curtains that either, we’re putting in place Or others are putting in place and to me that is inspiring to know that there is no separation anymore. There is no dividing wall, there is no Veil that seven lamp that lamp stands, stands her up before the throne because of what he has achieved. So I hope in some small way we’ve been able to see how we can take these passages.

107. 47:24

     Some might say completely out of context and meditate on them and see how they can bring us to worship and change and reveal to us. Spiritual truths that can impact our daily living. I had intended to bring you a bike but I would never do a but any justice in the time that remains so I will leave you so that we can get a but next door.