Matthew Blewett - Class 3: Names and Places

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 third class in a series given by brother, Matthew blew it on the subject. Meditations in Revelation. This class is titled names and places. Well, good morning everyone. Good to see you all this morning.

2. 0:31

   Everybody recovered from the dancing. Very impressed in the skills you have over here at West certainly got some of the frontier skills still there in your blood so great to be here and see that. So we’re going to carry on with our meditations and Revelation and what we going to be doing in the next three sessions is really a sharing some meditations with you hopefully, Through that process, may be sharing some spiritual insights. Also just going over the approach that I’ve used. And through example, hopefully, encouraging and inspiring more people to want to use Revelation as a meditation book, book to to gain these spiritual principles for today. And what I’ve tried to also do in the next three sessions is to is to group The meditations in to reveal the diversity of the Book of Revelation that I’ve spoken to. So you’ll see today we’re going to use examples of meditations that refer to places and people.

3. 1:32

   So if you’re the kind of person that likes to think about relationships and that talks your language then Revelations, got something for you tomorrow, we’ll look at numbers. If you’re more of a spread sheet numbers person, then Revelations got passages for you and the last day we’ll look at colors colors and pictures so if you’re more of an IT person Revelation can speak to you as well. And I think that’s the power of a whole Bible but specifically said in the Book of Revelation, it’s It’s diversity in the way that it’s expressing the message. And and I think that’s very powerful for us to use in our own preaching that we’ve got to realize, we’re talking to people from different backgrounds, who have different languages that they communicate, and we can’t have only one method of doing that and I think it’s beautifully summarized in the Book of Revelation.

4. 2:15

   So we’re going to start with a little Revelation, but very small meditation. And then I’m going to go through what I’ve caught in the past are Revelation. But swear, we’ve got something that we’ve chased up a bit first. Further and some interesting insights that have come from my meditations. So starting with this passage from very well-known passage it’s go back where we can get it in full screen or as best as we can and it’s from Revelation chapter 14 and we have read this message. I guess many times before.

5. 2:48

   It says another Angel followed saying Babylon is Fallen is Fallen that great City because she has made all nations drink of the On of the wrath of her fornication. So, one morning that was my meditation. A passage that you think, well, what spiritual Insight can we get from this passage? And so as I was thinking and focusing on it and trying to focus on the detail of a passage that I’ve read so many times before, and as I’ve mentioned before, it’s in passages that we read so many times before that, we’ve got to work a bit harder to to try and see perhaps a message for us. And the thing that caught At my attention. Is this phrase?

6. 3:29

   Babylon is Fallen is fallen. In fact, it’s used like in that same way actually originally in the book of Isaiah Babylon is Fallen is fallen. And, you know, it comes over lips so easily, it doesn’t it. And we know that in the New Testament, specifically often a word is repeated for emphasis, Jesus would say truly, truly, I say unto you, verily verily.

7. 3:52

   In other words, what I’m about to say is, is important. You need to concentrate But on the morning that I was thinking about this, I thought a bit more deeply about this idea. That Babylon is Fallen is fallen. And what got me thinking is, as I was thinking about The Echoes of Babylon. I mean, the obvious thought came to my mind here in the Book of Revelation Babylon is such an important city. It’s a big part of the narrative and yet we know that Babylon, shouldn’t even be here.

8. 4:24

   Because the Babylon that we have met in the time of Daniel and in the Prophecies of Isaiah and other Major Prophets has been destroyed, it was prophesied that it would be destroyed. We all know this well-known prophecy.

9. 4:41

   So, the echo that that obviously is from our first principles, is this idea that Babylon us? We can see the glory of the Kingdom’s. The beauty of the Chaldeans Pride will be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, it will never be inhabited. And of course, we take this beautiful Prophecy from Isaiah and we say, there it is.

10. 5:04

    It’s been four full bail on his destroyed. You can go there and the fact that it remains a rune is Continuous proof of the power that God has over the nation’s. And yet we sort of Liberty come into Revelation. And we find this Babylon and it’s there and it’s alive. And of course, the way we reconcile that is quite simply we say, well, that that’s the physical Babylon that was destroyed in here in the Book of Revelation.

11. 5:28

    We are being taught that there is a spirit of Babylon which is an interesting Insight because often we spend more time trying to identify a particular city that is Babylon, whereas the fact that physical Babylon remains just Asteroid is screaming at us. That what we have in Revelation is the spirit of Babylon, brought to life, not necessarily in one city, but in a way that demonstrates all that Babylon stood for and will actually see that a bit later in another one of my meditations. So, that’s an interesting Echo.

12. 5:59

    And so this idea that Babylon is Fallen is Fallen, is perhaps making us also think that in fact, Babylon has to be destroyed twice And, and that’s an interesting idea. When we view sin itself, we understand as Jesus said that, we’ve got to be very careful in our view of sin that sin actually has to be dealt with on the outside and the inside.

13. 6:29

    We can live lives. Like the Pharisees were living where it looks like. They’ve dealt with all the outside manifestations of this. And as he said, you’ve made the outside look, very clean, but you haven’t dealt with the Inside the thoughts and intents of your heart. Have not been dealt with. And really, in the sense, we’re taught that sin requires a double blow, it needs to be dealt with twice as it were David.

14. 6:55

    A summarizes this beautifully in Psalm 51. He says, hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquities. Okay. That’s I need forgiveness for the things that I’ve done wrong, but that alone doesn’t deal with my problem. You know, you can Can, you know, kill the tree, but if you haven’t dealt with the roots, will take out the weed.

15. 7:14

    But if you haven’t taken out the roots, it’s coming back. I need to also have my heart cleaned. This is what David understood. I need. I need you to come in and change my very way of thinking, because even though today, I didn’t do that thing that I didn’t want to do tomorrow. It’s coming back so so sit in a way, needs to be destroyed. Obviously, in the outside, we need to work and stop ourselves from doing the things that we ought to. Do, but the way that ultimately takes place is by the inside also being cleansed.

16. 7:46

    So perhaps there’s this idea that Babylon is Fallen is Fallen teaching us that we need to understand that certain our Labs requires the double blow that David I think is referring to. So there’s a quick thought, just from the idea of Babylon is Fallen is Fallen a little tidbit in that same little passage, is the idea that Babylon is always referred to as Great Babylon in, in the, in both actually in Revelation.

17. 8:15

    And in many of the texts that we found in Isaiah and you might want to think about why, what’s the reason for that Echo? The word great. By the way, in Greek is the word, Mega. We still use that word today. So I’ll leave you with that. Thought for yourself. I want to start to go to this passage which is the passage if you’ve got your Bibles open because that’s not very clear.

18. 8:35

    Still battling with resolution, you know, if we go to Revelation chapter 7, you I want to open your Bibles, thanks for that Revelation chapter 7 and there is the the passage that deals with the sealed of God. Very well-known. Beautiful passage describing, what we call the 144,000 these have been washed, had their clothes washed in the blood of the lamb and have been sealed with the name of God, on their foreheads. And what morning when I was considering this passage what caught my attention, And what caught my focus is the way when this this multitude are described, I heard how many there were who were marked with the Seal of the Lord 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel.

19. 9:28

    All right? And I think in another version it says from the children the tribes of the children of Israel, we’re going to highlight them in the moment and then he goes on to say, I’ll tell you how those hundred and forty-four thousand were made up. He then mentions each of the tribes and gives us the the number twelve thousand for Judah, 12,000 for Ruben, 12,000 for Levi, and I won’t go through all the lists, what caught my attention and this is what often catches, your attention when you’re meditating, is the level of detail again. I mean he could have stopped by saying, you know, I saw a great crowd 144,000 of the tribes of the children of Israel and we would have had a good picture, but he goes specifically to mention each of the names of the tribes. And to tell us that each of them is allocated 12,000. So, I think, you know, again from a from a high-level point of view there we go.

20. 10:18

    Just need to press the button, then it would have been nice and clear from a high-level point of view. What we’re seeing is, is this beautiful idea that amongst the steel of God, amongst the reveal the redeemed, there’s a place for all of us. There’s a place for everyone. It’s an entry of abundance, there’s an abundant injury often we obviously look with fear and uncertainty will.

21. 10:40

    Be a place for me. But the message in Revelation and certainly In this passage is this a place for everyone. There’s 12,000 for every tribe. And and I think the reason every tribe is named is in a way. Yes, we’re no, the allusions to the spiritual Israel and and back to each of the tribes.

22. 10:58

    And we’ll look at that in a moment. But the point is each trap. Also, represented. I’ve been talking about diversity different characteristics and all of them are there. All of your cultural backgrounds. All of your heritage all of your personality traits. God has a place for every one of you and your Equity treat it 12,000 for each. And of course that message is coming out strongly because when we go back to look at the tribes as they recorded in numbers, when the numberings were done, they were certainly not equal in size, some of the tribes were two times the volume in terms of population, the number then other tribes had some very fertile woman in their tribes.

23. 11:36

    So but when we come, The message of of the Seal of God, every child receives 12,000, abundant entry space for everyone that’s inspiration for us. But then of course, we do know, just a little detail, little detail becomes apparent and it’s this detail. Here is the, the tribes of the children of Israel and he goes through each of them and names them. And and what do we notice?

24. 12:02

    Well there’s a list of Revelation chapter 7 when we go back to Genesis chapter 29, where we have a list of the children of Israel. We notice of course that the list in Revelation chapter 7 is missing someone and that is Dan. Now you’ll know that in Numbers Chapter 1, when the tribes are listed in terms of the way that Camped around the Tabernacle, Ephraim and Manasseh as a part of the double portion coming to replace Joseph. And Levi, although remaining as a tribe was not one of the tribes that kept in the twelve encampments the three encampments on the four points of the compass. But I think when you look at the comparison between Revelation chapter 7 and Genesis 29 being the children of Israel and that’s the reference that’s made in Revelation chapter 7 the missing person actually.

25. 12:53

    Ashley is Dan. What’s happened is Levi’s, been brought back in as you can see, and then Joseph is brought back because he is one of the children and in replace of Dan in, in place of Dan is Manasseh, who, in fact was the firstborn child of Joseph? Perhaps he’s there because of the double portion. I’m sure we could have discussions about that, but the missing tribe is Dan, you know, I thought about it. I thought imagine this, you know, it’s this beautiful scene is painted.

26. 13:22

    Imagine if you were Part of the tribe of Dan and you come to this Revelation chapter 7 and you come to imagine the picture and you know like when we all look through photograph albums If we’re honest we looking through a photograph album. Look at the photos and suddenly we were looking for one of our selfie suddenly stopped or here. I am we we drawn to ourselves.

27. 13:42

    We might not want to show it, we put but if you are of the tribe of Dan and you were reading Revelation chapter 7 You wouldn’t be very happy because we’re not be. And so, it got my mind thinking about why, why would in this in this picture of abundance, in this picture of God making place for every trap, specifically One Tribe is left out.

28. 14:09

    So let’s take a while just to think about what spiritual lesson we can take from missing Dan. Now, this idea of of one being missing amongst the chosen is is Echo. Definitely in the life of Jesus. Remember when Jesus said in John 6, did I not Choose You the twelve and one of you is a devil, so there’s a lovely Echo.

29. 14:33

    Their 12 chosen one has turned Twelve Tribes, 12 children of Israel. One is not there, of course, in the case of of Judas, we know he was a betrayer. He was not prepared to wait for Jesus to work out his own purpose, he wanted to force the issue, whatever your view is as to why he portrayed Jesus. So that’s quite clear but but Dan is it the same spirit and Dan that that will not allow us to be a part of those redeemed? It’s an important question.

30. 15:04

    So let’s think a bit more about the on Sir. Let’s go in search of Dan now typically people will say to you and I’ve certainly heard it that Dan is missing from this list and I’m sure some of you thought about it because his name means to judge and this list. People that we have in Revelation chapter 7 of the redeemed.

31. 15:30

    Mercy, we’ve been talking about that throughout this week, triumphs over judgment. So, in a sense from just, the meaning of his name, we shouldn’t expect to find them there because these are the ones who have had mercy. So, I guess there’s some Merit in that, but when we dig deeper and we understand and we look for The Echoes, I think there’s a greater spiritual principle underlying why someone might be missing despite But the availability of mercy.

32. 15:57

    So, so yes. Dad’s name does mean to judge to contend to vindicate? The question is, what is meant by that judgment? What do we mean by that judgment? And the way to answer the question, of course, is what we’ll do just now is to go back to Genesis and to try and understand what was the very jeans that you re very DNA of Dan.

33. 16:18

    Before we do that some interesting things Dan as a name, both referring to the individual. And the tribe appears about 60 times in the bar, This surprised me, he’s the fifth most reference son of Jacob. So you got the obvious guys that you would think are in the in the top spot Judah. Levi obviously being mentioned quite a lot of times but here is Danforth and Lon he’s mentioned a lot more than some other quite famous.

34. 16:43

    I think Ruben, for example, is mentioned far less times and Dan. He was the first born. So he becomes quite an important trap in the land of Israel. He’s the only son Of Israel. He’s not mentioned at all in the New Testament at all. So not in Revelation nowhere in the New Testament. So interesting, let’s do what we’ve been saying. We like to do and go back to Genesis and see if we can find out something about Dan.

35. 17:11

    And I think the essence of the spirit of Dan is actually captured in his naming and his birth. So this is what happens when he is born. Rachel said, God has Vindicated me. Remember, that was one of the, the tri-state. So, it’s named in the King James version. It says, God is Judge Me. He has listen to my plea and given me a son because of the she named him, Dan.

36. 17:33

    So here, she’s capturing the very Spirit of the birth of her son. Dan? Now, I want you to think a bit about that word that’s been used at the Tri-State, is choose to use the word Vindicated, slightly different in our language. The word judge. I think it’s actually a bit more helpful. The idea there is that God has come through for me, he and she says that I pleaded to him.

37. 17:56

    He’s listen to my plea and he’s given me what I wanted, which was a son. As we unravel the story, we’re going to see that. There’s nothing true about that. And this is where the real spiritual truth lies. That’s been revealed to us, I Believe by focusing on the missing Dan in Revelation chapter 7.

38. 18:18

    So how does the story begin? Well, you know, the story there’s a two wives and their in the baby competition and of course, Rachel was the first one up, she was the favorite. And all she wanted to do was to give her husband a son, but she was Barren. And Leah was just producing the wives one after of the wife’s. The sun’s one, after another four in a row every season, and she becomes desperate, and look at what she says. This is when she saw that she was not bearing. Jacob, any children she became jealous. So she said to Jacob, give me children or I will die. So immediately we learn a lot about Rachel, don’t we? She has a problem.

39. 19:03

    She’s desperate for children. She doesn’t get on her knees, like, Hannah and pray to God because she had on you. That. That’s where children come from. She goes to Jacob, says, give me children or I will die. Jacob course, being a man of Faith answers correctly. Jacob became angry with her and said, am I in place of God who has kept you from Children. So he points her in the direction that she should be going.

40. 19:31

    He says, I’m not the one who can give you children. It’s God. And I want you to notice those words. Am I in place of God. Am I the substitute for God in this case and so he’s encouraging her. And so what does Rachel do, does she get on her knees like henna and pray for children as she said. She’d it does she plead for children? That’s not in the record.

41. 19:52

    Maybe she did, but it’s not the way the writer of Genesis chooses to reveal the story to us. This is what she does. So, she said, here is my maid bulla, go into her and she will bear a child on my knees. That I also may have children by her. She came up with the solution. Ironically the solution she came up with was the very solution that God had said to her, father-in-law, father, right? Remember when Abram was wondering, where the promised seed would come from, was he going to come through any ASA? Was it going to come through his handmade that had been? Given to him from Sarah and God said very clearly. No, no, no.

42. 20:34

    Your wife Sarah will bear you. A child. So, in the family, they had already learnt this principle. But but for Rachel, she wanted so desperately to have a son that she would find her own way to do it and that the use of the Hebrew expression, I think it’s lost in some of the newer translations is so powerful, isn’t it?

43. 20:53

    Look at that phrase and she will bear a child on my knees. She’s giving us a visual image. She’s going to take this hand mate, and when she’s about to give birth, she’s going to put her on her knees, so that it will appear that the child that is born is actually from Rachel. I’ve done it.

44. 21:12

    I’ve given birth to a child to a son. There can be given to you. Jacob. And when we stop to think about that. And we now read these words. God has Vindicated me. He has listened to my plea and given me a son. We understand how incorrect it was. She had Vindicated herself, she had judged herself.

45. 21:36

    She had found a way to deliver on the problem that she had and I guess we might summarize that particular Spurt as this, my plan is God’s plan. And, you know, so often in our lives, we find ourself in that situation. We find ourselves impatient not willing to wait for God to work in us and through us. And so, what we do is eventually we find our own way to do whatever it is.

46. 22:04

    We want to achieve, but there’s something a bit more Insidious years in there and we’re good at doing this as well, we work our own solution and then we ascribe it to God. We find a way to manipulate what we have done and say, well, it’s the work of God. Now, I contested and you, and you can test it on me, but in our hearts and in our conscience, we can sometimes see that.

47. 22:30

    And this is where this danger Spirit lies. This thing that God cannot through his Mercy, because God’s mercy cannot deal with autonomy. God’s Mercy is only dependent on one thing that you are dependent on him. The the unforgivable sin that’s in that says the spirit and power of God, the Holy Spirit has no power in my life because my power is what counts becomes the unforgivable sin.

48. 22:57

    My plan is God’s plan. Now, we see this. Now in the spirit of the birth of Dan, The Echoes of Genesis that something about Dan speaks to this desire to execute our own will. But as we go through now, very quickly, we’ll do it as we go through other parts of that and we see the same idea coming through.

49. 23:15

    For example, you’ll know that Jacob gave these blessings to the 12 children and they summarized the characteristics of each of the Jordan show up on the screen yet when he was blessing Judah. He summarized the vector Judah was going to be a leader. Maybe he really had demonstrated those qualities and he said you’re like a lion and from this we get the idea of the Lion of the tribe of Judah or a great leader. What did he say when he came to Dan? He said Dan shall judge his people as one of the tribes of Israel.

50. 23:48

    Dan shall be a serpent by the way, a Viper by the pot, that botch the horses heels. So that it’s Rider shall fall backward. So isn’t this an amazing description of what we had seen with Rachel? This idea that Dan is going to judge his people. I don’t think he means become a judge on behalf of God, he’s going to judge. His people will see a bit later.

51. 24:12

    According to his own way. It’s his own rules and not only is he going to do that, he’s going to be very deceptive, he’s going to come as a snake behind the rider. So he’s going to be a snare to the rest of Israel. And he’s going to present to them something that looks like the judgments of God and he’s going to take them out just like the echo of the serpent that said, God knows that the day that you eat of the tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil, you will become like him. In other words to present that, that this opportunity that you have Eve, is really not that bad, because really, it’s just a way in which you can make the judgments of God yourself. You can discern between Good and Evil. And that was really the essence of the Serpent’s Temptation and no wonder, Jacob says in Dan is the spirit of that deception that thing which says I can make the Judgment separate from God and I can ascribe it to God.

52. 25:12

    Isn’t it interesting that Suddenly at the end of his description of Dan? Jacob puts Verse 18. And when you’re reading it, you think I see put that in there, what’s that? Got to do with the rest? I have waited for your salvation. O Lord isn’t that the essence of it? Well is it that we want to execute our own judgment when it is it that we want to do it our way when we no longer prepared to wait? You see, patients is one of those incredible qualities of God.

53. 25:42

    It’s in almost all the lists that represent the characteristics of God. If you got to Exodus chapter 34, it’s the third long-suffering, merciful gracious. Long-suffering you go to the fruit of the spirit. We’ve got love joy. Peace. Patience, you go to the First Corinthians 13. Definition of love. Love is kind. Love is patient. Over and over again, patients, this incredible, quality of waiting for the Salvation of the Lord and Rachel couldn’t do it. And it’s built into Dan and Dan cannot wait for God’s. Will, to be worked out the very essence when it comes down to the crunch with the Lord.

54. 26:19

    Jesus Christ. What is it that he’s tested on in the garden? It all comes down to this that your will may be done and not mine. That was the essence of the test. And so, when we go and have a look at the, the nation of Dan the tribe that was born out of the spirit.

55. 26:41

    We’re not surprised that we find that they called the, the city that was the capital of Dan after the name of Dan, he was their leader. So, let’s call it down. He’s going to be our judge. And they, they the children, it says, verse 30 of Dan sets up for themselves, a carved image, and Jonathan, the son of gershom, the son of Vanessa.

56. 27:00

    And his sons were priests to the tribe of Dan until the day of the Captivity and I set up for themselves Bacchus cough image which he made all the time that the house of God was in China. What do they do? They decided, you know what? We still want to worship? Yes, we still believe in God.

57. 27:16

    We were seeing this. What did you call it? It was a bit of weird seeing Chris. Was it syncretism beautiful syncretism? They mixed what work for them together, what looked like, Devon and godly worship. Own priesthood, is to go to priesthood, we’ve got places to worship, don’t need to go down to Shiloh next. Let’s mix what God has given us but that which is inconvenient will take out.

58. 27:39

    And presented back as something acceptable. You see what’s so powerful about? This isn’t just a normal sin, God can deal with those. He’s promised us that he will wash them away. This cannot be dealt with, you won’t be amongst Revelation chapter 7 with this condition. Those who swear by the sin of Sumeria who say as your God Lives.

59. 28:03

    Oh Dan? And as the way of Beersheba, they shall fall and look what it says and never rise again. In this state in this state, what is called the city of Samaria. When you have given yourself over to independence from God, self-reliance autonomy, driving your own judgments. There is no place, you shall never rise again. So in summary, we have This, this wonderful message coming to us from this little meditation, learning to submit our will to God.

60. 28:37

    We’ve got to understand in our daily living that that he is the Potter, where the clay in. How often we want to resist him. We’re impatient. We’re not willing to let them work with us. Patiently waiting for his will to be done. There’s no places there for the spirit of Dan in the sealed of God.

61. 28:55

    God, God cannot the one thing he will not and cannot do is cure self Vindication. And so, let’s be aware of that. There is an abundant entry. We’re being taught in Revelation, chapter 7, and abundant entry into the kingdom for all of us, and that’s an inspiration. And that’s an encouragement, except if you refuse to submit our will, if we make our judgments God’s judgments, if we choose not to Wait for the Salvation of God.

62. 29:24

    So there is a meditation on some names and some people that we can go back and listen to The Echoes from the Old Testament. Let’s keep in this theme and I want to draw your attention to this passage also very well-known passage from Revelation, Chapter 2 and verse 17. So let’s read it together. He who has an ear, let him hear what the spirit says, to the churches, to him who overcomes, I will give some of the Hidden Manna to eat, and I will give him a white stone. And on that stone, a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.

63. 30:03

    So, thinking again, about Echoes of themes and names in the previous one, we were looking at the names of the children of Israel. Here, we have direct reference to this name that that’s going to be given to Us this beautiful idea that we can imagine ourselves, I can picture it. So, so beautifully being there, being accepted by Jesus waiting, as he comes to me, and he presents me with a white stone.

64. 30:30

    And as I grab that white stone and I turn it over, it says it has a new name for me and it’s powerful because it says, you know, that new name that you’re going to get no one else would have heard of it before. It’s an interesting thought you know we often think about the fact that we have taken on the name of God of course that’s Central to the gospel message, isn’t it? This idea that Simeon has declared Our God at the first at visit the Gentiles to take out of them a people for his name. Yes, we are called at to Bear the name of Yahweh, the name of God, the name that was given to Jesus. That is above every name.

65. 31:09

    But there’s a sense in this meditation that there is a new name, a name that is given to us personally, that no one else knows except him who receives it. And this is where my focus went, this is where my thought process went. As in terms of not just the Echoes that abound throughout the word of God.

66. 31:30

    Our names. But the the idea of giving and receiving names that that we will receive a new name. That seems to be very personal. Now, if we think about names very quickly, let’s think about names a very quickly. We each have two names. Some of you may have more because your parents were feeling generous and have the money to give you more names, but we at least hopefully each have two names that are used to identify us uniquely.

67. 31:56

    We have our surnames, we call them our family names. Our second name, Ames and primarily. If you think about your surname it’s a name that yes it identifies you but it more identifies you in terms of belonging. So you can tell a lot about someone by knowing their sooner, you can often tell where they came from. So if your surname is slum in, you probably haven’t heard that in the u.s.a.

68. 32:19

    That’s a very common surname back. Yeah, you will work out. This chap doesn’t come from the USA. Probably comes from somewhere else and I can tell you comes from a province called kwazulu-natal in South Africa. If the person’s name is Trump, you probably work out that he comes from. Where should I say Russia? Russia must be Russia.

69. 32:38

    Yes. But we can work out a lot from the surname of the individual and who they belong to, and in the many ways, the name that we’ve been caught, you is our family name. We’re going to belong to the family of God, but then we have a first name. And, you know, our first names are a lot about our individuality on that. We associate people’s first names with the individual personality traits.

70. 33:05

    That’s why often if we had a bad experience with a particular first name. And then the wife says she would like to call someone by that name, you’ll go on touch. Love to call my child at all, like and of start working for me. All right. So so first names talk to individualization and and there is an idea. Here isn’t the in Revelation Chapter 2 and this meditation that that although we are called to be one, although we are called to bear.

71. 33:31

    That one name, we are diverse. Let me god is the creator of diversity. If that were not true, then why is it that every one of us has a absolutely unique fingerprint and absolutely unique eye and absolutely unique DNA, everything completely unique. Every snowflake that falls is completely unique. He has a God that creates diversity and brings it into Unity.

72. 33:55

    Not uniformity. So there’s a sense that that that as an individual, you have a name that fits into your belonging name and I want to explore this idea. This idea of of first Names. Because I think this is what’s been captured in Revelation Chapter 2. Let’s think quickly about giving and receiving of names.

73. 34:16

    Have you ever noticed this in the Book of Genesis? Of course, you’ve noticed the passage. This is our Genesis Gene that that in the midst of all the intensity of everything that’s going on in Genesis, and all the things that are being explained to us, it makes so much sense. We have this curious event where Adam is taken.

74. 34:34

    And God says, I’m going to bring the animals in front of you, and you can name them. And he gets to name all of the beautiful animals of God. Why did God do that? And why is it recorded for us? It’s the first time that name appears in the Bible, Adam called them every living creature, the name that he would give them and such was his name.

75. 34:55

    The first time it appears. So there’s there’s a DNA in this. There’s something for us to understand, I want to put it to you this. You see that the characteristic of God that we often don’t talk about, but it is the very first thing we learn about God, is that he is creative. The first thing we re in the beginning God created, he’s a creative God, he’s Innovative.

76. 35:20

    He’s about making things, and that’s what he did. He made the whole earth and this beautiful landscape that we’re enjoying this week. And in a sense, what did he do? He created this incredible fabric of creation and he makes one part of that creation special with the ability to also create with the intellect and the power and the free will to also be creative. It’s what’s unique about humans?

77. 35:47

    Compared to the rest of the creation and the way that he demonstrates, that that’s what he wants is he says to Adam, you know what, I’ve done this creation, but I want you to finish it off. You guys, often the honor and the privilege. Each if you’ve assigned tests and you discover something new, makes the honor and the privilege of the scientists to be able to name.

78. 36:06

    It is the privilege of the the, the Creator to name that which is creating. So we get the privilege when we give birth to a baby as the mom and dad have been heavily involved in the creative part to name the child. We wouldn’t feel very good if we add the job, in some person, the doctor walks in and says, oh this looks like an author and gives the Night and so it is when someone discovers a news and you star or some new discovery they name it.

79. 36:35

    It’s a part of the creative process and I think this idea that that name giving is given to Adam is really God saying I’ve called you to be a co-creator with me. The first commandment he ever got the first words he ever spoke to man, be fruitful and multiply we are called not just sit back not to to hold on to the very little that we have.

80. 36:59

    God says, I want you to grow, I want you to be abundant, but I want you to grow in supporting my creative work, understanding that you have to create together with me, the idea of co-creation. Now, this is a very important Insight, especially for me. It teaches us that in every part of our life, we have a way to, to live out our calling, whether it be at work, whether it be in the in our relaxation, Tom, whether it be in the family, we are being called to use.

81. 37:29

    Creativity to ultimately move his plan for it. And that’s what he was calling adamant to do now. If you think I’m making too much of that when, when the first human is named, who was given the right to name the first human? Well, the often the the spontaneous answers. Well that was God because the first human named is Adam and if I have my slides up there, I’d be able to show you that actually Adam never received the name. Okay, so Adam, who we know, as Adam in fact, all that is is the Hebrew word that describes the creation of, man. In fact, when we first have the, the now use my little glasses. When we first find Adam mentioned, I think, his first name is mentioned.

82. 38:18

    If you have your Bibles, you’ll pick it up. His name is first, mentioned in Genesis 2, verse 19, first time he’s called Adam. If you’ve got the King James version Genesis 219, do you know that the Word has been used, non Thomas before that. Charles States has just decided at some point. We’ll just use the Hebrew.

83. 38:36

    So in actual fact to be consistent you could just keep calling a man the man the man. So the word name and you can check it is never used that God named him, Adam. I think that’s important because the first human ever night is in fact, Eve. And that’s recorded for us in Genesis 3, verse 20, Adam called his wife’s name, Eve, you see?

84. 38:57

    This is consistent. God has given name giving two men. And it’s interesting that the names that are then given when he gives her the name EV says, she shall be the mother of all living. In other words, the name was to capture the way that person was going to be a part of God’s great creative process.

85. 39:17

    She was going to be the beginning of creating living people. And who do you think gave the name to the first human ever born? Of course, it was Adam and Eve. And the first human ever born was Cain, and they gave him his name and his name actually was a part of the idea. It actually means position.

86. 39:36

    It means possession, it’s quite interesting when, when Eve names, akane and Genesis for burst, once you said I have created a man, just as the Lord She’s starting to work out. That this idea of of creativity is a part of our calling. The very fact that I can have children even saying is demonstration that. I’m a co-creator with God.

87. 40:00

    And she was able to name him as demonstration of that. But there’s something in the words of Eve that that catches our attention, I have created a man just as the Lord did. But here’s the edge brothers and sisters. It seems so simple. Doesn’t it? That that on the one hand we have to rely on God, but you said God is calling us to be creative.

88. 40:22

    He’s calling us to multiply. He’s calling us to be abundant. He’s calling us to be named givers. But in that process, there is the risk that we become named builders in that process. We become not co-creators but self creators. And as we follow the theme of names, it doesn’t take long before we get to the Tower of Babel and what do they say? Let us make a name for ourselves. And so they go from being named givers demonstrated, the co-creative role that we have been caught you to name, givers, and name, builders.

89. 41:00

    And then we come to to the next manifestation of Babylon that we were talking earlier and we come to that incredible passage that I think you will know. Well, you don’t even need to see it in the screen. When Nebuchadnezzar stands on the same planes, where they built the Tower of Babel, where they had built a name for themselves.

90. 41:18

    And, and captures, the very, the very Spirit of Babylon when he says, is not this great Babylon, which I have built by the power of my might and The honor of my name. You see you see what has happened yet? Is is Nebuchadnezzar has has lost contact with the cause of creation. You see as co-creators we never lose sight that he is the cause we purely have a fabric, he’s given us incredible Fabric, and all we doing is putting the finishing touches finishing touches.

91. 41:54

    But when we lose sight of the cause of our creativity, we will lose sight of the purpose. So, Nebuchadnezzar looks at Great Babylon. Is this is not this great Babylon, 5, Pulled by the power of my much. And therefore, for my honor. What a great lesson, you know, David I think picks up on this idea, David spends so much time, doesn’t he in the Psalms? He tells us to constantly?

92. 42:17

    Be reminded that all that we see out there is a reminder that he is the cause of all creativity. Everything that you’ve ever achieved is only because he gave you it to work with. So he looks upon the stars and and looks at the heavens and beholds, the glory of God, the handiwork of God and because David Always understood that God was the cause of creativity, he therefore understood that he was the purpose.

93. 42:43

    In other words, it was always to his glory. That was why when David brought the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem? The first thing he did as it came, as a manifestation of the glory of God, is he took off his crown, he took up his Royal robe so that he could say, here is the purpose of creativity? Here is where the glory belongs.

94. 43:04

    Of course, his wife marker looked at that and she couldn’t see what He was doing, you have made yourself as one of the vulgar ones because you have humbled yourself in the sight of the commonest. So when we look to ourselves and we understand that we are called to be named givers to be co-creators and yet in doing that as we gain success, as we get the satisfaction that God, always intended you to have in creativity. As we start to get perhaps some accolades behind our name. Perhaps is at the end of your name, PhD, be calm, or whatever it is or perhaps it’s at the front of your name. Doctor Sir?

95. 43:47

    And we begin to build the Temptation, is we become brand builders that the Legacy moves from being a legacy for God? But a legacy for ourselves and we’re on Facebook, and we’re on LinkedIn, and we can Google ourselves and our name gets bigger and bigger until such time, as we have the spirit of Babylon in each and every one of us.

96. 44:11

    So I think the lesson is very clear brothers and sisters. It is for us to understand that he gave us the opportunity. He gave us the blessing of being co-creators so that we could finish his creation. But you know what, ultimately, he wants to give you that first name that your mom and dad gave you, he wants to change it. He wants to complete his Creation in you and we know that’s true from revelation.

97. 44:39

    2:7. We read in 11. This this beautiful passage when John Was preparing the message of the Gospel he says, but as many as received him to them, he gave the right to become the children of God. In those, who believe in his name, who were born? Not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of, man. But of God, you see, it’s not about whether we choose. It’s about whether we receive He’s chosen to give you a new name, he’s waiting to give it to you. You will receive run from your parents. It wasn’t by your will not by the will of man or by flesh. You just got it.

98. 45:17

    You can’t even complain about it. I know some people like to change their names, but that’s it. He says, but I am willing to give you a new name. I’m willing to give it to you, but you need to want to receive it. You need to be ready to give up all that.

99. 45:32

    You’ve achieved behind your first name here. And you know what I believe. I believe that when we were in the Kingdom with him, and he gives us that watch stone, that, that new name, that’s recorded. They will summarize everything that we did all of our talents, all of our skills that co-created with him, that helped us each person.

100. 45:54

     Need to do something to forward his master plan. And that is why when you turn that stone over and you read that name though, nobody else will know it because they never called you by that name. They called you Harold, they called you Cameron. There is a name that God will give that summarizes everything you ever did to co-create with him. And to me, that is so inspirational because today we’re working on that new name and we need to hold on to it and make sure we don’t.

101. 46:24

     Hold on to the name that we were given by our parents. So may God bless you as you continue to meditate on the Book of Revelation.