Okay, we're going to continue our study in the Book of Revelation. We're going to spend a lot of time there. So if you will, turn in your Bibles to Revelation chapter 1, we're going to pick it up one more time, the Book of Revelation. The Book of Revelation, easy to understand. If it wasn't easy to understand, then Jesus Christ lied, of course he didn't, did he? When he said in chapter 1 verse 1, the revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave unto him, to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass. Jesus said, the revelation was written to show you and I things which must shortly come to pass. If you can't understand it, then he lied, didn't he, but he did. And then he said in verse 3, blessed is he that readeth and they that hear the words of this prophecy. promise blessings. The Book of Revelation was written to give blessings so that you can understand the future. It pronounces the final doom on the world that rejects the Lord Jesus Christ. The final doom on Satan is pronounced in the Book of Revelation. The final fulfillment of all God's prophecy is pronounced in the Book of Revelation. The final doom on Babylon, which is false religion is promised in the book of Revelation. The final end of death is promised in the book of Revelation and the final end of all the lost people, those who have never trusted Christ, is all promised, all prophesied in the book of Revelation. In the book of Revelation chapter 1 John saw a glorified Christ. He said in chapter 1 verse 19, show the things which thou hast seen, the things which are, church age and the things which I'll be here after. We're at the present time in the middle of the Donar expository on the church age. Jesus Christ wrote to the seven churches in Asia which represent seven literal churches at the time, seven types of churches throughout history, and seven church ages throughout history which I'm not going to get into that takes too much time, but each church represents a period of history during the church age. The latter, the last part, will be the Church of Leo to see him. This morning we're going to take a look at, let me do something here before I go any further. There's one thing about the Book of Revelation that you need to know in order to understand it. It's made up of a series of parentheses. Now you don't want to print the C's, it's. What happened to the life? So to get dampered in my vision, just go. A parenthesis, so I want you to understand it, it's an ordinary understandable revelation. A parenthesis works like parenthesis is a qualifying word, or an explanation inserted into the context, which doesn't seem to have any grammatical connection. That's a parenthesis, so let me give you an example. Let's say, I'm going to make up some names. Harry and Harriet. Harry and Harriet enjoy their new home in their country. A parenthesis would be it used to live in the city, you see. That's a qualifying word or explanation. Doesn't seem to have any grammatical connection, but it adds something to the context. That's a parenthesis. Past, present, future. Yeah, the book, yeah. The book of Revelation is full of parenthesis and if you don't know that if you don't realize that you won't understand the book of Revelation you'll be like a Catholic priest because they'll tell you not to read the book of Revelation it'll drive you nuts that's why a Catholic priest is never nuts he doesn't read it he doesn't understand it basically he's an idiot but I don't want to get in I don't want to throw stones of people so I'm not going to say that. Pretend I didn't say that, wipe it out. Okay, thank you. We looked at the first two churches, the book of the church Ephesus. I want you to go back here and I want you to look at something in verse 6 in chapter 2 concerning the church at Ephesus. We're going to take another look at this later, but look in verse 6. But this thou hast, that thou haithest the deeds, notice the word deeds of the Nicolayevans, which I also hate. And we're going to take another look at that later, but look into the church at Pagamas. Pagamas, Pagamas, Pagam. And go if you will to verse 15 in chapter 2, the church at Pagam, Pagamas. In verse 15, chapter 2, so has thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaeotans. Notice how we went from deeds to doctrine. Did you notice that? Isn't that what happens in churches today? We go from deeds and idea of thought to doctrine. We insert doctrine in our churches. So let's go, if you will, and begin in verse 12 this morning, Pergamon, the church at The word programma means height, elevation, tower, fortified. High on a hill, they thought they were great. A tower, fortify. Oh, we are a great church. In verse 12, into the angel, that's the messenger, by the way. The messenger of a church is usually the pastor. But it's not limited to the pastor. It's limited to anybody with enough courage to witness for Christ. To the church in Perkhamam, right, these same say he who had the sharp sword with two edges, can somebody tell me what that is, by the way? The word of God, thank you. The word of God is the sharp sword with two edges it cuts the both way. I know that it works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is, and thouholdest fastest up my name, and that's not denied my faith, even in those days in which antipus was my faithful martyr. who was slaying among you, where Satan dwelleth. We may take a look at this next week, but in the meantime, this morning is where we want to go. But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them, that hold the doctrine of Balam. Who taught Balak to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel to eat things, sacrifice two idols, and to commit fornication? We're going to take a look at Balam this morning. So you'll understand what the Lord is talking about, so turning your Bibles to Numbers chapter 22. All the way back to the Old Testament, Numbers chapter 22. And then we may go to second Peter and Jude, I don't know. We'll see what happens. In Numbers chapter 22, beginning in verse 1, and we're going to see what the doctrine of failing really is. In verse 1, Chapter 22 of Numbers, if you're there, and the children of Israel set forward and camped in the Plaint of Moab on this side of the Jordan by Jericho. In Baelic, the son of Zippor saw that all Israel had done to the Amorites, and Moab was sore, very much afraid of the people because they were many, and Moab was distressed because of the children Israel. And Moebs said unto the elders of Median, now shall this company look up all that around about us, as the ops look up the grass of the field. And Baylek, the son of Zippor, was king of the Moebites at that time. He sent messengers therefor unto Baileum, the son of Bior, to Pethor, which is by the river of the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying, behold, there's a people come up from Egypt, come out from Egypt. Behold, they cover the face of the earth and they abide over against me. In other words, Baylek was afraid that Israel was going to conquer and rule him. He didn't like the ideas. I don't know if you're aware of this, but the world is afraid of that today. That's why they're out to destroy the nation of Israel. They hate Israel. They're afraid of Israel even though they sometimes don't know it, but they're God's people. They are praise. And he said in verse 6, Come now, therefore I pray the curse for me this people. He was asking one of God's prophets, Baelum, who was a complete idiot, to curse the nation of Israel for us. Come now, therefore I pray the curse for me this people, for they are too mighty for me, for chance. I shall prevail that we may smite them that I may drive them out of the land, for I know the word is no, or preadventure, for I know that he whom thou blessed is blessed, and he whom thou cursedest is cursed. And the elders of Moeb and the elders of Medea departed with the rewards of divination in their hand, and they came on to bail. I want you to underline those words in your Bible. They came with the rewards of of divination, demonology, susayers, fortune tellers. And they came into Baylam and spoke unto him the words of Baylam. What should Baylam have done at that point? He should have said, get out of my house. I don't wanna talk to you. I don't wanna have anything to do with you. Get out, get away from me. And look at what he said. And he said unto them, lodge here this night. Let's have a little shindy. Let's get together. I've been offered that opportunity myself. The pastor we have something called the ministerial association. Would you like to join? No, thank you. I don't want to join the ministerial association because you've got every preacher in there that believes every different thing that I do not believe and I'm not going to I'm not going to lodge with you, so I'm not going to lodge with false doctrine. No, thank you, but he didn't do that. Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again as the Lord shall speak unto me, and the princes of Moab abode with bail. You see where bailons already get fouled up? It doesn't take much, does it? I've been asked to go to prayer dinners for a breakfast. and I've been asked by various denominations to join them in their prayer breakfast. Well, I got some news for you. I'm not gonna do it. I'm not gonna go to a prayer breakfast with someone with a preacher that's lost on his way to hell with false doctrine. No, thank you. I'm not gonna do that. And God came under bail and said, what men are these with the course God knew, didn't he? A little bit of a test there. And Baalum said unto God, Baalum, the son of Ziphorking, and Moa has sent unto me, saying, Behold, there are the people come out of each of two covered the face of the earth, come now, curse them for me. Perchant, perhaps, I shall be able to overcome them and drive them out. And God said unto Baalum, thou shalt not go with them, thou shalt not curse the people for they are blessed. You know what Baalum should have done? I should have listened. And Baylor rose up in the morning and said into the princes, and I'm going to read the whole context because it's important. So bear with me, if you will. Up they let get into your land for the Lord refuses to give me leave to go with you. And the princes of Moab rose up, and they went into Baylor and said Baylor refused to come with us. And Baylor sent yet again, princes more and more honorable than they, trying to build up with a lot of wealth and money and prestige and power. Aren't you influenced by the world by the way? Aren't you? Sure you are. And they came to bail him and said unto him, notice these three words. I got them circled in my Bible. Thus saith the bail. You're here. Thus saith Satan. How about thus saith the Lord? Didn't the Lord just tell Bailek not to go? Didn't he say, don't go with us? Sure he did. And they came to Bailek and said to him, thus saith Bailek, the son of Zippor, let nothing I pray, the hinder thee from coming unto me. For I will promote thee unto very great honor. 18. And Bailem answered and said unto the servants of Bailek, if Bailek would give me his house full of silver and gold, gold. I cannot go beyond the Word of the Lord, my God, to do less or more. That sounds pretty good, that's it. I don't care what you give me, Baylick. I'm not going. God said, don't do it. The Word of God is more precious than anything you have to offer. But now notice the very next verse. One great big, however. Notice the very next verse. Now, therefore, I pray you, Terry, you also hear this night, that I may know what the Lord will say unto me more. Isn't that amazing? I'm going to give you a good example. I'm going to give you a couple of examples. Muhammad spent a lot of time traveling back and forth. That's how he made a lot of money. He had a caravan. He went back and forth. He traded in goods. He traded in gold, sense everything that made money even slavery. He made a fortune in slavery. And when he did he traveled he met the Jews and he met the Christians and the Jews said this and the Christians said that Muhammad was confused. If he just went to the Bible he wouldn't have been confused but he was confused and Muhammad said I want to know more. So he went into a cave even he prayed, and Satan answered his prayer. You see, you can't pray to God for wisdom outside the Bible. That is not divine wisdom. All the divine wisdom you need is in the Bible. You can't go to God and say, God, I want more wisdom. I read that verse and I really don't believe it. There's got to be more to it than that. And so God gave Muhammad or not our God, his God Satan gave Muhammad wisdom. It's called the Qur'an. It's an abomination. If Muhammad would have went to the Bible and obeyed the Bible, he would have understood everything. He needed enough. God already told Ba'lam, don't go with him. I don't want you to go. Stay here. Don't go. And so they came back with another offer. Hey, Ba'lam, you know, you do this and maybe you'll prosper and will give you all this stuff. And so he said, well, okay, come on in again. I'll go to the Lord one more time. I'll go ask the Lord again. Maybe he was wrong the first time. The doctrine of Balaam is twisting and perverting the word of God for gain and profit. Let me give you another example. I used to know a young man years ago, probably 25 years ago, roughly, I guess. He said he wanted to be a preacher. He said he had a couple of churches offered but they didn't pay enough money. That's sad, isn't it? He said, I can't pay my bills if I take this church. I said, don't you trust the Lord. Oh yeah, trust the Lord, but I can't take that church. Will you have it offered to you? No, you really don't trust the Lord at all. And I'll give you another example. You all know who the founder of Mormonism was, Joseph Smith. Joseph Smith, when he was a young boy, about 1516, roughly in that area, he visited many, many churches with different doctors. The method is the Lutheran. This church, that church, the Baptist church. He said, none of them agree. I don't know what to do. I don't know what to think. So he went to James, chapter 1, verse 5, which says, if any lack was them, let him pray. And so Joseph Smith prayed. He should have went to the Bible shouldn't be. If he went to the Bible, he'd had all the answers he really needed. But no, he prayed. He said, Lord, I want more wisdom. There's something wrong here with the Bible. I don't get it. And so now we have something called Mormonism. Back to the Bible here, if you will. In fact, to the book of Numbers. In verse 19, he said, I'm going to go to Lord in prayer one more time and maybe the Lord will change his mind. Maybe he'll let me go with you, they are not prosper. In verse 20, God came in to bail him at night and said unto him, if the men come up and call the rise up and go with them, but yet the word which I shall say unto thee that shall do. No words God said, well if you really want to go, go. But he shouldn't went. The answer to the whole thing is found in chapter 23. So turn over there if you will, chapter 23 in verse 19. Now we could read on forever, but let's make it simple. In chapter 23 verse 19 it says, God is not a man that he should lie. In other words, he already told you once, bail him. You're going to go pray to him again and ask for more, but well Lord, I know that's what you said, but is that really what you said? That he should lie neither the Son of Man that he should repent, change his mind, hath he said, and shall he not do it, or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? Behold, I have received commandment to bless, and he has blessed, and I cannot reverse it. If Balaam would have remembered that and kept it in his mind and done exactly what God said, everything would have been fine. The doctrine of Balaam is changing the Word of God and cursing those who don't believe, who don't deserve cursing, all for reward. Go if you will to 2nd Peter, chapter 2, 2nd Peter, chapter 2, if you will. In verse 15, 2nd Peter, chapter 2, in chapter 2, Peter is talking about those who are basically lost. In verse 15, who have forsaken the right way and are going to stray following the way of Bailema. the son of B.O. who loved the wages of unrighteousness. You see, Baelum was ready to prosper. He was ready to prosper. He was ready to take God's word, twisted, perverted, do anything he could, and say, Lord, I know what this means. You can't be serious. And the Lord said, but was rebuked for his is an equity the dumbass speaking with man's voice forbade the madness of the prophet. The donkey that he was riding on, do you ever hear the phrase dumbass? Well, it's in the Bible. So don't call me a nasty old preacher. It's in the Bible. The dumb animal that he was riding spoke to him as he was riding away from God. I'm going to give you another example. Nimble closed. Turn to John chapter 3 verse 16, if you will. John chapter 3, verse 16, and John chapter 3, verse 15, we see in verse 14 that the son of man be lifted up and he was on the cross. The reason he was lifted up on the cross is that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life, verse 15. The reason Christ was lifted up on the cross is that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. And for God so loved the world, that's you and I, that He gave His only begotten Son, that's Jesus Christ, that whosoever, anybody, anywhere at any time, believe it in Him, should not perish but have everlasting life. I don't believe that to you. Yeah, that's just not true. There's going to be more to it than that, doesn't it? But there has to be. has to be. I know, I know, I know what this first means. It means it's God so love the world that he chose, that whosoever he chose believes in him and whosoever he didn't choose will go to hell. That's what that verse really means. Because I pray to God. I say, Lord, it I can't be that simple. He tells us, but we don't always choose him. Okay then, for God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever comes down the aisle will have eternal life, isn't that the doctrine of bail? Oh, that's just not true. I don't know. You just believe in the Lord. That's not enough. I want more wisdom. I went to the Lord and prayed to Him. I said, Lord, it's God. There's got to be more to it than that. Let me go back in my room and pray one more time. I know your word can't mean just that simple, good can't be. You see, when I changed the simple gospel to mean what I wanted to mean, just so I can get gain from it, that's the doctrine of bail. That's the doctrine of bail. We did, as I already said, we did two generals this week. They were based on John 316. They weren't based on the fact that the person that had died was a wonderful person. I didn't do that because I didn't know. They made a bet. The message wasn't based on the fact that I went out and threw water on the coffin, but it was his person. I didn't have a thing with some churches to do with the smoke, or on the smoke. I went with the simple message that God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son. And I don't do funerals, by the way, for the money. If they give me money, I'd take me some money. This one funeral, I said donate it to the church. They did. I do funerals because somebody died. And if I know they're in heaven, I make sure everybody knows it. If I don't know it, I make sure they know that I don't know. I can't assume anyone in the heaven. I don't preach people in heaven after their death. It's too late. I just go with the simple truth. But if I was Baalum, the only reason I'd do a funeral was if I got a couple hundred bucks for it. Yeah, you see on sand, the doctrine of Baalum is perverting God's word, making it to mean what you wanted to mean for financial or personal gain. They had the doctrine of Baalum in the Church of Pergamus, didn't take long did it. About a hundred years in the Church was perverted, actually it was perverted long before that. At one service, I was led to believe that the lady that died and it was true. She took her son to church when he was 10 years old. She was disillusioned with the, it was a Baptist church by the way, because she was so disillusioned by the fact that he asked everybody to make a pledge for something. We never do that here by the way. If you pledge any money, just give it to me. I'm kidding. I just soon worked for my money anyway, but you know she was so disillusioned she never went back and her son never went back. Yet when they heard the truth, how simple it really is without adding all the doctrine of bail and all the doctrine of the Nicolayatins, they were glad to hear. I'll tell what he found up so bad that God condemned him and put his name in the Bible for you to read it. Baylon, old boy, you found out. Paul says that he was the chief of sinners. That's the only thing I'm disillusioned about, because Paul didn't know me. If he did, he'd put my name in there. And my name would be in the Bible. Wouldn't that be neat? It's faster than the greatest center of all time. Yeah, my name would be in the Bible. But Paul didn't know me, unfortunately, so I didn't get my name in there. But anyhow, isn't it easy to see what the doctor in the Dr. Nathalim really is. Wherever you take God's word, pervert it, foul it up, twist it up for financial or personal gain. That's a doctor Nathalim. And I'll tell you something, pretty soon you have to pay for it. Either in this life or the next, but you'll have to pay for it. In closing, let's do this one more time. I did this at both services, by the way. I didn't use the burning wallet because I don't think I'd be appropriate in it, you know? I'm not a complete idiot. Pretty close, but not complete. Bible says we're all sinners. I'm a sinner. This represents my sin. I can go to hell and pay for it, but I don't want it. The Bible says Christ died on the cross for God so loved the world. That's me, you and me. Christ died on the cross He gave His only begotten Son, was buried and rose again. And all I have to do is believe it. Isn't it simple? It's so simple only a fool would reject it. Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shall be saved. If you ever get the opportunity to preach that message, keep it simple. The simpler you keep it, the better it is. Let's have a word prayer and we'll close if you will. Dear Lord of Christian Bible Church, or wherever we go, give us the ability to strengthen the courage to keep your words simple. will without adding my own personal whatever I want to add to it for any kind of game whatsoever bless the message that we try to give in this church God did not lie he's not a man and he said whosoever believe it than me have that everlasting life how simple and dear Lord we thank you for and if there's anyone here this morning that's never trusted crisis or say you're doing today before it's too late and we'll thank you for it in Christ's name. Amen. I told him yesterday by the way at a service that I did I said not if you believe that you go out and get run over by a freight train you'll go right straight to heaven and then I said hold it don't go out and get run over straight trains just to go to heaven you don't want to go that far because I get blamed for it you know what I mean okay let's all rise if you will, and turn the page I changed.