The greatest hindrance to the Word of God is unbelief. Most people do not call their unbelief by its proper name. The Biblical idea of unbelief is someone that does not act upon the plain sense of Holy Scripture. Unbelief does not mean that you reject the Word; it means that you do not obey the Word and live by its principles. Such a person is one who hears the Word, knows it is God’s Word, but keeps living like they have never heard what was preached. It is the sad state of most of the church world.

This is exactly what happened to the Children of Israel as they marched out of Egypt towards the Promise Land. Read as Apostle Paul describes this hardness of heart that kept these Egyptian escapees in a wilderness forty years, even until they all died. “While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation. For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses. But with whom was he grieved forty years?  was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness?  And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not?  So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief”(Hebrews 3:15-19).

This great company, representing God’s chosen people, could not enjoy the great promises by God because they would not live out the faith that He had given them. Their clothes and shoes did not show wear, they ate Heavenly manna, they drank supernaturally supplied water, and even saw the glory of God in the mountain. Yet, they acted like Egyptians serving Horus or another strange god. God’s laws were plain and full of divine life, but they loved their own will better. Because of this, they totally missed the Promise Land flowing with milk and honey.

Today, it’s happening all over the church world. The church is full of Egyptian “Christians.” You can change that in your life. Here is God’s invitation, “Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world” (Hebrews 4:1-3).

This “rest” is a breathtaking word. It means that you have heard what God said, you fully accept the finished work in His every Word, and are surrendered to do the whole truth. Every word of the Bible is “For ever,  … settled in heaven”(Psalms 119:89). The Word of God is a finished system of truth.  It is as though what God has said is already done, so you can start living in the finality of faith. Your whole life has settled into surrender and trust because “God said it and that settles it.”

The Holy Scripture is the finished work of Christ in final written form. It is His living words just like He is the Incarnate Word. The Bible and Jesus Christ are one and the same. One is written for us to follow and the other is seated at the Father’s right hand to see that it can never fail. If you trust and obey the Word of God, your life will be a picture of the Book of Acts. Please notice that there is no closure of the “Acts of the Apostles;” because it is only finished when He says, “Come up hither.”

Scholars — so-called — have tampered with the Bible until the argument is over which one to read. The one I read happens to be the exact rendering of the authorized manuscripts, so I treat it like an Infallible Bible. For fifty-seven years it has worked perfectly for me. I’m not going to spend my time arguing, but I can promise that my heart and mind is full of this great truth and it keeps me on a straight path.

Here are words in the same chapter that tell us of the supernatural power in God’s perfect truth. “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do” (Hebrews 4:12-13).

With such a Heavenly Bible, I treat it like a paper pope. I can quote it to my heart and peace floods my soul like a river. I use it as a sword when Satan’s imps show up, and they run for cover. When there are needs in my life, I find what has been settled in Heaven by His words and wait for the promise.  It is not a life for immature doubters, but a life for the young and old that can obey simple instruction, “And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein” (Isaiah 35:8).

Joseph R. Chambers
jrc@pawcreek.org

“Holy, Holy Holy” will be the first song we hear when we are Raptured up to Heavenly Jerusalem. The highest level of praise to which a saint might ascend is that place of worship that God Himself quickly inhabits.  His Word has promised that He inhabits the praise of His saints.  “O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel” (Psalm 22:3).  We were created to love our Heavenly Father and to voice our greatest emotion is to join His cherubims in singing, “Holy, Holy, Holy!”  Just as soon as we reach His celestial throne, the great living creatures will be sounding out Heaven’s highest praise.  The character of Heaven is not love.  That is Heaven’s undying emotion.  It is not mercy, although mercy is the reaction of God to His fallen race.  The character of God is Holiness, so the song of the angelic throng is “Holy, Holy, Holy!”

It is impossible for the Rapture not to occur between the first and fourth verses of Revelation chapter four.  Immediately the scene moves from the troubled churches of chapters two and three to a transcending view of Almighty God and His worshipping creation.  The Son is there because He is the voice of the grand event.  The Holy Spirit is there because He is the Seven Lamps of Fire.  The angelic multitude is there to lead in worship by the thrice sounding of the “Holy” chorus. Occupying center stage are twenty-four lesser thrones, the grand seats of triumphant saints.  Sixty-five previous books of the Holy Truth could never boast of such a movement.

These saints are seated in regal splendor.  This splendor was not earned by human birth or obtained by careless promotions.  The position of popes, priests, bishops, or deacons was not even considered in these rewards.  These are blood-washed saints that represent an unnumbered multitude that have paid the price of being overcomers.  They have forsaken the world to follow the highest calling.  They have counted earthly attainment as loss compared to the glory of following their Master.  They have reached the star-studded triump of entering the Heavenly Jerusalem.  The moments of man’s greatest hope has finally arrived.

The Heavenly Father is welcoming His Son’s Bride.  They are properly attired in the purity of spotless white robes.  Sacred blood spilled on a cruel cross has prepared the wedding garments for this grand event.  The cherubims are prepared to worship the thrice revealed and thrice Holy God.  “And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come” (Revelation 4:8).  Nothing in the Bible has ever been revealed to match this scene.

The Throne of God is wrapped in a rainbow of brilliant colors. The Father that walked with Noah and Enoch, but made Himself invisible because of human sins, is once again visible to the redeemed multitude.  Satan’s payday has arrived and the process of reclaiming a lost world has been set in motion.  The redeemed of the earth are no longer struggling with the daily temptations and no longer facing the despite of evil enemies.  They are elevated, glorified elders ready to join the action of divine judgment.  The days of triump have arrived.

Our Heavenly Father will be personally present and will be seated upon His throne in the Heavenly sphere.  Saints of His kingdom have longed to look upon Him and drink in the majesty of His revealed glory. The Psalmist David prayed, “As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness” (Psalm 17:15).  It is impossible to walk with God in the graces of Calvary and not long for the day when we shall enter His presence. Christ’s redeeming and sanctifying blood will not just cleanse a soul from sin, but will also fill that soul with a righteousness that is fixed on Him and Him alone.  If you walk in grace, you will long for the day when you are free from the encumbrance of this flesh.

John the Revelator struggled for words to describe Him on His throne.  Without a doubt the Lord Jesus inspired this description, “And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.  And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.  And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God” (Revelation 4:3-5).

As the host of cherubims — living creatures — watches the unfolding drama of this reunion of the Father and His separated family, they can contain themselves no longer. They prepare themselves to burst forth into Heavenly praises declaring, “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty” (Revelation 4:8).  The name of their song is clearly, “Holy, Holy, Holy!” We do not yet know all the words of this refrain.

As they sing praises to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, it is then stated, “And . . . those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever” (Revelation 4:9).  Now, the saints either join or follow after these great angelic creatures in praise to God.  With united voices, “The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created” (Revelation 4:10-11).

In chapter four the Raptured saints sing of the Father and praise Him with voices that are unlimited by flesh.  But, then, in chapter five they sing of their Redeemer, Jesus Christ. The Bible says that we sing a new song to Him, “And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth” (Revelation 5:9-10).  Music was created as the language of praise.  Every time you sing you praise something or someone.  The saints of God — the Rapture-ready believers — must prepare for this triumphant day.  We must be freed from the lust of this world and sanctified to praise and worship.  We are getting ready to go.

The greatest worship of human experience is just ahead for the Saints of God.  Revelation chapter four opens to the grand hour of “Hallelujah’s,” “Amen’s,” and the Heavenly Song, “Holy, Holy, Holy!”  Will you be ready to ascend and break forth in Heavenly music?  There will not be a notice for last minute preparations.  The call of God is clear, “Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh” (Matthew 24:44

Joseph R. Chambers
jrc@pawcreek.org